Amazon's Rings of Power - General Discussion Thread (SPOILERS)

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Well I finally finished The Silmarillion towards the end of last week and so yeah have to echo the thoughts in here that I would love to see some scenes adapted from it.

I think in the meantime between that and this I think I will finally get and play Shadow of War as I loved the first game.

 

[InCali]

Yes....Imagine the fleet of Numenor coming out of the shadows from the water to the shores of Middle-earth to fend off Sauron's armies in a last desperate fight, lending their aid to the Elves who have died struggling to defend Eregion. This is after Celebrimbor dies...his death I feel would echo things to come. I wonder if they'll explore the friendship between Galadriel and Celebrimbor...cause in one variation of Tolkien's work, Celebrimbor was in love with Galadriel but she turned him down and ended up marrying Celeborn.

Here are some of what I think will be the highlights of the show.

They key battle of the 2nd age (War of Elves and Sauron) was centered in Eregion near the walls of Khazad-Dum. In fact, The Fellowship traveled there. It was overrun by Sauron and Celebrimbor was captured, tortured, and killed. Basically all of Eriador (the northwest region of Middle Earth) was overrun. The Numenoreans barely arrived in time to save the Elves and Numenoreans who were holding the line at the river Lhun and protecting the Grey Havens. When they landed, the fortunes of Sauron changed dramatically and he was driven across Eriador and finally and utterly defeated at Gwathlo where additional Numenoreans were sent (unbeknownst to Sauron and he barely escaped with his life). This led to the founding of Imladris (Rivendell) as the stronghold of the Elves in Middle Earth so we should get a good look at Rivendell.

The Numenorean fleet that landed at Umbar under Ar-Pharazon much later evidently met with very little resistance as people basically just ran when they saw the Numenorean fleet (that should be a sight). Sauron perceived that even his greatest servants couldn't withstand them and humbled himself (and devised another plan to defeat them). The Numenoreans made the White Pillar to commemorate the humbling of Sauron.

Finally, Ar-Pharazon attacking Valinor with the greatest fleet ever assembled, its utter destruction with the opening of the sea and its forces being buried under falling mountains, the drowning of Numenor (which also caused the destruction of Sauron and he was never again able to appear fair), and the escape of the Faithful. These, to me, could be the most visually impressive scenes of the entire series.

I am totally stoked to see this, although, I will say that I wish they could have started with the Ainulindale (Music of the Ainur) and done the 1st Age before this series, but you take what you can get. They've certainly budgeted for this and that's pretty exciting.

 

[Boom]

Also, it will be interesting to see the look they give Sauron and how it changes as his designs become clear to others.

I always loved this design for Sauron after the Fall of Numenor. It captures Sauron's vanity (the shame of losing his beautiful form) and appears more sorcerous in nature.

Spoiler

Art by TheBabyDragons (DeviantArt)

 

[henzINNIT]

I think in the meantime between that and this I think I will finally get and play Shadow of War as I loved the first game.

Well worth a play after the dev's stripped out all the loot box nonsense. The story would make a purist's blood boil but it is so much fun regardless.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Well worth a play after the dev's stripped out all the loot box nonsense. The story would make a purist's blood boil but it is so much fun regardless.

That’s why I tend to wait to play games until a Definitive Edition comes out. But I liked the first game a lot.

 

[InCali]

Well worth a play after the dev's stripped out all the loot box nonsense. The story would make a purist's blood boil but it is so much fun regardless.

From the little that I've heard about it so far, I'm getting the feeling I shouldn't get within a couple of miles of it.

 

[henzINNIT]

That’s why I tend to wait to play games until a Definitive Edition comes out. But I liked the first game a lot.

I think you'll have a good time. It builds on all the fun things from the first one, can be absolute carnage.

From the little that I've heard about it so far, I'm getting the feeling I shouldn't get within a couple of miles of it.

Two words my friend: Sexy Shelob

 

[InCali]

Two words my friend: Sexy Shelob

Oh dear god, no........

Thanks for that.

 

[InCali]

In terms of visually stunning scenes, I forgot the battle of the last alliance where Sauron was defeated and the ring was taken from him. We got a little taste of that in the fellowship, but this version should be much more interesting. I can’t wait to see the arrows of the Numenoreans.

 

[Nathaniell]

I can't wait to see anything really. This series has potential to the point I'd hate to see Amazon screw it up in some way.

 

[OutOfBoose]

All I remember from LOTR games is singing orcs. They're hilarious.

And sexy Shelob.

 

[DarkKnight88]

Singing orcs are everything.

 

[Deck Rickard]

All I remember from LOTR games is singing orcs. They're hilarious.

And sexy Shelob.

 

[InCali]

All I remember from LOTR games is singing orcs. They're hilarious.

And sexy Shelob.

Singing orcs are everything.

A pox on you all!!!!!

It's hard to believe this got approval from the Tolkien family.

 

[InCali]

I can't wait to see anything really. This series has potential to the point I'd hate to see Amazon screw it up in some way.

It would seem that you're pretty much in my boat in an awful lot of ways. I'll bet you don't play that stupid game. LOL

In any case, here's where I think the writers have a big advantage over the work that Peter Jackson did (and I'm not talking about that abortion called The Hobbit); the events of the 2nd Age don't have nearly the detail of the LotR so they can fill in those details and still stay true to the narrative we have. The problems I had with the LotR movies were mostly, but not all, omissions of the story. Peter Jackson's comment that certain things didn't advance the overall story are complete and utter Bull****. And, don't even try to tell me it would have made the movies too long because his concern about this didn't seem to bother him when he stretched out The Hobbit so it was thinner than butter that has been scraped over too much bread (How'd you like that one? ).

Here are the things I thought Jackson butchered and then, sometimes, tried to throw in to make up for it (note.....it didn't work):

The basic exclusion of Farmer Maggot
No Old Man Willow, Bombadil, or Goldberry
Skipping Fog on the Barrow-Downs and the Barrow-Wights and having Aragorn just give the Hobbits a bunch of swords.

So, basically, he glosses over the narrative from when the Hobbits leave the Shire until they get to The Prancing Pony.

Then, the RIDICULOUS swapping out of Glorfindel with Arwen in the Flight to the Ford.

Next up, the utterly lame death of Saruman which totally messes up The Scouring of the Shire.

And, finally, The Passing of the Grey Company should have been included. We could have gotten a glimpse of Halbarad and the sons of Elrond; Elladan and Elrohir, but, that's okay because he screwed up The Paths of the Dead while he was at it. This was a place where he could have done something really cool. He could have done it as it happened or showed it as Aragorn later recounted it, but.......what "was" done was done poorly.

I know it's hard to tell from this post, but I rather liked the movies. It was probably because I was starved for them and wanted something better than those stupid cartoons. I'm sure I could come up with more that disappointed me, but, to be fair, there were some wonderful moments in Jackson's version.

 

[Iceman]

Shelob is one thing I’d gladly drop from LotR mythology.

 

[InCali]

Shelob is one thing I’d gladly drop from LotR mythology.

Why so? From my perspective, it reaches back to the story of Morgoth and Ungoliant and advances the story of Sam's devotion to Frodo (though that didn't really need more advancing). I kind of thought it was one of the cool sub-stories of Sam's and Frodo's efforts to destroy the ring. It was probably overplayed a little bit in the book though.

I'll take a hard pass on Sexy Shelob though......

 

[Boom]

I won't have this Shelob slander.

 

[Iceman]

Why so? From my perspective, it reaches back to the story of Morgoth and Ungoliant and advances the story of Sam's devotion to Frodo (though that didn't really need more advancing). I kind of thought it was one of the cool sub-stories of Sam's and Frodo's efforts to destroy the ring. It was probably overplayed a little bit in the book though.

I'll take a hard pass on Sexy Shelob though......

Just not that comfortable with spiders haha.

 

[InCali]

Just not that comfortable with spiders haha.

You and my mom. LOL. If she even hears that there's a spider in the other room, she has a conniption. If she's watching a movie with a spider crawling on someone, she looks away and tells me to let her know when it's over.

EDIT: When I find a spider in the house, I pick it up in my hand and take it outside to release it. I rather like them. There are, of course, "certain" spiders I won't pick up in my hand (if they are maybe bigger then 3/4 inch???), but pick them up with a tissue or something like that.

 

[Iceman]

You and my mom. LOL. If she even hears that there's a spider in the other room, she has a conniption. If she's watching a movie with a spider crawling on someone, she looks away and tells me to let her know when it's over.

EDIT: When I find a spider in the house, I pick it up in my hand and take it outside to release it. I rather like them. There are, of course, "certain" spiders I won't pick up in my hand (if they are maybe bigger then 3/4 inch???), but pick them up with a tissue or something like that.

Don’t think a tissue would be enough on Shelob.

 

[Nathaniell]

I agree with ur post Cali. Though I say I wish they left the Grey Company in as well as not swapping Glorfindel for Arwen. While I thought they missed out on an opportunity to show Saruman's dismiss, they could have done it differently with or without the scourging of the shire. I am a big fan of the films and enjoy them for what they are but sometimes there is that little bit in me of wishing more could have been in there. I honestly don't care if the movies were twice as long lol.

 

[InCali]

I agree with ur post Cali. Though I say I wish they left the Grey Company in as well as not swapping Glorfindel for Arwen. While I thought they missed out on an opportunity to show Saruman's dismiss, they could have done it differently with or without the scourging of the shire. I am a big fan of the films and enjoy them for what they are but sometimes there is that little bit in me of wishing more could have been in there. I honestly don't care if the movies were twice as long lol.

My attitude was EF it. Make 6 movies.

 

[Iceman]

The sons of Elrond, Glorfindel and Prince Imrahil are 3 things that I really missed from the films.

 

[Iceman]

My attitude was EF it. Make 6 movies.

The 6 sub-books could have worked well, especially if they included some things that were left out and went more in depth on others.