**Spoiler warning!!** Rings of Power S1 E3 Adar

[Formendacil]

Another episode, another list... lightly edited.

• Oh hey, it *IS* Howard Shore!

• This is a different director--will I notice?

• It's under covers, but this seems awfully sunny for an ork camp.

• Are we supposed to believe ALL the Elves in that watch-tower company were captured? This doesn't seem plausible to me... or is just the only three we've happened to see so far? Is that more plausible?

• Come on! No black sails! Look, I know that's a UT thing, not a an Appendices thing--but the black sails of the Numenoreans is iconic.

• I don't love the split-mast sails.

• Megalithic carving in Númenor! I mean, of course there is! Argonath weren't a new idea.

• Númenor looks a bit overpopulated. I mean, it's big, it's old--but is it THAT populous even in Romennarmenelos?

• In Númenor it's about SA 3000, it seems--in Middle-earth it's about SA500.

• I'm digging the fantasy-Byzantine vibe.

• Why does no one kneel in Númenor? Is this a call-something to Aragorn kneeling to the Hobbits?

• Evil Chancellor Pharazôn is not Tar-Calion, but he does have slimy Merlin vibes.

• Does Halbarad have some history with the Captain? That was a weird hug.

• Why would Númenóreans talk of avalanches? There are no snow-covered mountains on Númenor, and we seem to be lacking in one of Tolkien's favourite Second Age themes: the Númenórean ships exploring back to Middle-earth (and none of the avalanche-bearing mountains are near the coast, really).

• Wait--that's Elendil? So is Halbarad actually Isildur?

• Okay, no, scratch that--Isildur is this other sailor guy.

• Isildur has a sister? Okay, that's plausible. Anárionya? What's the feminine for Anárion?

• Why "queen-regent"? This is weirdly topical--it's the reverse of "Queen-Consort Camilla." Can 21st century people not tell by context which is meant when someone is called "Queen." But why "REGENT?" Why not "regnant"? Regent suggests it's on someone's behalf--which is the exact backwards fact of Mîriel's story.

• Wait, is Míriel not in the Appendices? Is that why?

• These orks are much more frightening than anything in the Hobbit movies--and I do like the shawls (if they're to hide from the sun).

• This water ration psychological warfare thing is complicated for an ork!

• There is no way an Elf cutting a tree down can turn out well.

• You know, I like Elendil's presence. I buy this is Elendil the Tall, even if his story is clearly amended (I see no Amandil, Cousellor and Cousin to the King, in this story).

• Why the slow-mo horse riding? Goofy!

• The problem with Halbarad is that he looks more like a Númenórean than the Númenóreans do! At least if you take movie-Aragorn as the type. And he's TALLER than them!

• Look, someone needs a different accent here.

• Wait--is Halbarad Sauron? Are we going to spend all season trying to guess who Sauron is? That's not a bad mystery, an it were.

• I like that the architecture--the arches--are different in Andunie.

• Wait, are we merging Tar-Meneldil and Tar-Palantír? I guess that explains Queen-Regent.

• I like his Tar-Wozzizname is just slipped in before the Big Reveal.

• I'm trying to understand the in-universe reason for a table-carved map of that detail.

• "There's common sense and nonsense" is a great phrase!

• Not sure I love Merry and Pippin-styled thieving.

• Oh, we're doing a Bilbo-speech...

• Are all these names just taken from the Automated Hobbit Name Generator? Give me a Deágol!

• Also, how anthropologically likely is it that the community would just leave Dad behind? What about chewing food for old folks with no teeth of their own? And it's not like these... sigh... Harfoots seem like a community that isn't rather loving of their own.

• "Beings turned into stars"--I see what you did there!

• Only 1000 years? Why 1000?

• "Destiny" really doesn't sound like a Tolkien word, does it?

• "Just for a season"--Isildur Skywalker, I see.

• Oh good, Anárion does exist!

• Wait, is Anárion older or younger than Isildur here? Surely the HoME could sue if he's older.

• Something bad's going to happen to the noncanonical daughter, in the end... right? Handmaiden to Tar-Míriel? A Nazgûl? Something...

• "Builders Guild"? Builders of what?

• Okay, I am getting more Sauron vibes from Halbarad.

• Halbarad is King of the Southlands? Gondor? And he's an Aragorn-expy? That's too obvious--give me back my Annatar theory.

• Okay, look--yes, all the men who were not Edain generally fall into Morgoth's camp, but the idea of a pro-Morgoth bloodline of royal men in Middle-earth just doesn't FIT: 3000 years of the South Age wipes out memory: this is the Dark Ages. I mean, I like the idea of some connection, but this is both too borrowing of Aragorn's story and doesn't fit.

• Nori's sister is cute (but seriously, why Nori? Why not Nora?)

• Chain-fighting is a tiny bit better than shield-surfing, I guess.

• Yay, sunlight hurts the orks!

• How hard is it to make a Warg that looks like a Wolf? That is a Hyena.

• Boromir moment--I guess arrow-deaths HAVE to be slow-mo.

• "Adan" is just "man" in Sindarin. Seriously, that's what they're calling Sauron in Black Speech?

So... I'm only realising now that Elrond/Celebrimbor/Durin/Mom/Morgul-blade are all missing from this episode. I suppose we really don't have room for them. It'll be interesting to see what drops in and out, episode to episode.

[Son of Númenor]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

Another episode, another list... lightly edited.

• Oh hey, it *IS* Howard Shore!

• This is a different director--will I notice?

• It's under covers, but this seems awfully sunny for an ork camp.

• Are we supposed to believe ALL the Elves in that watch-tower company were captured? This doesn't seem plausible to me... or is just the only three we've happened to see so far? Is that more plausible?

• Come on! No black sails! Look, I know that's a UT thing, not a an Appendices thing--but the black sails of the Numenoreans is iconic.

• I don't love the split-mast sails.

• Megalithic carving in Númenor! I mean, of course there is! Argonath weren't a new idea.

• Númenor looks a bit overpopulated. I mean, it's big, it's old--but is it THAT populous even in Romennarmenelos?

• In Númenor it's about SA 3000, it seems--in Middle-earth it's about SA500.

• I'm digging the fantasy-Byzantine vibe.

• Why does no one kneel in Númenor? Is this a call-something to Aragorn kneeling to the Hobbits?

• Evil Chancellor Pharazôn is not Tar-Calion, but he does have slimy Merlin vibes.

• Does Halbarad have some history with the Captain? That was a weird hug.

• Why would Númenóreans talk of avalanches? There are no snow-covered mountains on Númenor, and we seem to be lacking in one of Tolkien's favourite Second Age themes: the Númenórean ships exploring back to Middle-earth (and none of the avalanche-bearing mountains are near the coast, really).

• Wait--that's Elendil? So is Halbarad actually Isildur?

• Okay, no, scratch that--Isildur is this other sailor guy.

• Isildur has a sister? Okay, that's plausible. Anárionya? What's the feminine for Anárion?

• Why "queen-regent"? This is weirdly topical--it's the reverse of "Queen-Consort Camilla." Can 21st century people not tell by context which is meant when someone is called "Queen." But why "REGENT?" Why not "regnant"? Regent suggests it's on someone's behalf--which is the exact backwards fact of Mîriel's story.

• Wait, is Míriel not in the Appendices? Is that why?

• These orks are much more frightening than anything in the Hobbit movies--and I do like the shawls (if they're to hide from the sun).

• This water ration psychological warfare thing is complicated for an ork!

• There is no way an Elf cutting a tree down can turn out well.

• You know, I like Elendil's presence. I buy this is Elendil the Tall, even if his story is clearly amended (I see no Amandil, Cousellor and Cousin to the King, in this story).

• Why the slow-mo horse riding? Goofy!

• The problem with Halbarad is that he looks more like a Númenórean than the Númenóreans do! At least if you take movie-Aragorn as the type. And he's TALLER than them!

• Look, someone needs a different accent here.

• Wait--is Halbarad Sauron? Are we going to spend all season trying to guess who Sauron is? That's not a bad mystery, an it were.

• I like that the architecture--the arches--are different in Andunie.

• Wait, are we merging Tar-Meneldil and Tar-Palantír? I guess that explains Queen-Regent.

• I like his Tar-Wozzizname is just slipped in before the Big Reveal.

• I'm trying to understand the in-universe reason for a table-carved map of that detail.

• "There's common sense and nonsense" is a great phrase!

• Not sure I love Merry and Pippin-styled thieving.

• Oh, we're doing a Bilbo-speech...

• Are all these names just taken from the Automated Hobbit Name Generator? Give me a Deágol!

• Also, how anthropologically likely is it that the community would just leave Dad behind? What about chewing food for old folks with no teeth of their own? And it's not like these... sigh... Harfoots seem like a community that isn't rather loving of their own.

• "Beings turned into stars"--I see what you did there!

• Only 1000 years? Why 1000?

• "Destiny" really doesn't sound like a Tolkien word, does it?

• "Just for a season"--Isildur Skywalker, I see.

• Oh good, Anárion does exist!

• Wait, is Anárion older or younger than Isildur here? Surely the HoME could sue if he's older.

• Something bad's going to happen to the noncanonical daughter, in the end... right? Handmaiden to Tar-Míriel? A Nazgûl? Something...

• "Builders Guild"? Builders of what?

• Okay, I am getting more Sauron vibes from Halbarad.

• Halbarad is King of the Southlands? Gondor? And he's an Aragorn-expy? That's too obvious--give me back my Annatar theory.

• Okay, look--yes, all the men who were not Edain generally fall into Morgoth's camp, but the idea of a pro-Morgoth bloodline of royal men in Middle-earth just doesn't FIT: 3000 years of the South Age wipes out memory: this is the Dark Ages. I mean, I like the idea of some connection, but this is both too borrowing of Aragorn's story and doesn't fit.

• Nori's sister is cute (but seriously, why Nori? Why not Nora?)

• Chain-fighting is a tiny bit better than shield-surfing, I guess.

• Yay, sunlight hurts the orks!

• How hard is it to make a Warg that looks like a Wolf? That is a Hyena.

• Boromir moment--I guess arrow-deaths HAVE to be slow-mo.

• "Adan" is just "man" in Sindarin. Seriously, that's what they're calling Sauron in Black Speech?

So... I'm only realising now that Elrond/Celebrimbor/Durin/Mom/Morgul-blade are all missing from this episode. I suppose we really don't have room for them. It'll be interesting to see what drops in and out, episode to episode.

I enjoyed reading this stream of consciousness commentary far more, I think, than I would watching the actual series. Cheers!

[Galadriel55]

Rather than post my own stream of consciousness, I will go off Form's. Mainly to jog my memory, because I watched this yesterday.

Originally Posted by Formendacil

Megalithic carving in Númenor! I mean, of course there is! Argonath weren't a new idea.

Yeah, I think we saw these in the promos already, and back then I also thought "Argonath".

Originally Posted by Form

Why does no one kneel in Númenor? Is this a call-something to Aragorn kneeling to the Hobbits?

I took that to be more as a reference to Numenor's individualistic and somewhat prideful tendencies - a variation of the theme of "we should kneel to no one, not even the gods" perhaps, changed to "no one should kneel ever, we are FREE MEN here". Though Numenor most definitely made a lot of countries around it kneel in the metaphorical sense at least, so maybe I'm just making excuses for it.

Originally Posted by Form

Does Halbarad have some history with the Captain? That was a weird hug.

Ditto.

Originally Posted by Form

Isildur has a sister? Okay, that's plausible. Anárionya? What's the feminine for Anárion?

I am just glad her name turned out not to be Carine, as stipulated in one of the leaks. Even with an umlaut over the E, I hated that name. What was she actually called? Earien?

Originally Posted by Form

Why "queen-regent"? This is weirdly topical--it's the reverse of "Queen-Consort Camilla." Can 21st century people not tell by context which is meant when someone is called "Queen." But why "REGENT?" Why not "regnant"? Regent suggests it's on someone's behalf--which is the exact backwards fact of Mîriel's story.

Yes. And I feel like the "Queen Regent" is another thing I've heard somewhere, probably also the leaks/gossip, and it still puzzled me when I heard it. My reaction was "Regent... for who?", and it took the rest of the episode and lack of any actual claimant to the throne appearing for me to realize they probably misnamed her. Though perhaps we are gonna find out that she actually is a regent. Or - hang on, did Elendil not say that the king who saved Elros's library was still alive but forced to abdicate? Is Miriel the regent for him? So he didn't truly abdicate, but was sort of forced to relinquish all practical power?

Originally Posted by Form

"There's common sense and nonsense" is a great phrase!

I think the Harfeet expressions are one of my favourite things about the show so far.

Originally Posted by Form

Are all these names just taken from the Automated Hobbit Name Generator? Give me a Deágol!

Lol, that would be nice. Most of them sound decent. Why does Nori have to be named Nori? Can we pretend that she is Norry, short for anything other than Elanor - even if it's just Elinor? Or Nora, like you say?

Originally Posted by Form

Wait, is Anárion older or younger than Isildur here? Surely the HoME could sue if he's older.

I was confused about this too. It almost sounded like Isildur is the younger brother.

On the subject of Isildur, does it bother no one else that he is nicknamed "Isil"? It just doesn't sound like something you'd do with Elvish names. Hobbit names - yes. Elvish - no.

Originally Posted by Form

How hard is it to make a Warg that looks like a Wolf? That is a Hyena.

Yup. Definitely hyena. On cocaine. And badly CGI'd. But -

Originally Posted by Oddwen

The warg looked like what a chihuahua thinks they look like.

This is also a very apt description.

Originally Posted by Lalwende

But there was a genuinely sinister side - the idea that Harfoots who get left behind when they 'migrate' are really left behind. Very Darwinian. And realising that Poppy was all alone. I get the feeling that this is going to be part of their story.

Yes, agreed. I am still liking the Harfoot development, including the sinister side. And the "back of the caravan" crew - Poppy and Norry's family and *cough*Olorin*cough* are definitely going to be Up To Something.

The other thing I liked here, which I don't think was mentioned, was Galadriel's realization that Sauron's sign is a map. I think the theme was developed sufficiently to make it a nice "big reveal", and it does make some logical sense - communicating to illiterate minions about the place of assembly. What doesn't make sense is why Sauron was using the symbol as far back as Finrod's death. What, has Mordor always been his back-up plan that far back? Imagine the Orcs chanting Harfeet style - "and if someone falls off the path or gets left behind, just find the mountains that look like our sigil"? Or was the implication more that this actually was Sauron's sigil, and he made Mordor look like that on purpose, claiming it as his own even back in the day?

The things I disliked about the episode? Honestly, too numerous to muster the energy for a proper rant at this point. And I don't think I care sufficiently for it. I'm in a good mood and would rather talk about the pleasanter things.

I also realized that for the past, like, ever I've been calling Harfoots Harfeet and not even realizing.

[Boromir88]

This was the best episode of the series, so far. I'm invested in the story lines and interested to see where everything goes.

The only niggle from Episode 3 is the look of the warg. Oddwen's comment cracked me up, because it's true. Elsewhere, wilwa said "it looked like it had a silly instagram filter on," which is also true. If given the choice, I actually prefer Jackson's hyena-things, even though I didn't like the look of those either. I wonder if it was a decision to try to not look too similar to the dire wolves in GoT?

For as much as I didn't like the warg, I loved the design of Numenor. I'll echo what others have said here, about seeing the societal structure. We got a glimpse into Numenor royalty, the navy, merchant class, guilds, library, architecture. It gave me a feeling of Numenor's history and diversity.

I kind of hope we get a look at orc society that isn't in a military setting. I'm not too hopeful we will. I think the look of the orcs are excellent and I like that they're not being portrayed as cannon fodder. I think the series has done a good job to show there is a real threat to encounter an orc in this world. That's something I don't recall in any other fantasy story. They're just nameless baddies for the good guys to chop through. There are rumors of a female orc being in the show, but I kind of doubt we're going to get orc society outside the military. I think it would be fantastic for the series to portray the question about orcs Tolkien struggled answering. Whether they are by nature evil and beyond redemption, or not.

I thought the orcs' slave camp were the best scenes. The way the watchwarden talked against cutting down the tree. The hope and plan of escape, needing to get a look above the trench line. The captive working together to break their chain, as the orcs are visibly hurt by the sunlight, "release the warg," it was all a a great build up of tension. "Is one of them going to escape?" To then sudden hopelessness as we finally get a view above the trench. The visual is striking. It reminded me of reading about the trench warfare battles of WW1. Trench digging and soldiers living in the trenches, because you would die if you ran out. But the industrialization of war degraded the landscape into a desolate waste. There was a great buildup of hope, if someone could just escape and get out of the trenches. To those hopes being dashed and the desolation that's happened to the land above.