Of þe Rings of Power, & þe Second Age: RECOMMENDED, &

FIRST: Of the Rings of Power, and the Second Age: RECOMMENDED

On 39:12-49:08 of I:8 “Alloyed”, of The Rings of Power <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings:_The_Rings_of_Power>.

Actors Morfydd Clark, Charlie Vickers, Will Fletcher, and Robert Aramayo absolutely nail it.

While not all is forgiven of the show’s infelicities, awkwarnesses, blunders, and attempts to make art via cookie-cutter, a great deal is. The first season as a whole is definitely recommended (even though I think the Wheel of Time show is doing a better job, albeit with lower-quality cloth.)

Three pieces of background:

1. “Sauron was of course not ‘evil’ in origin. He was a ‘spirit’ corrupted by the Prime Dark Lord (the Prime sub-creative Rebel) Morgoth. He was given an opportunity of repentance, when Morgoth was overcome, but could not face the humiliation of recantation, and suing for pardon; and so his temporary turn to good and ‘benevolence’ ended in a greater relapse, until he became the main representative of Evil of later ages. But at the beginning of the Second Age he was still beautiful to look at, or could still assume a beautiful visible shape—and was not indeed wholly evil, not unless all ‘reformers’ who want to hurry up with ‘reconstruction’ and ‘reorganization’ are wholly evil, even before pride and the lust to exert their will eat them up.
   
   ”The particular branch of the High-Elves concerned, the Noldor or Loremasters, were always on the side of ‘science and technology’, as we should call it: they wanted to have the knowledge that Sauron genuinely had, and those of Eregion refused the warnings of Gilgalad and Elrond. The particular ‘desire’ of the Eregion Elves—an ‘allegory’ if you like of a love of machinery, and technical devices—is also symbolised by their special friendship with the Dwarves of Moria.I should regard them as no more wicked or foolish (but in much the same peril) as Catholics engaged in certain kinds of physical research (e.g. those producing, if only as by-products, poisonous gases and explosives): things not necessarily evil, but which, things being as they are, and the nature and motives of the economic masters who provide all the means for their work being as they are, are pretty certain to serve evil ends. For which they will not necessarily be to blame, even if aware of them…”—J.R.R. Tolkien: Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien <https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Letters_Of_J_r_r_Tolkien/9eLCAgAAQBA>
   
   
   

2. “Of old there was Sauron the Maia, whom the Sindar in Beleriand named Gorthaur. In the beginning of Arda Melkor seduced him to his allegiance, and he became the greatest and most trusted of the servants of the Enemy, and the most perilous, for he could assume many forms, and for long if he willed he could still appear noble and beautiful, so as to deceive all but the most wary. When Thangorodrim was broken and Morgoth overthrown, Sauron put on his fair hue again and did obeisance to Eönwë, the herald of Manwë, and abjured all his evil deeds. And some hold that this was not at first falsely done, but that Sauron in truth repented, if only out of fear, being dismayed by the fall of Morgoth and the great wrath of the Lords of the West.
   
   ”But it was not within the power of Eönwë to pardon those of his own order, and he commanded Sauron to return to Aman and there receive the judgement of Manwë. Then Sauron was ashamed, and he was unwilling to return in humiliation and to receive from the Valar a sentence, it might be, of long servitude in proof of his good faith; for under Morgoth his power had been great. Therefore when Eönwë departed he hid himself in Middle-earth; and he fell back into evil, for the bonds that Morgoth had laid upon him were very strong…”—J.R.R. Tolkien: Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age <https://books.google.com/books?id=uFKaXu23ovoC>
   
   
   

3. “There comes a point in writing, and it’s a spear-point, it’s very small and sharp but because it’s backed by the length and weight of a whole spear and a whole strong person pushing it, it’s a point that goes in a long way. Spearpoints need all that behind them, or they don’t pack their punch in the same way.
   
   “Examples are difficult to give because spear-points by their nature require their context, and spoilers. They tend to be moments of poignancy and realization. When Duncan picks the branches when passing through trees, he’s just getting a disguise, but we the audience suddenly understand how Birnam Wood shall come to Dunsinane…. One I used as a title for this—in The Farthest Shore, a minor character shouts out her name for all to hear. For someone who read that page alone, this would be inexplicable and possibly silly. For someone who has come all the way through Earthsea as far as Lorbanery already, it’s terrible and revelatory….

   “It isn’t always possible to build the spear so that it will work the first time through. If you keep stepping back to show the reader that there is irony here, that there is a wider context, that things work out this way, you risk losing absolute raftloads of immediacy…. You certainly need to do a lot of set-up, carefully, towards what you want to do later, and the reason for that is so that when you actually get to doing it, it can stand alone at that point, be that point, because the spear needs to be behind it, and a spear-point supported right there with scaffolding doesn’t have any impact at all. It needs to be moving when it hits you, and it needs to have the spear already there…. “
   
   Sometimes… it’s better to suck that up and trust the reader to think, to come back and re-read, to get the impact then, than to try to hammer the spear-point in when there hasn’t been time to build the spear…”—Jo Walton: The Dyer of Lorbanery <http://www.jowaltonbooks.com/23rd-february-2004-the-dyer-of-lorbanery-spearpoint-theory/>

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SPOILERS

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“I have been awake since the breaking of the First Silence. In that time—I have had many names…”

“I told you the truth. I told you that I had done evil, and you did not care. Because you knew that our past meant nothing, weighed against our future…. All others look on you with doubt. I alone can see your greatness. I alone can see your light…. I would make you a queen. Fair as the sea and the Sun. Stronger than the foundations of the earth…. Not dark. Not with you at my side. You told me once, that we were brought together for a purpose. This is it. You bind me to the light. And I bind you to power. Together, we can save this Middle-earth….”

“At last it comes! You will give me the Ring freely! In place of the Dark Lord you will set up a Queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair!…”

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THE DOMED HALLS OF ILMARIN ON MOUNT TANIQUETIL, VALINOR

THE HIGH COUNCIL OF THE VALAR IS IN SESSION

SECOND AGE

MANWË: Well, this has been a long meeting. I hope that there is no further business...

VAIRË: There is something in the pattern, something in the weave... We may developing another Middle-Earth problem...

MANWË: I guess this is something that cannot wait until our next regular council meeting next millennium?

TULKAS: I am afraid not. You remember Marion?

MANWË: Yes! One of your guys, Aulë, I think? I have not seen him around lately?

AULË: Well, I am afraid I managed him badly, I shrugged off his suggestions for using unstable nitrogen compounds for entertainments, and the next thing I knew he was upset at having been scooped by Olórin in the making of pyrotechnic fireworks, and was off with (shudder) Morgoth...

MANWË: But I thought all that was wound up? I scanned his mind just after we broke the towers of Thangorodrim. And he seemed genuinely repentant. You offered him a pardon, Eonwë, right?

EONWË: Well, it is complicated. It is really the programmer's fault. The drop-down picklist on the pardon web form did not have an entry for "Maia". So I told him that he would have to come back here in person so we could handle him as a special case...

MANWË: And he never showed up?

AULË: I heard that he was too embarrassed. He wanted to perform some great dees of rebuilding and restoration so that he would be less ashamed when he had to look into your eyes, Lord. You can be somewhat intimidating. But I am confident he will come around.

VAIRË: I am not.

AULË: But what could go wrong? He is so immensely talented! He has so much he could teach the man-smiths of Numenor and the elven-smiths of Eregion, and do so much good! Then he can come back with some pride, and beg for his pardon.

MANDOS: But right now his fate stands on a knife edge. Because he crossed paths with Finarfin's daughter, sister of Finrod—you remember, the fairest and most beloved of all the house of Finwë...

MANWË: Galadriel? Wasn't there some problem with her, too? I remember her name on the—now rather short—list of those still under your ban, Mandos. How did that happen?

EONWË: She refused to even sit down at the keyboard. She refused to fill out the form. "What wrong did the golden house of Finarfin ever do, that I should ask for the pardon of the Valar?" she said. She is one of those who wanted out from under our collective thumb. She wanted to rule. Plus she really wanted to hunt down the killer of her brother Finrod Felagund.

MANWË: Who was her brother's killer?

TULKAS: Mairon. Or, rather, he calls himself Sauron these days. He took the form of a werewolf and ate Fiord in Tol-in-Gaurhoth—part of that Beren-and-Luthien thing, if you remember...

MANWË: You get too much pleasure out of tangling the threads here, Vairë the weaver.

VAIRË; Me? The wheel weaves as the wheel wills...

MANWË: But I still don't see the problem. You are about to tell me that when—Sauron, I guess we should call him now—crossed paths with Galadriel, they did not get along?

YAVANNA: Actually, I think they got along too well...

TULKAS: They fought together! They saved each other!

MANDOS: He is one of the Maiar.

TULKAS: OK! He saved her! She thought she saved him! He admitted: "You don't know what I did.... You don't know how I survived.... When these people discover it, they will cast me out. So will you." And she said: "Whatever it was you did: be free of it!"!

MANWË: And?

AULË: So he asked her to be his Bright Queen—to bind him to the light, as he would bind her to power to rule.

MANWË: And?

VAIRË: She spurned him.

MANWË: Eonwë: Take a memo. Subject: Relationship counseling for Maiar. Text: Trust is important in a relationship, as is communication. Do not say "You don't know how I survived". Say, rather: "I transformed myself into a werewolf, and ate the person you loved most in the world, more than your husband. I ate your brother."

TULKAS: That would be very good. But we need to do something now. As a result, Mairon—Sauron—is spiraling down into evil, and will spread fire and sword all over Middle-Earth.

TULKAS: A rogue turned to evil, one of the most powerful of the Maiar, loose wreaking destruction in Middle-Earth. It would take a prince of the House of Finwë to have even a chance of rallying forces to stand against them. Who among the elves who has seen Valinor is still in Middle-Earth?

EONWË: Gil-galad and Celebrimbor alone.

YAVANNA: Sexists!

EONWË: And Galadriel, of course...

TULKAS: Gil-galad, Celebrimbor, and Galadriel—that should be enough to constrain Sauron. There is just one of him.

MANDOS: Have you taken proper account of the missing Balrog? And of the children of Ungoliant? And do you not remember that Gil-galad cannot stand against one whose hand is flame unquenched?

AULË: Sauron is much cleverer than Celebrimbor. He might find way to neutralize whatever devises Celebrimbor can create...

MANWË: reinforcements? Of the Noldor slain in Middle-Earth who have been re-embodied and are now here, are there any who might be willing to go back across the sea?

EONWË: There is Finrod—but he says that he has already had his liver eaten once by Sauron, and that once is enough. Glorfindel, however, says that his foot slipped, and wants a rematch with the balrog.

NIENNA: Do not forget that we have already sent the Star...

MANWË: Good. Send Glorfindel. But other ideas?

TULKAS: Surely we can hope that the istar, Glorfindel, Gil-galad—even if fated to die from wounds received from Sauron's hand of flame unquenched—Celebrimbor, and Gil-galad will be enough to be able to handle things?

MANDOS: Hope is not a plan.

EONWË: So the worst case is Gil-galad falls to the flame of Udun, Celebrimbor's devises are turned to the service of Sauron, and then if Galadriel gets... thirsty...

MANDOS: Galadriel's husband, Celeborn, is still a shade in my halls...

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MUST-READ: Yesterday in “Slouching Towards Utopia” Reviews and Views:

Very, very nice to see. Thank you, Ben:

Ben Friedman: Where We Went Wrong: “DeLong[’s]… account of this historical experience—like Galbraith’s before him—at least implicitly points a way toward improving matters… rolling back many of the changes made in the U.S. tax code over the past half-century, as well as reinvigorating antitrust policy to blunt the dominance, and therefore outsize profits, of the mega-firms that now tower over key sectors of the economy. He would also surely reverse the recent trend moving away from free trade…. Offering recommendations is not DeLong’s purpose. His stark sense that the world is different in the wake of the 2008-10 financial crisis is what allows him to draw a Buddenbrooks-like line, ending his rich historical account there. It also precludes drawing firm conclusions from the “long” century that he so thoughtfully examines for the era to follow….

What will future readers of Slouching Towards Utopia conclude? No doubt the historical vignettes—about the Great Depression, the two World Wars, and the other episodes examined—will hold up well. If anything, DeLong’s narratives will become more valuable as those events fade into the past. Alas, his description of fascism as having at its center “a contempt for limits, especially those implied by reason-based arguments; a belief that reality could be altered by the will; and an exaltation of the violent assertion of that will as the ultimate argument” will likely strike a nerve with many Americans not just today but in years to come. But what about DeLong’s core explanation of what went wrong in the latter third of his, and our, “long century”? I predict that it too will still look right, and important…

Ben joins Bob Reich as one who correctly sees that my argument is much more Galbraithian than I realized while I was writing it…

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One Image: The Course of Our Current Inflation:

Focus on the underlying UIG measure:

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One Video: Slouching Towards Utopia Seminar at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez:

Or, rather, in its corner of the Metaverse:

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Other Things That Went Whizzing by…

Very Briefly Noted:

• New York Fed Staff: Underlying Inflation Gauge (UIG)…

• Even Armstrong: Who Wins the AI Value Chain?…

• Davis Kedrosky: ‘The Masters of the Blogosphere return... excited for @tylercowen's upcoming Conversation with @delong.Some things I will need to know from Brad…

• William Butler Yeats: The Second Coming…

• Matt Levine: Elon Gets Three Weeks to Change His Mind: ‘No decision by Musk in the Twitter deal has lasted that long…

• Hamish McKenzie: Please stop calling it the ‘newsletter economy’: ‘It is needed. Our work today, and for as long as Substack exists, is to keep this new economy powering forward. You can help. You can start a paid newsletter. Or better yet, start a Substack…

• Andrej Karpathy: YouTube…

• Bloomberg: How Xi Rewrote China’s Rulebook to Build the Party Around Himself: ‘Xi Jinping climbed to the center of China’s political universe by rewriting the rules. He’ll have to break at least three key ones this month to ensure power revolves around him for years to come…

• Paul Szoldra: Tracking China's preparations for war: ‘Beijing "would not be subtle," says a long-time CIA analyst…

• Rachel Adams-Heard: Land Is Power, and the Osage Nation Is Buying Theirs Back: ‘Over a century, theft, murder, and business dealings stripped the Osages of oil and land wealth. They’re clawing it back, tract by tract…

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¶s:

David French: There’s Only One Group to Blame for How Republicans Flocked to Trump: ‘They wanted a street brawler, and when (they believed) Romney campaigned with one hand tied behind his back, they were angry. Yes, there was anger at Democrats and reporters for their treatment of Romney, but the raw anger that really mattered was their anger at Romney…. And so the Republican establishment and the Republican base moved apart, with one side completely convinced that Romney lost because he was perhaps, if anything, too harsh (especially when it came to immigration) and the other convinced that he lost because he was too soft. Trump’s nomination was a triumph of that base…. When Trump won, the base had its proof of concept. Fighting worked, and not even Trump’s loss—along with the loss of the House and the Senate in four short years—has truly disrupted that conclusion. And why would it? Many millions still don’t believe he lost. The Mitt Romney martyr theory thus suffers from a fatal defect…. Large numbers of Republicans… already hated Democrats and the media, and when Romney lost, their message to the Republican establishment in 2016 was just as clear as it was in South Carolina in 2012. No more nice guys. The “character” that mattered was a commitment to punching the left right in the mouth…