#trop analysis

It shows that Charlie really thinks through Sauron's mannerisms. On the surface, it's kind of a cute, funny little mannerism, but if you think about it, it has a much deeper, darker implication.

Why? Because when we see Sauron using magic, particularly in Season 2, it's often by flicking his fingers or twisting his hands.

We see it most obviously when he uses his hands to control the elven guards and force them to kill each other. We also see it when he flicks his fingers to throw Mirdania off the wall.

To this.

How hauntingly tragic his "Halbrand" era was. It was the closest thing to peace he had found in thousands of years and he got to that place by doing something so uncharacteristic. He took a chance. This Maia, who is obsessed with control and order...he gambled. And won. Until he lost. Why and how the hell did he think pretending to be a mortal king, offering to bind himself to his sworn rival, allying himself with Light would possibly succeed? He had to know it was a near impossible feat. The path he had taken before was probably charted with logical, measured decisions and weighed with statistical probabilities. But not this one. It wasn't hubris or arrogant ambition. It was hope. He believed and that belief was sparked and buoyed by Galadriel.

This is why this shot right here is so symbolic and poetic of this period in his life. Look at Halbrand here. As so many times before where it concerns Galadriel, he looks unsure. Vulnerable. Look at how he holds the pouch and how he stares at it. It's as if his fate rests inside. This is a crossroads. Then he throws it on the table like dice or a coin toss. He seems to have made up his mind. Probably because he had estimated and concluded that following Galadriel was probably not going to work. But then, at the last moment he changes course.

The fact that the camera stays on the pouch for several beats emphasizes that 1) this is a pivotal moment 2) it was impulsive. Sauron had already left and then came back. (12 seconds-- I counted). Just like the raft on the Sundering Seas, he came back for Galadriel. He makes a bold choice. Again! One not even the gods would have expected. He takes a chance. A monumental one.

It's exhilarating, especially now that we have a bigger picture of the actual choice he's making. It's so hopeful. So audacious. So human. So NOT Sauron. And in letting himself fully embody and inhabit the life of a low man, he's never been more connected to Middle Earth, never been more real in this world. The stakes mean something different. He's tactile, emotional, reactive. His actions and relationships have more gravity. His footsteps and words have weight. He's not a puppetmaster. He's alive in the world, an ocean of color.

Contrast that with his Annatar phase. As Charlie portrays him, he is completely detached. Floundering. There's a vacancy to his presence.

As I said before, I think Sauron left apart of himself in Halbrand. It's almost as if the piece of him that was human, that grounded him, was severed. And in doing so, Annatar glides through the world as if in a dream and he were made of ice and shadow. Look at his manner and how he moves. He's imposing but almost inert. His expression is dazed and distracted. His heart is somewhere else. With someone else. Or maybe it's because he actually isn't there. It gives an added layer of meaning to Adar's supposed "message" to Annatar -- "Where is he?" Because why is he so clearly disengaged? Where does his mind wander off to constantly?

Again, I'm left pondering how do you get to that, from this?

Alright then, treat it like fanfiction.

Fanfiction is not canon, but it's based on source material with personal additions or alterations. You can like many fanfictions and hate a particular one in the same fandom. You don't have to consider it canon, but some people like to because it tickles their brain the right way.

It's the exact. same. for TROP.

The Rings of Power is not canon, but it twines source material with creativity. I see lots of "diehard Tolkien fans" praising the other adaptations yet they slander this one the most. Don't consider it canon if it makes you angry. In fact, don't even bother with it if it gets you that worked up.

Before I get hate, I fully love these two as a couple, I ship them so hard as Sauron and Galadriel and Halbrand/Galadriel (although I would have loved it if Halbrand was just a "dude" with a tragic past not the source of evil incarnate)

Anyway my rant/analysis

I've read a lot of META analysis about TROP/Galadriel / her mistakes/not spotting Sauron for what he is etc / the mistakes blah blah blah

And while it's also fascinating, my big issue with the show and to a certain extent the analysis around her is that and I'm going to say this SUPER LOUD

SAURON IS RIGHT (in a way that doesn't for Celebrimbor or any of the other character he interacts with)

Yes Sauron absolutely manipulates Galadriel and she refuses to acknowledge a whole series of things.

But, for Galadriel, everything he says to her on the raft is absolutely true in a way that's not really true for anyone else.

Galadriel IS cast out by the elves for wanting more soldiers, for hunting an enemy that they think is gone even though she is TADA right as well. Sauron is not dead (Gil Galad grhhh) They don't listen to the commander whose hunted him for decades and led them across the battle field, they just say go away crazy cat lady - we'll just ship you off to Valinor.

And it just annoys me so much, that it's never really acknowledged EVER in the second series that she actually has a point

Sauron WAS NOT DEAD

That they put her directly in the path of someone when she is angry/damaged/still mourning a brother she lost a long time ago

And when they find out she is right, they have GALL to blame her for it utterly

Elrond AND Gil Galad both lay the blame entirely on her shoulders, no one ever really openly says, sorry Gal we put you in a super awkward position where you could have been open to Sauron's manipulation, that's on us and sorry for not believing you first time around.

Elrond - twat that he is (although I love him) sorta says sorry in between make out kisses at the last possible second, but it would have been nice for him to actually acknowledge it that Auntie Galadriel actually had a point.

He also has the nerve to say that she had the darkness calling to her/ that basically she was just an idiot falling for Sauron's tricks / is possibly corrupted herself

And Gil Galad never admits it either - still vaguely regarding her a sparkly flea he can't quite swat

And that she's somehow created another problem he's got to fix

While I totally admit that it's partly her fault, I just don't think the show is written as desperately fair to Galadriel and the second series suffers a lot from it.

After building her as the angry/damaged/virtually invincible soldier in the first series, the second series determinedly knocks her down a peg or two and the men folk take over (this is not helped by the fact that she no female relationships in the series) even though t hey are partly to blame for this mess.

I guess it frustrates me that the writing /the way the cast describe it - they tend to just go with the Galadriel made a horrible mistake and look at the consequences / she really did want what Sauron offered line

Anyway, back to Sauron, HE IS RIGHT, she is dumped by the elves and he is the only one who vaguely sees her as AN EQUAL, he actually finds her determination and obsession APPEALING rather than a turn off.

And it's seen as this monstrous thing, he's saying, but it's not really because he's being absolutely true

I SEE YOU AS AN EQUAL, AS MY MATCH (romantic or otherwise)

LET'S WORK TOGETHER

BECAUSE YOU'RE AMAZING

It's hardly a shock that Galadriel found this appealing because literally no man in her immediate world has ever really acknowledged in this way before and by the end of the series, he stills wants her!

(and in my opinion even after the roundhouse kick to the face)

(this might be one of the reasons her connection is so deep with him)

Celembrimbor on other hand, Sauron plays on his vanity/his desperation/his loneliness? as well as his basic good nature, but he doesn't really ever hit the nail on the head in terms of his situation (cause frankly Brimby is living a decent life)

Sorry this always bugs me when I watch it/read it

Just had to ran this out, much love to the TROP fandom and HALADRIEL and SAURONDIEL too, you're all amazing

I’ve always thought the sentence construction interesting!

There’s no doubt that he’s attempting to flatter and manipulate Mirdania here.And it’s working-she smiles shyly after he says this(even though she’s also mega creeped-out,as she should be).I even at some point considered it too ambivalent to be a Saurondriel moment.But then I realised that when asked who he thinks she bore a likeness to,he doesn’t say “Oh,to Lady Galadriel “ he says, “Why,to Lady Galadriel,of course.”  As in,DUH. Who else could I be taking about?

One of the most interesting things about Sauron for me is the quality of him that Celebrimbor points out so perfectly-“You truly are the Great Deciever.You can deceive even yourself.” Every deception that Sauron commits always has a kernel of truth in it-which is exactly why it works.The best lie is the truth!  We see this in his behaviour time and again.There’s always something that we see as a “slip-up” but what could very well be intentional on his part.There’s always some little sincerity in what he says,often leaving even us as the audience unsure.

In this scene he’s manipulating Mirdania with what he thinks she would like to hear,but he is also saying what he wants to talk about out loud.He’s revealing the perpetual subject of his own thoughts. Which is why it’s “Why,Lady Galadriel,of course “, and not “Lady Galadriel”

Since she is always at the forefront of his own mind,there’s a subconscious assumption that slips out here-isn’t she the first person others think of too?who else could he be talking about?Isn’t it obvious that it’s about Galadriel?

The answer is no,it isn’t.Everything is not about Galadriel for others.Only for him.

Also,someone better maim him once for what he did to Mirdania.It was fucked-up,and she deserved better.I’ll forever be angry about that.

During the dialogue between Celebrimbor and Galadriel, this quote seems particularly evocative :

"But perhaps, the Elves need only remember that it is not strength that overcomes darkness, but light. Armies may rise, hearts may fail, yet still, light endures, and is mightier than strength. For in its presence, all darkness must flee."

During all the episode, there is a constant contrast between light and darkness, especially during the charge with these two already iconic shots:

Light vs Darkness - Doomed to die (02x07)

What is interesting here is that the orcs are standing and ready to fight, they just take a few steps back as if they dont fear light anymore and it's almost confirmed at the end of the episode.

Indeed, as the few Elves still alive are about to lose hope, the sun rises on the horizon and Elrond is sure that Durin is on his way and will be here in a minute and so they will eventually win the fight against Adar.

The sun on the horizon is the light bringing hope to Elrond - Doomed to die (02x07)

The "light" is here and, as Celebrimbor said, "all darkness must flee" but it doesn't happen. Instead, we can even said that darkness is defying light as Adar and his children are on their way to take the city and fight the remaining Elves before the light is too bright.

Adar leading his children to battle and fighting alongside them (and catching an arrow in mid-air) - Doomed to die (02x07)

Against all odds, darkness is then literally winning this fight with the orcs entering the city after successfully destroying the wall and the Elves are being brutally killed.

For once, Darkness is winning - Doomed to die (02x07)

The only relief if we could say so is that although Adar shouted "Kill them all!", we can assume that a small group of Elves will survive, like Elrond, who is spared by Adar himself, Gil-galad and Arondir (this character can't die like that!).

Anyway, Celebrimbor was wrong as darkness won this battle and it won't be the last until a long time.

So I already shared thoughts about how it felt like there were missing pieces in the season finale and how the show suffers with the challenge of condensing events that happened in the spam of several centuries in a shorter timeline.

After rewatching the last two episodes of the season I stand by my previous assessment. And even more: they had problems condensing the plotlines of the season into 8 episodes. Thus a season that started incredibly well dialed down to a messy combination of emotionally flat conclusions.

I will try to organize my considerations in different posts, the first one being about episode 7 and the Battle of Eregion. This episode has some weird editing choices and continuity mistakes that led me to believe that either there was more to the Battle of Eregion than what made it to the final cut or there were post filming changes that led to reshoots of some scenes (or even both).