[Son of Númenor]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

Another episode, another list... lightly edited.

• Oh hey, it *IS* Howard Shore!

• This is a different director--will I notice?

• It's under covers, but this seems awfully sunny for an ork camp.

• Are we supposed to believe ALL the Elves in that watch-tower company were captured? This doesn't seem plausible to me... or is just the only three we've happened to see so far? Is that more plausible?

• Come on! No black sails! Look, I know that's a UT thing, not a an Appendices thing--but the black sails of the Numenoreans is iconic.

• I don't love the split-mast sails.

• Megalithic carving in Númenor! I mean, of course there is! Argonath weren't a new idea.

• Númenor looks a bit overpopulated. I mean, it's big, it's old--but is it THAT populous even in Romennarmenelos?

• In Númenor it's about SA 3000, it seems--in Middle-earth it's about SA500.

• I'm digging the fantasy-Byzantine vibe.

• Why does no one kneel in Númenor? Is this a call-something to Aragorn kneeling to the Hobbits?

• Evil Chancellor Pharazôn is not Tar-Calion, but he does have slimy Merlin vibes.

• Does Halbarad have some history with the Captain? That was a weird hug.

• Why would Númenóreans talk of avalanches? There are no snow-covered mountains on Númenor, and we seem to be lacking in one of Tolkien's favourite Second Age themes: the Númenórean ships exploring back to Middle-earth (and none of the avalanche-bearing mountains are near the coast, really).

• Wait--that's Elendil? So is Halbarad actually Isildur?

• Okay, no, scratch that--Isildur is this other sailor guy.

• Isildur has a sister? Okay, that's plausible. Anárionya? What's the feminine for Anárion?

• Why "queen-regent"? This is weirdly topical--it's the reverse of "Queen-Consort Camilla." Can 21st century people not tell by context which is meant when someone is called "Queen." But why "REGENT?" Why not "regnant"? Regent suggests it's on someone's behalf--which is the exact backwards fact of Mîriel's story.

• Wait, is Míriel not in the Appendices? Is that why?

• These orks are much more frightening than anything in the Hobbit movies--and I do like the shawls (if they're to hide from the sun).

• This water ration psychological warfare thing is complicated for an ork!

• There is no way an Elf cutting a tree down can turn out well.

• You know, I like Elendil's presence. I buy this is Elendil the Tall, even if his story is clearly amended (I see no Amandil, Cousellor and Cousin to the King, in this story).

• Why the slow-mo horse riding? Goofy!

• The problem with Halbarad is that he looks more like a Númenórean than the Númenóreans do! At least if you take movie-Aragorn as the type. And he's TALLER than them!

• Look, someone needs a different accent here.

• Wait--is Halbarad Sauron? Are we going to spend all season trying to guess who Sauron is? That's not a bad mystery, an it were.

• I like that the architecture--the arches--are different in Andunie.

• Wait, are we merging Tar-Meneldil and Tar-Palantír? I guess that explains Queen-Regent.

• I like his Tar-Wozzizname is just slipped in before the Big Reveal.

• I'm trying to understand the in-universe reason for a table-carved map of that detail.

• "There's common sense and nonsense" is a great phrase!

• Not sure I love Merry and Pippin-styled thieving.

• Oh, we're doing a Bilbo-speech...

• Are all these names just taken from the Automated Hobbit Name Generator? Give me a Deágol!

• Also, how anthropologically likely is it that the community would just leave Dad behind? What about chewing food for old folks with no teeth of their own? And it's not like these... sigh... Harfoots seem like a community that isn't rather loving of their own.

• "Beings turned into stars"--I see what you did there!

• Only 1000 years? Why 1000?

• "Destiny" really doesn't sound like a Tolkien word, does it?

• "Just for a season"--Isildur Skywalker, I see.

• Oh good, Anárion does exist!

• Wait, is Anárion older or younger than Isildur here? Surely the HoME could sue if he's older.

• Something bad's going to happen to the noncanonical daughter, in the end... right? Handmaiden to Tar-Míriel? A Nazgûl? Something...

• "Builders Guild"? Builders of what?

• Okay, I am getting more Sauron vibes from Halbarad.

• Halbarad is King of the Southlands? Gondor? And he's an Aragorn-expy? That's too obvious--give me back my Annatar theory.

• Okay, look--yes, all the men who were not Edain generally fall into Morgoth's camp, but the idea of a pro-Morgoth bloodline of royal men in Middle-earth just doesn't FIT: 3000 years of the South Age wipes out memory: this is the Dark Ages. I mean, I like the idea of some connection, but this is both too borrowing of Aragorn's story and doesn't fit.

• Nori's sister is cute (but seriously, why Nori? Why not Nora?)

• Chain-fighting is a tiny bit better than shield-surfing, I guess.

• Yay, sunlight hurts the orks!

• How hard is it to make a Warg that looks like a Wolf? That is a Hyena.

• Boromir moment--I guess arrow-deaths HAVE to be slow-mo.

• "Adan" is just "man" in Sindarin. Seriously, that's what they're calling Sauron in Black Speech?

So... I'm only realising now that Elrond/Celebrimbor/Durin/Mom/Morgul-blade are all missing from this episode. I suppose we really don't have room for them. It'll be interesting to see what drops in and out, episode to episode.

I enjoyed reading this stream of consciousness commentary far more, I think, than I would watching the actual series. Cheers!