#usernori

“So, what do you have to say to that... ‘Friend?’”

“... Congratulations. On your wife, your children. I hope you can come to forgive me.”

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Can we just talk about how Elrond genuinely hadn’t realized how long it had been? How long twenty years are to anybody other than an elf? (“Has it only been twenty [years]?”) And how, right here, he realizes how much he hurt Durin, his old friend who he just told Celebrimbor was “like a brother” to him?

And THEN can we talk about Durin please and how he planted that sapling that Elrond gave him basically RIGHT IN HIS HOUSE and for TWENTY YEARS despite growing hurt and anger and quite possibly building resentment after all that time, he still TENDS IT LIKE IT’S HIS THIRD CHILD, according to Disa - and why would she lie? He certainly doesn’t argue either, when she tells Elrond as much. Durin loves Elrond SO MUCH. Even after many years of disappointment and pent up very justified anger, he never REALLY gave up on Elrond and their friendship. He cared for that tree because it still MEANT something.

And you can see in that shot where Elrond looks at the tree, that he realizes just that. That tree is woven throughout twenty years of Durin’s life. A LARGE chunk of Durin’s life, that Elrond wasn’t there for, because he just... didn’t think to.

And then when Disa pleads with them to “find a way to mend this(!!!)” (thank Aule and Eru for Disa honestly), Elrond brings up the sapling. And I think that reminds Durin of WHY he never gave up. Of why he planted it in the first place. Of why he never forgot to tend to it. And that’s when he comes around.

God, I just. I just cry. These two kill me.

Bonus:

@tolkienweek 2022 day 2: colours

@tolkienweek 2022 day 3: light & dark

TOLKIENWEEK22