The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Eldest
September 6, 2024 6:48 AM - Season 2, Episode 4 - Subscribe
Separated from his halfling friends, the Stranger meets a singing jolly fellow named Tom. Elrond and Galadriel face deadly challenges on the way to Celebrimbor's city and Nori and Poppy make a surprising discovery related to their people's never ending journey. The elven warrior Arondir finds himself apologizing for cutting down a tree.
I like this Bombadil. More monk than Deadhead.
posted by hototogisu at 1:23 PM on September 6 [1 favorite]
posted by hototogisu at 1:23 PM on September 6 [1 favorite]
I liked Tom as well. He wasn’t quite as RING A DING DILLO as in the books, but he still sang a bit and dispensed his cryptic wisdom.
posted by Fleebnork at 1:59 PM on September 7 [2 favorites]
posted by Fleebnork at 1:59 PM on September 7 [2 favorites]
Another solid episode - good action, well paced, nice character development. The pieces are in place for some major conflicts to resolve by the end of the season.
One thing I'm appreciating about this show so far is how its dealing with the "villainous races", e.g. the orcs and the wild men. The show doesn't deny that the wild men are on the wrong side of the conflict and that the orcs are devastating wherever they go, yet it also depicts these people as having societies and life cycles. This is something that's often missing in fantasy stories, I guess because we want species that serve as cannon fodder for heroic violence. The show denies us this easy way out, while also avoiding throwing in some (unnecessary) story of Jim the orc who's actually a sweet heart.
I also just had a funny conversation with my wife, where I was complaining about the mystery around the Stranger, which I mostly find tiresome - and a lot of the internet seems to agree. My wife on the other hand was happy to admit it's one of her favourite parts, and she likes thinking about the lore and puzzling these things out. Maybe that's the silent majority?
posted by Alex404 at 7:55 PM on September 7 [2 favorites]
One thing I'm appreciating about this show so far is how its dealing with the "villainous races", e.g. the orcs and the wild men. The show doesn't deny that the wild men are on the wrong side of the conflict and that the orcs are devastating wherever they go, yet it also depicts these people as having societies and life cycles. This is something that's often missing in fantasy stories, I guess because we want species that serve as cannon fodder for heroic violence. The show denies us this easy way out, while also avoiding throwing in some (unnecessary) story of Jim the orc who's actually a sweet heart.
I also just had a funny conversation with my wife, where I was complaining about the mystery around the Stranger, which I mostly find tiresome - and a lot of the internet seems to agree. My wife on the other hand was happy to admit it's one of her favourite parts, and she likes thinking about the lore and puzzling these things out. Maybe that's the silent majority?
posted by Alex404 at 7:55 PM on September 7 [2 favorites]
yet it also depicts these people as having societies and life cycles
I agree, i enjoyed this when it was subtle; the actors do a fantastic job getting the “generals wage war, soldiers die” thing across even through the makeup. I eye rolled v hard, however, at “orc says goodbye to orc wife and orc baby before marching off to Adar’s war”.
posted by supercres at 9:46 PM on September 7 [2 favorites]
I agree, i enjoyed this when it was subtle; the actors do a fantastic job getting the “generals wage war, soldiers die” thing across even through the makeup. I eye rolled v hard, however, at “orc says goodbye to orc wife and orc baby before marching off to Adar’s war”.
posted by supercres at 9:46 PM on September 7 [2 favorites]
I also like the Stranger bits, because i’m more a fan of the Istar (and older beings) making the rest of Middle Earth their playthings. I will be annoyed if he’s Gandalf, though.
Two thumbs up for how they remedied Peter Jackson’s error and included Tom.
posted by supercres at 9:49 PM on September 7 [1 favorite]
Two thumbs up for how they remedied Peter Jackson’s error and included Tom.
posted by supercres at 9:49 PM on September 7 [1 favorite]
I will be annoyed if he’s Gandalf, though.
My money is still on Blue Wizard, because Gandalf is specifically said in the books to have sailed to Middle Earth and arrived at the Grey Havens, where Cirdan gave him the ring Narya.
posted by Fleebnork at 5:06 AM on September 9 [1 favorite]
My money is still on Blue Wizard, because Gandalf is specifically said in the books to have sailed to Middle Earth and arrived at the Grey Havens, where Cirdan gave him the ring Narya.
posted by Fleebnork at 5:06 AM on September 9 [1 favorite]
I guess I'm a Tolkien conservative. I want my Orcs to be pure evil and my Tom Bombadils to be insufferable.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 6:19 AM on September 9 [3 favorites]
posted by paper chromatographologist at 6:19 AM on September 9 [3 favorites]
My money is still on Blue Wizard, because Gandalf is specifically said in the books to have sailed to Middle Earth and arrived at the Grey Havens, where Cirdan gave him the ring Narya.
[The end of the show]
Gandalf: My work here is temporarily done, so I'm going to sell back over to Valinor for a quick nap. I'll return later.
Cirdan: Great, when you get back I'll loan you my ring.
Gandalf: As surely as it's written. [winks at camera]
Stoors.
Thank you, axiom! My terrible hearing struck again.
One thing I'm appreciating about this show so far is how its dealing with the "villainous races", e.g. the orcs and the wild men. The show doesn't deny that the wild men are on the wrong side of the conflict and that the orcs are devastating wherever they go, yet it also depicts these people as having societies and life cycles. This is something that's often missing in fantasy stories, I guess because we want species that serve as cannon fodder for heroic violence. The show denies us this easy way out, while also avoiding throwing in some (unnecessary) story of Jim the orc who's actually a sweet heart.
I appreciate this, too. It seems that with at least some of Wild Men (People?), part of their allegiance and existence comes out of desperation at that. I've got to wonder if Sauron's big sell to the orcs this time around won't be, "Not gonna lie, lot of y'all are going to die," to "Gonna be honest here, unlike Adar, I just want to move into Mordor and keep the Uruk nice and safe there."
I'm going to be mad if the Stranger isn't Gandalf, if only because of how much it was teased.
posted by Atreides at 7:12 AM on September 9 [2 favorites]
[The end of the show]
Gandalf: My work here is temporarily done, so I'm going to sell back over to Valinor for a quick nap. I'll return later.
Cirdan: Great, when you get back I'll loan you my ring.
Gandalf: As surely as it's written. [winks at camera]
Stoors.
Thank you, axiom! My terrible hearing struck again.
One thing I'm appreciating about this show so far is how its dealing with the "villainous races", e.g. the orcs and the wild men. The show doesn't deny that the wild men are on the wrong side of the conflict and that the orcs are devastating wherever they go, yet it also depicts these people as having societies and life cycles. This is something that's often missing in fantasy stories, I guess because we want species that serve as cannon fodder for heroic violence. The show denies us this easy way out, while also avoiding throwing in some (unnecessary) story of Jim the orc who's actually a sweet heart.
I appreciate this, too. It seems that with at least some of Wild Men (People?), part of their allegiance and existence comes out of desperation at that. I've got to wonder if Sauron's big sell to the orcs this time around won't be, "Not gonna lie, lot of y'all are going to die," to "Gonna be honest here, unlike Adar, I just want to move into Mordor and keep the Uruk nice and safe there."
I'm going to be mad if the Stranger isn't Gandalf, if only because of how much it was teased.
posted by Atreides at 7:12 AM on September 9 [2 favorites]
Thank you, axiom! My terrible hearing struck again.
Cheers. To be fair to your hearing, in the British accent, Stoors has two syllables — "stoo-ers" — and I can see how you might kind of hear an under-pronounced V in there when questing about for what word it could be.
posted by axiom at 8:51 AM on September 9 [1 favorite]
Cheers. To be fair to your hearing, in the British accent, Stoors has two syllables — "stoo-ers" — and I can see how you might kind of hear an under-pronounced V in there when questing about for what word it could be.
posted by axiom at 8:51 AM on September 9 [1 favorite]
HELLO NO ONE HAS MENTIONED THE ENT WIFE
THE
ENT
WIFE
I cried! It’s the saddest story in all of Tolkien’s work and possibly anywhere.
Also really loved the Rufus Wainwright song at the end.
posted by Isingthebodyelectric at 7:13 PM on September 13 [3 favorites]
THE
ENT
WIFE
I cried! It’s the saddest story in all of Tolkien’s work and possibly anywhere.
Also really loved the Rufus Wainwright song at the end.
posted by Isingthebodyelectric at 7:13 PM on September 13 [3 favorites]
Noooo...it was on my mind to do and I never did it. The Ent wives haven't been lost yet! (Albeit, I always assumed they were chilling with Tom Bombadil over by the Shire and they just needed to reconnect with the Ents over by Saurman's hangout. I wonder if we won't see the separation occur in this show, since it has to happen at some point in the near future.
posted by Atreides at 8:16 AM on September 16 [1 favorite]
posted by Atreides at 8:16 AM on September 16 [1 favorite]
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by Atreides at 6:52 AM on September 6