Lord of the Rings

In "Udûn," the first true battle of the series pits untrained villagers against the relentless Orcs. The search for Sauron continues.

Data collected under this category can also be used to personalize content, such as news articles and videos, and measure the delivery and effectiveness of that content. [Thusitha Jayasundera](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/thusitha_jayasundera)) begged for the Brandyfoots to lose their cart wheels. The story is a completely fabrication of the television series and it sparked a lot of debate online about the show’s attempt to give Mithril an origin tied to the War of the Jewels. Ostirith was ultimately older than its use as an Elf settlement and the mechanisms required to dam that water and release it were built by peoples loyal to the Enemy sometime in the First Age. And considering all the work the show has done casting him as a precursor Aragorn, it may all be leading to a new history for the Witch-King of Angmar, the chief of the Nine. Admittedly, that restraint more than anything disqualifies Halbrand from being one of Sauron’s clever lies and disguises, but it still could be part of an elaborate scheme on his part to determine both Galadriel’s convictions and the strength of Númenór. So let’s go straight to the seeming prime suspect: Halbrand ( Some online suggest the character could be Eol — a rather notorious Elf of the First Age who was literally known as the Dark Elf and was thrown from a cliff for his misdeeds — or his son Maeglin, whose presumed final moments track with the scars on Adar’s face. The Moriquendi are not inherently evil — their “darkness” relates only to the light of the Undying Lands — but it is from their lot that Morgoth eventually birthed the Orcs. It is, in its way, a signal to the audience that choices are being made with knowledge and forethought. While some still debate a given palantir’s ability to see the future, is it possible he had some aid in accurately predicting how his foes would mount their defenses and attacks? In each case, the presumed protagonists face a force of Orcs (er, Uruks) greater than themselves.

Battle finally breaks out in Middle-earth as Adar's orc army assaults the Southlands. Read EW's recap.

Adar insists that orcs are just as much the children of Illúvatar as elves and humans are. Adar admits that yes, he was one of the elves originally taken by Morgoth and twisted into a servant of the darkness. That takes us into Galadriel's interrogation of Adar, which is both the slowest part of the episode and one of the most interesting. That kind of teamwork is the villagers' strong suit, and as we pan out to the rest of the village we see that the others have also dispatched their opponents. It's a thrilling woodland chase, and it seems like the dark elf might break free — but Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) has his scent too, and catches him in a pincer. The Númenoreans are here, along with Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) — who Arondir describes to Theo in an awed voice as the "Commander of the Northern Armies." Arondir and the orc go back and forth, and for a minute there it seems like the orc might win… The orcs started with the advantage, then the villagers' tactics seemed to give them the upper hand, and now it's swung back to Adar's side. Sometimes we just see armies clashing, which is fun in itself, but for this segment of the sequence we can take a duel as a microcosm of the whole thing. The shot of Adar (Joseph Mawle) and Waldreg (Geoff Morrell) side-stepping falling debris definitely reminded me of the orc general Gothmog dodging a blast of stone in Return of the King, but overall this whole battle definitely evokes the I do like the aesthetic of these orcs — years before the industrialized armies of Sauron, these warriors dress themselves more in animal skulls and tribal totems, which gives them a different flavor. But I've had hope since the beginning that all this build-up would eventually pay off, and with this episode we finally get to see things explode.

"Here be dragons." Mythical Creatures Collage. The fantasy genre has the potential to craft some of the most creative and diverse ...

[Merlin](https://collider.com/tag/merlin/), where both dragons are shown as among the last of their kind and offer their wisdom to the protagonists. [Pirates of the Caribbean: The Dead Man's Chest](https://collider.com/tag/pirates-of-the-caribbean-dead-mans-chest/). On the flip side, killing a unicorn is seen as the ultimate evil, like in [Legend](https://collider.com/tag/legend/), where their death brings an unnatural winter. Sometimes films like [The Boxtrolls](https://collider.com/tag/the-boxtrolls/) also come around, where trolls are strange and whimsical creatures that stick to the shadows out of habit. Thought to be based on stories of the one-horned Indian rhinoceros, the unicorn is seen as a symbol of virtue, purity, and innocence. The second, darker depiction mixes elements of the Greek siren, where the mermaid uses their beautiful voice to drown people, as seen in 2003's [Peter Pan](https://collider.com/tag/peter-pan/). If the giant is an ally, such as in Hilda, they are given wisdom thanks to their age and unique way of looking at the world. This gives the dwarf a sense of familiarity: even when they are gigantic, such as in [Avengers: Infinity War](https://collider.com/tag/avengers-infinity-war/), you know everything about their society and personality at a glance. A lesser type of giant, trolls come from Germanic mythology and have a strong connection to the Earth. This was cemented in 1992 with the release of The fantasy genre has the potential to craft some of the most creative and diverse types of stories. Even as new ideas are used to expand the scope of fantasy stories, several creatures always seem to appear.

Not only did we see Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), Elendil (Lloyd Owen), Halbrand (Charlie Vickers), and Isildur (Maxim Baldry) reach Middle Earth just in time for ...

And his reasons why add an unexpected layer to the character and the orcs of The Rings of Power. The Morinedor, the sons of the dark? And as Tolkien died before ever making a definitive statement on the matter, it has long been a topic of great conversation. According to the leader of the Uruk, he is no follower of Sauron and has no interest in bringing him back to power. So let's break down these two massive moments and what they mean for the world and future of The Rings of Power. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been sowing the seeds of a greater story as it journeys around Middle Earth and Numenor.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power continues with its penultimate episode next week. Here's the release date and time for Episode 7.

Be sure to let us know your thoughts on the prequel series and don’t miss the season 1 finale when it’s released on Friday, October 14. ET, meaning you might be able to watch it on October 6 depending on what part of the United States you find yourself in. Episode 6 was just released today, Friday, September 30, and we’re sure anyone who has already watched it wants to make sure they won’t miss next week’s, which is the second-to-last. The cinematography is stunning, which almost makes it a shame to watch it on my normal-sized television. I have to admit, it’s been hard for The Rings of Power to hold my attention, but I’m happy for the fans who are loving it! Maybe it’s because Amazon Prime Video decided to release the first two episodes at once, or maybe it’s just because [we’ve all been distracted by House of the Dragon](https://winteriscoming.net/2022/09/23/house-of-the-dragon-vs-lord-of-the-rings-of-power-episode-5/), but it really does feel like this show has flown by.

"Udûn" gives Rings of Power its first grand battle—and also tears its world wide open.

What is surprising is the absolute curveball Rings of Power uses to rob Galadriel, Arondir, Bronwyn, Halbrand, and the forces of Númenor of savoring in their victory. A mountain that then explodes, sending ash and lava and debris everywhere, decimating the village and the people in it. As Galadriel brushes against the same darkness within Adar interrogating him, Miriel dutifully leads Bronwyn and the Southlanders in hailing the arrival of their fated king. After all, we know the end of the Second Age is far off, and there are plenty turmoils to come on Arda for these people to face. This is a story of people big and small, ordinary folk and mythic legends coming together to overcome the dark. If “Udûn” ended there—the day saved, at least some of our disparate heroes intertwined onto a singular path, good triumph—then this would be a pretty solid episode of Rings of Power, even if, once again, it is basically the same theme it is every week except this time the theme came riding in on horseback for some fun fantasy action. The villagers, using their inn as both a hub for those unable to fight and a rallying point for the volunteer soldiers to fight alongside Bronwyn and Arondir, put up a heroic effort, the smallfolk of Middle-earth taking a stand against great evil and overcoming it. It’s threatening Bronwyn—which remains intense, given that we don’t know her fate as an original character to the show—that makes Theo buckle, and even when Adar has what he wants, in an act of abject cruelty, he still demands his orcs slaughter who’s left. And while Adar does arrive, and people begin dying, it’s not quick: the scene comes slow and tense, as Adar demands the mysterious dark blade that Arondir has hidden, threatening to kill more and more villagers until it’s in his hands. You’re in a Lord of the Rings prequel and there’s literally thousands of years of things going wrong for you before they get better. But in an even Rings-ier twist, Arondir has rigged Ostirith’s watchtower to collapse, taking out a chunk of Adar’s gathered armies while the refugees slink back to defend their village instead of a tiny, unfamiliar Elven watchtower. And, for the most part, it’s very Lord of the Rings.

NZ Post returns with a new line of Lord of the Rings collectibles. These LOTR: The Two Towers stamps and enamel pins are beautiful.

We have to say, we love that these enamel pins capture the darkness of The Lord of the Rings movies. These pins remind us beautifully that the world of the Lord of the Rings is a harrowing one, These Lord of the Rings enamel pins may not be the first ones you’d imagine, but they bring powerful parts of the movies to life. And this set celebrates one of our favorite The Lord of the Rings movies, The Two Towers. This time Lees lends her artistic expertise to the creation of beautiful The Lord of the Rings stamps and enamel pins that celebrate The Lord of the Ring: The Two Tower‘s 20th Anniversary. The hidden messages on the stamps are absolutely a highlight of these stamps.

C.S. Lewis's first impressions of J.R.R. Tolkien were that he was a “smooth, pale, fluent little chap” and that there was “no harm in him: only needs a ...

[…] When I reviewed the first volume of this work I hardly dared to hope it would have the success which I was sure it deserved. And that story—The Lord of the Rings—was written to keep him quiet!’ It is, as it was meant to be, a generous and telling tribute. To define the world of The Hobbit is, of course, impossible, because it is new. By contrast, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings may never have been published if not for Lewis’s encouragement. Tolkien were that he was a “smooth, pale, fluent little chap” and that there was “no harm in him: only needs a smack or so.” Their friendship would prosper, and The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings would change the landscape of fantasy and children’s literature. [The Lord of the Rings] is like lightning from a clear sky; as sharply different, as unpredictable in our age as Songs of Innocence were in theirs.

When Galadriel calls Adar's kind — captured Elves tortured and twisted into becoming Morgoth's evil minions — “Moriondor,” which translates to “sons of the dark ...

Galadriel thinks the Orcs are entirely evil creations of Morgoth, and calls them “a mistake, made in mockery.” She’s going with the Book of Lost Tales version. All of this theology is at the heart of Galadriel and Adar’s conversation in episode 6. When Gandalf tells the Balrog of Moria that he is a “servant of the Secret Fire,” he’s referring to Ilúvatar and the power of creation that comes from this fire. Ilúvatar is the “One,” the “Master of the Secret Fire” that Adar mentions to Galadriel. Morgoth is one of the Valar, the Children of Ilúvatar, who are a bit like Christian saints, Christian angels, and pagan gods and goddesses, all rolled into one. In other words, Tolkien toyed with a few ideas about their possible origins, including the idea that they were animals given speech by Morgoth, who didn’t have rational souls – Catholic theology says that animals have souls, but they are different from human souls. Morgoth is a bit like Lucifer, a Valar who defied Ilúvatar and turned to the dark side, just as Lucifer/Satan is a fallen angel. [Peter Jackson’s movies](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/lord-of-the-rings-how-faithful-are-peter-jackson-movies-tolkien-books/) had Saruman create them – the books don’t specify (though they imply they were probably created by Sauron and used by Saruman) but it’s clear they are a “new breed” that the heroes of The Lord of the Rings haven’t seen before. [The Lord of the Rings](https://www.denofgeek.com/lord-of-the-rings/) movies, but the Uruk-hai are actually a later group, a different breed of Orcs created in the Third Age. Adar and Galadriel’s conversation gets to the heart of why he struggled so much, and it comes down to his Christian faith and the theological aspects of his mythology. [Sauron](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/lord-of-the-rings-of-power-theory-sauron/), or Saruman after his turn to the Dark Side. He’s not implying that he and his followers are a different breed of Orc, but just expressing a preference for their name in their own language.

The rural estate in New Zealand where Cate Blanchett's Galadriel scenes were filmed in the trilogy has been...

It was sold again in the mid-1950s, and then again in 2007. Tolkien and was directed by Peter Jackson. The lake was used again as a filming location in 2002's The Two Towers. [Screen Icons: The real-life Clueless mansions that inspired a generation](https://www.nine.com.au/property/news/screen-icons-the-reallife-clueless-mansions-that-inspired-a-generation/ba0168c1-6a01-45cd-8b5c-5c04466e9b45) [estate](https://www.nine.com.au/property/news/californias-former-first-lady-boosts-her-property-portfolio-with-a-17-million-la-buy/95c1b14e-4268-45f7-857d-18ed12d6bf25), in a swan-shaped boat. [history](https://www.nine.com.au/property/news/the-price-has-been-dropped-on-the-beverly-hills-manson-murders-home/5670f12a-72f8-4388-953a-d56ab8ca9723) from The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

This episode is dedicated to one storyline that brings two of our four main groups of characters together: the Battle of the Southlands and its aftermath.

[Halbrand](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-rings-of-power-halbrand-big-lord-of-the-rings-character/), and the final part of this episode certainly provides some ammunition for [the Halbrand-is-Sauron theory](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/lord-of-the-rings-of-power-theory-sauron/). The final quarter of the episode is devoted to the aftermath of the fighting. We needed to see that conversation first, then cut to the dam, then cut back to spouts of water destroying the village. [chase scene in The Fellowship of the Ring](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/fellowship-of-the-ring-arwen-chase-improved-on-book/) in which Arwen just barely escapes from all Nine Ringwraiths, all on horseback. There are still occasional pacing problems – for example, we see the dam burst and water pouring down the valley, then we cut to a quiet scene of Isildur and Elendil having a chat about a horse. [Game of Thrones](https://www.denofgeek.com/game-of-thrones/) with installments like season 2’s “Blackwater,” season 4’s “The Watchers on the Wall,” and season 8’s [“The Long Night.”](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/game-of-thrones-season-8-episode-3-review-the-long-night/) These in turn were partly inspired by the lengthy Battle of Helm’s Deep sequence in [The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers](https://www.denofgeek.com/lord-of-the-rings/). Galadriel also introduces us to a new expression – “eat your tongue” instead of “bite your tongue” is rather good, and should make its way into everyday usage. [the Harfoots](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/lord-of-the-rings-of-power-harfoots-hobbits/) or [Elrond](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/lord-of-the-rings-of-power-elrond-galadriel-daddy-issues/) and [the Dwarves](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/why-the-dwarves-mithril-discovery-in-the-rings-of-power-is-bad-news/). [Adar](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/lord-of-the-rings-of-power-adar-uruk-moriondor/), but the biggest takeaway there is that he claims to have killed Sauron – which, of course, we know is not true, there are six movies that tell us so. That would make sense, as the episode ends with the flooding of the valley and a volcanic eruption. With four competing storylines, we barely know most of them, and none of the significant characters (Arondir, Bronwyn, Theo, Galadriel, Halbrand, Elendil, Isildur, Míriel, Adar) actually die anyway. Since the Southlands is the area that will become Mordor, it is probably the valley in which most of the episode takes place.

In Rings of Power episode 6, Adar and his forces attack Galadriel, and he reveals he isn't Sauron. But his mission with the orcs challenges what fans know ...

[depiction of the orcs](https://www.polygon.com/23329806/rings-power-orcs-lord-rings-episode-release) doesn’t just set a shaky precedent for The Rings of Power going forward, adding an unpleasant subtext to every orc-centric action scene. The only problem is that paying off said arc will presumably require Galadriel to gain at least some appreciation for orc life, and we already know [that’s not how the story goes](https://www.polygon.com/23343347/lord-rings-power-elf-death-episode-3) — not for Galadriel, and not for Middle-earth. Payne, and Patrick McKay double down on the show’s commitment to a [morally ambiguous tone](https://www.polygon.com/23366999/lord-rings-power-episode-5-review-elrond). Orcs are to The Lord of the Rings what the stormtroopers are to Star Wars, or the Nazis are to Indiana Jones: cartoonish representations of pure evil whose deaths shouldn’t cause anybody (least of all fans) to lose sleep. [largely successful recent efforts to expand on the canon set out by Tolkien](https://www.polygon.com/23343049/lord-rings-power-episode-3-review) in fascinating ways. [revised origin story for Mount Doom](https://www.polygon.com/e/23140725) — have nothing on the metaphorical fireworks of Galadriel and Adar’s little tête-à-tête. Presumably, Payne and McKay (as showrunners) will clear up this apparent inconsistency before The Rings of Power season 1 wraps, but for now, it’s a real head-scratcher. [more three-dimensional villains](https://www.polygon.com/23353873/lord-rings-power-episode-4-review) than in J.R.R. [The Rings of Power](https://www.polygon.com/23331136/lord-of-the-rings-middle-earth-map-rings-of-power) episode 6 are suitably impressive. [The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power](https://www.polygon.com/lotr-rings-of-power)’s first full-fledged battle episode, and fans of the Prime Video series certainly get their money’s worth in terms of sheer blockbuster spectacle. We’re treated to everything from gnarly close-quarters combat to an apocalyptic volcano eruption, with several characters aside from [Galadriel](https://www.polygon.com/23331177/rings-power-galadriel-jumps-boat-episode-1-ending-lord-rings-explained) given the chance to shine. More than anything else that happens in “Udûn,” this largely action-free encounter dramatically alters the status quo of [The Rings of Power](https://www.amazon.com/Lord-Rings-Season-Official-Trailer/dp/B09QHB3RTX/ref=sr_1_2?tag=polygon05-20) going forward — although whether it does so for the better or the worse is tough to call.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is touching on the origin story of the orcs, created by the dark lord Morgoth at the dawn of time.

The idea that a category of person can be inherently evil — the “monster race” — is the thorn embedded in the heart of much of the fantasy media that grew from Tolkien’s work, in ways that are still being In his new origins for orcs, Tolkien explored the idea that orcs could have been created from corrupted humans, elves, disembodied spirits, and beasts — taken by Morgoth and fashioned into a conglomerate mockery of Eru’s creations. This it may be was the vilest deed of Melkor, and the most hateful to Ilúvatar.” In early drafts of his legendarium, Morgoth created the orcs from stone. The “One” refers to Eru Ilúvatar, the supreme god of Middle-earth, who created the world, its gods — the Valar — and its mortal inhabitants (elves, men, etc.). But in later years, Tolkien began to grapple with sweeping and fundamental revisions to Middle-earth’s cosmology that he was ultimately never able to finish or finalize. The minds and bodies of these oldest elves were “corrupted and enslaved” into orcs “in envy and mockery of the Elves” — Morgoth’s envy of Eru’s singular ability to create life. “Deep in their dark hearts, the Orcs loathed the Master whom they served in fear, the maker only of their misery. The sons of the dark. We are creations of the One, Master of the Secret Fire, the same as you. (Uruk-hai basically means “orc-people” or “orc-folk.” Also Orc Folk is my favorite musical subgenre.) But before we talk about the lore at work here, let’s define some of those very Middle-earth terms Adar threw out there.