The penultimate episode of Rings of Power aired, it feels fitting for a more up to date review as the show approaches its final episode of the season. Personally, I think the show has really turned itself around--from the beginning, I have said there were hints of competency drowned out by an over-reliance on exposition and lack of actual tension in any of the major storylines, and that I expected those hints might start manifesting once the showrunners got out of the very difficult "how do we set up a complex world for our viewers?" phase of the show.
Looking at each of the major plotlines--the Númenóreans', Galadriel/Halbrand's, the Harfoot's, Arondir/the Southlanders', and Elrond/the Dwarves'--all of them now have conflicts that must be overcome and quests that they need to complete, giving the viewer a reason to actually care about their stories. The stories chosen have, for the most part, been tied together so they do not feel disjointed, and all feel like part of a collective narrative (barring the Harfoot's story, but that is the only current outlier and I would not be surprised to see that tied together in the final episode). There have also been some great visuals and work with lighting in the past few episodes that go further than "look at our pretty panoramic shots and cities"--including *gasp* shooting a night battle where there is actual lighting and you can see what is happening (looking at you, poor night direction in Game of Thrones and other modern works).
There are still some lore incongruities, but most of those make sense from the perspective of trying to make a television show, where you need to engage viewers in a different manner than you do with a book. Unlike the Hobbit films, where the additions were clearly made to pad the time because of studio interference--and thus felt unnecessary--the changes seem grounded in fleshing out a world from source material that contains a lot of holes Tolkien left--and which Tolkien seemed fascinated with the idea of other authors exploring. Even in bending the source material, there seems to be a respect for the viewer, the sources, and the overall themes of Tolkien, in a manner that is far less offensive than our previous experience with live action adaptations of the Legendarium.
Overall, while it took a bit for the show to find its groove, it seems to have settled into a nice place where it feels comfortable that the viewer understands what is going on, and now feels the foundational phase of the show is complete and the show can really start building the story it wants to tell. Looking forward to next week's episode and what it does to set up the show for another four seasons to come.
The penultimate episode of Rings of Power aired, it feels fitting for a more up to date review as the show approaches its final episode of the season. Personally, I think the show has really turned itself around--from the beginning, I have said there were hints of competency drowned out by an over-reliance on exposition and lack of actual tension in any of the major storylines, and that I expected those hints might start manifesting once the showrunners got out of the very difficult "how do we set up a complex world for our viewers?" phase of the show.
Looking at each of the major plotlines--the Númenóreans', Galadriel/Halbrand's, the Harfoot's, Arondir/the Southlanders', and Elrond/the Dwarves'--all of them now have conflicts that must be overcome and quests that they need to complete, giving the viewer a reason to actually care about their stories. The stories chosen have, for the most part, been tied together so they do not feel disjointed, and all feel like part of a collective narrative (barring the Harfoot's story, but that is the only current outlier and I would not be surprised to see that tied together in the final episode). There have also been some great visuals and work with lighting in the past few episodes that go further than "look at our pretty panoramic shots and cities"--including *gasp* shooting a night battle where there is actual lighting and you can see what is happening (looking at you, poor night direction in Game of Thrones and other modern works).
There are still some lore incongruities, but most of those make sense from the perspective of trying to make a television show, where you need to engage viewers in a different manner than you do with a book. Unlike the Hobbit films, where the additions were clearly made to pad the time because of studio interference--and thus felt unnecessary--the changes seem grounded in fleshing out a world from source material that contains a lot of holes Tolkien left--and which Tolkien seemed fascinated with the idea of other authors exploring. Even in bending the source material, there seems to be a respect for the viewer, the sources, and the overall themes of Tolkien, in a manner that is far less offensive than our previous experience with live action adaptations of the Legendarium.
Overall, while it took a bit for the show to find its groove, it seems to have settled into a nice place where it feels comfortable that the viewer understands what is going on, and now feels the foundational phase of the show is complete and the show can really start building the story it wants to tell. Looking forward to next week's episode and what it does to set up the show for another four seasons to come.
You seem quite insightful.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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...and started me on my way into my next chapter in life...
The penultimate episode of Rings of Power aired, it feels fitting for a more up to date review as the show approaches its final episode of the season. Personally, I think the show has really turned itself around--from the beginning, I have said there were hints of competency drowned out by an over-reliance on exposition and lack of actual tension in any of the major storylines, and that I expected those hints might start manifesting once the showrunners got out of the very difficult "how do we set up a complex world for our viewers?" phase of the show.
Looking at each of the major plotlines--the Númenóreans', Galadriel/Halbrand's, the Harfoot's, Arondir/the Southlanders', and Elrond/the Dwarves'--all of them now have conflicts that must be overcome and quests that they need to complete, giving the viewer a reason to actually care about their stories. The stories chosen have, for the most part, been tied together so they do not feel disjointed, and all feel like part of a collective narrative (barring the Harfoot's story, but that is the only current outlier and I would not be surprised to see that tied together in the final episode). There have also been some great visuals and work with lighting in the past few episodes that go further than "look at our pretty panoramic shots and cities"--including *gasp* shooting a night battle where there is actual lighting and you can see what is happening (looking at you, poor night direction in Game of Thrones and other modern works).
There are still some lore incongruities, but most of those make sense from the perspective of trying to make a television show, where you need to engage viewers in a different manner than you do with a book. Unlike the Hobbit films, where the additions were clearly made to pad the time because of studio interference--and thus felt unnecessary--the changes seem grounded in fleshing out a world from source material that contains a lot of holes Tolkien left--and which Tolkien seemed fascinated with the idea of other authors exploring. Even in bending the source material, there seems to be a respect for the viewer, the sources, and the overall themes of Tolkien, in a manner that is far less offensive than our previous experience with live action adaptations of the Legendarium.
Overall, while it took a bit for the show to find its groove, it seems to have settled into a nice place where it feels comfortable that the viewer understands what is going on, and now feels the foundational phase of the show is complete and the show can really start building the story it wants to tell. Looking forward to next week's episode and what it does to set up the show for another four seasons to come.
I disagree personally, I actually think the show has gotten worse. Galadriel has gone from unlikable to I can’t stand her, she gets everything she wants, and she’s generally the main issue.
The writing remains as stupid as ever, and has added a complete lack of understanding of morality. The Harfoots are portrayed as your typical funny sweet hobbits, but at the same time they’ve evil psychopaths who actively try to murder people “cut their wheels and leave them!” Galadriel emotionally manipulates, bullies, demands, argues, spits venom, and has incredible arrogance and entitlement. And she’s portrayed as a hero. The kid who caused the creation of Mordor gets off without a single word from anyone - Wtf? And Disa encouraging Durin to commit treason “One say this will be our kingdom, we’ll rule all the mountains, this Mithril belongs to you” She’s so power-hungry she may as well be a Nazgul. THE WHOLE MESSAGE OF LOTR IS THAT POWER IS BAD YOU MORONS.
Let’s not get into the whole physics thing. The erupting volcano tore building to shreds with it’s force and set everything on fire - Except for the main characters who were standing right in the middle of it. There wasn’t even a bullshit excuse like “they hid in a basement”. Galadriel’s elf moves are ridiculous, the reason the elf moves from LotR were cool was because they (mostly, don’t count Legolas surfing) had a point. Galadriel does a ridiculous flip to dodge an arrow when a simple leaning over would suffice. How did the Numenorians get 300 men and horses on a tiny ship, and then teleport across the Sundering Seas in 24 hours? Just turn your brain off and watch the pretty visuals, it’ll be fine! How do Elrond and Grandma Celebrimbor walk all the way from Eregion to Moria in their fancy clothes with no supplies, equipment, or any visible dirt from the journey? Turn your brain off, it’ll be fine! There’s so much more I could go on about, like the fact the timeline is the most vague and confusing thing since the reasons we should like Galadriel (that’s actually being a bit harsh, there is no reason we should like Galadriel).
All in all, I think the show has actually gotten worse. Every episode is a torture to watch, and it’s so boring. Like literally half the episodes nothing even happens!
I'll be using spoiler tags since there are some specific details I'll be addressing.
Each of your points show a questionable analysis of the show--and betray a desire to go out of your way to dislike it. That's not to say there are not flaws in the show--just you chose ones that demonstrate a lack of critical analysis. Looking at each of your points individually:
1. Galadriel - The fact that you think Galadriel is being portrayed as a hero goes a long way toward your problem; she decidedly is not. As you note, in episodes 1-4, she was a bully who got her way--and that, as I have said, was bad writing. Characters did not react to her bullying as they should, since it was clear the writers did not know how to get their plot started, and just used her bullying as a shortcut to move things forward.
However, now that we are in the plot, it is clear what they are trying to do with her character. Her bullying has decreased sharply since they arrived back in Middle Earth and since she has identified an actual enemy to kill. That is actually quite believable--folks with single-minded pursuits often feel lost and lash out when the object of their desire is missing. Presently, she has been showing a serene desire to move forward (ex. her conversation with Elendil on the boat); empathy toward others (her conversations with Theo; her reaction to the Queen's blinding; her reaction to the believed loss of Elendil's son); and a redirect of all her hatred and wrath on her real target, which she does not see as something worthy of life (her conversation with Adar, where all her anger and pain was directed at him, just as she was not directing it at others). Right now, she very clearly is not supposed to be a hero--again, her conversation with Adar showed a cruelty, albeit a cruelty she directed at things she does not even see as real creatures. Some of that has begun to temper itself in Episode 7, where she is beginning to realize the real scope of her quest and the path she is on--it is clear the blast of Mount Doom shook her character to her core, and is just starting to bring about the Galadriel we know from the Third Age, who has transitioned from a warrior to a more serine leader (ex. Not blaming the Númenóreans if they wanted to leave, but seeing them as willing allies when they decide to stay; literally giving up her sword--while still hanging on to the dagger that is the symbol of her vengeance).
2. The Harfoots - Describing them as "sociopaths" might be a bit harsh--the show has made it pretty clear they are the lowest on the food chain and that they lack the ability to fight back against any of their threats. It rather makes sense for their culture to adopt a "those who fall behind and perish we cannot go back and save"--the first rule of first aid is to never put yourself in a position where you yourself are going to become a casualty, even if it means watching someone else die. Their culture, far from being sociopathic and indifferent to the losses, actively morns them, remembering those who have fallen along the way and trying to keep them alive through memory, since they would not have been able to keep them alive in reality. Furthermore, it does make sense that, when everything wants to kill you, you would not welcome a stranger who already destroyed a large number of your things to travel with you.
But, let's assume arguendo your analysis was valid--you still would have ignored the most recent episode. It was not even subtle--they realized that the Stranger and thus others are potentially friends, and the ones most against the Stranger in the first place (the mother and Burrows) both admitted that they had to do something to save their friend from a new threat, and set out on a quest in violation of their normal customs. The issues you took with them--someone contrived as they were--have already begun to mitigate themselves.
3. Theo - For starters, only a couple people know his involvement in the creation of Mordor. Himself, who is far from letting himself off scott-free and is clearly struggling with his own involvement, which I expect will be a plot line in episodes to come. Galadriel, who understandably wants to shield a child from the pain of war that infests her own heart. Her mother and Arondir, who were overjoyed at seeing his safe return, which obviously is going to push out their chiding him over handing over the hilt. Then you have the townsfolk who saw him surrender the hilt--but who did not know the hilt was the key. They might start piecing it together, but they have other things on their mind right now, and a slim number of days after a cataclysm destroyed their lives, they are not going to be looking to ascribe blame. As anyone who has ever followed any disaster knows, folks affected by the disaster tend to focus on the here and now, and start second guessing and ascribing blame once their immediate needs have been met.
4. Disa - I think her character was handled poorly. Durin III and Durin IV already had some tension that has been brewing throughout the season, but Disa's sudden flip to being power hungry could have been a bit more organic. That said Dwarves have always been the figures in Tolkien who are most likely to show their greed and hunger for wealth and power. That is a major theme of both the Hobbit--where Thorin's corruption by greed is literally the story--and of the Lord of the Rings--where the Mines of Moria have fallen due to greed.
As for your all caps point, this point is wrong on two levels. For starters, no, that is not the message of LotR--the message of LotR on that point is that seeking out power for power's sake is bad. Aragorn, for example, is reluctant to take power, but does so regardless because it is what must be done to make the world a better place. They are setting up Durin IV for some kind of desire to gain power because he needs to do so to protect his friends and to advance his people, both worthy goals. Disa represents the foil to that--the desire for wealth for wealth's sake that has traditionally consumed the dwarves. The second level on which you are wrong is a fairly obvious one--the show is trying to bring in some of the messages from LotR, which means the characters need to demonstrate those flaws. Can you imagine writing an all caps retort to Thorin trying to take the Arkenstone that boils down to "But that is not the message of LotR?" That is, effectively, what you are doing--complaining about the writers setting up a situation where they can show the very message Tolkien was trying to convey. Recall, this entire era of Middle Earth is supposed to be an era where potentially corrupted individuals abound--Sauron manipulates people and events to bring low multiple races by taking advantage of the corruptible within them.
5. I will give you that the physics was particularly problematic and that a pyroclastic flow would have obliterated everything in its path. That said, the show is not trying to portray itself as particularly scientifically accurate, and the rather neat things they did with ash and lighting in the following episode were really well done from a filmmaking perspective.
6. Choreography - I continue to have issues with their choreographer, especially with Galadriel.
7. Travel logistics and timelines - Travel time is easily solved by paying attention to the show. There are large swaths of time glanced over in the show because nothing is happening relevant to the plot--travel to and from Moria; crossing seas; travelling to new groves. Three of the four major parties we have followed have been showing their travel times. The only one that has not has been Arondir's plot (where the travel was relatively localized), but that's the magic of film--just because event B happened between event A and C does not mean it chronologically happened between those two events. It is pretty easy to rectify Arondir's plot happening over several days and everyone else's happening over several months by realizing Arondir's story was occurring at one point in the timeline, and everyone else was occurring at other points in the timeline. This has been a storytelling device for centuries, and should not be too hard for a viewer to grasp.
Next, they have nowhere close to 300 horses--the most you ever see in a single shot is about 70, give or take a couple based on riders blocking other riders. That's only about 25 horses per ship in each of the three ships which, if you have ever seen the inside of a horse trailer, is not exactly that much space.
The walking to Moria is pretty easily explained by common sense--the Dwarves are depicted as a bit paranoid and untrusting, of course you do not bring your entire supply train with you to their door. You park a bit away, change into your nice clothing (you are ambassadors, after all, you are going to have a set of non-travel stained clothing), and then you walk less than a mile to the door. Especially since, you know, they briefly discussed adding a bunch of elves and a large table to the logistics train, so you know one exists--it just is not shown.
------
Now, none of that is to say you have to like the show--and there are plenty of things that are worthy of derision. The issue I have--you have been looking for reasons to hate the show since before it came out--something that ignores the very lessons of Tolkien you proclaim to know--and you seem to be stretching rather hard to find those reasons. Take, for example, you implying someone has to "turn off their mind" to not question aspects of the show--aspects that are already addressed or implied to be addressed. Turning a willfully blind eye to issues addressed in the show is the side "turning off one's mind"--and truly betrays an unwillingness to just give things a chance.
Maybe that is why you dislike Galadriel so much--the negative way she is portrayed for turning a blind eye to her surroundings and single-minded pursuit of a target she is angry at hits a bit close to home.
I’m not gonna get into this and I’m reinstating the ban on RoP debates to avoid this thread turning into a war ground (again). I would just like to remind everyone that no, I’m not going out of my way to hate the show. In fact, I didn’t mind the first episode as you’ll remember.
I’m not gonna get into this and I’m reinstating the ban on RoP debates to avoid this thread turning into a war ground (again). I would just like to remind everyone that no, I’m not going out of my way to hate the show. In fact, I didn’t mind the first episode as you’ll remember.
I think this makes sense and feels fair.
You are probably going to want a bolder statement of this rule at the top of the thread’s first post (and maybe change the thread name to “Almost Anything Tolkien”). RoP is certainly the biggest Tolkien news presently and new members or casual viewers of this thread might not know the topic triggers you and they could easily miss a rule buried in post seventeen of page on page two hundred nineteen of a thread. Especially with the finale tomorrow, it would be a real shame if someone got in trouble or upset because they failed go scroll past the posts about post count goals, posts about lack of increases to post count, “LOTR” posts to increase post count, and occasional Tolkien discussion to learn about the moratorium on the topic.
Maybe that is why you dislike Galadriel so much--the negative way she is portrayed for turning a blind eye to her surroundings and single-minded pursuit of a target she is angry at hits a bit close to home.
I couldn’t read all of that but I got the jist of it. And you’re right, I feel like Legolas just wants to hate the show no matter what
Fairer, but also not very thoughtful. Please show some kindness, and take the moral high ground - don't dirty yourself to win a war that is pointless in the extreme.
I’m not gonna get into this and I’m reinstating the ban on RoP debates to avoid this thread turning into a war ground (again). I would just like to remind everyone that no, I’m not going out of my way to hate the show. In fact, I didn’t mind the first episode as you’ll remember.
I think this makes sense and feels fair.
You are probably going to want a bolder statement of this rule at the top of the thread’s first post (and maybe change the thread name to “Almost Anything Tolkien”). RoP is certainly the biggest Tolkien news presently and new members or casual viewers of this thread might not know the topic triggers you and they could easily miss a rule buried in post seventeen of page on page two hundred nineteen of a thread. Especially with the finale tomorrow, it would be a real shame if someone got in trouble or upset because they failed go scroll past the posts about post count goals, posts about lack of increases to post count, “LOTR” posts to increase post count, and occasional Tolkien discussion to learn about the moratorium on the topic.
Lol mate that’s such a good poster for passive aggression I really should frame it.
Yes, grandpa, LotR. Now, let's get you back to bed, okay?
Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.
May each word that I speak be backed by each of my teeth.
All the pros use LotR.
Spamming isn’t allowed anymore cause reasons.
I'm the Valar (leader and creator) of The Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit/Anything Tolkien Cult!
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Extended Sig
Listen here, young man. Just cause I’m 4,553 posts old doesn’t mean I need a bedtime!
I'm the Valar (leader and creator) of The Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit/Anything Tolkien Cult!
Member of the Cult of Cats, High Elf of the Elven Guild, and Sauce Priest & Sauce Smith of the Supreme Court of Sauce.
If you want some casual roleplay/adventures in Middle Earth, check out The Wild's Edge Tavern, a LotR/Middle Earth tavern!
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Calm down gRaNdPa, we don’t want you to get hurt. I’ll get you a glass of milk.
Back in black baby
And don't forget second breakfast.
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...and started me on my way into my next chapter in life...
⌞╚════════════ Extended Signature ════════════╝⌟
Grandpa, it’s 3:45. It’s almost tea-time. YoU nEeD yOuR nAp GrAnDpA lOtR
Back in black baby
I’ll hurt you ya whippersnapper, just let me get my titanium plated cane and I shall beat you with extreme prejudice!
I'm the Valar (leader and creator) of The Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit/Anything Tolkien Cult!
Member of the Cult of Cats, High Elf of the Elven Guild, and Sauce Priest & Sauce Smith of the Supreme Court of Sauce.
If you want some casual roleplay/adventures in Middle Earth, check out The Wild's Edge Tavern, a LotR/Middle Earth tavern!
JOIN TIAMAT'S CONGA LINE!
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I’ll give you a nap, you young curmudgeon! Look at what the forum’s come to these days!
I'm the Valar (leader and creator) of The Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit/Anything Tolkien Cult!
Member of the Cult of Cats, High Elf of the Elven Guild, and Sauce Priest & Sauce Smith of the Supreme Court of Sauce.
If you want some casual roleplay/adventures in Middle Earth, check out The Wild's Edge Tavern, a LotR/Middle Earth tavern!
JOIN TIAMAT'S CONGA LINE!
Extended Sig
Hardcore, Grandpa
Back in black baby
The penultimate episode of Rings of Power aired, it feels fitting for a more up to date review as the show approaches its final episode of the season. Personally, I think the show has really turned itself around--from the beginning, I have said there were hints of competency drowned out by an over-reliance on exposition and lack of actual tension in any of the major storylines, and that I expected those hints might start manifesting once the showrunners got out of the very difficult "how do we set up a complex world for our viewers?" phase of the show.
Looking at each of the major plotlines--the Númenóreans', Galadriel/Halbrand's, the Harfoot's, Arondir/the Southlanders', and Elrond/the Dwarves'--all of them now have conflicts that must be overcome and quests that they need to complete, giving the viewer a reason to actually care about their stories. The stories chosen have, for the most part, been tied together so they do not feel disjointed, and all feel like part of a collective narrative (barring the Harfoot's story, but that is the only current outlier and I would not be surprised to see that tied together in the final episode). There have also been some great visuals and work with lighting in the past few episodes that go further than "look at our pretty panoramic shots and cities"--including *gasp* shooting a night battle where there is actual lighting and you can see what is happening (looking at you, poor night direction in Game of Thrones and other modern works).
There are still some lore incongruities, but most of those make sense from the perspective of trying to make a television show, where you need to engage viewers in a different manner than you do with a book. Unlike the Hobbit films, where the additions were clearly made to pad the time because of studio interference--and thus felt unnecessary--the changes seem grounded in fleshing out a world from source material that contains a lot of holes Tolkien left--and which Tolkien seemed fascinated with the idea of other authors exploring. Even in bending the source material, there seems to be a respect for the viewer, the sources, and the overall themes of Tolkien, in a manner that is far less offensive than our previous experience with live action adaptations of the Legendarium.
Overall, while it took a bit for the show to find its groove, it seems to have settled into a nice place where it feels comfortable that the viewer understands what is going on, and now feels the foundational phase of the show is complete and the show can really start building the story it wants to tell. Looking forward to next week's episode and what it does to set up the show for another four seasons to come.
I find this very funny.
The Boy, the Legend
I play as Yagrea the sassy monk in the Twinkling Stars Tavern!
Quott, the amnesiac Tortle Chronurgy Wizard.
You seem quite insightful.
⌜╔═════════════ The Board ══════════════╗⌝
...and started me on my way into my next chapter in life...
⌞╚════════════ Extended Signature ════════════╝⌟
I disagree personally, I actually think the show has gotten worse. Galadriel has gone from unlikable to I can’t stand her, she gets everything she wants, and she’s generally the main issue.
The writing remains as stupid as ever, and has added a complete lack of understanding of morality. The Harfoots are portrayed as your typical funny sweet hobbits, but at the same time they’ve evil psychopaths who actively try to murder people “cut their wheels and leave them!” Galadriel emotionally manipulates, bullies, demands, argues, spits venom, and has incredible arrogance and entitlement. And she’s portrayed as a hero. The kid who caused the creation of Mordor gets off without a single word from anyone - Wtf? And Disa encouraging Durin to commit treason “One say this will be our kingdom, we’ll rule all the mountains, this Mithril belongs to you” She’s so power-hungry she may as well be a Nazgul. THE WHOLE MESSAGE OF LOTR IS THAT POWER IS BAD YOU MORONS.
Let’s not get into the whole physics thing. The erupting volcano tore building to shreds with it’s force and set everything on fire - Except for the main characters who were standing right in the middle of it. There wasn’t even a bullshit excuse like “they hid in a basement”. Galadriel’s elf moves are ridiculous, the reason the elf moves from LotR were cool was because they (mostly, don’t count Legolas surfing) had a point. Galadriel does a ridiculous flip to dodge an arrow when a simple leaning over would suffice. How did the Numenorians get 300 men and horses on a tiny ship, and then teleport across the Sundering Seas in 24 hours? Just turn your brain off and watch the pretty visuals, it’ll be fine! How do Elrond and Grandma Celebrimbor walk all the way from Eregion to Moria in their fancy clothes with no supplies, equipment, or any visible dirt from the journey? Turn your brain off, it’ll be fine! There’s so much more I could go on about, like the fact the timeline is the most vague and confusing thing since the reasons we should like Galadriel (that’s actually being a bit harsh, there is no reason we should like Galadriel).
All in all, I think the show has actually gotten worse. Every episode is a torture to watch, and it’s so boring. Like literally half the episodes nothing even happens!
I'm the Valar (leader and creator) of The Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit/Anything Tolkien Cult!
Member of the Cult of Cats, High Elf of the Elven Guild, and Sauce Priest & Sauce Smith of the Supreme Court of Sauce.
If you want some casual roleplay/adventures in Middle Earth, check out The Wild's Edge Tavern, a LotR/Middle Earth tavern!
JOIN TIAMAT'S CONGA LINE!
Extended Sig
I'll be using spoiler tags since there are some specific details I'll be addressing.
Each of your points show a questionable analysis of the show--and betray a desire to go out of your way to dislike it. That's not to say there are not flaws in the show--just you chose ones that demonstrate a lack of critical analysis. Looking at each of your points individually:
1. Galadriel - The fact that you think Galadriel is being portrayed as a hero goes a long way toward your problem; she decidedly is not. As you note, in episodes 1-4, she was a bully who got her way--and that, as I have said, was bad writing. Characters did not react to her bullying as they should, since it was clear the writers did not know how to get their plot started, and just used her bullying as a shortcut to move things forward.
However, now that we are in the plot, it is clear what they are trying to do with her character. Her bullying has decreased sharply since they arrived back in Middle Earth and since she has identified an actual enemy to kill. That is actually quite believable--folks with single-minded pursuits often feel lost and lash out when the object of their desire is missing. Presently, she has been showing a serene desire to move forward (ex. her conversation with Elendil on the boat); empathy toward others (her conversations with Theo; her reaction to the Queen's blinding; her reaction to the believed loss of Elendil's son); and a redirect of all her hatred and wrath on her real target, which she does not see as something worthy of life (her conversation with Adar, where all her anger and pain was directed at him, just as she was not directing it at others). Right now, she very clearly is not supposed to be a hero--again, her conversation with Adar showed a cruelty, albeit a cruelty she directed at things she does not even see as real creatures. Some of that has begun to temper itself in Episode 7, where she is beginning to realize the real scope of her quest and the path she is on--it is clear the blast of Mount Doom shook her character to her core, and is just starting to bring about the Galadriel we know from the Third Age, who has transitioned from a warrior to a more serine leader (ex. Not blaming the Númenóreans if they wanted to leave, but seeing them as willing allies when they decide to stay; literally giving up her sword--while still hanging on to the dagger that is the symbol of her vengeance).
2. The Harfoots - Describing them as "sociopaths" might be a bit harsh--the show has made it pretty clear they are the lowest on the food chain and that they lack the ability to fight back against any of their threats. It rather makes sense for their culture to adopt a "those who fall behind and perish we cannot go back and save"--the first rule of first aid is to never put yourself in a position where you yourself are going to become a casualty, even if it means watching someone else die. Their culture, far from being sociopathic and indifferent to the losses, actively morns them, remembering those who have fallen along the way and trying to keep them alive through memory, since they would not have been able to keep them alive in reality. Furthermore, it does make sense that, when everything wants to kill you, you would not welcome a stranger who already destroyed a large number of your things to travel with you.
But, let's assume arguendo your analysis was valid--you still would have ignored the most recent episode. It was not even subtle--they realized that the Stranger and thus others are potentially friends, and the ones most against the Stranger in the first place (the mother and Burrows) both admitted that they had to do something to save their friend from a new threat, and set out on a quest in violation of their normal customs. The issues you took with them--someone contrived as they were--have already begun to mitigate themselves.
3. Theo - For starters, only a couple people know his involvement in the creation of Mordor. Himself, who is far from letting himself off scott-free and is clearly struggling with his own involvement, which I expect will be a plot line in episodes to come. Galadriel, who understandably wants to shield a child from the pain of war that infests her own heart. Her mother and Arondir, who were overjoyed at seeing his safe return, which obviously is going to push out their chiding him over handing over the hilt. Then you have the townsfolk who saw him surrender the hilt--but who did not know the hilt was the key. They might start piecing it together, but they have other things on their mind right now, and a slim number of days after a cataclysm destroyed their lives, they are not going to be looking to ascribe blame. As anyone who has ever followed any disaster knows, folks affected by the disaster tend to focus on the here and now, and start second guessing and ascribing blame once their immediate needs have been met.
4. Disa - I think her character was handled poorly. Durin III and Durin IV already had some tension that has been brewing throughout the season, but Disa's sudden flip to being power hungry could have been a bit more organic. That said Dwarves have always been the figures in Tolkien who are most likely to show their greed and hunger for wealth and power. That is a major theme of both the Hobbit--where Thorin's corruption by greed is literally the story--and of the Lord of the Rings--where the Mines of Moria have fallen due to greed.
As for your all caps point, this point is wrong on two levels. For starters, no, that is not the message of LotR--the message of LotR on that point is that seeking out power for power's sake is bad. Aragorn, for example, is reluctant to take power, but does so regardless because it is what must be done to make the world a better place. They are setting up Durin IV for some kind of desire to gain power because he needs to do so to protect his friends and to advance his people, both worthy goals. Disa represents the foil to that--the desire for wealth for wealth's sake that has traditionally consumed the dwarves. The second level on which you are wrong is a fairly obvious one--the show is trying to bring in some of the messages from LotR, which means the characters need to demonstrate those flaws. Can you imagine writing an all caps retort to Thorin trying to take the Arkenstone that boils down to "But that is not the message of LotR?" That is, effectively, what you are doing--complaining about the writers setting up a situation where they can show the very message Tolkien was trying to convey. Recall, this entire era of Middle Earth is supposed to be an era where potentially corrupted individuals abound--Sauron manipulates people and events to bring low multiple races by taking advantage of the corruptible within them.
5. I will give you that the physics was particularly problematic and that a pyroclastic flow would have obliterated everything in its path. That said, the show is not trying to portray itself as particularly scientifically accurate, and the rather neat things they did with ash and lighting in the following episode were really well done from a filmmaking perspective.
6. Choreography - I continue to have issues with their choreographer, especially with Galadriel.
7. Travel logistics and timelines - Travel time is easily solved by paying attention to the show. There are large swaths of time glanced over in the show because nothing is happening relevant to the plot--travel to and from Moria; crossing seas; travelling to new groves. Three of the four major parties we have followed have been showing their travel times. The only one that has not has been Arondir's plot (where the travel was relatively localized), but that's the magic of film--just because event B happened between event A and C does not mean it chronologically happened between those two events. It is pretty easy to rectify Arondir's plot happening over several days and everyone else's happening over several months by realizing Arondir's story was occurring at one point in the timeline, and everyone else was occurring at other points in the timeline. This has been a storytelling device for centuries, and should not be too hard for a viewer to grasp.
Next, they have nowhere close to 300 horses--the most you ever see in a single shot is about 70, give or take a couple based on riders blocking other riders. That's only about 25 horses per ship in each of the three ships which, if you have ever seen the inside of a horse trailer, is not exactly that much space.
The walking to Moria is pretty easily explained by common sense--the Dwarves are depicted as a bit paranoid and untrusting, of course you do not bring your entire supply train with you to their door. You park a bit away, change into your nice clothing (you are ambassadors, after all, you are going to have a set of non-travel stained clothing), and then you walk less than a mile to the door. Especially since, you know, they briefly discussed adding a bunch of elves and a large table to the logistics train, so you know one exists--it just is not shown.
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Now, none of that is to say you have to like the show--and there are plenty of things that are worthy of derision. The issue I have--you have been looking for reasons to hate the show since before it came out--something that ignores the very lessons of Tolkien you proclaim to know--and you seem to be stretching rather hard to find those reasons. Take, for example, you implying someone has to "turn off their mind" to not question aspects of the show--aspects that are already addressed or implied to be addressed. Turning a willfully blind eye to issues addressed in the show is the side "turning off one's mind"--and truly betrays an unwillingness to just give things a chance.
Maybe that is why you dislike Galadriel so much--the negative way she is portrayed for turning a blind eye to her surroundings and single-minded pursuit of a target she is angry at hits a bit close to home.
I couldn’t read all of that but I got the jist of it. And you’re right, I feel like Legolas just wants to hate the show no matter what
Back in black baby
I’m not gonna get into this and I’m reinstating the ban on RoP debates to avoid this thread turning into a war ground (again). I would just like to remind everyone that no, I’m not going out of my way to hate the show. In fact, I didn’t mind the first episode as you’ll remember.
I'm the Valar (leader and creator) of The Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit/Anything Tolkien Cult!
Member of the Cult of Cats, High Elf of the Elven Guild, and Sauce Priest & Sauce Smith of the Supreme Court of Sauce.
If you want some casual roleplay/adventures in Middle Earth, check out The Wild's Edge Tavern, a LotR/Middle Earth tavern!
JOIN TIAMAT'S CONGA LINE!
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I think this makes sense and feels fair.
You are probably going to want a bolder statement of this rule at the top of the thread’s first post (and maybe change the thread name to “Almost Anything Tolkien”). RoP is certainly the biggest Tolkien news presently and new members or casual viewers of this thread might not know the topic triggers you and they could easily miss a rule buried in post seventeen of page on page two hundred nineteen of a thread. Especially with the finale tomorrow, it would be a real shame if someone got in trouble or upset because they failed go scroll past the posts about post count goals, posts about lack of increases to post count, “LOTR” posts to increase post count, and occasional Tolkien discussion to learn about the moratorium on the topic.
Oof. That's rude and not very kind. Apologise.
Frequent Eladrin || They/Them, but accept all pronouns
Luz Noceda would like to remind you that you're worth loving!
Fairer, but also not very thoughtful. Please show some kindness, and take the moral high ground - don't dirty yourself to win a war that is pointless in the extreme.
Frequent Eladrin || They/Them, but accept all pronouns
Luz Noceda would like to remind you that you're worth loving!
Lol mate that’s such a good poster for passive aggression I really should frame it.
I'm the Valar (leader and creator) of The Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit/Anything Tolkien Cult!
Member of the Cult of Cats, High Elf of the Elven Guild, and Sauce Priest & Sauce Smith of the Supreme Court of Sauce.
If you want some casual roleplay/adventures in Middle Earth, check out The Wild's Edge Tavern, a LotR/Middle Earth tavern!
JOIN TIAMAT'S CONGA LINE!
Extended Sig