Sauron the Shapeshifter | Tolkien Explained

[@MrPiestro]

Huan may be one of the more underrated characters in Tolkien lore. I love how he protected Luthien and abandoned Celegorm after trying to capture her. It still brings me to tears when dying, Beren’s palm rests on his head.

[@monodriver001]

Who is huan ? I have heard of hum, but quite unable to recall the same ...

[@eastbow6053]

@@monodriver001 A great hound of valinor

[@monodriver001]

@@eastbow6053 ohhh, yes yessss. Thanks bud. Appreciated !

[@gnomuka]

Yes he is, awesome and super

[@NextToToddliness]

Couldn't agree more. Ever since I saw the cover for "Beren and Lúthien" when I was a little kid, I was fascinated by Huan.

[@cubablue602]

A moment for Huan please. The ultimate good boy.

[@_semih_]

Without Luthien's magical cloak, he would not even had a chance. Huan couldn't even stand against wolf-Sauron at the bridge and fled in fear lol

[@victorrelmek2889]

@@_semih_ still a good boy. Lol

[@nickcozzie6614]

@@_semih_what are u talking about he fought Sauron

[@profiscus]

Even morgoth would admit he’s a good boy

[@patrickspalding8045]

Your wrong. Huan almost killed wolf Sauron

[@PotatoPochi]

That Gollum impersonation was so spot on I legit thought you got Andy Serkis to voice him in the video. 😂 Nice work, as always!!

[@QueenLiliTheRed]

The female interpretations are cringy af , great channel other than that tho

[@hellowell3743]

Wish they had hired a female voice actor or just a friend to do the women's roles... Because... Its horrible. Other than that great video.

[@carson11100]

I’m gonna say it again: one of the greatest villains ever conceived!

[@sharongarlinge5895]

Just behind Vader

[@sharongarlinge5895]

But jimmy saville is no1

[@soaringbuddha7249]

You mean just behind emperor palpatine

[@carson11100]

@@soaringbuddha7249 i prefer lord of the rings amigo but as I said ONE of the greatest villains…. Not the greatest villain.

[@henryhbm990]

Nahhh.... that would be the showrunners of GoT and the latest abomination Rings of Power.....

[@Jayjay-qe6um]

The extent, nature, and specifics of Sauron's power are largely left to the imagination.

[@LoneTiger]

Yes and no, think of his power something akin to the character "Spawn" from comics, he has many powers and abilities, but the pool of energy available to use such powers is limited, and very, very hard to replenish. 👍

[@RustyShackleford_]

@@LoneTiger think of a super-powered alien green lantern that loses his ring and still has basic powers instead of losing everything. He is still terrible and great, just incomplete.

[@nexus6163]

think of...Your mom

[@theadventureofthefellowship]

Cool

[@nicholashandley4456]

Not entirely, the published works of Tolkien himself never got to flesh out his (and others of his kind) innate power. In posthumous publications we can understand more, and, through notes and appendices further, we get a near full picture (as near as any can be made, funnily enough, considering). He is almost unlimited in his power on Middle Earth itself because of the nature of his being but less than what is left to the imagination.

[@Silmarillion784]

Thank you being part in my channel and also Sauron is a wonderful shapeshifter

[@arjunsengupta9797]

Oh man, PJ should really have shown that last enormous shadow lunging forward before being dissipated by the wind. But I guess it would have detracted from the destruction of the great eye. Wonderful video as always, Matt. ❤️

[@aesir1ases64]

Yeah, PJ was wise in knowing where to focus instead of trying to convey everything. And some things work amazing in the books but when you see in the screen it looks weird or underwhelming. I suspect if someone ever tries to adapt Tom Bombadil, they will fall into this problem.

[@Max-px5ym]

@@aesir1ases64 exactly! God I'm tired of purists wanting an exhaustive representation of every detail

[@glowstickofdestiny1290]

Sauron thinking he's got what it takes to fulfill the prophecy of Huan's death only to get humbled by the thrashing of the ages is one of my single favorite moments of the entire legendarium

[@concept5631]

Tbf he did give a really good go at it.

[@Th0ughtf0rce]

And one can't help but wonder just how terrible Carcharoth was.

[@concept5631]

@@Th0ughtf0rce Pretty damn terrible I'd say.

[@Ritz1256]

Shows how powerful Morgoth's Valar powers are. Sauron himself couldn't defeat Huan, but Morgoth could create a werewolf so terrible it exceeded Sauron and can actually kill Huan - even though it killed itself in the process

[@Ritz1256]

@@Th0ughtf0rce Extremely is probably a very extreme understatement for the malice of Morgoth - the creator of malice in Ea. Sauron has nothing

[@panther3364]

I don't know what Tolkien ate and drank, but the lore leaves me in AWE like in front of an ancient monument!

[@eddieroy2418]

He lived in his mind with a great imagination and he also lived through amazing things like world wars

[@GullibleTarget]

I don't know how you do the things you do. I don't even know who you are. But I'm sure there are those in awe of you, simply for being who you are, for doing the things you do. Perhaps not on the same grand scale as a succesful author or other type of artist but, no less impactful and not because of what you ate or drank😉By which I mean; you are awesome to somebody because you are.

[@panther3364]

@@GullibleTarget Thank you sir, you're really kind!

[@nexus6163]

@@panther3364 I am in awe of you too

[@wolgercon]

Weed and salted pork

[@redpowerranger321]

Huan is still my favorite character, he is one badass hound that only seems win his duals.

[@goyonman9655]

Huan is good boi

[@travellerinthedark]

Between the werewolves and the vampires, the beginning of this video made for a fun Halloween story.

[@valentinkambushev4968]

A video about werewolves and vampires could be a good Halloween special.

[@Whatisthisstupidfinghandle]

Beren and Luthien is one of my favourite tales

[@gandalfshallnotpass9585]

I didn't even know Tolkien had vampires/werewolves in his writings. Makes me love middle earth even more🥰

[@Snipy55]

Aint any good werewolfs and vampires in there though, no worrys

[@_semih_]

Yes but the Werewolves and Wampires of Tolkien, are not the same as the ones in the other fantasies. Basically in Tolkien's world, the werewolf is; The Dreadful spirits imprisoned into the bodies of Morgoth's wolves by Sauron. And Wampires are the huge bat-like creatures working as messengers between Sauron and Morgoth. Sauron had a wampire herald/chief messenger called "Thuringwethil" which means "the woman of secret shadow". But it is mentioned that Thuringwethil didn't go to Angband in her Wampire form but her true form which means she had a normal "woman form" too :)

[@lawrenceiverson1924]

Yeah , no zombies , tho !!!

[@_semih_]

@@Jason-rp3jg yea

[@entwistlefromthewho]

Yes, Sauron survives the destruction of the One Ring - Tolkien even wrote in a letter "I wouldn't like to meet Sauron after the destruction of the Ring".

[@retsaMinnavoiG]

Doesn't he also say something like he's an inert shadow incapable of interacting with the world?

[@mingthan7028]

​Yeah...he is as weak and useless as the wandering ghost of a dead man. But you still don't wanna meet a ghost. would you? ​@@retsaMinnavoiG

[@Evoker23-lx8mb]

@@retsaMinnavoiGyeah. Saruman had the same fate.

[@hazorg16]

Sauron is such a captivating character. One of the greatest villains ever, if not the best.

[@dwally4198]

I would put darth Vader in that conversation too. At least until we got the “I hate sand” villain origin story

[@avrace2708]

@@dwally4198 Meh, Vader was never intresting character for me

[@disturbed157]

@@avrace2708 really? A former slave who goes on to still hate slavery yet enslave others. He's the epitome of darkness to most but he still had enough light to become good again. As opposed to sauron a villain created to be evil with no real driving force to his ways. He's just evil because. He's more robot than vader really. Just a task compiler at the end of the day

[@avrace2708]

@@disturbed157 Anakin was intresting fallen hero, but Vader as villian not very much for me, but i really like his death

[@jonintrovertedpotato3866]

Satan cries

[@hazbojangles2681]

This video comes in at perfect timing as I gave my father a lengthy explanation about Sauron and his abilities.

[@danielhoward8004]

Poopie Halbrand

[@KonradvonHotzendorf]

This why dad's go buy milk

[@hazbojangles2681]

@@KonradvonHotzendorf well not this time. I went to the shop with him so he couldn’t escape.

[@KonradvonHotzendorf]

@@hazbojangles2681 Hahaha Mine hated me being a dork 😅 Greatest story ever told

[@jonintrovertedpotato3866]

Good good. Soijg your best to get the dark lord a new servant. Tell him about his powah.

[@jpl83061]

If you haven't already, I'd like to see a video summarizing the hierarchy of beings starting with Eru at the top and going down form there.. without going into tremendous detail. Jus to make it easier to understand who is who in a lot of your other videos.

[@mxu_medinx9709]

You should make a video on Queen Melian, the Maia! she's such an interesting character, and truthfully, one of the most interesting Ainur in my opinion! Great work, I love your channel!

[@catmanduu66]

The prototype or precursor Sauron-figure was a giant monstrous cat, the Prince of Cats. Called Tevildo, Tifil and Tiberth among other names, this character played the role later taken by Sauron in the earliest version of the story of Beren and Tinúviel in The Book of Lost Tales in 1917. I don't know if there's enough here for a video but it might make a cool Halloween thing. I found the story quite interesting when I first read it.

[@GullibleTarget]

Tibbet/Tiberth used to be a common name for pet cats in my country

[@josephfisher426]

@@GullibleTarget The original name is Thibault, from a medieval story.

[@GullibleTarget]

@@josephfisher426 that's interesting! I'm going to look that up. Edit: looked it up😄 So funny: it is from a medieval story that we were taught about in the first year of high-school when I was a kid! 'Van Den vos Reynearde'. I still have it somewhere. A little red book. It's a story with a cast of characters made up from animals and 'Tibbert'(Dutch pronunciation of Thibeault)/Tybaut was a cat. I think Roald Dahl's 'the fantastic Mr.Fox' is based on that story, not sure. Thank you for peaking my interest!

[@josephfisher426]

@@GullibleTarget Another link to the Tales of Renard is Tybalt from Romeo & Juliet.

[@mattrigby1871]

Is this the reason Sauron’s eye has a slit pupil? Is this some deep lore Easter egg??

[@elizasavage9740]

your timing is always divine

[@gustavocbr]

One of the biggest writing mistakes on The Rings of Power is that Halbrand/Sauron doesn't feel like the one from the books at all, not even after his reveal. You don't buy for a second that he could be the same character described in this video. The same goes for middle earth as a place, it doesn't feel great in scale, it doesn't feel populated, it doesn't feel like there is so much that has happened already in that world. It is going to take a long time for the second season and we will have forgotten about it when it airs. I wonder if they can course correct it and if we will still care.

[@Tobertus]

You create awesome Tolkien lore videos, really appreciate it! You've already made plenty of videos about many Tolkien topics in Middle -Earth, so maybe I'll be naming ones you've already done. So, I would like to see more about the ents and their way of living, the Southlands and their story, and perhaps an overview of cultures and their spreading. Can't think of anything else atm, but hope you'll think about it. Cheers!

[@raistlinmajere7149]

Ar-Pharazôn: ok its time to destroy Sauron *Sauron takes his fair form* Ar-Pharazôn: oh no he's hot!

[@_semih_]

Jokes aside, there is no h*mosexuality in Tolkien's works and universe. Its silly that some of the fans really trying to label some characters like that. Lmao

[@nitrowarrior-lj5ip]

​@@_semih_Sauron fair form was probably very seductive with the words that came out of his mouth 😍

[@_semih_]

@nitrowarrior-lj5ip The word seductive means he was easily manipulating the King with words and controlling his thoughts and actions. There is no homosexuality in Middle earth universe

[@Tadzioreik]

I love that you keep posting great content my dude! Keep up the good work! You the man! 🔥👍🏻

[@carrionwithout_me]

Wow... I've never delved deep into the books but this channel is a main source of information about the Tolkien Canon. Thank you for all that you do. The last scene of the War of the Ring gave me chills. Imagine thinking you've won the battle for Middle Earth when this huge figure forms. Just then, you think Gandalf is wrong that all hell will rain down in fire and ash as Sauron's form reestablishes. Only to fade. Only to be as if a dream. Yeah, drinks are on me that night.

[@syronsparrow5081]

I was just thinking; since I am now an active enjoyer of your videos, and now have watched probably 90% of them all (excluding some long form interviews). You have an AMAZING narrating voice and pace, as well as a PRETTY good ability to mimick and change your voice to other voices. Have you been thinking about narrating an audiobook on any of Tolkiens works? I would just LOVE to listen to them!!

[@SirSpuddington]

Maybe for a video, you could go into more detail about how the new information on time scales from The Nature of Middle-earth affects our perceptions of the stories of the First and Second Ages. For instance, by my calculations (which I don't fully trust :D ), by the time the Fellowship meets her in Lothlorien, Galadriel is tens of thousands of solar years old instead of merely thousands. It would be interesting to try to nail down other various characters' exact ages with the new scale of 1 Valian Year = 144 solar years. You could explore how Tolkien spent a lot of time trying to work out how to make the new time scale and the new description of Elvish life cycles fit with what he had already written, such as the difficulty he had in trying to ensure that Idril was of Elvish marrying life-age when Tuor comes to Gondolin and how the new time scale making Maeglin pretty much still a child at the time helps enhance the story (one of the many reasons Idril disliked Maeglin and his infatuation with her was his very tender age by Elvish standars). It would help give some more contextual info on how long great movements of the world actually took. Food for thought! Anyway, excellent video as always!

[@leonardofaber5823]

The matter with the 144-year-thing is that Tolkien never implemented that concept within the Legendarium. It is no easy feat, he would have had to rewrite thousands of pages to fit this idea properly into the timeline of events. Since he died before to consider doing it, the full cannonicity of it is debatable

[@mrs.manrique7411]

Cirdan is also still in Middle Earth at the same time as Galadriel and far older than her.

[@nicholashandley4456]

Galadriel's birth date is in the Years of the Trees "1362", before the first sun rise, and I don't believe Tolkien wrote anything in his notes that described how Valian time was measured before the First Age began. All anyone can know of Galadriel's age in the books is that by the third age, outside of the Maiar (Sauron and The Istari) and possibly a select few surviving Orcs from when Melkor discovered the elves and from them made the first Orcs after the Awakening of the Elves (Be it sometime soon or sometime far after the Vala [Goddess, if you will] Varda had finished making the stars) Galadriel is the oldest known living being on Middle Earth before her departure to The West, assuming Celeborn isn't older than she is, which is unlikely.

[@leonardofaber5823]

@@nicholashandley4456 Círdan is the oldest known living Elf in Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age, not her. And yes, Tolkien wrote a few things about time measurement, but nothing complete

[@nicholashandley4456]

@@leonardofaber5823 Cirdan, that's right, I forgot lol

[@conorwhite8600]

A video on Maeglin Eöl's son would be great!

[@scathiebaby]

Which would include Aredhel, Galadriel's aunt

[@JACKAL98]

Im pretty sure his video on Eol already provides everything about maeglin we need to know

[@sharijackson3985]

@@scathiebaby Galadriel’s cousin. Fingolfin was her uncle.

[@concept5631]

Maeglin, the only beta Elf in the legendarium.

[@Eliras24]

Sauron the shapeshifter imprisonating evil spirits in wolfs: clearly a cool dude

[@just_haggis]

Great video as always. I've always loved the Lord of the Rings and this channel has got me hooked on the lore! Thanks for the great content.

[@lyannastark3839]

Matt, thank you so much. Even though I know most of the lore behind Sauron it is still awesome to listen and watch such a very well put together episode about him. Artwork used here is also wonderful. Thank you, again.

[@R2D93]

Great vid as always, it’s always cool to examine a character who has been around for so long in so many forms. Interested to see how they play on this in Rings of Power. I’d like to see a vid specifically about the Druedain/ Pukel men if there hasn’t been one already, there are some interesting stories about them in some of Tolkien’s works

[@istari0]

I believe a contributing factor to Sauron's taking so long to recover in the 3rd Age, was the loss of the One Ring.

[@MasterOfTheElements]

It's the only factor.

[@tristanmace9303]

Wow what a hot take.

[@ChiggidyChuck]

wait, really?

[@sargonsblackgrandfather2072]

Mind blown

[@istari0]

The point is that it wasn't just it being the 2nd time his physical form died but also losing possession of the ring that mattered.

[@AndrewCarlisle11B]

Another great video Matt! Love these style of videos.

[@thomascooke7640]

MAEGLIN!! But since you’re so good with maps, some sort of virtual tours where you say “this happened here, this happened there” would be much more engaging than some other attempts at that. Really just the history of locations would be awesome. Thanks for all you do Matt! Feanor did something……. That’s all

[@luchosanchez9982]

Would really like to see more of the years of the trees

[@stoicgraham1224]

Everyone always asks who is Sauron But nobody asks how is Sauron

[@samcrorie]

Why is Sauron? 🤔😁

[@TamajitDas88]

@@samcrorie I will do you one better.. When is Sauron..??

[@JACKAL98]

saurons dead

[@anatoldenevers237]

@@JACKAL98 Technically not, he can't really die. But he's powerless.

[@pedromiret9195]

@@TamajitDas88 easy. he was

[@CartoonHero1986]

I always got the impression from Tolkien's writing and the era that when he referred to the "shadow form" it was more or less anything from a sentient miasma to a greater wraith that could be seen without needing to be dressed in physical garbe like the Nazgul need to be to be seen by people without site to see the wraith world. I think that is also why I never really cared much about the classic fight over if he took physical form in the 3rd age and how the movies used a lot of creative licence making the great eye of Sauron a flaming eye at the top of the tower. Any form is acceptable in my mind as long as the physical and solid form is a "shell" representation and not a flesh and blood being. Black Amour Sauron, fine; the armour COULD be his body and form, or it COULD be his spirit using it as a vessel. Great Eye Sauron, again fine; he could be leaving his armour to sit and watch in a blaspheme to Manwe and Varda atop their mountain.

[@TreburSteelnervs]

Excellent video! :) I've always really enjoyed your theory videos and haven't seen a new one in a while now. I think there is a lot of potential for fun videos, and I'd like to see you flesh the ideas out with what we know. Examples: Faramir goes to Rivendell instead of Boromir; Gandalf does not fall in Khazad-dum; Saruman does not ally with Sauron; Smaug is not killed before the War of the Ring; Eorl is not gifted the lands of Rohan; etc.

[@Mahershalahazbaz]

I would love to get your theory on the possible orgin of Beorn and the skin changers.

[@lordofthehouseofstormcrows8615]

excellent work Mellon....keep it up! I love all your videos. You passion is second to few. Very few could hols a candle to your Istari like devotion and wisdom. Sauron is the deceiver of all deceivers, some say maybe Sauron even deceived Melkor..I mean "MORGOTH BAUGLIR! I call you craven, and a liar!" - Hurin -. Saur-Saur knew Morgoths weaknesses and exploited them. Shifting Morgoth's focus. Almost exactly like what Aragorn did to Sauron. ECTHELION!

[@tcunero]

Cool... a show hitting all these points would have been fun to watch...

[@Kynokefalos]

I love you so much for talking about Sauron owning the TRUE were wolves.

[@yenxion6516]

The writer of ROP: yeah we just going to throw all of that in the trash 🗑

[@Cabin_Pat]

Such a good video, thanks. The fact that so much of Sauron's form / actions / thoughts are left to the imagination makes him all the more terrifying!!

[@ramona-sandrinailie7144]

I think Sauron's story should be explained in much more depth, since the Peter Jackson movies only gave us the Necromancer period and Sauron's total fall into darkness. However, his story, I think, starts exactly when he was Aule's apprentice, and we know about Aule that he was the closest in nature to Melkor: ambitious, always looking to build something new and ending up giving birth to some new beings: the Dwarves. Fortunately, Aule did not fall prey to evil, but, I think, he thirsted for knowledge and more, Mairon's nature obsessed with order and technology. Because Mairon was similar to Aule, he also wanted to "give life", to build, but he was not allowed, and that disappointed him. Like any apprentice, he wanted to express his creativity. From this point of view, he was attracted to "collaboration" with Morgoth, with whom he allied himself not out of a desire to be like him, but to be able to continue his "orderly and perfect" world. And what was once a virtue, later turned out to be an obsession that turned him into darkness. Even so, after losing the battle with Luthien he knew remorse, but his pride stopped him from returning to Valinor. The fact that he was summoned proves that he still had the ability to be rehabilitated. However, he chose to haunt Middle-earth, thinking it might cure him. It was only after this last failure that Sauron turned definitively evil. In Tolkien's world, nothing was absolutely bad and everything could be rehabilitated. Even Gollum. Then, how we could to believe that Tolkien not to give a chance to one of the most powerful and perfect Maiar's? Sauron was consumed by his own ambition, pride, and loneliness where he shut himself up like a cage. He hated and loved the light alike!

[@David_Alvarez77]

That is interesting!

[@ramona-sandrinailie7144]

@@David_Alvarez77 thank you!

[@tristanwinkworth1562]

Props on your Gollum voice! You do voices well, but I was particularly impressed by your true-to-form Gollum.

[@anthonyventura8465]

Sauron, Oh Sauron, wherefore art my Sauron? Thou art nowhere to be found in the Rings Of Power.

[@yasminmalik3749]

Love the Nerd of Rings videos! Thank you 💙👍

[@drewclark146]

i'd love to hear your take on the "EU" of middle-earth! it'd be great to get a video on eriol the mariner and the cottage of lost play. like, get into the deep cuts.

[@briant9251]

Please reduce your bass volume for recording. Great info with excelent detail as always.

[@carolynmu9334]

Well, ok, since you asked for topic suggestions, I guess I can give a few...#1.WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF SAURON USED THE BALROG IN THE WAR OF THE RING!!!!!!!!! #2. Life and travels of Frodo Baggins, greatest hero of the third age #3. Entire Life of Aragorn ELESSAR Telcontar 4. Theory video-origins of the fell beasts of the nazgul 5. What if Sauruman gained the one ring. 6.What would happen if Sauruman survived into the fourth age. 7. The life of Eldarion 8.Theory video about the Entwives 9. The origins of the unamed Nazgul 10. Middle Earth Tour of the third age 11. Dragons after Smaug? 12. The life of Eru Illuvatar 13. The life of Dain Ironfoot and the dwarves of the iron hills 14. The men of Khand 15 The men of Dale and their connection to Rohan 16 the Dunlendings ruffians 17 the birds of erebor 18 the life of elros 19the history of tol-erresea 20 the cottage of lost play and it's nature/inhabitants 21 the symmetry of arda and the counterpart of valinor in the far East 22 what if eonwe became an istari instead of curumo 23 what if feanor survived the dagor nuin giliath 24 the apes of the far south 25 the geography/tour of valinor 26 the meteor that was made into the black sword 27the lands north of angaband 28 what if beren successfully got all three silmarils 29 what if earendil killed Smaug and fought in the war of the ring 30 the life of Durin the 7th 31 the sea of rhun and it's island If any subscribers agree write a reply.

[@TheSilentHeel]

I would love to see a video on how many times we think Eru Iluvatar interfered in the world!

[@faevoryn6578]

This was a great video! I love all of the artwork. I'm learning so much lore thanks to you. And knowing more history enhances the experience of watching Rings of Power. Liked the show at first, now really loving it. Thanks!

[@MisterEnsayne]

I know you've touched on it in other videos but I'd love a dedicated Kin Strife discussion. Really enjoy Eldacar's story.

[@LordOfTheLore123]

is it possible for Sauron to shapeshift into Nori ? i’m standing strong with my Nori is Sauron theory

[@SagePent395]

Seems legit

[@Kushagra.j]

Dude the writers are dumb AF. There's no way possible nori is Sauron.

[@TitusRex]

N=S

[@AgX_28]

Can be Nori, can be the Mystic, can be Gil Galad, can be Hallbrand... everyone Sauron! being honest hope its not Hallbrand ffs.

[@anthonyhanks1807]

I think its the old man from the southlands that had bizarre interaction with theo

[@waynefilkins8394]

I really didn't expect this to be a vampire / werewolf video, pretty cool :)

[@markagrippa4018]

You should make a video on the power break down of the Maiar, I find the power levels and what they can do fascinating, even after reading the Silmarillion, Children of Hurin, multiple times I cannot put a finger on what exactly is the limits of the powers of Sauron, Melian and even Luthien.

[@justinphillis9598]

I agree. A comparison of the various Maiar and what appears to be power and ability differences even though they’re all on the same “level”

[@matthewprice2626]

I love all of your videos. I've read all the books but the level you explain them is outstanding.

[@bbaggins023]

A history of Gondor video would be great

[@raf7305]

The amount of content that you content creators can display on Tolkien’s stories is truly unbelievable. Kudos to you guys but this just goes to show how great Tolkien was. It never ends. What a vast universe he has created. Honestly, people can make movies and tv series for decades to come, maybe even centuries, that’s how much there is here. What a writer, I don’t know how he delved so deep (pun not intended).

[@abd9995]

so true, I'd love a series on the valor and the beginning of this age

[@TequilaDreams]

I would love to see a theory video about what happened to the spirits of the balrogs after they were defeated. They were maiar just like Sauron, Saruman and Gandalf. We see what happens to their spirits when they die (both Sauron and Saruman are blown away by a strong wind), but they never tell us what happens the the balrogs spirits. Were they forgiven and allowed to return to Valinor perhaps? Or tossed into the void like Morgoth. I think it would be interesting to delve into

[@Melkvalinor]

It's said that in end of the times, Melkor would return and all of his minions to fight alongside with him. The balrogs had made their own choices by betraying the Valar. So it's presumably that they wouldn't be forgiven

[@LeoSong12]

I love this. Straight to the point in short summary but very detailed video. 👌

[@meteorman6167]

Halbrand (Sauron) will ‘die’ from his “injury” in lindon, (after he finds out about the forge and other secrets) then shapeshifter and reappear as annatar

[@Doubleojai]

That’s what should have happened

[@Gary-tp9dk]

THIS IS WHAT I WAS WAITING FOR Thanks

[@Porto7Inferno]

Matt check the comparison made by Tolkien between Morgoth and Sauron (volume Morgoth's Ring, chapter Transformed Myths). Gives a hell of a video!

[@jorgearetakis9688]

I think it's about time a "what if Saruman hadn't allied with Sauron?" Analysis 💙

[@jasonneadle2614]

There’s always this part of me that did not belief it was the end of Sauron or Saruman. Their strongholds struck down but they would still exist, not as physical powers but as voices in the ears of the weak…

[@jasonneadle2614]

But as power cannot be created or destroyed, who is to say science does not replace magic in the resurrection of those that would open the door to Morgoth?

[@ev1677]

The fact Sarumans spirit looks towards the west and is then blown away suggests he was asking for forgiveness and to return home and was rejected and destroyed by Manue

[@MrScarecrow24]

I just reread Beren and Luthien the other day. Soooooooo good.

[@tjbmenick7263]

’Twas a really good, interesting, helpfull, cool, appropriate (rings of power) and beautiful video (as always). I would like an Ambarkanta kind of video. How the world is shaped during the different ages. Beleriands fall and also numenor. What happend to Valinor after the second age, how to get there (as Frodo did), where the door of night is, where Morgoth is when he is thrust out of what (the atmosphere or what)

[@Eric-cj8sb]

He has tours of middle Earth during the first and second ages, still waiting on the third age though.

[@WhistlerTrainer]

Thanks you for the quality content, love your videos. I've got 2 video ideas. 1. Why didn't Saruman take Gandalf's ring Nayra after he defeated him? 2. What would have happened if Bilbo had killed Gollum in the goblins cave before he escaped.

[@mikolajidziaszczyk9063]

great video as always. i love your content. It got me back to tolkien after a long time. A quick question. How is that after many "deaths" Sauron keeps comming back but after Balrog killed it stays dead. Is there any explanation? They are both maya

[@precepts6097]

Love the videos, your voice acting is excellent! I would love to see an over-arching video of all the different beasts of middle earth, both light and dark. Their travels and alliances would make an excellent video I think.

[@supervegeta101]

I want a power scaling video of Sauron's magical abilities vs the other wizards/maia

[@ikenosis8160]

The witless fools at Amazon decided to NOT tell me the story about a shape shifter mutating into the most horrible werewolf ever to fight other lesser werewolves in order to take a bridge.

[@samsschool3639]

Tolkien has a sense of humour, basically Anatar is Middle earth's Santa Claus 😂

[@emperorfloch]

Wow amazing video 🙌🏼 highly enjoyed every moment of it

[@angrynerd4178]

One of the best things to come out of the Middle Earth games was Sauron. I didn't like his elf form at first. But watching him lure all the kings with rings was cool. Him shape-shifting really ersn hims the title the Deceiver

[@pietrorotondano]

Great video! We often see you interviewing great people involved somehow to LotR, asking amazing questions but I guess we ourselves dont know much about your preferences around Tolkien's world. It would be nice if you make a video telling us more about you. How did you know LotR? What's your favorite book, movie, character? What's your favorite tale? Curiosities about you related to this whole universe. Keep up the great work!

[@greyworld6242]

Kickass art! How much do you want to bet in the last episode of the rings of power that the writers are going to screw up the shapeshifting effects? What if Sauron repented? Can you do a video on who is more evil Morgoth or Sauron?

[@GraysnBourne]

This was a great video!

[@patricksheperd560]

Was Sauron truly loyal to Morgoth, or did he just see him as a means to gain power for himself? If Sauron was obsessed with order, while Morgoth was a force of chaos, why would Sauron serve him?

[@KingRick93]

Great question

[@atm8733]

It’s because of Morgoth that he was obsessed with order. Morgoth wanted to dominate and have full control over Arda but he was denied so instead he destroyed any and everyone/thing that was not loyal to him. Sauron just took a smarter route than Morgoth. Morgoth ruled with brute force and power Sauron ruled with mind games and being cunning. They had the same goals in all honesty they both wanted full control over Middle Earth they jus took a different approach at doing so.

[@AfferbeckBeats]

I do wonder how genuine his loyalty was. Upon discovering Luthien, Sauron's first thought was to capture her and be rewarded by Melkor. But I'm not sure what reward he could be given. He was already the second in command and had a great deal of responsibility and power. Then in Numenor he started the cult sacrificing men to Melkor. Who knows if he genuinely thought he was sacrificing souls to Melkor in the void, or whether the Numenorean's belief in the strength of Melkor and his opposition of the rest of the Valar was a convenient enough method to control them. I suspect the latter, as he had named himself King of the Earth already, he was not acting in his former masters' name.

[@luans.40]

I believe he was completely loyal. I mean, he started a whole Morgoth-cult in Numenor and he wanted to be Morgoth really bad, he even claimed to be “Morgoth returned”. I think he idolized him as the definitive way to order

[@treyowen9213]

I love watching Sauron go to work.

[@365reece]

Since Saruman and Sauron are both maia it would be interesting to see a story where Saruman doesn’t die and becomes the third dark Lord after Morgoth and Sauron

[@_semih_]

Tolkien said that Sauron was a far higher order Maia than both Saruman and Gandalf. So they cannot be compared to the dark Lord

[@BossGaming-vg6zh]

1:37 that has to be the coolest shot of Morgoth and Sauron I have ever seen. Please give me link to OG photo!

[@Zoruagalaxy]

I've heard tokein had some lore for beyond the south of Harad that not many people talk about, have you done any videos of their regions settlements? or unheard of elven or dwarf races that dwelled there? or how the terrain for the entire region was?

[@HappyHermitt]

This was amazing. Thank you.

[@dreid1021]

A burning question: what is the actual population. Like how many actually live in Moria, Numenor, or Minas Tirith at their heights. I feel like that's something Ive never got a clear sense of

[@DnVFMVs]

3 billion pipo

Great videos man!

[@aquantz]

I’d really like to see a video about how elf reincarnation works. Why do some elves’ spirits stay in the house of mandos and others come back?

[@leonardofaber5823]

Generally, all elves are supposed to be one (body and soul were never intended, in Eru's plan, to be separated). But, when that happens, their souls go to Mandos and spend some time there, said time to be according to the elf's deeds in life. Some, like Finrod and Glorfindel, despite in Exile, died with honor, giving their lives for the sake of others. In Mandos their souls would spend little time, being reincarnated pretty quickly. Some, howerver, like Feanáro and his sons, had so many evil deeds in life that their time in Mandos will be longer (Feanáro's will be eternal), having their reincarnation denied by Mandos and the Valar as a sentence. And, of course, some elves just do not wish to have physical bodies again. Despite not being natural, they can choose and say "no, thanks, I'd rather stay here for all time".

[@IanHeins]

Nice work dude thanks

[@jamesclapp6832]

Wow! RoP could've been so badass.

[@rodneyholland1867]

Disappointing isn't it!

[@Doubleojai]

The show isn’t even over yet…😂

[@austindahmer5552]

For possible video ideas: 1) Dunedain/Rangers of the North/Grey Company 2) Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth

[@keironharvey]

I'd love to see a video on Sauron's Weapon and Armour. His armour is sooo intricate and detailed. Is it Steel or iron? Did Sauron want Mithril so he could craft his own Armour that could possibly heal him?

[@joshuawalters7520]

His armor and weapons are not mentioned in the books. They are purely a design of other media.

[@BerndThomasSchuller]

Mithril does not heal anything

[@keironharvey]

@@BerndThomasSchuller I know. But I think in RoP that could be a possibility and start Sauron's want for it

[@Kuvantor]

At first I had no problem with the series being this unfaithful with the source material, I was just ignoring it. But it has spread such nonsensical ideas that I can't help but start to dislike it because of that. Not only long time fans of Tolkien works were denied of the stories they actually want, now they also have to deal with the inventions of some amateur writer that tried to re make an entire lifetime of good Tolkien writing.

[@moscanaveia]

@@Kuvantor Tolkien fans weren't denied anything. Anyone, at any time, can just hit the books. They've been around for decades and I expect they still will be for decades more.

[@wneighbors1]

Fabulous work as always. Your in-depth analysis of the First and Second Age of Middle Earth is second to none! A great resource for viewers of The Rings of Power and lovers of Tolkien. Thank you!

[@midimusicforever]

Imagine that they had Sauron pinned down and let him go. I wonder what could have been Huan had taken him out there and then.

[@amiramz]

awesome vid! would love seeing a vid about the wizards' staffs , especially Gandalf's :) cheers bro!

[@sammygamgee9224]

Great video Matt! I have a question. Did Morgoth discover Gondolin because of the treachery of maeglin or because of Hurin screaming towards the echoing mountains?

[@jyotisrivastava1122]

It was the treachery of maeglin, even when Hurin yelled towards the mountains, Melkor hadn't discovered the location, but when Maeglin had given Gondolin's location, he then, and ONLY then attacked gondolin, though he could've months earlier if my memory serves right.

[@valentinkambushev4968]

@@jyotisrivastava1122 even so Hurin's attempt to find Gondolin did give Morgoth a good idea in which part of the world the city was.

[@CalogeroPeritore]

I would be really interested in watching videos about the precanon... For example, characters like Thû or Fankil, who foreshadow the concept of the character of Sauron

[@TitusRex]

Where can I find this music? It's so beautiful.

[@yianmartinez7799]

The bodies of the elves are made out of the stuff of the earth, so they cannot so readily and wholly change their physical forms. It’s likely in the case of Luthien and Finrod these were more spells of illusion rather than actual physical shapeshifting, as all the Ainur are capable of.