#I wish Tolkien had given us more of him

[suzannahnatters]

Having shared my RINGS OF POWER s2 eulogy, and while assuring you all that I am also mourning the loss of one of the best things about the show, I would also like to take a moment to defend the decisions being made by the showrunners and writers here.

Before I get started, I just want to acknowledge the members of my writers' group. This post owes much to our discussions. Anyway, when it comes to Adar's death, there are three reasons why I'm not calling his death pointless, or blaming the showrunners for bad writing. The overall reason is this: Adar represents the show's efforts to treat Orcs like people. In this sense, his character was a blazing success. Look at us all, with a hopeless crush on an Orc? Success.

But let's go a bit deeper.

SIMON TOLKIEN'S EXECUTIVE MEDDLING

The fact that Simon Tolkien made an EXCELLENT call in asking the showrunners to keep Adar around for an extra season...still doesn't stop what he did from being executive meddling, or from causing tricky ramifications in the second season. Adar was a first-season antagonist, brilliantly well-written, but ultimately only intended to be a supporting character. The decision to keep him on, suddenly made him more charismatic, more mysterious, and more sympathetic. Given how he'd been set up as a warm-up baddie...season 2 suddenly turned around and made us think he was here to stay. The writers had cornered themselves: on the Tolkien Estate's behest, they had a dark horse who was about to run away with the show. I'm not going to fault them for going ahead with their original plan, because they would have had to retool subsequent seasons massively in order to fit in an Adar redemption arc, and you can't necessarily do that when the whole arc of your story is already planned.

JRR TOLKIEN'S LEGACY

All of us have written things we're not proud of. JRR Tolkien wrote a story world with something problematic hard-baked into the foundations: an entire race of beings for whom genetics determined ethics. Can you even imagine what it must have taken for him to get to the end of a long life spent in the dedicated pursuit of this story world, and to have the courage to admit that he might have been wrong? That really isn't something most authors are capable of. When Peter Jackson went to make LOTR and HOBBIT into movies, he did nothing to scrutinise this issue. His Orcs are flat: monstrous, comic, but never people.

TROP challenged that, and exercised significant skill, care, and wisdom in doing so. But they are still attempting a faithful adaptation of Tolkien's source material. We know where this story is going. Galadriel will end up in Lorien with her elf wifeguy. The Orcs will fall under Sauron's dominion and become his tools, enslaved to his will with the Ring. I did fantasise about Adar being Celeborn, and possibly some of his "children" getting to nope out of Sauron's dominion or even be turned into Elves. But we now know that was never on the table. The Orcs were always meant to fall to the Enemy. But here's the point: for the first time in the history of Tolkien works and adaptations, TROP allowed them the dignity of a fall. Going forward in the show, the Orcs won't be monstrous cannon fodder: they'll be people we knew, people we were pulling for, people whose deaths matter. They are, not a waste, but a tragedy.

TOLKIENIAN TRAGEDY

Look...there's nothing more Tolkienian than a beautiful disaster of a man who dies far too early.

And yes, I know that it's something we've seen before and wish storytellers would move away from - the Moment of Grace that never becomes anything more than a Moment. The villain who has a five minute redemption, then dies conveniently so that the heroes never have to work through the messy business of forgiveness and accountability (although I always did wonder how it would play to see a redeemed Adar, possibly Celeborn, living the rest of his life as a redeemed Uruk among people who hold an undying enmity with his children). It's happened so often that when I, Suzannah Rowntree, sit down to write a six book series where the irredeemable villain has to live and build a new and more accountable life for himself, there's startlingly little template for it, at least in Western media. We live in times that are starved for happy endings and genuine redemption arcs. I wanted so badly for Adar and his "children" to be blessed, and not cursed, by this narrative. So I get the rage. I get the grief.

But tragedy is still a valid art form. Again, all this is a function of the show successfully making the Orcs matter. And the reason the Orcs needed to matter is because they are about to be enslaved to Sauron. They were so close. They genuinely could have been good. Adar could have led them into an alliance with the Elves against their enemy - but instead, just like Celebrimbor, just like Galadriel, they are deceived by him. They turn to him out of fear that their father figure is treating them like cannon fodder, and now they have no one to advocate for them. And that's the tragedy of their situation.

We might all be a little tired of tragedy, but it's still valid, especially insofar as it never, ever forgets to treat its characters like people. Did the writers have to choose tragedy? No. Adar might have lived and undergone a redemption arc.

But the writers didn't have to give Adar a redemption arc, either. Any more than they had to so deeply humanise the Orcs and their father. It's not perfect writing, but it's not bad writing, either. Indeed, for a Tolkien adaptation trying to both honour the author's work and scrutinise his failings, in my opinion it's doing brilliantly.

And...honestly, I'm kind of happy that they left me wanting more, and better, for Adar. Because now I get to write that story myself.

[3months2mordor]

On Hobbits and Existential Dread

or Why “The Scouring of the Shire” is the True Climax of The Lord of the Rings

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Or more accurately, there lived a human who had been in hard COVID quarantine for six months and certainly felt like a hobbit, what with all the staying inside and eating second breakfast and trying her best to ignore the world, which seemed in the summer of 2020 to be spiraling towards something unknown. And she, well I, was packing for college. On an impulse that I cannot explain except to say that I had previously binge watched all the movies in my seemingly infinite quaran-time, I packed a large red volume of JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings with the intention to read it over the course of the semester.

What began as a simple personal challenge to read a chapter a night instead of doom scrolling on Twitter became a profound experience not only in terms of discovering that my parents were right in saying the book was actually really good, but also in realizing that the Hobbits, in their edenic Shire perched on the edge of a world about to enter catastrophe, were more like me, more like a lot of us, than Aragorn or the Elves or Dwarves or Men who people Middle Earth. And here is why the chapter at the very end of the last book where the Shire is nearly destroyed is so very, very important.

Tolkien takes careful time in his books to establish the attitudes and habits of his hobbits who live in pastoral harmony in near complete isolation from the rest of the world. They are content with what they have and don’t have the greed that drives Dwarves to dig, or the ambition that drives Men to war, or even the worship of nature that drives Elves deep into their forests to protect them. They build their hobbit holes, smoke what is definitely pot, and eat and drink heartily. They care little for news of the outside world and tend their fields instead. That’s it.

But the world does not cease to exist just because they want it to. It never does.

As Gandalf warns in Rivendale, “We are sitting in a fortress. Outside it is growing dark.” (Part 1 Book 2 Chapter 1).

Regardless of how much the hobbits might ignore the coming of the Dark Lord Sauron and the existential threat that is his attempt to control the world, it will not go away. They will not be safe from the darkness just because they want to be and they have a supply of candles in the cupboard. And so, at the start of the story, evil comes to the Shire in the form of the Black Riders and Frodo, our hero, must leave to keep the Shire safe from the forces of darkness. Still Frodo is just a hobbit, albeit a brave one. So he laments to Gandalf, “I wish it need not have happened in my time” and Gandalf replies “So do I, and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” (Part 1 Book 1 Chapter 2).

I feel this quote more deeply every year. A deep childish wish for things to exist as we expected them to be, but a solemn and more mature knowledge that Gandalf is right. That our time has already been given to us. All that we have left is what we do to make that time matter.

But back to Frodo, who takes a good seventeen years to heed this advice, but eventually sets off on an adventure to save the Shire which, spoiler alert, ultimately saves the world. Along the way people despair and seem to lose hope. Theoden, recovering from a spell that robbed him of agency and clearsightedness, cries “Alas! That these evil days should be mine, and should come in my old age instead of that peace which I have earned” (Part 2 Book 3 Chapter 6). Even Sam, in his darkest hour thinking he has lost Frodo for good, groans “I wish I wasn’t the last. I wish old Gandalf was here, or somebody. What am I left all alone to make up my mind? I’m sure to go wrong” (Part 2 Book 4 Chapter 10).

Yet despite it all the One Ring is destroyed and the King returns and good wins. Everything is set right and our heroes get a chance to rebuild the world rather than watch it crumble. They get to go home.

Now this is a fine story and one I desperately needed amongst all of the *everything* going on in 2020. However it is not the ending that stuck with me. For you see once Frodo and his companions return home, the Shire is not the same place they left it.

The Shire, in their year long absence, has descended into a despotic police state run by a wealthy, privileged hobbit who stays in his hole rather than try to help his people as Men, who tower over the hobbits, and are specifically and on multiple occasions called bullies, abuse their power. They use their strength to take food and (let’s face it) weed from the hobbits, desecrate their land with deforestation and pollution, and create a state of fear and paranoia that anyone could be taken at any moment to prison without trial after only a mere whiff of seditious behavior. The world has come to the hobbits and they are so paralyzed with fear that they are unable to do anything other than sit in their hobbit holes and keep their heads down, hoping that they and their families will make it through.

Now, Frodo and his companions, having seen the change that can be wrought from people who stand up to bullies and fight to make a difference, see the state of their home and immediately understand the despair their friends and neighbors have fallen into because they too have felt it. These are the hobbits who faced thousands of orcs and rode in battle and walked to Mount Doom with only each other to lean on and they know how deeply despair of impossible odds can affect someone. But they have also learned that that despair is not inevitable. They saw the Ents on their last march when Treebeard said it was “likely enough that we are going to our doom… But if we stayed at home and did nothing the doom would find us anyway, sooner or later. That thought has been long growing in our hearts; and that is why we are marching now” (Part 2 Book 3 Chapter 4). They saw the Rohirrim ride to battle against impossible odds because it was the right thing to do. They saw even the most pitiful Gollum play his part in saving the world. And they saw the Eagles fly in to help carry the day.

There’s always hope if there’s something worth fighting for.

And so, back in the Shire which was not the Shire they knew but still the one they love, the four heroic hobbits do what had once seemed impossible: they get the hobbits, in their apathy and terror and existential despair, to stand up and fight. And it’s hard, and people die, and it gets worse before it gets better, but in the end the bullies are run off and the hobbits are victorious and they begin to rebuild, not just their homes but their forests and their relationships with each other too.

The hobbits, and me really, wanted to curl up in their holes and hope the world would go away. And sometimes, God, that seems like it’s the only thing you can do when darkness is spreading far on the horizon and it keeps creeping closer but isn’t here yet. But Sauron is not the scariest thing in this book. Tolkien’s real villain was the fear and despair that can paralyze you to stay in your hole until the Shire is burning around you. Yet even the most comfortable and secure hobbits have to stand up and face the world because if we don't, no one else will.

There is a reason Frodo is able to see the mission to the end. And it’s not that he’s exceptional in the way other heroes are. No. In fact it is because he is unexceptional and unambitious and also uncompromising that the deed is able to be done. He, like the hobbits he helps at the end of the series, has to get up and work to fight the evil that hurts people every day. And Frodo doesn’t save the hobbits of the Shire; they save themselves. Then they rebuild. They grow things again, not better, not the same, but they have to go on living. And, I don’t know, I needed to realize that.

We aren’t Aragorn with a throne and a legendary sword and a destiny to be king, we aren’t the Elves with their centuries of knowledge and skills, we aren’t the Dwarves with their mountain holds to hide in. Heck, we’re not even Frodo, or at least I’m not. There’s no way I could handle a walk that long. We’re the hobbits. We see the existential wave of dread and terror that is coming and our instinct to hide from it, to hold it off as long as we can and then silently accept it when it comes. Because what can one little halfling do against a thing like that?

But even the hobbits of the Shire stand up eventually. Even hobbits can take that dread for a bleak future and turn around and create new life. There’s a reason why the symbol of the Shire returning to peace and throwing off the yolk of oppression is a tree. The bullies cut down Bilbo’s old one and it can’t come back. But Sam plants a new one anyway and hopes it will grow.

I’m reading the Lord of the Rings again before this election as I did last time. But this time I’m not alone. I’m reading it with friends. I marked passages like the ones above that made me think but also ones that made me laugh because there is joy in amongst the shadows and if we cannot find those moments it’s hard to keep looking for the light. In rewatching The Two Towers film the other day I was struck, as I usually am, by Sam’s speech at the end of the movie, based on one he gives in “The Stairs of Cirith Ungol.” I think it bears quoting in full.

Sam: It’s all wrong By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy. How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad happened. But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t. Because they were holding on to something.

Frodo: What are we holding on to, Sam?

Sam : That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.

Hobbits are remarkable people, Tolkien says, and I hope we are too. I hope we can get through this by raising up our own Shires full of hobbit warriors to face the world and not lie down and give up. Because if everyone did that there would still be a One Ring and Sauron would rule forever.

But we have to save the Shire. It’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. We have to believe that. I have to. I will do my part to make sure it does, but first I have to believe it’s possible. We have to take that existential terror and turn it into righteous fury because we have seen what a shadow can do and we cannot let it spread again. We have been there. But we will not go back again.

[anghraine]

I think it's interesting that when Gandalf describes Denethor's ability to "perceive, if he bends his will thither, much of what is passing in the minds of men," he ties it less to his wisdom or general insightfulness (though he possesses both) than to his difference from "other men of this time," his near total Númenóreanness, and as bolded here, the active exercise of his will.

Tolkien also attributes Denethor's resilience against Sauron (by contrast with Saruman) to not only his right to use the Anor-stone, but "great strength of will." He notes that Sauron had no servant with greater mental powers than Saruman or Denethor, and Gandalf remarks that Denethor was "too great" to be subdued to Sauron's will.

Denethor and Gandalf have a strange and unsettling silent confrontation, carried on by their gazes, yet it strikes Pippin as like "a line of smouldering fire" and "as if reading each other's mind." Gandalf afterwards says Pippin was stuck between two "terrible old men," lumping Denethor in with himself. Pippin also sees some kind of kinship between Denethor and Gandalf, as Sam saw between Faramir and Gandalf.

In his letters, Tolkien said that the ancient Númenóreans became barely distinguishable from Elves in appearance and in their powers of mind. In Unfinished Tales, he notes that they loved their horses, and when a Númenórean had a strong bond with a horse, it was said that the horse could be summoned "by thought alone."

In LOTR, Faramir—who has inherited Denethor's Númenóreanness/wizardliness—has a reputation for command over both animals and men. When everyone else is thrown by their horses upon being chased by five Nazgûl, he not only keeps his seat, but mysteriously gets his horse to ride back towards the Nazgûl. And during the retreat across the Pelennor, the soldiers in the city conclude that Faramir must be with the men who are managing to retreat in order, repeating Beregond's remark that he has some undefined command over both men and beasts.

Gandalf suggests that this is a result of Faramir pitting himself against the effects of the Nazgûl in some way, but his abilities (whatever they are) are outmatched. In the event, the effect of Faramir's Aura of Courage commanding abilities remains until he's shot and finally falls to the Black Breath.

Faramir also makes repeated references to perceiving or reading things in Gollum's mind. At one point, he describes Gollum's mind as dark and closed, yet unable to prevent Faramir from detecting that he's holding something back about Cirith Ungol specifically. Noticeably, this only happens when Faramir orders Gollum to look at him (which Gollum does "unwillingly"), and the light drains from his eyes as he meets Faramir's. It seems decidedly reminiscent of the later Gandalf vs Denethor duel-by-eye-contact.

Faramir's exact words about Gollum's secrecy are "That much I perceived clearly in his mind," in reference to his earlier questioning of him. He says that he can "read" previous murders in Gollum and Gollum cries out in pain when he tries to lie to him.

When Faramir gives staves to Frodo and Sam, he says that a "virtue" of finding and returning has been placed on them, with zero explanation of what he means by that. He adds a hope that the virtue will not altogether fail under Sauron's power in Mordor. He describes the people who did the woodwork but not who placed the virtues (it doesn't seem inherent to the wood itself, given his phrasing).

We do know that Dúnedain can potentially embed enchantments into items. The Barrow-daggers carried by Merry and Pippin are specifically enchanted against the Witch-king of Angmar by an unknown Dúnadan of the North, and when Merry stabs the Witch-king, the dagger breaks enough spells for Éowyn's ordinary sword to finish the job.

Meanwhile, Aragorn uses his healing powers to help the city, wishing for the presence of Elrond, because he is their eldest of their kind and more powerful. Aragorn, also, has at least some part of this ability to actively exercise his will and mental powers, perhaps an equal share, though he uses it less often.

In the book, he doesn't physically attack the Mouth of Sauron, but instead holds his gaze (again, eye contact is important!). There's another silent struggle that involves no weaponry or any other contact.

He prevails in some way over the Mouth of Sauron (not a warped creature of Sauron in the book, but a cruel Númenórean who has "learned great sorcery"). The Mouth indignantly says he has diplomatic immunity and can't be attacked like this.

But, I mean, maybe they're all just smart and perceptive, it's really unclear.

[babe-bombadil]

Don't Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth

(Part 1)

Summary: What happens when Éomer gifts some flying horses to Fellowship?

Written for the 2023 @fall-for-tolkien event! Inspired by Fly, You Fools! by @scyllas-revenge

Rating: G

Word Count: 527

Read on AO3 or below

It was said that every race had a gift. The elves had immortality. The dwarves had their expertise in stone working. The hobbits had a love for the simple things in life. The Rohirrim had flying horses. 

To them, a horse wasn’t just a means of transportation, it was something that should be revered. Horses were treated with great respect and given meticulous care. The Rohirrim believed horses were central to a person’s wellbeing the same way sleep and time in the sunshine are.

Because of their reverence for the horses, they would not trade a single one, not even to their allies in Gondor. This often made the people of Rohan seem haughty to their neighbors, but they would not change.

This was why it was such a momentous occasion when Éomer gifted horses to the four hunters when seeing their need in the outskirts of Fangorn.

“Absolutely not!” Gimli roared. Aragorn sighed and dragged a hand over his face.

“Gimli, this is an extremely generous gift. We need to use it. I have experience with the winged horses of Rohan and I promise they are not as hazardous as they look.”

Gimli crossed his arms and hardened his glare. “We dwarves were made to live underground! We like to keep our feet on the earth, thank you very much! Regular foul horses are bad enough but you will never get me on one of those-”

“You can ride with me, Gimli!” Legolas offered, cutting in before the dwarf could insult Rohan’s pride. The Riders of Rohan had stiffed as Gimli had been talking and the elf wished to avoid a fight. Gimli, unaware of the disaster nearly avoided, looked up with annoyance to where Legolas sat bareback on his horse. The elves didn’t use such things as saddles, so Legolas had taken it off before he jumped nimbly onto the horse’s back.

“I do not wish for an early death, so I shall have to refuse,” Gimli huffed.

“My friend, we need to take these horses to find Pippin and Merry,” Boromir pleaded. “You can join me and we shall discover how to ride these curious horses together.”

The dwarf sucked in a long breath through his nostrils before releasing it with a sigh. “Very well, Boromir. I shall bear this so that we might rescue the halflings.”

Boromir smiled in return. However, as it had since Amon Hen, the smile did not reach his eyes. Gimli and Legolas believed it was simply worry for the hobbits that was weighing their friend down and if Aragorn suspected there was more on Boromir’s mind, he kept it to himself.

Boromir knelt on one knee and offered his clasped hands as a step. Gimli placed his foot in the handhold and was lifted up to the horse. Boromir swung on after him rather clumsily, unused to the large wings of the creature. Once they were all settled, Aragorn placed a hand on his chest and bowed his head to Éomer.

“We are in your debt. I hope our paths shall soon cross again.”

Éomer copied the action. “I wish you success on your errand. Fly swiftly, Wingfoot!”

Part 2 coming soon!

Comments and reblogs are what I survive on so let me know your thoughts and/or personal headcanons!

[verecunda]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by @firebatvillain... er... a few weeks ago, I think. Thank you! Sorry it took me so long.

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

136.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

396,444.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Oh, God. Loads, too many to list. Tolkien is currently at the top of the list, and I'm also deep in the extended Jacobite Literary Universe. :D Generally, my fandoms tend to have some sort of historical and/or fantasy setting.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Amo, Amas, Amat (NATM, Jedediah/Octavius) Slightly Scandalous (NATM, Jedediah/Octavius) Kindred Spirits (Ghosts, Captain/Thomas) Reality Bites (NATM, Jedediah/Octavius) Poetry Slam (NATM, Jedediah/Octavius)

My NATM fics are still my most popular ones by a country mile. I still get almost daily kudos on all of them, which is somewhat bamboozling, given that they're pretty old, very short, and there's been a lot more NATM fic written since then. But it is nice that folks are still finding them and reading them. :D

Then there's that random Ghosts one in there, too!

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yeah, almost always. I like to let readers know I appreciate their feedback, and it's fun to flail about our favourite characters and ships. Though right now, I have to admit that I have a bit of a backlog of comments that I need to respond to. But I'll get there. :S

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I've written a few, but possibly Nunc Dimittis, which is about Morgoth sending Sauron away at the final fall of Angband. It ends with Sauron feeling the moment that Melkor is taken captive, then later, when he's cast into the Void, and realising he's now truly alone. That fic was entirely Dark Lord angst. :P

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Oof, a fairly tough one. I'm quite big on giving my ships happy endings, wherever possible. But I'll go with A Few Good Years to Spend, because that whole fic was an exercise in giving Andreth and Aegnor a happy ending. But I very much liked the final scene, with Andreth growing old and Aegnor as totally, utterly besotted with her as ever. It also had them all surrounded by the various kids of the House of Bëor, and Aegnor being the confirmed favourite, and the image was cute. :3

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not really. I did get one really weird comment on a fic, which was basically a diatribe against the POV character. But it had nothing to do with the actual fic, it was about the character in the canon, and it seemed like it was part of some larger screed had just been c+p'd from some other site. Very strange.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yeah, every so often. I wish I wrote more tbh, because I'm a pervy wee hobgoblin. I've never even written an f/f scene or a proper threesome. So far, all my smut has been fairly tame, but I'd like to try my hand at some more kinky stuff at some point. ;)

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Yeah, when inspiration strikes. I don't know about the craziest, but I think the daftest must definitely be And Long Would Mandos Hold Him, where Death from Horrible Histories meets Saeros from The Children of Húrin and is, naturally, delighted. That one was a riot to write. XD

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge, but fuck, who knows. The internet is huge.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

A few times, into Chinese and Russian.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not really, not if you mean both of us writing. I think the closest I've come so far was when I collaborated with peasina for last year's Pod_Together, which involves teaming up to create both a written fic and a podfic version of the same. It was a really fun experience, coming up with ideas for a story together, and interesting, because it's the first time I've ever written a story specifically intended to be read aloud, so it was something to keep in mind all the time I was writing. The end result was A (Confirmed) Knight Bachelor: written version here and pod version here. I really enjoyed doing this one! :D

14. What’s your all time favourite ship?

God, I don't know. I have no idea how to gauge that.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

ahahahaha... oh God, right now, it feels like all of them. XD

But really... sadly, probably the Legolas/Gimli post-LOTR fic I started. Honestly, I think the fact it was looking to end up as a multi-chapter affair kind of scared me from the get-go. Then I wrote myself into a knot trying to work out Legolas and Thranduil's dynamic immediately after the War of the Ring. No doubt it's the sort of thing that could be easily worked out with a bit of tinkering, but I got discouraged and ended up shoving the whole fic on the back-burner, where it's like to stay. :[

(Of course, talking about it inevitably makes me want to open it up and have another crack at it. But realistically, I don't think I'll ever finish it.)

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think I do character voices pretty well, and in book fandoms, I think I can usually pull off a decent pastiche of the style. And on a good day, I think I can do good descriptive prose.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Fucking plots, how do they work??? On a bad day, I think my prose is overdone and pedantic: too fussy.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

It can definitely add something - authenticity, atmosphere - but should also be used with caution. Writing is all about communication, after all, and if you start writing whole screeds of conversation in a language that you're not guaranteed your target audience will understand, you're not serving the story, just trying to show off. Economy is the key, I think. I also usually include a translation, either as an endnote, or as a hover-over caption.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

lol technically, I think it must be historical RPF. I used to write wee stories about the historical peeps I was obsessed with at the time.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

Oh, how the hell is anyone meant to answer a question like that.

Tagging, with no obligation: @nocompromise-noregrets, @cilil, @bryndeavour, @chiropteracupola, @regshoe, @sanguinarysanguinity, @technicallycleverdetective, @swanmaids, @cycas, and @di-daydreamer.

[thegreatzombieartisan]

Rings of Power + Tolkien Fusion Meta

“I Found It On a Dead Man”: Some Theories on Why Sauron Kept the Pouch

What made the pouch hold so much significance that Sauron keep it for a millennium?

*

Theories of circumstances where Sauron might've taken the pouch

Sauron actually did find it on a dead man before Morgoth fell.

Sauron killed the last king before Morgoth fell.

Sauron killed the last king after Morgoth fell.

Scenario One: He actually found it on a dead man.

Since it’s suggested that Morgoth and the Southlands king would be allies, then Sauron didn't kill the king. Perhaps during a battle against the mutual enemy, the king was killed. Sauron found him dead among on the battlefield and took the pouch for an unknown reason.

Scenario Two: Sauron killed the last king before Morgoth fell

Perhaps it was a traitor's death or an impersonal political decision. Either way, killing a king holds gravitas. And when Morgoth needed a critical task carried-out, he'd send his chief servant.

Directly himself, - or in close proximity of servants who did - Sauron killed the king. Moreover, he likely also killed royal members around the same time, thus ending the line. It's improbable for an entire royal house to cease without nefarious intervention. Perhaps he pulled a Red Wedding.

Sauron took the pouch as proof for Morgoth that he carried-out the task as ordered.

Scenario Three: Sauron killed the last king after Morgoth fell

In contrast to lore, Sauron engages in fuckery for a while longer before attempting to "heal" Middle-Earth as penance. In this scenario, Sauron does wish to become Morgoth's successor and plans to carry-out his master's contingency plan. He kills the Southlands king in preparation for this.

He keeps the pouch as a “trophy” of the killing - as an act of dominance and humiliation.

Most likely?

I theorize Sauron killed the last Southlands king before Morgoth fell and kept the pouch as "proof" he'd carried out the task. But whykeep it?

The pouch symbolizes Sauron's existence within a fragile liminal between failed penitent and Dark Lord

What exactly made Sauron remove the pouch?

When Sauron accuses Galadriel of using him, he's noticeably upset versus angry. There's a tinge of hurt in his voice and face. And when she distorts his accusation, upset quickly becomes anger, provoking him to aggressively remove the pouch etc. Sauron’s breaking point is Galadriel’s gaslighting.

His S1 main character motif is honesty while maintaining his true identity / seeking "peace."

Sauron's emphasis on honesty serves to distance himself from a dark past of his intentionally harmful lies and deceit. A past Tolkien wrote that Sauron felt ashamed, which leads to avoidant behavior. Sauron's demonstrates this in his flight from Middle-Earth and near begging for Galadriel to leave him be.

But also honesty to seek distance from a past where he was deceived and exploited

Over several millennia, Morgoth and Sauron never had discord. Or so Tolkien said. I call bullshit given seeing how Morgoth is emotionally volatile. Moreover, wildly opposing goals.

But it was said Sauron admired Morgoth "at the beginning." TRoP seems to interpret this as Sauron eventually becoming disillusioned with Morgoth's bullshit. It's more than fair to assume this rapey, nihilistic terrorist would've lied and exploited even to his chief servant.

Thus, Sauron removing the pouch might be a silent declaration to Galadriel, and the malingering spectre of Morgoth:

“Don’t fuck with my reality. Don’t tell me who I am so you can use me for your own purposes. Never again.”

(Not even a fair and feisty Elf with gold silver hair.)

Removing the pouch is also accepting his own adequacy

"I failed because I'm not good enough. It is what it is." In a way, had he continued to believe, it might've lead to a humility that extinguished the most harmful aspects of Sauron's dark impulses.

Head canon: What happened

The pouch symbolizes the moment Sauron honors the internal schism from his master.

Perhaps after carrying-out the assassination, Sauron presents the Southlands king pouch to Morgoth. He then asks for his reward: implementing an idea from his own vision.

But Morgoth rejects his request. The time isn't right. Think of something else. Sauron initially thinks he's still being punished for losing Tor-in-Gaurath .But no —the "time" its been a long time since since any of his ideas were even given serious consideration X. The time will never be right, would it?

This is it. The moment Sauron can no longer lie to himself. He and Morgoth were no longer on a mutual arc. Moreover, that he’s been weaponized for Morgoth’s personal, nihilistic agenda. And this secret divergence in allegiance makes space for empathy trickle back in; shame and guilt to grow.

Sauron leaves his audience with Morgoth, and unlike previous items of “proof”, he kept the pouch. Sometime thereafter, it comes to represents a promise to "heal" he and Morgoth's destruction for forgiveness.

Regrettably, his time with Morgoth has twisted him in ways perhaps irreparable. He’ll never fulfill his promise.

When Sauron joins the Southlands expedition, I don't think he yet has a formulated plan. WEekl, beyond seeking revenge on Adar. Fighting alongside an Elf and Men, especially against the orcs he helped create, is an wildly unexpected and novel experience. And he certainly didn't anticipate a bond forming between he and the Elf.

What he does know is that whatever the future brings, Galadriel is there. Now the dead king's pouch becomes a mere prop to it, for what she offers is something far more powerful.

Hope and possibly more.

Thank you for reading! Like and reblogs are appreciated. Got feedback?

What did you like? Got theories or insights to share?

Disagree? I love good faith debate and sparring!

Need clarity on something or feedback on readability?

Spot an inaccuracy? Hey, Tolkien's work is complex. Drop it in comments or DM.

[general-illyrin]

Oh, and 8., 12. & 20. for Mîm... somehow you managed to arouse my interest for this poor grumpy dwarf.

Stay safe!

I'm glad your interest is piqued! If you're curious and haven't seen it yet, there is a lost poem and prose piece Tolkien wrote about Mîm which we only have translated into German (because the Tolkien Estate hasn't to publish the original), but there is an English translation here.

8. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise? In short, I despise when the etymology of the word "petty" is used as further evidence of Mîm being evil. (To be fair, I have only seen this done once, so it may not be fandom in general who does this.) I have discussed this in more detail here, but what really irks me about this is that it is irrational - you cannot assume an individual's character based upon the name given to the group. Also, that the Silm never implies that they were named after being petty, but that they were named after their size.

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character? As if he didn't have enough tragedy in his life already, I headcanon that he and his wife had a miscarriage, a daughter who would have been older than her brothers. I'm not particularly sure why I headcanon this, other than I wish there were a sister, and it adds parallels to his life in that this pain didn't embitter him, but later pain did. (I'm not trying to imply he is a worse person for this; he would have had his wife to walk through this pain with, whereas later, he lost her too.)

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter? This one is interesting...before Mîm becomes bitter and angry, I think the ideal best friend for him would have been someone who loved the world, especially nature and its beauty, and who enjoyed crafting things, especially things to preserve the beauty found in the world. From this description, two great works that celebrate and preserve natural beauty come two mind - Menegroth and Gondolin. There is entirely too much history between the Petty-dwarves and the Sindar for Thingol and Mîm to ever become friends, but with Turgon... The Silm does say that Petty-dwarves hated the Noldor for stealing their lands and homes when Finrod built in Nargothrond. But if Turgon could explain that there were subsets of Noldor, and that he was of a different subset, and if Mîm understood and didn't blame him for Nargothrond, then perhaps their is a good chance of them having a friendship after all. I think he and Turgon would work well together and that they could create even more beautiful memorials to beauty. And I can only imagine how delighted Mîm would be by the seven gates!

Thank you for the ask and stay safe as well!

[buffyfan145]

I was thinking about how due to Tolkien's love of Norse Mythology there are some obvious similarities between Loki and Sauron. That got me thinking about what Norse mythological would fit Galadriel? Obviously, her Christian parallel is the Virgin Mary. After much thought, I think she reminds me of the Vanir goddess Freya ("Lady"). Freya was not only the goddess of beauty and fertility, but also Queen of the Valkyries, and associated with death. She is much of a fierce warrior as she is a divine beauty. She is the Goddess of Magic, specifically, "seidr," a femme-centered magic that involved shamanism, weaving spells, healing, and manipulating fate. Apparently, Freya taught Odin seidr, leading to him having genderfluid aspects, same as Loki. It should also be noted that while physical descriptions of Freya are rare, some scholars have claimed she was supposed to be a blonde (like Gal), redhead, or strawberry blonde. She was definitely noted for her independence, pride, and having a missing husband, Od (possibly an aspect of Odin). She had her own domain and hall, Sessrumnir, resembling how Gal rules Lotherien in her own right. She also had lovers (Haladriel?), and a close relationship with her twin brother, Freyr (reminds me of Finrod).

I've thought about Loki and Sauron being similar (and since I'm also a huge fan of Loki, especially Tom Hiddleston's version) many times!!! 😀 This is going to be a long post but have been meaning to write this at some point. Tolkien was hugely inspired by Norse myth for LOTR and Middle Earth so it wouldn't surprise me at all if Loki was an inspiration for Sauron. Plus, in the myths Loki also had reddish hair and green eyes so there's a connection between that and "Rings of Power" with the Halbrand form of Sauron. LOL 😏 Marvel too has added so much to Loki in both the comics and the MCU. I realized watching the "Loki" series and the films that he's gotten the redemption arc that many of us have given Halbrand/Sauron in our fics and I'm even more excited for tonight's season 2 finale of "Loki" and what might be coming for the films. It seems like what I wish could happen for Halbrand/Sauron is happening with Loki, including a Haladriel like ship with Loki and Sylvie.

That's a great comparison for Galadriel too. She does fit a lot with Freya. I've read multiple versions of Norse myth, especially Neil Gaiman's and Tolkien wrote his own too which I plan to read soon, and I can see it. Will point out too there's long been a theory in Norse myth that Freya and Frigg (Frigga in Marvel) are the same person and she had a split personality with each version. Frigg is Odin's wife (and Thor and Loki's mom in Marvel) and that queenly part of her fits there too.

Also I feel like Galadriel could also be a mashup of both of Loki's wives. His first wife Angrboda was a Jotun (frost giant in Marvel), a power being that Loki was also half as he was also half Asgardian. Angrboda is also a powerful witch and was the mother of Loki's 3 oldest children: Fenris the Wolf, Jorm the world serpent, and Hela the goddess of Hel (played by Cate Blanchett, the other Galadriel in the MCU but switched to be Odin's daughter and Thor and Loki's sister). When Loki became a god and joined Odin he left them to start his new life and their marriage ended.

Then his 2nd wife Sigyn is actually who I normally ship Loki with both in Norse mythology and Marvel (except the MCU as it seems like they merged his wives and his other Marvel love interest Amora/Enchantress into Sylvie as a mashup character even though Sylvie is also another universe's Loki LOL). Sigyn is normally drawn as being a blonde or red haired Asguardian and she's devoted to him even though in Marvel Comics' version he tricked her into marrying him by pretending to be her fiancé and she still fell in love with him after that. LOL (And I've seen Haladriel fics with this exact storyline.) She ends up becoming the Goddess of Fidelity to his God of Mischief (or Stories as he becomes this redemptive form in Marvel and maybe soon in the MCU depending on tonight's finale and it reminds me of Mairon). In the Marvel comics he also teaches her to become a sorceress. They also have two sons together though depending on the story one or both die tragically (which reminds me of Celebrian), and one is a werewolf.

So yeah I see so much of Norse mythology in Tolkien's work and it's fun to piece all the inspirations together like this. Plus, I'm getting 3 new romance and non-romance novels about Loki with Angrboda, Sigyn, and Amora soon and whatever that new Marvel novel out next year "What if Loki was Worthy?" too so more to read and compare soon.

ETA: I've taken out the tags that relate to Loki and the other Norse mythology characters as I got hate directed towards me from fellow "Loki" fans all because a lot of them don't like what Marvel and the show has done. Just wanted it to go in my blog's tags so it's easier to find and organized but kept the "ROP" related tags since we were talking about that originally as it relates more to Sauron and Galadriel.

[glitteringaglarond]

Éomer of Rohan came riding to the City, and with him came an éored of the fairest knights of the Mark. He was welcomed; and when they sat all at table in Merethrond, the Great Hall of Feasts, he beheld the beauty of the ladies that he saw and was filled with great wonder. And before he went to his rest he sent for Gimli the Dwarf, and he said to him: 'Gimli Glóin's son, have you your axe ready?'   'Nay, lord,' said Gimli, 'but I can speedily fetch it, if there be need.'   'You shall judge,' said Éomer. 'For there are certain rash words concerning the Lady in the Golden Wood that lie still between us. And now I have seen her with my eyes.'   'Well, lord,' said Gimli, 'and what say you now?'   'Alas!' said Éomer. 'I will not say that she is the fairest lady that lives.'   'Then I must go for my axe,' said Gimli.   'But first I will plead this excuse,' said Éomer. 'Had I seen her in other company, I would have said all that you could wish. But now I will put Queen Arwen Evenstar first, and I am ready to do battle on my own part with any who deny me. Shall I call for my sword?'   Then Gimli bowed low. 'Nay, you are excused for my part, lord,' he said. 'You have chosen the Evening; but my love is given to the Morning. And my heart forebodes that soon it will pass away for ever.'

I absolutely love this resolution to their little conflict, and I love even more how casually Gimli is just like "Yup, gotta get my axe" over Eomer not saying Galadriel the fairest lady that lives.

Also, that bittersweet ending of that conversation... as Gimli says that the Morning will pass away forever. I do not want to feel emotional over a funny scene, and yet Tolkien be Tolkien and can make you sad at every instance.

[urwendii]

4 and 20!

4. What passage in Tolkien's books or in any of the films/shows/media speaks to you the most?

I know I already said it but when Sauron laughs his ass off on Numenor watching Pharazon departing to attack the Valar. dude laughed so hard he didnt notice the literal mountain high tsunami heading his way.

When Bilbo puts on the Ring to escape his own birthday party? i feel this in my bones

More seriously, this dialogue between Frodo and Gandalf in The Fellowship Of The Ring (i love it even more in the movie since it has more impact i believe when they are in Moria)

'I wish it need not have happened in my time,' said Frodo.

'So do I, ' said Gandalf, 'and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.'

And lastly, there is this exchange between Finrod and Andreth in Athrabeth Finrod Ah Andreth that I love:

'Have ye then no hope?' said Finrod.

'What is hope?' she said 'An expectation of good which though uncertain has some foundation in what is known ? Then we have none.'

'That is one thing that Men call "hope",' said Finrod. 'Amdir we call it, "looking up". But there is another which is founded deeper. Estel we call it, that is "trust". It is not defeated by the ways of the world, for it does not come from experience, but from our nature and first being.'

I love the entire debate between these two, it brings a lot of exposition to Tolkien's mythology but the goodness and wisdom of Finrod always get to me.

20. What is your favorite Tolkien universe headcanon? Why did you choose to accept it?

redhead Mairon and thats not up to debate.

The Valar were horrified at the sinking of Numenor as they did not expect Eru to lose his chill like that. It is also implied that Sauron never wanted Numenor to be destroyed, he would have been content with them under his own rule, and simply wished to get revenge on Pharazon.

Mairon joined Melkor at the time Melkor was still fair and great. I don't think he would have if Melkor had showed all his cards from the start. Tolkien insists a lot on how he still was able to show genuine worship and obedience (from his Maia nature) which means for me the Seduction mentioned held more than the whole Getting Seduce to the Dark Side, Mairon really admired him winkwink. I believe Melkor was not that evil yet by that time, there's some passage that alludes at him turning to nihilistic destruction once he started being called Morgoth. The Silmarils imo exacerbated his fall into pure chaos and madness. I believe there was a shift in their relationship when Mairon realised the real intentions of the fallen Vala but by that time it was already too late to undo it all. I believe he let that part of him died in order to survive and that's when it turned abusive/toxic - which seems to be the angle TROP is playing ?

[somelotrnerd]

Tolkien's Abandoned Epilogue

“And [Sam] went on, and there was yellow light, and fire within; and the evening meal was ready, and he was expected. And Rose drew him in, and set him in his chair, and put little Elanor upon his lap. He drew a deep breath. ‘Well, I’m back,’ he said.” - The Return of the King, Book 6, Chapter 9: “The Grey Havens”

These are the famous final words in the story of The Lord of the Rings. Sam, the ever true hero returns home to his family at Bag End after bidding farewell to his best friend at the Grey Havens. From here, Tolkien’s book goes on to its appendices, consisting of high level histories of famous realms, family trees, scraps of stories throughout history, notes on language, and more. But this was not always Tolkien’s intent, for he envisioned the story to continue, briefly giving us a glimpse into Sam’s life many years later. 

The tale picks up in the 15th year of the Fourth Age - that is, 15 years after Frodo sails into the West. 

“And one evening in March, Master Samwise Gamgee was taking his ease by a fire in his study, and the children were all gathered about him, as was not at all unusual, though it was always supposed to be a special treat. 

He had been reading aloud (as was usual) from a big Red Book on a stand, and on a stool beside him sat Elanor, and she was a beautiful child more fair-skinned than most hobbit-maids and more slender, and she was now running up into her ‘teens; and there was Frodo-lad on the hearthrug, in spite of his name as good a copy of Sam as you could wish, and Rose, Merry, and Pippin were sitting in chairs much too big for them.” - Sauron Defeated, Part One, Chapter XI: “The Epilogue”

Tolkien goes on to list more of Sam and Rosie’s children: Goldilocks, Hamfast, and Daisy. Pointing out that like Bilbo passed the Old Took in age, Sam is on track to pass him in number of children - which of course he would with his 13th, Tom, born six years after this epilogue.

The epilogue launches into a dialogue primarily between Sam and Elanor, his firstborn. She is questioning him about her namesake - the Elanor flowers of Lórien and whether they grow there still. Sam says he doesn’t see why they shouldn’t, and after sharing that old Saruman would have called the plant ragtag and bobtail, he notes that Merry and Pippin have traveled outside the Shire more than once since the end of the war - for they now also sort of belong to the south. Then, Sam’s children named after Meriadoc and Peregrin chime in.

“‘And haven’t they grown big?’ said Merry. ‘I wish I could grow big like Mr. Meriadoc of Buckland. He’s the biggest hobbit that ever was: bigger than Bandobras.’

‘Not bigger than Mr. Peregrin of Tuckborough,’ said Pippin, ‘and he’s got hair that’s almost golden. Is he Prince Peregrin away down in the Stone City, dad?’

‘Well, he’s never said so,’ said Sam, ‘but he’s highly thought of, that I know. But now where were we getting to?’

‘Nowhere,’ said Frodo-lad. ‘I want to hear about the Spider again. I like the parts best where you come in, dad.’

‘But dad, you were talking about Lórien,’ said Elanor, ‘and whether my flower still grows there.’

‘I expect it does, Ellie dear. For as I was saying, Mr. Merry, he says that though the Lady has gone the Elves still live there.’

‘When can I go and see? I want to see Elves, dad, and I want to see my own flower.’

‘If you look in a glass you’ll see one that is sweeter,’ said Sam, ‘though I should not be telling you, for you’ll find it out soon enough for yourself.’” Sauron Defeated, Part One, Chapter XI: “The Epilogue”

Sam goes on to talk with his children about the Elves sailing west. Elanor specifically asks about Galadriel’s husband Celeborn - asking if he is sad, given his wife, Elrond, and others have sailed away some 15 years ago and in the years since. Sam says that he expects Celeborn is sad, as all Elves at this time are to a degree. We know that the time of the Elves and the dominion of the Three Rings is over, and the world is left to decay as they linger. Sam goes on to say that Celeborn lives among the trees and is also happy in his Elvish way, for they can afford to wait and his time is not yet come to sail west and rejoin Galadriel.

After Sam mentions Legolas, his son Frodo brings up Gimli. And in true child-fashion gives the uninterrupted thoughts of: “What’s happened to Gimli? I liked him. Please can I have an axe soon, dad? Are there any orcs left?”

Sam patiently answers saying there likely are Orcs left if you know where to look. He tells of how at this time, Gimli and his folk have helped the King of Minas Tirith, has settled in the mountains west behind the city, and visits the Glittering Caves every other year. This of course is a notable difference to what Tolkien eventually settled on, where Gimli founds the realm of the Glittering Caves rather than just the occasional visit. Sam of course also tells Frodo-lad that there are no Orcs in the Shire - and he will have no need for an axe for chopping off heads.

Elanor goes on to ask if Legolas continues to go visit Treebeard and if the Ents ever found the Entwives - a question many fans can appreciate. For his part, Sam says he can’t say whether Legolas, or Merry and Pippin for that matter, have seen the Ents since. And after Elanor admits to looking for Entwives whenever she is in the woods, Sam says that the missing Entwives are likely a trouble too old and deep for Hobbit-folk to mend.

Sam cuts off the questioning and his kids protest, to which he threatens to tell the King about their misbehavior. He then shares a secret with his children concerned with putting off bedtime - the King will be visiting on the 25th of March - one week from today - and all of them have been invited by name. Sam pulls out a large scroll that had arrived in the mail three days before. Written in both Elvish and Common Tongue it reads:

“Elessar Aragorn Arathornsson the Elfstone King of Gondor and Lord of the Westlands will approach the Bridge of Baranduin on the first day of Spring, or in the Shire-reckoning the twenty-fifth day of March next, and desires there to greet all his friends. In especial he desires to see Master Samwise Mayor of the Shire, and Rose his wife, and Elanor, Rose, Goldilocks and Daisy his daughters, and Frodo, Merry, and Pippin and Hamfast his sons.”

Elanor, who could read, notes that their names are different between the lists. Sam reveals to each their Elvish translations, Elanor’s being the same as it is an Elvish word. Frodo is Iorhail. Rose is Beril. Merry is Riben. Pippen is Cordof. Goldilocks is Glorfinniel. Hamfast is Marthanc. And Daisy is Arien.

Sam goes on to talk about their meeting with the King and that the Queen will also be there. He expects they will likely be invited up to the King’s house by the Lake. This of course is referencing Lake Evendim north of the Shire - an important location for not only Aragorn’s ancestors, but Galadriel and Celeborn as well.

What I find so delightful about this epilogue is the glimpse it gives us into Hobbit-children. I can only imagine Tolkien drawing from his own experience as a father being peppered with questions from Christopher about the color of Bilbo’s door helping to shape these interactions. Tolkien even brings up Hobbit-children in Letter 144 to Naomi Mitchison:

“Hobbit-children were delightful, but I am afraid that the only glimpses of them in this book are found at the beginning of vol. I. An epilogue giving a further glimpse (though of a rather exceptional family) has been so universally condemned that I shall not insert it. One must stop somewhere.”

This is yet another reference, where we find that delightful as Hobbit-children are, Tolkien decided one must stop somewhere, leading The Lord of the Rings to end where it does. Fortunately, Tolkien wasn’t quite done trying this out after the first go-round, and Christopher would give us the multiple versions of the epilogue in the History of Middle-earth volume “Sauron Defeated.”

In the second full version of the epilogue, we find that the focus shifts from a scene of Sam with a handful of his kids to a more intimate scene between Sam and Elanor. Here, Sam is sitting at the well-worn desk in his study at Bag End, making notes for what would be the foundations of his contribution to the Red Book started by Bilbo and continued by Frodo.

Elanor is described as beautiful and seems to have been gifted a memory of Elven-grace. She finds her Sam-dad with a page of Questions and Answers. He is merely making notes, answering the questions from Rose and their children. He notes that the last pages were left to him by Frodo, and he dare not write in them yet - he is still just making notes.

Some additional notes we find in this version include: Sam hasn’t heard whether Moria had been resettled, saying the prophecy of Durin may not be for their time - alluding to the later actions of Durin VII many years later. He also notes that there is still a lot of cleaning up to be done in dark places. He notes that Legolas went south with Gimli, bringing many of his own people from Greenwood, settling in Faramir’s lands of Ithilien.

His son Merry had inquired about horses, and Sam notes that Shadowfax went on the White Ship with Gandalf. And that Meriadoc Brandybuck says that in Rohan there are now more horses than ever - for they are no longer stolen by evil forces. Meriadoc also plans to bring a pony back from his present visit to Rohan for Sam’s son Merry.

In an interesting tweak, on the topic of the Entwives, Sam says he would also like them to be found, and adds that perhaps the Entwives don’t want to be found and the Ents are tired of looking.

As in the first version, Sam and Elanor have a conversation about her flower that still grows in Lórien, and Celeborn who still lives there. They talk about the fading light of the Elves, and that there are still those who will remain for the days to come. Elanor says how Celeborn must have known his granddaughter Arwen would stay, but that Galadriel would leave - noting that it must have been sad for him. Then Elanor says how Frodo leaving must have been sad for her dad. Sam goes on to confide in Elanor a secret - before he left, Frodo said the time may come when Sam would take the same journey.

“‘I think maybe we haven’t said farewell for good. But I can wait. I have learned that much from the Elves at any rate. They are not so troubled about time. And so I think Celeborn is still happy among his trees, in an Elvish way. His time hasn’t come, and he isn’t tired of his land yet. When he is tired he can go.’

‘And when you’re tired, you will go, Sam-dad. You will go to the Havens with the Elves. Then I shall go with you. I shall not part with you, like Arwen did with Elrond.’

‘Maybe, maybe,’ said Sam kissing her gently. ‘And maybe not. The choice of Lúthien and Arwen comes to many, Elanorellë, or something like it; and it isn’t wise to choose before the time.

And now, my dearest, I think it’s time even a lass of the fifteen spring-times should go to her bed. And I have words to say to Mother Rose.’” - Sauron Defeated, Part One, Chapter XI: “The Epilogue”

It is here, before she goes to bed, that Elanor asks about the letter from the King, which brings Sam to remark that her spying is repayment for the spying he once did on Frodo as Frodo attempted to leave the Shire. He shares the letter with her, which notes now that they are to meet in one week, on April 2nd - meaning this all now takes place on March 25, the anniversary of the destruction of the One Ring. They discuss the proper decorum with the King and Queen, and Sam once again references Lake Evendim, this time adding that Elladan and Elrohir - Arwen’s brothers - will also be there. Elanor will indeed get her wish to see Elves. With that, Sam bids Elanor good night and, in both versions of the epilogue, Tolkien ends the story with Sam and Rose.

Before sharing that part of the tale, it’s worth noting just how important Tolkien saw the story of both Sam and Rosie, and Sam and Elanor. In Letter 131 to Milton Waldman, Tolkien says:

“I think the simple ‘rustic’ love of Sam and his Rosie (nowhere elaborated) is absolutely essential to the study of his (the chief hero’s) character, and to the theme of the relation of ordinary life (breathing, eating, working, begetting) and quests, sacrifice, causes, and the ‘longing for Elves’, and sheer beauty.”

Tolkien later would say to Katharine Farrer, in Letter 173:

“I still feel the picture incomplete without something on Samwise and Elanor, but I could not devise anything that would not have destroyed the ending, more than the hints (possibly sufficient) in the appendices.”

Finally, we conclude the epilogue with Sam and his Rosie outside Bag End…

“The stars were shining in a clear dark sky. It was the second day of the bright and cloudless spell that came every year to the Shire towards the end of March, and was every year welcomed and praised as something surprising for the season. All the children were now in bed. It was late, but here and there lights were still glimmering in Hobbiton, and in houses dotted about the night-folded countryside.

Master Samwise stood at the door and looked away eastward. He drew Mistress Rose to him, and set his arm about her.

‘March the twenty-fifth!’ he said. ‘This day seventeen years ago, Rose wife, I didn’t think I should ever see thee again. But I kept on hoping.’

‘I never hoped at all, Sam,’ she said, ‘not until that very day; and then suddenly I did. About noon it was, and I felt so glad that I began singing. And mother said: “Quiet, lass! There’s ruffians about.” And I said: “Let them come! Their time will soon be over. Sam’s coming back.” And you came.’

‘I did,’ said Sam. ‘To the most belovedest place in all the world. To my Rose and my garden.’

They went in, and Sam shut the door. But even as he did so, he heard suddenly, deep and unstilled, the sigh and murmur of the Sea upon the shores of Middle-earth.” - Sauron Defeated, Part One, Chapter XI: “The Epilogue”

Personally, I love this glimpse into Sam’s life years after returning from the Grey Havens. The life of one who may be struggling to finish writing the Red Book, but one whose life is one and whole, full of things to enjoy and to be, and to do.

[jrwarden]

The Intersection of Fantasy, Philosophy, and Folklore

Welcome, wanderer, to this crossroads where fantasy, philosophy, and folklore converge.

At this intersection, the boundaries between these realms often blur, revealing a tapestry of interconnected ideas and narratives. While you can choose to trek down any path, I find it most interesting where elements and similarities can be found. In this article, I'll be investigating one of the most well-known fantasy worlds where these three domains intertwine.

(Note: You're reading a post from my main blog at www.jrwarden.com)

The Realm of Fantasy As a writer, I have ever held the belief that the allure of a good fantasy story lies in the complexity of its characters, the interplay of themes, and the immersive depth of the world. Such fantastical realms are brimming with diverse cultures, histories, and intricate magic systems. It is within these elements that fantasy becomes a powerful vessel for exploring both philosophical themes and folklore from around the world.

Let us take a trip to Middle-earth, a prime example of fantasy literature, and one that a huge number of people are familiar with thanks to the movies. You may not have considered it before, but part of the reason it is such a masterpiece is how elegantly J.R. Tolkien weaves philosophical themes and folklore into the narrative of Lord of the Rings. One such philosophical theme is the nature of power, embodied by the One Ring. Through the struggles of Boromir, we witness the temptation and allure of power, and how the desire of power can be corrupting and cause one to break one's own moral code to attain said power.

Through Frodo, we see the need for responsibility when possessing great power. Each time he puts the ring on and uses its power to his advantage, the cost is clear and present; Sauron and his wraiths sniff him out like starving hounds. Frodo cannot escape that responsibility even when he offers to give the One Ring to Gandalf, Aragorn, and later Galadriel, because of the weight (both physical and the responsibility) of bearing it. None accept Frodo’s burden, and in the famous conversation, “I wish the Ring had never come to me.” To which Gandalf says, “So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

We even see the consequences of when such a power is mishandled through Gollum. Frodo knows that Smeagol used to be a hobbit, but has now been transformed into this twisted and conflicted creature. Frodo sees what he himself could turn into if he cannot resist the temptation of the One Ring. The proverb “absolute power corrupts absolutely” by Lord John Edward Acton in 1887 comes to my mind.

While the realms of fantasy are places where authors create stories that exercise our imaginations and challenge us with philosophical ideas, these are not the only tales that aspire to mystify and teach us. We draw many facets of these worlds and their lessons from age-old wisdom woven within folklore from around the world.

These are ancient tales of mythical creatures and legendary heroes and extraordinary adventures. So let us venture into the convergence between fantasy and folklore, where cultural heritage and timeless truths intertwine with fictional narratives. Let us see how the wisdom of folklore dances hand-in-hand with fantasy and philosophy.

The Wisdom of Folklore To some, folklore is nothing more than fantasy, but the truth is that fantasy could not exist (at least in the form that we know it) if it were not for its underpinnings in folklore. The crucial difference between the two is that folklore has been passed down through oral tradition long enough that the underlying facets of the story have become myth.

Folklore can be woven into cautionary fables that are imbued with cultural values. In this regard, folklore can provide a glimpse into the collective consciousness of a society and reveal their beliefs, fears, hopes, and philosophies. Take “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”, for example. It's a cautionary tale against lying that dates from antiquity. The earliest recording of it we have was in Greek from around 600 BCE in Aesop's Fables. It wasn't until the 15th century, when it was translated into Latin, that it really spread like wildfire across Europe.

On the other hand, a fable can balance that fine line between fantasy and folklore, like with dragons. So many cultures around the world have legends and stories about dragons. The Chinese have their serpents of the sky that brought about the rain and thunder. Babylonian stories speak of Tiamat, a primordial goddess of the sea and a serpent. Job 41:21 reads, “Its breath sets coals ablaze, and flames dart from its mouth.” Even though the depictions of dragons differ slightly, their appearance throughout so many cultures across the globe and different time periods suggests that they exist somewhere in this cloud of plausibility and myth.

See, folklore and fantasy are intertwined, with the latter drawing inspiration from the former. Folk tales often lay the foundation for many common tropes in fantasy, be it the creatures, traditions of cultures, or the philosophical lessons that these tales may impart upon us. And finally, it is with these moral lessons that we can see the last link between fantasy, philosophy, and folklore take shape.

The Last Link—Philosophy For the definition of philosophy, I prefer 'the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those concerning the existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language'. By extrapolating on the ‘study of values’, philosophy is the study of ethical actions, the complexities of ethical actions, of good character, good vs. evil, and others. In the realm of fantasy, we witness not only the echoes of ancient folklore shine through the foundation of the narrative, but we also can see many philosophical concepts come to life.

They manifest through moral dilemmas faced by the characters, which invites us to contemplate our own ethical decisions. Explorations of these can include personal identity, purpose, free will versus determinism, the balance of nature and humanity, knowledge and truth, and the before mentioned idea of power and its corruption with the One Ring. But the thing that fantasy can do better than folklore or philosophy is offer us these same lessons in a fresh context. By offering us these philosophical inquiries in such a fantastical and mystifying narrative, fantasy can allow us to contemplate profound ideas in a more approachable and imaginative framework.

Fantasy is intentionally constructed to evoke emotion, arguably more-so than folklore is, making it the best medium for representing philosophical ideas to mass audiences and even children. I would even bet money that children the world over have learned more about values and ethics from Tolkien than from Seneca. Since philosophy is the attempt to understand humanity, perhaps it is what makes up the gravel foundation of all stories. I’m not certain on that, but I do believe that fantasy has the strongest connections to the philosophy of all fictional narrative works. Hence, why I love it so.

Can you see the Intersection? It can be so captivating to consider what your favorite stories have in common with others. The Lord of the Rings is considered a staple of fantasy, both classical and as a foundation for many modern stories. Tolkien got his elves from Norse folklore, and the English, Irish, and Scottish gave him his inspiration for goblins. Simultaneously, philosophy emerges from the depths of his story, enriching its narrative with profound contemplation and existential inquires on the corrupting nature of ultimate power.

These three domains converge, intertwine, and inform one another, creating this enchanting space where we can find these threads weave together to create a rich tapestry of ideas and imagination. Some stories showcase elements of folklore more prominently than others, and philosophical themes may manifest in different ways, but the interconnectedness of these three realms remains undeniable.

In Closing May this exploration ignite a lasting flame within you, and inspire you to dive deeper into the realms of your favorite tales, be they rooted in folklore or fairy tales. Perhaps this journey will even spur you on to explore the philosophies of unfamiliar cultures, expanding your understanding and broadening your horizons.

I hope that it is also proved itself to be a valuable segue into this blog. There is little I look forward to more than learning, sharing, and creating with others, so please, let me know what you think of this post and look forward to more posts. May your travels be safe and your mind forever enchanted. ~ J.R. Warden P.S. Check out the rest of my blog at www.jrwarden.com

[imakemywings]

Húrin, Morwen and Nerdanel for the ask game

-@outofangband

Send Me a Character

Nelyo I guessed this was you even before I saw your URL XD

Nerdanel

Sexuality Headcanon: Asexual panromantic Feanorsexual

Gender Headcanon: Coming up dry sorry

A ship I have with said character: FEANEL. I am so incredibly invested in this relationship at this point I am fascinated they are fantastic and I have not yet tired of exploring their relationship.

A BROTP I have with said character: I don't really have a headcanon for Nerdanel with any close friends, but I think she got along best with Anaire of her in-laws and provided they stayed off the topic of their husbands, they could have a nice time.

A NOTP I have with said character: I'm doing terrible with this one, I don't have a NOTP for Nerdanel either XD I've seen her shipped with a lot of people (including Melkor???) but I'm not adamantly opposed to any of them.

A random headcanon: She's taller and older than Feanor

General Opinion over said character: I love Nerdanel. I really do. I know we barely get any canon information about her and a lot of my "interpretation" of her is therefore stuff I basically made up, but I still love her. I started getting interested in her because I was just so fascinated with the type of person who would choose Feanor as her life partner and things spiraled from there.

I love how her love story with Feanor is posited as a union of equals (especially given the time Silm was written!) and that she marries him not for politics, but for love.

I think she gets left in such a terrible position after the Flight of the Noldor and I so feel for her and I wish we could know more about what happened to her after her family left. Nerdanel is another one of the deeply tragic figures of Silm to me.

Hurin

Sexuality Headcanon: I've honestly never really thought about it.

Gender Headcanon: Cis I guess?

A ship I have with said character: With Morwen ofc!! Soulmates.

A BROTP I have with said character: Besides his actual brother, I'd go with Fingon. Hurin is such an Elf fanboy I have to imagine he had Elf friends and they were allies and I see them both as reasonably cheerful, forthright people whose personalities would complement each other well.

A NOTP I have with said character: I've never seen a Hurin ship that made me go "ew gross." I also don't think I've ever seen him shipped with anyone but Morwen? I guess I don't have NOTP for him.

A random headcanon: He is definitely the type to whistle while he works. Morwen sometimes complains about him distracting her, but privately she likes the reminder that he's around.

General Opinion over said character: Tolkien made us like Hurin so much and then put him in mortal danger for the rest of the story, terrible. Hurin and his family have one of the saddest stories in the Legendarium, imo

Morwen

Sexuality Headcanon: Bisexual queen

Gender Headcanon: I don't really have one for her OTL

A ship I have with said character: Hurin, naturally! But I've seen (and I think we've discussed?) shipping her with Aerin and I like that too uwu

A BROTP I have with said character: Also Aerin

A NOTP I have with said character: I've also never seen a Morwen ship I didn't like.

A random headcanon: Morwen is very particular about where things go in the house. There is an Order and if you put things away in the wrong Order, she won't say anything, but she will move them to their "correct" place as soon as she notices they're in the wrong spot.

General Opinion over said character: You got me thinking about these characters more than I did before; I don't tend to pay much attention to the human characters in Tolkien, but Morwen IS an interesting, compelling character. She gets a lot of (imo, undeserved) flak from the fandom, but she got put in some pretty impossible positions and handled them very well.

[aprefrostedcake]

Thank you, you too! It's hard to find a discussion where both parties may disagree on a lot of things, but still maintain respect and civility. I think your criticism is fair, I can see how you've arrived at your point of view.

I argue she is wise and insightful in the show - she's shown it multiple times in some pretty great dialogue with other characters. But she refuses to apply that wisdom to her own circumstances, blinded as she is by grief and rage. She parallels Adar with her drive to eliminate Sauron by any means necessary, to the point of destruction for themselves and those around them. Yet I never see Adar accused of acting like a "petulant child" when frankly Galadriel is right more often than he is!

That is why she presses her comrades to continue at all costs in the Forodwaith. To me that doesn't mean egotistical or selfish (she is perfectly willing, always, to sacrifice herself as well). Rather she is deaf to reason, because the only thing keeping her moving is revenge. It is a flaw, in fact her obsession is currently one of her most central character flaws, and it's painted as such when her soldiers rebel against her. Side note, I think that's what's going to happen to Adar too, except orcs are not so nice as elves when they rebel...

Gil-Galad is practical. He gets some foresight that somehow Galadriel's quest will bring about Sauron, and is wise enough to realize that there is a darkness of vengeance in her heart borne of great pain - perhaps sending her to Valinor would fix both. Only the dangers of foresight is that by acting to prevent what you see, you can end up setting in motion exactly what you wished to prevent, and that's exactly what happens. Whoops.

Like I said, she's not naive or a fool for being deceived. In fact once she got her suspicions she went and found out the truth, then confronted Sauron and rejected him. Celebrimbor was deceived even more thoroughly, and he's one of the cleverest elves around. Sauron used her pride and isolation to manipulate her, an MO we see repeated again. It helps that she still saw her mission as justified and necessary at the time.

True clarity of self is perhaps the hardest thing to achieve. Most especially when you've undergone the level of trauma and loss Galadriel has (no wonder she is so fanatically driven to hunt out Sauron (and that dark compulsion is what Sauron ends up preying on!)). Yet that clarity is how she passes Frodo's test by the Third Age.

I believe this is what the showrunners decided to use as an interesting central character arc. Despite their sometimes dubious choices, I think they do pay careful attention to the texts. And those texts paint a fascinating portrait of Galadriel - her desire to rule, her rebellion against the Valar, the hint of darkness that could've lead her to taking the Ring out of initially good intentions, suppressed by her wisdom and "knowledge of Sauron's mind". She isn't simply a wise sage. She's got quite a murky past that the writers are exploring.

Is it always done well? Arguably no. But by setting aside my preconceptions of how a Galadriel should act and focusing on her motivations as given by the show, I can paradoxically see how she might evolve into that keen and strangely terrifying Lady of Lothlorien who passes Frodo's test.

In regards to the kiss, although I believe they could've easily gone with something different (like an embrace, as you say) and chose a kiss primarily for the shock factor (sigh) I am glad that it was not so much a making out but just a press of lips together. I'll file that under "firmly platonic" and try to forget it happened, ha.

As for why they decided to choose Galadriel as one of the main characters, I can only speculate, but it might be because she is one of the most interesting female characters in the Second Age. You must admit the quantity of female characters in Tolkien's legendarium is lacking. ROP has had to create female characters from whole cloth (Disa is one of my absolute favorites, though I lament her lack of beardedness). Personally I am really intrigued by Galadriel's character and Morfydd Clark plays her amazingly.

Of course this is all just my interpretation. Thank you again for the interesting discussion!

Rings of Power is Insidiously Sexist

And I’m tired of pretending none of us can see it.

If you enjoy the show, please don’t take this as an attack on you. All media has problematic elements and we all do the best we can in a messed up world. My ire is reserved strictly for the people making these “creative” choices.

The way the show treats Galadriel is misogynistic.

Turning the kind, matronly sage imbued with divine wisdom by the light of the two trees into a naive, selfish hothead who gets ship baited with both the villain AND her son-in-law for titillation is incredibly sexist.

They wouldn’t have had Elrond kiss his father-in-law to “save” him. Everyone would’ve rightfully been disgusted. So why is it okay to do this to Galadriel?

Elrond wouldn’t kiss Gil-Galad, or Celebrimbor, or his bff Durin to “save” them. We would all recognize this as sloppy OOC writing just meant to stir up shippers. So why is it acceptable to do to Galadriel? Being a female character is not an invitation to use her as fan service ship bait. Not once but TWICE.

The way the score swells and the kiss is deep and framed as romantic (even though he’s handing her something and didn’t need to shove himself on her like that at all!), despite the fact that Galadriel is married and elves are by nature monogamous (so much so that forcing yourself on them can even KILL them). As if everything about the narrative framing is subconsciously telling you to ignore Galadriel’s POV and the discomfort she would be feeling and be moved by how “meaningful” this kiss is. But also it’s a deception so don’t get mad! So incredibly transparent.

The fact that they also made her an arrogant idiot that fell for Sauron’s manipulations, when in Tolkien’s canon she is described as one of first to see through him, is also a telling choice. Especially when it would’ve made more sense to have Celebrimbor be the one manipulated and fooled.

So why have it be Galadriel? Why not do their weird ship-teasing bullshit between Annatar and Celebrimbor? At least it might serve the story then.

It’s because she is “female elf”, and therefore she has to be mean, violent, selfish, and stupid. But she isn’t allowed to be criticized either! That’s their idea of a “strong” female character.

So yeah. Personally I find that incredibly sexist.

So for that, I rate ROP a big old “cast it into the fire”.

[nixiegenesis]

acommonanomaly replied to your post: Some of the tags on my Moryo post are so damn...

I got the same feeling while reading the tags on my Moryo drawings. I love him to bits! And omg, your Moryo was so beefy and HOT

Beefy Moryo is the best Moryo! I just love him. I headcanon that Moryo was one of the more attractive Fëanorians, and the attention made him completely uncomfortable lol.

[aureentuluva70]

Spoilers for Ep 6 of Rings of Power, Udun:

Wow.

Just...Wow.

I really enjoyed watching this episode. Probably one of my favorites so far. It's just...beautiful. The fight choreography, the cinematography, and that cliffhanger of an ending! I can't stop thinking about it. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

This entire episode reminded me so much of the Battle for Helm's Deep from the Two Towers, which has to be one of the greatest battle sequences in all of cinema. The whole battle is extremely well done, even if quite gruesome at times. I truly cannot count just how many things I love about this episode, but I will try to focus on a few of those things.

First and foremost, and obviously the most important:

ARONDIR AND BRONWYN FINALLY KISSED!!!!!

AND HE BASICALLY PROPOSED TO HER AT THE SAME TIME!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰💕💕💕💕💕!!!

(Oh, and a nice Yavanna reference too, even if she wasn't referenced by name)

The scene with Bronwyn and Theo had me legit tearing up. It matches almost perfectly the passage from Return of the King, and has to be one of my favorite parts of the book. "In the end, this shadow is but a passing thing. There is light and high beauty forever beyond its reach. Find the Light, and the shadow will not find you."

I loved the battle, although I wish it wasn't as, well, gorey. Like, did they really have to show us that orc blood is black by it literally gushing out of the dude's eye? Did they really have to show us the torturous process by which they're trying to heal Bronwyn's wounds? I kinda wish I hadn't seen that, even if we did get a nice little family moment between Theo, Arondir and Bronwyn.

Oh, and I absolutely adore Isildur's bond with his father, and am glad to see that Aragorn is indeed descended from a long line of horse girls lol.

But its the scene with Adar and Galadriel in the barn that has to be one of my most favorite(and the part I'm going to ramble about the most) scenes in this episode. For one, it's when we learn just who Adar really is. He is indeed one of the first elves ever twisted into orcs by Morgoth, making him one of the oldest characters in this show. Galadriel calls them Moriandor, meaning "Sons of the Dark". So the orcs he leads and calls his Children may very well be his literal blood descendants. (I gotta admit, Im pretty proud of myself for getting that one right)Not only that but he apparently split Sauron's body open because he did not want to sacrifice any more of his children for Sauron's aspirations?! This is the kind of stuff that's got me so invested in this series. I don't care what you think about the show, you have to admit the writers killed it when it comes to exploring the nature of orcs.

But aside from the Adar reveal, the scene actually reminds me somewhat of the Athrabeth in that it's a philosophocal debate between two people and an exchange of beliefs. In this case, it's a debate about the origin of orcs, their nature and their place in the world. I find the whole thing extremely clever in that it addresses how Tolkien couldn't decide on the origins of the orcs. At first they were written as purely evil and created by Morgoth, only for Tolkien to realize that it wouldn't make any sense given his philosophy of "The Shadow can only mock it cannot make" and that only Iluvatar can create life. He went through multiple different possible origin stories for the orcs, from corrupted elves to corrupted men, but he never really decided or stated which one he preferred. Galadriel and Adar's debate on orcs and their place in the world is just such a clever way of acknowledging the many contradictory writings of Tolkien on many different matters.

Adar represents the side who believes(and the side that Tolkien seems to prefer)that the orcs are living beings, and thus creations of Iluvatar who are deserving of life and a home of their own. Adar seeks only to create a new home for his "children" where the orcs can live and thrive in. While his methods of bringing that reality about are certainly questionable, it's honestly quite a noble cause, and one anyone can sympathize with. I wouldn't exactly say he's a good person, but you can't deny the thing he is fighting for is pretty darn selfless compared to the things that Morgoth and Sauron fought for.

But in Galadriel we see something very different. We see perhaps the most hateful, cruel, vengeful and bloodthirsty part of her we've gotten so far in the series.

I think this scene shows better than any other just how far into darkness Galadriel has ventured. Just how badly she's allowed her obsession with hunting down Sauron to twist her. This Galadriel makes Adar look like a Saint in comparison. I found this on reddit made by someone who was reminded of a certain dark lord and you'll see what I mean:

Talk about cruel.

Like lady, if you seriously think you can say things like that and still think yourself the good guy, no matter how good you believe your cause to be, no wonder Gil Galad feared you would cause more harm than good. This lady's acting like a sadistic, genocidal maniac. And we can't help but nod our heads at the response Adar gives.

"It would seem I'm not the only Elf alive who has been transformed by darkness. Perhaps your search for Morgoth's successor should have ended in your own mirror."

Ouch.

Absolutely obliterated in just two sentences. Hit em' where it hurts, as they say.

And the worst part? It's all true.

Galadriel has become so blinded by revenge and hatred, she has fallen so far into the dark she's failed to recognize just who she's become. And Adar's mention of a mirror reminds me of ep 1, when in the ice fortress Galadriel finds herself looking at her own reflection in the ice, only to punch through it and find evil there.

She certainly seems to feel bad about it later, and perhaps it's this moment when Galadriel really begins her transformation from a bloodthirsty warrior to the wise sorceress we come to know from Fotr. And of course the crushing defeat at the very end may very well speed up that transformative process.

Speaking of the end-

That is all.