Thread by @DrNosy10

#TheOneRingQuisition

S1.E2 Breakdown of #TheRingsOfPower🧵

STARS AT SEA

1. VALACIRCA (Quen. ‘Valar sickle’) ("Ursa minor")

Set in the North sky by Elbereth (Star-kindler) as a guide to Elves when they came into the workd.

NORTH STAR— part of the Ursa/Valacirca constellation. Seeing Valacirca, Galadriel would've known where NORTH is.

2. F SHAPED ("mystery constellation")

Another constellation appears, but we do not know what it means yet.

3. SIGNIFICANCE #1: Finrod

It is a callback to Finrod who comforted a younger Galadriel with the analogy of sailing ships…

`Fixed upon the light that guides her, whispering of grander things than darkness ever knew.` (Finrod, S1.E1).

her = Galadriel

4. SIGNIFICANCE #2: Elbereth

It is also perhaps of religious significance to Galadriel.

Could it be that Elbereth is reassuring Galadriel of her mission? Is the mystery constellation a sign to Galadriel to be wary of the Great Evil that is ahead of her?

5. GALADRIEL'S SECOND CHOICE

Galadriel swims off into the darkness— She is choosing to swim in the direction OPPOSITE to Valacirca (North).

She is swimming SOUTH; AWAY from the Elves, and TOWARDS to the realms of Men.

THE STRANGER

1. `the fire is not hot`

Nori slips into the crater, her hand lands on the fire. It appears that the fire is not hot— Is this a `place so evil [the fire] gives off no warmth`?

2. `he's my responsibility`

Fate (Tolkenian)— Gandalf speaks of this to Frodo, albeit in vague terms, that although the Ring was trying to be reunited with its master, there was another force at work. To which end, Bilbo, a Hobbit from the Shire, was meant to find the Ring.

3. A greater design is at work

Is Nori, like Bilbo and Frodo after her, the one to whom this task is appointed?

`This is the hour of the Shire-folk, when they arise from their quiet fields to shake the towers and counsels of the Great.`

HORDERN BURNS

Tarkovsky reference

independent.co.uk/arts-entertain…

EREGION

1. Unnamed city (like Tirion): Ost-in-Edhil ('Fortress of the Eldar')

Eregion is Sindarin for ‘Land of Holly’. Celebrimbor’s wardrobe (green velvet robe & holly-shaped brooch) are fashioned in the style and symbols of holly leaves.

2. Fëanor 🔨

Despite being the Fëanorian who renounced the Oath, Celebrimbor is his grandson. It seems his pride (`But I aspire to do far more than that`) is mingled with guilt (`our kind brought war to these shores`) and love for craft (`I want to fill them with beauty`).

KHAZAD-DÛM

1. The door is marked with references to Aulë—

The West-gate is also called the `Hollin’ gate`, altho the current West-gate isn't Durin's doors from
'The Fellowship of the Ring'

2. `They sculpt the rock with the respect of one who cares for an aged parent. I've long wanted to see them work`

The mention of ‘aged parents’ by an Elf as ancient as Celebrimbor is an interesting phrasing choice.

3. Rite of `Sigin-tarâg` (Khuzdul. ‘Longbeards’)

Armored Dwarven guards wearing Dwarven war masks and carrying spears— Dwarf-masks are gilded helmets & are legendary pieces in First Age. Túrin wore a dwarf-mask to the Battle Tumhalad, the mask protected from the dragon Glaurung

4. `Elmendëa` (Quen. ‘wonderful’)

Durin’s Hammer (Cirth: `Awake. Sleeping Stone`)
Durin’s gorget (Cirth: `Durin the Deathless`)

Durin’s Folk were known as `Longbeards` First king of the Longbeards was Durin I, who was also the eldest of the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves.

GIANT FOOD

1. Reminiscent of Gandalf + Bilbo

Stranger’s actions are similar to Gandalf’s booming transformation, but the Stranger is acting out of fear. Also, the Stranger is unable to voice his protest!

2. `Mána... Úrë…` (Quen. ‘blessed’, ‘fire’)

'Blessed' + 'fire' = star?

STRANDED

Halbrand, holds out his hand to signal that Galadriel is not welcome to join them yet.

`The tides of fate are flowing. Yours may be heading in, or out.`

FRIENDSHIP ON THE ROCKS

1a.

This scene illustrates the cultural differences between the Elves and Dwarves, particularly w.r.t. time. Since the time of Elrond’s last visit, Durin has forged a life within Khazad-dûm. Elrond, on the other hand, has lingered in Lindon.

1b.

However, Elrond’s lack of correspondence with Durin over the past twenty years is also telling. Elrond has been wholly inattentive to the needs of his friends, particularly in the sharing of the bonds of friendship.

1c.

Is the loss of a friendship the cost Elrond must pay to be accepted by Gil-galad and the other Elf-Lords? Does loyalty to his own people surpass loyalty in friendship with those outside his race?

2. `Resonating` to the stone.

Singing to the stone in order to detect `…where to mine, to tunnel, where to leave the mountain untouched.`

It's perhaps 'the' music of one of the most special Ainur— Aulë

Disa's backstory (@VarkingRunesong): reddit.com/talk/fb80a3eb-…

3. `Where there is love, it is never truly dark.`

The gifting of the seedling by Elrond to Durin, in lieu of friendship, is a direct reference to Galadriel’s gift to Samwise Gamgee: A single Mallorn nut that Sam consequently planted in the Shire

ADRIFT

1. A sign of the King

More like the sign of a lord... `lord of werewolves`? (#TheSilmarillion)

2. `I have pursued this Foe since before the first sunrise bloodied the sky.`

The Orcs are in the Southlands!

TIRHARAD

1. Boar on a totem pole

Reference to the Boar of Everholt that live(s) in the area near Halifirien. Same regions as where Alfrin grow. The boar was later slain by Folca of Rohan in the Third Age (Appendix A).

2. Morgothian propaganda

This Great Eagle, and by that extension, Manwë is devouring the `Children of the Sun`

TUNNEL

Claw marks and broken off fingers. Arondir captured by creatures with said fingers.

Also, is this some reference to a horror film?

ORC IN THE KITCHEN

Bronwyn smashes the bottle of red fire-root powder (she and Theo were grinding from S1.E1) on the Orc

DROWNING

1. Galadriel is nearly struck by lightning as she reaches for Halbrand

Were these storms sent by Manwë Súlímo (Lord of the Air) bc he is angry with Galadriel for running away?

Or, is he trying to stop Galadriel helping Halbrand?

2. Elf-King Amroth drowned

`Mariners with their Elvish sight for a long time could see him battling with the waves, until the rising sun gleamed through the clouds...far off lit his bright hair like a spark of gold. No eyes of Elves or Men ever saw him again in Middle-earth`

FIREFLIES

1. Stranger is facing the Valacirca (in the north sky)

2. Fireflies make 'F' shaped constellation

3. Gandalf is whispering to the moths is not in the books. However, it is similar to the Stranger whispering to the fireflies.

4. The fireflies die from being under the Stranger's control.

Is this a `place so evil it gives off no warmth`?

TWO DURINS

1. `There can be no trust between hammer and rock. Eventually, one or the other must surely break`

Elrond's hammer eventually broke against the rock.

2. Durin IV approaches a mysterious box from which a silver light appears to emanate.

`‘The wealth of Moria was not in gold and jewels...was found Moria-silver..,mithril is the Elvish name. The Dwarves have a name which they do not tell. Its worth was ten times that of gold…’`

3a. Durin is DEATHLESS— Two Durins at the same time is oversimplified lore!

Durin I lived long; was considered Deathless. Heirs of Durin 'were born' & also named Durin.

But only 5 heirs were born after the Durin I + across two Ages... unlikely to have III & IV sequentially!

3b.

'Nature of Middle Earth' elaborates further that Durin wouldn't reincarnate literally.

Durin I's body was preserved; it was his spirit that would wander away and return to reanimate the body*. A trait common to the other Dwarf Fathers.

*Explains Snow White's tomb!

BLOOD

1. A ref to Gurthang (#TheSilmarillion)

`And from the blade rang a cold voice in answer: ‘Yea, I will drink thy blood gladly, that so I may forget the blood of Beleg my master, and the blood of Brandir slain unjustly. I will slay thee swiftly.’

2. This Blade is similar to the Morgul-knife from the Peter Jackson films.

What happened to the pieces of the blade? Was the `Sorcerer` Sauron already experimenting w/ blades that turned you into wraiths?

`You would have become a wraith under the dominion of the Dark Lord...`

3. What is the significance of Theo’s blood in relation to the blade?

As a descendant of the corrupted Men of Hildórien (Easterlings), does Theo’s lineage have a bearing on activating the sword?

SHADOW AT SEA

Shadows can be deceptive. This is quiet a 'tall' shadow.

@threadreaderapp unroll