Kili is feeling lonely on Halloween and missing her beau Bard, but thankfully, Fili has a suggestion for…
Continue ReadingKili is feeling lonely on Halloween and missing her beau Bard, but thankfully, Fili has a suggestion for her… and a surprise!
Stay up to date by subscribing to Happy Hobbit on YouTube and by following them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok!
You can also binge all of Happy Hobbit’s Halloween episodes by clicking on their Halloween playlist here.
“… and actually, I’m about to do The Silmarillion…” says Serkis off-handedly in this Flip Your Wig interview at 3:35.
Thanks to r/lotr for the tip!
In the summer of 2012, sisters Kellie and Alex Rice visited San Diego Comic Con for the first time. As they marveled at the large buildings and the splendor of the city, new friends asked again and again where they came from to find such wonder and novelty in an urban landscape. The answer was the mountains of northern California. It was at that moment that the elder of the two sisters, Kellie (or “Kili”) realized that by comparison to many, they lived a rural lifestyle akin to hobbits, Elves, and rangers. A few short months later, they began brainstorming a webseries designed to bring Middle-earth to their viewers’ daily lives through sharing aspects of their country life including crafts, recipes, and animal husbandry. After filtering out several potential names (including “The Green Door” and “Not TORn Tuesday”), the two came up with one that fit perfectly: Happy Hobbit.
They debuted their first proper episode about chickens on October 17th, 2012, sharing how to raise hens and collect eggs like a hobbit.
At the time, they never could have imagined the marvelous adventure that starting a hobbity little show would take them on. From their small mountain town to the world premieres of The Hobbit films and now special events for Amazon’s The Rings of Power, it has been a wild ride!
In 2013, the two filmed a reaction video to the trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug that went viral when Peter Jackson saw it and shared it on his Facebook page. He later filmed the Elven cast (Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lily, and Lee Pace) reacting to the girls’ reaction… which the girls then reacted to again, creating a viral trilogy that was dubbed “Hobbitception” after the film Inception: a reaction within a reaction within a reaction!
You can watch the hilarious magic unfold in the playlist below:
Peter Jackson’s nudge not only increased Happy Hobbit’s viewership, but led to more visibility. While the sisters enjoyed connecting with all of their fellow fans, it was extra special meeting the many hundreds of young women and girls who were not only Tolkien fans, but so excited to see young women like them having their geekniess not only validated, but celebrated.
Though there was a dearth of Middle-earth content between the Hobbit films and the recent Rings of Power TV show, the sisters continued to make their webseries and don’t have any plans to stop! A chronic joint issue called Ehlers-Danlos has made it more difficult for Alex (or Fili) to participate as much as she used to, so these days her sister Kellie (or Kili) sometimes produces solo episodes. Kellie is also a published Fantasy author under her pen name, K.M. Rice (she chose initials in part because of Tolkien’s pen name) and is the co-author of Middle-earth from Script to Screen: Building The World of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
On October 17th, they celebrated their 10 year anniversary of Happy Hobbit by airing their 100th episode! Viewers sent in clips, photos and letters sharing what the show has meant to them and their love of their fans to help make the episode an occasion to remember. Below, you can join Fili and Kili and friends as they share some of the many things that make them happy hobbits!
Many viewers describe the Happy Hobbit series and community as being wholesome and comforting, like snuggling up with a cozy blanket. It is a positive corner of the Shire that many turn to in times of darkness or hardship. With over 100 episodes (including lots of holiday specials and side adventures), there truly is something for everyone in Kili and Fili’s interpretation of Tolkien’s world. Above all, hearing from so many fans and viewers affirmed to the sisters that they had achieved their goal of leaving their audience happy hobbits!
Stay up to date by subscribing to Happy Hobbit on YouTube and by following them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok!
As a post script, the sisters love Halloween and have a wonderfully spooktacular playlist below!
Examining the minutiae of Tolkien adaptations has long been a tradition at TheOneRing.net. Staff, message boarders and chatters on our site have regularly picked over scenes and images from the films and this tradition continues with The Rings of Power. Today, however, the discussions take place in multiple arenas all over the internet. Recently, on Twitter, MGCoco* shared an interesting theory about Elrond’s cloak.
Other Tolkien fans loved this theory, with some noting how the cloak is “way more worn than the rest of the clothes” he wears and speculating that we may learn more at a future date.
Others took this theory even further, speculating that Elros may have been buried in his cloak and how Elrond still wears his as a “silent vigil over his brother’s legacy”. They go on to raise an interesting point that the lore never touches on Elrond’s feelings over his twin having chosen mortality and there being no chance of them ever being reunited, not even in the Halls of Mandos.
MGCoco* also noted how Elrond then goes on to watch over the remaining heirs of Elros in Middle-earth, helping to hide the line of Isildur. Other fans stated that:
“It paints a beautiful, if somewhat bittersweet, mental image. Really gives one a sense of the sheer depth of his character too.”
Claiomh Dubh via Twitter
Delving into a closer look of a characters costume, can lead to far more than just an appreciation of a piece of clothing.
Join us on our Discord channel to discuss this and other topics with fellow Tolkien fans.
Welcome to The Great Hall of Poets, our regular feature showcasing the talent of Middle-earth fans. Each month we will feature a small selection of the poems submitted, but we hope you will read all of the poems that we have received here in our Great Hall of Poets.
So come and join us by the hearth, and enjoy!
If you have a Tolkien/Middle-earth inspired poem you’d like to share, then send it to poetry@theonering.net One poem per person may be submitted each month. Please make sure to proofread your work before sending it in. TheOneRing.net is not responsible for poems posting with spelling or grammatical errors.
The long road lies before you, a far journey to reach your goal. Miles of endless traveling, but take comfort, O weary Soul. Though you may seem from nowhere, Where you stand and where you’ve been It’s slow and steady progress, not a race that you must win. All short-cuts with little traveling, lead nowhere in the end. So, if the road seems long, now. And the journey much too tough. Remember, gems and jewels, are cut from rougher stuff. And though it’s quite a struggle, with Apathy a constant foe. It’s the journey on the longer roads, that helps your soul to grow. So stay steady on your journey, and surely you’ll succeed, and claim the golden harvest, where before were only seeds. © Copyright 1999 Tom Frye
~~ * ~~
by: Caroline Flynn
Forth rode Earnil, last king of Gondor Upon the Witch-King of Angmar to make war. There ensued a terrible fight, In which the Witch-King appeared and showed forth his might. None could withstand the terror of his onslaught, But Earnil, undeterred, would have stood and fought Had not his horse fled, being crazed with fear When the Witch-King with a horrible cry drew near. The Witch-King laughed, at what he saw as fright, But then his eyes were stung by a blinding light. Turning his horse, away he sped, Even as he mocked, into the darkness he fled. He who had subjected lands and realms to his rule And of Sauron’s servants was the most feared and cruel, Could not withstand one who had beheld the Two Trees And walked in lands beyond the Sundering Seas. For Glorfindel had come up from Rivendell; Bright was his sword, his eyes fey and fell. He who of old had grappled with Shadow and Flame, Unveiled his power, and with renewed might he came. As Earnil rode back, chafing with anger and hate, Glorfindel, gazing into the dusk, foresaw the Enemy’s fate, Stretching far into the long years ahead. Turning to the captain, he withheld him and said: “Do not pursue him – far off yet is his doom! And much more must be accomplished before the gathering of that gloom. Not by the hand of man will he be slain: Rather, the unlooked-for will arise and be his bane.” And so it was, that the prophecy was spoken, Though many years passed before it was awoken, During the great battles fought for the One Ring, And the Nazgul were sent forth, led by the Witch-King. Despair and darkness he spread, wherever he went, And the body of Theoden King apart he rent. But then with an opponent he stood face to face, Who was unafraid of the unseen eyes and deadly mace. “Begone foul lord of carrion!” the clear voice spoke. “Let him lie in peace!” “Stand not between me and my prey,” came the cold reply, “else you will go to where there is no release.” There was sharp ring as was drawn a sword. “No living man may hinder me!” laughed the lord. Thus was spoken the prophecy of long ago, The selfsame one spoken by his deadly foe. Doubt entered the Nazgul’s mind as sun gleamed on golden hair, And he was reminded of Glorfindel the fair. “No man am I!” a woman’s voice returned, And in Eowyn of Rohan’s eyes a fearless light burned. The fell beast of the Witch-King reared up and rose, Its rider furious that anyone should dare him oppose. But Eowyn leapt aside, and clove off the beast’s head, And from the ruin rose the dark and deadly Dread. With a mighty stroke he broke her arm and clove her shield, And it looked as though he would triumph upon Pelennor Field. But in that hour Eowyn stood not alone, And in the darkness another desperate courage shone. From behind a sword pierced the sinews of the Witch-King’s knee, And with a despairing cry, from his terror the world was set free. Neither swordsman tall nor warrior strong Had done this deed so worthy of song. Only Merry the Hobbit, from the humble Shire Out of love had helped the maiden in her need so dire. And so it was: not by the hand of man did the Witch-King fall But at the hand of a woman of the Golden Hall And by a dagger taken from the tomb of a barrow-wight, Wound with spells for his demise, in that long-ago fight. ~~ * ~~
The following is a guest review from TORn Discord Ringer Amandawrites:
Sharing your joys with loved ones isn’t always easy. My husband, Eric, is a New York Mets fanatic.
When we started dating, I thought baseball was only marginally more interesting than the proverbial drying paint. But because he watches every game he can, and listens when he can’t watch (and checks game updates on his phone when he can’t listen), I soon found that spending time with him between April and October meant learning to appreciate, if not love, baseball (and particularly the Mets). Twenty-odd years later, I’ve come to appreciate the game and even enjoy it (sometimes). But love? Well, let’s just say I have other priorities.
Shortly before we were planning to leave for the theater the evening Return of the King opened, I accidentally drove an electric drill bit into my palm. (Unhandy people like me really ought not attempt carpentry projects, especially minutes before going somewhere important.) Eric sensibly suggested we go to the ER, but it was Return of the frickin’ King—for me, the fantasy equivalent of a Subway World Series—so seeing the film took priority. I bear the ensuing scar as proof of my love of LOTR. Yet Eric views Tolkien as I view baseball—it’s something he has come to appreciate and sometimes even enjoys—but love? He had other priorities.
Our separate loves came in conflict on Friday, September 2, when I insisted we watch the premier episode of The Rings of Power while the Mets were playing. My husband, in an expression of love for me, acquiesced with only a little grumbling. He knew I’d been itching to watch the episode for months and granted me the boon foregoing his joy in favor of mine. (There’s a reason we’ve been married for two decades.) Incidentally, my daughter loves LOTR, although she might prioritize the ER over the theater if she had a puncture wound in her hand. So last Friday night, we all sat down together to watch ROP, me with fingers crossed and palms sweating in hopes that the show wouldn’t end up RIP in our family viewing line up.
It was fitting to watch as a family, since family is the cornerstone of the series. Galadriel’s mission to find the missing Dark Lord Sauron is driven by her love for her elder brother Finrod, whom Sauron killed. Nearly everyone else we meet — harfoot, human, dwarf, or elf — has a family to protect and care for, or aspires to forming those bonds. I love that the series has begun on this footing, centering motivations on kin and kindred rather than the standard-issue Great Evil That Will End All Things.
The show also rapidly establishes the little evils that get in the way of defeating the big ones—a regular theme throughout all of Tolkien’s work. This was one of my favorite things about the first two episodes. In the opening voiceover narration, Galadriel tells us “nothing was evil in the beginning,” but she’s lying to us and herself. Right away, before we see any evidence of a Great Evil, we see the ignorance and casual cruelty of Galadriel’s own people. This lesser evil of playground bullies foreshadows the conflicts and motivations that will drive Galadriel for the rest of her life (and the series).
Before she can confront Sauron, she must contend with peers who doubt and foil her, friends who betray her, and a king who pushes her out of the way. She may be Commander of the Northern Armies, but she is still underestimated, undervalued, and undermined. It’s easy to read this as a feminist take on Tolkien, where a brilliant woman is hindered by the petty jealousies and hubris of a bunch of men who think they know better and want her to sit down and shut up (and think getting her to stand down is for her own good). But whether you love or hate the feminist angle, it’s entirely consistent with all of Tolkien’s work.
From the Sackville-Bagginses to Denethor to Fëanor, who started the whole mess that led Galadriel’s people out of Valinor in the first place, Tolkien always dwells on the roadblocks put up by the hero’s friends and family as much or more than the threat posed by the Great Evil Enemy. And Galadriel certainly isn’t the only heroine in his work to succeed where men fail. From Melian to Lúthien, Haleth to Eowyn, there’s a long list of badass sisters doing it for themselves in Tolkien’s work.
Another favorite thing is the dialogue, which I thought brilliantly crafted (despite a few awkward expository moments). Every word carried its narrative weight, especially when Galadriel was speaking. There were plenty of Easter eggs for Tolkien nuts, but not so much Deep Lore that the more casual viewers in my house were lost.
There were questions, of course, like why hobbits are called harfoots, and why there is no mention of the family Galadriel is leaving behind when she’s shipped off by the king. The first question was easily answered with a look at my trusty Complete Guide to Middle-earth, but the second has me wondering if showrunners J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay have dispensed with Celeborn or delayed Galadriel’s relationship with him. I hope he’s somewhere in the wings, and Payne and McKay are sticking to the established genealogy. It would tick me off if Elrond doesn’t marry Galadriel’s daughter, Celebrían, the mother of Arwen in the books
I’m also not entirely thrilled with the implication that Finrod died in battle rather than in Sauron’s prison (while helping Beren with his quest for the Silmarils), but I understand that film requires some narrative streamlining, and what’s important is the end result: Sauron killed Galadriel’s brother, and that’s what drives her now. In fact, I love that the series is founded on this classic narrative trope. It’s not just about saving the world for Galadriel, it’s personal. Very personal.
Time constraints and other obligations had us watching only the first episode Friday and the second on Sunday night. All in all, the show got a big thumbs up from the family and will be on the viewing roster for the next 7 weeks. And if I somehow injure myself minutes before we plan to watch? Don’t worry — I have my priorities straight.
This review was written by TORn Discord Ringer Amandawrites and reflects her opinions only. Check out her blog and more writing here!
