As you know, our theme this year is MAGIC – where and when does it come into play in Middle-earth, and which are the most compelling moments where magic lends a hand? TORn staffers choose the starting 64, from The Hobbit and the three The Lord of the Rings books; but now the decisions are up to you!
Let’s take a look at what happened in Round Two:
The Hobbit Division
The only close contest in this division was the Black Arrow taking on the last light of Durin’s Day. Two significant moments, both with narrow shafts finding their way to a chink – a gap in armour for one, and a key hole for the other. They were neck and neck for a while, but in the end Erebor’s door was victorious -but with only about 70 votes in it. All the rest of the Hobbit pairings had margins of 200 or more – easy wins for moon runes, Smaug, and a certain ring… Here’s what remains in this division (with original seeding):
Moon Runes Appear on Thrain’s Map (1)
Bilbo’s Ring Turns Him Invisible (2)
The Last Light of Durin’s Day Reveals the Keyhole (3)
Smaug is a Good Conversationalist (13)
By Anke Katrin Eißmann
The Fellowship of the Ring Division
The closest battle of all of Round Two was in this bracket, with a margin of just 4 votes deciding it! The Mithril shirt put up an heroic fight, but though it may be able to stop a spear which would skewer a wild boar, it could not stop Bilbo’s birthday vanishing. Mr Baggins’ party trick goes through to the Sweet Sixteen.
Galadriel’s magic was entirely overcome in this round; both her mind-probing and her perilous mirror are out of the contest. Her clairvoyance was conquered by Gandalf’s epic Balrog battle – which interestingly won by taking exactly 666 votes… Here’s what remains in The Fellowship of the Ring Sweet Sixteen:
Bilbo Vanishes at His Birthday Party (1)
Gandalf Adds Wild Water Horses at the Flood of the Bruinen (2)
Durin’s Doors Open at the Right Password (5)
Gandalf Confronts the Balrog with Glamdring and the Flame of Anor (6)
Elvish mind trick…
The Two Towers Division
Those angry Ents are still marching on – Hithlain rope is no match for them! Seeded 13 originally, they have now knocked out the #4 and #5 seeds. The closest duel in this region was between two magical effects on Halfings – Ent-draught making them grow, or the Palantir overcoming Pippin. The lead went back and forth for a while, and the final margin was just 27 votes – but once again, the power of the Ents prevailed. So now enraged Ents and their drink of choice go up against two acts of Gandalf. Surely the White Wizard will not be overcome in Round 3?
Here’s how this bracket looks:
Gandalf the White Returns from the Dead (1)
Gandalf Heals Theoden from Saruman’s Curse (3)
Growing Hobbits Drink Ent-draught (7)
Enraged Ents in battle (13)
Three-eight!
The Return of the King Division
It seems the TORn staff were not correct in their choice of seeding for this division! The 14th and 15th seeds are through to the Sweet Sixteen; could those Riders from Rohan sweep all the way to be the Champions for 2024, or will Sam and his replanting of the Shire defeat them in Round 3?
Two acts of destruction make up the other pair remaining – and facing off against each other – in this bracket. The fall of the Witch-king overcame the fall of the Dark Tower in Round 2, and the destruction of the One Ring easily defeated the White Tree rediscovered in Gondor. Is the power of Mount Doom and the melting of Sauron’s weapon of mass destruction the ultimate magical moment in Middle-earth? YOU decide – Round Three voting is now open!
The Witch-king Is Destroyed by “No Man” (1)
Turns Out You Can Destroy the One Ring (aka the power of Mount Doom!) (5)
Rohan Arrives on the Pelennor Fields as the Rooster Crows (14)
Galadriel’s Gift of Soil to Sam Sees the Shire Reborn (15)
Rohirrim Arrival, by Abe Papakhian
Place your votes! If you’re just joining us for this round, here’s how it works: click on one of the orange division buttons below. Then click the ‘Vote Now’ option that appears above the divisional bracket. This year, as with last year, you get to vote in each divisional match-up in one convenient and visual interface. Note – you need to click each division to vote in their respective brackets. So let’s get voting!
You have until the end of the day Friday March 29th to vote in Round Three; on Saturday 30th we’ll announce winners and open voting for the Elite Eight! Join us tonight for TORn Tuesday, to discuss the match-ups we’re considering in the Sweet Sixteen, and how the contest might progress from here. Who is your choice for ultimate Champion in 2024? Vote now!
As a reminder: this year our divisions are made up of moments where magic occurs, in The Hobbit and in the three parts of The Lord of the Rings. What exactly constitutes magic in Middle-earth? And what are the best, most thrilling, or perhaps most intriguing moments when magic occurs? YOU decide!
Staffer Madeye Gamgee shared some thoughts on what we’ve seen in Round One:
Many of the Round One matchups are much tighter this year versus years past, an indicator that there’s a broader sense of passion and resonance across the fan base over these magical moments. We’re not seeing any of those ‘Galadriel versus an Elven Loremaster’ or ‘Elendil versus a Librarian’ matchups with 95%+ victory margins like last year.
Some of the #1 and #2 seeds have not had easy matchups:
Disappearing Bilbo, #1 in FotR, only won with 54% against #16 Bombadil’s rescue songs
Bruinen Water Horses at #2 took only 60% of the vote versus #15 reforging of Narsil
#2 in The Two Towers, the Palantir snaring Pippin, only defeated a very well-aged Aragorn, the #15 seed, with 57% of the vote
And in the RotK region the #2, #3, and #4 seeds all went down to their lower-seeded opponents
Sam’s Galadriel Gift (#15) overcame the #2 summoning of the Dead
#14 Rohan arriving in the nick of time took out #3 Galadriel’s Phial in Shelob’s lair
Athelas at #4 lost to #13, the Discovery of a New White Tree
Interestingly, many book-only references, including the restoration of the Shire, finding a new White Tree on the slopes surrounding Minas Tirith, the two Bombadil entries (songs and Ring tricks), disappearing Elvish feasts in Mirkwood, and Beorn’s hospitable animals have all been very competitive. Of course, there are some, like William’s talking purse and Miruvor on the slopes of Caradhras, that got fairly overwhelmed.
So here are the winners who are continuing on to Round Two (with their starting seeding number):
The Hobbit Division
Moon Runes Appear on Thrain’s Map (1)
Bilbo’s Ring Turns Him Invisible (2)
The Last Light of Durin’s Day Reveals the Keyhole (3)
The Trolls Turn to Stone at Sunrise (5)
The Black Arrow Strikes Home/Takes Down Smaug (6)
Beorn Shape Shifts (7)
The Arkenstone Shines with a Brilliant Inner Light (9)
Smaug is a Good Conversationalist (13)
The only surprise in this division was seed #13, Smaug’s conversation with Bilbo, defeating the ‘orc-warning’ blue glow of Sting and Orcrist, which TORn staffers had voted to the #4 seed position. Now Smaug will have to take on the sun-struck stone trolls; will he talk his way to victory? See how the rest of the moments pair up in the coming round, in the full bracket below.
The Fellowship of the Ring Division
Bilbo Vanishes at His Birthday Party (1)
Gandalf Adds Wild Water Horses at the Flood of the Bruinen (2)
Galadriel Has Psychic Mind-Probing Power (3)
Gandalf Puts On a Spectacular Fireworks Show (4)
Durin’s Doors Open at the Right Password (5)
Gandalf Confronts the Balrog with Glamdring and the Flame of Anor (6)
The Mirror of Galadriel Proves Perilous (7)
Mithril Mail Stops a Cave Troll Spear (9)
In this bracket, two of Gandalf’s magic moments came up against each other in Round One: his confrontation with the Balrog, and his moth-whispering ability. Perhaps not surprisingly, the mighty deed of a Balrog showdown won, and goes on to face a talent of Galadriel – her mind-probing powers. Tom Bombadil, arguably one of the most magical (and mysterious) characters in all of Tolkien’s legendarium, didn’t make it past this first round, alas; once again, Tom is conspicuous by his absence…
Bombadil responds to his rescue song (Illustration by Henry Neff)
The Two Towers Division
Gandalf the White Returns from the Dead (1)
The Palantir Snares Pippin (2)
Gandalf Heals Theoden from Saruman’s Curse (3)
Hithlain Rope Comes When It’s Called (5)
Lembas Sustain the Fellowship on Their Quest (6)
Growing Hobbits Drink Ent Draught (7)
Shadowfax Can Run Really Really Fast (8)
Enraged Ents in battle (13)
An upset here was the magical camouflage of Elven cloaks (seeded #4) failing to make it past the power of the Ents. How will the shepherds of the trees fare against Hithlain rope, in Round Two? Seed #9, a surprisingly-attractive-for-an-87-year-old Aragorn, gave Pippin and the Palantir a good run for their money; but in the end, the #2 seed was the victor.
Pretty good for his age…
The Return of the King Division
The Witch King Is Destroyed by “No Man” (1)
Turns Out You Can Destroy the One Ring (aka the power of Mount Doom!) (5)
Elven Ships Leave Middle-earth and the Spheres of the World (6)
Gandalf the White Repels the Nazgul During Faramir’s Retreat (7)
The Dark Tower Falls (8)
It Turns Out a New White Tree of Gondor Has Been Growing for Years (13)
Rohan Arrives on the Pelennor Fields as the Rooster Crows (14)
Galadriel’s Gift of Soil to Sam Sees the Shire Reborn (15)
The Return of the King bracket saw the most upsets of all in this opening melee. The healing power of Athelas (seeded #4) was not strong enough to see it past this first round, being defeated by another plant – the 13th seed, the new White Tree of Gondor. Perhaps the most surprising result of this entire opening round was more plant power – Sam and his soil regenerating the Shire kicked out the #2 seed, the Army of the Dead. New life conquers death! The defeat of the phial of Galadriel (seeded #3) by the epic arrival of Rohan at dawn was also an upset; but can the Riders of Rohan overcome the Elven ships sailing into the West, next round? YOU decide – place your votes now, in Round Two!
Galadriel’s Gift, by Matěj Čadil
How does it work, you ask? Simple! Click on one of the orange division buttons below. Then click the ‘Vote Now’ option that appears above the divisional bracket. This year, as with last year, you get to vote in each divisional match-up in one convenient and visual interface. Note – you need to click each division to vote in their respective brackets. So let’s get voting!
You have until the end of the day Monday March 25th to vote in Round One; on Tuesday 26th we’ll announce winners and open voting for Round Three! Join us that night for TORn Tuesday, where we’ll have further discussion and debate on March Madness 2024. Rally the troops!
Hear that sound of swords clashing, of cries from the battlefield? It can only mean one thing – March Madness is here! Time to decide where your allegiance lies… This year, TheOneRing.net brings you Middle-earth March Madness 2024: Magical Moments.
Our ‘Regions’ are made up of moments where magic occurs, in The Hobbit and in the three parts of The Lord of the Rings. From the reading of moon runes to the secrets of Galadriel’s mirror; from Gandalf’s return in white, to the resurgence of the White Tree – what exactly constitutes magic in Middle-earth? Which beings have magical abilities, and what are the most compelling moments when they use those powers? YOU decide!
TORn’s volunteer staffers have voted and come up with a ‘long list’ of 64 events (16 from each book), which have been seeded based on staff votes. These moments have abbreviated titles on our bracket graphic, due to space limitations; but here’s the complete list in full (listed in their seeding order):
The Hobbit Division
Moon Runes Appear on Thrain’s Map
Bilbo’s Ring Turns Him Invisible
The Last Light of Durin’s Day Reveals the Keyhole
Orcrist and Sting Glow Blue
The Trolls Turn to Stone at Sunrise
The Black Arrow Strikes Home/Takes Down Smaug
Beorn Shape Shifts
Mirkwood Elven Feasts Disappear and Leave Intruders Stunned
The Arkenstone Shines with a Brilliant Inner Light
Beorn Has Highly Hospitable Animals
Mirkwood’s Enchanted River Leads to Bombur’s Long Nap
The Eagles Arrive at the Battle of Five Armies
Smaug is a Good Conversationalist
The White Council Dislodges the Necromancer
Troll William’s Purse Talks
Sentient Spiders React Poorly to Name-Calling
The Fellowship of the Ring Division
Bilbo Vanishes at His Birthday Party
Gandalf Adds Wild Water Horses at the Flood of the Bruinen
Galadriel Has Psychic Mind-Probing Power
Gandalf Puts On a Spectacular Fireworks Show
Durin’s Doors Open at the Right Password
Gandalf Confronts the Balrog with Glamdring and the Flame of Anor
The Mirror of Galadriel Proves Perilous
Boromir’s Horn Echoes Throughout Gondor
Mithril Mail Stops a Cave Troll Spear
Lorien’s Time Flows Differently
Gandalf Is a Moth-Whisperer
The Elven Tonic Miruvor Cures the Cold
Frodo Can See All the Way to Mordor from Amon Hen
Tom Bombadil Does a Parlor Trick with the One Ring
Narsil Is Reforged to Become Anduril
Tom Bombadil Responds to His Rescue Song
Enjoying a glass of Miruvor…
The Two Towers Division
Gandalf the White Returns from the Dead
The Palantir Snares Pippin
Gandalf Heals Theoden from Saruman’s Curse
Elven Cloaks Hide Their Wearers Very Well
Hithlain Rope Comes When It’s Called
Lembas Sustain the Fellowship on Their Quest
Growing Hobbits Drink Ent Draught
Shadowfax Can Run Really Really Fast
Elven Boats Are Unsinkable Even After Rauros
Saruman Upgrades Regular Orcs to Uruk-Hai
Faramir Dreams of Boromir’s Death
The Tower of Orthanc Is Indestructible Even for Ents
Enraged Ents in battle
Don’t Mess with the Huorns
Aragorn Ages Well
The Dead Marshes Have Party Lights
The Return of the King Division
The Witch King Is Destroyed by “No Man”
The Army of the Dead Is Summoned at the Stone of Erech
The Phial of Galadriel Stops Shelob
Athelas Will Cure Whatever Ails You
Turns Out You Can Destroy the One Ring (aka the power of Mount Doom!)
Elven Ships Leave Middle-earth and the Spheres of the World
Gandalf the White Repels the Nazgul During Faramir’s Retreat
The Dark Tower Falls
The Smoke from Orodruin Covers Vast Territory for Days
Aragorn Wields the Palantir to Confront Sauron
The Watchers at Cirith Ungol Warn of Spies in Mordor
Shelob’s Webs Are No Match for Sting
It Turns Out a New White Tree of Gondor Has Been Growing for Years
Rohan Arrives on the Pelennor Fields as the Rooster Crows
Galadriel’s Gift of Soil to Sam Sees the Shire Reborn
The Witch King’s Sword Is on Fire!
How you decide, of course, is up to you. We expect there may be some debate, out of the moments we have chosen, about which are actually ‘magic’. How/what defines such power, and how does it operate in Middle-earth? And for the moments you believe ARE magical – how do you choose your favourite? Will your votes be based on how these moment are described in Tolkien’s writing? Perhaps you have preferences based on childhood memories of Rankin Bass cartoons… Or maybe you’ll just toss a coin! It’s up to you; but however you decide, now is the time to place your votes!
How does it work, you ask? Simple! Click on one of the orange division buttons below. Then click the ‘Vote Now’ option that appears above the divisional bracket. This year, as with last year, you get to vote in each divisional match-up in one convenient and visual interface. Note – you need to click each division to vote in their respective brackets. So let’s get voting!
You have until the end of the day Thursday March 21st to vote in Round One; on Friday 22nd we’ll announce winners and open voting for Round Two! Join us for TORn Tuesday, where we’ll discuss and debate March Madness 2024; let the games begin!
Some secrets are better kept quiet (according to that famous Gandalf quote, the one about anticipating a good meal): “Many folk like to know beforehand what is to be set on the table; but those who have laboured to prepare the feast like to keep their secret; for wonder makes the words of praise louder.” That little gem does not apply here, as TheOneRing.net continues its decades-long quest to separate truth from nonsense behind any Tolkien adaptation coming our way.
For you see–a wild bombshell appeared on 4chan on Jan. 15, 2024, claiming knowledge of fully-detailed plot points and episodes that was quickly regurgitated on our Discord server (now deleted). The contents of this post caused shockwaves on our TORn Discord; as it shocked and dismayed me. But also much of its contents have been corroborated fully by someone close to the Producers who shared more information. Better fasten your seatbelts, dear Ringers, it’s gonna be a bumpy night.
[MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD FOR “TROP” SEASON 2 THROUGHOUT, NO HOLDS BARRED, NOTHING WITHHELD, PROCEED WITH CAUTION]
As the Production Calendar continues apace on Season 2 of Prime Video’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” (rumor has it Season 3’s halfway written!) certain enigmatic details are clearer while other things remain deeply shrouded. It’s like scrying in the Mirror of Galadriel without any guidance.
Nonetheless, it is now being discussed openly that Amazon secretly acquired the rights to “The Silmarillion” for use in this 2nd Season! This is seismic news! It is even more insane to think something so significant has happened and the Studio has said nothing about it at the time of this article’s publication.
Let’s start with the Big Bad Wolf-Maia himself, the “Halbrand of your dreams” (ooof), that guy who would deign to be THE Lord of the Rings:
SAURON / HALBRAND
TROP Director Charlotte Brändström has said in interviews that the 1st Ep. of the new Season will be a “Standalone episode.” We have been reporting for 15 months on our TORn Tuesday Livestream show that this “Season Opener” will dedicate itself entirely to Sauron, his backstory, and his misadventures prior to what we saw mystery-boxed as the Halbrand storyline of Season 1. We may ultimately find out how and why Sauron took the form of that particular human and how he managed to be in the middle of the ocean at exactly the right time to start his lengthy charade with Galadriel. It goes without saying that Season 1 would have been dramatically different if the Showrunners had used the literary device of Dramatic Irony instead of employing this lamentable mystery-boxing approach.
Why was there such trenchant animosity between Adar and Sauron? Newly leaked info says the conflict between them is fueled by a tragic death: Sauron evidently had a SON — and Adar evidently killed him in cold blood prior to the events of Season 1. Nothing close to this appears in Tolkien’s stories.
Further spoilers: in Season 2 Adar (well-played by actor Joseph Mawle, now replaced by Sam Hazeldine) will surrender to Sauron and become one of his generals, only to betray him again later on. Also, at some point Sauron presents himself to the Dwarves and straight up tells them he “apprenticed under Aulë,” at which point he is immediately accepted in their midst.
Season 2 will conclude with this final shot: the forging of the One Ring by Sauron’s hand, leading one to necessarily assume the other Seven and the Nine will be forged at some point by this Season’s end (unless the Showrunners deem it necessary to keep changing the historical order of things).
RIGHTS TO “THE SILMARILLION” ACQUIRED?!
Most significantly, according to verifiable spy reports Prime Video has secretly acquired the rights to “The Silmarillion” — unbeknownst to us. We are hearing that Season 2 opens with a genesis story more fitting the Ainulindalë! After many years of speculation and hundreds of hours of discussion about this very thing, it comes as a deep shock to me (as a Tolkien fan and generally speaking as an observer of Popular Culture) that the Tolkien Estate has, at long last, allowed the gates to finally be opened and nobody has said a word about it! Ladies and gentlemen, could it be true that “The Silmarillion” has now become an officially licensed property for adaptation?! If so, the hugest of caveats must be stated: this is a singular case for now. Perhaps unique.
THE MUSIC OF THE AINUR (quoting from the original post): “The opening scene of Ep. 1 is Eru [Ilúvatar] using the Secret Flame to create Melkor, and Melkor watching as Eru creates all the Valar and the Maiar. Eru is a disembodied voice vaguely human shaped but no characteristics can be made out. The Secret Flame is golden, as are all the Valar and the Maiar. The Valar are larger than the Maiar, but they are bathed in a golden light and completely naked. The actor playing Mairon in this realm is NOT Charlie Vickers or Gavi Singh Chera–it is a third actor. Gave Singh Chera will play Sauron in his battle form and his Annatar form.” We can now fully confirm that a grand total of three actors shall play Sauron in different forms. Additionally, the two actors playing Melkor and Ungoliant in the Ainulindalë shall appear LATER in Season 2 as different incarnations.
I mean — just wow!
Further details are exposed: “A whole episode is dedicated to Sauron’s backstory leading up to the breaking of the First Silence. After the Fourth interruption of the song [Theme], several Maiar meet and discuss Melkor’s discord. Mairon/Sauron alone speaks: ‘The One has blessed me more so than all of you to see the potential of His creations, and what better way to forge their mettle than by allowing them to face Melkor’s discord and grow beyond what they think capable!’ You will see Mithrandir [Olórin] in this scene. Mairon almost converts him. Almost.”
Four Themes? There were only Three, as we all know, so perhaps this is a typo. Or perhaps the most obvious thing that would happen to “The Silmarillion” being adapted is that it would be unnecessarily changed.
Seasoned readers of Tolkien will probably be agape at this ambitious retelling of “The Music of the Ainur” but newcomers who have never read a speck of the original book may be mystified. It seems clear now that the intention of this show is to explore the earliest mythological roots of these immortal characters: a narrative consideration never previously afforded to any Valar / Maiar characters.
This still doesn’t explain the “meteor man” thingy that suddenly brought Gandalf / Olórin / The Stranger into the Second Age, but why quibble?
The further impact of this reality should be weighed carefully, for it represents a point of no return with those tales. The Quenta Silmarillion, the tragedy of Beren and Luthien, the Fall of Gondolin: all of which may now be adapted for T.V. or Film or other media if the Estate allows and arrangements are made. What a tremendous thing. It opens up a whole new era of possibilities.
GALADRIEL & CELEBORN
The fact that Celeborn has been kept offstage in Season 1 as a red herring (you know, that bit about him being supposedly dead yet Galadriel doesn’t know a thing about it) simply does not ring true to Tolkien’s original works. The Professor re-wrote and revised the story of G&C many times, but never do we see a hint leaning towards this in the Appendices, nor in “Unfinished Tales.” Beyond this fumble in the narrative of Season 1, we have now confirmed that our “dearly departed” Celeborn IS INDEED NOT DEAD (as readers of Tolkien already knew) but will show up in Season 2 being impersonated by Sauron.
Indeed, one of Sauron’s disguises to return to Eregion (how many can there be, beyond Annatar?) is the form of Celeborn. We assume this plan is to dupe Elrond, Celebrimbor, and Galadriel at the same time.
More subterfuge! The chicanery at Galadriel’s expense continues apace. This portrayal of the Lady of Light as one who keeps getting duped over and over by Sauron–when Tolkien never once allowed that to happen in his accounts– is certainly a choice, and one that has drawn much criticism. Personally it is one of the first things that comes up in friendly conversation about TROP: I am forced to explain that Galadriel was never fooled like that!
I wonder where they will go with that, ultimately. How long will Galadriel continue to withhold the truth of her Season 1 relationship with Halbrand, and why did the Writers put her in such an untenable position with the other Elves? One assumes it is a ploy wherein Sauron might return and blackmail her if she has not been forthcoming about it. Remember that look Elrond gave her after he saw the parchment of Southland genealogy? “There’s no basement in the Alamo!” And there’s no Halbrand! Some ugly business lies ahead with Celeborn being impersonated by Sauron.
Spy reports indicate the REAL Celeborn will appear in the Season 2 Finale and be reunited with Galadriel. He shall be played by Calam Lynch, as reported by Fellowship of Fans and corroborated by others. Thank God for simple truths–because the lad is a dead ringer for a younger Marton Czokas.
THE FATE OF CELEBRIMBOR
Poor Brimby. Everyone loves Brimby. He’s the avuncular surprise (certainly as portrayed by Charlie Edwards) in Fëanor’s genealogical line of stupendously serious Elves. As fond as we may be of his green-robed gentle nature, we confirm now that in Season 2 Celebrimbor’s head gets lopped off and stuck up on a pike. Womp womp! We are getting closer to what Tolkien wrote here, as this is Brimby’s closest proximity to being the Ned Stark of Middle-earth.
I don’t quite get this episode structure–but it seems the final two episodes of TROP Season 2 will be centered on The War of the Elves and Sauron, wherein Eregion is sacked.
TOM BOMBADIL & GOLDBERRY
This is where stuff gets potentially ugly. I don’t like using such words. As previously mentioned, there will be separate standalone episodes presented throughout Season 2; including Sauron’s backstory uniquely told from his first-person point-of-view. All of this is likely to change before the final edit is broadcast. But if this holds true, Tom Bombadil and his love affair with the River-Daughter will be front-and-center in their own episode (there’s even an episode on Felaróf and the origin of Shadowfax)!
Ringers have often opined that bringing Tom Bombadil into TROP would be super cool — and I have personally championed the notion. But at the heart of this matter is how Tolkien utilized the character in “The Fellowship of the Ring,” an approach for others to heed carefully. Tom should have a cameo or a brief encounter with some of our traveling heroes. Admittedly Tom’s presence is superfluous to the real story of the Great Rings of Power. Now imagine this character’s narrative purpose going a big step further and just wildly breaking from the Lore. In the words of our Spy Report:
“Tom Bombadil and Goldberry are in an episode. They are played by the same actor and actress as Melkor/Morgoth and Ungoliant. The show will confirm the long-held fan theory that Tom and Goldberry are Melkor and Ungoliant serving out their punishment bestowed on them by Mandos.“
Excuse me? There has never been such a “Fan Theory,” not one that I have seen–and if I had heard of this cockamamie idea I would have laughed at the absurdity. To quote the pique and anger of a well-known Tolkien historian who heard this: “This is not a fan theory, this is just Fan Fiction; and it’s really GARBAGE Fan Fiction at that!”
Personally, I would love to see Tom Bombadil show up — if only in the blink of an eye he would be on his merry way. I mean, come on, there is no need to ignore The Professor’s explanation in his “Letters” about Bombadil’s context in his Legendarium. No need to make up stuff about Morgoth and Ungoliant seeking atonement within the Circles of the World.
Pragmatically speaking, adaptations can and will change things from the Lore. This is mostly fine, and expected, within reason. It becomes unreasonable when you play that fast and loose with Tolkien’s original concerns regarding raw story elements. This kind of stuff will, predictably, divide the Fan audience.
… FELARÓF & SHADOWFAX?!
If you were not mystified yet by some of these storytelling choices, TROP Season 2 will have a full episode about the great line of Horses, the Mearas, and how Gandalf “The Stranger” met Shadowfax! Although these characters/animals did not exist in the Second Age, evidently we are getting the story of Felaróf the “Very Valiant,” if not also the story of the father of Eorl, a Man by the name of Léod.
Here we have a wide range of secrets exposed and an earth-shaking reveal about the licensing of “The Silmarillion.”
Strangely, the Studio behind this billion-dollar T.V. show remains stoic and silent; their social accounts barren since last July, not a single bit of marketing nor a press release has been forthcoming. Tellingly, a huge Amazon Prime commercial aired in the U.S. during the Prime Time Emmy Awards broadcast, without any mention of TROP. Not. A. Single. Word. TROP has also been removed from Prime Video’s FYC awards website.
Make of that what you will.
IN CONCLUSION — TOLKIEN BOOKS VS. ADAPTATIONS
As is the reality with a huge T.V. production, there are further moves to be made, pickups to shoot, tons of post production and editing yet to complete. However, these Spy Reports may or MAY NOT be reliable but we have already known (through our own secret channels) about 40% of this stuff before the big leak on January 15, 2024. With enough of this verified we are at least eager to throw the doors wide open and have some robust discussion. Time for Ringer fans everywhere to discuss, make hay, extrapolate, and poke with a stick.
Do you like what you are hearing? Are you excited or dismayed? Are you wondering as I am why there is stone-cold silence from the Studio after such wildly big moves behind closed doors? What will future horizons look like with “The Silmarillion” now that THAT huge epic is on the table? Or is it just some odd bits of “The Silmarillion” they can use here and there? Time will tell.
This series was always gonna be a mixed bag of familiar lore and newly minted ideas, methinks. TROP ostensibly benefits from being a somewhat separate (albeit huge) piece of Second Age story from the books’ Appendices that can be centered around particular characters and events. There is ample room to breathe within the narrative of the Appendices and yet it is wholly unnecessary to wildly diverge from the source material. What J.R.R. Tolkien intended and what the current Tolkien Estate (headed by Simon Tolkien) has allowed for this streaming program is, shall we say, quite divergent from one another.
It is for Ringers, with their undying love for the original books, to decide if Prime Video executed this effort reasonably and within the spirit of Tolkien’s original. It is also apparent they had a 36% completion rate on Season 1. Speaking for myself, the series started off just fine. I quite enjoyed the atmosphere, production design, a thrilling cast of talented actors, and especially the gargantuan score by Bear McCreary. Lots of stuff to admire there. Indeed there are those who will argue for either side, but in this writer’s opinion, these Spy Reports (combined with further research and reveals from inside the Production) betray significant departures from the Lore of Tolkien’s Legendarium and put the show at risk to be rejected rather than embraced by that less-forgiving portion of our fandom.
*EDITOR’S NOTE: Clifford Broadway is one of the earliest writers/contributors to TheOneRing.net from the beginning, authoring material in our “Green Books” academic section and also for numerous publications including DeviantArt and Famous Monsters of Filmland. He co-wrote and produced the award-winning feature documentary “Ringers: Lord of the Fans.”
If you have a Tolkien/Middle-earth inspired poem you’d like to share, then send it to poetry@theonering.net. One poem per person may be submitted each month. Please make sure to proofread your work before sending it in. TheOneRing.net is not responsible for poems posting with spelling or grammatical errors.
Please join us Friday, October 13th at 7:30pm as we bring back our annual NYC gathering of fans! Once again, we’re delighted to be teaming up with our friends at Sideshow.com to bring you a fun night of drinks, food, prizes, and geekery! Details and the link to buy tickets below.
Photo by Ashlee Rose Scott
We’re back – time to party in the Big Apple during New York Comic-Con!
We’ll be back at our favourite venue, the Joyce Public House (formerly Tir na Nog) in Times Square (W 39th St). The party will be on FRIDAY 13th (eek!) October, 7.30-10.30pm. (All welcome – no NYCC pass required to attend.)
As we all know, costs of everything have gone up, so we’re sorry to say our party tickets have, too! But we’ve managed to keep them down to just $40, which includes your first drink, finger food, and two tickets for the raffle which will be drawn on the night. PLUS every party goer will receive a ‘party favour’ from our friends at Shire Post Mint, to take home with them; AND you can get $25 back in SIDESHOW.COM REWARDS if you set up a Sideshow account!
You can purchase more raffle tickets if you’d like – either here online, or at the party. Check out some of the amazing prizes, listed below!
You never know who may show up to one of our events; we hope to see YOU there! Numbers are strictly limited; grab your tickets now!
Questions? Contact greendragon@theonering.net
Raffle items include… but not all are listed…
Tickets to ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’ screening with live orchestra, at Radio City (Feb 2024)
Hot Toys Mandalorian and Child 1:6 Scale Figure Set
Lots of Middle-earth goodies from New Zealand Post
Sideshow The Dude Exclusive 1:6 Figure
Pokemon Poke Ball Replicas
Beautiful Middle-earth items from Scottish designers Oscha
DragonCon begins today – and of course TORn will be there! You’ll find staffers deej and greendragon at TORn’s ‘fan table’, in our usual location: in the Hyatt opposite the entrance to the Art Show. We’ll be there from Friday on, until the very end of the con! This year we have three new shirt designs and a new button, as well as some former designs, and other fun goodies at the table. Drop by and see us!
There are some exciting celebrity guests for Middle-earth lovers this weekend; read on for highlights of events of interest to Tolkien fans during DragonCon this year:
Friday 1st 10am The Wit and Wisdom of Samwise Gamgee
Gardener; friend; husband; potato enthusiast. We all need more Sam in our lives! Marriott room L401-403
Friday 2nd 8.30pm An Evening at Bree
As ever, TORn will be joining the High Fantasy track to host this long standing DragonCon tradition. Party like a Hobbit! Once again, our live acts will be fan favourites The Brobdingnagian Bards, Beth Patterson, and Landloch’d. We’ll also have the Elf Choir, and the costume contest – with a fabulous panel of expert cosplay judges. We’re thrilled that Charles Conley, Joshua Duart and Lacey Santos will be lending us their skill and judgement for the evening! If you’d like to enter the contest, please remember to sign up in advance of the evening, at the TORn fan table or the High Fantasy track room (Marriott room L401-403).
Find us at the inn of the Prancing Pony (aka Hilton Grand West)
Saturday 2nd 1pm The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Retrospective
It’s been 20 years (gasp!) since the final part of Peter Jackson’s trilogy was released. Join TORn staffers to look back and get nostalgic together! Marriott room A601-602
Saturday 2nd 4pm Rings of Power discussion
A look back at Season 1, and speculation as to what may be coming in Season 2 of Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings show. Marriott room A601-602
Saturday 2nd 5.30pm Elijah Wood and Sean Astin in conversation
Marriott Atrium Ballroom
Saturday 2nd 10pm The Tolkien Renaissance
What makes Middle-earth such an enduring favourite with fans? With more shows, movies (and maybe even a theme park) in the works, we’ll explore why Tolkien’s works are evergreen. Marriott room L401-403
Sunday 3rd 10am Hobbits, Harfoots, and More!
Exploring the origins, characteristics, and significance of our favourite hairy-footed folks. Marriott room L401-403
Sunday 3rd 1pm Andy Serkis and Elijah Wood in conversation
Marriott Atrium Ballroom
(There are also photo sessions with Astin, Serkis, and Wood throughout the weekend. Their appearances are fully in line with SAG-AFTRA guidelines, enabling actors to attend conventions but not to promote work.)
Sunday 5pm Hobbit Drinking Songs!
Join The Brobdingnagian Bards and party like a Hobbit! Hilton Grand West
Sunday 10pm Dance Magic Dance
TORn’s own deej shows us how she got her name, as she djs this 1980s themed dance party. Put on your best 80s/fantasy cosplay and come and dance the night away!
There are many more High Fantasy Track events which are Middle-earth related, and other events across the con which will appeal to Tolkien fans. Check out DragonCon’s app for all the details. Hope to see you here for all the fun – come and say hi!
