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beyonddarkness · 1 year

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Always Watching: Part 2

[see Part 1] The Directly-Overhead camera angle is Sauron's camera angle. (I had to omit the reference Eye shot, because I totally missed another very important shot [which you will see at the end], and I've hit my gif limit. But it is in Part 1 twice, so GO LOOK AT IT. lol)

Sauron literally watched the making of the Rings, but he saw far more than that.

In the same sequence in Episode 8, He watched Elrond investigate 'what happened by that stream'.

Now he knows about Elrond's suspicion. But is this sequence the only time we see this camera angle?

No.

Episode 4: The Great Wave

Galadriel: "So, by your standards, I am in this cell, because I am yet to identify what the Queen most fears?"

Sauron: "My very low standards, yes."

Galadriel: "And I suppose you did, having met her for all of a few moments?"

Little does Galadriel know about the Eye of Halbrand. He watched Míriel in her dream. Not only does he know her fear, but he knows about Númenor's future.

After that conversation, he watched Galadriel in the Palantir.

At the end of the episode, he watched Míriel and Pharazôn as the petals of the White Tree fell.

In the same sequence, he woke Tar-Palantir up for a staring contest.

[Miriel: "Is our valor confined to the graves of our slumbering fathers?"]

The shot immediately following shows Sauron gleefully walking away. He sure is a fan of mocking and taunting people. "Look who's here, and guess who can't do anything about it."

[Míriel: "Or is it here, amongst us, even now?"]

It is no wonder that in the next episode, Tar-Palantir sits on the bed in defeat.

Tar-Palantir: "The Kingdom! The Kingdom is in danger!"

Míriel: "The danger is past, father. We are doing now what you always believed we must. We're restoring our connection with the Elves. I'm going to Middle-earth. :)"

Tar-Palantir: "Míriel. […] Don't go to Middle-earth. All that awaits you there is […] darkness."

We are going out of order, but there is so much more.

Episode 7: The Eye

He saw more than what Elrond and Dúrin IV saw. (wait for it)

He watched Dúrin III throw the leaf into the mountain. (wait for it)

He followed the leaf down the cracks of the mountain, to the fellow servant of Morgoth.

We now see that he knows about all of that already. But we are not done yet.

Episode 3: Adar

In the scene after his fight in the alley, Sauron watched as Galadriel discovered the meaning of his own symbol.

Galadriel: "It is as Halbrand said."

Galadriel: "If Sauron has indeed returned, the Southlands are but the beginning." [the music: "Nampat burzum-ank." Death into darkness.]

He absolutely knows what Galadriel found in the Hall of Lore. What does that say about his behavior, later in the same episode?

Galadriel: "How fares the quest for peace?"

Sauron: "Better than expected."

Galadriel: "You are more than you claim."

"I found this in the Hall of Lore."

There is yet more. Does he need to be absent to see things from a Bird's Eye View?

No.

But first, in Episode 4: The Great Wave …

Sauron: "I wouldn't advise that."

Pharazôn: "I can't very well let her leave."

Sauron: "You could, if you knew exactly where she was going."

What was discussed after the cameras cut?

In Episode 5, Pharazôn told Kemen: "It's folly to kick against the current. […] But the trick of mastering the current is to know which way it will turn next." That is exactly what "you could if you knew exactly where she was going" means. [master = red flag word. Abort mission; get out while you still can.]

So, we know that Sauron either planted that idea, or explained it to Pharazôn, outright.

In addition, that is the approach that Sauron takes with every conflict in the whole season. This leads us to another time we see Sauron watching.

Episode 2: Adrift

To everyone on the raft, he urged, "Be still!" Then, he watched from above, to see where the Worm was going.

As he 'washed' his hair, he watched. Why? He was probably keeping an Eye out for danger (he is a target, still).

Hence the shifty eyes in the very next shot.

And what does that say about him watching Galadriel pull him onto the raft, after he saved her from drowning? (he is a target, still; gotta keep an Eye out).

But those are not the only overhead shots in all eight episodes. No, no. Sauron was watching before we even met him.

Earlier in Episode 2, he watched Bronwyn and Arondir in Hordern, and saw what the Orcs were doing. (wait for it)

(notice the eye shape while Arondir is holding the torch, leading to the overhead shot)

So, not only do we know that the Key and the Dam was originally a plan conjured by Sauron himself (Adar using it for his own purposes), but he knows of Bronwyn and Arondir's existence. After seeing that the trench-digging is under way, Sauron knows what Adar is up to. That sheds a whole new light on this exchange:

Míriel: "And where did the Enemy head next?"

Sauron: "Further south, I should think. Towards the watchtower of Ostirith." (Because, you know, Sauron knows where the dam has to be unlocked. Speaking of which … )

Episode 6: Udûn

Right after being hailed King of the Southlands, Sauron saw who unlocked the dam, without his permission. (Oh, you better believe Waldreg is in trouble; and not just for swearing fealty to Adar.)

Earlier in the episode, he saw Arondir try to destroy the key.

Finally, remember when Sauron said this? "A sea that you were on because the Elves cast you out! They cast you out for deigning to beg them for a few, petty soldiers! What will they do when you tell them that you were my ally? When you tell them that Sauron lives because of you?" (1x08)

We think, Oh, of course he must have figured it out at some point. But as luck would have it, he knows a lot more, a lot sooner than we think. Like I said before, he was watching even before we met him.

Episode 1: A Shadow of the Past

Galadriel: "This mark's very existence proves Sauron escaped. He's still out there. The question now is where! [Right above you.] I intend to ask of the King a fresh company. If he supplies enough to—"

Elrond: "You have only just arrived! […]"

Galadriel: […] "I am not some courtier to be placated by idle flattery. I demand to speak with the King directly."

Elrond: "You have made that plain. So, I will be equally plain. It was not your company who defied you out there. But rather you who defied the High King, by refusing to heed any limit placed upon you. In an act of magnanimity, he has chosen to honor your accomplishments, rather than dwell upon your insolence. [Like Sauron will in the end.] Test him again, and you may find him less receptive than you might have hoped."

Sauroncam:

Again, if you have not yet read Chapter 4 on my blog, please do so. These last two shots nearly made me jump out of my seat.

The Boat.

(I have not finished Chapter 6 yet, but it will be done very soon. In that chapter, we will explore the story of Beren and Lúthien, and how it perfectly parallels Halbrand and Galadriel [meaning they're the same, but also completely opposite]. Look at this, read Chapter 6 when it is published, then come back.)

Sauron watched as Galadriel was sailing off to Valinor.

The very moment he saw that his precious Golden Ticket to Power was about to cross the border …

… he called to her, and pulled her back.

When Patrick said, "It's all there," I didn't realize just how true that statement was. All of this makes Sauron even more creepy.

In a future post, I want to thoroughly analyze every one of these shots, what they mean, and how they affect the rest of the story. I am not a pro gif-maker, but I will do my best to include higher-quality gifs (and stills) on my blog, so that you can look at them more closely and analyze them for yourself. :) The music has an enormous role to play in all of this, but I will save that for the blog as well. Consider Chapter 4 a warm-up. It is only going to get more mind-blowing from here.

Update:

WHOOPS! Missed one.

Galadriel: "Year gave way to year. Century gave way to century. And for many Elves, the pain of those days passed out of thought and mind. More and more of our kind began to believe that Sauron was but a memory, and the threat, at last, was ended. I wish I could be one of them."

Hello?

This wasn't just an intro to Galadriel. Sauron was right there from the beginning.

66 notes · View notes

abnerkrill · 1 year

Note

for trop (because what else??): galadriel, elrond, adar, kemen, arondir, bronwyn, isildur okay i am stopping now i'm SORRY

hello ily this is gonna be so long but im very happy with it hehe. answers below the cut!!

Galadriel

Why I like them: i think it's very sexy that she spends practically the whole season seething with rage. it's rare for female characters and it's also hot af.

Why I don’t: question canceled, i like everything about her

Favorite episode (scene if movie): 1x08 alloyed!!!!! i've said it before and i'll say it again, it's very special that a season finale pulls back on the action and actually focuses in so much on the characters! also the visions/temptation scene for galadriel... chefs kiss. (disclaimer, not a haladriel shipper, in fact i'm in favor of galadriel stabbing him, but it's a great scene!)

Favorite season/movie: i do prefer her in ROP over LOTR, she just has way more to do and she's much more compelling as a a vengeance-filled warrior than an ethereal queen 2 me.

Favorite line: many standouts, but i recall "what cannot be known hollows the mind; fill it not with guesswork" from her convo with Theo.

Favorite outfit: blue númenor dress :')

OTP: galadriel/celeborn!!! gimme my malewife celeborn, rop writers, pleeeeease

Brotp: elrond and galadriel are fantastic, and the moments we had between elendil and galadriel were also really great!! (don't ship them romantically tho obviously.)

Head Canon: hmmMMmmmm can't say I have many bc I'm very happy with her canon portrayal. i guess i don't think she's already had Celebrian at this point, if that counts, and there may be a future timeskip where she does, but I could be wrong!

Unpopular opinion: i kinda agree with the haters that the horse-riding facial expression was a little weird jkdfskjdfjkdlsfkdsj. i'm glad morfydd is having fun but it was a weird shot!!

A wish: more fight scenes, i ADORED the troll fight in episode 1!

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: actual haladriel romance (or even any hints of it.) please leave her alone <3

5 words to best describe them: she's my beautiful angry wife <3

My nickname for them: i feel like i don't have one?? i've heard people call her Gal for short but that's just weird 2 me.

Elrond

Why I like them: he's my babyboy!!!! also my actual boyfriend and husband :)

Why I don’t: shuT UP HE'S PERFECT. detractors will be shoved into the deepest chasm of khazad-dum, to meet their end via balrog.

Favorite episode (scene if movie): uhh quickly searches which episode the cave scene is in 1x07 the eye <3 WHAT ELSE than the cave scene!!!!! flushed cheeks mussed hair breathy voice--durin i stg you have to kiss that boy RIGHT NOW

Favorite season/movie: def prefer ROP elrond to LOTR/hobbit elrond. he's got more to do and rob is very pretty :)

Favorite line: the exchange "i always thought you were a mite dwarvish for an elf" / "and you are a rather elvish dwarf, durin, son of durin, grandson of..."

Favorite outfit: honestly i adore all his outfits but whatever the look is when he's all sweaty and disheveled in the cave? yeah <3

OTP: durin x disa x elrond!!! i also do ship my elrond/adar but that's a whole other canon lol.

Brotp: galadriel and elrond is wonderful!!

Head Canon: LOTS of headcanons about his past: his relationship with Elros especially and how it was to lose him :( let's be real, they're all sad lol.

Unpopular opinion: long hair wouldn't really look good on rob's face shape, i like his short hair :)

A wish: i REALLY want some good screentime devoted to the elrond/celebrian developing relationship plssssssss

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: well i like some good angst but let's just say i'm NOT ready for the aftermath of the last alliance or celebrian's departure (if they show it in rop), my poor baby :(

5 words to best describe them: KIND AS FUCKING SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! & babyboy :)

My nickname for them: none, he's just elrond 2 me.

Adar

Why I like them: the whole dark elf vibe is extremely sexy and compelling. also when we were first watching ROP my mom took one look at him and said "he looks like loki from avengers" which is a devastating summation of my Type!!!!

Why I don’t: ...let's just say I don't love the fandom interpretation where he's overly soft/nice/good. like, let the guy be a little evil and fucked up. that's why we like him, i thought??

Favorite episode (scene if movie): MERCY KILLING THE URUK. AND THE FIRST CONVERSATION WITH ARONDIR. chills. chills. the actingggg!

Favorite season/movie: n/a

Favorite line: "you have been told many lies......... some run so deep, even the rocks and roots now believe them." mawle's voice is just :o and it's SUCH a banger intro to the character.

Favorite outfit: he only has one??? but it's a great outfit!!!

OTP: i love a certain interpretation of adar/arondir and adar/elrond but like....... again......... i'd never want to see it on the actual show, let him be a little fucked up and entirely unfit for romantic relationships and also doomed to die lol

Brotp: n/a but i think it'd be funny if he was forced to work with the good guys against sauron and he's just this grimy, angry, fucked-up guy in the corner they have to deal with dsjkljdksflfksdjl

Head Canon: one of the first, if not the first, to be stolen by morgoth. i kinda like the lack of clarity there too--he doesn't know if he was the first, but there's a good chance he was. anyone who would know is dead now.

Unpopular opinion: I have many. uhm...... i think most of the adar fic and especially the adar x reader stories are kinda gross and weird.... read what u want ofc, but the daddy dom stuff reeks of objectification and internalized sexism 2 me... besides it's giving lack of interest in actual character exploration, and just using him as The Latest Tortured Whiteboy to project onto. i actually want deep, cutting, incisive, dramatic, tragic character studies is that too much to ask klfdsjklfdsjklsd

A wish: i have LONGED FOR adar to actually lead his uruks against Sauron in the last alliance and get ruthlessly, brutally massacred, therefore leading to the state of the Orcs in LOTR (entirely enslaved by sauron with no hope of rebellion.) like, talk about TRAGEDY.

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: dead in his first s2 scene lmoaoooo please don't kill him so fast, like, i know he's doomed, but PLEASE give him some juicy scenes!!!

5 words to best describe them: my emo bf. loml. doomed <3

My nickname for them: don't love the implications of everyone calling him "dad" esp if i'm writing a romantic relationship, so my quenya name for him is aladil, lover of day :)

Kemen

Why I like them: i'm so sorry, i do not!!!!!

Why I don’t: college republic vibes (read: privileged, annoying, bad haircut)

Favorite episode (scene if movie): none <3 isildur is better than me bc i would've gone okay boy then perish <3

Favorite season/movie: n/a

Favorite line: okay i'll admit the flirting w/ earien was funny (paraphrasing but "i'm not in the habit of going off with strange men" / "that's wise, if i see any i'll be sure to tell you")

Favorite outfit: does he have more than 1??? i'm so sorry i did not care to recall them. i do like the númenórean looks overall but his haircut is so bad it really makes it hard to pay attention to other things kjldfjkfdskjldfs

OTP: none!

Brotp: drowning in the ocean? (jk but....)

Head Canon: too wimpy to be a ringwraith so i'm gonna guess he dies...?

Unpopular opinion: i'm not too interested in his storyline tbh. like, he'll probably either go full king's man or rebel against his father and either way i'm very meh.

A wish: better haircut!!!!!

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: i really don't want earien to marry him flsdjkjkfldjfdskjlddjklfsjkljdks pleeeease girl have some self-respect

5 words to best describe them: "whitest white boy in númenor"

My nickname for them: none! just kemen.

Arondir

Why I like them: i don't think there's anyone else alive who could've done this much justice to a tolkien elf, literally none, ICC is IT.

Why I don’t: none. can't believe it this question fjkldskjlfdkjlfdskldf

Favorite episode (scene if movie): the failed escape in 1x03 adar is INCREDIBLE, i love how the stunt team/fights are getting recognized, and ICC's hard work showssssss <3 also special shoutout to the fight scene with the giant orc in 1x08 udun!!!!!!!!! literally fire.

Favorite season/movie: n/a

Favorite line: I HAVE SAID IT ALREADY A HUNDRED TIMES OVER IN EVERY WAY BUT WORDS!!!!!!!!!!

Favorite outfit: love a dirtied-up man elf so gotta be in 1x04 the great wave when he's absolutely filthy and escaping the orc camp!

OTP: BRONWYN X ARONDIR IS THE ONLY ANSWER. okay, soapbox time: i think it's very telling of typical sexist behaviors in fandom/that slash fans esp have when bronwyn is erased/marginalized in arondir/adar fic, and i want writers to actually pay attention to what an arondir/adar fic would mean, you know? like yeah alternate universe where bronwyn isn't in the picture whatever, the point is you're erasing an Iranian woman in what is a groundbreaking relationship between two leads of color and i don't likey :) if you're gonna write those ships (and i say this as someone who has written arondir/adar) like. you gotta be Aware.

Brotp: really miss médhor, they were great :(

Head Canon: médhor befriended arondir, who was kinda a Lone Wolf type until he made friends :)

Unpopular opinion: i don't really want arondir/bronwyn to have a canonical happy ending, and i don't think it's in their cards tbh. they're doomed! it's great! it's a powerful star-crossed love story that's sure to end badly. i hope it's done well in the show, but i don't want it to be all picture-perfect lol.

A wish: lots more screentime and fight scenes!!!!!!!!!!

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: wouldn't :) it :) be :) tragic :) if :) they :) were :) always :) like :) arondir :) will :) outlive :) bronwyn :) but :) then :) she :) outlives :) him :)

5 words to best describe them: the show's male lead (bitch)

My nickname for them: none, just arondir :) i do enjoy calling ICC ICC though, it's fun!

Bronwyn

Why I like them: she's such an incredible female fantasy character; subverts the mother-archetype by not dying in s1 and also by both fighting and being defeated; lots of depth and nuance to her character and also. asian women onscreen, central, important, loved? we love to see it <3

Why I don’t: shut up she's perfect

Favorite episode (scene if movie): LOVE the siege of tirharad in 1x06 udun; bronwyn's POV in the lighting of the fires is incredibly tense and so well done.

Favorite season/movie: n/a

Favorite line: i ADORE "new life, in defiance of death?" and also love that she gets to have this sick parallel with adar!!!!!! oh wait hang on this is giving me thoughts (what if adar/arondir/bronwyn lmaooo let me get back to you about this in approximately 10-15 business weeks)

Favorite outfit: i really like the red cloak outfit in 1x07 the eye!

OTP: arondir x bronwyn of course :)

Brotp: I think Bronwyn should get to be friends with basically everyone. I'd love to explore the Bronwyn and Miriel or Bronwyn and Galadriel friendships more, mostly because Women, but also because they're all female leaders with varied and interesting backstories and takes on leadership.

Head Canon: I wrote this into a fic but I think Bronwyn fell in love with Arondir over many years and it felt like it took a long, long time to her; meanwhile Arondir is over here like I'VE ONLY KNOWN HER FOR 5 YEARS AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOVE OH GOD WE'RE MOVING SO FAST. Because Elves.

Unpopular opinion: you said unpopular, unpopular i will be. i don't love that she quoted sam's LOTR "light and high power in the sky" line? kinda wish they had written her own pep talk for her? i get what they're referencing and why, and it's really a gorgeous line, but i want her to have her own words & wisdom, unique to the southlanders. also....... don't rly care who Theo's father was. Sometimes single moms exist??? so wild.

A wish: don't kill her off to further Theo's journey lmao. like, I think she'll probably die, but I want it to be done via her own narrative/story's importance, not just a side death for Theo's Emotions/darkside turn.

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: evil!bronwyn is silly to me kdfsklfdkfjdkljfds

5 words to best describe them: Middle-Earth's Best Mom Friend (tm)

My nickname for them: none, just Bronwyn!

Isildur

Why I like them: disaster baby.

Why I don’t: can he pls stop fucking up??? (i'm sorry to isildur stans. he is such a disaster.)

Favorite episode (scene if movie): I do love his intro in 1x04 the great wave!!

Favorite season/movie: n/a

Favorite line: you get one free hit. (three.) two??? (gets punched real hard twice.) that felt like three!!!

Favorite outfit: sea guard cadet tunic!!!

OTP: i mean, isildur x isildur's wife, SOMEDAY, but also isildur/valandil thanks to @aadmelioraa thanks a lot for the brainworms

Brotp: poor dead ontamo :( also when is anarion gonna show up??

Head Canon: honestly....... s1 is way funnier if you see it as isildur and valandil having been childhood sweethearts who grew up and, like, pushed that aside, but are still really into each other.

Unpopular opinion: valandil was totally in the right to be furious at him and not want to stake his reputation on him, and isildur probably should not have gone on the expedition. quite literally a nepo baby.

A wish: i really want to see his future wife and i want isil to be SMITTEn and it's so funny until everything gets sad lmao

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: NAMES HIS SON AFTER VALANDIL BC HE LOVED HIM SO MUCH AND THEN LOST HIM??? brb, crying.

5 words to best describe them: disaster baby becomes disaster king. (oops, sorry.)

My nickname for them: Isil <3

if you made it this far, congrats, here's an Elrond and Durin in the cave.