Michelle Johnston
Mithlond
May 9, 11:57am
Views: 143
|
Very pleased to learn that the Dark Wizard appears to have been revealed as Pallando, and interested to see where things go from here. Getting this out of the way early: I still reckon the showrunners missed a trick in going for the option with the more immediate traction in terms of name recognition with audiences, ie, revealing the Stranger as Gandalf. They had a chance to go with something more interesting, in my view, in crafting a Pallando and Alatar story in the form of the Stranger and the Dark Wizard.
It's not just about 'lore' here for me but a genuine chance to tell a different story, not anchored to a well-known (and loved) character, Gandalf. It's more about narrative choices in a screenplay context. It would have helped to make TRoP more its own thing, I reckon. And also avoided a few long-range issues regarding Gandalf's later dealings with Saruman in the Jackson, Boyens & Walsh film trilogy. If we have TRoP Gandalf deal with an 'off-mission' Istar in the Second Age, why does he fall for (yet) another one in the (Jackson) Third? From a commercial point of view, I totally get why this has been done, though: name recognition (Gandalf) is priceless, if lacking in creative flair - again, in my opinion. I also didn't need a backstory for why Gandalf loves hobbits, but again, I get the pull factor from a commercial point of view.
Still, like you, I see potential in an Alatar sub plot, if Amazon fork out for further name/content rights.
Speaking of purchased rights to name content, interesting too that Amazon bought 'Pallando' rather than 'Rómestámo'. The show has made an effort on linguistics to date, and Rómestámo (Quenya: "East-helper") is a more obvious reference to the Rhûn setting than Pallando.
And I can't express fully enough how great it is to see you back on the Forum :)
PS Still really struggling to log in and post, sadly.
In the last few days, I had been thinking about an opportunity the Blue Wizards provided ROP, and it's right inside your wheelhouse.
Mr Tolkien wrote about the challenge of the Istar being subject to the deceits of Middle-earth. Frodo, a ring bearer, recognises that in his gracious remarks about Saruman.
It is canon or near canon that the Blues failed, and there is/was a unique opportunity to explore that more thoroughly.
I would have had Alatar arrive confused, 'born' into Middle-earth and lonely, cut off from Aman and Orome, falling for experiments, even seduced by the Mystics (a residue of Morgoth's evil). His buddy Pallando turns up sailing into the Havens, and Alatar tries to turn him, and the drama is in the fight over the Eastern assets. Entwives.
Mr Tolkien came up with Morinehtar, darkness slayer, for R's buddy. I think that would have worked for a good blue. And R be the bad blue.
Leaving aside my arrogant musings, probably Gandalf will protect the Hobbits and Entwives, which fits in with his prior and deep knowledge of both it fits in with the showrunners expanding on things said in the LOTR, like Galadriel's refusal to treat with Sauron in the Third Age.
Mr Tolkien had a real knack for dialogue, giving it more meaning than the moment. Whenever Treebeard and Gandalf talk about each other, I always feel they had form. Hidden depths. It may be important that the rods of the five wizards are mentioned just once, and in front of Treebeard, who may have met the blues. I can see the SR's using that.
(This post was edited by Michelle Johnston on May 9, 12:04pm)
|
