Finally! If anyone wants to grab a good quality poster size print of my lotr painting ‘Across the Threshold’ go to shop.simmi.org or the link in my bio. Thanks! . . . #middleearth #lotronprime #lotr #lordoftherings #thelordoftherings #tolkien #jrrtolkien #theonering #tekyuzuk #hobbit #thehobbit #silmarillion #fellowshipofthering #thetwotowers #returnoftheking #gandalf #aragorn #frodo #legolas #boromir #samwisegamgee #gimli #frodobaggins #lotrfanart #lordoftheringsfanart
I recently posted about Amazon not having the rights to call Celebrimbor Tyelpë in Rings of Power, and I started thinking about what else the fandom takes for granted about the Second Age, but Amazon can’t touch. I essentially just took my existing SA knowledge and looked through LotR to see what I could find. You’ll notice that most of this is elven related, as most of my knowledge is about them. Please add anymore you can think of!
(note- I don’t know how ip rights work, I’m just going off my belief that if it’s not stated in LotR or The Hobbit, but it is mentioned elsewhere, Amazon can’t use it. Please correct me if this is wrong, that’s just my understanding of it!)
Things about the Second Age and related characters that is not explicitly stated in LotR-
- Gil-galad son of… Anyone. LotR doesn’t say anything about his father. Fingon is mentioned in the Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales, Orodreth is in Peoples of ME, and the others (Finrod, Fëanorian) are in other HoME. So Amazon can’t take a stance on that issue
- Sauron is not called Annatar anywhere in LotR. So … I don’t really know what the hell they’re going to do with that. It is said that he seduced the instructs the elves, but he’s not called Annatar.
- Finarfin is refered to as Finarphir, not really that big of a change, but Galadriel can’t be called the daughter of Finarfin, instead she is “of the royal house of Finarphir”
- Finrod gets like three mentions overall? We’re told he’s Galadriel’s brother, he was King of Nargothrond, he saved Beren’s life, and he’s somehow related to Gildor. Tolkien clearly thought of Finrod as being in Finarfin’s place while writing LotR, as there are a couple mentions of the golden house of Finrod being the only Noldor with blonde hair. That’s it. That’s all the details we get.
- On a similar note, Galadriel’s other brothers are not mentioned. So if the rumors are true and this “Adar” character is her brother, he’s either Finrod or an oc
- Celebrimbor is refered to as a descent of Fëanor, Curufin is not named. This doesn’t like affect the current timeline, but it would affect any backstory/flashback they plan to add.
- The Elessar stories are all in Unfinished Tales. The version with Celebrimbor and Galadriel could have a great place in a show set in the Second Age. They’re both given dialogue and characterization. Celebrimbor making the Elessar could have been a great plot line, but no. That’s not in LotR so it can’t be used.
- Sauron’s amazing dialogue given to Ar-Pharazon while attempting to seduce him is all in the Silm. In my opinion that is some of the best dialogue Tolkien wrote and could have been amazing to hear on screen. But alas
- I know there were rumors that the first episode would feature the First Age and the crossing of the Helcaraxë, but… In my findings, the Helcaraxë isn’t talked about in LotR, at all. I couldn’t find a single mention to it. The First Age info isn’t really any better, we’re mainly told that Morgoth was defeated and Thangorodrim was broken. There are mentions of other things in the First Age, but not enough for a story.
- Important First Age characters that could play a role in Galadriel/Elrond/Celebrimbor/Gil-galad flashbacks but cannot appear because they are not named in LotR- Fingolfin, Fingon, Aegnor, Andreth, Angrod, Orodreth, Turgon, Elenwë, all the sons of Fëanor… Probably more and probably some places/battles too
- Another First Age note- if they are going to show the Helcaraxë, they’re going to have to explain why they’re all there in the first place, but the darkening, the rebellion, the first Kinslaying, and the burning of the ships are not talked about in LotR (at least, not in any detail)
- Celebrimbor’s death is not detailed in LotR. There is nothing about the torture for the knowledge of the rings. Also no banner :(
- Miriel is nowhere to be found, so I’m not sure how they’re going to handle Pharazon claiming the throne and all that.
I’m sure there’s much more, especially relating to Numenor, but this is just what I found on a quick glance
I thought I’d compile all the recent leaks that FellowshipFans have posted since their predictions have been gruellingly reliable up till now and I haven’t seen anyone mention any of these on tumblr yet. Remember! These could all be spoilers so don’t read if you want to keep yourself unspoiled about the show.
Pharazon’s (Original) son Kemen (“earth in Quenya”) and Elendil’s daughter Carine will be in a romantic relationship in the first season of #LOTRROP. During a banquet scene in the throne room, Carine (Isildur’s sister) and Kemen (Pharazon’s son) are dining together on a table for two. There’s a scene in the throne room during a banquet type event where lots of people are complaining about the elves, not wanting to offer them any help from Númenor. Pharazon wants opinion from a non-politician and insists on Carine’s views. Also, when Pharazon asks Carine to speak, immediately before that he tells his son to sit down and be quiet - because he already knows what his son thinks about it…
Amazon have created a new young “attaché/ protege” working under Pharazôn. The actor playing this role is yet unknown in #LOTRROP. Scene takes place in the town square, but inside one of the buildings, a tavern or inn. Pharazon is meeting with that young man from the court and seemed to be conspiring about the Numenor Armarda going to M-E. There is an elf hating mob forming in the town square and “Pharazon comes out and walks amongst us trying to calm us down. He just reminds the people of Numenor who they are and what they have accomplished After he calms the crowd and gives a rousing speech he walks down from the Builders Guild steps and mingles with the crowd, shaking hands and slapping people on the backs”
The actor playing Pharazon’s “Project protege” is yet unknown but due to the process of elimination, one of only actors left that can play the role is Leon Wadham or Fabian McCallum (most likely an elf). Elendil (Lloyd Owen) will be the head of the Numenorean fleet and will be leading the recruitment of new soldiers which will set sail to Middle- earth.
Galadriel and Halbrand are brought before the court of Míriel and Pharazôn by Elendil, to the surprise of everybody. Still in the rags from when they were rescued from the shipwreck. Tense introduction follows, verbal stand offs between Galadriel Miriel & Pharazon where Galadriel proclaims her lineage. It’s Halbrand who tries to act as the conciliatory one and keeps Galadriel’s rage in check. They’re both then marched off to their quarters or jail (unconfirmed) by guards, during which time Halbrand secretly gets a dagger from Elendil. This is when Galadriel fights off guards, not when she arrives to Númenor. In the trailer, the numenoreans are saving Galadriel and Halbrand from the shipwreck. During their voyage to numenor all 3 Elendil Halbrand and Galadriel become closer. (unconfirmed potential major spoiler) Halbrand either causes one of the shipwrecks out at sea or saves Galadriel only, leaving everyone else on the ship to die.
Galadriel, Queen Míriel, Elendil, Isildur alongside his 3 friends Nolion, Valandil and Ontamo will be on a massive boat sailing to Middle- earth. Halbrand is also most likely on this boat as well due to later events in the season, but not directly reported. Pharazon will say goodbye to Galadriel and Miriel at the docks. Galadriel leaves the docks, on a small boat with just a few guards but this was to be rowed out to a ship #LOTRROP
On one of the sound stages there is a Numenorean temple set. Whether this is the Melkor worshipping temple is unknown - but it is said to be one of the bigger set structures. There was a scene involving the Numenorean army leaving Numenor with the Queen and her consort. Pharazon gives a speech and bids the army farewell, he remains in Numenor and purposely made it so Miriel would go to Middle-earth. While Miriel is on the ship to Middle-earth,a scene takes place in the throne room. A massive crowd of noblemen and ladies has gathered and there is a slight panic, many nobles from the crowd address Pharazôn with grievances, but Pharazôn isn’t really able to calm the crowd this time. He ends up fleeing and getting chased out of the throne room. A hooded and robed figure rounds up a group of innocent people and leads them into a tent and there are said to be some potential sacrifices alongside a ritual.
In season 1 the main villain Adar (Joseph Mawle) is on the search and hunt for a currently unknown Talisman that holds great value. The Orcs will shout “Adar, Adar, Adar” during battle as a rally cry. Adar the fallen elf has a lengthy conversation with a woman near the top of the waterfall at this exact location. At the start of filming, Adar’s costume/prosthetics were very orc- like and evil looking. The executives/ higher ups at Amazon changed his costume and design to be more regal looking and elf- like.
Everyone seems to believe Orcs are extinct and were all destroyed in the First Age. When Bronwyn’s village finds out that Orcs are back on the menu, boys, it’s a pretty big shock! Just like in the Hobbit and LOTR, there will be an important Orc character with lines and a story arc. He is said to look incredibly similar to this orc from LOTR. He will be one of Adar’s Commanders! There are 2 different types of Orcs. Some Orcs were much stronger and bigger than the second set of Orcs who were smaller and acted as scouts. In one of the scenes when Orcs are originally scouting the village, the effects of the sun weigh on the orcs with some getting burnt.
PETER MULLAN will play King Durin who in the first episode is involved in a major mine collapse scene barely making it out with his life but many dwarves die. Disa sings a sad lament. Whether this is Disa’s singing scene in the trailer is yet unconfirmed. The dwarf king submits a challenge of strength and endurance to Elrond. All the dwarves want Elrond’s blood because he originally is thought to be a thief. They hold a rock breaking competition. Each person turns striking a blow. It will be edited throughout the episode going on and on. In the end both are knackered. Elrond in the end submits, kneels and lays his axe down. Everyone cheers and the elf is let go.
Galadriel visits Finrod’s tomb in episode one where he was laid to rest after his death and that’s where she gets her dagger. Some elves are sailing West to the undying lands in the first 2 episodes of #LOTRROP. There was a Balrog present at the battle Finrod is fighting at, but it wasn’t present in the trailer.
Simon Merrells is playing an ELF in the upcoming Amazon ‘The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power’. Source overview “the way Payne& McKay are approaching Celebrimbor is that not all characters in the show will necessarily *like* him, such as in council meetings. But they *respect* him and seems to be an almost *angelic* figure”. Celebrimbor’s relationship with the dwarves will truly start to begin from episode 4 and beyond in season 1 of #LOTRROP. In this scene the elves are having a ceremony and being instructed by Gil- galad to sail west to the undying lands and he gives them his blessing.
Despite stepping down from the Tolkien Estate, Christopher Tolkien was still minimally involved at the start of the deal with Amazon per the finalist showrunner (which interview got taken down) and other sources. He had 3 requests/ rules which he sent off to Amazon;
- If a character dies in an event in the second age they have to die (Amazon have bypassed this with celebrimbor due to time compresson so he is alive while Isildur is etc) - If a character does not die in the second age, they cannot be killed off no matter how small their involvement is in the third age or in the LOTR (eg Cirdan) - A request that Christopher Tolkien apparently relayed to Amazon is that he didn’t like the repurposing of lines in the Jackson films to different characters and request that Amazon doesnt do the same.
Despite a $465 million budget, the realistic budget for each episode is $45 Million with 1-2 episodes near the end of the season being a bit more. .A Bayona will not direct any episodes in season 2 but is still producer and will look over the scripts and direction. He’s open to come back for season 3 and future seasons- more of a scheduling conflict.
