#tolkien ask

[disorganisedautodidact]

Considering Elrond, Cirdan and Gil-Galad refused Annatar entry into the Grey Havens (despite disguising himself as an emissary of the Valar) and that Galadriel also didn’t trust the “Lord of Gifts”, why wasn’t that very same mistrust from the high Elves applied to the Istari once they arrived in middle-earth, as well?

Fascinating question! Some possibilities:

it was, actually, but the Istari proved themselves over time and by the end of the third age, the initial trust issues were no longer relevant enough for Bilbo and Frodo to put them in their book (likely, since after the whole Annatar thing the elves would have been even less likely to trust Maiar who were like "hi, I was sent by the Valar and I'm here to help")

Elrond and Galadriel have a sense for when Maiar are who they say they are (Galadriel because of exposure to Melian, Elrond because part-Maia nonsense) and their instincts aren't screaming at them with the Istari the way they were with Annatar

Glorfindel showed up at the same time as the Istari and vouched for them (idk how plausible that is, my grasp on canon timelines is a bit shaky tbh)

that's the explanations I can come up with off the top off my head. Probably other people have other headcanons. Thanks for asking!

[ask-tolkienelves]

Maglor Go Home Challenge 3K21 (boat leaves 9/29/21 get to it!!!!)

[jrrtolkiennerd]

I've only seen some of the movies and never read the books, where do I even start?

A preface to all that follows, feel free to read or not read any of these books. Someone who has seen and enjoys the films is as much a “fan” as someone who has only read the books. Read the books because you want to enjoy them, not because you feel pressure to out of obligation to others. That said, I would advise starting with The Hobbit. Because of its length, easy readability, great character arc with Bilbo, and place in the chronology it’s usually the go-to for anyone reading the books for the first time. If that that sits well with you, start The Lord of the Rings after. It’s a bit longer, but delves deeper into the historical aspect of the world Tolkien has created. It might be tempting, but don’t skip the prologue (”Concerning Hobbits, and other matters”).

If that has scratched your Tolkien itch enough to be satisfied there’s no problem with just ending right there. If you want to go further here is what I advise: 1). The LotR Appendices A and B. More history and stories that couldn’t fit into LotR. 2). The Silmarillion. This one can take some time to get into. You might find it helpful to view it as a mythological library that contains several stories that are intertwined with each other. Some of the text is a little aloof, the language a little archaic, and the plot a little messy. Have patience, and try to make it to Chapter 6. “Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor.” This is where all the setup you’ve endured starts to pay off. 3). The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth. Honestly, anything beyond The Silm is just for brownie points or for someone who has really fallen down the rabbit hole. This collection has some interesting side tales, such as "The Hunt for the Ring" that documents the Nazgûl’s journey to finding the Ring in the Shire and an unexpected encounter they have with another villain in the books along the way.  4). Maybe The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien? It does include letters where he writes and theorizes on answers to his books and writing, but it’s also every other letter we have record of that includes non-ME business. I’d advise finding a digital .pdf copy off the back of a truck online and CTRL/CMD + F searching to find interesting stories. Two of my favorites: His reply to an actual Sam Gamgee living in England, and his response to the Nazies inquiring if he was Jewish or not.  5). The History of Middle-earth. This is basically all of Tolkien’s many rough drafts of his writings with Christopher Tolkien’s commentary, and honestly no one beyond a researcher, linguist, or the completionist should ever read these books for pleasure. Fascinating and worthwhile, but not essential.

[lothloriien]

13 and 16 for the tolkien asks :)

13. What scene made you cry the most?

the first time i watched it, probably boromir’s death scene. it still hurts me so much. but i think the hardest scene for me to watch is when frodo leaves middle earth. i cry like a baby every time. i get why it happens and i’m actually really glad it does, but also i want them to be HAPPY and TOGETHER and shhshdjd ughhhhh

16. If you could be any race in Middle-Earth, which would you be?

mmm probably an elf, just so i could be hot for once in my life lol. also i wanna know what it’s like to be effectively immortal

[ask-tolkienelves]

Hi Glorfindel! How are you

[jrrtolkiennerd]

Are you still answering Tolkien Asks, because I have questions. Mainly where is our damn Silmarillion movie?

I’m always answering Tolkien Asks anon.

Um, well tl;dr it’ll probably never happen.

The long answer: because of copyright rules, a work is in the private domain - where there needs to be permission to “copy” i.e. reprint or adapt the work from the original copyright holder or their heirs - for the lifetime of the original copyright holder + 70 years after their death.

Because Christopher Tolkien (CT) is the primary editor of The Silmarillon he’s treated as essentially a co-author of the work (in fairness he really was) and so since he’s the longest living “author” and still alive at 92 that 70 year count down hasn’t even begun yet.

Now, I am not nor is any rational person in the Tolkien fandom arguing in favor of CT’s death as the man is responsible for over half the published works concerning his father’s creation (see: The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, The History of Middle-earth, The Children of Húrin, etc.) and the reason half the damn fandom exists in the first place. Let’s be honest, CT is a motherfucking godsend for us: no one else could have done what he did to expand and showcase his father’s unfinished legendarium.

That said CT is not in favor of selling the film rights to any of his father’s works. Never has been. The film rights to The Hobbit and LOTR were sold for almost nothing by JRRT himself as he thought at the time they’d be impossible to adapt successfully into any kind of film medium, and since it took until 2001 to do so he had a point. Given the nature of adaptations in reducing/changing a textual medium to a visual one CT has never been a fan of any adaptation of his father’s work and is in no rush to see another. Again, after seeing how movie studios treated The Hobbit, imo CT has a bit of a point.

Now, CT is sadly not an immortal elf and so one day will pass on. What happens after that is a bit up in the air as The Tolkien Estate will then control the rights to everything that is still in the private domain for seven god damn decades (I could go on for quite awhile how copyright is kind of a joke now a days but that’s another rant). Maybe one of CT’s sons will take over the Estate and have a change of heart as they have less stake in the sentimental value of the work and sell the rights for a pretty penny to a studio or a tv company like HBO. Maybe they’ll keep the rights unobtainable until we’re all in a nursing home. We just don’t know, though the pessimist in me errs on the side of inertia and thinks nothing will really change.

[thessaliah]

And... I am mostly follow this blog for Fate, and not too familiar with Lotr fandom, but why the people so invested in "who is Sauron" theme? He was almost a non character in Lotr despite being main villain, he never appeared with human like appearance (only as a great eye) or even talked. You can remove him and make the One Ring itself the culprit, and it would be the same.

Sauron was a problematic hot guy simping for a bigger problematic guy that seduced and corrupted him in the First Age (technically before it) and got around tricking/manipulating/seducing other hot guys in the Second Age (who got cast as not-so-hot in the Rings of Power, so the fandom got upset). That Sauron is Third Age.

Basically, he's the babygirl of the fandom. Now you get why they/we are invested.

[istilldontunderstand]

Čauky! 😊✨

I've got some LOTR/TH questions for you: 5, 12, 20, 23, 31 and 36!

Have fun, take care, a doufám, že diplomka odsépá! 💕

Ahojky!🥰 Thank you for asking me! 💛 I didn't realize my forgetfull mind would struggle actually coming up with answers 😅

5. What race in the series would you most likely be?

I would like to be a hobbit, but most likely I would be elf, considering I loooove forests and sing weird shit (at least in my head) xD

12. Which actor in the movies do you think portrayed their character the best?

Aaaa, don't make me pick! *screaming* But hands down Andy Serkis, I love him. And I absolutely love Martin Freemans Bilbo <3

20. How old were you when you first seen the movies?

I think I was around 9? Don't remember exactly, but it was very early after the first lotr came out.

23. What is a headcanon about any of the characters that you full-heartedly believe in?

Soo, firstly I love all the fan dwarf lore to the point where I don't know what is actually Tolkien and what I read in fanfiction xD

Secondly I am very very convinced that bagginshield and samfro were and are actual Thing.

31. Least favorite part about the franchise?

Considering I saw the films first than I read books, and didn't have the usual jealous phase of "if the film is not an exact copy of the book then fak jů" I am actually quite happy with the adaptations.

The only thing is the Hobbit movies...well, I hate the whole Alfrid bleughr...and the very ridiculus scene of Legolas running up that bridge thats falling apart.

36. What about the franchise confuses you the most?

Honestly the casting process? xD how they find the exact people that embody the characters SO.WELL?!?!?!?!

Have a fabulous day!! 💕 And thank you for this, made my day 🥰🌻🌿