OBSESSED with this Klimt-inspired styling (the hair! the jewelry!) for dwarven princess Disa from the upcoming Lord of the Rings series (i maybe wish she had a lil’ beard action going on but I’ll let it go because i’m going to be thinking of this for like the next 1000 years - the gold dust accents on her fingertips and hair! the nod to fortuny’s delphos dresses! i’m frothing at the mouth!!!!)
If any of my followers decides to use the Rings of Power and it’s way of decimating Tolkien’s legacy as an excuse to be racist or misogynistic, I’m switching sides so fast that Maeglin would be surprised.
Gimme the young ambitious elven leader
Dwarf princess with no beard? Mhh. mhh, mhh, can’t get enough
I will personally carve the fëaonorian star on Galadriel’s armor myself
I am using the Tolkien’s roast letter to his german publisher after he asked for documentation on Tolkien’s “aryan heritage” to tell the haters off:
“(…) and I have many Jewish friends, and should regret giving any colour to the notion that I subscribed to the wholly pernicious and unscientific race-doctrine.”
Yes, the new promotional photos are awful (Dwarves without beards? Elves with short hair? 52-year-old Celebrimbor?), but let’s not forget the real reason to hate this show: it’s made by Amazon, which is literally the antithesis of everything LOTR is about. Let’s get this trending on Twitter:
Sincerely hoping Glorfindel does not show up on the show because they’re really going full steam ahead with short-haired male elves, and some sins just can’t be forgiven.
Amazon is not allowed to get its grubby hands on Mr. Actually Named Goldilocks of the long golden tresses who died because he didn’t pin up his long golden hair. Nope.
They could just remove the fin (hair) part from every name
Consider; they give Glorfindel short hair but with lock of hair very long. I’m thinking 80s rattail.
Have we considered the possibilities of elvish mullets yet? I feel like we should.
This is the reaction I was waiting for. The Chair of the Tolkien Society likes what he has seen so far. I can understand it if people believe youtubers (even those versed in Tolkien lore) might be shills or ‘paid off’, because no one trusts Amazon, and that’s how things work in these days of social media, but the reaction to accusations against the Society is 'Come on, get real’. They don’t give a crap if Amazon never invited them to another 'viewing again or allows them to some imaginary 'inner circle’ because they don’t need it. They are the inner circle. There are people in their ranks not impressed by Peter Jackson and turned down similar invitations from his people.
However, a caveat. Just because they liked what they have seen so far (which was about twenty minutes of footage) and liked the people making it, it doesn’t mean the whole thing will be good. The might have picked out the best parts to show them, I don’t know. It’s not a guarantee of anything.
I was just waiting for their opinion and I HOPE the Amazon powers that be invite them to a screening of the first few episodes and can give us their honest reaction.
(apologies to Marvel fans, but Tolkien was my first fandom and there’s a lot of discourse going on. I might create a secondary blog related to that…)
I’ve been thinking about the Rings of Power trailer and why it caused the reactions it did. It ran the gamut of ‘What the hell was that?’ to fans admitting through gritted teeth they will give it chance but not holding out a lot of hope.
It wasn’t just about short haired elves, Galadriel in armor, and hobbits in the Second Age. It was missing familiar themes and elements. It missed teasing things that get fans excited, the things they WANT to see.
Go back and look at the first trailer for Fellowship of the Ring. Frodo standing on the road, the world compressing around him, the leaves flying in all directions, the ominous music…. the fans squealed 'The Black Riders!’
I admit I have issues with the Hobbit movie, but the sight of Bilbo running out of his front door to find the dwarves was exciting because it was a moment from the book we knew and loved. It was familiar. It struck a chord.
I know there isn’t a lot written about the Second age, but there are some things we know. Imagine if we had seen a beautiful Numenorian city, a young man walking toward a white tree and someone calling out 'Isiludur!’ he turns and we get a glimpse of the man when he was young. Or someone crafting a beautiful ring and the camera pans out and we see the elf that HAS to be Celebrimbor…. or a too beautiful to be a real elf speaking to Galdriel introducing himself as 'Anatar, the Lord of Gifts’. Those are the things fans are looking for. The familiar. The things we are looking for and what we want to see. That 'might’ have hyped it up more for me. I don’t know.
Original characters aren’t a problem, as long as they don’t distract from the main story. The little Rohan children in the Two Towers running away from conflict didn’t detract. They fleshed out the main story. Hell, if Tauriel had just been a random elf hanging around Mirkwood, maybe I wouldn’t have minder her so much. The point is, save the original characters for the story where we can make up our minds about them later, and let us see the familiar in the trailers and press photos. Yes, I know we saw Galadriel and Elrond, but I want to see the 'new’ people. So far the only person who has garnered my interest is the short clip of whom I assume to Gil-Galad.
I suspect that maybe they’re saving the canon characters to be revealed within the story itself, but they’re doing it backwards. Maybe at some point I’ll care about 'Bronwyn’ and 'Theo’ or the random proto-hobbit, (that is if I last that long with it) but at the moment, I dont’ care.
This isn’t me championing a show I’ve never seen. I find out about the future the same way everyone else does… It might suck….it’s just me reminding myself about the things people objected to in back in the day….but you can’t blame people for not remembering things if they weren’t there.
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.
I’m considering becoming a rabid defender of The Show not because I think it’ll be good, but because there are so many posts trying to guilt trip me into hating it
will it be good? unlikely. will it match our entrenched fanon? I doubt it. is amazon ethical? of course not. do you get to tell me how to feel about any of this? no!!
Yes. This. Don’t demand I have a certain emotional reaction to anything, much less a stupid streaming show! Demanding everyone feel exactly as you do and if not they’re eeeeeevil is so manipulative and has zero effect on the things you say you’re upset about. Although it’s a great way to virtue signal!
God. I might not even watch more than one episode - I never watched battle of five armies after all. And yet just saying ‘let’s see what happens’ means I’m a rabid Show fan apparently.
It probably helps to view it like the stages of grief. Part of the fandom is currently going through Anger (hence the venting) or just moving into Bargaining (hence the attempts to convince others). It will take some time until Acceptance is reached…
Personality: Being the High King of the Noldor, Gil Galad has an air of authority around him, and a commanding presence, but he never behaves in a way that would say that he’s better than anyone else. He knows how to have a good laugh and is fiercely loyal to his friends. He holds the highest authority among the Elves he rules and is respected by both the Noldor and the Sindar. He is valiant, powerful, skilled with a spear, a talented diplomat who makes allies with the men of Numenor, and wise enough to know that Annatar is not who he says he is.
Appearance: Tall, with shoulder length black hair, and piercing eyes.
