This Month in Middle Earth History

Third Age 3018

ɦɛǟʀ ʍɛ օʊȶ...

աɦǟȶ ɨʄ???

What if... instead of condensing 1000s of years in the 2nd Age Amazon had chosen Aragorn's story from the appendices? Since the Dúnadain live hundreds of years no time compression would have been needed, it would've told the backstory of Aragorn/Thorongil fighting for Théoden's father King Thengel and Denathors father Ecthelion II. As Thorongil his story is wild and exciting, his guerrilla warfare in Umber, his fighting with Elronds sons, Elladan and Elrohir, the 30 years Aragorn fought against Sauron in the wild with Gandalf, rode with the Rohirrim, infiltrated the South and the East . His warnings to not trust Saruman but to trust Gandalf.

And... Aragorn's meeting with Arwen, falling in love with her, and facing the seemingly impossible goals Elrond sets if Aragorn wishes to marry his daughter. What a story that would been.

There are at least 5 seasons of a show in Aragorn and Arwen's chapter of the appendices, the storyline would have kept major characters alive through most of it. Just imagine a young Denethor and Théoden, Elronds twin sons fighting with a young Aragorn and his father Arathorn. Gilraen living in Rivendell, adventures with Gandalf. What a missed opportunity. Aragorns story in the appendices would leave plenty of room for original characters and scripted dialogue without breaking too much with canon. Familiar people from LOTR but younger, so new actors would be readily accepted.

Why they chose what they did is beyond me. It's been a egregious waste of money and time that only delivers such small returns in quality. Aragorn's story would have transitioned so smoothly to adaptation - there would have been no need to center the series around the "Rings of Power" at all, the rings having been covered by Peter Jackson in 6 movies.

Oh well, it's disappointing but not surprising - considering who bankrolled this. I've read Bezos’s son is a huge LOTR fan, maybe he should have tried harder to guarantee his father didn't "fuck it up" - as apparently it is very fucked up. I gave up after episode 3. Galadriel is just so unpleasant. Gil-galad is nothing like he should be, Elrond being treated like a generic Elf with no claim to prestige, Bronwyn abandoning her child & Arondir abandoning his post, Númenor is a hot mess, the Harfoots are grubby and superfluous...

The writing is atrocious, the editing is choppy, the narrative is meandering, the acting is anesthetizing, the CGI is a hit sometimes and a complete miss other times. There isn't enough Tolkien in it to offend my sensibilities, but as an expensive fantasy tangentially connected to LOTR it's still a standalone failure in the genre.

"Borrowing" shots/dialogue from PJs LOTR, and not being especially clever about the theft. I'll generously call it a homage to the late, great Andrew Lesnie.

(1st 2 gifs - almost identical dialogue)

(Bard/Thorin/Erebor gifs and the young Elrond gif filmed almost identically)

LOTR and The Hobbit make the news

Breaking News from Middle Earth

Reblogging to add more:

This shot from The Two Towers looks like a renaissance painting. Frodo lifting the Elvish rope over Gollum's neck, both of them stunned by Frodo's merciful nature. Gollum's eyes in shadow, because that is all that he has known for so long. Sam standing in the light and holding the rope, presented as the voice of reason to Frodo's voice of compassion. A pained expression on Sam's face, as if he can already foresee how this will end. Incredible cinematography.

I adore this!!!!