Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 4 BREAKDOWN
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.ย. 2024
- Tom Bombadil! Barrow-wights! Nameless things, Ents, the Shire & more! There's a LOT of things to go over in this one! We'll go through all the references, theories, and story elements, while also pondering - did these from-the-book elements make a true impact?
Hit subscribe and the bell for great Tolkien content every week!
Nerd of the Rings on PATREON: / nerdoftherings
NOTR merch: nerdoftherings...
To purchase artist work, check out these amazing artists!
Tulikoura - www.deviantart...
Matthew Stewart - www.matthew-ste...
BellaBergolts - www.deviantart...
Magdalena Katanska - www.artstation... / qualiney
Jerry Vanderstelt - vandersteltstu...
Anna Podedworna - www.artstation...
Jenny Dolfen - goldseven.wordpress.com/
Kimberly80 - www.deviantart...
Turner Mohan - turner_mohan
Ted Nasmith - www.tednasmith.com/shop/
Anke Eissmann - anke.edoras-art...
Aronja Art - / aronjaart
Ivan Cavini - / ivan_cavini
Sara Morello - www.artstation...
Matěj Čadil - www.etsy.com/p...
Tulikoura - www.deviantart...
Aegeri - www.deviantart...
Justyna Dura - www.artstation...
Sergio Botero - www.artstation...
Noe Leyva - / noeleyvart
Clemence Morisseau - www.artstation...
Edvige Faini - www.edvigefaini.com , edvige.faini edvige_faini
Miriam Ellis - www.miriamelli...
Stevce Lazarevski - www.artstation...
Álvaro González - / alvarofernag_art
MirachRavaia - www.deviantart...
Magdalena Olechny - magdalenaolech...
Painted Dragon Studios - painteddragons...
Baranduin - Šárka Škorpíková
Galadriel and Celeborn at Lake Evendim - Ted Nasmith
The Delta of the River Sirion - Alan Lee
Cloudy view - Felix Englund
Hobbit Farmer - Daniel Dougherty
A Hobbit's Garden - Emily Austin
tom-bombadil - steve airola
Tom Bombadil - John Howe
Varda - Aegeri
Awakening of the Elves - Kuliszu
In the house of Tom Bombadil - Anke Eissmann
Hobbits and Tree - Andrea Piparo
Gandalf - Jenny Dolfen
barrow-wight - CK Goksoy
barrow-wight - CK Goksoy
The Barrow Wight - Matthew Stewart
Eowyn and Witch King - Angus McBride
Gandalf the White - Andrea Piparo
gandalf the white - bembiann
Balrog vs Gandalf - Anato Finnstark
the watcher in the water - tulikoura
West-door of Moria - Lída Holubová
The Shire illustration - Šárka Škorpíková
Annuminas - Aegeri
Hobbit portrait - Catherine Karina Chmiel
dwarves - merlkir
dwarves of ered-luin - sam mckinnon
Forging the One Ring - Marko Manev
The Elven Rings - Ralph Damiani
The Cleansing of Dol Guldur - Ralph Damiani
Treebeard - Alan Lee
3 wizards - Felix Englund
The Wrath of the Ents - Ted Nasmith
Fantasy Mountain - Felix Englund
Mountain Sketch - Felix Englund
Argonath - Kip Rasmussen
Gandalf and Frodo in Rivendell2 - Anke Eissmann
Gandalf Balrog - Felix Englund
Gandalf v Balrog - Dzmitry Yakhouski
Feasting with the Elves - Alan Lee
#ringsofpower #theringsofpower #lordoftherings
The sheer disappointment in your tone when you said the harfoots didn’t die in the sandstorm 😂😂😂.
I admire Isildur’s love for indoor plumbing. Get you a man who loves you as much as Isildur loves indoor plumbing
He reminds me of that demon from the Hercules cartoon movie.
“Indoor plumbing… it’s gonna be big” 😂
@@sammskiles2890 😭😭😭 I should’ve invested
LOLLLL
Western imperialist propaganda.
at least as much as Isildur loves Estrid😅
tom is like the main character who abandon main quest just going for fishing and cooking
We need a swordsman, two archers and... anything else? Yes, horses, if we need to get to Eregion urgently then we'll need horses.
That got me too. On foot is crazy
take a shot everytime you feel like face palming!
Also cause I'm pretty sure in the first episode, they showed Galadriel and Elrond riding from Eregion to Lindon, why does it not work vice versa??
@@AniaDino3375 At this point I'm just thinking Elrond was deliberately making weird decisions that Galadriel would contest just so he could assert his authority over her and the ring.
sorry, I remembered the moment from the Griffins parody of "Be With Me")) hmm hmm hmm that's where this dude goes
If you thought Bilbo and Gollum were the riddle-makers, then think again. Tom Bombadil himself is the ultimate riddle! 😂
The Rings of Power is the ultimate riddle though.
time-travelling JK Rowling from the past reading this comment: "Tom... Riddle?"
Tom Bombadil is non other than Tolkien's version of the mysterious biblical character, Melchizedek! A complete mystery in both writings, though fun to explore...
Please don't call THAT Tom Bombadil. Bombadil would be cheery at his own funeral. Not some depressed ass hermit holed up in a desert
Love this other.
Lol if they killed off the hobbits in the sandstorm I would have had no problem with it at all
Lol same thing me and my sister said
The lamb in Bombadil's house was called Iarwain and the Stoor lady said about the stranger, "he's a grand-elf?", which sounds like Gandalf. I burst out laughing at that part, they're being so on the nose with it, at this point I hope the stranger is a blue wizard just because the "big reveal" that he's Gandalf would be beyond dumb at this point.
I think they’re doing this on purpose but it will be the blue wizards in the end
beyond dumb in Rings of Power? You dont say.
wait until you realise the 'dark wizard' is saruman. You book nerds can cope and seethe, I enjoy the show a lot
@@Keef335that would very stupid having saruman evil this early
I think they're being way too obvious about "Gandalf" that I genuinely do think he's a blue wizard.
“Bark slaps estrid into a Boulder” 😂😂 then she’s totally fine after😂
🤷♂ Boromir gets yeeted into a concrete wall by a cave troll in Fellowship and bro was barely even dazed 😂😂
The walls of isengard made of rock and metal < Estrid
@@hiddenleif6854 You're right, Jackson should've delved into how Boromir had dookies in his britches after that B slap. What a bad director for not showing your the dookies in a man's trousers... For shame!
Who else was getting Winnie the Pooh on a blustery day vibes from the stranger as he chased after the star map?
The Stranger is obviously Pallando. Gandalf arrived in Middle Earth by boat in the third age, and never went east. Pallando, litterally meaning "East Helper", on the other hand, indeed went east to help the other Blue Wizard who was failing his mission. This is exactly what's played out. Also, in this episode, Tom Bom says something about "another istar seeking him out" before The Stranger, indicating that this is the second Istar to arrive in Middle Earth (as Pallando was)...
Hopefully mate
It is not Tolkien's tails bro, they can bring Grandad to their sh*t show
lets hope so man...
I think you put more thought into this than the writers at Amazon did
I hope it will be that way but the show is doing everything to make us think that he will be revealed as Gandalf (we know that they are doing some canonical anacronism). Anyway, it is very possible that the Dark Wizard used to be a Blue Wizard
So Elves go to Lindon on horse and return on an urgent matter on foot! And.... Run all the way?
I laughed at that too. Such bad writing
Aragorn gimli and legolas sprinted after orcs for days. Didnt hear u complaining then. N2m gimli actually somehow kept up with them
@@ThatGuy-js6mu where were they gonna get a horse from?
@@ThatGuy-js6mubecause they didn't have any horses...
@@Mnnwer how many little people did u see running a marathon in the olympics? Do t care if they cant find horses. Dont have gimli sprint across the country. Im showing to you how ridiculous it is to nitpick
Huge respect for @Nerd of the Rings. As a big book fan and Peter Jackson film fan, there was certainly some disappointment experienced with Rings of Power. But Nerd of the Rings has done a great job of pointing out what is done well and what was not. It's helped me at least see some glimpses of the good through the bad. Watching the breakdown after the episode is now part of my ROP routine. Keep up the great work.
I think Nerd of the Rings has a pretty balanced take on it and I think there are things I´ve liked and not liked in the series. The problem is the second age is really hard to adapt into one series.
@@Minimmalmythicistwell you do you know about some great historical fiction movies or novel? Why do you think they are able to not deviate too much from the original history while manage to deliver good story at the same time? Yeah sure second age of Middle-Earth isn't easy to adapt, but what Amazon need for Ring of Power is a good scriptwriter, and is it that hard considering all of the budget they have? ;)
P.S. sorry for bad English
@@Test-mq8ih 1) Middle Earth isn´t historical so the comparison is irrelevant
2) People have written variations on myths for ages, even Tolkien wrote variations on his own work and wasn´t sure about a lot of details. There are several different versions of the Greek, Roman and Germanic myths and the Gospels have four different versions.
3) I think it´s a difficult project, the issue with the second age is that a lot of the main events happen over a really large time span and that isn´t easy to adapt at all.
Amazon had some difficulties getting the rights too, I believe, they have the rights to everything from Lord of the Rings and all the events mentioned there, the issue is that they don´t have the rights to the Silmarillion, they tried to buy them from the Tolkien estate, but they were being ludicrous.
I know Tom wears blue a lot, but that blue robe and hat in the background really has me hopeful for Blue Wizard. Tom mentioned his ragged robes. He might give him the blue ones.
This is what I was hoping it was hinting at.
Thia makes a lot of sense. But, then, if this is the case, it really makes all the Gandalf baiting kind of s pointless waste of time. Either way, we end up with a bad taste in our mouth. Tho, I'd still prefer a good ending too him being Gandalf, if that is at all possibe
@@TheDiabeticGameMaster I don't think it's a waste of time. It's a misdirect. We are thinking it's going to be Gandalf and boom new wizard we've never seen and most haven't heard of.
The blue wizards arrived together according to Tolkien (Alatar and Pallando) and Saruman was with them at the beginning in the south.
The stranger mentioned Sauron (like a sudden memory) I also think it's his mission to fight him. One thing's for sure, it's one of the five 🤣
I think it is more likely, the show is going to make TOM one of the Blue Wizards. The Stranger will likely be Gandalf.
Theo will not be one of the Nazgul but lead the outlaws into the mountains. He'll later be the victim of Isildur's curse.
i like this theory
Yeah, I also feel he'll become the King of the Dead. His people were even said to have worshipped Sauron in the Dark Years before the founding of Gondor and Theo's people had been followers of Sauron in the past, some were still up to recently and others were now serving Adar.
I like that A LOT. but it almost feels like too subtle and smart of a deep cut to give to a "main" character in this show.
So Theo would be one of the cowards who worshipped Sauron and betrayed Isildur? An Oathbreaker?😞
@@righteousisthelord180- I hope the theory above is correct, because I really loathe the Theo character. I don’t loathe him because he’s on the path towards evil and corruption, but I just really don’t like the actor, his goofy bowl-cut haired look, or how he is written/directed. If he ends up being an oath-breaker (cursed leader/king or otherwise) or a leader/acolyte of the wild-men who worship Sauron, I’ll be down with that. I cannot see him as the Witch King.
Tom Bombadil: "See you found the GOAT". Gotta say, that was pretty funny.
I swear, if they reveal the Stranger to be Gandalf--it will prove to be the most anti-climactic reveal in cinematic history.
I'm hoping that Gandalf is a misdirect and he's an early Saruman. Copium tho.
I've seen and heard a lot of this negativity on the thought of the Stranger becoming Gandalf including "Nerd of the Rings" saying it, but can anybody tell me why it would be so bad? I haven't yet seen or heard a good explanation yet for it being so bad - if it was to happen.
Worse than the Sauron reveal?
@@pokeballdkdenmark8464because it's lazy it's done terribly and gandalf's not even supposed to be here yet there's a couple reasons buddy
@@andrewvanorden2336 act like the show must stay canon to the books, it's already too late for that.
You hit the nail on the head when you said that Tom needs his jolly level turned up by a good 50%. I liked seeing him here but he wasn't quite hitting the way I wanted.
He does seem joyful to me and to my wife (who never read the books),, just more low-key joyful than in the books -- though he had plenty of more low-key moments in the books too I think.
And what about the rhyming? This is a peculiar TB
On the Bombadil/Stranger scene after we hear Goldberry singing, Tom doesn’t ‘technically’ say they are alone. While he may have seemed confused;
Stranger: I thought I heard a woman singing.
Tom: Woman? What Woman? (Answers with a question that the Stranger doesn’t/can’t answer, right?🤷🏻♂️)
Stranger: Is no one else here with you?
Tom (eyes roaming): You’re here. That is a thing you are. Are you?
Stranger: Uh, yes?
Tom: *laughs*
Seems kinda like playful semantics to lead the conversation. At least, that’s what I got from it.
second age elrond: nah galadriel, i dont trust your trinket-word at all
third age elrond: yes, my mother-in-law. I shall follow your guidance at ease
Well, by the time we get to Elrond in Rivendell in the Third age, he has Gil-Galad's ring. So I think the idea is that he'll eventually come around on the rings. Even Gandalf wears one for a while.
@@nrrrdking cmiiw, third age Elrond in the movie still doubt about the ring power. But Galadriel always convince him to believe the ring power
A few thousand years will change a person, I guess?
@@youthactionpactwe can only hope.
@@magnusrasmussen4317😂
If only Elves had access to horses to travel faster.
I love it, I loved being introduced to an ent wife. Knowing what will happen, It's bittersweet, but she was kind, and showed wisdom. It was a lovely moment
There's actually a blue robe hanging in the background of Tom's abode, we will see if the Stranger ends up earning it
I think it was actually tom's as per how he is described to be wearing them
Trailer shots also show tom bombadil wearing it. However it's possible he could end up giving it to him later, it'd be nice.
Which blue robe ! I have to watch it again 🤣 But he was talking about Sauron and Gandalf's mission/task is to fight him !
I don't think Elrond found the bodies of the messengers, I think he only found the horses remains and the message laying next to the horses. Later in the episode we see barrow wights pull one of the elfs down into their barrow so I assume that's what they did with the elf messengers and left the horses there...
Yes but it's just ridicolous that Sauron awake them with his mind 😂 he can controls the spirits but not the orcs?
@@tsukiakari91 I don't think he's controlling anything - my understanding is just that now that Sauron has returned to Middle Earth, his very presence is causing Evil to reawaken in Middle Earth. I don't get the feeling that Evil is in his thrall yet/don't think he can have ultimate mastery over it all until he forges the One Ring. For now, he's just more of a manipulator/deceiver/shapeshifter/evil presence (think Norse Loki, not that Marvel crap).
@@tsukiakari91 you clearly didnt read the book so why are you even here asking foolish questions and casting foolish judgements. You must have a LOT of L takes with that level of ignorance. Took blood for sure.
he also clearly didnt find the bodies of the previous elves and they were obviously taken by chains as WE ALREADY SEEN IT IN THE LAST EPISODE. I dont understand how there is any misunderstanding or discussion around it. for f sake.
@@brandonmunsen6035 i read all the books and i know he is a necromancer but it does not explain how he can controlls the spirits and destroy bridgs and can't deal with a bunch of orcs, this is just a poorly written fanfiction (sorry for the mistakes, English it is not my first language)
Am I the only one who thought Robin Williams would of been great at portraying Tom Bombadil???
YES! Totally.
Omg, I could easily see him being brilliant in the role. 😭
Yeah, if he had done, then at least we’d know why he h*nged himself..
That's would be perfect.
😢yes. Yes he would.
It wasn't Galadriel's hand that healed the cartographer. It was the ring she was wearing. The ring actually glinted as she was using her ring hand to staunch the bleeding.
So Elrond’s ring was just defective?
You misspelled GuyLadriel.
@@mrsamtheman80 The rings have different powers.
Exactly. Also, this situation cannot be compared with Elrond's healing of Frodo. Frodo's wound was caused by the Morgul blade, far deadlier than an orc arrow. Moreover, Frodo reached Rivendell several days after being attacked, and this long delay worsened Frodo's wound. Plus, hobbits do not heal as quickly as elves. So the difference between the two situations is not in the healing power of the rings but in the nature of the wound and healing capacity of the wounded.
@@mrsamtheman80 maybe it doesnt give full power when you are scared of the One ring, which is not made yet in the season...
The Barrow wights scene was underwhelming. They looked great but did nothing but serve as a cameo or something.
Deus ex machina to justify the slain of the messenger. One of many of this show.
@@marcoilariuzzi I said those exact words Deus ex machina ..
Hmm, did they have any bigger purpose in the books? Any relevance for the main story?
@ekaterinakorovina1065 if memory serves (and it might not) the barrowdowns did indeed exist before the kingdom of arnor was established, however- I do not think that wights were present until the war with Angmar. Though I could be wrong.
@@ekaterinakorovina1065 The witch king used them to keep the dunedain away from an area from what i remember.
I actually really liked Tom Bombadil in this.
He was less bouncy and sing songy than I expected, but I dig it.
He still had that mystery to him, like he existed in the moment he was in and that's all that mattered.
I guess it comes down to what you believe Tom ultimately is. For me; so far it's a decent representation.
Damn it they really went with the horror movie trope with the ONLY ELF THAT DIED in the episode XD
I thought about that too lol
I noticed that too. Why did they have to kill off the black Elf first? 🤦♀️
Tolkien Black
Yea kinda pissed me off, like for real guys we're doing this
My first thought. I laughed out loud at the ridiculousness of it. 😂
The healing in the end is 99% the ring because you can notice a small glint that felt out of place. The look of shock from the other elves cements it.
Nenya the ring of water has protection and healing abilities
Was that even in question?
I was pleasantly surprised by Tom Bombadil. I thought Rory Kinnear did a good portraying him….it just seemed very odd making him some Master Yoda figure for the Istari when you consider how the White Council didn’t want to give him the One Ring because they thought he’d forget he had it.
The funniest part of this episode was isilidur getting swerved on when estride reunites with her man hahahahah LOL’ed.
So much for the legacy of our legendary Isildur.
When he’s considering throwing the one ring in mt doom, this is the memory that pops in his head causing him to keep the ring instead
Same 😂
This whole story line is so cringe
Hey she only tried to kill him twice, and is an agent of evil who he knew had a husband. How was he supposed to know it would end up like that. I mean he even has water in his house
I reckon they’re totally trolling us with all the semi-Gandalf references. The story playing out seems to line up with the Stranger and Dark being the two Blue Wizards, extrapolated from the two versions Tolkien wrote.
I thought the same thing about Halbrand during S1. “There’s no way he’s actually Sauron, they have to be more clever than that. They’re trolling! They’re just throwing us off the real Sauron’s scent!” and then…welp. 😐
I really hope so 🥲
Judging by the amount of pointless cameos I really don't think the show runners would even think of this. They would not pass the opportunity. It's Gandalf, he knows Tom, he knows hobbits, he has affinity to fire etc. The other guy is Saruman. I hope I'm wrong but there is very little hope in me left for this show
@@wiktorutracki6469I don’t mind the stranger being Gandalf as much as I do with Saruman. I know it is headache both ways, from a lore perspective, but I feel like making the Dark Wizard Saruman would be the absolute biggest blunder. Saruman and Gandalf are supposed to be allies before Saruman goes rogue. It makes absolutely zero sense that Saruman would be pursuing another Istar--presumably Gandalf-at this time. I wish they hadn’t dragged out the whole “ooh what’s the Stranger’s name?” thing for this long, especially when they keep dropping so many hints that the Stranger is, indeed Gandalf. I have no doubt we’ll only find out his ‘true name’ near the very end of this season. And they will treat it like it’s an epic reveal, but we’ll already know 😭 The signs have been there since the beginning; we just haven’t wanted it to be true
@@elixtirr2611 I totally agree. I don't mind Gandalf being a bit clumsy, disoriented etc. he is new to the world, he has (in this timeline) something like 4 thousand years to become the Gandalf we know. My problem is that's absolutely pointless for Gandalf being in the show. And yes, evil Saruman at this point would be 100% deal breaker for me, there would be no coming back from this, it would make a hard 0/10 for this show no matter what happens until the show is cancelled or until it comes to the planned end.
My version of what should have happened.
A rocky trail winds through a desolate landscape. ELVES, riding horses, approach a massive ravine with a shattered bridge hanging precariously over it. The horses are skittish. The ELVES whisper to their horses.
**ELF LEADER (GALADRIEL)**
In elvish, "go home your service is complete"
The horses, sensing the urgency, turn and trot away.
**ELROND**
(looking at the broken bridge)
How do we cross?
Galadriel smirks, pulling out an elegant bow. She notches an arrow, tying an elvish rope to it. With a precise aim, she shoots the arrow across the ravine. It embeds into the far side.
**GALADRIEL**
Watch and learn.
She begins to cross, gracefully moving along the rope. At the edge, she glances back at ELROND.
**GALADRIEL**
Scared already, Elrond?
**ELROND**
(in Elvish, to the rest of the party)
Follow my lead.
As the remaining ELVES start to cross, GALADRIEL is suddenly yanked backwards. ORCS, sneering, grab her and bind her tightly.
**ORC CAPTAIN**
Look at them, trying to balance on a thread!
The ORCS begin to laugh raucously. One ORC draws a bow and starts shooting arrows at the elves crossing the rope. Each shot is met with hysterical laughter from the orc horde.
"Dance you little faries...dance!"
The Acher Elf takes a deep breath, balancing carefully on the rope. With precise focus, he aims and shoots the orc archer, hitting him squarely between the eyes.
The ORC CAPTAIN, startled by the sudden loss, draws his sword and swiftly cuts the rope.
"Down you go!!!"
**ELROND**
(no time to react)
Galadriel I'm sorry!
The elves lose their balance and plummet into the rushing river below. The current sweeps them away into the dark forest.
GALADRIEL, bound and struggling, is led away by the orcs toward an ominous stronghold camp in the distance. The forest echoes with their harsh laughter.
**ORC CAPTAIN**
Take her to Adar. He’ll be pleased.
Galadriel, determined yet restrained, is marched off as the camera pans over the ravine and the forest below, where the remnants of the elven party struggle in the icy waters.
Sorry but you are far too talented to ever write for RINGS OF POWER.
Going to the Barrow Downs with that elvish name and being surprised to find barrow wights, is like going to a place called "Cirith Ungol" and being surprised to find a spider 😂
They shouldn't be there yet. The Witch King created them and his ring of power isn't even made yet 🤦♂️
@@MickeyKriese Which shouldn't be there, the Barrow-Downs or the Barrow-Wights? The Barrow-Downs as they appear in this episode were the tombs of the leaders of men from the First Age when men migrated from the east to Beleriand. The Barrow-Wights in this episode are the bodies of the early leaders of men that were most likely raised by Sauron. Much later, the Barrow-Downs would be further developed to house the tombs of the kings of Arnor which would then be desecrated by the Witch King of Angmar raising Barrow-Wights of the dead kings during his campaign against the divided kingdoms of former Arnor in the Third Age.
@@MickeyKriesewhich ring is that? One of the 9?
‘Member??? ‘Member the barrow downs guys???
@MickeyKriese Sauron created them first and he taught the Witch king too
I think your assessment is so spot on:
- S2 Episodes 1- 3 are quite improved from S1
- S2E4 was....not that great and had some pretty cringe moments. My favorite was when Elrond literally lore drops on the audience during the Barrow Wight incident.
- There are too many storylines. The primary 3 story lines should be: Elves, Dwarves, and Numenorians. Everything else is just fat that need to be cut off.
I appreciate your balanced takes and commentary. Not above criticism but also not blinded with a bizarre hate. Keep up the good work, there’s still Tolkien fans out there who appreciate a reasonable conversation on this show.
No. There aren't. It's utter dog sh!t.
Tolkien fans don't watch this show because it's NOT Tolkien. All the characters are used incorrectly, out of time, and changed from who they actually where. The events don't happen as they do here. The timeline is completely screwed up. And it's badly written. Dialog and events that don't add up together or make sense. I as simple game master of rpgs can do a better more consistent story.
This is not Tolkein. I get it. It's hard to adapt a beloved literary masterpiece into a great show and please everyone. Don't buy into the media hype. You have your small percentage of Tolkein fans who would find fault with everything, but most people even die hard fans would forgive most creative liberties. People are forgiving. Alot of Tolkein fans didn't like the Hobbit, because the writing was not as good. I liked it, but the writing was inferior to Lotr.
However, let's put aside that this is a jumbled mess, and they literally had the foundation for world building and the greatest literary masterpiece of all time to work with. Let's put aside they deviated so far from the lore that people from different ages are intermingled and in ages they weren't even apart of. Let's even put aside they wrote off important characters, changing the intent and character building for others which breaks the world the attempting to build.
Let's put all that aside. Even for normies the show is just bad. The writing is awful and illogical. Yes, there is logic in every story which is what separates a good story from a bad one. Logic is the foundation for everything. Now, scientific realities may be different hence Lotr has magic, elves, primordial spirits etc. Thats fantasy, but every story teller creates a world with rules and boundaries within that world. The characters are required to live within those boundaries. When you create plot armor or make a character who despite their moral failings and character flaws, that character is always right, its bad writing.
Whatever that's not even the main issue.
The writing is just bad. It's awful writing. The world is really small. You can never keep time in this show. The dialogue is pretentious and ridiculous. The characters are superficial at best, and most are unlikable. There are more plot devices than should be in such an expensive show. The stranger and harfoot are lost, well her friend shows up just in time with a map.
Galdriel knew Halbrand was Sauron, well she kept it from everyone as to protect her reputation and even insisted they use the three rings that he helped create.
She hunted Sauron for 1000 years, but when faced with him, let him go...like what?
Forget it, there's just way too much. It's illogical and doesn't make sense. But it's not just her it's all the characters around her that are just as stupid and illogical.
I am a Tolkien fan who is watching this series. It's like fan fiction, not worth all the 'bizarre hate'.
@@rebajleonard You're a halflingwit. It's a direct attack on Western philosophy, culture and even ethnicity.
I don’t think Galadriel is rolling r enough she should do it more
"Saourwhon"
I swear if she rolls her R one more time, Imma grab a hot iron and burn that tongue so she could no longer trill them RRRRRRRRs.
you do realize she is welsh ... the language elvish is based of toghether with finnish... your making fun of the way tolkien intended it to be pronounced peter jackson had it wrong in this instand
@@sese8976 this show has nothing to do with Tolkien.
@@purefoldnz3070 Except the pronunciation it seems
A watch party and a episode breakdown in the same day? Dude must be sauron in disguise.
*disguise
Working closely with Amazon
@JurassicTheory
7 days ago
Two breakdowns after a four-hour watch party in one night! This Matt is no man! He is Sauron!
cu just casually rephrasing comments 😭😭😭
Goes to show how much he's paid by "not-amazon".
I dunno, if he was working for Amazon, he would be praising this episode a lot more. Instead by the end he feels it’s the weakest. That doesn’t sound like a sellout at all.
Hahaha I loved that :” my name is Bombadill, Tom Bombadill 😎” 😂😂
I prefer watching the episodes through the content on your channel as you make it so much more enjoyable. I know you are trying your absolute hardest to bring context to a show that absolutely lacks it.
Frodo was stabbed by a Morgul blade wielded by a Ringwraith. Gally just healed a regular orc arrow wound.
Good point.
I assumed it wasn't just her elvish power, but rather it was because she was wearing the ring.
the ring did that, are you all that blind?
It was the ring 🤦♀️
Also, the rings have different powers / domains.
the Tom casting was on point, Id just wish he was more jolly and like ... even MORE from another planet. I do love how he is just singing and doing his thing just follwing the beat of music of creation
I have to admit, the baby lamb stole the show.💕😁👍
They've obviously toned him down. The Tom Bombadil from the book is just too weird for mainstream television.
Well said... i found him way too serious and down to earth
@@viniciussantosreginato102
The songs should be powerful and joyous.
I'm glad they gave the Ent wife flowers, otherwise I could never have guessed it's a female tree! 😂
What is a woman?
Such a progressive show. All the men have to be differentiated with short haircuts, all the women have to either wear veils or have long hair, and even female trees have to have some ˚. ✦.˳ flowers ˚. ✦.˳ just so that nobody is left in doubt that these are female-coded trees.
You sure its a female? I wont be surprised if its trans or something else
@@vicmanm010 You misread my post, it seems. That's not the vibe behind my comments at all. I'm nonbinary myself.
@@melrakan 😂 ok
One of the most frustrating part of this series is how they hide things from people who do know the books and lore, which just makes it a jumbled, incomprehensible mess to those who haven't.
Love the Gollum voice- best I've heard so far!
Tom carying that white baby lamb makes him look like Jeesus.
Or one of a million farmers.
@@TurinTuramberyou mean shepherd..? .. as in Jesus was a shepherd... he was not a farmer.
So.... 🤷🏼♀️
@@Persephone_PersonifiedNot my cup of tea but wasn't Jesus said to be a carpenter. Jesus being a shepherd is a metaphor, humans are the flock not actual sheep.
Also shepherds are farmers of livestock specifically sheep.
@@Persephone_Personified trump 2024
@@automatedrussianbot8043 LOL can't escape from Trump cultist zombies
The message was left with the horses, and we see the horses in these scenes, not the bodies of the messengers themselves!
Yeah it took me a while to work out what he was confused about here.
I thought the same thing! Still not sure what he was confused about, or if he missed it?
@@Niekvw buried by passerby? eaten by spiders or trolls? Good question
@@StreetDisciple86 taken by the wights.
They were dragged away in one of the previous episodes. I think by the barrow-wights as they use the same chains.
I really appreciate the balanced critique of the series provided, unlike most other channels - great job! Impressed with the depth of knowledge.
I mean elrond wore a ring and was a known healer. I see your point about the recovery time with the morgul blade, but that wasnt a morgul blade, it was a simple arrow. Personally i have no problem beliving that the ring would give her the ability to accelerate the already robust healing of an elf in a localized area. Frodo was no elf.
It seems like our video host missed that which was obvious: the ring miraculously healed cartographer elf. He didn't mention that in the analysis, but it was clear to me that to this ring has power and can do more than the healing talents of an elf, even one like Galadriel. It was meant as an, 'Oooo lookie what this thing can do in real world usage' and it satisfies the idea that he mentioned of not being some sort of offensive weapon, but a powerful object nonetheless.
@@SaltyViper Exactly, Nenya obviously has a bound spell of cure wounds and Galadriel used one of the charges to heal random elf #36. Exactly how magic works with Tolkien!
@@SaltyViper I don’t think anybody has any doubt about the ring properties. But I never envisioned it granting Wolverine levels of healing …
Honestly, my biggest gripe with the show remains the characters' ability to fast travel across the map. Both the LOTR books and movies made a big deal out of the sheer scope of Middle-Earth, and how long it takes to traverse. Meanwhile, here in the show, characters are popping up in random places left, right and center with absolutely no indication of any travel or time having passed what so ever. Really makes the world feel a lot smaller.
This was a big criticism people had with Game of Thrones towards the end as well IIRC, so it’s a little wild to see the new “big” fantasy show make the exact same mistake. Definitely shrinks the world!
Jackson's parodies takes 17 years Gandalf Journey after leaving the Shire in just two scenes and teleport elves from Lothlorien sent by Rivendel in one night to Helm's Deep. .lol
That’s actually one problem I have with the Jackson trilogy: Gandalf leaves the Shire and is suddenly in Minas Tirith; Arwen wants her dad to help Aragorn and he suddenly is in Dunharrow; “Call for aid! Gondor will answer” like they’re right next door and could be there in a couple hours, etc etc
THAT'S your biggest gripe?!?!
Lmao, as a kid I looked at the map of Middle Earth and thought "they're gonna walk?" In the books there are all sorts of oddities with travel time and one gets used to it. Moria was said to take a week to cross but then they do it in a day or two while being attacked. They try to cross the Misty Mountains then go back; that would take a month in real time.
I like how they used the Bombadil song at the end. "he's a jolly fellow. Bright blue his jacket is and his boots are yellow." and yet he's dressed in full beige lol
Don’t forget it comes directly after Guyladriel gets f*ck*ng kidnapped 😂😂😂 just shows how incompetent these show runners and directors/editors are
apparently you did not notice his boots that were actually yellow and his blue jacket hanging inside his home.Oh well.
His boots were literally yellow lol
@@stavroilatsdial4939 I, indeed, did not.
@@Konuvis well,you do now :) I hope you're enjoying and keep enjoying the show!have a great day.
Gonna be hard to defend this show if the stranger ends up being Gandalf, ngl
It's already impossible to defend it...
@@wiktorutracki6469 naw, there's problems, but nothing that big yet
@@LuisMontes Idk man the entire show so far is just a pile of fanservice. Which is fine if it was Marvel, but Lord of the Rings was never just fantasy. It has deeply spiritual and philosophical messaging and Amazon (to no one's surprise) is missing the mark. Instead of building meaningful plots and relationships from the Silm, its just scene after scene of "do you remember how cool this was in the original trilogy? You get to watch it a second time! But worse!"
@@ortuignis3782 Second age is just a little more than a chapter in the Silmarillion though. Not a whole lot of canon to build meaningful relationships on.
Between that and the handful of pages there's not much more than an outline of a plot.
The show is hitting the major plot points even if they're screwing up things along the way.
In fairness, they are in a weird spot with the movies. There isn't any canon dialog to use, so the do stuff like "follow your nose". If they did none of that, people would also complain that there's zero ties to PJ's work.
@LuisMontes Look at the Strangers relationship to the harfoots - I don't mind that it's not from the Silm, I don't like how flat and artificial their relationship is! It's just bad writing. There's no depth, no flavor. The writers really want us to know that the trio love each other but are doing nothing to prove it. Compare to JRR and Peter Jackson's relationships: Merry and Pip, Sam and Frodo, Legolas and Gimli, etc. These are all meaningful friendships carefully written that add weight to the plot and themes of the stories. They have nuance and the audience completely understands why Legolas and Gimli set sail together at the end of the books or why Boromir calls Aragoen 'My Brother' at his death. We feel Sam and Frodo's relationship deepen over the course of their journey and grieve for it when Frodo leaves middle earth. We rejoice with Aragorn when Gandalf returns because we know the two are very old friends and it shows through the literature.
I hate to throw you an essay at you dog but unless you're a casual lord of the rings fan who doesn't understand the meaning of the books and JRRs lore, it's so difficult to get behind this corporate-clean adaptation from Amazon. I'm sure this is what star wars fans felt like when Disney got a hold of their franchise
The Morgul knife wound was magical as well as physical.
IIRC there was also a shard of the blade broken off inside Frodo and was making its way to his heart
Did anyone pick up the ''i see you found the GOAT'' line from Tom Bom?? Best line of the show so far
the goat was tom 😂
It's not the bodies of the messengers they find in the barrow-downs, it's the horses.
The size of them and the stirrup in plain view are the giveaway.
I think all these references to gandalf are just red herrings just to keep people thinking he is him
I hope so
At the end of season 1, he said "follow your nose" which is exactly what he said to frodo in the mines of moria. I think it would be lame if another wizard just happen to have said that sentence coincidentally.
@@XtremeJinx i know just something tells me it's not gandalf
If they have to lean on Gandalf it means what they are doing sucks SO Bad.
@@josecanal7556the public watching are leaning on gandalf he's been the stranger since he came into the series
They should really hire you as a consultant to ensure no major lore mistakes are made in the final 3 seasons 😂 I've never read any of the books, but appreciate watching your content. Keep up the great work
They had Tom Shippey as consultent, one if not the most versed in Tolkien lore. He was fired and I don't think Nerd would last any longer.
there are 3 more seasons of this?? jesus
If the wizards end up being early forms of gandalf and sauruman, that would be the cardinal sin for me. It is not needed and completely avoidable, while throwing away the possibility of somethign good with the blue wizards. That decision would officially send me over the edge.
@@markvictor8776 give me the blues for days
I'm almost, almost, okay with the stanger being Gandalf, but in that case the dark wizard had to be Saruman and that would be more than unacceptable.
@@malean2997can you explain why the stranger being Gandalf and the dark wizard being sauruman is a bad thing? Is Gandalf and Sauruman not supposed to be alive rn ?
@@natetc1671 nope, he was sent later. And Saruman is good in the beginning.
@@GloriousMushroom oh damn so Gandalf wasn’t around during this time. That’s crazy
I was hoping for blue wizards I will be disappointed if it’s Gandalf. This was an opportunity to explain the blue wizards and tell a unique story.
27:36 Frodo was stabbed by a Nazgul, the blade broke off and was 'poisoning' him for a while in the book; in the Peter Jackson movie it was effective for at least half a day. The ring being able outright heal a basic arrow wound via direct contact doesn't seem farfetched to me.
How did the human girl survive getting the backhand from an ent?
Can’t kill off anyone “important” despite the fact that she hit a rock. She should be a puddle of blood and bones but nahhhhh. Who cares about logic!
Plot armor
Probably the same way Aragorn survived getting ragdolled by a troll
OKAY LOWKEY MY IMMEDIATE THOUGHTS WERE SHES DEAD
A graceful, flowery backhand 😅
If they can solve the not enough orcs problem, I think it makes sense for Sauron to pit Adar and Eregion against each other. It weakens two enemies without him having to lift a finger.
Seems like the show have some 100 strong orc armies. Numenoreans lack in that appartment too.
The ‘grand scale’ of their armies in this show is laughably pathetic.
Honestly I was super anxious that old Tom’s introduction would be so much worse. I actually enjoyed this episode a lot, it might be my favorite of the season so far!
If the mystery wandering cosmic man is a blue wizard all is well. If he turns out to be Gandalf the sparks will fly.
But that wasn't Tom and the character was used out of context as well as badly done. Read the books.
I agree. He was a bit silly, but not quite enough. I was afraid he was going to be dire and brooding like every other TV character these days.
It’s good you pointed things out on the map, it made more sense of where they were going.
I must admit, after thoroughly enjoying the rest of the season so far, this one was a bit of a letdown. The wizard/hobbit storyline is doing nothing for me, and I really didn't like this interpretation of Bombadil.
I hope episode 5 goes back to the more interesting storylines.
Well the dwarfs and Numenor are up i guess. So yes and no
I think you’ll be disappointed
@@seanp1776is there a reason you need to be under EVERY comment
@@seanp1776 lol
I don't understand the point of the 2 hobbits its annoying and seems to go towards nothing
First thing that shocked me immediately was why are the elves not riding horses, and instead walking hundreds of miles? Recall that Galadriel chased Elrond from Eregion to Linden on horses and messengers also rode horses. Just ridiculous.
Any ideas?
If the Stranger really ends up being Gandalf, an award for "biggest blunder in writing" must be created
It would solidify it as a bad fan fiction... Would break everything canon
@@j-s-m I mean Olorin was known to visit Middle-earth a few times before arriving as Gandalf so it wouldn't be the most ridiculous idea. Making the Dark Wizard Saruman would be infinitely worse
I agree with you but I think you underestimate how many casual fans there are who feel differently. I'm watching with a group of friends where I'm the only book reader and they all said they will stop watching if the Stranger is NOT Gandalf. I've explained the Blue Wizards to them but they genuinely refer to them as being part of the "extended universe" and "not canon" because they weren't in the "original films" (which is what they call the Peter Jackson films). It's crazy but just keep in mind that there are a lot more people like that than you think and they all love and want to see Gandalf, lore be damned.
Amazon should’ve called Damrod Bob. Who names a troll after an Ithilien ranger?
Maybe they didn't read the book and just googled "middle earth names"?
@@liveac3694 maybe
@@liveac3694 Maybe? ..
People who think they are smarter than Tolkien.
"It takes a long time to say anything in old Entish, and we never say anything unless it is worth taking a long time to say" - I know the ents in ep4 weren't speaking in old Entish but still..., was disappointed by how they seemed to speak as casually as anyone else in Middle Earth might speak. Treebeard in the Peter Jackson movies spoke far more like Ents should.
BIG chances the stranger to be a blue wizard because when Tom Bombadil speaks about the Dark Wizard being an Istari,a blue robe and wizard hat is shown in the scene.
isn't that Tom's attire as described by Tolkien?
@@danialroslan1531 could be. Your point is good!👍
@@danialroslan1531Yes, pretty much exactly. Tom is described multiple times across works by Tolkien as wearing a blue coat/garment (and usually with yellow boots).
It's ironic, after the Second Age Elrond will become the bearer of one this trinkets.
The ent wife saved the episode for me
I don't usually complain, but the opening of this episode was a bit of a letdown for me. After the last episode, where Galadriel and Elrond were tasked with going to Eregion, why did they decide to run instead of using horses? And when they reached that bridge-what was that huge and deep canyon? Maybe it's just me, but I don't recall anything like that in any of the books.
Very little beyond names in RINGS OF POWER is from the book.
My Fave line: "There are nameless things in the deep places of this world...this one's name is supper"
I dont think I would eat the flesh of an unknown creature but that's just me 😂
Tom gaslighting the stranger wasn't on my bingo card for episode 4
I believe the reason why Galadriel can heal the elf is due to the ring amplifying her abilities. Also, it is just an arrow not a Morgel Blade. I believe the writers wanted to find a way to give the rings some legitimate powers instead of just "they are powerful" discussion.
I thought the exact same thing. An fresh arrow in the Elf’s stomach is much less damaging than a wraith’s Morgul blade wound festering in a hobbit for 36+ hours (or however long it took him to get to Elrond) 😂 the slight healing of the ring felt totally believable to me. I was surprised he let it bug him
So Bombadil is a schizophrenic who is talking to invisible Goldberry. good job
Yeah it felt a bit like gaslighting Gandalf who was already confused.
@@MehmetSurmeli have you even read the books? Bombadil is an insane person written to entertain tolkiens 3 yo children
@@MehmetSurmeli and shes not invisible. Gandalf asked whos the woman. Goldberry isnt a woman. Thought that was obvious...
@@MehmetSurmeli have you read lotr? Bombadil is a character written to entertain tolkiens 3 yo kids
@@rmalsen3052 exactly 💯
Funny how perspectives are. I thought this was by far the best episode so far this season! It felt 100% like Tolkien.
Bombadil felt straight out of the Fellowship of the Ring.
The scene with Arondir and the Entwife almost made me cry.
The Barrow-wights were creepy as hell.
The location of where the Stoors live looks super cozy. I would live there.
As far as Galadriel instantly healing the other elf when Elrond couldn’t heal Frodo that fast is pretty obvious. Frodo is a mere Halfling that got stung with a Morgul blade. Not just an orc arrow. And this elf is supposed to be a warrior. Plus Galadriel is much more “powerful” and ancient than Elrond. So that’s an apples to oranges comparison.
I first watched Rings of power s1, came to know about books and movies. Then I watched Hobbit further Lotr trilogy. Now im reading Hobbit and lotr books and watching Rings of power s2.
I enjoyed everything.
How much is Amazon paying you for positive reviews? Reason I ask this show is complete disrespect towards Tolkien and the characters are D.E.I woke hires that don't exist in books, also the characters like not Gandolf don't belong in 2nd age and came along in 3rd age. Galadriel power was beauty and grace wasn't a warrior at all..
I swear lotr fans won’t be happy until no production company will touch anything Tolkien again.
@tjhodge201 Or.. hear me out.. it's the Tolkien Estate causing the lore problems by only dishing out breadcrumbs for a billion dollars. Maybe the lore abiding citizens came to expect too much of something that was never going to be lore perfect when Amazon had so little to work with, or that the Tolkien estate wasn't strict enough with the liberties that amazon could take.
The problems start from the source.
Aside from that, I am really enjoying the show from what it is, and I love drowning out the pitiful tears of the hysterical haters.
I think the stranger is the blue wizard and the dark wizard is also the other blue wizard, he made reference to his robe and yet there is a blue robe hanging in the back ground and bob talks about the other needing help with his magic as well, I think its all building up to both being the blue wizards, and the not knowing his name, I think it's a reference to how Gandalf in the Hobbit not knowing/remembering their names either.
I'd like to think the writers are going with the Blue Wizards storyline, but I honestly doubt this. The blue garment hanging in Tom Bombadil's house is most likely a nod to the way his character is described by Tolkien in multiple works...
In "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil" - "Old Tom Bombadil was a merry fellow;
bright blue his jacket was and his boots were yellow."
In "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" - "He had a blue coat and a long brown beard."
I just don't trust Amazon to stray from using more widely known characters, especially the ones like Gandalf who are pretty universally popular among both serious and casual fans.
I have half accepted that the stranger is Gandalf. I'd like to one blue wizard has died and has been sent back to turn his friend back to light kinda thing, but I honestly doubt the show writers would go for that. The bigger problem with the stanger being Gandalf is that the dark wizard kinda sorta has to be Saruman? I mean who else could it be. As I said, I have almost accepted the Gandalf stuff, but I couldn't accept the dark wizard being Saruman.
@@malean2997 I'm worried that they're going to make the dark wizard Saruman, too. Just would not make any sense.
Galadriel: knock knock
Elrond: who’s there?
Galadriel: Nenya
Elrond: Nenya who?
Galadriel: Nenya business!
Personally I found this "filler" episode to be exactly what I actually wanted at this point: a moment of beauty and Tolkienian themes, right before we march on to the battle-filled episodes.
I was convinced that it was the power of the ring that healed Mapguy, which also explains Elrond's surprise.
Galadriel gives the ring to Elrond a short time later, I assume as a gesture to say this ring CAN be used for Good as well.
I assumed her arrows struck an unexpectedly large oil reserve in the falling lantern.
This episode was a bit different, without the grand storylines of the earlier episodes, but filling in a LOT of interesting details in the storylines we already have going. I enjoyed it quite a lot.
So, did she know that would happen? Did she know somehow this was a power of the ring? Did she have to will it to heal? Was she surprised? Why not say anything about the miracle that just occurred? Why would she give him the ring 'as a gesture to say this ring can be used for good' rather than just... say it? Nothing about this is good.
@@trevorbyrne4668 The rings healed the tree and banished the creeping darkness, didn't they?
@@trevorbyrne4668 They had just seen the Mapguy healed, what more is there to say?
So much goes unsaid in this story.
@@trevorbyrne4668 She wasn't surprised because she had guess that it might work, that's why she tried it in the first place.
@@lorensims4846 Sure. But renewing the tree - which the rings do without touch; it seems to just happen automatically, at distance - doesn't really suggest that laying hands on a dying person's wound will heal it, to the point of spitting out an arrow...
Look, I get that it can be argued that this 'makes sense'. But it's so poorly done. As usual. Wouldn't someone who genuinely thinks an item can save the lives of those on the verge of death mention something about their hunch? Why not try it on some dying person... or a dying animal? Because leaving it to chance like that's a big risk, no? And why not just say to Elrond, 'It was the ring!' Why not say to Gil-galad, 'Since it fixed the tree, I think it'll heal people as well. Try it.'
Sometimes things are elegantly left unsaid. This is just more (now typical) RoP elliptical goofiness. This is hardly, on its own, a big issue, though. It seemed clear to me, the viewer, that it was ring-related. So surprised Nerd of the Rings seemed to miss it. However, it'd be easy for the characters themselves to miss it. They could even have Elrond say something, like 'Was it the ring...?'
Things I've noticed and was hoping Nerd of The Rigs would comment on:
- The jar shaking while The Stranger hears Goldberry
- The entwife saying forgiving takes an age, but giving a flower to Arondir AND to some of the Wildmen (you can see the bearded one wearing it in the background)
- The elves fleeing in the background while Galadriel attacks the orcs. In one shot, they are not there, in the other, they are.
So from a technical point, I got home from work and watched this episode at like 3pm this afternoon, and this entire episode was honestly so dark I struggled to watch it even in a moderately dimmed room. Not a good episode for day time viewing. Story wise, I also felt it was a weak episode. Lots of book references that I felt some were out of place, some were quirky for no reason, and others were okay (all of Toms lines sat well with me). I just want Tom to be jolly Tom, thats all. I hope his jollyness comes back because of Gold Berry showing up, she has to be a reason for him to be happy. I do feel that for the next few seasons to flow, Arondir or Theo have to die as there's way to many story lines and with arcs I don't care for. The harfoot stuff also feels weird with them being in the desert.
Numenor and the other locations are a lot brighter. Anything with Orcs or monsters or the zombie things are usually shot in the dark.
"Barkslaps" is the best thing I've heard in a while 😂😂😂
she got birch slapped
About "Tyrn Gorthad"... My favorite part of LOTR is when Faramir says he's heard that there's something scary in "Spider Pass" but he doesn't know what it is.
I believe that most likely the show has chosen to make Goldberry a water nymph sized being instead of a more human-like sized being. I also think Goldberry is in the vase that wobbles in a shot that shows the vase wobbling above “The Stranger” while he is in the soaking tub!
i agree with u 😊
At this point in time wouldnt be surprised if they make Goldberry the Lamb and Tom has her for Sunday lunch with lashing of Mint Sauce lol
My thought is Goldberry doesn't normally have a physical form. She's a spirit.
Tom Bombadil being the one leading “stranger Gandalf” toward “duty and responsibility” felt a bit off mark.
Like Sauron teaching a “compassion & conflict de-escalation” class.
on point
But the orcs just want a quiet place to live and raise their families so clearly they attended those classes taught by Sauron. 😉
I still hope we get "The Real Housewifes of Khazad-dûm". The dwarfen storyline was by far the best in season 1 and still is a highlight in season 2. That's also what was missing in this episode…
This episode pretty much confirmed the Stranger as the second Blue Wizard based on what Tom Bombadil talked about. I don't understand the obsession of arguing that the Stranger is Gandalf no matter what.
why do you think so?
@@Gebsequanimity9300 Tom said that he wasn't the first Istar that past by that there was an other. We know of two Istar that traveled in that direction. If Tom said that there two other we'd have to rule out that the Stranger is a blue wizard but he talked about a singular Istar passing by some time ago. Since there is supposed to be eventually two Istari that went east its quite logical to assume that the Stranger is the second blue wizard.
@@PointOfViewGun ahhh I seeeeeee ..thank you...I would hope that to be true rather than him being gandalf but the name thing obviously seems like its building up to be gandalf
@@Gebsequanimity9300 I'd classify that as a misdirection and simply a nod to LotR. The Stranger may very well be the Gandalf of this story but not Gandalf itself. In LotR, we had Gandalf vs. Saruman. Purity vs. corrupted. In RoP, we'll have the Blue Wizards duality where they battle it out in the east and perish as Gandalf was the only one that made it back to Valinor.
He's traveling with hobbit predecessors and the story is going out of its way to associate him with the word gand
I love this interpretation of Tom Bombadill. He sings, jokes, and answers in riddles! Yes, I expect precisely this Magic character 🥰
And I agree that this episode is a little bit chaotic because there are a lot of new characters and information, and it is less dynamic.
I think the biggest fumble with Tom is the fact that he is taking a mentor role and seems way more invested in the events of Middle Earth than the character has ever portrayed. And Tom does not strike me as a character who changed a whole lot to end up like how he was in Fellowship.
Tom being engrossed in his on thoughts or whatever, and not paying attention to the world and what’s going there is quite important. He has the power to end Sauron and the evil building so if he is paying attention and doesn’t, that makes him kind of evil despite the show trying to pretend that orcs are just happy family people who want to live i peace ffs
I am just mad that Tom Bombadil couldn't save the Black Elf from the Barrow Wights.😡
@@Enerdhil Sorry he only saves white Hobbits.
@@chriss3276
And White Wizards.😉
I was so excited to see happy carefree Tom, instead I got Mr. Miyagi Tom….
This episode was way too lore breaking and on the nose. It’s almost like they’re shoehorning anything from the legendarium into things no matter how irrelevant it is. I’m okay with Tom Bombadil having a summer home in Rhûn. I’m okay with the Ents and Entwives being around that’s pretty cool. I’m not okay with huge changes to the long established lore regarding the barrow downs and the Hobbits. Cool to see nameless things but they are in the DEEP places of the earth not just some mud. Still the thing that bugs me the most is that Galadriel would have been well respected by Elrond as she is his superior. She’s in the previous generation to Gil-Galad and Celebrimbor. If her second cousin gave orders that Elrond was in command and disrespected her, I feel like Elrond would’ve challenged that idk. Especially when she’s his superior too even though he is the high king. The action was good and I’m intrigued about the dark wizard (please be blue wizards) but Tom didn’t sing enough and he wasn’t non partisan enough either I felt. Action was great and I’m also interested in the story line with Isildur, Arondir and Estrid…. I just am tired of the recycling of LotR dialogue (especially if it’s unique to the movies) and out of place skipped chapters. It just feels like lazy writing and cheap suspense
Well said - that was spot on.
Having suffered the making-of afterwards watching the way the elf actors joked about their characters and the scripts made me think they didn't have legitimate dialogue or story arcs for the characters. All the makers planned was the scenes and locations and wrote the talkie stuff a day or two before it happened.
@@Face2East it’s the same phenomenon as the Star Wars sequels. They’re making content that looks like the IP with Easter eggs, references and call backs to the original.
Elrond would not have back talked Gil-galad but then Galadriel would never have acted like she dies in this series.
In terms of lineage Elrond has the highest pedigree of the Elves. He is son of Earendil who saved Middle-earth by getting the Valar to forgive and intercede. He is the great-great grandson of Melian the Maiar so he basically has god-like blood in his veins. He is the heir of Turgon the King of Gondolin. He is descended from Fingolfin (Finwe's eldest son by Indis) while Gil-galad and Galadriel are descended from Finarfin (youngest/third son of Finwe & Indis). Galadriel was not superior to Gil-galad, he was her great nephew (he was Angrod's grandson) via her older brother. So Gil-galad was not her second cousin and she would have deferred to him since he was High King and because under primogeniture he held precedence before her.
@@chriss3276 however she was far older than him and would still have been respected as his elder… and yes though Elrond was far younger than the others he too had a high pedigree for the reasons you mentioned. To add to your point wouldn’t that make Elrond heir to Thingol as well? Galadriel was also the only one to be born in Aman besides Celebrimbor, if that says anything. My point is they’re writing elves wrong on the series
Overall, loving these episodes. However, your criticalness of the Harfoot storyline is rather jarring because you're not nearly half as negative about anything else.
Tom Bombadil in the books is aloof, Gandalf said he wouldn’t care or understand the dangers of the ring. This Tom seems quite attached to the world and concerned about Sauron. Definitely needs “50% more Jolly” as you say. He’s been turned into a convenient Yoda plot device to train the “young” wizard.
I don't know about anyone else but the geography nerd elements of these videos are actually pretty nice and insightful. I think the map compression easily throws off cross-referencing between the two maps. I want more geography nerd videos!
I'm no longer watching the show and just enjoying your breakdowns
Thank you man amazing job
Same, just following the story along with some lore references is also way more entertaining than the show itself
Ditto as well. I tried giving season 2 a chance but couldn't get through the first episode. Glad these breakdowns are here so I can see what choices they've made without having to endure more of that dialogue.
Same. If Prime Video had a 2x playback speed option like most other streaming apps, I could have sat through it. Finally gave up halfway through episode 2.
@@PatrickStannard why does it matter how they've diverted from Tolkien's work? It really doesn't bc it's fan fiction.
@@brandonnotsowise2640 LOL that is not what the director or actors say, they are "sticking to cannon"
I hate when reviewers make excuses for crappy writing.
The most infuriating thing is the grotesque references to Peter Jackson's work. Easter eggs are supposed to be subtle, hard to find. This shows launches them at you like kenitc ordenance from lower earth orbit: "HERE, HAVE SOME F***ING NOSTALGIA!!"
Really liking season 2 so far but holy S do I still hate the Harfoots.
my condolences