#rop spec

[aadmelioraa]

Hello my sister in Ulmo, how many hours a day do you spend thinking about Anárion in s2? Any blind headcanons/guesses?

I'm lowkey losing it

Ahahaha I am also lowkey losing it over Anárion and in general…I've been waking up at 4am to re-read The Mariner's Wife, I cried over the Oath of Elendil yesterday not once but twice, I have lost all the chill I once possessed.

Putting this reply under a cut bc it got long, oops.

So I was initially pretty sure that Anárion was with Amandil in the West of the island engaged in faithful resistance activities, possibly building communication networks and gathering artifacts. I thought it would make sense to intro them together, and if he's with his grandfather that makes sense for Elendil too (since he seems more angry that worried that Anárion peaced out). But since they haven't mentioned Amandil yet at all (right? unless I missed it?), and we know they're not fully adhering to canon re: the Lords of Andúnië (which is fine, truly, I'm more than ok with that change, I actually find it interesting), I'm wondering if Amandil will be the show at all. I also have questions about how they could handle his voyage bc like…that really really makes the Valar look bad, ya know? I have hope they will handle the King's Men/Faithful conflict in a way that allows complexity and nuance, but they're up against quite a challenge there when it comes to the source material. 

Anyway, I have gotten off topic, sorry. I have speculated that when we meet Anárion he will already be married, since we know both he and Isildur have to marry and it wouldn't make sense to develop relationships for both of them onscreen. I think that could be part of the reason he stayed away. I don't have any firm thoughts on how he'll be introduced other than that…it's possible Eärien or Elendil sought him out to pass on the news about Isildur, and that's how they reconnected.

Mostly I reeeeeeally want casting news!! He is top of my list of the casting choices I want to see, but who knows when we'll get any info there. In my head, Anárion is slightly taller than Maxim's Isildur, and while Isildur grows a beard eventually, Anárion prefers to stay clean shaven. I see him as being a very grounded person who is deeply invested in making the right choices for his community, but there is likely some inner conflict there when it comes to his faith…I don't think leaving was easy for him to do, I think he probably struggled with that choice. I think he and Isildur have historically balanced each other very well, and it was hard for both of them to be apart for an extended period for the first time in their lives, particularly following the loss of their mother.

I think all the kids inherited something from their mom, Eärien her love of drawing, Isildur an affinity for nature, and Anárion some healing skill. I am using those headcanons and more for a fic, might as well have my fun before the show inevitably contradicts them haha. I'm just so excited to see how he fits into the family dynamic, even as it's fractured, I love them all so much <3 <3 <3

What headcanons and thoughts do you have?

[aadmelioraa]

Hello my pal, how are you?

I was wondering, what do you expect for the future of our boi Valandil when Númenor falls? Do you think he'll be pharazonized and die, or he will like, change his mind at the last minute and fly with the Elendils or else?

Have a nice thursday!

Hiiii thank you!! I hope you have a nice Thursday too!! Funny you should ask, I was just thinking about Valandil (I say, as if I am not always).

I think they've set up a really interesting arc for him, potentially. I wasn't expecting him to have the level of narrative importance that he ended up having in the latter half of the first season, and given his closeness with Isildur, but also Elendil and Míriel at this point, there's a lot the writers can do there. 

I can definitely see him siding with the King's Men for a time, and it does seem almost certain he will meet a tragic end of some kind…we know Isildur will name a son after him, so it's likely Valandil won't be around for that :(  To be clear, I am obsessed with that angst potential, it feeds me, I will be super happy if he has a tragic but satisfying arc...I am an Isildur girlie for life, I am here for the tragedy.

I would love it, personally, if Valandil was aligned with the King's Men by the time Isildur returns from Middle-earth. I am really hoping the show gives us a nuanced treatment of the religious divide, and having sympathetic characters like Valandil on the other side is a great way to do that. A lot does hang on exactly what will go down…no idea how truly grim they're gonna go with the cult of Morgoth stuff, it's hard to imagine current Valandil being ok with what happens in book canon, but he's already undergone a lot of trauma and growth over the course of the first season...still, there are some optics to consider there, and I hope the writers handle that stuff with the appropriate sensitivity and complexity.

Anyway, my current favorite possibility is: Valandil is aligned with the King's Men for a time but then switches sides as things in Númenor under Pharazôn become more dire…if King's Man!Valandil is the reason Isildur survives after stealing the fruit of the white tree, and if that's a turning point for Valandil, wouldn't that be sooooo good?? I don't know how likely that actually is (very unlikely), but I am obsessed with it so I'm writing a fic to get the idea out of my brain and cope with the hiatus lol. Even more unlikely, but I'd love to see him make it out with the Elendili and be involved in the foundation of Gondor, even if he dies prior to the Last Alliance.

On the other hand, It's possible he will survive the the Fall of Númenor because he's aligned with Sauron. I could go either way on that…I'm not opposed to a corruption arc for him, but I'm more interested in the way we get there, I want it to feel earned and do his character justice. I have to admit I get annoyed when people are only interested in his storyline with relation to him becoming a Nazgûl…this happens with other characters too, of course, I just find it especially annoying with regard to my fave. I'm invested in Valandil's development, not just interested in speculating on the end of his arc and working backwards. But tbh I think the only writing choice that would be truly disappointing, for me, is making him part of the assault on Valinor...they could make it work, but it would bum me out personally lol.

How about you, do you have any Valandil theories? 👀

[aadmelioraa]

[book spoilers] I'm pretty sure valandil isn't gonna die any time soon otherwise it would be confusing for isildur to name his son after "that guy from the beginning of season 1"

That's been my theory too, but now that we're closer to the ep dropping I am just getting anxious lol. I def agree it would be weird to kill him off so soon. We aren't likely to get any of Isildur's kids until s3 at the earliest (by my best estimate, anyway), and even if they make Isildur's son Valandil the oldest of his children it would be quite the call back. They gave Isildur's friend that name for a reason, and I assume the reason is show-specific narrative weight, which will require more story between him and Isildur. I hope we are right!!