13 B1:C2 - Shadows of the Past - Part 2: Gandalf - [LoTR Read Along]

Green Dragon Live

The Nicks discuss favorite musical themes from the films, the motions of Gandalf throughout Middle-earth and the hunting of Gollum in Chapter 2 of The Lord of The Rings.

This is part 2 of this discussion - in the first part we discussed the chapter from Frodo's point of view. Click to go back to that discussion.

Maps

Map of Middle-earth

LoTRproject.com interactive map - Caution: spoilers for new readers!

If you had to pick one musical theme from the films as your favorite, which would it be?

Nicholas Jon's pick - The Charge of the Rohirrim - the fully developed and orchestrated version of the Rohirrim theme.

Nick Andrew's pick - The Grey Havens - The final version of the Grey Havens theme

An orchestrated version of Into The West. The melody/vocal line is played on the cello.

Fellowship Reunited - the fully formed and matured Shire theme first heard in Concerning Hobbits.

Last time in The Lord of The Rings

Last episode we spoke about Frodo, and how he experienced the chapter as Gandalf laid an almighty hammer blow of scariness. The Dark Lord Sauron is looking for The Ring, and he now knows about the Shire and the name Baggins.

Where are we in the narrative?

Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, Gandalf has traveled many paths to find the secrets of the Ring that Frodo has inherited. He returns to the Shire to find that, so far, all is well. But danger is closer than Frodo ever thought - it is in his pocket. Gandalf tells his story of how he pieced together the puzzle of the One Ring and how it came to Gollum and thus to Bilbo.

Notes for this episode

Episode 6 - Places of Middle-earth - [Prologue 0.6

Gandalf pieces the history of the ring together (more or less chronologically)

• Eregion - the first Elven-rings were made by Celebrimbor

Reference chart for the pronunciation of Elvish words

8. Magic, Maiar, & The Rings of Power - []Prologue 0.8]

• Sauron makes the One Ring
• After many years the Last Alliance faces off with Sauron
• Isildur, Elendil’s son cuts the Ring from Sauron and claims the Ring
• The Ring is not destroyed
• The Ring betrayed Isildur in the river Anduin
• The Ring is lost
• Deagol finds the Ring

Deagol finds the ring in the Anduin - Ring saves him from drowning?

• Deagol is promptly killed by Smeagol
• Smeagol is cast out, and eventually finds his way into the roots of the Misty Mountains
• The Ring eventually abandons Smeagol
• Bilbo finds the Ring

The Gollum’s Road

• Bilbo and Gollum have their riddle contest
• Bilbo wins on a technicality
• vSmeagol doesn’t take too kindly to this
• After a couple of years Smeagol leaves the mountains
• Makes his way through Mirkwood to Dale
• Learns that Bilbo was there, and where he is from
• Back through Mirkwood avoiding the Wood Elves who are tracking him
• Turning aside he presumably went toward Mordor
• He was eventually captured and brutally interrogated
• He told his captors enough that they now know Baggins has it and it is in the Shire
• He escaped or possibly released
• He was hunted by Aragorn and Gandalf
• When found Gandalf spoke with him for many weary days to learn what he knew
• He was left under the guard of the Wood Elves in Mirkwood

5. Peoples of Middle-earth: Orcs, Trolls, & Wraiths - Prologue 0.5

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Special thanks to our friend Harry Murrell for the use of his music. Listen to more and subscribe to his channel here.