Rings of Power Episode 7 BREAKDOWN | Lord of the Rings on Prime Explained

Deep dive into Rings of Power Episode 7: "The Eye" ! We'll look for all the references to Tolkien's deeper lore, explain what is happening, and I'll give some thoughts along the way. We had some confirmation on the nature of Mithril in the series and a huge name drop that has some crazy implications!
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[@pandadono6591]

I can't shake off the small detail that Halbrand is injured enough to require elven medicine but is fit enough to travel by horseback all the way to Lindon.

[@tiovon8209]

It's not that weird. As they said, the wound began to fester overnight. What they mean is that human medicine won't stop the festering from worsening. He's fine enough to travel now but his situation will deteriorate without elven medicine.

[@jcharlin]

Also, it could be because Halbrand is Sauron.

[@kommodorekipper]

They don't have to go as far as Lindon, Eregion is a lot closer and the Elven realm in Mirkwood a lot closer still - will be interesting which place they end up at - I think it will be Eregion. To coincide with Annatar/Sauron

[@FlyfishermanMike]

It's cool, they'll just fast travel there.

[@leonard9624]

Halbrand you mean sauron lol

[@freeguy7628]

I like how Galadrial and Theo leave the village with people screaming and dying and just leave to go find the group of people they just left screaming and dying.

[@Velimirius]

mum mum where are you? never mind im off with elf lady...

[@IndianaSmallmouth]

Time lapse?

[@NikoMoraKamu]

yep totally stupid

[@akikolehmainen88]

The whole eruption aftermath was handled with high level of incompetence.

[@ChrisFar]

Hahahah best comment yet

[@TheHololo1234]

There's definitely a different group of writers for the different stories being told in this show. The people writing the Durin + Elrond section are carrying the entire show.

[@gaspardbonnehon8758]

Shame they didn't realize that Elrond using lies, deception, spying, breaking into the secret area, and breaking your promises, isn't really something a good character should do to their friends. Old king Durin is 100% justified in not trusting the elves in the show, which is clearly not what was intended.

[@saurabhchauhan7187]

Galadriel searching for sauron = 1000 years Galadriel searching for celeborn = 0 years 😂😂😂😂😂

[@flowtrotters12230]

she loves sauron🙄😬😬😬

[@hawkname1234]

Here's a concept - just because something hasn't been said explicitly on the show doesn't mean it hasn't happened.

[@FOOJFOOJIYAMA]

@@hawkname1234 Or this show is just hot garbage written by two gay activists.

[@szabok1999]

@@hawkname1234 Still lame storytelling.

[@GoldFoilDecendent]

Pretty funny

[@delinquentgamer0748]

The Balrog is named "Durin's Bane", since it was the killer of Durin VI and his son; Durin III is currently the old king. So there's about 400yrs of mithril mining to go before the Balrog kicks them out of Moria. It would've been better if we had just seen that leaf get burnt from the breath of the sleeping Balrog

[@atlasunplugged5700]

But then how will Amazon market their Amazon branded Balrog merch? What of mindless CGI spectacle? Don't ask questions, just consume product and then get excited for next product.

[@The420kingchronic]

Or just it's horn sticking out from a massive vein of mithril.

[@xlr8r17]

Agreed. It shouldn't be "awake" yet.

[@Alex-kr7zr]

We will see. 400 years are nothing in the life of a Balrog, so maybe it is just sleepwalking.

[@andrewmci89]

It's actually a lot more than 400 years. If Durin's Bane does appear in this show's timeframe it will be thousands of years early. In the book, Durin's Bane is referenced as having been awoken in TA (Third Age) 1980. The show has already messed with the timeline of the 2nd age so much that it's difficult to say what period we are in now, but even if you generously took the forging of the rings as a reference frame, that happened in SA 1500, which is almost a full 2000 years before the end of the second age/start of the third. That puts the gap between the rings being forged (which hasn't happened in the show yet), and Durin's Bane being awoken at almost 4000 years, not 400.

[@WunderWaffleman]

Elrond will return to Lindon to deliver the bad news, but not before hitting Eregion to personally tell Celebrimbor, who will go "no problem , I have a plan B I didn't want to tell you about unless absolutely necessary. Meet Annatar." Roll credits.

[@Zer0Brain]

So is Annatar basically Sauron?

[@WunderWaffleman]

@@Zer0Brain annatar is sauron's fair form he took to trick the elves into thinking he was a messenger of the Valar

[@Zer0Brain]

@@WunderWaffleman That makes a lot more sense to all the suspicion on Halbrand then that's cool

[@WunderWaffleman]

@@Zer0Brain really hoping halbrand is gonna be a nazgul

[@stephandelaney4097]

This ^^^

[@kitkat261]

Halbrand: *pale and deathly looking from his wound* Galadriel: "He needs to travel miles to Lindon or else he'll die" Halbrand: "can you help me get into the cart, I'm feeling a bit weak" Galadriel: "Can't you ride your horse or something, I ain't pulling your weak ass in a cart" Halbrand: "ok...but you'll protect me if we get attacked right, I am too weak to fight" Galadriel: *gives her sword to Theo* Halbrand: *good thing this is all an illusion, I'd be fvcked otherwise*

[@joemodest]

The queen wants to hide her blindness by wearing a blindfold. Makes sense

[@deceiver444]

Why are you still using your brain at this point ? This show is not really compatible with that kind of device.

[@hawkname1234]

She was alone with the blindfold. You're just a mindless hater.

[@ArlongSun]

The Queen wants to hide her blindness in front of the masses or troops and towns people. She is only wearing the blindfold far from townsfolk and the majority of her troops. The only people near her are her most trusted council.

[@horsedrawn8347]

I feel like there was a cut scene where she spoke about something like, "I want them to see, to see how my blindness to the outer world caused this evil to reach this stage, I have lost my worldly sight but I will not lose sight of the future of this world" butttt they cut it for more slomo horse stuff..

[@-.-.11]

@@horsedrawn8347 That’s putting way too much faith in the common sense of the writers.

[@LordOfTheLore123]

i wish Gandalf was there to tell Durin to throw himself in the mine to rid him of his stupidity

[@IndustrialGuy]

Fool of a durin!

[@therealronniej]

😂😂😂

[@sarahmanzar3111]

😂😂😂

[@user-dt7qu5ll7i]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👍🏽👍🏽

[@MrVictor1227]

Why? Why is Durin being a fool? Who would not want to mine such precious ore? All dwarfs should be wanting to mine this. Makes no sense

[@williamstokes4125]

As a medical doctor, I can confirm that riding a horse after developing a necrotic infection from a penetrating abdominal stab wound is certain death

[@nathannobre952]

So, LOTR was also wrong when Frodo gets stabbed by the nazgul and Arwen takes him to Rivendell. I'm a doctor as well, but this is fictional. Don't be a pain in the ass. lol

[@veeclash4157]

Which also begs the question why they portray such a mortal wound and then have that same injured person go on a ride of hundreds of miles to get back into elvish territory for that 'elvish medicine' even though Arondir said himself - 'We elves don't have healers, only artisans because we heal automatically'.

[@RespectTheSourceMaterial]

@@nathannobre952 did frodo ride the horse? NO Did they travel for more than 6 months? NO It's fAnTaSy. No it's bad storytelling. Why don't they just take a car to go to the elves then? It's FanTaSy AftEr ALl Don'T BE a PaIN In tHe AsS.

[@JayJay5244]

@@nathannobre952 For a doctor you’re putting surprisingly little thought in your comment… Frodo didn’t ride the horse, he suffered a stab wound around his shoulder area and I don’t recall it being infected, except maybe with dark magic and the ride took a day at most in the movies and two weeks in the books. It takes months to ride from Mordor all the way to Lindon…

[@williamstokes4125]

@@nathannobre952 LOL. I get it, but its the illness' trajectory that really throws me off. Halbrand goes from being on his death bed in the hospital ward to then walking around and riding his horse no problem with zero explanation. At least when Frodo gets stabbed he goes from bad to worse to worse still. Make it make sense

[@linklegend7536]

The Elrond and Durin stuff were easily the best parts of the episode. Also the argument Durin had with his farther was really well acted

[@alexandretostes9002]

Sure. Everything else was painful to watch, though.

[@thomasc9036]

When everything else is horrible, even an average scene looks good

[@ferro1398]

Right dude I like their chemistry the most. Feels like Durin has more brotherly love to Elrond than he has love for Disa lol

[@eliteviktor3]

I skipped through it because it was so boring.

[@cr9281]

@@eliteviktor3skipping scenes lmao

[@Erebus-oc9zq]

Calling it now. Durin's real name is Narvi and he makes the Doors of Durin, the western Gate of Moria with Celebrimbor 😉❤️

[@misterkami2]

That would fit in really nicely with using the elven word for "friend"' to open them..

[@tagalilly]

You just blew my mind and also I was thinking this!!!

[@cjtrules1]

Most likely. Love that idea and it's more evidence why it's the best storyline of the series.

[@RobKlarmann]

UHHHH! That just blew my mind. You totally hit the jackpot with that! Brilliant. Wonder what will happen with Durin III, though, because he's supposed to have one of the dwarven rings. And how will Durin IV come about? The real Durin IV may not be born yet and could be the nephew of this current Durin. That would solve the '2 Durins-at-the-same-time' problem. A major fallout caused Durin/Narvi to lose his birthright to be king. And his brother became king. Not sure how that would play out, but it's interesting for sure.

[@theamazingbatboy]

Except _Narvi_ is a mannish word, not Khuzdul so pretty unlikely to be Prince Durin's Dwarvish name.

[@ReggaeBasist]

I’d love to see you do a video after the season focusing on the differences between the show and the books. Focusing on stuff like the location of Celeborn or time compression.

[@stevenbaker2560]

Video would be too long. The differences are too many

[@deceiver444]

@@stevenbaker2560 lots and lots of differences indeed but that would make for some interesting content.

[@CybershamanX]

You might as well just watch all of his other videos. The time and energy it would take to deconstruct this monstrous afront to Tolkien's works would require significantly too much time and effort. He's already brought up the differences in his very generous and delicate recaps of each episode. And if you haven't noticed, he's been carefully posting videos clarifying/ correcting certain points since the series started. 😉

[@cdmcfall]

Basic timeline from books: SA1. Lindon formed 32: Elros become 1st king of Numenor 500: Sauron returns 600: Numenoreans sail to Middle Earth 1000: Construction of Barad-Dur 1200: Sauron as Annatar is turned away by Gil Galad 1350: Galadriel and Celeborn leave Lindon for Lothlorien 1500: Rings of Power are forged 1590: Three rings are forged 1600: One Ring is forged 1693: War begins with Sauron 1697: Khazad Dum closes 1701: Sauron driven from Eriador 2251: Nazgul appear 3177: Civil war in Numenor 3262: Sauron imprisoned in Numenor 3319: Fall of Numenor 3341: Last Alliance formed 3441: Sauron defeated; deaths of Elendil and Gil Galad

[@hawkname1234]

The Tolkien Professor already does this on his show Rings and Realms.

[@skyeplus]

In this episode Sauron could be the horse, or Disa, feisty dwarven woman. Could be the fallen branch too. Halbrand is on the watchlist as always.

[@bobankrsmanovic9398]

Maybe he is the horse of Disa.

[@TheRealBillix]

But original jokes are still nowhere to be found.

[@skyeplus]

@@TheRealBillix hey, that's my drinking game

[@jasonsandhu3760]

It's halbrand

[@jerrysmith8326]

It's very obvious that it's halbrand.

[@steve11377]

Just a theory with the way they have made changes to the lore - If the Mithril has the ability to remove the corruption from the Tree in Linden, I wonder if it may be magically preventing the Balrog "Durin's Bane" from leaving the bottom of that cavern. So as the mithril is removed from that large vein the magical prison becomes weaker and weaker till Balrog is loose. I always thought from the description that the Balrog was asleep and awoken by the dwarves mining too deep. However, the end of the episode shows he is awake, whether that means he goes on the rampage now would seem too soon, considering they do not or have not mined much mithril.

[@Batz-xk3nt]

I imagine that’s where they we’re going with this. Great observation regardless

[@briangrover873]

I agree. That is the only way that Mithril (as presented on the show), a force of anti-coruption, would be co-existing with an entity of pure malice. The Mithril is containing the Balrog.

[@MannyBrum]

Yeah, he also didn't awaken until 2000 years into the Third Age, so yeah.

[@melissalopez7238]

Ohhh 😮

[@zoeturner8172]

That would make sense if the mithril was created as the show said, during a fight between an elf and a balrog maybe the balrog was imprisoned. I hope you're right because that would be cool

[@CM13492]

I think you may be making a slight error in assuming the borders of Greenwood are the same in the show as in the Third age, we know the woods were once much greater from Treebeard in LotR perhaps the shrinking of Greenwood is linked to Sauron's return, he will have need of large amounts of wood in his upcoming wars!

[@doone5303]

Think you're onto something

[@kaikeyanimates6256]

Yeah the brown lands could once have been the green woods before being decimated in the war of the last alliance

[@wipe3100]

@@kaikeyanimates6256 it has been suggested that the brown lands could once have been the garden of the ent-wives, and that's what the apple trees made me think about.

[@kaikeyanimates6256]

@@wipe3100 yeah same

[@petranarchy3494]

Its Mirkwood and the ent wifes

[@jeeshadow]

1. Galadrial has been in a blind rage for years over the death of her brother. Now, as an afterthought, she remembers her husband? 2. Does Isildur's dad think he's dead? His best friend didn't tell the father that it was Isildur that pulled him from the wreckage? 3. Watch Halbrand ride off like a boss, he wasn't injured at all! 4. Later Elrond derides the Dwarves for delving too deep in the mines of Moria for Mithril. But now, we understand he's the one instrumental in convincing the dwarves to do it?

[@RedHuntsman]

You just can't ask questions like this for this show. Also based on the Numenor timeline, Galadrial would have a daughter, but no mention of that either. How can a character like Galadriel not give a crap about her family? She's spent who knows how long searching for Sauron, but no effort to find the fate of her husband.

[@klavicus2276]

1. agreed that was a strange turn 2. we don't know yet, i assume isildur asked his friend to not tell him cause he maybe wants to do a task he doesnt want that his father knows about - we just don't know yet. 3.as said in the show as far as i remember his injuries are currently not that bad but they get worse over time and cant get stopped with human medicine... 4. show is different here to the books (maybe they werent allowed to do it who knows) as far as i know all the stuff elrond does, normally celebrimbor does in a similar way but not elrond. so you can't compare elrond form the old movies with elrond from these series (even they rewrote some scenes even in the old movies like Arwen stopping the Nazgul at the river even it wasn't her but i think Glorfindel or some similar significant male elf)

[@jeyart94]

I find it curious that’s she is hellbent on revenge. We know that’s when an elf dies their souls go to rest for a while and then are reborn. They don’t die forever.

[@filam7371]

@@jeyart94 oh really? I didn't realize that. I thought they just died and were gone.

[@jeyart94]

@@filam7371 they go to the halls of mandos and they rest for a while there and then they are reborn. That’s the whole point of elves. They are tied to arda and can never know death.

[@decimalexercise7154]

A leaf. A LEAF is what awoke the Balrog!?? Still not over it

[@cthrion_uroniziir]

Celeborn is as dead as Isildur is at the end of the episode

[@Geo_Mind]

no body , no death

[@eternalsunshineofthespotlessme]

Isildur and Elendil will 100% be a part of this series to the end. I think the series will end with the War of the Last Alliance where Isildur cuts the ring from Saurons hand.

[@kingStuLad]

Feels like such trite writing. And how many times are they going to make it look like one of Bronwen/Theo/Arondir have died, just to have a cringe family reunion afterwards?

[@cthrion_uroniziir]

@@kingStuLad about as many times as peter jackson tried to make you think pippin/Aragorn/Gimli/Frodo are dead only to have a emotional reunion right after

[@dillonpearce1205]

@@eternalsunshineofthespotlessme I agree. I feel like this series has to get to that part for the ending. I'm really hoping to get an amazing seige of Barad-Dúr with the last alliance in the last season. P.S. is your username a reference to the Akon and B.I.G. song?

[@Maoreomi]

2 insignificant but interesting moments: 1) Disa’s eyes and passion towards mightily somehow reminds me of a dragon disease/curse which Thror and Torin had 2) Orc, who was sniffing the ash, had Numenorean armor on him Pretty cool that they are using all means of strengthening themselves

[@susanfarish7451]

I never even noticed that xx

[@DRiveraNat20]

Disa was channeling her inner Lady MacBeth

[@moisesrodriguez1554]

Okay I’m GLAD I wasn’t the only one that was like ????? Disa’s eyes?!? Like was she overtaken by something like it def felt weirs

[@drk-1637]

Part of the sickness of greed in the dwarfs comes from the usage of the rings made by sauron in the future. They are immune to his will by their natural stubborness but enhances their weaknesses. So they will become evenmore greedy in the future.

[@Dodge_this]

Yesss I thought that from disa to

[@snoozieq4584]

Durin crying over the potential loss of Elrond had me in tears. This was so well done and not forced. I really hope you get a chance to interview the actors who play Elrond and Durin at the same time so you can get their take on performing those scenes together. 🥰🥰🤗🤗😘😘❤❤🙏🙏

[@armingleiner5292]

The only good part of this total mess of a show is the dwarven part.

[@gendale007]

Agree…

[@apan990]

@@armingleiner5292 facts, their story is actually good, it has some meaning and weight to it all, durin is right in helping the elves but at the same time the king is right coz of the balrog, then disa is also showing signs she isnt as nice as she mightve first appeared, throwing the actual lore away for a second, writers did a good job with them, unlike the rest of the crap show.

[@mugiwaratrii4545]

I enjoy watching Elrond and Durin IV. Favorite characters in the show.

[@5quepasa]

The major difference between Theoden's scene of mourning and Elendil's is that Theodred was actually dead, so the grief was the point. Everyone knows that Isildur is still alive so the point of that scene is not to show Elendil's grief but his anger toward and falling out with Galadriel, hence he is shown turning away from her with her slightly out of focus. Completely different set of circumstances with a different message that the director/cinematographer is trying to convey about the character relationships.

[@rykieart3213]

that's how I saw it also.

[@kaptenteo]

Annoying stuff happened in this episode, but the whole Khazad Dum stuff has been a delight from the start. Elrond, the Durins, and Disa are probably my favourite characters.

[@stevenschultz714]

Durin is hands down the best acted character in the show, as is Elrond.

[@christophertheriault3308]

Not even close... team Adar all the way!

[@politicallyincorrect2564]

Well, there are not a lot pf choices. You only have Durin and Adar. All the rest are just boring and uninteresting.

[@traceyedson9652]

@@politicallyincorrect2564 I can’t agree. While character development is uneven & isn’t as on-point as Jackson’s - How could it be? - I find myself quite interested in most characters.

[@politicallyincorrect2564]

@@traceyedson9652 lucky you

[@roguestageflorida4105]

They cant both be the best. Its a singular title.

[@RenegadeLK]

If there's anything that this show has taught me it's that I want a friendship as strong and Elrond and Durin!!

[@strangestgirlintown]

For a second there I actually thought they were about to make out though 😅

[@Uncivil_Dreams]

right! usually when i leave a friend for 20 years they never forgive me!

[@DRiveraNat20]

Nothing compared to Sam and Frodo. You never really see why they are such good friends. Also, Elrond is at no risk of dying. Just head back west, elves. LIKE THE DID IN THE THIRD AGE.

[@OneRedKraken]

They have a horrible friendship. Elrond only came back because he needed something from him. And since they've started interacting together on the show it's a constant string of lies, deceptions and mistrust. Elrond respected Durin's secret about Mithril so much he revealed it in a poorly worded denial. On the other hand if this comment was meant as a joke. Then my good sir, or lady. You definitely got me.

[@Savage_Viking]

Join the military, you'll find it. I can literally pick up the conversation from military friends that I haven't seen in 20 years as if we had never stopped talking. There are bonds between vets that nobody understands.

[@AMAR9933]

I get what you mean with Elendil's scene, but I think it really shows that he's torn between emotions and duty. King Theoden is alone with Gandalf and he is, well, the king. Elendil won't go against his queen (yet?) but it is clearly breaking him. It could be that in the next ep he will break more openly? I thought the quieter emotion act fits his character overall, and Theoden's matches his.

[@filippoconti7877]

Thank you for giving polite and respectful opinions, the good and the bad, without falling in the ever-growing, presumptuous "bashing" of anything that is not of our taste.

[@TheAcer4666]

I'm not sure Radagast was a great lover of trees. In LOTR, Treebeard says Gandalf was "the only wizard who cares for the trees"

[@Kanig94]

I don't think he says that, he says: "I am not altogether on anybody’s side, because nobody is altogether on my side, if you understand me: nobody cares for the woods as I care for them, not even Elves nowadays." He doesn't specifically say Gandalf is the only one who cares.

[@TheAcer4666]

@@Kanig94 Yeah he does, read the book! "And did you know Gandalf?" "Yes, I do know him: the only wizard that really cares about trees," said Treebeard.

[@TheAcer4666]

@@Kanig94 Radagast was "master of shapes and changes of hue; and he has much lore of herbs and beasts, and birds are especially his friends" Nothing about trees.

[@CodyKatastrophic]

@@Kanig94 first off, forgetting one detail doesnt mean someone didnt read the book. Secondly, you need to remember that from Treebeard’s point of view that may be true, however that doesnt mean its inherently true. There isnt a way to know that treebeard met either radagast or the two blue wizards. So in comparison With Sarauman, yes, he is the only one of those two. But not the only ine that exists

[@Mozers05]

You shouldn't use the book as reference anymore, this show is a fanfic.

[@baccusolypus234]

The three mystics have undertones of the three wise men following a star ... while also being the almost exact opposite

[@Goodbutevilgenius]

They are wise, though. It's demonstrated when they make trouble for Harfoots.

[@jesseparrish1993]

Anything that attacks Harfoots is good with me.

[@joeyq95]

@@jesseparrish1993 lol okay Saruman

[@brianj3150]

@@jesseparrish1993 Yeah I'm rooting for evil now.

[@joshfreeman3264]

Thats what i thought to. The wise men awaiting the messiah, following a star, or constellation in their case

[@compareandcontrast9833]

Glorfindel: It's my time to shine. Directors: Well. Glorfindel: Come on man.

[@annegirard3697]

Haha right?? Like at this point I think we all deserve a Glorinfindel saves the world type series, because why not....

[@edgeldine3499]

@@annegirard3697 Maybe next time, an entire series based around him would be fun.

[@annegirard3697]

@@edgeldine3499 that would be brills!!!

[@callumpears1523]

Honestly I was wondering if Disa might be Sauron with how she talked about the Mithril.

[@deceiver444]

She would be a great incarnation of a diverse Sauron.

[@sarkiabdullahi54]

This is the comment I am looking for, it was out of character for her to say stuff like that

[@NoalFarstrider]

I find it hilarious how the woman is knivieng and proving she married him for his money and power and is trying to manipulate him into seizing the throne. It was VERY games of Thrones esq, Like she is evil and causing division within the family for power. Red flags, But I'm sure the show runners will say she's just a strong proud woman and that's empowering to say "some day your lice bearded dad will be dead and you and I will be the rulers". Because that implies that one day Durin will be dead paving the way for DISA To manipulate her husband(or kill him) and YAZ QUEEN her way to the top.

[@jordanzdebski5132]

Dissa a thotty. She had that mithril-digger vibe about her since the beginning

[@adamhays5300]

This is my main theory

[@meesert]

I liked how durins wife seems to be more greedy and ambitious then himself, driving him to dig too deep in the end. Did not expect that but looks that is how its gonna go.

[@cklambo]

U think the writers are brave enough to have a strong black woman be the badguy?

[@professorbutters]

Is she? Is that all it is? She loves Durin and Elrond by extension. I think a good wife would see how ripped up Durin is and want to do something about it. We don’t know anything about Durin’s brother, but Durin also seems to want to reach out to the Elves, which, yes, would make them more powerful, but it also would produce that Golden Age of artisan ship and friendship that they never have again.

[@AABradyKK]

She a gold digger for sure. That whole "this will be your kingdom when your father is gone. It will be OUR kingdom " She not fooling the city boys

[@SMellmYfEet1999]

@@cklambo no that’s what the writers think what a “strong female” character is. Outright nasty to her husband’s family. Not just that it’s borderline treason to talk about replacing the king like that while he is still alive

[@ziephel-6780]

@@SMellmYfEet1999 Yeah, look at how Amazon Galadriel acts generally. Wouldn't surprise me.

[@ddosan4108]

The Celeborn part is just the writers throwing an explanation as to why she is not with him at that point in time. Hopefully they’ll make something solid out of it.

[@kaikeyanimates6256]

Deffo I think I heard somewhere the show runners said they had a bing plan for celeborn

[@joaopedrorosa6198]

There was no warm in her talking about him. Also, in her initial quest only the brother was mentioned. To me this scene sounded more like: I'm Single now.

[@janicefitzpatricksimmons4514]

No.

[@CorePathway]

They are clearing Galadriel’s morality for a fling with Halbrand. 🤬🤯😱🤢🤮🤮🤮

[@jesseparrish1993]

Right. 7 hours, or 1.75 Jackson Films later.

[@oskeewootwoot]

I totally missed the Tar-Palantir "you will only find darkness" and then Miriel went blind connection.

[@alexortagalarza]

I can't sop thinking I am watching a TELENOVELA.

[@bryanferreira9577]

Kinda nervous to see how Gil-Galad will react when Galadriel shows up along with Sauron Suspect #1. 😰

[@Solarnova]

Depends if The Lord of Gifts stays with Celebrimbor in Eregion or if they all meet in Lindon at the 'Galad residence to certify the creation of the Forge and later, the Rings of Power.

[@johnmacleod9507]

@@Solarnova Hopefully they fix it all a bit the whole Gil-Galad telling his Great Aunt what to do sorta grated on me. This interpretation of the Eldest of the House of Finwe remaining, wisest and most spiritually powerful elf in Middle Earth, and direct descendant of three Kings line in Valinor as a king's sword lackey is a hard to watch. Of course telling Elrond who was Gil-Galad's heir he wasn't invited to a meeting of the Elven Lords was pretty weird as well. The last Legitimate of Heir of both the House of Finwe and Doriath. Lord of gifts huh, he showed up, keep watching.

[@poppletop8331]

Not to mention the fact Galadriel is showing up at all in Lindon, she was supposed to be sailing with the others to Valinor.😂

[@bryanferreira9577]

@@poppletop8331 Exactly!

[@saeklin]

GG is in Lindon, right? And Celebrimbor is in Eregion perhaps with Annatar whispering in his ear. I suspect Galadriel's taking Halbrand to Eregion where Halbrand and Annatar will become friends. Annatar will choose him as one of the ring recipients and promise him the rebirth of the kingdom he lost to Adar. Although this could come later in the series, we still have 4 more seasons after this.

[@wizard_of_the_west8270]

So far dwarves are definitely the best part of the show. Elrond sticking to his character and being wise. The rest of the show gets in the way to me except when we get some great Adar scenes.

[@SunnyHomeVideos]

I hope Adar and Sauron wins in this timeline. Long live Mordor!

[@movieserieshub5720]

Nampat!!

[@movieserieshub5720]

Old waldreg is sauron🤣🤣

[@hawkname1234]

"Sticking to his character." Oh you mean you want characters NOT to change or have an arc over 5 seasons and into the movies of the 3rd age? So you WANT bad writing.

[@Blah3210]

@@hawkname1234 Would still be better than the dumpster fire we've gotten. I'd much rather have unchanging authentic portrayals than clumsily written original characters who happen to have the names of established characters and are supposedly going to develop into the characters we recognize. I say 'supposedly' because there's no way that this Galadriel is going to become the tempered ethereal witch we know from LotR - she'll probably be fighting right alongside Gil-galad in the Last Alliance.

[@tanathosXX]

Like many said, Dwarves are finally at the center of the show. from what I see they are in full light and play the lead in this seasons. They are, in my opinion, the best written characters

[@Ower8x]

they are the best cahracters wasteded in this travesty of a plot ...

[@leebeers4624]

@@Ower8x i agree

[@undignified2843]

There really is nothing redeeming about this. Just awful writing. It's so bad I have a hard time believing anyone is this stupid. Just lie to me, tell me it's all a troll. I refuse to settle on the excuse being this level of abject stupidity.

[@AntonAdelson]

*the only competently written characters in the entire show I like Adar though too. And Helbrand is not offensive to my intelligence

[@SmurfyJCK]

I really didn't want to see the Balrog awake, it would've been a nice touch to just hint at it's reveal. I thought he only awoke once the Dwarves mined too far for mithril, yet, they haven't even really started?

[@klavicus2276]

i think letting the leaf burn and maybe some distant growling would have been totally enough to hint the balrog... and the growling could be him still asleep. now he clearly showcased a big turn point already and its awake... so i assume the awake could only make sense regarding the unique new origin of mithril in the series.

[@CreamPuffCentral2021]

I agree, they threw subitly out of the window. They haven't even started mining yet, and it getting woken up by a leaf instead is kinda silly

[@hughgreentree]

As the leaf was falling, I turned to my wife and said, “It’s going to fall on the balrog’s nose, make him sneeze, and wake him up.” A few seconds later, the leaf lands, catches fire, and wakes the balrog up. Then I pleaded with my wife, “I was only joking!”

[@erasamus1057]

I had wondered if Tolkien ever described the way in which sauron twisted the lands of Mordor in any of his writings, although I know this isn't canon I love this interpretation although I thought the changing of the name on screen was cheesy AF

[@Count.Saruman]

He certainly did, and made it very clear that it was NOT Sauron who twisted Mordor. It was Melkor in the First Age. Mordor was a ruined relic of his works and Sauron simply moved in.

[@franciscograciosa4895]

We know that in the third age Sauron return to Mordor caused (ir was anounced) mont doom to erupt, after laying dorment throught most of the third age.

[@wipe3100]

@@Count.Saruman No. The only text about Mordor and Morgoth is by Christopher Tolkien, and he just say the Orodruin, not the Mordor, is a product of Morgoth deeds.

[@Count.Saruman]

@@wipe3100 "No doubt because Gil-galad had by then discovered that Sauron was busy in Eregion, but had secretly begun the making of a stronghold in Mordor. (Maybe already an Elvish name for that region, because of its volcano Orodruin and its eruptions - which were not made by Sauron but were a relic of the devastating works of Melkor in the long First Age.)" -HoME XII. Sauron had nothing to do with 'Mordor', the land was already called that. All he did was raise Barad-dûr and his various towers, and begin a slave operation in Núrn.

[@Mozers05]

Cope

[@Blisterdude123]

Dude, Elendil's face at the end of the episode, was an absolute gut-punch. I can't credit the actor enough for that eye-watering, pained blend of rage and grief, barely being contained by a man usually so stoic and controlled.

[@KozMc]

Completely - Elendil's been so full of stoic integrity up til now, and this battle has really tested him (it's tested a whole bunch of Númenorians, as they've not been embroiled in any strife/war for a very very very long time - this generation are not at all battle-hardened). Believing that he's lost his son so quickly after they thought they had prevailed over evil through winning that battle - of course this tests this awesome character. Right away, Lloyd Owen's Elendil was in my top three characters of this show, and his evolving/growing relationship with typically-chaotic-young-man Isildur *chef's kiss*

[@princeofrance]

That scene was horrible not the actors fault but it was so cringe

[@Blisterdude123]

@@princeofrance It was so cringe seeing a competent actor delivering the inner-conflict of a man torn between his duty and his grief for his son, you're right. Obviously you're right, but out of curiousity, was there any particular reason it was cringe?

[@ClavisRa]

A brilliant turn. The Queen's resolute and fierce honour turns his bitterness to deep shame. She unlocks in him in this moment what he requires to rise to greatness.

[@LisaElevateDJ]

lol I thought it was the fakest crying I have ever seen

[@badplayerone1731]

I am sure Meteor man is Sauron. Why else would these evil witches been looking for him? They have been awaiting his arrival. He lost his memory so it’s a good guess he lost the meaning of good and evil. He reacts on Nori who is good and that is why he does good things. When the three evil “priestesses” find him they will help him regain his memory and he will reveal himself. His nature reaction was to kill those fireflies. Even though he didn’t understand why. Edit: Also every time he does something good something bad happens as well.

[@purefoldnz3070]

I love the comment section destroying this disaster of a show.

[@eternalsunshineofthespotlessme]

I have to be honest, I will be disappointed if the Stranger is Radagast. I much prefer the idea of a Blue Wizard. Something that we haven't seen before and that would make more sense with Tolkien's actual lore and timeline of the Second Age.

[@currentaf8455]

Will redeem radagast

[@davidkrapensits4367]

I have a odd feeling it may be sauron because adar said he killed him so sauron would return again maybe in the form of the stranger but he has forgotten who he was that's why the creepy mystics are after him. But I'm probably wrong we shall see

[@PeloquinDavid]

I suspect this is just another example of a none-too-subtle misdirect. There's no reason to introduce Radagast in the second age when one (or two) blue wizards make more sense given what Tolkien wrote. That said, I really don't see where the Stanger-with-harfoots (and related characters) storyline is going. If the harfoots are to be sympathetic creatures with little or no role in the recorded events of the Second Age, according to Tolkien - much like the blue wizards, in fact - there is something to be said for linking them together in what Tolkien speculated as a potentially significant role for the blue wizards in impeding Sauron's efforts to rally men from the eastern reaches of Middle Earth to his cause in the Second Age. But it would still feel odd in the context of multi-episode, multi-season TV story-telling for the blue wizard/Harfoot/priestesses of Morgoth (and probably Ent) story line to fail to intersect with any of the other storylines...

[@jesseparrish1993]

The showrunners decided that structuring a Second Age series like a Guess Who game was better than building anticipation using storytelling.

[@abdulmismail]

Since the show's Producers don't have the rights to a lot of Tolkein's material, they have to improvise and to me, the Blue Wizards were a mystery and should remain that way. Besides, they both arrived together (in Tolkein's world) and travelled East, never to be seen again so it would be a bit wierd if one turned up on his own. I first thought he was Radagast and not Sauron - but I now think he may be Saruman. That in itself isn't true to Lore but it would be bizarre if he was Sauron.

[@cycosper]

The Balrog. Could it be that the real reason Durin the 3rd doesn't want the mithril excavated is because he believes it's somehow serving as a magical prison for the balrog?

[@Loth_Wolf]

I hadn't thought of this. I think Tolkien only mentioned that some of the creatures of Morgath hid themselves in Middle Earth. ROP writers could interpret this as imprisonment and not totally be wrong. Durin III is definitely not wrong trying to avoid mining mithril. Seems like he doesn't go after the mithril on principle rather than perceiving a direct threat. He would have told Durin IV if he knew it was a Balrog.

[@12321Pierre]

Also havent thought about it in this way. Could be a great explanation.. to see it as a type of prison for the Balrog👏

[@Blazgjole]

If they don’t know about balrog, why is old man hesitant about mining? They are dwarfs, they mine. If he knows something why is he not sharing this vital information with heir to the throne?

[@Oozaru85]

How would he know that tho? Does he know the story Gil-Galad told Elrond? How? Even Elrond didn't seem to be aware of it. Makes no sense. And if he does know, why the hell doesn't he simply tell his son? That way he would at least avoid Durin IV still trying to mine it, despite him not allowing it. Again, nothing in this show makes sense. Everything is just written to fit the plot.

[@Thebeardeddentist]

It makes no sense that mithril wards off evil bc Saucon was hoarding it for thousands of years in mordor.. mithril having that capability is ridiculous

[@skeletor1134]

the writing of this show is giving me whiplash

[@operatoncreation6396]

it's like they never watched it, just made it.. didn't watch it after editing and was like.. this isn't stupid a f

[@OleksiiLytvynenko]

We used to have fast travel in games, Now we get it in movies.

[@dan7212]

Obviously King knows something his son doesnt. He is clearly terrified with an idea of mining mithril. He semes to be very wise and caring for his own people. Absolutely love this character in this show.

[@craigcowie3671]

Yeah a Balrog will just about do it

[@t_riverrat910]

Same. The mithril must be a cage for the balrog.

[@chesterbless9441]

Kinda dumb to keep it a secret from the heir to the throne though

[@Batz-xk3nt]

Would make sense for a balrog to show up.

[@yabuux8238]

Maybe the mithril to balrog is like gold to smaug so if you start mining and taking it balrog will be pissed

[@TheRussianSaint18]

I’m really hoping that when Halbrand is taken to the elves next episode that he will be introduced to Annatar while there, which would be a fun way to undercut the theory that Halbrand is Sauron. It would also be an interesting way to start building a relationship between Halbrand and Sauron if the show writers decide to make Halbrand the Witch King.

[@avermanbramblebuck5220]

But what if Annatar and Halbrand are one and the same?

[@TheRussianSaint18]

@@avermanbramblebuck5220 I’m hoping they aren’t, but if they are then it’ll be revealed with Halbrand’s arrival.

[@dillonpearce1205]

Totally agree. Not sure why so many people think Halbrand is Sauron. Like he's definitely not about to forge the rings with Celebrembor. I definitely think that Halbrand is going to become the Witch King.

[@NikolisKitchen]

@@dillonpearce1205 This. I don't see how Halbrand can be Sauron at this point because how do we get him from being brought wounded to... somewhere? In need of Elvish medicine? To him being an emissary of the Valar who is going to save the elves and their kingdoms from fading?

[@thomasr.8658]

halbrand could become the apprentice of anatar and someday anatar will give him a nice piece of his works as a present 😉

[@user-lb8do4ew6k]

I guess Mt Doom is so evil it's pyroclastic flow doesn't give off any heat.

[@CassadySC1]

I was really hopeful that the series would do Tolkien’s work justice but have been incredibly disappointed with this series. So much nonsense. What possible link could there really be between mithril, elves, and longevity? Resorting to cliche proto-hobbits? Some sad representations of the Numenoreans. This rates even lower than the Hobbit movie in my estimation.

[@gandalfthewhite4245]

props to Durin an Elronds actors, Namarie scene was the first time i felt emotional while watching this series

[@cassieo]

The actors and writers did the work necessary for that moment to be impactful. I wish I could say the same for Arondir, Bronwyn, and Theo’s reuniting. The actors tried their hardest to convey depth of bond between the characters, but the missing backstory for why Arondir and Bronwyn are connected makes the moment feel less than it should. Trading seeds behind the tavern as an Elvish tradition does not come close to the emotional conversation Durin and Elrond had in that open elevator about “twenty years” and the births of his children. Arondir is tragically doomed to be fridged. Like Haldir. To drive someone’s emotional development. I can’t decide if it will be Theo or Bronwyn’s development.

[@gandalfthewhite8273]

Imposter :)

[@Dagusz]

I also like that Theo's evil sword was replaced with a sword made by the elves. It's very symbolic in my opinion

[@cjtrules1]

Symbolic of nothing yet since he hasn't had a chance to prove his goodness. the sword will be significant though.

[@Benevolence4]

I really liked the replacement and symbolism as well, but wasn’t that a numenorean sword? That might alter the symbolism, even, aligning theo with the faithful

[@cjtrules1]

@@Benevolence4 It should be since she got that armor right before boarding the ships to Middle Earth. Still a sword of Númenor is extremely well crafted and significant in Middle Earth

[@juliogomez6991]

I think there’s another fellowship moment, when Norîs dad is trying to clean up after the sorceresses burn their carts, Norîs dad says to Norî “get up on your feet and help me gather what we can, it’ll be alright “ and someone says something like “all we can do is weep” or something, it reminded me a lot of when the Fellowship escaped Moria after Gandalfs fall, and the hobbits are grieving and Aragorn tells the company they must be on the move and Boromir pleads for more time to Grieve for they have just lost Gandalf😢

[@deceiver444]

Or when Galadriel and Theo hide behind the trunk to escape the orc patrol or when Berek goes to search and save Isildur like Brego saved Aragon. Amazon's series seems unable to depart clearly from the trilogy even though the showrunners said they would clearly do otherwise.

[@super_sigma_]

Noone: Durin: "Give me the meat and give it to me raw!"

[@theUselessProfessor]

Since "the Eye of Sauron" isn't a big fire eye in the books, maybe "the Eye" is referring to the cultist hunting the Stranger. The cult could be "the Eye of Sauron". One of them has an eye staff. Maybe Sauron sent them "to hunt the man from the sky".

[@ryliecurn6412]

ok i really like that theory

[@cycosper]

I think "The Eye" is the name of the cult. In many TV shows information is given in the titles of the episodes that don't make sense until later seasons. I said this in one of my superchat questions, but it got late and didn't get read.

[@chuckhudson678]

Other possibilities: the episode starts with Galadriel opening ‘the eye’. 😂 Miriel losing ‘the eye’ 😂 Or Disa giving Durin ‘the eye’ in her fired up pep talk 😂

[@paulliston8561]

The Cult of the Lidless Eye was a cult in Middle-Earth of men, Black Numenoreans, and Uruks who worshiped Sauron and sought to learn dark sorcery.

[@IWS107]

No the cultists have a connection with the eye...it is on the armor of one of them. But the mystery of the mirror plate we saw in episode 5 that one of the cultists carries keeps me thinking... That mirror is going to reveal something...its a big clue...

[@runnut5]

"The Eye" conjures the image of the eye of Sauron, but I'm thinking it actually means "the eye of the storm". Things are gonna get intense next episode.

[@bryanferreira9577]

My first thought went to the Gil-Galad line said to Elrond in a previous episode: "Hope is never mere, even when it is meager. When all other senses sleep, the eye of hope is first to awaken, last to shut." The eye reference was so specific that I took note. That said, I like both of your interpretations better.

[@TylerB-my1kr]

I think the cult of those mystics are called the eye.

[@reiferdranzer3752]

The scene where Elendil cries was very well done for my part, the thought of loosing your son despite being the strong leader that he is shows you how much he is grieving. He blames himself and he cant undo that now.

[@Kait2478]

And he's sitting there thinking they're going back and not having anything more to do with Middle Earth, but then his queen, whose orders he must obey, suddenly surprises him and commits to returning. All he wants to do is drop this place like a hot potato and salvage what little he has left after losing his son and there she goes committing him to come back. The agony of having to obey a command like that. His reaction is excruciating and it's so well done for me. I can kind of see Nerd of the Rings' point about the artistry/style of the shot, though. But the actor carries that scene soooooo well for me.

[@reiferdranzer3752]

@@Kait2478 yes. He just breaks down in disbelief. U could also feel the hate burning in him. His exact reaction here I have witnessed in real life with someone I knew. It played out the exact same way. So to me it feels natural. Amazing acting.

[@ClariJholic]

It was one of my favorite moments actually and the part with Berek! I honestly started crying because you could just feel the pain of him losing his son.

[@Flyboy245]

The celeborn comment definitely threw me. Knowing the Lord of the Rings, and that he’s alive in the 3rd age, he obviously survives. At least I hope that’s the case, instead of them throwing out the canon. Love the videos!

[@anthonyarmstrong5352]

Throwing out Canon has come and gone. They don't care at all about Tolkien or the lore. None of this happened. There is no continuity and no hint of the original materials themes and motivations. By all means this is just a fictional story taking some names of people and places and rewriting everything

[@janicefitzpatricksimmons4514]

I demand a film on glorfindel.

[@AMcGrath82]

Honestly, I don't understand why Glorfindel is re-embodied but NOT Ecthelion. Ecthelion accomplished even more than Glorfindel did.

[@janicefitzpatricksimmons4514]

@@AMcGrath82 ecthelion of fountain is great altogether

[@AABradyKK]

@@AMcGrath82 or fingolfin

[@Batz-xk3nt]

I demand anything with glorfindell

[@AABradyKK]

@@Batz-xk3nt I think they gonna butcher his character and give many of his feats to Celeborn. Remade by the valar for fighting the Balrog. In the series, probably the elf that fought the Balrog that made mithril. They did omit Glorfindel in the lotr. Makes sense they'd do it here too

[@Freshwater121]

I took it as Sadoc referring to Huorns, not ents. Even Gimli was able to notice the trees in Fangorn communicating with each other, so it goes that Harfoots who are very in touch with nature would have encountered Huorns at some point. Even the legend of Eärendil could have easily been heard by an ancestral Harfoot from some Big Folk who passed on a version of it to his culture. Doesn’t feel forced to me.

[@professorbutters]

See, I agree. Just because they don’t have a big library of Elven lore doesn’t mean they don’t know anything. Sadoc and his predecessors seem to have kept track of anything important, especially regarding their survival, and Earendil is a global event. It would trickle down to them.

[@melissalopez7238]

Totally agreed!

[@SectionHikingTheAT]

You give the writers far too much credit.

[@419HLR]

@@SectionHikingTheAT you give too little

[@fingolfin897]

That's the comment I was looking for. I was sure it was a Huorn reference!

[@deceiver444]

- Bronwyn is so badass she managed to survive two arrows causing a massive blood loss and a giant pyroclastic flow on the course of a couple days. - Halbrand is such a boss he instantly gets up and is ready to ride that horse for days at the promise of "elvish medicine" to cure the severe wound that was keeping him in bed seconds before. - Miriel doesn't want the people to notice she's become blind but wears a blindfold a few scenes later for no reason. - The numenorean army found plenty of resources to build a fully functional camp right after mount doom decimated everything miles around. That's some more fantastic writing unfolding right before our amazed eyes thanx to Amazon's gifted showrunners.

[@Andersl201]

Galadrial will defeat the Balrog without breaking a sweat, standing in front of a pyroclastic stream and surviving points to immunity to fire.

[@jsavage6355]

Durin had me in tears. Really great performance. If this show was only about Durin and Elrond, it would still be amazing.

[@kidnamedfinger420]

still be amazing? it would be good. No harfoots, no Karendriel, good acting...

[@SaintFort]

@@kidnamedfinger420 "Karendriel" is compelling...and hot!

[@Iori955]

@@kidnamedfinger420 harfoots are cool. I dont understand the hate.

[@hugomouro6555]

They are little sociopaths that would leave anyone behind, whats not to like.

[@unohhhjjdd6716]

I don't mind the show, but if it was only about Durin and Elrond it would probably be a lot more good and engaging than it is at the moment, at least in my opinion. The elves and dwarves' story is already quite gripping in Tolkien's works.

[@ToxicPancake88]

Elrond and Durins bromance is legit my favourite thing. Their story line is one of my favs tbh.

[@raskolnikov6443]

If only they hadn’t come up with this ridiculous nonsense about the leaf cancer and the need to dig.

[@rubenlopezusa]

Like a strong dwarf crying like a baby?

[@clarissavaligno3055]

I swear if my homie Glorfindel is replaced for a second time, I'm gonna lose it for good. Justice for the house of the golden flower!

[@BBwoan]

I’m completely rooting for Adar. He’s the only character I liked. Everyone else is insufferable.

[@ziephel-6780]

Morgoth: I find it only naturally to me to adapt Eru Iluvatar's work to represent what Arda actually looks like

[@jimilalferez3745]

Well, I've read an article that The mithril helped frodo resist the temptation of the one ring. And the corruption became worse after it was parted from him.

[@matthewmortensen988]

That article was wrong.

[@Kanig94]

Hmmm I don't necesarily reject that theory, but I think it's because he is so close to Mordor and he has been carrying the ring almost 3 months that caused his weakness towards the ring at the end

[@geronimowatson.j.4359]

He lost it in Mordor The Mordor is the reason why the corruption and weight of the ring became heavier. The mitril savior of the elves is a amazon bs

[@knightingale5669]

Interesting theory but it's like trying to fit a puzzle piece into something it's shouldn't be. Bilbo also had the mithril garb but he did not put it on again after his quest with Thorin, and he was mostly able to resist the ring in the decades he had the ring (He did wear it when he left the Shire I believe?). In the books Frodo also didn't have the mithril from his 33rd birthday when the ring was passed to him up to his 50ish in Rivendell when he met Bilbo again. On reading the books last month, mithril did not give me any impression that it has any healing qualities except physical protection. Wishful thinking is what that article is.

[@kurtwatson7918]

Guyladriel ignores a burning horse... quite the lady.

[@ethiomonk7734]

This is not a breakdown rather it is a summary.

[@deceiver444]

There's not much to breakdown though since the shows departs a lot from the lore.

[@joshxamanda]

I really started to think Disa was Sauron in this episode 😂 how she acted in the last scene with Durin was odd and power hungry imo and her gold eyes were really defined unlike in the other scenes she was in, I know it doesn’t make much sense but it would be insane if she was Sauron while everyone has been suggesting virtually every other character apart from her for Sauron😂😂

[@GabeQuihuis-Meza]

I don't think Sauron would sleep with Durin 😂 even if he did swing that way lmao

[@Loth_Wolf]

Disa Nutsen! JarJar called it. Can't fool me with those pretty eyes! Fool of a Durin! Not only can you not tell the males from the females, but you might not even know you had two kids with the Dark Lord. Seems to follow the ROP theme of not knowing which way is up and which is down.

[@OfficialNataly]

SAME lmaoooo….I was like, why is Dissa giving me suss vibes 😅

[@whiteblade798]

@@GabeQuihuis-Meza I don't know, that beard's really godamn sexy

[@KS-gi2so]

I agree.

[@eouveluz]

One thing that I think could be nice is the possibility that the disease spreading in the elven tree could be some kind of magic or spell cast on purpose by someone interested in mithril. I thought about this immediately after the leaf starts to heal next to mithril. And when the preview of next episode shows Celebrimbor repeating the line "creation requires sacrifice" I thought about it again.

[@sarahchristine4298]

That's interesting. I don't know much about Celebrimbor in the lore/canon but I know that I get icky vibes from Celebrimbor in the show.

[@peterolofsson9871]

@@sarahchristine4298 Descended from Feanor. It's in his blood, the maddening ambition that leads to hubris.

[@efaristi9737]

That would actually made more sense that elves souls risking to actually disappear in the void without the light of the Silmarils. Really, the light of the Trees still live on in the Sun and Moon even if dimmed. Not to mention Mithril isn't a newly discovered magical metal, the Dwarves literally trade it since the First Age.

[@jamess3468]

Maybe Sauron is stuck in the unseen world (which nobody is talking about) and infected the tree, Convince Adar of his death, possessed Hilbrand, and helping the cultists use magic (the fire she blows from her hand has the same smoke effect as the leaf from episode 1) and “being an EYE kuz he probs knowz how to tp to if the cultists with an EYE staff are with him”

[@efaristi9737]

@@jamess3468 I doubt it, When Huan, the dog of Valinor, almost killed him, Sauron tought of escaping by turning back into a immaterial spirit but he hesitated because he knew that he wouldn't be able to take a physical form again. But it's not a bad theory.

[@ProfezorSnayp]

I cheered when Feminem set fire to Harfoot carts.

[@jimmywarne5247]

Anyone notice the pattern on Elronds top in the mine? Looked like the same river design as Adar’s armour. Also, very sceptical that Halbrand was “found on a road” away from everyone else, was resting and not looking great, but able to ride a horse to Lindon….

[@hannaw.4511]

I need to know more about the river pattern

[@BeejBarrett]

Cuz they both Noldor elves from the YT

[@SuperStarWarsFan1138]

I find it funny a single, solitary leaf is what wakes up the Balrog... Saruman said "The Dwarves delved too greedily and too deep." I guess he forgot to mention anything about a leaf.

[@arcavahaethon2669]

Are you suggesting that the woke, progressive, and inclusive Dwarven society is capable of any sort of mistake? You are on the wrong side of history

[@SuperStarWarsFan1138]

@@arcavahaethon2669 I'm not saying that at all. I'm naking fun of the fact that one leaf was all it took to wake the Balrog.

[@SaintFort]

@@arcavahaethon2669 So, one non-white dwarf makes the Dwarves "woke"? Seems like you're just...

[@dinamovac6539]

Its not thaz leaf wake up balrog, balrog just saw leaf, he was awake all the time🤦‍♂️

[@stratossotarts1468]

@@SaintFort I guess you should rewatch the first episodes and recognize the great diversity among the dwarfs! I mean come on! This is what this show is all about!! Inclusiveness and equal representation!! so PLEASE don´t imply that the writers are not inclusive enough in terms of representation among the dwarfs!

[@cathieenglish1964]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned re: King of the Dead theory is that his weapon of choice is a spear, and Halbrand used a spear when he saved Elendil and I believe (I'd have to rewatch again) he stabbed Adar in the hand. To me, this makes the most sense.

[@joeyq95]

I didn't even consider him being the king of the dead until this video. It sounds more likely than him being Sauron or the Witch King of Angmar.

[@mandrake925]

The numenor settlement they head to i spelled that wrong oh well is what becomes umbar in the 3rd age so I don't think he will be the king of the dead. They also aren't following the Canon at all so could be

[@mikem9001]

@@mandrake925 True about them not following the canon at all, so anything is possible. Tolkien wrote that the King of the Dead was leader of the mountain people who lived in what later became Gondor. When the exiles came to Middle Earth and founded Gondor, the king of the mountain people swore fealty to Elendil. Then when Sauron attacked and Elendil called them up, they broke their oath, because of old they had been worshippers of Sauron. Elendil died in the ensuing war, but when Isildur returned, he cursed the mountain people and their kin for breaking their oath. The king died childless and his people later died out, but their spirits could not rest in their graves due to Isildur's curse. That remained the case until Aragorn, heir of Elendil came on the paths of the dead and gave them the opportunity to fulfil their oath.

[@joeyq95]

@@mikem9001 lol nerd

[@mikem9001]

@@joeyq95 Are you? Okay then... 😇

[@sarkiabdullahi54]

The way Durin’s wife was talking felt odd to me, almost as if she wants the kingdom and mithril for herself

[@deceiver444]

You know, some women are interested in money and power and use men to get there. Nothing new here.

[@hawkname1234]

Agree. That did feel... different.

[@onyx9758]

Somth is up w her for sure

[@Alex-kr7zr]

@@onyx9758 Sauron?

[@onyx9758]

@@Alex-kr7zr I deffo considered it but it seems too obvious, plus, imagine Sauron tucking little baby dwarves into bed 😭

[@julias2704]

Poppy's cheerful song about child abandonment and cannibalism was pretty weird. I feel like the hobbits are in the show simply for shock value at this point. So far they haven't served any role in the story except to give a guy some snails.

[@RealAndySkibba]

Disa's orange eyes while talking about mining for Mithril is super interesting.

[@Ichsukatanuka]

Haven't her eyes always been orange

[@RealAndySkibba]

@@Ichsukatanuka maybe. I thought they were brown or something. They were very orange.

[@deceiver444]

@@RealAndySkibba she looked evil in this scene

[@300DBenz]

Galadreal *definitely* heard Elendil say he regrets saving her.

[@cosmiccharlie7399]

Man you're very forgiving. As a channel that makes lore videos I'm surprised you don't call a spade a spade, and just call this trash what it is TRASH

[@the1burger]

Did not expect the Balrog to be introduced so quickly. Is it known that the surviving Balrogs we’re hiding themselves in the deep, or why is Durin so concerned with mining the Mithril?

[@CantankerousDave]

Got some clear "Lady Macbeth" vibes from Disa in this one. Not sure if it tracks with her portrayal in the other episodes.

[@stevesandford2156]

agreed, she says some real Sauroney type stuff in that scene.

[@joshxamanda]

Yeah I’m starting to think she’s Sauron but that’s so messed up since they have kids

[@kidnamedfinger420]

@@joshxamanda Nori is

[@meganega123]

I've had a feeling she has some bad vibes in a few episodes. Not sure how it will turn out though

[@strangestgirlintown]

It made me think that she might end up with one of the seven

[@KozMc]

I'm been so surprised and unable to understand the strange RoP-Galadriel hatred. Her experiences through the turmoil of second age make her wise and increase her powers, and we are watching that occur in this show. As I said, I don't understand it, but the Galadriel criticism seems to be based on some people wanting a Galadriel that's fixed in amber: already fully-formed, already wise and at the height of her powers, as she is in the LotR. I want to see a character that BECOMES that, who grows and learns and second-guesses herself and gets (as she does in this episode - as you rightly praise) to pass on what she's painfully learned to others, seeing in Theo the same destructive lust for retribution that she has been fuelled by for so long, for good painful and personal reasons (us learning now that Celeborn's disappearance - due to the rising evil she is also fighting - is also fuelling her quest). It's gotta be far more interesting to see a Galadriel we've met before (via the books and Jackson's films) that is immensely powerful and wise EARN some of that through self-discovery and turmoil, on her righteous quest, which (through her current powers/strength) is sometimes fuelled by dark and destructive emotions like revenge and hatred. It's very obvious she will be majestic at the end of her character's arc. Seeing her attain that in these first episodes makes no sense to me. Seeing her battle her demons and grow into wisdom and grace is far more interesting, surely?

[@jdrvargo287]

I think you hit the nail on the head. These people can't wrap their heads around the concept of character development.

[@Pixis1]

This episode addressed a few issues I've had with the show. As you mentioned, Galadriel sounded a bit more wise and less like a petulant teenager. We're finally getting a character arc for her. They finally mentioned Celeborn and confirmed that he and Galadriel are indeed married. Very curious where he's been all this time. They also mentioned Pelargir and established that Numenor has colonies in Middle-earth. Previous episodes made Numenor seem very self-contained and not the powerful empire of the books. It seems like they did explore and colonize Middle-earth in the past but became more isolationist over time, likely due to drifting away from their alliance with the Elves. All of these were positive changes in my opinion.

[@mikem9001]

True. What Tolkien wrote was quite different. Numenoreans were always allies of Gil-Galad. When Sauron invaded Eregion, killed Celebrimbor and seized the lesser rings of power, the Numenoreans sent huge reinforcements to Tharbad. They combined with Gil Galad's forces and smashed Sauron's army out of existence, and chased him back to Mordor. This was 1500 years before Elendil and Queen Miriel were even born, and thousands of years before the Balrog came!

[@wolfmauler]

I think a total 180° in regards of characterisation, can't be termed an "Arc"...It's literally just like flipping a switch, like most events in the series; nothing linking point A to point B, you're just suddenly there lol...

[@blackzero1956]

@@wolfmauler Yeh there was no arc. She literally fast travelled from one point of the arc to the other end.

[@bigblakboiii]

Positive changes or story progression? They didn’t rush to change the show because y’all started whinging, y’all just whinged too early.

[@ClaytonStone895]

@@wolfmauler You think she did a 180?

[@SanchSanch]

I realized that you not a Tolkien fan. But an amazon hired gun.

[@alejandromolina5645]

Amen!!

[@Rhybos]

Okay, if the valar don't want them delving into the mountain too far, it's because THEY know there's a balrog down there, and they don't want the dwarves to get hurt. Not because the valar particularly care about Mithril. (Except probably Aule).

[@cuitaro]

I just had an image of Aule dancing around and saying "My children found Mithril! My children found Mithril!"

[@newonlinetheatren.o.t1339]

I feel like the thing with Mithril is that it is so pure that it drives out evil from it. So perhaps it is currently trapping the Balrog.

[@cpt.walker6273]

Cool idea.

[@saeklin]

I suspect Mithril stalls decay. It could be trapping the Balrog, or keeping it alive and subdued like a drug. Like how a dragon hoards gold, the Balrog gets angry when the dwarves come to take its mithril. I'm just theorizing here, I've given up on trying to predict where these writers are going.

[@cjtrules1]

Oooh I love that idea!

[@efaristi9737]

Except Mithril don't have that property. But it make sense with the show since the tree from which the Mithril supposedly originate from was said to have a Silmaril underneath.

[@newonlinetheatren.o.t1339]

@@efaristi9737 they're likely adding extra properties to mithril to explain why Sauron covets it. It will likely be used to create the rings, which will allow the lands to be preserved.

[@Aliraza-df3mt]

So you are not even going to mention how disrespectful this show is to the source material.

[@hughgreentree]

This episode stirred a tempest in me. A tempest that swept me to the liquor cabinet.

[@nicolashromyk5397]

Must not take much then...

[@blueshit199]

the liquor is always right

[@Bluesguy2009]

I absolutely love the interaction between Durin and Elrond

[@newonlinetheatren.o.t1339]

I don't think Elendil is "lost" but I think he feels ashamed that he had a hand in this calamity

[@Fibonaccisghost]

Seems to be mostly that the calamity led to the death of his son. Adds big insult to injury.

[@newonlinetheatren.o.t1339]

@@Fibonaccisghost absolutely, I think it's a very complicated and layered moment, beautifully portrayed. We will have eucatastrophe when Isildur is revealed to be alive

[@gingerbaker_toad696]

But he didnt had hand in it.. the way they told this, Adar and Waldregg would have made mt doom anyway, just a little faster without the little fight in the village

[@newonlinetheatren.o.t1339]

@@gingerbaker_toad696 Numenor wouldn't have been there if Elendil hadn't advocated for Galadriel and had faith in her. His son would be "alive."

[@gingerbaker_toad696]

@@newonlinetheatren.o.t1339 they went there to fight though He should know that his stableboy/queensguard/soldier-son is at risk, as anybody else.. Also if he cared he could have gone and looked for him, like the horse did.. instead of crying and just straight 180ing out of there, just because you "lost" your battle because of an vulcano Bit i cant and shouldnt even begin.. NOTHING in this shitshow makes any sense. Not even in context of their own new story and its own rules

[@SmurfyJCK]

Bit random but I notice some of the screenshots from the episodes have this oil paint/smooth filter effect on some parts of them. Is that to avoid copyright detection? Always wondered. Love the vids!

[@theeachuisge]

What do you mean? Is it shown in this video?

[@SofieinJapan]

Yes I was really confused about this too... took me out of just enjoying the video

[@sonh788]

Harfoot episode 1-5: they can't keep up so let's leave them behind. Harfoot now: we need to stick together

[@is_bolo_e_cha]

Lol

[@unicornfarm1]

The king of the dead theory for Halbrand is amazing and something I never thought about. Isildur calls on him to fight later and he says “no” so isildur curses him.

[@cathieenglish1964]

This has been my guess all along. He really wants to do good, do the right thing, but he is also very self-serving, which could play out when, as king, he fails to fight when he is supposed to. Also, Halbrand uses a spear. A lot. He saved Elendil with it, then retrieved it and stabbed Adar's hand with it.

[@chesterbless9441]

But he's not from the white mountains, and he's Sauron.

[@AABradyKK]

@@chesterbless9441 where do you think the southerns went with the creation of Mordor? They certainly didn't stay there.... You're literally watching a mass exodus of Mordor..

[@sameleiren1233]

@@AABradyKK they say they're going to Pelargir which also shouldnt exist yet

[@jibril2473]

My Halbrand theory is that he’s the Witch King of Angmar or one of the Witch Kings

[@CFFVidde]

I think the elendil (breakdown) was great. It gives me the feeling that he doesn't want to show weakness for his lost son, but he can't either hold it back. What I mean is that he is trying to hold it back but he just can't, so instead he looks away and try to get grip of himself. (My english is dogshit)

[@ModularLanding]

Your English is amazing. And I also liked that shot. I think one thing that makes it good is Miriel calls for him twice and he doesn’t answer. And she doesn’t know he’s turned his back on her and is holding back tears. It’s a poignant moment, because we know he is grieving his son but we also don’t know how he’s processing her vow to return en force. After all he just said they should turn their backs on Middle Earth. Really interesting scene.

[@TheStormpeak]

I agree with your assessment. He also hasn’t had the opportunity for any closure (especially as compared to Theoden) and probably feels some guilt in having brought his son with him to the place of his apparent death. I really thought the scene was strong. As a dad, it struck home.

[@ubertechie7374]

So neither Galadriel, the she-elf, nor the recently blinded queen shows any real sorrow, but somehow the strong man has to cry...not in private, but in the presence of 3 women at the sisterhood's moment of strong resolve. LMAO

[@cjtrules1]

@@ubertechie7374 Galadriel is a robot. Miriel has to stay strong as the Queen Regent. Who was the 3rd woman? It makes sense for Elendil to cry because he's about to leave his son and give up on him. I got the sense he wanted to go with Berek and search for him but his duty to Númenor prevents him from it.

[@davidbeer5015]

@Uber Techie *looks at the fact that Galadriel has tears stemming from guilt of what happened to the Numenoreans* no sorry at all?

[@anonoumos]

Elendil crying was so awkward, not sure what the director is thinking bc the angle was so strange it accentuated the awkwardness of a blind woman calling his name and he's crying like a few feet away Lol

[@atelerspeaks3257]

Indeed, I think the actor was drawing on the sadness of the amateur script he's been paid to act in.

[@Archgeek0]

The talk of Sauron Watch makes me imagine an overhyped news segment, with a flashy eyecatch featuring his helm followed by a short animation of the Eye looking all over the screen.