Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS 2002, dir. Peter Jackson

Procrastination and lack of time doomed me to draw Éowyn only now.

This Haflinger stallion loves to shake his incredibly beautiful long mane for me ❤️ photographed during my Expl…

Eve Best as Rhaenys Targaryen in House of the Dragon s2 (x6)

Adar face reveal. We see a tormented face that looks like a mix of elf and orc. 1x04 "The Great Wave". Adar scene analysis. Now that Adar has fully entered the chat I will focus on his scenes (in episodes where he has many scenes I will pick the ones that appeal the most to me).

An act of love Adar eases the pain of his injured son and kills him. We understand he cares deeply for him, his kind eyes gazing into the uruk’s eyes. He smiles with a heavy heart, you see the pain as he cuts him, teary eyes, and he kneels in front of the body.

It is an act of mercy: the act of killing someone who is very ill or very old so that they do not suffer any more. A common TV trope, especially used to humanize a villain so they become more likable. I think it really works here, because the show does not shy away from his horrible deeds (and I think these multi-layered aspects of him are something that become more prominent as the season goes on).

The camera lingers from Arondir’s angle, making sure that we see this through his eyes. He acts as the audience representation here as he looks surprised that the orc leader shows this act of kindness and shares a tender moment with the dying orc. In Adar’s first proper scene, everything we thought we knew about him is questioned. This doesn’t seem like the merciless killer he has been built up to be in the previous episodes.

Adar smiles back at Magrot. The last thing this orc sees is his father’s tender face. But important to note that Adar does this for him, as fast as he is finished, you see the distraught in Adar’s face. You see how pained he is when no one is watching.

Every life matters to him because they are his family. He sits down in silence and mourns Magrot. When he nods to the other Uruks to carry him away, you can tell that he trust these orcs, it's not a cold order, but an understanding in between them.

"Nampak uglursha", they say as they carry him out, and you can feel the weight in their words. Likely meaning something along the lines of "rest in peace". We see the orcs being way more tender and respectful than we have seen them in the previous episode, indicating that they care deeply for each other. Their community/family is strong. I find it fascinating, also in contrast to other portrayals we have seen before – the main difference is because of who their leader is. Adar may harm others, but it is indicated here that his bond with his children is very strong.

Origins, age, and change Speaking in Quenya, Adar asks where Arondir was born, and we get the memorable sage blossoms story.

In this scene, we get hints at just how old Adar is, at least old enough to remember Beleriand. He also says "when I was young", implying he is very old and the way he speaks to Arondir implies he is much older/wiser than him. Like he possesses a knowledge he does not.

You have been told many lies. Some run so deep, even the rocks and roots now believe them. To untangle it all... would all but require the creation of a new world. But that is something only the gods can do. And I am no god. At least... Not yet.

This quote tells us so much of what he is about to do, and his problmeatic relationship with elves; we understand he is not one of them (yet he looks more elvish than orcish).

Arondir asks him why they call him father and what he is, but Adar does not reply, but only asks him to deliver a message. I believe this line is put there for the viewer to make the connection that he is their father – he does not need to answer it. The fact that he does not harm him also speaks to what kind of leader he is. He is using Arondir for a bigger purpose; the future he is promising his children.

A moment of stillness for Lord-father I have to mention the scene where Adar watches the warg. The way he looks so calmly at the warg violently eating the arm suggests that he takes comfort in violence (at least in some instances). We will see this further down the road, but physical pain doesn't bother Adar because of his previous experiences; he has become numb to it. As we see in the first scene, he is obviously disturbed by the pain brought on his children, but he does not show that same compassion towards humans (the elves and men captured and worse are a good example of that).

The wargs are his pets, and they are part of the orc family too, so seeing them get fed comforts him. The shot implies that he has an advantage through his calmness; his plans are in motion, and it establishes him as a leader in control. We can see something rare in him that almost looks like a smile and happiness for what's to come. Hope, even in its cruelest form.

Week 4 || The great wave / Family and Friends

The camp is silent around Adar as death has claimed another Uruk.

A new day. 

Another of his children dead.

Another piece of his heart gone.

For a moment, Adar worries about how much time he has left before the darkness creeps through the cracks and blackens it all.

Though he is gone, he still feels Sauron’s presence around him. He has killed him to save his children... but they are still dying.

He cannot save them from a fate of flames and shadows.

Adar only asks for his children to live, but elves and men won't let them be! The sins of the fathers should not be laid upon their children. 

Adar and Mairon were the ones who helped Morgoth hollow the world. His Uruks were victims as much as elves and men. Raised in darkness, knowing no gentle touch, just brutality. And still they love, and laugh... And grieve.

Adar can feel the elf's eyes on him. He doesn’t understand; he can’t, as he was raised to hate his children's race. 

But there is love among them, and Adar will be damned if he lets anyone hurt his children again. Hurt them as he did, after swearing to protect them. 

No more flames or darkness for his children.

We are Rhia, Vera, Kathryn, and Jess, and we love Tolkien’s legendarium…especially Númenor. It is hugely significant in Tolkien's universe, let's please not forget it. For instance: Tolkien had a recurring dream of the Great Wave, and over a third of his letter to Milton Waldman describes the story of Númenor… sounds rather important within the legendarium to us! 🌊

We love reading Tolkien texts, as well as writing and reading fanfiction, we endorse creativity in Tolkien spaces, and adaptations (while we constructively critique flaws).... and discussion of all the above. We love to talk about it all at length 🗣️

We don’t love that Tolkien erased Númenor's important women: apart from the sacrificial Míriel, dour Erendis, or ruling queens who did not much but look pretty. For example, not one of the wives/mothers of Amandil’s family was named…despite the fact that they gave legendary leaders to the Faithful and Middle-earth.

What we'd like to do on these pages is not just shine light on those overshadowed women, but bust myths // clear up misconceptions in the fandom, share fascinating but less-well-known pieces of lore, and celebrate the Other Voices: the amazing creators also playing in Tolkien's world. If that sounds like your jam, we’d love for you to come along for the ride!

On Closeness at a Distance

Sam—or Sam as Adar—has been slipping under my skin lately, even showing up in dreams. He’s lingered in my thoughts ever since he appeared as the Lord-Father of the Uruk: Adar, one of the most compelling original creations in The Rings of Power.

A dark muse—for the showrunners, for fans, maybe even for Sam himself—he shaped the emotional core of Season 2 and left an indelible mark, even in fictional death.

Adar, a walker between worlds, both elf and orc, cruel and tender, morally ambiguous yet legitimately motivated, perpetrator and victim, maybe asexual, maybe pan, a deeply emotional figure who is - and that’s a point - holding on, fighting for his soul, a father doomed to die.

Sometimes, a character and a performer conjure a response so strong it rearranges your emotional interior—unearthing dormant longing, or conflict. Or both. It’s a kind of intimate experience through art, made possible by what I’d call emotional synchronicity.

That’s what happened to me with Sam’s Adar.

Thank you for sharing this and putting these personal thoughts out in the wild! I know that's not always an easy thing to do, but this really was an enlightening read - and perfectly written in a very profound and thought-provoking way.

Honestly, the scale of impact Sam's Adar had and has on me and reasons for it - it's all is still a bit of mystery to myself. But reading your easy pushed me gently to come into terms with it a bit more. I guess for me it all happened at the right time. When after my life literally turned upside-down and inside-out, when I was doubting my every decision and step, I got a compelling character who was hardly saint himself, was most likely regretting a good deal of his own decisions, but endured with unparalleled resilience, chose and managed to break away from where he and his children didn't belong, was brave enough to want more for them, stood by who he was even if it led to his physical demise, but got him astonishing arc of redemption. I don't do therapy [maybe I should], but he has been my therapy for all these months. And a great deal of why it was so, was also due to Sam being this source of steady yet gentle energy for the character and for all what was happening around the show whenever he participated or was mentioned. His love to the character, deeply thoughtful approach to building it anew, unbelievably masterful delivery are the unanimous part of the bond we build with his Adar. And it touched me how you assumed that Sam himself might be as vulnerable as any of us. He is a human. He had his share of all kinds of experiences in his life, I assume. But, bless him, in every big or small situation he is the first one to be genuine, gentle, kind, supportive, patient, compassionate, and so real. Maybe that is why I too feel this bond and I exist so comfortably reveling in it. I don't know how long it might last, but I guess I'd forever reserve a part of my heart for him and his Adar for holding my hand through times I never expected to find myself in, and for showing me the way of resilience and kindness.

Sorry for rambling away🙈 Though I'm so happy we are talking about Sam and Adar! Hugs to you my lovely Adarlings🫂🫶✨️🖤

(that gif though, I can’t stand to see him cry … 😭)

About Sam… However good an actor he is - which he undoubtedly is - never let anybody tell you that Sam Hazeldine hasn’t been at that place of deep sorrow and grief himself and that that’s why he hits so hard in some of his performances and ever more unerringly as he gets older.

You don’t have to dig deep to get a sense of that.

Sam as Adar… You know how we’re able to express ourselves more truthfully, authentically when warning a mask. There was a good scene in Emily (2022) about that. A movie that I adore.

Adar was the ideal mask and perfect fit for Sam. It’s neither just the actor, nor just the character, but a third thing that emerges and reaches across the screen and affects an audience. He can be proud of having left a mark. I assume that interactive aspect is what most actors strive for and what gives them a sense of self-efficacy and gratification. Can’t be all about narcissism, can it lol?