# Amazon Lord of the Rings series; The Rings of Power **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** middle-earth, amazon-prime, tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [March 3, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497 "2019-03-03T20:01:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/201 "2022-08-26T04:17:27Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > Actually are the film rights for Silmarillion et al still held by the Tolkien estate? I believe that is correct. The rights that Middle-earth Enterprises currently hold date back to 1968, when Tolkien himself sold the film, stage, and merchandising rights to _The Hobbit_ and _The Lord of the Rings_ to United Artists. That was nine years before the posthumous publication of _The Silmarillion_, and, so, it appears that that book wasn’t included in the rights, nor were the other books which Tolkien’s son Christopher pulled together based on his father’s notes and drafts (e.g., _Unfinished Tales_, the _History of Middle-Earth_ series, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/203 "2022-08-26T19:31:22Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Hobbits in the Second Age are completely an invention of the series writers, which may be why they’re calling them “harfoots” instead of hobbits. In the preface to LOTR Tolkien says that there are no records of hobbits in any histories before the Third Age. Well, there are Smeagol and Deagol, who found the Ring, a couple thousand years after the end of the Second age. They had to come from somewhere. In fact Tolkien said they lived around the Anduin river back in the day. So yeah, no actual records, but still, they were around. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/204 "2022-08-26T22:35:52Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Hobbits in the Second Age are completely an invention of the series writers, which may be why they’re calling them “harfoots” instead of hobbits. In the preface to LOTR Tolkien says that there are no records of hobbits in any histories before the Third Age. What that means is that Tolkien didn’t provide a backstory for Hobbits prior to the Third Age. They could have been around as long as Haradrim and Easterlings, who are also offshoots of the human race. There is no reason to suppose that they emerged suddenly at the beginning of the Third Age. Or maybe Sauron was trying to make his own personal version of orcs by corrupting men, like Morgoth had done, just near the end of the 2nd age. He had gotten as far as making them smaller (for reasons of economy) and giving them big feet (because they were going to be foot soldiers) but he was (sort of) destroyed before he could make them evil. So they ended up with their size stunted but their essential human nature intact, and took advantage of their sudden freedom to go forth and multiply, and a couple thousand years later we have The Shire. That’s one way they could have existed only after the 2nd Age was over. Not very scientific, but this is magic and wizardry and stuff like that we are talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/205 "2022-08-26T22:45:41Z")
Their furry feet were probably to save him money on shoes. Every gold piece not spent on combat boots was a gold piece that could be spent on swords. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/206 "2022-08-26T22:54:55Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > In the preface to LOTR Tolkien says that there are no records of hobbits in any histories before the Third Age. It also says “The beginning of Hobbits lies far back in the Elder Days that are now lost and forgotten.” ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2022, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/207 "2022-08-27T01:25:52Z")
Just to clarify: I didn’t mean to imply that hobbits didn’t exist in the Second Age — only that there are no canonical hobbit stories from then. So what we’re about to see if strictly fan fiction. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2022, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/208 "2022-08-27T03:48:33Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > strictly fan fiction. Because this story and these characters (the new hobbit-beings) are not canonical, does that make them fan fiction? I hope it’s professionally-written fiction with coherent stories and well-developed characters. Calling anything not provided for by the original product fan fiction seems to broaden that term beyond useful meaning. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/209 "2022-08-29T02:12:45Z")
I just saw the new paperback editions of _LOTR_ at a university bookstore, and they all had cover images drawn from the new series - not _LOTR_ itself. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/210 "2022-08-29T13:00:33Z")
All the commercials I see these days end with Galadriel saying “Evil does not sleep. It waits.” So does that mean Chuck Norris will be playing Sauron? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2022, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/211 "2022-08-31T23:18:18Z")
Reviews are indicating that it is good, but not totally great. Some are raving, but calmer heads are coming in and saying more or less: Yeah, looks good so far…what is going to happen? I can’t believe they only produced 8 episodes. When we get these first two, we are 25% through the season they made already. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/212 "2022-09-01T13:23:23Z")
> **[Everything You Need To Know About Amazon’s ‘The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings...](https://www.theonion.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-amazon-s-the-lord-of-1849470832)** > > On Friday, Sept. 2, Amazon will premiere a highly anticipated ‘Lord Of The Rings’ prequel set thousands of years before The Hobbit. Here’s everything you need to know about The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power. here a few: It’s Set Nearly 5,000 Years Before The Lord Of The Rings, And 15,000 Years Before Forrest Gump One Of The Characters Has A Ton Of Unopened Amazon Boxes Outside Their House _The Rings Of Power_ will take place against such lush backdrops as Auckland, New Zealand; the Coromandel Peninsula; and downtown Indianapolis. Brian ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/213 "2022-09-01T14:38:57Z")
I saw a trailer last night, available only to Fire stick users apparently – showing Elrond entering Khazad-Dûm for a meeting with Durin IV. The set design of K-D at its heyday was pretty darn impressive. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/214 "2022-09-01T16:22:59Z")
I particularly like > The Elves Are A Magical Race Of White Übermensch From The West Who Are Genetically Superior To Those Dirty, Evil, Lazy, Dark Southern And Eastern Men In Every Way > > _There is no subtext to this. Please stop overthinking it._ ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/215 "2022-09-02T01:17:08Z")
I’m watching it now, but we had to retry 5+ times before it finally loaded. Their servers are, not shockingly, swamped. It is playing for us now and the opening was actually really great. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/216 "2022-09-02T02:19:03Z")
First episode was really solid. I’m working hard not to be bothered by things that don’t make much sense though like Galadriel getting on the boat and then trying to swim back. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/217 "2022-09-02T02:22:25Z")
I bailed after 15 minutes, it was just by the numbers money grab. Life’s too short. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/218 "2022-09-02T02:25:38Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I’m working hard not to be bothered by things that don’t make much sense though like Galadriel getting on the boat and then trying to swim back. Yes, my wife and I were both like, “Wait…what’s her plan here?” ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/219 "2022-09-02T02:34:10Z")
I have not seen the second episode, but any guesses who that was at the very end of the first episode? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/220 "2022-09-02T03:12:28Z")
That guy in the end can’t be Gandalf, right? I thought we were told “No Gandalf” in this show. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497/221 "2022-09-02T03:26:58Z")
Not Gandalf, almost surely Sauron I watched the first two, very good so far. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series-the-rings-of-power/830497.md?page=12)