The Tolkien Lore Podcast

By Joshua ScottArts

The Tolkien Lore Podcast episodes

July 04, 2022 Dispelling Myths About the Nazgul and the Nine Rings
My video on why Sauron couldn’t recover his Ring after being defeated in the War of the Last Alliance (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKzuKSus8FI) generated several comments about the Nazgul and the Nine Rings that show many people have what I think is a mistaken view of how those Rings work, but which also raise some additional questions worth addressing, so let’s dive into some Ring lore!
Apologies for video quality—was having technical issues but had to get something out!
Other Links:
Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195
Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore
Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/EVKynAj2m9 (If link is expired contact me at [email protected]and I’ll send a fresh invite link).
17 min
June 27, 2022 Lord of the Rings Theory: What If Isildur Had Survived and Kept the Ring?
Following up my video on the soft retcon of Isildur (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYvQdTzfk44), I now address the question of what would have happened to Isildur and the Ring had he survived the Disaster of the Gladden Fields and managed to hold on to the Ring. Would he have given the Ring to the Wise as planned, or would he have succumbed to corruption and become the new Ring Lord?
For a different take, I again recommend InDeepGeek’s excellent video on Isildur: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSErzSst1R4
Other Links:
Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195
Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore
Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/EVKynAj2m9 (If link is expired contact me at [email protected] I’ll send a fresh invite link).
28 min
June 26, 2022 From Semi-Villain to Tragic Hero: The Soft Retcon of Isildur
The Lord of the Rings gives us relatively little back story on Isildur, and what little we learn makes him look somewhat prideful and corruptible. But when Tolkien expanded on his story in later writings he began to look a lot more like a tragic hero.
For Robert’s (InDeepGeek) video on Isildur and a slightly different take, go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSErz...
For my Hobbit retcon video, go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIbXf...
Other Links:
Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195
Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/EVKynAj2m9 (If link doesn’t work, write me at [email protected] and I’ll send a fresh invite link).
19 min
June 13, 2022 How Did Sauron Get His Ring from Numenor Back to Mordor but Not Off His Dead Hand?
In a letter, Tolkien says that Sauron had his Ring in Numenor, which seems to contradict The Silmarillion. But if he did, how did he get it back to Middle-earth when Numenor was drowned and his body destroyed? And if he didn’t need a body to carry it, how was Isildur able to claim it from his corpse after the War of the Last Alliance?
For my video on who really killed Sauron, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp2OMqRdjcU
Other Links:
Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195
Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore
Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/EVKynAj2m9 (If link is expired write me at [email protected]and I’ll send a fresh invite link).
13 min
June 06, 2022 Tolkien, Allegory, and Applicability: Freedom of the Reader Is Not License to Reinterpret
I’ve noticed that many people, when trying to justify their opinions about Tolkien’s works, resort to his statement about preferring “applicability,” which lies in the freedom of the individual reader, to allegory, which is the purposed domination of the author. But does Tolkien’s statement really give us freewheeling license to interpret his work however we want?
For my video on authorial intent vs. death of the author, a distinction which actually is relevant to justifying broad interpretive license, check here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n49foLSWx50
Other Links:
Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195
Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore
Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
30 min
June 01, 2022 Upcoming Changes to Patreon and the Future of the Channel
Just a quick update on some new things I’ll be doing and how I’m updating my Patreon benefits.
Other Links:
Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195
Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore
Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
10 min
May 30, 2022 Who in Middle-Earth Could Effectively Wield the One Ring?
We often take for granted that Sauron’s Ring is a magical item of great power, but can just anyone use it? What could it be used for? These are questions I will address with varying degrees of certainty in this video.
Other Links:
Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195
Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore
Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
32 min
May 23, 2022 How Sauron and "Leaf by Niggle" Teach Us More About Melkor and Manwe
Recently, GirlNextGondor (https://www.youtube.com/c/GirlNextGondor) had TheRedBook (https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRedBook) on (video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UPCU25TaV0) to discuss Morgoth, and in the process sparked a seemingly crazy thought in my own head that in a weird way, Sauron is parallel to Manwe via his relationship to Melkor--let me explain.
Other Links:
Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195
Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore
Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
21 min
May 16, 2022 Why Couldn’t the One Ring Be Taken to Valinor?
At the Council of Elrond, Glorfindel suggests taking the Ring over the Sea as an option, but this gets shot down pretty quickly and with good reason.
Other Links:
Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195
Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore
Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
21 min
May 09, 2022 Why Did Gandalf Fear Sauron If They’re Both Maiar?
It might seem strange that two beings of the same created "order" would have extremely different power levels, but there are at least four reasons why one Maia (Sauron) might be more powerful than another (say, Gandalf).
For more on the "Morgoth's Ring" concept, check out The Red Book's great video on the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eVGGmVMpc8
He also has his own video on essentially this topic, though with a broader focus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoVzNMDQ3mE
Other Links:
Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195
Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore
Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
22 min