#all hail adar

[catz4ever]

Literally my entire personality during Season 2...

[baddybaddyadardaddy]

SPREADING THE BADDYDADDY LOVE.

IT WILL CONTINUE NO MATTER WHAT.

My friends, on this the eve of us all losing our collective minds, I just want to say how cool it is to be a part of this fandom and how much love I have for all the Adar devotees of planet earth!

The pull of the uruk daddy is undeniable, and I hope we keep flailing and swooning and screaming gloriously together all through Season 2 and beyond!

LONG LIVE ADAR, AND HERE'S TO ALL OF US!!!!!

[deus-sema]

Another reason why that Elrond/Galadriel kiss was unnecessary, besides the obvious ones, is that it would distract the audience from what is otherwise the most powerful and riveting episode in the entire show so far. That scene was meant for shock value and it served its purpose but there is also a downside to it because, for whatever reasons, many are going to focus on that instead of the plethora of outstanding performances that were delivered by the actors complimented by good writing.

Every scene with Annatar and Celebrimbor, both individually and together

Elrond and Durin's conversation

Adar's love for his children and his desperation to end Sauron

Galadriel and Celebrimbor's conversation

The last stand of the Elves

Elrond's heartbreaking scene in the end

Each of these scenes were so masterfully enacted and deserve all the hype and attention.

Not to forget, the direction and music was par excellence. All hail Charlotte Brändström and Bear McCreary.

[adarswidow]

All hail Adar

[adm-starblitzsteel-4305]

Kiko: hey astra, check this out. *throws tree really far

Astra: awwwww lucky! All i can do is this. *atomic breath*

Kiko, has stars in his eyes: WOAH! THAT'S SO COOL!

Astra: Thanks.

Batzilla, scoffs: Oh please! That's pathetic! Here! *grows crystals using his bioluminiscence* Haha! Who's the strongest now?!

Lalahon: That's it? Your powers are ridiculous than ours!

Adar: We're even better than yours!

Lahamu: NUH-UH! I AM WAY MORE BETTER THAN ALL OF YOU!

Sunspot: NO NO NO! YOU'RE ALL PROVEN WRONG! I, MYSELF, IS THE MOST POWERFUL TITAN ACROSS THE WORLD! I CAN CREATE STRONGEST STORMS, I CAN RAIN DOWN HAIL WITH FIRE, I BREATHE LAVA, AND MOST OF ALL, I CAN FLY ACROSS THE SPACE!

Everybody: ...

Astra: I CAN FLY TO THE GALAXY ONWARDS DUDE. Because I AM THE ANGEL OF STARS AND SOON TO BE GODDESS!

[chirpovs]

seen the episode 3 times and taken a full business day to gather my thoughts

hwfg

i wanna preface this by saying i'm not mad just kinda disappointed, mostly because eps 5-7 were absolute bangers and this... was not

The Good

- man some beautiful visuals of king durin vs the balrog

- i'm kinda fine with theo now? i think he's less annoying now that his mum's dead

- look i have generally not been a fan of repurposed scenes from the films but the Narsil scene had me, ngl

- sauron do not with that wet cat poor little meow meow when you just skewered celebrimbor

- 10/10 fight between galadriel and sauron and also really funny of him to change back into his halbrand form which is clearly the one galadriel finds sexiest

- i'll take 10 more eps of feral elrond pls

- gil-galad knowing peace because galadriel was passed the fuck out, truly dad energy there

- rivendell at the end, it's beautiful, it's a safe haven, it will be a refuge for all, i could have sobbed

The Bad

- look i just genuinely do not care about isildur and estrid as a plot point?

- i'm kinda confused because they were all "miriel survived the trial, all hail the sea queen" to "she's not the real queen"? like i guess that pharazon is still king, but as a casual viewer i think i'd be confused

- it feels like there must have been a lot on the cutting room floor because some scenes were just a little well that doesn't track from the last episode. for example, arondir going from being stabbed to just being fine?

- very big not fan of the "the staff chooses you" line because it feels too much like "the wand chooses the wizard" and we all know jkr is a massive cunt

The Ugly

- there were too many plotlines. the best episodes of this show are the ones where the plotlines are limited and the stories pretty contained. unfortunately being the finale, this meant that all the plotlines were mentioned and it didn't really work? especially because some of the cuts were pretty fuckin jarring, like going from the eregion plotline to the harfoot plotline was heavy mood whiplash

- nobody was given the space to breathe and not in a good way. all the arcs seemed oddly rushed? like straight from the start, the balrog is weirdly rushed where i would have liked to have seen that fight more drawn out. there are too many things to keep a hold of in this episode and as a result, what we do keep ahold of is very short. i really think that the season could have used 1-2 more episodes and it would have flowed much better

- who the fuck is adar? why add so many teases, why add all his references to elven history, why add him saying that he used to go by another name, why add all of this to give us literally nothing? like i don't even care if he's like someone relevant or not, but why make so many references just to gives us nothing? 

- what happened to celebrimbor's fate being in elrond's hands? there is never actually a moment when it is (i mean i guess kinda by extenuating circumstance, but not really), so what was the point of multiple references to this premonition? also with celebrimbor i feel like weirdly robbed that no one reacted to his death? like i fully had a post prepped going "if i have to watch elrond watch celebrimbor be celebrimbannered with my own two eyes" just to have his death literally never be referenced at all by anyone??? 

Other thoughts

- celebrimbanner more like celebrimpincushion

- kemen u bitch

- isildur should get to punch kemen, as a treat

- the way that i fully thought they were gonna reveal adar to be celeborn in that moment, like they fully had me going 

[inappropriatemetalfilth]

“When Lord Father is present and you suddenly remember your posture” or  “HIERARCHY AND URUKS” That unnamed uruk really grew a lot in the moment he had his back straightened. “Fabio” looks way more unfazed by Adar´s entrance, but even he has a moment of lowering his head lightly. The last post mentioned their hand gestures and bowing (x), which certainly indicate that Adar has an unmatched position of authority.  Bowing - Do they do this on their own accord? - Is there some kind of protocol, military courtesy, court ceremonial established? - If so did Adar set the rules?   - Is it remnants of how they had to live under Morgoth and Sauron?  Rank and Titles  On the wonderful JM Discord I´ve already wondered, if or how interchangeable “Adar” and “Lord Father” are. (Gratitude and Thanks for the conversation go to @niennawept @astro-gnome, @bluestaratsunrise!)  While the uruks do use the word “Adar” to a) talk about him, b) announce him, or c) when they chant it, I do think, he´s only ever addressed once by someone with “Adar” instead of “Lord Father”. Adar or Lord Father - Is it completely interchangeable? - Is it personal preference?  - Is there a component of rank or status (some uruks are allowed to use Adar´s name, while others are restricted to use his title)? - Is it a matter of formal / informal or on duty / off duty use?  - Do they even have concepts like formal or duty? Or is life just life? (They use the term “sun duty”, but do they have designated leisure “off times”?) Adar - One thing that could point to a situational use is, that we (correct me if I´m wrong) only hear Magrot say “Adar” to his face when addressing him (1x04). This could perhaps have even been a “last wish” kind of thing. Only in this last moment of his, Magrot is allowed or is allowing himself to address Adar directly by his name. Pure speculation aside, it might just be due to an informal situation, Magrot´s status, or because there actually isn´t any taboo or any reservation about addressing Adar by his name going on.  - Revion and Arondir obviously hear the uruks say “Adar”  - Vrath and Lurka [Grugzûk?] are having their “For Adar” conversation (1x03) - “Wait! Bring him to Adar." (1x03) - Bazur´s announcement: “Magrot! Adar...” (1x04)  - The chanting of his name (1x03/1x04,1x07) - Waldreg: “Hail Adar, Lord of the South lands!” (1x07) As @niennawept has pointed out with Waldreg there might be an additional factor for him using the title when he addresses Adar directly: he might not want to use an elven word, and thus mostly refrain from saying “Adar”. Lord Father  - Waldreg uses the title to address him directly: ”Meaning no offense, Lord-father” (1x06),“Lord-father! You must move now!” (1x06), “What should we call it instead, Lord-father?" (1x07) - It might also point to situational use, that every time when Grugzûk is addressing Adar, he is doing so while reporting: “Lord-father... We found it. It's in the tower." (Warg Scene 1x04), “The tunnel is complete, my lord. (...) Like fire, Lord-father.” (Sun Scene 1x05) - Bazur using “Yes, Father.” (1x06) in Ostirith is doing so in a formal/duty situation as well.  - When Theo escapes an uruk orders: “You! Send word to Lord-father." (1x04) Uruks and authority Among the uruks other than Adar we have the couple with official and unofficial names that seem to have some authority over others, even among the unnamed ones we - e.g. have this one giving directions to another (x) to branch out and search their surroundings.  - In Ostirith Grugzûk is giving a command: “Open that door!“ (1x06) - Bazur is leading the (for a lack of a better word) ceremony for Magrot and has e.g. in Ostirith a clear leadership role, not just when he is relaying Adar´s orders  “All of you! Fan out! Find them!” (1x06). - In the scene with the quarrel over the tree, the way Magrot is sauntering into the scene and all others are looking at him (the uruks seemingly just as curious about how he will handle this situation (x), as the humans and elves are) very much imply that he is in charge there. - Before Arondir is almost killed, one of the uruks (Lurka is listed in the script, but it sounds like Bazur? [and might be another one]) is taking charge when he decides that Arondir shouldn´t be killed but brought to Adar ("Wait! Bring him to Adar." 1x03). - However there is one conversation that might indicate, that the authority structures or ranks among them might not be that rigid: “Lurka [?] : You there! Anchor him. Toss him out with the rest. Vrath: You toss him out with the rest. I had sun duty yesterday. Lurka [?]: You'll stay in the sun till you're black as coal if Adar wills it. (**)    Vrath: For Adar, then. But not for you!” “For Adar.”   (1x03) If the names in the script are correct [Edit: Thanks to @circe007 we know now they well might not be (x)] Lurka [Grugzûk] thinks he can order Vrath around, Vrath has a different opinion on the matter.  I do find the “you there” odd, does Lurka [Grugzûk] not know Vrath´s name? If they are of the same or similar rank, as the show kinda makes it appear, wouldn´t they have been around each other and know their names?  - But them having a word like “boss” certainly proves that there is some formalized, structural concept of hierarchy:   “Orc: Leave no stone unturned. Orc: Boss will skin us alive if we don't find him. [Theo] Orc 2: Boss is the one who lost him in the first place.” (1x04) The boss in this case must be Vrath, who encountered Theo with the sword hilt and then lost him. In general in this chaotic searching situation some ordering is going on (but often it is unclear who is saying what) such as “Kishdibatot / Search it.”. While they do have some forms of hierarchy, the term "boss" is used and some of the uruks are shown to be in charge in some way, we don´t get to know a lot about how uruk culture works in that regard. Which I´m fine with, that uncertainty after all allows some headcanons, but I´d be so curious about a couple of things:  - How much, or if they (higher or lower ranks or equal uruks) are involved in the decisions making process and planning, or if the “boss” uruks are solely/mostly handling and organizing whatever situation or battle is at hand, basically like a cog in the command chain?  - I´m still curious how the plan Galadriel reads about in scripts in Númenor (x), came to be, who originated it and how did Adar learn about it? And in this light, if it was discussed with the other uruks? Did they have a conversation about how they wanted to proceed once Sauron was out of the picture? Was the plan one they always wanted to follow through with (because the sun hurts) or did they grow tired of living in the world as it is, facing hostilities and then turned to that option?  - And you know .. just in general how does that society function? How do they handle conflict? Is equality a thing? Is one uruk heart worth the same as another?  Additional Question:  ** Why is Adar being used as a bit of a boogeyman figure and somewhat of a meanie or threat here? Surely an unquestioned boogeyman, one they´d do everything for, not even second guessing, but still a boogeyman?  Really wondering about this, especially in light of the fandom portraying Adar so much as a benevolent, loving father figure (despite the sun scorching moment, or sending some to be cannon fodder (x) and because of incredibly heartbreaking emotional moments like the one with Magrot, his speech before the battle or words to Galadriel, or generally his mission to give them a home free of sunlight).  | The Rings of Power | 01x06 "Udûn" |  Adar (Joseph Mawle), “Fabio” (Jed Brophy), Unnamed Uruk |

[beyonddarkness]

Hello. What does second age Sauron want? To control the hearts and minds of the most powerful beings in Arda through creation of the rings of power and to take back Mordor from Adar. I don't think he is personally going to visit Pelargir to seduce Bronwyn, in my opinion. I think Bronwyn is experiencing a false sense of relief and awe, even if he mentions her by name. Also Arondir could be experiencing a general discomfort around Sauron but it doesn't mean an additional storyline results.

Continuing my rant: Sauron's very presence, since he is coming out in the open, is bleeding into every storyline. However, what does he really want in the 2nd age? To dominate the most powerful beings so they are his servants/ slaves so he can heal Arda, since he believes he is a God/king and only he knows best. I could be off base but that is where I see his arc. Also, he has a bone to pick with Galadriel still according to the show(hiding elven rings?) Also, what about Celebrimbor/Annatar?

One more observation: That whole scene with Sauron introduced as king of the Southlands shows the audience 1. how he basks in their adoration 2. Galadriel ENCOURAGING this 3. Demonstrating visually, through the scene itself, Sauron's craving of adoration and power as the God/King. I saw it more as the Southlanders being just the beginning for him. Next, he plans on forcing the most powerful beings to feel the same way, against their will using the rings of power. Thanks for letting me rant.

I would go even further and say that Sauron ultimately wants to control the hearts and minds of ALL beings in Arda. He does that by means of deceiving the most powerful beings, but they aren't the only ones he wants to subdue. There are still Nine Rings for mortal men. Men aren't very powerful by nature, but the same nine Men who receive those Rings become "kings, sorcerers, and warriors of old"—Sauron's most terrible servants.

He has much to do—as Annatar and god/king: reconquering lands from Adar; making rings with Celebrimbor; keeping an Eye on Galadriel and continually pestering her mind for the next three thousand years; deceiving Elves, Dwarves, and Men; securing dominion in the East, etc.

I agree with your three points of what that Promised King scene shows the audience, but I don't think that's all it shows. I think it implies a lot more.

There are several significant implications to Sauron's use of Bronwyn's name. If you want to know exactly why, you can see my longer explanation in this relog. Essentially, what Sauron calls someone depends on how close he is, was, or wants to be to them. He never called anyone by their name except for Morgoth, Galadriel, Celebrimbor, and Bronwyn. The first three make sense, but Bronwyn seems kind of random, until you see this face:

From that, the question arises:

"Why?"

He made that face before Bronwyn's admiration manifested, and he didn't start basking in the glory until after everyone said "all hail." Arondir's suspicion would be the continuation of his (Arondir's) storyline, rather than an additional storyline. It would have an extremely significant impact on the trajectory of both Bronwyn and Theo, if he warned them that this guy isn't who he says he is. As far as the possibility goes of him witnessing something that Sauron did, it would be the reason for his distrust, instead of a general discomfort coming out of nowhere.

Bronwyn happened to be in a position of leadership upon Sauron's arrival, but if he was already going to be King, why would he have to pay any attention to her? Well, she was in that position in the first place because of her notable influence on her people—which is the type of person that Sauron tends to target (like Gil-galad and Ar-Pharazôn, though one of those attempts was more successful than the other). He is still the king of the Southlands, and we know that he will rule over Men even after they know who he is.

"Elsewhere Sauron reigned, and those who would be free took refuge in the fastnesses of wood and mountain, and ever fear pursued them. [<- probably going to include Bronwyn at some point] In the east and south well nigh all Men were under his dominion, and they grew strong in those days and built many towns and walls of stone, and they were numerous and fierce in war and armed with iron. To them Sauron was both king and god; and they feared him exceedingly, for he surrounded his abode with fire" (Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age).

The same people who hailed Sauron king are all in Pelargir, and he's not done with them yet; so I think it's more than likely that he's going to personally go to Pelargir. He still has to convince some to accept Rings. Bronwyn, Arondir, and Theo aren't going to be pushed into the background after their prominent storylines in Season 1.

One of the things we can bank on, is that nothing in the show is just a "side thing" (or a trailer gimmick, like I've seen some people say about the Balrog, despite Patrick saying that "there's a lot of story to be told there").

"Every line everyone says is there for a reason..." (Patrick).

What I really like about the show is that there is no recurring character that is a mere "side character" (heck, even Thondir and Valandil are significantly influential). Regardless of the presence of a name (or lack thereof) in the lore, everything ties into the larger stakes. Many of us thought that Halbrand was just a cool, rogue character, who most likely had no significant impact on the lore, aside from being a past acquaintance of Galadriel's, or maybe being the Witch King or the King of the Dead.

And look what happened:

So, we ask: "What historical impact are Bronwyn and Arondir going to leave on Arda? Why are they in the story?"

As I said in yesterday's post, there is a template with which we can predict a character's ending—Is a character gazing up, or downward? Unfortunately, Theo is utterly failing to "lift [his] aim," despite all of the warnings he's been given, which will come back to bite him if he's not careful.

And...

...if I may be so bold...

...what better reason for the Witch King to be seduced to Sauron's allegiance in the first place, than to have been born to a mother who fell in love with an Elf—a relationship that guarantees a tragic ending? We have to wonder how Bronwyn and Arondir's impending doom will affect Theo.

(I know I can't just say that Theo is going to be the Witch King, without giving substantial evidence, but trust me. I'm not done yet.)

[mutifandomlover]

30 DAYS WRITING CHALLENGE.

Day 24:Use the words:Crown, dance, smile.

From:@creativepromptsforwriting.

Title:Coronation Day.

"Okay, you can this."

"It's only just you standing in front of a ton of people and dancing with your fiance, nothing too crazy."

Zaseem looked at himself in the mirror. He wore his brand new attire. A white tunic with a gold trim, white baggy pants, and curly-toed brown shoes. He had a gold ring on his finger, which was an engagement ring. He fixed his black hair as his fiance came into the room.

"Hi dear."

"Good morning, Layla."

Zaseem takes her hand and kisses it lightly.

"How are you this morning?"

"I'm quite excited. This'll be the first big celebration that I get to attend with my husband."

"We're not married yet dear."

"We will be soon."

Layla had white skin just like her husband and amber eyes. Her long black hair went past her shoulders to her waist. Her attire consisted of an orange top, a yellow transparent skirt, white baggy pants, and yellow ribbon with orange sandals. On her head was a gold head crown with an orange jewel. She had gold earrings with orange jewels on her ears. Around her arms were gold armlets with a transparent orange ribbon attached to both ends. Around her face was a transparent orange veil held together by a golden chain. On her ring finger was a gold ring, which was her engagement ring.

Layla played with Zaseem's hair as he was fixing his outfit in the mirror. He turned to her with a nervous look on his face.

"Do I look okay?"

"You look fine dear."

"Come on, they're probably wondering where we are."

"Right."

Zaseem took his fiance's arm, and they walked to the throne room together. In the throne room waiting for him was his mother, Liza, and his father, Adar.

"There you are my boy!"

Adar placed his hands on his son's shoulder and smiled. He took Zaseem to the other end of the hall, and Layla stayed with her soon to be mother in law.

"Ready kid?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Deep breath kid, you're gonna be just fine."

"Yeah."

Zaseem gave his father a smile as they went back to where the throne was. The room became filled with people as the ceremony started.

"My people, we are gathered here today to celebrate the crowning of Prince Zaseem."

"All rise for the Prince's arrival."

Zaseem walked down the hall to the throne where his wife and parents were standing. His father held out a book, and Zaseem placed his hand on it before repeating the oath that his father said aloud.

"I shall rise to the role of a leader not for power, not for glory, but for wisdom and protection. I will provide protection and the needs of survival for my people. I will not abuse my power for my own gains. I will be a beacon to guide all, both family and subjects."

"Do you swear on this oath for the rest of your life?"

"Yes, I do."

Zaseem bowed his head down as his father placed the crown on his head. He turned to the crowd and gave them a smile as they cheered.

"All hail the king!"

Zaseem sat down next to his fiance and sighed. He wiped the sweat off his brow.

"Finally, the worst of it is over with."

"See?"

"You did great."

The celebration continued on in the ballroom. People danced and talked with one another. Music played, and the servants served food and wine to the guests. Zaseem held out his hand to Layla.

"May I have this dance?"

"Of course."

Layla took his hand, and they danced for a while before sitting down and eating dinner. While they were eating, a mysterious stranger in purple and gold robes entered the palace. Zaseem noticed the stranger standing in the room. Their eyes met each other's gaze, and the stranger was beckoning for Zaseem to go with him.

"I'll be right back."

Zaseem got up from his seat, and Layla pulled his arm.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm just going to get some fresh air really quick, I'll be right back, okay?"

"Alright."

Zaseem went to where the stranger was.

The man sat down on one of the pillows in Zaseem's room. He sat with his hands on his knees and his legs crossed. Zaseem stood at the doorway of his room. The stranger looked up at him with a smirk on his face.

"Well, well, I didn't think that you would actually follow me here."

"And I didn't think that you'd have the guts to return here."

The man laughed and beckoned for Zaseem to join. Zaseem hesitantly sat down across from him.

"What are you doing here Solomon?"

"It's a special day for my little brother, why wouldn't I come?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"*sighs* Since when were you so demanding?"

"Since someone decided to get himself exiled, and suddenly I have to be in charge when I never wanted to?!"

Solomon pulled down his hood to reveal his brown hair and silver eyes. He pulled something out of a bag and held it out towards Zaseem.

"I have something for you, your majesty."

"What is that?"

"You know very well what it is my dearest brother."

In Solomon's hands was a gold and silver lamp. The jewel embedded in the middle was seven different colors, those colors being red, yellow, green, light blue, blue, purple, and white. Zaseem looked at the lamp. He was surprised by his brother's discovery.

"How did you find that?"

"It took a long time for me to find, but I was lucky to find it in a cave."

"I remembered that you would always talk about it when we were younger and how helpful it would be if you had a bit of magic on your side, so, I decided to try and find it as a present if you will."

"Go on, take it, it's yours to keep forever."

Zaseem took the lamp from Solomon's hands and looked back at his brother.

"*clears throat* Thank you, Solomon, you didn't have to do this."

"But I did because I loved my brother."

Solomon hugged Zaseem for a minute before they heard a voice in the hallway.

"Honey, are you coming?"

"Yes dear, I'll be there in a second."

"I better get going, take care brother."

Solomon left through the window, and Zaseem made his way back to the throne room. He hid the lamp in his room before heading back and sat down with his fiance.

The party ended soon after, and the couple kissed each other goodnight before heading off to their rooms. Zaseem took the lamp out of its hiding place and examined it. He didn't think it was possible, but he had all of this power in his possession. He had found a genie to command.

[mai-komagata]

Hmmm... I don't know how to pinpoint the issue I'm having here. I don't think Galadriel was treated by Sauron in the same way he treated Adar or Celebrimbor, but I also don't think anyone is saying that. Because I have always insisted that what is interesting about Sauron is he manipulates each person in a *different* way, to suit their personalities -- and that is what makes him not a flat villain but a mirror. Galadriel is treated like an equal because that is what she craves more than anything. Celebrimbor is lovebombed because being treated as special is what he craves. I don't think Galadriel is some helpless damsel in distress -- and I think it would be very hard to make one of the most prominent women in fantasy "de-exceptionalized" -- Galadriel is exceptional by her very nature, regardless of her relationship to Sauron. I think when people say "sauron is evil as both halbrand and annatar" people sorta imagine people are saying "he is a mustachioed twirling villain with no other internal motivation other than generic evil", and that is not it at all. Sauron wants to be in the orbit of amazing and powerful people to achieve amazing things. Halbrand is repeatedly shown as having that motivation, and it is true that by watching *who Halbrand shows favor to* and *who he treats with contempt* you get a very clear picture of who he is. And there is nobody more amazing to him *at first* than Galadriel. I think it overly villainizes Galadriel to say she was using Halbrand in the same way he was using her. He is very deliberately lying to her until the point when he can no longer sustain the lie. He knows she is hunting Sauron and he knows he is deceiving her about that fact the whole way through. She, on the other hand, is very clear about her intentions with how a man from the southlands can help her attain an army, and he delivers for her.* Sauron is at no point deceived by what Galadriel is doing and is egging her on. Had he been an ordinary man, the situation would very much not have been one of equals at all. But Halbrand is never an ordinary man, he is always fully consciously Sauron. Crucially, I don't think Galadriel's ambition/vendetta means she deserves to have been catfished by Sauron. But I don't think there is a power imbalance in their relationship either, and I think that is what Gennifer is saying -- not like Mirdania, for example, or even with Celebrimbor, that knows he is working with a Maiar and feels cowed by it. I think there is a desire to express this as binaries -- either Galadriel is a victim or she is a victimizer. Or that Sauron is doing evil or doing good. Sauron has goals. Galadriel has goals. Their goals aligned for season 1 and they use each other to further those goals. Their partnership is very utilitarian. He was still very pointedly trying to deceive her about his identity in the hopes of dissuading her from her goals and having her perpetually under his thrall. But that is a long term objective -- not something he was acting towards specifically until s1e8. *I also think people interpret the line of Sauron "offering her an army" to refer to his offer to make her his queen at the end of the season. At that point the gig is up, that offer is a last hail mary pass. I think that was more in reference to the rest of the events of season 1, when they are trying to convince Numenor to go to war, and later enlist the men of the southlands. She's definitely obfuscating his later offer when talking to Adar, but what Sauron did for most of Season 1 was get her an army. (also, if you are confused as to *why* people try to equate Celebrimbor and Galadriel or Adar and Galadriel, it is not to diminish or make Galadriel into a victim. It is to elevate a more queer reading of Sauron's actions by equating it to a more visible straight relationship, which is something that predates RoP as an interpretation of his character. Two things can be true at once -- Galadriel isn't a damsel in distress and there are parallels in the narrative between these relationships).

Gennifer Hutchison who's a writer for TROP said that Sauron and Galadriel's relationship is different. She called it a relationship of equals. She went on to say that it's unlike the love bombing and manipulations of Celebrimbor in the second season. Galadriel is also using Halbrand in the first season which supports her point.

So why is there the insistence to de-exceptionalize Galadriel and insist that every way Sauron used and victimized Celebrimbor or even Adar can be transmitted to her?

The showrunners said that you've gotten to know Sauron by watching Halbrand.

Why the insistence then that the show started in s2 and Annatar is the way to understand Sauron's relationships? There's two seasons to watch with no need to make things up.

Galadriel isn't just prey that the dastardly villain preyed on that many of you want to make her be. A large part of s2 included her own culpability being listed for you and a large part of s1 included her agenda to take a human she met and use him as a tool against Sauron. She was telling this man she met he was very special, destined for greater things, and that their meeting was fate. Does the fact that he turned out to be Sauron erase the power differential she believed existed between an elf of her stature and a human?

From my point of view, many are forcing Galadriel into the box of female victim beyond what's on screen.

[baddybaddyadardaddy]

THIS IS ALL I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT UNTIL THE DAY I DIE THAT'S ALL.

[emarasmoak]

Charlie Vickers teases what to expect from Sauron in ‘The Rings Of Power’ season two. The breakout actor playing Tolkien's Dark Lord speaks out

Some pretty awesome hints on what is to come in season 2 and Charlie's hopes for his character.

Just two months ago, Charlie Vickers was a complete unknown – cast as a brand-new character in TV’s most expensive show ever, The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power. Since then, and thanks to playing Middle-earth’s most mysterious character yet, he’s shot to stardom, jumped onto magazine covers and grabbed the attention of all the right people. You might call him 2022’s breakout star to rule them all.

In The Rings Of Power, he plays Halbrand – a dashing young man with a murky past. It felt like he was one of the show’s main heroes. But as the series progressed, a shadow lengthened about him and he started acting suspiciously. The finale revealed that Halbrand is actually the dark lord Sauron in disguise.

With fans already looking towards season two (filming of which recently got underway), we met up with Vickers to find out about what’s still to come.

Hey Charlie, it’s been a pretty big week for you!

“Yeah it has been! I did some interviews this morning and then I went to the gym, went to a cafe, and did a bit of work on scenes I’m filming next week for the second season.”

Now everyone knows you’re Sauron, do you get strangers coming up to you?

“Yeah, they shout kill him! [laughs] No, that hasn’t happened yet but anyone that has said something has always been very nice.”

When did you find out you were Sauron?

“It was half-way through shooting. They took me onto the set in the Northern Waste which Galadriel discovers in the first episode. There are orcs stuck in walls. It’s nasty. They took me in there and they didn’t hail me or anything, they just said: ‘This is your kingdom, this is where you’ve been hanging out – you’re Sauron’. And I was like ‘holy shit!’”

Had you had an inkling?

“Morfydd [Clark, who plays Galadriel] and I were both theorising from the start. We chemistry tested together a couple of times and we were like ‘there’s something going on here’. I auditioned playing Satan from Paradise Lost and Richard III!”

Looking back on season one it’s clear Adar, played by Joseph Mawle, nearly recognises Halbrand as Sauron…

“Yeah, Joseph and I worked really hard in creating that story and it’s something we see more of in the second season. We see Adar and Sauron’s time and how they first connected. Adar’s going to have to do some saying sorry at some point though [for what he did in season one].”

And what about the connection between Sauron and the Stranger, played by Daniel Weyman?

“I’m not sure that Sauron knows that an Istar [the Stranger] has been sent from Valinor. We know [from Tolkien’s writings] that they were sent in the Second Age [when The Rings Of Power is set]. The Blue Wizards were sent and for the record I’m not sure if the Stranger is Gandalf. I know everyone thinks it is, but I genuinely don’t know. Of course he has some lines which mirror what Gandalf says [in Peter Jackson’s film trilogy] but I genuinely don’t know. I don’t think Sauron’s aware of that yet. He may have felt some disturbance when [the Stranger] crash-landed [in episode one]. He may have felt something because of course The Stranger is a Maia too. I think he will be a very troublesome foe in the future because he’s the closest thing to Sauron in Middle-earth in terms of power. I hope there’s some kind of dynamic to come there.”

What else can you tell us about season two – what can we expect from Sauron?

“All I can say is we’re getting into the meat of it now. The world has been established in season one and now we can get into the lore. I’m talking about the stuff at the heart of The Rings Of Power: the Akalabeth [the downfall of the kingdom of Numenor]. Sauron is out there now and there’s no longer any questions or theories about who he is – which is a shame for some I guess. We’re gonna be with him while he’s doing shit, while he’s out there manipulating people and taking on the elves.”

Eventually, he’s going to have to transform into the Sauron we know – would you be willing to get in the suit yourself?

“I have thought about that. When we get to the fifth season, am I going to have to look for another job? It’s one of those things. What did they do in The Mandalorian [when Pedro Pascal took off the helmet]?”

I guess it’s more like Obi Wan Kenobi, when Hayden Christensen suited up for Darth Vader after playing Anakin Skywalker…

“I would love to do that. I would love to do some acting through a suit, even if it’s just with prosthetics and not actually Sauron’s famous big suit [from the films]. There’s so many cool things that our Sauron could be at that stage. I’ve seen interpretations of him when he’s been deformed and artist drawings when he could no longer take his fair form [as Halbrand]. I loved it. So fingers crossed I can eke more time out on the show!”

Tell us about the promised two-episode battle we’re getting next season…

“I haven’t read that yet. I think it comes towards the end of the season. We’ve only got the first three scripts, three episodes. But [showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay] told me about it and it’s super exciting. The best thing is it’s in the lore. If you go to the appendices, you’ll see what’s about to happen. I think it’s going to be pretty epic.”

[baddybaddyadardaddy]

ALL HAIL ADAR

In this house, we respect Adar, a linguistic polyglot king.

[elerondo]

In the midst of the Angmar War, after the Second Siege of Imladris, Elrond sends Arwen to Lorien to summon the Galadhrim.

A THICK AND STIFLING ATMOSPHERE HAD SETTLED OVER RIVENDELL . No elves sang in the Hall of Fire, they were all mailed from top to toe. Various temporary barracks were set up for the cleaning and polishing of armaments, and to suit up at a moment’s notice. Some of them did not even bother to change out of their bottom plates when they were recalled from the borders.

Elrond held an audience under a converted canopy. Its usual fair and wooded scenery now adorned in the rich colours of the House of Fingolfin, with royal blue painting the satin cloth under the roof. On the top of the shelter flew two flags; one was the gold trimmed flag of Gil-galad’s Radiant Star, the other was the House of the White Wing, symbolising the seat of Tuor of fallen Gondolin. A staunch reminder that the race of the Elves would protect the race of Man, whatever the costs.

Its space was now occupied by an oak desk, and its side benches were filled with an assortment of items. Wine, files, and leftover bread to name a few. It was guarded by two elven warriors all day and night, rotating in the evening. Those chosen were from a select few who had sworn their allegiance to Elrond in secret after the Last Alliance. They saw the Lord as High King, surviving Gil-galad, but this was only known to those closest to Elrond. In public, they were simply Wardens of the Vale. They were styled by one brown feather aside their sharp helmets, like hawks.

Runaduin, the captain of them, bellowed out the latest visitor. ❝ Hail, Maethedir, second captain of Lindon’s guards! ❞

Maethedir nodded his regards quickly, holding his helmet at the side of his hip. ❝ Lord Elrond, the North Downs are overrun, as you know. My lord Cirdan requests for an additional sortie from Imladris, ❞ Maethedir bowed his head and looked to his feet. ❝ Fornost will be lost very soon, my lord. ❞

❝ I hold the borders of Arthedain in my palms, and Rivendell has just come out of a siege. Why does Cirdan ask this? I can spare no more captains. ❞ Elrond knew that he would answer it regardless. But, with how stretched the resources were on all fronts, he needed to know just how dire the situation was. ❝ Can lord Cirdan answer for the borders of Arthedain? Can you? ❞

Already Elrond was looking back at the map on his desk. He had always tried to keep the shuffling of the troops balanced, making sure that the Valley was still adequately defended despite the aid that he had sent out. No decisions were made without surety, or with only emotions clouding his judgement.

❝ No, my lord. We have lost two contingents at the North Downs and the men are losing. We are outnumbered. ❞

❝ And you have lost also the captains of those two contingents? ❞

❝Yes.❞

Elrond stood with worry visibly creasing his brows, but he did not wish to give an answer. ❝ I will consider my options. ❞ No definite response, no false hopes.

Maethedir insisted on staying, wanting to convince. ❝ Please, lord Elrond— ❞ but Runaduin bellowed out, ❝ Assembly finished! ❞ and Elrond raised a hand, waving Maethedir away. Heightened frustration clung to his shoulders as he saw the white coat of arms of Gondor enter Rivendell. Was it fell news, or was it aid? He could only wait and see now, but Elrond turned his back for a short moment, needing a breath of fresh air as he scanned the encampment and buildings.

❝ Hail, lady Arwen of Rivendell! ❞ Runaduin spoke up then, to Elrond’s surprise.

❝ What…? ❞ he turned quickly. ❝ Arwen…! ❞ it was a half greeting, half defeated sigh as the frown on his countenance remained. His shoulders slouched. She should not be seeing him this way.

❝ Adar, ❞ Arwen came up the steps and greeted Elrond with a hand on his arm. ❝ It pains me that the lands are so troubled, but you must remember to be gentle to yourself. ❞

The machinations of his mind paused only slightly at her soft words, and he was reminded to keep his composure. It was all he could do after all, amidst the war and death flooding into Eriador once more. His expression softened, but no less worried. For his daughter, he would try.

Elrond pulled her into the shelter quickly, father and daughter like magnets to each other really. But, there was some business he needed to take care of before anything else, and so he stepped towards the entrance while keeping Arwen’s hand firmly in his. Elrond addressed one of the Wardens, ❝ Sadorel, summon Elladan to the War room and have him ready my armour. Sound the alarm to muster the remaining cavalry. ❞ The warden turned to Elrond, bowed, and made haste to his mission.

❝ Runaduin, I am in private audience. ❞

The captain nodded, and then assumed a position in the middle of the stairway as a block to any potential interruptions. There were little emergencies considered to be more important than his daughter.

When Elrond turned back to face her, his eyes were of firesmoke and resolution, having come to the conclusion of what he must do. ❝ Forgive me, Arwen. You must go to Lorien. ❞ Aid must be sought from the Galadhrim, and the best representative he could send in his stead was his dear, sweet daughter. Elladan must hold the ring when Elrond marches against Angmar. ❝ The hawks will ride with you. ❞

[marinecorvid]

Finally finished pokemon white (beating alder. Twice actually bc I wasn’t satisfied w my first run through) and Hilda <3 in my heart she’s a grungy carabiner-utilizer who wears the same clothes until they’re no longer wearable. The first thing she bought for herself with her first league paycheck was get a classic pair of doc martens (also has freckles. Very important). extensive headcanons under the cut

In my head all the games events happened over the course of a little over a year (starting from late 2011 autumn/winter cusp to early 2013 winter/spring) though plasma was metaphorically poking the bear for years prior until it reached a boiling point, coincidentally just when she finally had the chance to have a fun road trip with her gf and mean gay bestie. (Cheren chasing plasma thru castelia city: LETS GO LESBIANS! RUNNING THROUGH CASTELIA WITH A PACK OF WILD LESBIANS)

has a tendency to be blunt to the point of rudeness. tries to stay in her lane, but will finish shit if you start it. short temper, but very devoted to her friends n family, love language is acts of service. perpetually tired feeling, resting bitch face, but has a fun streak her pokemon and younger cousins (foremost being nate) can easily draw out. worked on her family’s tepig farm prior to going out into the world from the time she was young and doing a short stint in customer service rather than physical labor changed her for the worse (people disregarding rules abt where they can and cant go in the barns, feeding the pokemon outside food, nearly falling in the pignite paddock etc etc) and lowered her patience reserves to near zero. ran track in high school, grew up going to tailgate parties and bonfires and drinking cheap beer someone’s older brother bought bc there’s nothing better to do. adventuring out in unova and being in The Nature really decreases her stress and makes her general demeanor much less agitated/snappish

gets a little better on the mildly judgemental but “that’s none of my business” thing she’s got going after the N/Ghetsis final fight; dual character development of N and Hilda learning that someone else’s different worldview/way of thinking isn’t inherently bad/weird. simultaneously embraces and resents hero of ideals status; embraces giving in to her desires and wants and getting involved in stuff because she wants to (eldest daughter syndrome/grew up in a financially challenged household so didn’t apply to any college or technical school bc she didn’t want to put any financial strain on the household), but resents being initially shoved into the position by N and eventually the league.

she also resents technically being hailed as champion after beating N (who was also technically champion) but the board of directors made a rule deciding champion titles awarded with legendaries don’t count due to their godlike abilities in battle and told her if she wants to count as champion she has to fight them again without zekrom. (words can’t describe how angry-indignant she was. you practically strongarm her into the position then tell her actually she doesn’t get the respect and benefits and dignity?? cheren’s ears were ringing)

i know some ppl headcanon her as kinda getting along with N during the game and trying to reason with him, but not this hilda. girl was down to kick ass from first impromptu battle. N has to trick her with a zoroark illusion to get him on that ferris wheel and she nearly socks him in the face for it. only until Ghetsis earns his #1 father of the year award does it really sink in oh wow this guy was actually just a tool his whole life

used a variety of pokemon early in journey, releasing some and trading others to less intensive trainers locally once they felt they reached a threshold of battling they weren’t comfortable with. most consistent pokemon she’s had with her are neidr the serperior, llyffant the seismitoad, and gantroed the scolipede, eventually joined by adar the archeops, ysbryd the jellicent, and minipete the emolga for the final VS N battle. felt immense pressure to have a “competitive” battle team after passing driftveil city, kinda had a breakdown, chilled out and stayed with the pokemon she had connections with.

however, does restructure her team post-Ghetsis bc one) very rough battle, long term recovery and two) realistically if she wants to continue battling professionally/competitively, she doesn’t want pokemon not interested in battling so intensely to get hurt. she adds 4 new pokemon to the party, keeping neidr and llyffant: tyranitar, galvantula, haxorus, hydreigon. her preferred pokemon are largely tanks, with neidr providing niche coverage (serperior moveset sucks in bw) and galvantula thunder waving and then volt switching. also thunder w compound eyes is based 

full name is Hilda Gwynne, will tell you to call her Gwyn if she likes you. notorious lemonade lover. cheap shitty motel inhabitor. snowball fight enthusiast. twin sibling of hilbert (lives with his aunt in iccirus). father was a member of team rocket. thinks garbador is the coolest guy ever. went briefly diving in undella bay with and without cynthia, thinks it’s cursed and never wants to go back down. doesn’t know why shadow triad gave her the adamant + lustrous + griseous orbs and doesn’t want to find out, had them interred in dragonspiral tower in secret. the zekrom i got is defiant + bold natured which means xey’re nearly as stubborn as hilda and generally hostile to anyone she doesn’t explicitly like. when xey were still in dark stone form minipete (an emolga you can get via trade in mistralton) was practically entranced by it, constantly wanting to look at it, cheeks sparking whenever he touched it; now whenever xey’re sunbathing behind the barns, minipete’s the only one allowed to perch on xem. worked briefly with dr fennel, a pioneer in dream study and the entralink, and then did nothing else with that academic connection. thinks deerling are super cute. accidentally picked up a zorua in castelia city at some point and had looney toons shenanigans trying to get it home to lost woods. nickelback and carrie underwood fan. enjoys going mudding in her ma’s old pickup truck with the volume cranked up so high it rattles someone else’s car and still managing to holler loudly enough to be heard (she did a significant amount of this in the immediate aftermath of beating N as stress relief). can shout + pitch her voice real loud + deep. born during an early october snowstorm, has always had a fascination with storms of any kind. nicknames all her Pokémon in poke-welsh

mysteriously goes missing after leaving home to search for N; had semi-regularly with her mother and friends, but after being reportedly spotted around lacunosa town some time ago, seems to have vanished off the face of the earth except for three of her pokemon (archeops, scolipede, and emolga) found nearby, exhausted and nearly comatose, suffering extreme hypothermia despite being found during summertime.

[blue-mint-winter]

BSG 2x12 Resurrection Ship part 2 rewatch

The conclusion of the Pegasus arc gives us an interesting twist.

the episode begins with a man floating in water, at first I thought it’s one of Baltar’s fantasies, then it’s revealed that it’s Apollo, imagining himself in water when he’s actually floating in space. Apollo had a fairly minor role in this arc so far.

48 hours earlier he learns about Kara’s mission to assassinate Cain. He doesn’t like it, but he’s going to be her backup. He says that trust is important and the only thing that separates people from Cylons... but then there is zero trust between Galactica and Pegasus.

Kara gets to know Cain from a different side. Cain is mentoring her, but her message is that hard, terrible decisions have to be made in order to save more lives and you can’t flinch or hesitate. It sounds oddly as if she’s encouraging Kara who is tasked with killing her.

Tyrol and Helo are attacked in their cell by those annoying guys that told them about raping Cylons. Those guys now want revenge for Thorne. But Fisk puts a stop to it. It looks like it’s about discipline, but he lets those two get off with only a warning. However, he only doesn’t allow torture of human prisoners. “You can’t rape a machine.” He’s practicing Pegasus brand of morality.

Lee questions his father about this decision to assassinate Cain. And that’s when he learns that it was suggested by Roslin. That‘s a serious blow to his morale. Both of his authority figures and role models, people he respects and admires, are plotting to assassinate their opposition. This episode marks a paradigm shift in Lee’s life. Later, after Blackbird collides with raider and Lee got ejected, he has the first row sit to the battle, but he’s slowly dying from the loss of air... as if he’s sinking under the waves. He doesn’t even respond to Dualla’s hails. He’s picked by Racetrack and resuscitated, but he lost something. He confesses to Kara (and eavesdropping Dee) that he didn’t want to come back alive. He’s beating himself up that he broke his promise and didn’t watch her back, but on the other hand... dying was the only way for him at that time to avoid participating in the assassination.

What’s genius about this episode is that the battle isn’t the point, instead eveyone waits with bated breath for what comes after. Cylons are destroyed according to the plan. And Kara goes to Cain, all sweaty, nervous and fingering her gun. Fisk is similarly shifty on Galactica’s bridge, eying nervously the marines. They’re both in the same situation - they don’t want to kill Cain/Adama, but they have to because of their loyalty to the other.

Kara’s relief when Adama calls the assassination off is palpable. After Lee questioned him, he had some doubts and talked to Sharon. She remined him of his own speech from miniseries and he finally got his answer to why Cylons attacked. Because they decided that humanity isn’t worth of survival. So he chooses principles over brutal pragmatism.

Then Cain calls Fisk and doesn’t give him the code words. She called off her plan to get rid of Adama! And that’s when I knew for sure that she knew about Kara’s mission. And instead of exploiting Adama’s weakness, she did the honourable thing too. Maybe she’s not so bad after all. Maybe she can change her ways, develop trust with Adama and work with him and the Fleet.

But we will never know how things would have gone with Cain because she still got killed.

Gaius and Gina are amazing together in this episode. Gaius choosing the real Six, Gina, over Head Six. Gaius comforting her, telling her a story about sports that Head Six had told him.

Gina knew exactly when the Resurrection Ship was destroyed and she couldn’t download anymore. So, Cylons do have some kind of wi-fi and Sharon might have lied about that.

Gina’s wish is to die, but “suicide is a sin”, so she wants Gaius to do the deed. But he can’t do that, he can’t kill Six. So instead he sets her on the path of “justice” which looks very much like revenge. Btw, incredible that Gaius came so far that he confesses his love to Six. He’s not the same man that asked Caprica Six if she was crazy when she told him she loved him back then.

In the end, Cain pays with her life for Gina’s torture. Cain treated her like a thing, denied her personhood to make herself feel justified, but the truth is she wanted Gina to suffer. However, a real machine can’t feel pain. If Gina was really just an unfeeling machine, nothing Cain and her men did would have hurt her. She wouldn’t have cared about justice or revenge. Gina may not be human, but she’s a person.

What I love about this episode, is again, that it’s not a simple “heroes take down the evil bitch because that’s the right thing to do.” It’s not as simple as that. Instead we see Cain’s side of the story, mostly through Kara’s perspective. Her words at Cain’s funeral really hit hard. Cain had found herself in completely different circumstances than Galactica after the attack. And she did terrible things to survive, to gather supplies and continue the fight. No hope, no relief. Cain didn’t have her own Roslin to change her mind about saving civilians. She didn’t have Boomer saving the ship again and again to show her a different side of Cylons. Was she so different from Adama really? What would he have done in her place?

(I can’t believe I’m starting to understand Cain, one of my most hated characters on this show. This is how well-written she is.)

As a result, a shadow is cast over our heroes. They’re not so heroic, as they were willing to commit murder because of a perceived threat. They were so close to crossing that line. Only luck saved them.

Makes me think that Adar’s government must have ordered some assassinations too, if Roslin was so cool with proposing it.

Alright, Helo’s reunion with Sharon while Tyrol silently exits the stage was nicely done.

Finally Adama gets that promotion and I can call him Dadmiral! Lol

Adama and Roslin kill me with feels. Finally they kiss and it’s so sweet, but she’s dying and there’s nothing that can be done :(