Priest watches THE LORD OF THE RINGS: The Fellowship of the Ring | REACTION | part 2/2 

PLEASE DO THE REST OF THE TRILOGY!! The extended editions, of course. LotR reactions are awesome & you have a unique niche for how you're reviewing them.

Boromir has the best redemption arc: going from being arrogant and desdaining Aragorn to call him brother, captain and king. From cursing the halflings to dying for them. Just shows that no matter how much you go bad, you can still rise up to the occasion and do good.

Boromir was quite different in the books. He came to the council of Elrond seeking any hope possible for Gondor which was for his entire life fighting losing battle. He was actually excited to meet Aragon (who was way more kingly in books) because he meant hope for his people. He also had the idea to use ring against Sauron but that was the same thing as with Aragorn. But at the end of the fellowship Aragorn decided to go to Mordor with Frodo at first and Boromir fell into despair. He followed Frodo to plead with him to go save Gondor first and when he failed and was grasping at straws the ring offered him false hope and he fell for it. It was despair, not the greed or desire for glory that drove him.

written by Pengolodh. Lembas was made first by the Vala named Yavanna from special corn that grew in Aman, and Oromë gave it to the Elves for the purpose of the Great Journey. For this reason, it was an Elven custom that only women should make lembas; they were called Yavannildi who knew the secret of its recipe from Oromë. Also, the custom mandated that only an Elven Queen should keep and distribute the lembas; for this reason she was called also massánië or besain. - Only on rare occasions was it given to non-Elves, because it was believed that mortals who ate it would become weary of their mortality and would desire to live among the Elves. The corn was an enduring plant that needed but a little sunlight to ripen and could be sown at any season and then sprouted and grew swiftly. Yet it was harmed by north winds, while Morgoth dwelt there. The Eldar grew it in guarded lands and sunlit glades. The ears were harvested without scythe or sickle but each one was gathered by hand, and the white stalks were drawn from the earth and used to weave baskets in which the grain was stored. Melian, as the queen of Doriath, was one who held the recipe from Yavanna. By giving lembas to Beleg for Túrin, Melian showed him great favour because it had never before been given to Men and seldom was again. Later it was passed to Galadriel and other Elves. When ships had been sent forth, at the behest of Turgon, towards the West, its mariners carried a sealed wallet with waybread for their voyage. Voronwë, after surviving the wreck, shared it with Tuor throughout their journey to Gondolin. Dúnedain, inspired by the elves, made a similar kind of waybread (although it was not true lembas), that they carried on long journeys. So each of Isildur's soldiers on their way north from the War of the Last Alliance "carried in a sealed wallet on his belt a small phial of cordial and wafers of a waybread that would sustain life in him for many days". The Galadhrim had a large store of lembas in Lothlórien. Galadriel gave some of it to the Fellowship of the Ring upon their departure. Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee subsisted on it through the majority of their journey from there into Mordor. The tradition of farming the Western Corn and the making of waybread was lost for ever in Middle-earth after the departure of Galadriel and the death of Arwen. One of the only places left where this untouched holy wheat can be grown is the groves within Lothlórien.

Galadriel rejecting the ring is equivalent to Gandalf rejecting the ring back in the Shire. She knows that no matter how good her intentions, the ring would conquer her just as Gandalf knew the ring would conquer him.

In the Tolkien legendarium, Gandalf is a Maiar, who entered the world at its creation, an equivalent to archangels and angels. His dialogue when he fights the Balrog is very telling.. I am a servant of the secret fire (the Holy Spirit) wielder of the flame of Anor (the light of the sun). He has taken a human form and been sent to defend middle heart against the shadows

Don't be afraid to pause the film to organize a longer point. Looking forward to The Two Towers.

Probably already been stated. But When Gandalf tells the Balrog I am a servant of the secret fire. He is speaking of the flame imperishable which Eru Illuvatar used to create Arda (Middle Earth) for his children the races and species of middle earth. Eru Illuvatar being this worlds God. So Gandalf is essentially telling this fallen Maiar, which Gandalf himself is one of. "I am a servant of God". Gandalf and the Balrog are essentially the same exact thing. It is even possible that before Gandalf came to Arda on the command of god, he knew this spirit personally before it fell. Which is an entirely different story that I would not be able to summarize even if I wrote 30 of these comments.

The music that plays when Gandalf falls is the sound a heart makes when it’s breaking.

If you think about it, there is absolutely evil that not even the demons want. When confronted by Christ, Legion begged Him not to be thrown into the abyss. I shudder at the idea of a place so evil that not even the demons will go there willingly

There is a vast backstory to Galadriel: She was born in Valinor, the land where the Valar reside. Her ancestors were lead by the Valar to that land and invited to stay there forever (it can be described as a sort of paradise). Then the first evil Morgoth corrupted her people by instigating the notion that the Valar only invited the Elves to keep them as prisoners so that Middle-Earth could be handed over to Men. That lead to a revolte in which some of Galadriels kin slaughtered Elves that where still true to the Valar, for which they were banished form Valinor. Galadriel choose to go with her kin into banishment. As those that were born in Valinor were exeptional powerful and wise compared to the Elves of Middle Earth, her kin was also know for being very proud. It is never explicitly said, but since she never spilled blood herself, it is implied that if she renounces her pride and her choice to leave with her kin, she might be allowed to go back, although she there would be only one between many powerful Elves and not the Queen she is in Middle Earth as one of the few Elves that were born in Valinor. So in refusing the Ring, she also refuses her ambition and pride, she sort of "passes the test" as she descides not to follow the path her brothers and kinsmen did (they slaughtered everyone that did dare to stand against them, wether evil or not), but to renounce them and is therefore forgiven.

We have to remember that Tolkien was a devoted christian and he based his mythos on judeo-christian belief. Illuvatar (God) created the Valar and the Miar (high and low angels, respectibly) and the most powerful of them, Morgoth, decided to opose his father's creeation (Lucifer). He corrupted a lot of Miars and they became the Balrogs, except for Sauron who was Morgoth right hand, the strongest Miar, and he chose an elvish form until he was defeated (movie opening). When Galdalf says "I am the weilder of the secret fire" he is talking about the power of the one God (Iluvatar) and the "flamne of Uldun" is Morgoth's dark power. "The power of your master, Morgoth, is nothing compared to God", basically.

The Watcher going after Frodo is due to the fact that the Ring is the perverbial flame drawing in the "moths" (in this case, the forces of evil). They can kind of sense it's power, maybe not to the degree of the Nazgûl or Sauron himself, but still sense it in some capacity.

I am a staunch atheist but still loved your reactions. Thank you.

The current ages of the characters: Frodo Baggins is 53. Samwise Gamgee is 38. Meriadoc Brandybuck (Merry) is 36. Peregrin Took (Pippin) is 28. Gandalf (Olòrin) - is 15,000 (in his current form. Aragorn is (won’t say, you’ll find out). Legolas is 2,131-3931, still quite young but a prodigy of his time. Gimli is 139. Boromir son of Denethor II is 41! Elves aged differently than men and dwarves. They did not suffer from old age or disease, and their lives were not limited by a fixed number of years. Instead, they aged very slowly, remaining youthful and vigorous for much longer than mortals. Though they could voluntarily leave their bodies and the ultimate thing that can kill them is grief or Sorrow that’s palpable enough for them to just not wish to live anymore. Here are the ages of some of the main Elves of the Third Age, as of the War of the Ring: 1. Elrond Half-elven - over 8,586 while his daughter is around 3000 old! And is said to be the last elf to ever be born upon Arda. Yet again marking the ending of the age of the firstborn (Elves). 2. Galadriel - around 20,000(180.000 in solar human years [1 elf year is one lifetime of man] but time is counted, felt & experienced very differently before the birth of the sun and moon. ❤) 3. Celeborn - 20,000; (he may have been alive before her birth or around the same time as his lineage that he lived amongst his forefathers and kin might suggest he is older but they are both very ancient.) 4. Glorfindel (replaced scenes with Arwen in the movies but it helped prop up Aragorn’s Film character progression. I still think they could have incorporated them both in the scenes somehow and included the other important stuff that went on in that forest meeting Glorfindel and his company of elves)- he’s over 2,000 (although he had been re-embodied after dying in the First Age which means his Fëa {spirit} is far older than 2000.) 5. Thranduil - over 8000, (as he was born in the First Age and lived in Doriath with his father Oropher; Thranduil is also the father of Legolas. (As Haldir mentioned him when speaking to Legolas in Lothlòrien during the first movie’s extended scene. He shares the same kindred elven clan as to Celeborn(Galadriel’s husband). It's worth noting that Elves could choose to die voluntarily, usually when they grew weary of life or when they had fulfilled their purpose in the world. However, their spirits would then depart to the Halls of Mandos and could eventually be re-embodied in a new body I meant to add that Frodo was 51 when he left due to the whole Gandalf coming back to the shire after many years. that explains why his youthful appearance didn’t change much throughout the entire film! - One source is 2931 years old. Legolas was portrayed by Orlando Bloom. In the "official movie guide" for The Lord of the Rings, a birthdate for Legolas is set to 87 of the Third Age. This would make him 2931 years old at the time of the War of the Ring. - Unfortunately, Legolas’ age remains a mystery, which is a shame as Tolkien detailed the age of all the other Fellowship members, and even that of less famous Elves as Arwen, Elladan and Elrohir. But we can use various other methods to get the closest estimate! I provide the books used below! There is reason to believe based on what we know about the Elves' life and about his father Thranduil that Legolas may have been very old, just that old, or very young. He may have been as old as the sons of Elrond who were just a century younger than all the 3000 years old Third Age, far older, or younger. His estimated age varies very much. There are several mentions of his father Thranduil in the annals of the Second Age. Although it is said that was his grandfather Thranduil's father Oropher the leader of the Silvan Elves in the Last Alliance, Thranduil is mentioned as one of the princes of Sindar who established realms amid the Silvan Elves before Barad-dûr was founded. In the beginning of this age many of the High Elves still remained. Most of these dwelt in Lindon west of the Ered Luin; but before the building of the Barad-dûr many of the Sindar passed eastward, and some established realms in the forests far away, where their people were mostly Silvan Elves. Thranduil, king in the north of Greenwood the Great, was one of these. (1) We're talking about some 6000 years here, and Thranduil himself was older as he was already a prince. He was very likely born still in Beleriand in the First Age, which was until its destruction the home of the Sindar - Oropher we know for sure came from Doriath. However, even If Thranduil was indeed that old, Legolas was not necessarily a little less ancient. About Elvish fatherhood: But except in the first three generations the begetting of children by Elfmen did not usually follow immediately on attaining “age 24” (though “betrothal” often did, or even “marriage”). It was by degrees postponed, until soon “age 48” became regarded as the optimum age for the beginning of fatherhood, though it was often delayed until 60 (sc. 24 years of growth + 36 life-years). [4] Of course, begetting of further children could happen later than this. It could occur up to about a male age of 96 - later than this age (96) a first-begetting seldom occurred. (2) In 24 years when they reached maturity, the rate was of growth or 12x (288 years). Thranduil may have fathered Legolas when that young (if Legolas was his only and oldest son). But it was usually at 48 which is an additional of 24 life-years of 144x (288+3456 = 3744 years) so Legolas was probably born-depending on Thranduil's and his unknown spouse age- in the end of the Second Age (maybe before) or in the beginning of the Third Age. It is possible though unlikely, however, that he was only some three hundred years younger than his father. Or If Thranduil did delay until 60 (5472 years) as often happened he was born well after the beginning of the Third Age making Legolas younger than the sons of Elrond. It is very unlikely but not impossible that he was younger than that, we know for certain that he was already mature, so at the very least he was 288 years old. To sum up in extremes, Legolas could have been so old as to be born at the end of the First Age or so young as to be only a handful of centuries-old at the end of the Third. The most reasonable estimate is of some 3000 years old, with 2000 years not being unlikely either. Reference to his old age can be seen when he says that the 500 years of Rohan were of little amount for him, and when he refers to Aragorn and Gimli as children. As for his experience, impossible to say as he is an unusual known and mysterious character. But given his age it must have been great. Sources: (1) The Lord of the Rings. The Return of the King (2) The Nature of Middle-earth - we can give a highly educated guess regarding his age. I'm not here to disagree or agree with anyone. He's not ANCIENT. Nor is he young AF. He's a bit younger or older than Arwen. The last of the Eldar to ever be born save maybe the rest of the Avari clan. Hope I made sense and it was enjoyable to read. We can deduce which elves were the last to ever be born upon Arda. Thranduil himself & Celeborn literally lived in Dortiath. Legolas was born near the beginning of the third age or near end of the second age. He's not young. He's around the same age as Elladan and Elrohir.

I hope it's OK for you that I love your reactions of this as a non believer. You have brilliant insight. I don't always share the same my perspective. Yet I love it and grow from it. I wish you the best and want you to know it matters. There's wisdom in the kindness of this.

Galadriel's gift to Gimli has deeper meaning behind it, like most things in this movie & reflects the expanded lore of the middle earth universe. She is one of the 2-3 most powerful & wise elves remaining in Middle Earth since the time the land was young. She was born in a place called Valinor, or the Undying land... which is basically the place of residence of the Valar, the local pantheon, the local "gods" as you may call them. (Essentially the land that be untouched by Morgoth and where the holy ones still yet reside.) Back then, the world was not illuminated by the sun&moon, (only the stars, but rather by 2 trees of gold and silver, Telperion and Laurëlin that lit the world before the sun & moon were born from their last flower & fruit as they were basically killed by Melkor when he struck them with his Lance and Ungoliant the primordial Eldrich Terror vampirized the life force of the two trees. Ungoliant she was named by the Eldar/Elves). It is said that Galadriel's hair had enmeshed some of the shine and power of those two trees within her tresses. Her uncle Fëanor, who was a great king of the Elven people after his father Finwë was slain by Morgoth(Formally known as Melkor). Fëanor arguably was their greatest craftsman and warrior to ever live, asked if she could give him a lock of hair, so that he could use it to fashion 3 gems that would shine of the same light as the trees. Sensing his pride & a shadow that wasn’t exactly belonging to him brewing from within, she refused his request 3 times. He stopped asking and made the gems anyway, managing to complete the task he had set for himself even without her hair. Around these 3 gems, the possession of which became the driving force for many of the great events in the world, entire wars that lasted for centuries exploded, and other events. The gems actively shaped the fate of the races of middle earth to the point that the aforementioned Valar got involved directly. During these times, events surrounding the gems brought about the traditional enmity between Dwarves and Elves... the same enmity that Gimli still feels towards them. That enmity however does not survive his encounter with the wise Galadriel, whom Gimli basically falls platonically in love with. By giving him 3 of her hair, Galadriel is opening a door, offering an olive branch that might one day close the gap that divides these two races. Legolas, himself being an Elven prince and centuries old, knows of the story through his father Thranduil & grandfather Oropher, as it shaped the lives of all Elves, and his subtle smile is possibly the first act of acknowledgment and reconciliation. it is also a way for Peter Jackson, the director of the film, to give a nod to all of the fans who know these facts and backstories... a way to make us feel seen, and to make us appreciate just how deeply the makers of the film respect the books and larger universe created by Tolkien. The thing with the hair may seem weird, but there is a significance to it in real life as well as in the lore of the story. In real life, it was not uncommon for wives, fiancés, or even girlfriends to give their men (who were going off to war), a lock of their hair as a keepsake, particularly in WWI, which Tolkien fought in. The lore part of it comes into play in The Silmarillion, Tolkien's tales of the creation of Arda, the Undying Lands of Valinor, and Middle Earth. Galadriel is many, many thousands of years old, & was born in Valinor before the sun & moon were even created. At the time, the world was lit by two trees, one gold and one silver which would shine at different times from each other, but would shine together once a day when one would fade and the other brighten. Galadriel's hair was said to look like the light of the mingled light from the two trees, which may have inspired Feanor, a master craftsman and heir to the high king of the Ñoldor, to craft the Silmaril's which were three jewels that captured the light of the two trees, one golden light, one silver light, & one co-mingled light. Fëanor had a bit of a thing for Galadriel and begged her for her hair three different times, which she rejected because she could perceive the inner darkness of his heart and rejected him, which made them "un-friends" after that. There is a lot more to the lore than that, so this is the super crib-notes version. But the point is, it was VERY significant that she granted Gimli three of her hairs to a dwarf, when she would not to the son of her king (great uncle) over 10,000 thousand years ago of which she is related to all three kings who were brothers and Elu Thingol of Doriath was one of the brothers that didn’t stay in Valinor even though he was one of the elven ambassadors along with his three brothers and that king I mentioned was VERY close friends with Thingol.)

I'm not Catholic -- or even Christian -- but I do love Tolkien's work and these movies a great deal. It's interesting getting your reaction through the lens of your faith. I appreciate your perspective. Also, that majestic musical cue when the Fellowship first sees the Dwarrowdelf always gives me chills. Amazing.

The tomb in Moria was of an older cousin, Balin, who set out to re-colonize Moria, which had been abandoned for centuries after being taken over by the balrog. When Balin and his dwarves arrived, there were only a small number of orcs. They set up in the huge abandoned city and got to work being productive. They only survived 5 years or so before being overrun by more orcs and the balrog. In the book, goblin/orc are just different names for the same creature. In the films, goblins are smaller, like hobbits, while orcs are roughly human-sized.

Tolkien, (The OG of all Authors) was a veteran of the First World War and many other battles such as The Battle Of Somme etc. his works of art were to give back to the England as a form of restoring lost mythologies that he himself was a master of since he was a top professor of philology at Oxford. He did ALOT of his writing while in the trenches during WWI during small “breaks” while down in those trench forts built into the ground. And while he eldest son was in the Second World War; his Lord Of The Rings writings was strictly created above all else to give his eldest something to read while stationed wherever he was stationed. I forgot that part. They sent letters back and forth about it all the time. He was also the one and only son that actually protected his fathers legacy and work. A lot of his other work were put together BY his son after his father passed away. It’s well worth to react to the documentary behind the scenes film the director and crew and cast created together as well as the interview with the son Christopher Tolkien who you get to sort of enjoy a nice indoor and outdoor chat for like what came to about 1-2 hours of wonderful footage from an era that really must not be forgotten. His work shed a light on things like The Finnish Kalevala, Norwegian Elder Edda, The Welsh Mabinogion, The Norwegian Nibelungen, The Indian Bhagvagita & Several Irish Folklore + other Cultural things! The man also restored and translated ancient relics for the governments as one everyone trusted. Much of what’s in our dictionary come from his efforts as well. Anytime he spoke & even posted several comments into the paper as an editorial or response to certain issues as a very involved man for the world and the environment everyone turned their head to listen to him as everyone knew his worth and respected him greatly. His works show how NOT to glorify war; shows in the films if you pay close attention while watching the next films. Sharing what you know now via the after thoughts at the end of the second film! Remember. Extended edition. There is a lot missed out on especially in the second movie regarding Boromir backstory which there is much more in the books but the films WANTED to keep more but the cinemas and Harvey Weinstein literally harangued him into making a “theatrical cut” which is why you have two versions. The real version and the “theatrical cut”. It was all to make more money for the company that is the theatres/cinemas. To get more showings in per day during the year. And believe me. People were camping outside and travelling the country to watch it MORE THAN ONCE. His creations literally lead to inspiring the most currently famous books games & movies we all literally wouldn’t have enjoyed and be touched to our souls core without him and his spiritually connected brilliance. That and he was a philologist professor at Oxford first and foremost which covers so many things. Not just linguistic. The man was a true genius and Jack of all trades but ultimately LOVED the simple life. The inspiration for Lord of the Rings was not any war, but author J.R.R. Tolkien's love of language. Especially Welsh, Finnish and Old English. He lamented the loss of any true English folklore, that was wiped out after the Norman invasion of 1066, so Tolkien wrote many books on these new "legends" he came up with himself. Much of which is centered around three languages he fully developed himself. Two Elven languages and Dwarvish., Númenorean Adunaic, Black Speech(warped Numenorean and elvish) They all have syntax, vocabularies, and a whole writing system that can be learned as the Tengwar alphabet is moreso to match with the spoken elvish rather than one to one for other country’s alphabet. Hundreds of people worldwide speak elvish fluently. Tolkien did draw upon his personal experience in the trenches of World War ONE, not Two, as inspiration for some parts, most notably, the Dead Marshes that Frodo and Sam and Gollum pass through in The Two Towers. But war was not the inspiration for the entire series. World Of Warcraft. Skyrim, Harry Potter, Diablo, D&D, even Warhammer and so forth wouldn’t have. Existed without taking inspiration from and or completely ripping off from Tolkien. Many great documentaries to react to about him also more about him and AWESOME stuff from the hours & hours of behind the scenes documentaries from the DVDs of the movies which are also on RU-vid & I can send you a playlist to react to from top to bottom on the channel called Pajasek99.

The elvish songs of lamentation were for Gandalf when they arrived in Lothlórien. So the song you hear is literally for him whilst being a theme for the movie itself. The only excerpt from these songs is "Mithrandir, Mithrandir, O Pilgrim Grey!" This was expanded & set to music by Philippa Boyens & Howard Shore, respectively, for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. It was sung in the said film by Elizabeth Fraser in the track Lothlórien. Notable about this song is that it assumes that the elves of Lothlórien were aware that Gandalf was an incarnate Maia. This is debatable. As well, the lyrics ask "What drove you to leave/That which you loved?". This suggests that Gandalf was well aware that he would fall in Moria. Other debatable verses include the claims that Gandalf was the wisest of the Maiar, and that with him the Flame of Anor would leave the world (assuming that it and he were one, or he was the only wielder of the Flame). (English comes after the Quenya) * The first part is in Quenya: A Olórin i yáresse Mentaner i Númenherui Tírien i Rómenóri Maiaron i Oiosaila Manan elye etevanne Nórie i melanelye? - The Second part is in Sindarin: Mithrandir, Mithrandir, A Randir Vithren ú-reniathach i amar galen I reniad lín ne mór, nuithannen In gwidh ristennin, i fae narchannen I lach Anor ed ardhon gwannen Caled veleg, ethuiannen. * Olórin, who once was... Sent by the Lords of the West To guard the lands of the East Wisest of all Maiar What drove you to leave That which you loved? Mithrandir, Mithrandir O Pilgrim Grey No more will you wander the green fields of this earth Your journey has ended in darkness. The bonds cut, the spirit broken The Flame of Anor has left this World A great light, extinguished. And Since Gandalf is tied to the story and fate of the elves as he is one of the Maiar spirits is that when one perishes it tends to be a big deal when something like one “dies” if you will. Spending thousands of years together even in his current embodiment is still greatly impactful upon his death.

Goblins and orcs are basically the same thing. “Goblin” is the Westron, or Common, name while “orc” derives from Sindarin Elvish.

Not to deny the thrust of your thoughts, but you may miss what Tolkien was saying if you don't know how the universe of Middle Earth is ordered. Some of this comes from the footnotes of Lord of the Rings, but most of it is contained in the Silmarillion. God is named Iluvatar, and also Eru. His "archangels" were the thirteen Valor, one of whom, Morgoth fell and is the equivalent of Satan in Middle Earth. His "angels" are the Maia. One Maia married an elven king and was the mother of Luthien, the woman Aragon was singing of in the first part of this movie. Some of the Maia followed Morgoth and fell with him. Among them were his lieutenant, Sauron, the balrogs, formerly Angels of Might and Fire, (hence Gandalf's description, "a balrog of Morgoth, a demon of the ancient world.") and Ungoliant, mother of the spiders of Mirkwood (from The Hobbit) and of Shelob, who will appear in the third movie, Return of the King. Elves and men are the First-Born and Second-Born Children of Iluvatar and have a place in the Symphony of the World. The primary difference between the two is that men have been granted the gift of Death and so are mortal, while elves are not. Elves can die of violence in Middle Earth but thee fates of the two Children on leaving Middle Earth is very different. Elves go to Valinor, the land where the Valar live. Men go to the Halls of Mandos (one of the Valar). Consequently, Elves and Men never see each other in the afterlife, which is why it is so important in the stories of both Luthien and Arwen. Luthien marries Beren and their son, being both elven and man goes to Valinar to plead for aid against Morgoth. The Valinar and Maia come and end the First Age of Middle Earth by casting Morgoth out of this world. In recognition of his role, his two sons and their immediate descendants have the choice of taking the fate of immortal Elves or mortal Men. Elrond chooses to be an elf, while his brother chooses to be a man and the first king of Numenor (C.S Lewis' Narnia, or at least possibly so according to the footnotes). When Numenor is drowned, his descendants found the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor. In addition to being a descendant of Isildur, traditionally Aragorn is also a descendant of at least two of the Nazgul, so he has good reason to fear being corrupted. At the time of Lord of the Rings, Elrond's wife, who was Galadriel's daughter is dead, slain by orcs, as are Arwen's two older brothers. Evil lacks the ability to truly create, thus goblins (orcs in the Black Speech) were created by torturing and twisting Elves until they became goblins. Saruman alludes to this when speaking to ine of his Uruk-Hai, a crossbreed of goblins with Men. Likewise Trolls are a twisting of Ents, whom you have yet to meet. Ents, Eagles and Dwarves are not part of the Children of Iluvatar. Ents were created by Iluvatar as guardians of the plants of Middle Earth, to preserve what Iluvatar's favourite Valar liked best within the Symphony. Dwarves were a creation of one of the Valar who realized that events within the Symphony were going to require hardiness and endurance. This was not in accordance with Iluvatar's will and when confronted by Iluvatar, the creator of the dwarves, who were not yet living, made to destroy them. However, Iluvatar because of the Valar's obedience to his will, dtayd his hand and gave life to the dwarves. However, because they were not part of Iluvatar's oiginal plan, the were placed asleep in Middle Earth, not to awaken until after Iluvatar's Second-Born, Men, had arrived in Middle Earth. Eagles are something akin to the Maia. There is a bit of a gap between Sauron's defeat and his return. In round figures, it's a bit like something from 1000 B.C. biting us on the fundament today. Gandalf isn't so much seeking wisdom from the old books, as he is some way of identifying whether Frodo's ring is in fact the long-missing One Ring. Boromir's initial refusal to acknowledge Aragorn as king isn't as willful as it seems at first. For almost two thousand years, there hasn't been a King of Gondor. After that long, the Stewards of Gondor have grown from acting as the king's placekeeper (Stead Ward) to thinking of themselves as the proper rulers of Gondor. After all, it isn't exactly like the old line of kings has been trying to break the door down to sit on the throne and rule again. A bit of nuance that may have been missed is Elrond's remark about Aragorn uniting men as King of Gondor. "He turned from that path long ago. He has chosen exile." It isn't until Boromir is dying that Aragorn says "I do not know what strength... will not let the great city fall." that he turns back to becoming the King of ondor." and it is that, as much as anything, that leads to Boromir's acknowledgement, "..., my king." Also, Boromir was the one jesting with and teaching the hobbits Merry and Pippin on the journey, and he is the one to plead "Hive them a moment, for puty's sake." when they are grieving at the loss of Gandalf. He is a good man who falls prey to temptation, but he does repent his fall almost at once.

My absolute favorite quote in all of literature is in that exchange between Gandalf and Frodo in the mines. Frodo to Gandalf "what a pity Bilbo didnt stab that vile creature when he had the chance" Gandalf to Frodo "Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Pity..and Mercy: Not to strike without need. Many that live deserve Death, and some that die deserve Life...can YOU give it to them Frodo? Do not be so quick to deal out Death in Judgement, even the very wise cannot see all ends, my heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play, for good or ill, before the end, the pity of Bilbo may one day rule the fate of all". I have had that passage memorized since age 7 in 1976, and it still stands as my favorite passage in all of literature

[Frodo] stepped back shaking all over & looked at the Lady. “I know what it was that you last saw”, she said; 'for that is also in my mind. Do not be afraid! But do not think that only by singing amid the trees, nor even by the slender arrows of elven-bows, is this land of Lothlórien maintained and defended against its Enemy. I say to you, Frodo, that even as I speak to you, I perceive the Dark Lord and know his mind, or all of his mind that concerns the Elves. And he gropes ever to see me and my thought. But still the door is closed!' She lifted up her white arms, and spread out her hands towards the East in a gesture of rejection and denial. Eärendil, the Evening Star, most beloved of the Elves, shone clear above. So bright was it that the figure of the Elven-lady cast a dim shadow on the ground. Its rays glanced upon a ring about her finger; it glittered like polished gold overlaid with silver light, and a white stone in it twinkled as if the Evenstar had come down to rest upon her hand. Frodo gazed at the ring with awe; for suddenly it seemed to him that he understood. 'Yes,' she said, divining his thought, 'it is not permitted to speak of it, and Elrond could not do so. But it cannot be hidden from the Ring-bearer, and one who has seen the Eye. Verily it is in the land of Lórien upon the finger of Galadriel that one of the Three remains. This is Nenya, the Ring of Adamant, and I am its keeper. 'He suspects, but he does not know - not yet. Do you not see now wherefore your coming is to us as the footstep of Doom? For if you fail, then we are laid bare to the Enemy. Yet if you succeed, then our power is diminished, and Lothlórien will fade, and the tides of Time will sweep it away. We must depart into the West, or dwindle to a rustic folk of dell and cave, slowly to forget and to be forgotten.' Frodo bent his head. 'And what do you wish?' he said at last. 'That what should be shall be,' she answered. 'The love of the Elves for their land and their works is deeper than the deeps of the Sea, and their regret is undying and cannot ever wholly be assuaged. Yet they will cast all away rather than submit to Sauron: for they know him now. For the fate of Lothlórien you are not answerable but only for the doing of your own task. Yet I could wish, were it of any avail, that the One Ring had never been wrought, or had remained for ever lost.' 'You are wise and fearless and fair, Lady Galadriel,' said Frodo. 'I will give you the One Ring, if you ask for it. It is too great a matter for me.' Galadriel laughed with a sudden clear laugh. 'Wise the Lady Galadriel may be,' she said, 'yet here she has met her match in courtesy. Gently are you revenged for my testing of your heart at our first meeting. You begin to see with a keen eye. I do not deny that my heart has greatly desired to ask what you offer. For many long years I had pondered what I might do, should the Great Ring come into my hands, and behold! it was brought within my grasp. The evil that was devised long ago works on in many ways, whether Sauron himself stands or falls. Would not that have been a noble deed to set to the credit of his Ring, if I had taken it by force or fear from my guest? 'And now at last it comes. You will give me the Ring freely! In place of the Dark Lord you will set up a Queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair!' She lifted up her hand and from the ring that she wore there issued a great light that illuminated her alone and left all else dark. She stood before Frodo seeming now tall beyond measurement, and beautiful beyond enduring, terrible and worshipful. Then she let her hand fall, and the light faded, and suddenly she laughed again, and lo! she was shrunken: a slender elf-woman, clad in simple white, whose gentle voice was soft and sad. 'I pass the test,' she said. 'I will diminish, and go into the West and remain Galadriel.' They stood for a long while in silence. At length the Lady spoke again. 'Let us return!' she said. 'In the morning you must depart for now we have chosen, and the tides of fate are flowing.' 'I would ask one thing before we go,' said Frodo, 'a thing which I often meant to ask Gandalf in Rivendell. I am permitted to wear the One Ring: why cannot I see all the others and know the thoughts of those that wear them?' 'You have not tried,' she said. 'Only thrice have you set the Ring upon your finger since you knew what you possessed. Do not try! It would destroy you. Did not Gandalf tell you that the rings give power according to the measure of each possessor? Before you could use that power you would need to become far stronger, and to train your will to the domination of others. Yet even so, as Ring-bearer and as one that has borne it on finger and seen that which is hidden, your sight has grown keener. You have perceived my thought more clearly than many that are accounted wise. You saw the Eye of him that holds the Seven and the Nine. And did you not see and recognize the ring upon my finger? Did you see my ring?' she asked turning again to Sam. 'No, Lady,' he answered. 'To tell you the truth, I wondered what you were talking about. I saw a star through your finger. But if you'll pardon my speaking out, I think my master was right. I wish you'd take his Ring. You'd put things to rights. You'd stop them digging up the gaffer and turning him adrift. You'd make some folk pay for their dirty work.' 'I would,' she said. 'That is how it would begin. But it would not stop with that, alas! We will not speak more of it. Let us go!' When at last all that [Galadriel] had desired in her youth came to her hand, the Ring of Power and the peaceful rule of Middle-earth which she had dreamed... her wisdom was full grown and she rejected it.... Meaning definitely by now it’s become trivial to her. Even back in the day he couldn’t find her or pierce her mind and whenever he went looking for her presence he boils t find her ALL AT THE SAME TIME AS HER BEING ABLE TO READ HIS OWN MIND WITHOUT HIM KNOWING! Often times even from a great distance. That’s power. Just one calm look from her is all it takes to send even the Nazgûl run away from her. They even avoid her realm entirely, opting to travel hundreds of miles around her realm; both because of its own power as well as they know exactly who she is and her exact lineage through themselves being very old. 4000+years old. Especially the WitchKing(head Nazgûl). Remember Númenorean men are not like other average men. They were known to be rather superhuman & very tall. Between 6-8 feet.

Gandalfs entire mission is "leading by serving", he was send by the Valar (immortal angel-like beings) to help men agains evil but not by overpowering it himself but as a guide to them in their battle. "Evil" in lotr is essentially the will of a being to dominate and control others and leave no room for the delevopment of the free will. All the big evil guys like Morgoth and Sauron wanted to shape the world according to their own ideas, in short to become a god that controls all and is worshiped by all. That is also what the one ring does: giving his wielder the power to dominate according to the strengh of his bearer (that's why it's safer with a hobbit then with a mighty elf). So to overcome evil, Gandalf can not by definition lead by force and overcome Sauron by his own strength, but only by serving men and guide them to work together and instilling hope. That's why he appears as an old man and not as the immortal spirit-like being he is.

Thank you for this video 😊

Love your comment about comment about Legolas being so agile. He is an elf and they are different and much lighter than men. If you pay attention when they walk on the snow, on the mountain, before Saruman causes the avalanche, Legolas walks on the snow while the rest sink into it.

Gandalf is kinda analogous to an Angelic like being in the Tolkien mythology! He’s an agent of the higher powers that’s a light guiding hand. Very cool being.

Orc can be used as generic (it means construct), goblins are smaller and are mountain dwellers. These ones are specifically Goblins of the Misty Mountains, the "backbone" of Middle Earth. There are other differences among orcs depending on their origin (Gundabad, Mordor, Isengard...).Other types will show up in the next movies.

Gandalf has the ring of fire which is useful for kindling hearts and courage. He can also do some fire magic (as seen in the Hobbit and in the book, and to light his pipe) He is always shown as the one to give other confidence in themselves. Because he gave up a large portion of his power to come to middle earth he instead acts more of an influence to bring the best out in the different races. In the scene on the bridge where Gandalf challenges the Balrog, he is essentially saying that he wields the power of light and is of the same "rank" as the Balrog as it is also a maia (lesser god) like him.

Galadriel is inspired by Nordic female characters who are usually in charge of peaceful kingdoms.

I agree on what you said about words having power. Words can break a heart while at the same time words if used in a good way has the power to change someone's life for the better.

As for your question about Galadriels mirror. The point here is that the more powerful a character is, the more actions and ambitions are available to them the easier it is for them to be corrupted. The ring preyed upon people through their ambition and dispair. This is why the humblest of characters were the ones capable of holding off the temptation of the ring. Because the ring offers grand riches, glory, power and the abiility to sumbit the world to your will. The less of these things the bearer wants, the less sway the ring has. Bilbo resisted the rings temptations for 60 years because he just wanted to live his life. He didnt want to subject people to his will. Boromir succumbed so easily because he wanted to drive his foes before him and elevate his people, the ring offered this to him and he accepted. But Aragorn resisted the ring because he doesnt want power and glory, he is humble and just wants to help his friends and be true to his word. Boromir wants this as well, but had a moment of weakness, even apologizes, shows that he is a good man, but the dispair was too great in that moment to resist the false deliverance the ring was offering.

“I shall NOT be dark, all EVIL will despair” part 2 - All creatures whose flesh are nourished by the matter of Arda have a tendency towards Melkor AKA Morgoth, for greater or lesser. Since Melkor poured his evil power into the very existence and essence of the world(Morgoth’s Ring” book explains a lot including how and when he put a portion of his remaining power into the earth itself. Sure, Galadriel was born in the Undying Lands where there was supposed to be no evil (souls of the Elves are greatly less subject to making faulty decisions), but Galadriel & the rest of her father's kin were directly targeted by the Evil Lord himself. Melkor corrupted a decent portion of the Noldor, basically telling them things along the lines of “My Valarin kin are cooping you all up in Valinor.”, which wasn’t their ancestral homeland to begin with, like Middle Earth was, Some were affected little, most were affected to greater degrees, and Galadriel was the least affected woman by the lies of Melkor, which were “sweet but poisoned honey" as she’d call his words. Her natural pious tendency towards goodness & kindness as shown by her ability to read the hearts of everyone and all living beings around her which aids her to provide what anyone truly needs. Due to the magic bleeding from the world as the ages went on; thanks to Morgoth’s Ring poisoning the earth long ago; lead to a what if scenario in her mind as she’d be the only living creature left with the skills & power to even use the ring. She didn’t need her ring at all to block him out of her realm telepathically as well as read his mind from afar without him knowing. But there is a difference between good people who are a bit morally challenged and the evil people. The evil folk act upon their impulses and unlawful desires, while the good folk overcome such flaws within themselves (and for some not always they can masterfully do this). Galadriel WOULD NEVER listen to Melkor and tread the path of toxic pride and ambition. Galadriel has a Fëa spirit that’s only grown larger as the ages passed on and on. Enough to channel into an effect that threw down fortress walls, without tiring her at all. And with that much Fëa, she is capable of holding her own against Maiar for a good long while, much like her brother Finrod did against Sauron, or her uncle Fëanor did against Balrogs. Fëanor effectively lost all claim to the crown when he rebelled and dragged his entire house to Middle Earth. Where he promptly died a heroic death after slaying several Balrogs at the Dagor-nuin-Giliath; The Elves first encountered Lord Of Balrogs named Gothmog in the Dagor-nuin-Giliath; (meaning “the battle fought under stars”) before the first rising of the Moon. In that battle, Fëanor's fury had caused him to draw forward of the main force of the Noldor, and so he came upon Gothmog with only a small guard left around him that rushed so deep into enemy territory. Fëanor slayed 2 or 3 balrogs at once & Gothmog slayed him after one bound him suddenly with its primordial flame whip when he was supposed to have an uninterrupted “one on one” duel with Gothmog but one wasn’t wanting to play fair. But he was fatally wounded and so his sons and host moved him away to a safe place where his body burned up from the fires of his own spirit. Even with a lesser ring like Nenya, Galadriel had enough of a boost in her Fëa(spirit) , that she could sustain an unassailable magical realm against Maiar and virtually anything on Middle-Earth. Only problem was when Sauron wore the one ring, she had to take off Nenya, and had to lose that Maia level Fëa spirit from the modernly termed “boosted power up” With the one ring, Galadriel would have such a boost in her Fëa spirit, that she’d literally become stronger than the foundations of the Earth. Due to Galadriel’s immense native Fëa, she was prone to a super healthy pride and a small lust for dominion/ but not domination, her goodness kept this pride from going over to the dark side. Galadriel at heart was extremely good so she’s definitely not evil. She never once is called queen or desires to be called such a thing, she and her husband Celeborn became the wiseman and wisewoman of that realm; after the previous elven lord Amroth died and his wife Nimrodel disappeared ontop of the fact Amroth’s Successor later died as well in the “Last Alliance”, (same battle shown in the prologue to Fellowship Of The Ring), All Evil Despairs at her presence let alone hearing her name on the wind. The Nazgûl themselves avoid her realm every chance they get to the point of choosing to go the long way around for over 100 miles just to avoid her. (So she’s definitely scary to foul entities that have turned away from Eru Îlluvatar the one AllFather.) She’s a totally good character. Aragorn even says to the Fellowship as they enter Lothlórien, “There is in her and this land no evil, unless a man bring it hither himself. Then let him beware!” If you’re going by her portrayal in the movies, you might think she has an evil element to her character, but that came from Peter Jackson’s portrayal of the addictive, coercive power of the Ring. When Frodo offered her the Ring, it presented her with visions of herself as the all-powerful Goddess of Middle-Earth. Luckily, she was smart & intuitive enough to realize that the Ring was totally evil, and despite the best of intentions, it would have turned her evil in the end-but she still would have appeared to be beautiful and good. I don’t agree with Jackson’s “drowned Galadriel” portrayal of her being tempted by the Ring-I think she’d have appeared as a supernatural being of divine beauty, and her regular appearance was close to that already, but how do you show that in a movie? Apparently, in her youth in Valinor, she was somewhat of a rebel, but that’s not necessarily evil. She certainly could have fallen into the same trap as her uncle Fëanor did, of thinking that everyone was entitled to her opinion-but she kept her ego in check. (If you’re not sure what I’m referring to there; please read The Silmarillion and “Unfinished Tales”.) No matter how noble her reason was to use the ring as a last resort, especially if said fellowship fell off the “edge of the knife” as she called it. she had a change of heart which happened in the middle of talking to Frodo. Galadriel left Valinor(The Undying Lands) for a reason - and it was different from most of the other elves. She wasn’t with her uncle Fëanor, who wished to make war against Morgoth and retrieve the Silmarils - she was not wishing to go to war, and had no interest in the Silmarils in which Melkor stole from Fëanor which was the surviving light of the two trees of Valinor within them that the only Fëanor; the master of all elven smiths could have accomplished but it could not be done a second time as is any pure creation of one’s heart, especially in regards to the elves and Valar alike. Though she traveled with her other uncle, Fingolfin, her goals were not aligned completely with his either despite her full support of her noble and regal uncle Fingolfin in general. - They both wished to keep an eye on Fëanor and make sure the Noldor were in good hands - Galadriel wasn’t interested in Fëanor and wanted her own realm. After spending some time in Doriath, Galadriel and her husband Celeborn passed to the east out of Beleriand and passed eastward through Eriador and over the Misty Mountains; to where she founded her own realm in what became renamed as Lothlórien. Her motivation and goal was to preserve her realm, possibly at any means necessary. With Sauron’s return in the Third Age, Galadriel was forced to ask herself how far she would go to preserve her realm. If Frodo failed, she must forsake her own ring & her realm. If he succeeds, her ring will lose power and her realm will fade. Would she seize the ring, taking Sauron’s power for her own, to save her realm? She decided she would not. She had decided to “test” the Fellowship, to find some flaw that would allow her to justify seizing the ring, and she did find a flaw - in herself. She stated to Frodo, that by telling her that he would offer her the ring if she asked, that she had come to test his heart, but found that he was testing hers. She had a change of heart, she would pass into the West, and remain Galadriel. Which one is better? Being born completely good and living your whole life without any evil inside, or having a character growth ?

Out of the fellowship, you could argue Boromir had the most pressure on him. He's got a whole ass kingdom to protect while Aragorn is shirking his duty so to speak. That's what the ring works on, it plays on people's desires, Boromirs desire to protect is just as easy to manipulate as a desire for power.

I love your reactions, a different point of view is always a good thing.

Me watching this: "i dont know whether they are spirit orbs or ash from the fire!" lmao

The bridge of Khazad-dum is an extremely lore based sequence. Tolkien hated this sort of thing, but I'll put it into Christian parlance to make it easier to understand. At the beginning of the world Eru Illuvitar (The god of this legendarium) sang into being the ainur (angels for all intents and purposes) and they resonated with him to create a harmony. Gandalf is one of the "angels" that Eru created and gave life with the flame imperishable. The Balrog is also one such being, but Melkor (the devil) brought this being to Udun where he corrupted him and turned him into a creature of fire and shadow. "You cannot pass" at first is a declaratory statement. "I am a servant of the secret fire" This is an obvious reference to the flame imperishable so he's basically saying "I am a servant of God" Then he says "Wielder of the flame of anor" which some believe to be a reference to the ring of fire that the elves forged which made him more resistant to fire magic and more capable with it as well. "Go back to the shadow, the dark fire will not avail you flame of Udun" Basically he's saying; "I see you for what you are, but know that I am also such a being of equal power" Then you get the order "You shall not pass!!" Basically exorcising a demon; ordering him to begone.

Remember part 1? - Gimli attacking the ring shows it has no hold over him just like the Dwarvish rings out of the 16 meant to go to the elves had no hold over them. So technically they could easily be used offensively & defensively but many disappeared over the ages mainly due to Sauron collecting them back again over the last few thousand years. One or two eaten by dragons (not simple minded beasts here. They were twisted and enhanced beings by Melkor/Morgoth(Saurons Upperclassman as far as the Ainur face goes.). There were only a few of them and their offspring are lesser drakes throughout middle earth. Most recent one you’ll see in The Hobbit movie and one other most recent dragon left of the originally created dragons was Scatha, of which I don’t think Scatha even has wings or could fly in any permanent sort of way. “Evil cannot create. Only twist and warp what is already natural to the world” - “Nobody Trust An Elf” The thing is with a certain clan of dwarves: A giant set of events throughout the ages caused a huge rift between dwarves and elves since before any elf ever saw a dwarf. Elves are the firstborn. Men are the secondborn. Dwarvish forefathers were created by the hands of one of the Valar named Aulë, then essentially Eru Îlluvatar(AllFather) breathed life into them to later wake up at a later date since Aulë was still excited to create things of his very own. It’s also why dwarves overall can resist the rings power and so forth. There were these beings became known as Petty Dwarves in the books where these beings were super hostile and the elves thought it was just another spawn of Melkor (now Morgoth) so when they finally did see actual dwarves they killed them on site. That and dwarves were keen on chopping down trees by huge amounts so you can kind of see why… but this was only the beginning. But it’s not a very good start. Buuut not all dwarvish clans share this rift as the creator of the 16 rings was an elf named Celebrimbor and is one of the best characters ever. His main smithery guild in Eregion was full of dwarves and elves called the “Gwaith Ír Mirdain”. Even Gimli’s father was really close to a certain elf I won’t name yet! ❤ Not all dwarves were enemies to elves. Galadriel and her brother were best friends with dwarves. Famously the fortress of Nargothrond was built by Finrod Felagund with the dwarves! It was only a certain clan that killed Elu Thingol! (Elwë) ​​⁠Galadriel & her elder brother Finrod Felagund were best friends with the dwarves. Finrod was named Felagund by the dwarves meaning “Earth Hewer” from the fact he helped them build the great fortress called Nargothrond of which he was the elven lord that ruled there justly. Was the same for Celebrimbor and the dwarves of Eregion especially the guild called Gwaith Í Mirdain. His bestie was Narvi the dwarf. Narvi and Celebrimbor created the doors of Moria. Moria is also the elvish name for Khazad Dûm. This gift for Gimli set it into imperishable Crystal and would be the only thing left in middle earth that holds the light of the two trees of Valinor (Valanor by the Eldar). It’s basically the uncursed version of the Nauglamir. He named it The Galadramir. ❤ ​​⁠ If you search for 'victorian hair art' then you can see what amazing things people created with hair in the past. Craftsmen as dwarfs were, I imagine that Gimli must have created something beyond exquisite!

He’s back!🎉

12:42 A wisdom that all we need and all do who mostly need it. Goblins are the green skins with ponty long ears, they overwhelm their enemies with numbers. Orcs are the mudd brown skins and grey skins, they do quite the same as the goblins but the Orcs are smarter because they can craft. Uruh-hai are the Dark-red skins and they are stronger, faster, and tougher than the Orcs.

“I shall NOT be Dark. (All evil) will despair”, The elves (Galadriel especially is one of the few remaining that existed before the sun & moon. They pre-existed day & night.) How utterly, completely terrifying do you think it would be for your whole world to irrevocably change in a matter of an hour? For the thousands of years of (what you would come to know as twilight to be abruptly ended in a profundity of genuinely painful light and an infinity of colour? Of the joy, wonder and terror of distinguishing the difference between green and blue for the very first time in your whole life?) She is talking about the immediate, majestic sublimity of reality that one experiences in it's totality for the very first time. How on earth could that not be so terrifying as to threaten one's sanity? Galadriel with the ring would be exactly as beautiful and horrifying. I personally would not know whether to weep bitterly and perfectly, or claw my eyes out through the sheer, unutterable terror of her being in such a circumstance. But know this: she was showing Frodo what would happen if someone else got the ring. She wasn’t tempted at all. Gandalf tells. Galadriel shows. See the difference now. Two sides of the same coin. Both were needed. (But yes there was a more fluid beauty full of colour before the rise of the sun. Her uncle, Fingolfin, whilst in middle earth beheld the first rising of the sun and to see this wide field before him in even more definition than before while he was in Middle Earth. This was also the beginning of the dominion of men.) - • “Beautiful & Terrible as the dawn” Galadriel was quite correct to call the morning and night both “beautiful and terrible…”. In truth the physical and metaphysical natures of morning and night were both by turns beautiful and terrible. First the morning. Physically the morning is the result of the golden fruit of Laurëlin, transformed into a vessel by Aulë’s craftsmen, hallowed by Varda and piloted by the fiery Maiarin spirit Arien. The sun was so terrifyingly powerful that its radiance instilled fear even into Melkor’s heart and defied the assault of his minions. She literally gave up her physical form to take her original form and enveloped the sun; becoming its flames we see today. Physically the sun is a beautiful golden orb yet it is simultaneously terrifying in its intensity and cannot be observed directly for more than an instant without pain. Metaphysically the morning is beautiful because it diminishes the evil power of those creatures who haunt the night, gives strength to the righteous and because it illuminates the serene loveliness of Valinor and Middle-earth. Metaphysically the morning is terrible because it obscures the light of the stars and sheds light on the ugly reality of Arda Marred, whose very substance is corrupted by the power of Melkor. Last the night. The night is the Void surrounding the globe of Arda, which existed even before the creation of the Ainur at the beginning of time itself. Physically the beauty of the night lies in the fact . Physically the terror of the night is that it conceals the beauty of Arda and limits the senses of the elves and gives strength to the creatures of evil such as orcs, trolls and the Ringwraiths. Metaphysically the night is beautiful because it is during the hours of darkness that the stars of Varda, the most beloved creations for the elves, shine most brightly. Metaphysically the terror of the night for elves, who are irretrievably bound to the world of Arda, is that the Void represents the interstellar coldness which is the prison of Morgoth. Terrible in its more original archaic form didn’t always mean “bad” (the sun stuff was to move it into a place where Melkor couldn’t go by virtue of how the Valar and Maiar are bound to the world until it’s ending; (which isn’t the true end either. It’s deep stuff. There ends up another song of creation which all kindreds take part in and working with the powers of that long ago past of our world to rebuild everything. Even the Mountains too, healing it after Dagor Dagorath, Also known as the final battle, the worlds ending. Becoming the greater version of the original form before Melkor’s discord into the first music and so forth which dictated eventually what all ended up ensuing when they entered the world the first time which also was interesting because when they entered it after seeing the complete version it hadn’t been done yet so that was millions of years of work which lead to Middle Earth and the other lands being the remnants of it. Including Valinor being the only remnant of an even older world. At that time of building and tending to the world when the world was young.)

Next The Lord Of The Ring Extended Edition Of The Two Tower Extended Edition, The Lord Of The Ring Extended Edition Of The Return Of The King Extended Edition

Fun fact: Ian Mackellan got his version of Gandalf from how Jrrtolkien spoke it in recordings, that's why it sounds quite 'old', how men used to speak in his days,

The best explanation for why Gandalf asked Frodo to decide is specifically because they have the least experience in this matter. Gandalf knows that he cannot truly understand how hard it is for Frodo to go over through the pass whilst carrying the ring, both from the burden of the ring and just because hobbits are more vulnerable than the average person, so he is unsure of the difficulty that Frodo and the others are facing. This is exemplified in the fact that Boromir states that they should go for the gap of Rohan because the journey through the pass will kill the hobbits. Gandalf could ask Aragorn to decide, but even though Aragorn is second in line in terms of leadership and better understands the plight of the hobbits due to not being a wizard, it simply is not as good as Frodo's personal experience that he is undergoing. That is one of the two most important factors in determining the optimal route, the other being the danger of the Balrog, which only Gandalf is aware of. Both Frodo and Aragorn know that there is a reason that Gandalf does not wish to go into Moria, and though they do not know why they both half a roughly equal understanding of the fact that if Gandalf thinks it is a very bad idea then they should only use it as a last resort. Since both have the same perspective on the second important thing, the most important factor would be experience with how much the hobbits can handle, which just makes Frodo a better choice for the decision, which Gandalf recognizes. Almost every decision made in these films can be broken down in such a way, which is why so many people love it so much.

Here is more stuff that connects Morgoth killing Fëanor’s father Finwë (as described in beginning of this in Part 1 of Galadriel’s Mark Of Tragedy): •The First Kinslaying occurred before the Helcaraxë. It took place in the city of Alqualondë on the shores of Aman when the Noldor, lead by Fëanor, stole the ships of the Teleri (which also that clan didn’t like the energy coming from Fëanor but also didn’t want to start another war with Morgoth ontop of Teleri being rather peaceful in general; along with the fact it was all just a bit rash on their perspective so to speak to leave for Middle-earth, resulting in the deaths of many Teleri. This act was a major turning point in the history of the Elves and led to the estrangement of the Noldor and the Valar. This is the battle where I may have mentioned in the Galadriel hair comment. Where she was defending her mothers people from Fëanor and his army which is one of the main reasons he backed the hell off. She’s a very cool character. One of the most beloved still alive in middle ear to after so many ages of the world had passed into the third age that you’re watching this movie in!) •The decision to leave Aman and journey to Middle-earth was a choice made by the Noldor, led by Fëanor, on their own. They were driven by their desire to reclaim the Silmarils, which had been stolen by Morgoth, and to avenge the deaths of their kin who had been killed in the pursuit of the jewels. The journey through the Helcaraxë was a difficult one, and many of the Noldor perished along the way. However, it was not seen as a punishment, but rather as a test of endurance and resilience. Those who survived the journey were strengthened by it and became more powerful as a result. In summary, the First Kinslaying occurred before the Helcaraxë, and the decision to leave Aman and journey to Middle-earth was made by the Ñoldor on their own. The Helcaraxë was a difficult journey, but it was seen as a test of endurance on its own rather than a punishment. This isn’t even 10 percent of the whole story just with her life and the life of her family shaped middle earth as we know it and made sure survival into the ages was even possible. Especially for both men and elves. She even among many elves is a living example of a bygone era for both kindreds.

Boromir is an excellent character even in the movies, because he shows how even those men that have great virtue and only desire to do good can still do evil when under the proper temptations. As soon as he is no longer near the ring, he instantly realizes what has happened and knows that he cannot continue to be near Frodo any longer, and then is even willing to give his life to defend Merry and Pippin at the end. Even after taking two arrows to the chest, he still fights on in order to do his best to ensure that Aragorn and the others have time to arrive before he can no longer fight. Though he does end up failing to prevent their capture, he does end up at least being able to inform Aragorn and the others of their fate which is still important. Boromir shows that even those that have done evil can still come back to the light.

The music is great, IMHO the greatest movie soundtrack ever. Be sure and listen to the ending vocal theme songs at the end of each movie in the credits.

“Orc” and “goblin” are synonyms. Some people say a goblin is a breed of orc that lives in the Misty Mountains, but I don’t think that’s the case. The real-world distinction is just that in The Hobbit in 1937, Tolkien exclusively used “goblins”. But by the mid 1950s with LOTR he preferred to use “orcs” - though he sprinkled in enough “goblins” to make clear it was the same creatures. People are reluctant to apply the word “goblin” to the big, threatening, more manlike Uruk-Hai orcs we see at the end - I think the word “goblin” conjures up something smaller and dorky looking.

I knew a priest wouldn't miss Gandalf falling in the form of the crucifix as a symbol of his sacrifice.

Great reaction once again! Looking forward to 2 Towers and RoTK

From my understanding, the three main elven lords, Elrond, Galadriel, and the third one (I've forgotten his name) represented different aspects of the elven race for Tolkien. Elrond represented the martial prowess and strength of the elves. This is shown in the movies by him leading the Elven army in the beginning, operating as the Elven version of Isildur. The third one represents, I think, the Elven tendency towards isolationism. They made their home in what is known as Mirkwood and played very little part in the events of the LotR, although Legolas was one, to my knowledge at least. Galadriel represents the magical power and mysticism of Elves. As for the Elves being close to angels, there is certainly an element of truth to your guess. Although they are one of the 'mortal' races and, as such, technically as far and as close to the Valar (Tolkien's angels) as humans, they were the most in touch with the spiritual plane. In fact, an elf was said to live half-in the Material plane and half-in the Spiritual one. This gave them unparalleled skill with Magic, but posed some difficulties with them interacting with the physical world. Men were said to fully inhabit their body, which gave them (us) superior strength in the physical body and more of an innate understanding of the physical world but made it practically impossible to interact with the spiritual one. Dwarves were kind of a special case, in that they were not originally part of Eru (God's) plan, but one of his angels designed them in secret and brought them to him as kind of a 'wouldn't it be cool if these guys were here, I did most of the work for them already' kind of deal. Since they were not made the same as Elves or Men, their souls are very different and are said to be 'of the Earth'. This grants them extreme skill with metal working and mining and anything to do with the Earth. However, it also caused a love for everything that comes from the Earth, particularly shiny metals such as gold or gems, that proves problematic. Sauron would also interfere, worsening their greedy traits with the Seven rings that he granted the Dwarf lords in the beginning. The only race that would not be affected by Sauron's treachery would be the Elves, who heard Sauron forging the One Ring through the Spirit Plane at the very last moment and removed their rings in the nick of time.

Galadriel's life was marked by much loss & tragedy part 1. She lost many family members, including her brothers Aegnor & Angrod, who died in the War of Wrath, a great conflict between the forces of the Valar and Morgoth. She also lost her grandfather, Finwë, who was slain by Morgoth by a terrible & unholy lighting strike that left his body broken but one can imagine he was just as mighty as Fëanor by being the FATHER, Morgoth himself being responsible for the deaths of her uncles Fëanor (& Fingolfin quite a bit later on when he faced off one on one with Morgoth/Melkor and left the fallen Valar 7 permanent wounds which left him eternally limp to the point of being mocked by his generals and the like indefinitely which left Morgoth in intense pain forever!) Fëanor was Galadriel's half-uncle, as he was the son of Finwë by his first wife Míriel. Fëanor's sons were therefore Galadriel's first cousins. Most of Fëanor's sons died in the wars that followed the theft of the Silmarils, including the tragic deaths of Celegorm & Curufin, who were slain by their own cousin, Lúthien's son Dior. Galadriel also lost her relative Aredhel, who was her cousin, & Aredhel’s brother; king Turgon of the hidden kingdom of Gondolin. These losses weighed heavily on Galadriel, but she remained strong and resolute in the face of adversity. Fëanor's death was a tragic event that marked the beginning of the First Age of Middle-earth. After Morgoth stole the three Silmarils, Fëanor swore an oath to retrieve them, even if it meant going to war with the Valar themselves. Fëanor led the Ñoldor in their rebellion against the Valar, & he and his sons played a significant role in the events that followed. Fëanor was eventually slain by Balrogs, demonic creatures who served Morgoth, during the flight of the Ñoldor from Middle-earth. His death marked the end of an era, & his legacy continued to be felt in Middle-earth for many ages to come. Fingolfin's death was no less tragic. He challenged Morgoth to single combat & fought valiantly against him, but he was ultimately slain by the Dark Lord. His death inspired many to rise up against Morgoth, & his legacy continued to inspire the people of Middle-earth for many ages to come. Despite the many losses she suffered, Galadriel remained a powerful and influential figure in Middle-earth, & her wisdom & knowledge continued to be sought after by many. Galadriel's history is rich & complex, & she played a significant role in the events of Middle-earth. She was born in the Undying Lands before the creation of the sun and moon, and she was a member of the Noldor, one of the three Elven races. Galadriel's family, the House of Finarfin, was closely connected to the Vanyar, the first of the three Elven races to journey to the Undying Lands. Galadriel's grandmother, Indis, was a Vanya, and her mother, Eärwen, was a Teleri princess who married Finarfin. Galadriel's father & brothers participated in the rebellion of the Noldor against the Valar, which resulted in the exile of the Noldor from the Undying Lands. Galadriel, however, did not participate in the horrifying kinslaying, protecting her mothers people from Fëanor’s onslaught at Alqualondë instead, - returning in the Undying Lands for a while longer before reuniting with her people still travelling the Helcaraxë. As I recall her father was with the others that returned to Valinor at the Doom Of Mandos which in basic terms set a warning prophesy sort of thing where if they left Valinor it’d cause a domino effect throughout time etc. but Fëanor’s fire burned inside and he had a HUGE bone to pick with Morgoth. So that’s what was mainly leading him there but it was several years long of travel on what was called the Helcaraxë (grinding ice wastes) Galadriel did end up there but through other means as her way to middle earth let’s just say lead her to there where she sort of rendezvoused with her family and helped lead her people to middle earth. Many died on this trip of HARSH conditions.). During the Third Age, Galadriel played a key role in the events leading up to the War of the Ring. She helped the Fellowship of the Ring by giving them gifts, advice, and guidance, and she played a significant role in the defeat of Sauron. (She played a bigger role than shown in the movies) Galadriel possessed many magical abilities, including the power to read minds, the ability to communicate telepathically, & the power to cast spells but above all was her ability to project herself across large distances(not teleporting, think more like a sort of mental and spiritual projection similar to astral travel) She was also renowned for her beauty & grace, and her wisdom and knowledge were highly respected by the Free Peoples of Middle-earth. Overall, Galadriel's long life and rich history make her one of the most intriguing and powerful characters in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. Galadriel is one of the oldest and most powerful beings of the Elven race left in middle earth. According to Tolkien's writings, Galadriel was born in Tirion in the Undying Lands(which means untouched By Morgoth’s Ring where he poured his essence and malice into the earth itself. Middle Earth. Not all of Eä(the world), also known as Aman, which existed before the creation of the sun and moon. And this landmass used to be closer to middle earth and existed long before Middle Earth became what it was as a landmass in itself due to the reshaping of the world a few times due to Valar’s battles with Melkor along with natural shifts over the millions of years etc. The creation of the sun and moon occurred after the Two Trees of Valinor, which provided light to the world, were destroyed. This event, known as the Darkening of Valinor, marked the end of the First Age of Middle-earth. Based on Tolkien's timeline, the events of the First Age occurred approximately 5,000 years before the start of the Second Age. The Second Age lasted for approximately 3,441 years, and the Third Age lasted for approximately 3,019 years. Therefore, if Galadriel was born in the Undying Lands before the creation of the sun & moon, it is estimated that she would be at least 25,000 years old by the end of the Third Age, which is when the events of The Lord of the Rings take place. This calculation is based on the assumption that Galadriel was born before the start of the First Age and that she has lived through all three ages, which is supported by Tolkien's writings. Most important thing here is about Galadriel’s eldest brother Finrod: Finrod Felagund, also known as Findaráto, was a noble elf of rarer mixed heritage just like his younger sister & brothers, the Noldor/Vanyar/Teleri renowned for his wisdom and fairness but also his valiance. He was the eldest son of Finarfin, one of the three sons of Finwë who was the High King of the Noldor. Finrod played a crucial role in the events that led to the creation of Númenor. When the Valar summoned the Noldor to return to Valinor, Finrod and his companions chose to stay in Middle-earth and establish their own kingdoms. During their travels, they encountered the Edain, a group of mortal Men who were the mightiest of them all and the elves considered them equals!!! They became friendly and open to the elves. Finrod was particularly impressed by their courage and loyalty, and he became the first elf to befriend them. As time passed, Finrod & the 3 main Houses Of The Edain formed a close bond. Teaching them many things about the world and the lore of the elves. He also helped them in their struggles against the dark forces of Morgoth since even before meeting the elves. The Edain pledged their allegiance to the elves and fought alongside them in many battles. He even learned their language due to his way of reading hearts and minds which essentially aided hugely in his learning how their language worked etcetera. Eventually, the deeds of Finrod and the Edain were recounted in the halls of the Valar, and the Valar took pity on the mortal Men. They decided to give them a gift, and thus Númenor was created, a great island kingdom in the middle of the sea, where Men could live in peace and prosperity. - As for Finrod Felagund, [Galadriel’s Eldest Brother], he did not live to see the rise of Númenor, for he perished in a battle against a werewolf in the dungeons of Tol-in-Gaurhoth, also known as Sauron's Isle. Protecting Beren, saving his life by breaking free from his own chains to kill that same werewolf with his bare hands and teeth. Facing off with Sauron before that. He and Beren were forced to watch the elvish companions who were most loyal to Finrod get ripped apart by said werewolves - He was a true friend to the first of mankind to show up in middle earth, the Edain, and played a key role in the creation of Númenor. He was also close to his sister Galadriel, and together they shared many adventures and battles. (I’ll share the significance of Elrond’s father which is the main character in how his deeds lead to the assistance from Valinor to help insurmountable odds and circumstances regarding Morgoth to take his physical form out of the picture for good in what’s called the War Of Wrath which was 80 years long nonstop. But I’ll go into it more when I share about Elrond in a different comment which I may save for the second movie or if you want I can post it below this video!) In the end, Finrod's legacy lived on through his deeds and his influence on the fate of Middle-earth. His noble example inspired many, including Aragorn, who was born centuries later & gave him the chance to claim the throne of Gondor & Arnor/Anor as a descendant of the line of Elronds Twin brother who was first king Of Númenor and started the line of the Faithful Númenoreans.

My favorite quote in all of literature is in the exchange between Gandalf and Frodo, Frodo to Gandalf "What a pity Bilbo didnt stab the vile creature when he had the chance" Gandalf replies "Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand, pity...and mercy: Not to strike without need. Many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life....can YOU give it to them Frodo? Do not be so eager to deal out death in judgement, even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me Gollum has some part to play, for good or ill, before the end. The pity of Bilbo may one day rule the fate of all" , I memorized that passage at age 7 in 1976 when I first read LOTR and have carried it with me all my life. Astute reaction btw

yes, please react to LOTR 2 and 3 too! :)

A few things that, from your edit, may have been overlooked. Boromir is one of a very short list of people who had the ring and willingly surrendered it. I think this speaks to the fact that his motives were pure: he did want the ring, but not for himself. His only motive was to protect his people. When Galadriel surrenders herself to her desire to possess the One Ring, she also demonstrates her strength of character, when she steps back from that precipice, to retain her self. She states “I passed the test! I shall remain Galadriel, and diminish, and go into the west.” It’s an incredible moment, one in which we see it triumphantly proclaimed that yes, Boromir was not alone. There are people with the strength to resist the Ring. And this terrifies Sauron. We almost traded one despot for another. The brief scene when Aragorn is offered the Ring stands as coda and confirmation of this statement. The Ring is a terrible temptation, but it can be resisted. Actor Orlando Bloom, who plays Legolas, was hired directly out of acting school, was only paid $175,000 for the entire trilogy, and was not given many spoken lines. But Peter Jackson included several non-verbal scenes that tell us a lot about him. When Gandalf tells the company that they’re being chased by a Balrog, there’s a brief shot of Legolas with a look of fear on his face. He knows what a Balrog is. After Gandalf’s death, as the company mourns, we see a brief shot of Legolas again, this time with confusion on his face. Elves of course are immortal, and Gandalf, while not known to be immortal, has lived “900 lives of men”. Almost no-one in Legolas’ world has probably ever died. This probably was one of the very few times he’s seen someone die, and the idea of the cessation of live is still a mystery to him. As Boromir lays dying, again we see Legolas, this time with a look of curiosity, as he watches someone’s life end. Finally, one of the hidden treasures of the trilogy is that these movies are PACKED with unnoticed background details and lore callouts. It’s much like the Bible, in that, as you study it and learn God’s ways, you realize that it’s filled with gems of wisdom, and the more you study it, the more gems you find. When we see Aragorn in tears after Boromir’s death, what’s easy to miss is the fact that he’s strapping on Boromir’s vambraces (forearm guards) as a silent tribute to his comrade. I believe he wears them throughout most of the rest of the trilogy. I ABSOLUTELY think you need to watch the other two films, preferably the extended editions. Unlike most sequel movies, the Lord of the Rings trilogy gets better as you go, and the Return of the King is TRIUMPHANT. It will have you cheering and in tears before the end. However, at one point Aragorn does call on some dead friends to help out, so I’m not sure what your Biblical perspective will be on that. 😏

It's worth noting that Gandalf is an angelic being in the books. He and the other 4 "wizards" were sent by God to look after the world.

In life we go into the unknown, but with companions. You're off to a great start with these comments. I'm looking forward to hearing more.

"They set out into the unknown, that's what life is". Well, there's a conundrum here, as we go through life, we also seek stability instead of the unknown and when you factor in children, routine has to become a common theme in life until they have the ability to understand the world around them with our guidance. So in summary, we look for the unknown, but we seek stability in our lives, sadly the human race is full of these types of conundrums, which these series of movies subtly show us as the journey progresses.

To review The Two Towers and ROTK, I strongly suggest the extended versions, not the theatrical. There is vital additional information included that had to be left out of the theater version.

Galadriel’s Gift To Gimli part 2 - ever wondered how old Galadriel is during the War of the Ring? I have looked in many different sources and depending on where you look, she’s anywhere from 17,000-20,000 elf-years old. 6,000 seems too young as it would make her close in age to Elrond, who I know is much younger than her even though he’s 6000-8000 by the third age, which wouldn’t make sense for her at all even if she was (“690 elf-years older” as some kept repeating on the internet making 6960!)As she was around long before Elrond was even born and time was experience differently to say the LEAST as there is a lot to go into on that subject lol.) She was born during the Years of the Trees & back then the years were something like 9X longer than a solar year so I understand the math is hard, especially since she isn’t given an exact birth year. But it is said that Finarfin, her father, was born in Y.T. 1230, so I would assume she was born sometime within 1000 years of then (being generous). Basically, I’m wondering what the most accurate range is for her age during the events of Lord of the Rings. I’ll also add that Galadriel is was around before the ents even existed (of which Treebeard is 15,000 years old so she’s OLDER than Treebeard/Fangorn) or very close to when they were “created” by Yavannah and probably had much knowledge to do with such things and or direct knowledge of what happened. Probably through an early prototype of her mirror or simply another dream that made her long for middle earth all over again ontop of the yearning she already had to go there and explore. Nothing to do with Fëanor’s oath and all that jazz. (So by this current era in HUMAN solar years she’s like. 150,000 to 180,000 years old. Now that makes more sense if she’s going to be older than the sun and moon. Tolkien was always reiterating his manuscripts with the growing scientific discoveries.) though Treebeard/Fangorn in the deeper writings is older than Galadriel as he was one of first brought into life by Yavanna to help protect nature while it was put into enhanced hibernation by Yavanna to protect them from Morgoth’s Ring (the poisoning of the world itself which caused it to bleed its magic away over the ages called The Long Defeat by the elves.) Just going from the Appendices (and maybe Silmarillion) she would have to be at least 9000+ years older than Elrond, Elrond was born near the end of the First Age, Galadriel was adult before the destruction of the Trees. Actually, more than that: I just checked, and the Second Age ended in SA 3441. So an elf born literally at the end of the First Age (FA 590) is 3441+3018 = 6459 years old when Frodo leaves for Rivendell. Elrond was born in FA 532, so adds 58 years to get 6517. Elves are mature at 100, so Galadriel adds at leas 632 to Elrond's age, to be at least 7149, and possibly quite a bit more (as attested by other comments.) One fic had Maglor(Elrond’s Adoptive Father, Maedhros was also adoptive father alongside Maglor, they were the eldest sons of Fëanor) - One fic had as much older than Galadriel; I wondered how we knew, and it was pointed out to me that Maglor was the second oldest son of the first son of Finwë, while Galadriel is the youngest child of the third son of Finwë. So, yeah. Note that the second age was the LONGEST and again time was experienced very differently back then too aside from the internal clock of elves working very differently, she’s definitely older as far as the world and the other beings that age far faster around her. I also remind you all that she’s older than the sun and the moon and witnessed & most likely even helped in the Valar’s crafting what would be the vessels of the last fruit & flower of the two trees of Valinor. She was the most involved with learning everything possible from them and it was stated that she learned all there was to learn from ALL of the Valar that they could teach and she mastered all at a deep level. (Wow hey?) She’s 25th generation from Tata one of the elven forefathers to wake to the stars. Their birth was rather shrouded in mist. Only those of her grandfathers ilk have a chance of knowing the origins a bit better as they are closer to that culture that stemmed from the beginning. The Years of the Trees were the second of the three great time periods in Arda that followed the Years of the Lamps and preceded the Years of the Sun&Moon. They were known to be comprised of several Ages and lasted in total around 1500 Valian Years or 14,373 solar years. Time flowed differently back then and time flowed differently within them too for the elves live as long as the world does. Epic hey?❤❤ The Dúnedain said that Galadriel’s height was two rangar, or "man-high" - some 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm). However, Galadriel's most striking feature was her beautiful long silver-golden hair. The Elves of Tirion said it captured the radiance of the Two Trees Laurelin and Telperion themselves. Galadriel was said to be the tallest female in Middle Earth, at 6'4”. But then Thingol was the tallest elf ever to live, and he's estimated to be almost 9' (274 cm) Thingol was also a very very prominent figure within the Silmarillion and other books. He’s the great ancestor of Elrond+Arwen and through Aragorn being directly but distantly related to Elronds Twin Brother Elros it makes him loosely connected to Thingol as well. Let’s just say he died a tragic death long long ago. In a continent that doesn’t exist anymore. The events I spoke of in my earlier story of Elrond about his fathers deeds, which lead to the Valar helping with putting a Stop to Morgoth for good so to say and that War Of Wrath lasted 80 years straight and it left the landmass torn asunder from the clash of gods and the holy host of Vanyar elves that were closest to the Valar than all other elves so you can imagine what a bunch of mighty elves men and Maiar fighting a bunch of fowl creatures and beings for 80 years would do to a continent. It all fell into the sea. Galadriel barely made it over the mountain before that part of the story officially broke out.

Try to find my “Galadriel’s Gift To Gimli” comments. Part one and two. You’ll be amazed at how deep it goes.

When Aragorn doesnt take the ring from Frodo he says "I would've with you to the end." It is implying that Aragorn KNOWS he cant go to the end with Frodo. He has to let Frodo leave. Because even though right now Aragorn can refuse the ring, he knows that it would eventually take him to. That even Aragorn would be corrupted before the end. So he has to take this moment where he can still refuse the ring to tell Frodo to go. Aragorn has so much wisdom. And Boromir, what a tragic hero? It wasn't even that he was at fault. He was just dealing with a power greater than himself. Which is MASSIVE foreshadowing. At the end of the day, all we can do is be good and trust that that will be enough to ensure that evil does not win.

Another way to look at the bridge scene is that they are crossing through the narrow path, and able to do so because of gandalfs sacrifice.

so many Christian themes run throughout the entire Lotr’s, as Tolkien intended.

16:31 in Tolkien’s stories, goblins and orcs are often used interchangeably

The reaction channel Rideout Reviews gave a good christian perspective analysis of Lord of the Rings. You can check that out after finishing the trilogy 😊

Yes please continue to the entire trilogy!!! Very interesting perspectives!!!!

I think when Gandalf asked the ringbearer to decide their path, he was putting his faith in the idea that the decision would be the right one. Going over Caradhras could have gotten everybody killed, taking the Gap or Rohan would take them too close to Isengard, and going through Moria would result in exactly what we saw happen. I think Gandalf didn't really know what to do, so placed his faith in the decision of Frodo as the most directly responsible party for destroying the ring. He didn't know what the best choice would be, so he trusted that Frodo's choice would be serendipitous. 31:29 My read of this has always been that Galadriel was tempted by the Ring, but 'passed the test' by rejecting it and 'remaining Galadriel' instead of becoming whoever or whatever she would have become had she taken it. And she leaves Frodo with words of wisdom, namely: That his responsibility was granted to him and none other, and so the most others can do is provide help, but he ultimately accepted responsibility to carry the Ring, and so he ultimately is the sole responsible party to shoulder its burden, meaning he must live up to that.

I love the insight you give to it

You’ll love the full scene with Frodo+Sam &Galadriel the great Peter Jackson & team didn’t seem to include.. which all this little stuff lead to that scene in the movies which gave it more meaning; & the”one who has seen the eye” thing was a mistake by the team. It gave the wrong message and was not needed as it lead some reactors to be like “so creepy lol” which diminishes how much farther that well done scene could have gone especially in the extended to do it properly as in the books that latex it out perfectly.: •[Frodo] stepped back shaking all over & looked at the Lady. “I know what it was that you last saw”, she said; 'for that is also in my mind. Do not be afraid! But do not think that only by singing amid the trees, nor even by the slender arrows of elven-bows, is this land of Lothlórien maintained and defended against its Enemy. I say to you, Frodo, that even as I speak to you, I perceive the Dark Lord and know his mind, or all of his mind that concerns the Elves. And he gropes ever to see me and my thought. But still the door is closed!' She lifted up her white arms, and spread out her hands towards the East in a gesture of rejection and denial. Eärendil, the Evening Star, most beloved of the Elves, shone clear above. So bright was it that the figure of the Elven-lady cast a dim shadow on the ground. Its rays glanced upon a ring about her finger; it glittered like polished gold overlaid with silver light, and a white stone in it twinkled as if the Evenstar had come down to rest upon her hand. Frodo gazed at the ring with awe; for suddenly it seemed to him that he understood. 'Yes,' she said, divining his thought, 'it is not permitted to speak of it, and Elrond could not do so. But it cannot be hidden from the Ring-bearer, and one who has seen the Eye. Verily it is in the land of Lórien upon the finger of Galadriel that one of the Three remains. This is Nenya, the Ring of Adamant, and I am its keeper. 'He suspects, but he does not know - not yet. Do you not see now wherefore your coming is to us as the footstep of Doom? For if you fail, then we are laid bare to the Enemy. Yet if you succeed, then our power is diminished, and Lothlórien will fade, and the tides of Time will sweep it away. We must depart into the West, or dwindle to a rustic folk of dell and cave, slowly to forget and to be forgotten.' Frodo bent his head. 'And what do you wish?' he said at last. 'That what should be shall be,' she answered. 'The love of the Elves for their land and their works is deeper than the deeps of the Sea, and their regret is undying and cannot ever wholly be assuaged. Yet they will cast all away rather than submit to Sauron: for they know him now. For the fate of Lothlórien you are not answerable but only for the doing of your own task. Yet I could wish, were it of any avail, that the One Ring had never been wrought, or had remained for ever lost.' 'You are wise and fearless and fair, Lady Galadriel,' said Frodo. 'I will give you the One Ring, if you ask for it. It is too great a matter for me.' Galadriel laughed with a sudden clear laugh. 'Wise the Lady Galadriel may be,' she said, 'yet here she has met her match in courtesy. Gently are you revenged for my testing of your heart at our first meeting. You begin to see with a keen eye. I do not deny that my heart has greatly desired to ask what you offer. For many long years I had pondered what I might do, should the Great Ring come into my hands, and behold! it was brought within my grasp. The evil that was devised long ago works on in many ways, whether Sauron himself stands or falls. Would not that have been a noble deed to set to the credit of his Ring, if I had taken it by force or fear from my guest? 'And now at last it comes. You will give me the Ring freely! In place of the Dark Lord you will set up a Queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair!' She lifted up her hand and from the ring that she wore there issued a great light that illuminated her alone and left all else dark. She stood before Frodo seeming now tall beyond measurement, and beautiful beyond enduring, terrible and worshipful. Then she let her hand fall, and the light faded, and suddenly she laughed again, and lo! she was shrunken: a slender elf-woman, clad in simple white, whose gentle voice was soft and sad. 'I pass the test,' she said. 'I will diminish, and go into the West and remain Galadriel.' They stood for a long while in silence. At length the Lady spoke again. 'Let us return!' she said. 'In the morning you must depart for now we have chosen, and the tides of fate are flowing.' 'I would ask one thing before we go,' said Frodo, 'a thing which I often meant to ask Gandalf in Rivendell. I am permitted to wear the One Ring: why cannot I see all the others and know the thoughts of those that wear them?' 'You have not tried,' she said. 'Only thrice have you set the Ring upon your finger since you knew what you possessed. Do not try! It would destroy you. Did not Gandalf tell you that the rings give power according to the measure of each possessor? Before you could use that power you would need to become far stronger, and to train your will to the domination of others. Yet even so, as Ring-bearer and as one that has borne it on finger and seen that which is hidden, your sight has grown keener. You have perceived my thought more clearly than many that are accounted wise. You saw the Eye of him that holds the Seven and the Nine. And did you not see and recognize the ring upon my finger? Did you see my ring?' she asked turning again to Sam. 'No, Lady,' he answered. 'To tell you the truth, I wondered what you were talking about. I saw a star through your finger. But if you'll pardon my speaking out, I think my master was right. I wish you'd take his Ring. You'd put things to rights. You'd stop them digging up the gaffer and turning him adrift. You'd make some folk pay for their dirty work.' 'I would,' she said. 'That is how it would begin. But it would not stop with that, alas! We will not speak more of it. Let us go!' When at last all that [Galadriel] had desired in her youth came to her hand, the Ring of Power and the peaceful rule of Middle-earth which she had dreamed... her wisdom was full grown and she rejected it.... Meaning definitely by now it’s become trivial to her. Even back in the day he couldn’t find her or pierce her mind and whenever he went looking for her presence he boils t find her ALL AT THE SAME TIME AS HER BEING ABLE TO READ HIS OWN MIND WITHOUT HIM KNOWING! Often times even from a great distance. That’s power. Just one calm look from her is all it takes to send even the Nazgûl run away from her. They even avoid her realm entirely, opting to travel hundreds of miles around her realm; both because of its own power as well as they know exactly who she is and her exact lineage through themselves being very old. 4000+years old. Especially the WitchKing(head Nazgûl). Remember Númenorean men are not like other average men. They were known to be rather superhuman & very tall. Between 6-8 feet.

The Dwarves were kind of drawn up from the earth by one of Eru Ilúvatar's ( God) Little helper angels who jumped the gun on creation but Ilúvatar decided they were cool so he gave them life. "Yes, Moria, also known as Khazad-dûm, was a Dwarven kingdom in Middle-earth's fictional history. It was the most famous and greatest of the Dwarven realms, located underground in the Misty Mountains. The Dwarves of Durin's Folk carved out the city through the living rock of the mountains over thousands of years, and it became a thriving community. Moria's wealth came from its mines, which produced mithril, a fictional metal used to make armor. The Dwarves' mining eventually led them too deep, however, and they disturbed a powerful demon called a Balrog. The Balrog destroyed their kingdom, and Moria became a place of evil and disrepair, filled with Orcs and the Balrog. The Dwarves abandoned Moria by the end of the Third Age, but returned in the Fourth Age under the leadership of Durin VII. However, within five years, Orcs once again overcame Moria, and Durin VII's descendant Balin and his companions were killed there." Quote from the AI thing. Balin is the sweet old dwarf in The Hobbit. So sad. 😔

There are three breeds of Orcs in the books and films: goblins, orcs, and uruk-hai. The goblins tend to be the smallest in stature, like hobbits. The orcs are taller and physically stronger than goblins and are the most numerous. Both goblins and orcs fear sunlight and are weakened by it. They tend to avoid moving around outside in daytime unless they are forced to. The Uruk-hai are the alphas of the orcs and are a relatively new strain of the orc race, being the strongest and possessing no fear of sunlight.

The scene with Galadrial and the ring is a long and convoluted story. To fully understand what that scene was about, you would need to read the Silmarillion by Tolkien. The very short version is that Galadrial was one of many elves that rebelled against the higher powers and left the blessed land to go to middle earth. All those who left were banned from returning to the blessed land. After a major confrontation between the higher powers, the ban was lifted and the rebels could return. All except Galadrial. She still desired to rule in middle earth. When she rejected the ring, which could have given her dominion over middle earth, she proved to the higher powers that she was worth forgiving and the ban on her was lifted. I pass the test, I shall diminish and go into the west means she beat temptation is worth being forgiven and will return to the blessed realm. No longer will she be a queen, she will just be Galadrial. The Silmarillion will also tell you the connections between the Balrog, Gandalf, Saruman and Sauron

CTBoth Aragorn and Borromir are descended from the men of Numenor. During the First Age there were many wars against the true dark lord Morgoth (Sauron was his chief servant) fought by the Noldor (the high elves) and a handful of tribes of men. At this point Morgoth had either dominion or influence over most of middle earth. With only Beleraind being even partly free. 3 tribes of men seeking a land free from the darkness came to Beleriand. On discovering they had come to the front lines of the war against the darkness. Instead of fleeing they chose to join the fight against evil becoming the Edain. At the end of the first age and the defeat of Morgoth Eru raised the island of Numenor to be there home with only one command to never sail to the west (where the undying land of Valinor was). And for generations they explored middle earth and brought much knowledge to the people's of middle earth. Coming to be seen as wise teachers. Until the fear of death started to take hold of them and they became arrogant. No longer coming as teachers but as conquerers and rulers. It was at this point Sauron made his first attempt at world domination. When the might of Numenor marched on Mordor Sauron instantly surrendered such was their strength. Taken back to Numenor as a hostage he soon had the kings ear becoming the chief advisor. And bringing the worship of Morgoth to the Numenoreans. Those few who remained true where known as the Faithful. And became hunted and persecuted by the kings men. Sauron persuaded the king to invade Valinor by telling him the secret of immortality lay there. When the first Numenorean stepped onto Valinor Eru changed the shape of the world making it a globe (until then it had been flat) and sinking Numenor. The kings men who survived the sinking fled south to their colonies such as Umbar and subject kingdoms. Becoming the Black Numenoreans. The Faithful went to the north to create the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor each ruled by one of Isildurs sons. In time Arnor fell to destruction with the survivors becoming the Dunedain. Gondor is much reduced in power after a bloody civil war and near constant skirmish with its southern neighbours Harad and Umbar. And a plague sweeping across both Gondor and Arnor killing so many that Gondor had to abandon its capitol city of Osgiliath. .Aragorn can trace his line back to Isildur who in turn could trace his ancestry back to the chieftain of the first Edain to join the war against Morgoth. Which is why Aragorn is the only person capable of uniting and rebuilding the two kingdoms. So when Borromir says Our people he is acknowledging that their people are kin and that Aragorn was the rightful heir to Gondor as well as Arnor.

Tu cabeza explotará con las siguientes 2 😂❤

"Maybe there's evil that's so evil that even things that side with evil are scared of it" . 21:24

absolutely love your reaction! you have fans way over here in California my friend! Please do more! Love to hear your reaction to Boondock Saints

It absolutely was not chance that the kraken-like creature singled out Frodo. The Ring seems to speak subconsciously to all creatures of ill-will. One of the reasons Frodo always seems to bear the brunt of physical injury, because wicked creatures focus on him.

The movies are masterpieces but they do Isildur some unintentional injustice. In book he NEVER succumbs to the ring, he instead spends his time being a fair ruler who practically gave power away to the people INSTEAD of being power hungry. He comes to realize that he is not powerful enough to truly bend the ring to his will. That it will eventually overcome him. Isildur resolves to give the ring to Elrond but is killed on the way to Rivendel. It's a tragic story of a man that tries to right his wrong but ultimately fails. In the books isildur literally repented and was about to bring the ring to Rivendell and apologize as he recognized it was beyond him even for a great numenorean connected to the faithful line of the mighty Elendil I preface the prologue & war, other depictions I LOVE, captured the themes WELL, the vibe of the whole trilogy! The significance of the duel between Elendil & Sauron was Nerffed; (He wasn’t some random old bloke in armour getting smacked around) This man was MIGHTY and gleaming with power which you’ll find out in the great videos you’ll soon react to with joy! * He and Gil-Galad; last true Elven King battled Sauron and slayed Sauron’s physical body and both died in the process. GilGalad was held high by the face for all free peoples to see as he then incinerated his bodily form to a crisp of ash! Isildur was part of the fight too but not as prominently and he just comes up to the body to cut the ring finger off and…. So one example is how easily Sauron is killed in the intro. * • He's set up as this super powered badass, but all you have to do is cut off his finger? That's not how it went down in the book, where the greatest man-king and the greatest elven-king had to double-team Sauron to strike down his body, but were killed in the effort (Isildur then cuts the ring from the corpse). Especially for elves the title of king has many meanings & by the Third Age there isn’t a population large enough to even attempt to such a thing as creating a unified kingdom, which would put a target on their backs, let alone many of them are beyond all of that anyway as it’s seen as doing more harm than anything good. * They also seen what happened when the elves fell upon the swords of their own hubris and passion no matter if it was for the right reasons some of the time. That it always ended up in some sort of tragedy which sometimes even damaged the earth itself. They had long known about what’s called the Long Defeat as ever since Morgoth’s marring of the land itself; pouring his remnants into it that caused the “magic” to slowly drain away from the land itself, which is sad because for ages several clans of elves were born there. even the greatest ancestors were “born” in middle earth awakening to the stars ! Many of who are left have accepted the next phase of their life which is to become councillors, healers and loremasters to those with the heart to listen and the desire to learn. But above all the guardians and custodians of several things and the world itself for as long as they can remain!❤ The elves “exist” as long as the world does. And Tolkien made it obvious in many ways that it’s our world as he restored Anglo Saxon culture/Mythologies and folklore, and their languages too alongside Irish, Welsh and Finnish mythologies too. Especially Norwegian(of which I am) This is what Amazon (the show that shall not be named) didn’t deliver either [[AKA the actual story which inspired everything we love into existence with games and movies and books and so forth. Skyrim, elder scrolls, oblivion, Diablo, and world of Warcraft and D&D. And Game Of Thrones was hugely inspired by Tolkien… yet as the godfather of everything and the heart of what caused many peoples lives to be saved cannot get the justice it deserves for adaptations? People literally conquered cancer because of the books and the trilogy, the books were read to their children for years. All 25 of them. The man was a hugely respected scholar and professor in the world. Translated ancient artifacts and hieroglyphs and petroglyphs and so forth for the government etc. (JRR Tolkien even rejected being recruited into the CIA several times & he wrote everyone by letter and referenced the dudes who came to him as “little boys who knew not what they got themselves into” which showed his fearlessness.). The readers of the trilogy that came out are who he writes back to despite always replying to everyone back and forth. Many people have shared the stories regarding these conversations which were past down throughout the family lines of the people who had a personal relationship with Tolkien which was hundreds of people when he was alive. Thousands. (Some are in video format too or happened to be shared later on in the video or comes up during a video about him and his work. Especially nowadays when many of us came out of the woodwork to defend professor Tolkiens legacy from amazons money grubbing hands and so forth. Giving many channels a new lease on life where some make Tolkien related content now amongst other things they create content wise.

The interesting thing with Gandalf’s death in relation to Jesus.. in the LOTR universe, Gandalf and the other wizards are minor gods/angels. Frodo sees a wise old man and his friend die. Aragorn and Legolas are speechless because they know what he actually is. They have watched this Jesus/angel level figure be slain

It may seem like we have the easiest times, and on the surface yes we have, but like you said evil is ever present, and history repeats unless people are careful. Technology and industrialism are themes in LotR. Tolkien in his time went through "Third industrial revolution", we are now under fourth, but the threats are completely new. Tolkien didn't like industry (Saruman and Sauron war machinery) but instead embraced nature (Hobbit simple lifestyle). In the end technology is just a vehicle. What matters is who owns and launches it. Like Sauron, who made the ring(s) to deceive everyone, and eventually he had the power and ownership above all.

There are a lot of parallels between Gandalf and Jesus, and this is intentional. Tolkien explicitly mentioned that he drew inspiration from the Bible, but he stopped short of calling LOTR an allegory because in his mind such a thing is not a proper story, as it is just a copy of another, and he tried to ensure that any individual had a lot of traits from more than just one character, such as all of the extra human flaws that Gandalf has that Jesus did not, such as how it was shown that he did in fact fall temporarily to the temptation of the ring during Elrond's council when he joined everyone in bickering over it, though his was a lesser form than most of the others because he just kept shouting about how this was just allowing the enemy time to work towards their goals instead of actually trying to find a compromise, which had to be brought forth by Frodo.

"Be at peace, Son of Gondor..."

31:35 This scene essentially shows what would have happened to Galadriel IF she accepted Frodo's offer of the ring. It corrupts all who bare it, and the more powerful the owner of it is in their own right, the more dangerous the ring would make them. Galadriel says "I passed the test" after this horrendous vision, because she knows already she will not accept the Ring and its temptations.

Just wait until you watch the hobbit battle of the five armies and see Galadriel & Gandalf recreating the Pieta.

"hints that the dwarves and elves might not get along" 10 minutes earlier "I WILL DIE BEFORE I SEE THE RING IN THE HANDS OF AN ELF" Basically they are extremely racist towards each other for a lot of reasons, including but not limited to (in the movie universe, idr about the books. Also I avoided spoiling any relevant information from any movie in this) elves not following a treaty when the last great dwarven kingdom fell where the elves were supposed to help, and the dwarves reportedly stealing precious gems from an elf king.

Gandalf, Saruman, Sauron and that Balrog in the cave are all actually of the same rank of angelic, immortal spirits called "Maiar". In the legendarium of Tolkien, there is only one true God, Eru Iluvatar who is the creator of everything. Before the beginning of the Time, he brought into being these divine, immensely powerful spirits, the Ainur, who helped to shape the World according Eru's plan. However, the most powerful of those spirits was Melkor. He became jealous of Eru, who solely had the power to create. In his madness, Melkor eventually rebelled agains Eru and his fellow Ainur, bringing much misery and destruction to the World by actively trying to bring down all the work, that other Ainur had done. Out of all the Ainur there were the most powerful spirits, the Valar, who became the Rulers and Guardians of the World in service of Eru. Into the World came also innumerable amount of lesser spirits, to serve and assist the Valar in their many labours. Among those spirits were those, who later became known as Saruman, Sauron, Gandalf and that Balrog + the other Wizards in the Middle Earth. Melkor was able to seduce Sauron into his service, as well as those fiery sprits that became known as Balrogs. Yes, there was/is more than one of those demons. For a long time, Melkor actually had the upper hand in his fight against the Valar, dominating much of the Middle Earth , Sauron and Balrog's being his most powerful and feared servants. However, after some certain events, the Valar finally took action and eventually defeated Melkor, casting him out to the Void outside the known Universe. After his downfall, Sauron became the new Big Baddie, continueing on the path of his former master. Sauron brought much destruction and grief in the World, just like his master. At the peak of his power after creation of the Rings of Power and the One Ring, the Wizards (Gandalf and Saruman are the only ones we see on LotR, but there were five of them) were sent to Middle Earth by the Valar for aid and guide the people of Middle Earth in their fight against Sauron. Remember, they are maiar, angelic spirits that can take any physical form they see fit. They became in the shape of old men, and were banned for using or even accessing their immense powers. They experienced every weakness of mortal flesh, feeling hunger, fear, tiredness and weariness of time and world. However, they still were practically immortal, as their physical body could be slain, but their spirits not.

33:53 the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak

bro (or should I say father? :D) I absolutly need a one piece live action reaction from your! much love from germany

In Tolkien's works goblins and orcs are the same thing just different names. A channel called "Nerd of the Rings" has a video decribing all the known orc variants in Tolkien's work if your interested. Also Galndalf and the Balrog are actually the same species, for lack of a better term, called Maiar. However they chose different paths and different forms. There is so much info in Tolkien's works that you just have to read everything he wrote, even his letters. If you want it easier I suggest other channles like Nerd of the Rings who expalin it very well, especially on beings like he Valar, Morgoth, Ungoliamt, the Nameless Things, the origins of man, elves, and dwarves, Even the languages, which Tolkien actually made.

35:25 That's a fairly controversial statement, which reminds me of a clip "Jesus a sinner?" from Oprah where an Orthodox priest argues against it.

Interesting to see your take on this film. I do feel that upon completing the trilogy, and possibly re-watching (it is after all a huge story and very dense in lore) that your interpretation will be more refined. I would love to see your analysis after you have seen all of it and maybe researched some of the finer points of lore for clarification - I recommend In Deep Geek and Nerd of the Rings. Thankyou and may your God go with you.

Do the rest but mix in more thoughts on soundtrack and how it makes you feel, not just with respect to Christ. Also summarise at the end of each film. I’m pretty sure Tolkien has disregarded links to any faith in the LOTR however we can all derive our own meaning from it

Two Towers next please MrPriest! 🤗

I like your commentary. Very insightful, I think monsters attempt to kill or eat Frodo first amongst whole company because of some subconscious feeling or instinct of great deal of power that he bears. Everyone around who has some views on the ring have the same feeling, but it outcomes differently through those who have a reason. (See Boromir for instance) Orc and Goblins are the same/ Goblin is word of men tongue, Ors word has an elvish origin Just noticed that word Balrog spells similar to a Bell Rock, which adds doomish color to the devil's image of great beast))

New subscriber here, loving your videos on this, also curious because of some of your questions, have you read the books?

Please open up a community page for polls and sharing about your life or even to post a nice picture of nature wherever you end up ! Perhaps pair with with any scripture that comes to mind in a synchronistic sort of way! And I’d love to see your initial thoughts and questions that come to your mind when you read the comments of mine that you heart sticker’ed. haha ❤

Visually, one of the most powerful pieces of these films for me are Frodo’s arm reaching down for Sam in the water in this film and Sam’s arm reaching down for Frodo against the backdrop of fire in the final film.