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beyonddarkness · 1 year

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Always Watching: Part 2

[see Part 1] The Directly-Overhead camera angle is Sauron's camera angle. (I had to omit the reference Eye shot, because I totally missed another very important shot [which you will see at the end], and I've hit my gif limit. But it is in Part 1 twice, so GO LOOK AT IT. lol)

Sauron literally watched the making of the Rings, but he saw far more than that.

In the same sequence in Episode 8, He watched Elrond investigate 'what happened by that stream'.

Now he knows about Elrond's suspicion. But is this sequence the only time we see this camera angle?

No.

Episode 4: The Great Wave

Galadriel: "So, by your standards, I am in this cell, because I am yet to identify what the Queen most fears?"

Sauron: "My very low standards, yes."

Galadriel: "And I suppose you did, having met her for all of a few moments?"

Little does Galadriel know about the Eye of Halbrand. He watched Míriel in her dream. Not only does he know her fear, but he knows about Númenor's future.

After that conversation, he watched Galadriel in the Palantir.

At the end of the episode, he watched Míriel and Pharazôn as the petals of the White Tree fell.

In the same sequence, he woke Tar-Palantir up for a staring contest.

[Miriel: "Is our valor confined to the graves of our slumbering fathers?"]

The shot immediately following shows Sauron gleefully walking away. He sure is a fan of mocking and taunting people. "Look who's here, and guess who can't do anything about it."

[Míriel: "Or is it here, amongst us, even now?"]

It is no wonder that in the next episode, Tar-Palantir sits on the bed in defeat.

Tar-Palantir: "The Kingdom! The Kingdom is in danger!"

Míriel: "The danger is past, father. We are doing now what you always believed we must. We're restoring our connection with the Elves. I'm going to Middle-earth. :)"

Tar-Palantir: "Míriel. […] Don't go to Middle-earth. All that awaits you there is […] darkness."

We are going out of order, but there is so much more.

Episode 7: The Eye

He saw more than what Elrond and Dúrin IV saw. (wait for it)

He watched Dúrin III throw the leaf into the mountain. (wait for it)

He followed the leaf down the cracks of the mountain, to the fellow servant of Morgoth.

We now see that he knows about all of that already. But we are not done yet.

Episode 3: Adar

In the scene after his fight in the alley, Sauron watched as Galadriel discovered the meaning of his own symbol.

Galadriel: "It is as Halbrand said."

Galadriel: "If Sauron has indeed returned, the Southlands are but the beginning." [the music: "Nampat burzum-ank." Death into darkness.]

He absolutely knows what Galadriel found in the Hall of Lore. What does that say about his behavior, later in the same episode?

Galadriel: "How fares the quest for peace?"

Sauron: "Better than expected."

Galadriel: "You are more than you claim."

"I found this in the Hall of Lore."

There is yet more. Does he need to be absent to see things from a Bird's Eye View?

No.

But first, in Episode 4: The Great Wave …

Sauron: "I wouldn't advise that."

Pharazôn: "I can't very well let her leave."

Sauron: "You could, if you knew exactly where she was going."

What was discussed after the cameras cut?

In Episode 5, Pharazôn told Kemen: "It's folly to kick against the current. […] But the trick of mastering the current is to know which way it will turn next." That is exactly what "you could if you knew exactly where she was going" means. [master = red flag word. Abort mission; get out while you still can.]

So, we know that Sauron either planted that idea, or explained it to Pharazôn, outright.

In addition, that is the approach that Sauron takes with every conflict in the whole season. This leads us to another time we see Sauron watching.

Episode 2: Adrift

To everyone on the raft, he urged, "Be still!" Then, he watched from above, to see where the Worm was going.

As he 'washed' his hair, he watched. Why? He was probably keeping an Eye out for danger (he is a target, still).

Hence the shifty eyes in the very next shot.

And what does that say about him watching Galadriel pull him onto the raft, after he saved her from drowning? (he is a target, still; gotta keep an Eye out).

But those are not the only overhead shots in all eight episodes. No, no. Sauron was watching before we even met him.

Earlier in Episode 2, he watched Bronwyn and Arondir in Hordern, and saw what the Orcs were doing. (wait for it)

(notice the eye shape while Arondir is holding the torch, leading to the overhead shot)

So, not only do we know that the Key and the Dam was originally a plan conjured by Sauron himself (Adar using it for his own purposes), but he knows of Bronwyn and Arondir's existence. After seeing that the trench-digging is under way, Sauron knows what Adar is up to. That sheds a whole new light on this exchange:

Míriel: "And where did the Enemy head next?"

Sauron: "Further south, I should think. Towards the watchtower of Ostirith." (Because, you know, Sauron knows where the dam has to be unlocked. Speaking of which … )

Episode 6: Udûn

Right after being hailed King of the Southlands, Sauron saw who unlocked the dam, without his permission. (Oh, you better believe Waldreg is in trouble; and not just for swearing fealty to Adar.)

Earlier in the episode, he saw Arondir try to destroy the key.

Finally, remember when Sauron said this? "A sea that you were on because the Elves cast you out! They cast you out for deigning to beg them for a few, petty soldiers! What will they do when you tell them that you were my ally? When you tell them that Sauron lives because of you?" (1x08)

We think, Oh, of course he must have figured it out at some point. But as luck would have it, he knows a lot more, a lot sooner than we think. Like I said before, he was watching even before we met him.

Episode 1: A Shadow of the Past

Galadriel: "This mark's very existence proves Sauron escaped. He's still out there. The question now is where! [Right above you.] I intend to ask of the King a fresh company. If he supplies enough to—"

Elrond: "You have only just arrived! […]"

Galadriel: […] "I am not some courtier to be placated by idle flattery. I demand to speak with the King directly."

Elrond: "You have made that plain. So, I will be equally plain. It was not your company who defied you out there. But rather you who defied the High King, by refusing to heed any limit placed upon you. In an act of magnanimity, he has chosen to honor your accomplishments, rather than dwell upon your insolence. [Like Sauron will in the end.] Test him again, and you may find him less receptive than you might have hoped."

Sauroncam:

Again, if you have not yet read Chapter 4 on my blog, please do so. These last two shots nearly made me jump out of my seat.

The Boat.

(I have not finished Chapter 6 yet, but it will be done very soon. In that chapter, we will explore the story of Beren and Lúthien, and how it perfectly parallels Halbrand and Galadriel [meaning they're the same, but also completely opposite]. Look at this, read Chapter 6 when it is published, then come back.)

Sauron watched as Galadriel was sailing off to Valinor.

The very moment he saw that his precious Golden Ticket to Power was about to cross the border …

… he called to her, and pulled her back.

When Patrick said, "It's all there," I didn't realize just how true that statement was. All of this makes Sauron even more creepy.

In a future post, I want to thoroughly analyze every one of these shots, what they mean, and how they affect the rest of the story. I am not a pro gif-maker, but I will do my best to include higher-quality gifs (and stills) on my blog, so that you can look at them more closely and analyze them for yourself. :) The music has an enormous role to play in all of this, but I will save that for the blog as well. Consider Chapter 4 a warm-up. It is only going to get more mind-blowing from here.

Update:

WHOOPS! Missed one.

Galadriel: "Year gave way to year. Century gave way to century. And for many Elves, the pain of those days passed out of thought and mind. More and more of our kind began to believe that Sauron was but a memory, and the threat, at last, was ended. I wish I could be one of them."

Hello?

This wasn't just an intro to Galadriel. Sauron was right there from the beginning.

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beyonddarkness · 1 year

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Hi. There's mixed information for and against the Witch King being a black Numenorian but who knows, Tolkien kept changing his mind. There's some strong evidence, however in the Silmarillian, chapter Akallabeth, "Sauron was ever guileful, and it is said that among those whom he ensnared with the 9 rings, 3 were great lords of Numenorean race." So I guess we will never know 100%. Some believe since the Witch King is least afraid of water that he is Numenorean. Interesting.

If nothing is random, and everything has a purpose, then we can also look at: 1. Theo's and Galadriel's encounter with each other. Does it move him in a positive direction? It must mean something. 2. These characters settle by future Gondor. Isildur is also in Middle Earth now. So we can look at it through that lens. 3. The Faithful will also settle in this location. On this show if every little thing means something, the door is open to many possibilities. Theo Witch King, possible. Or not.

Also, Sauron death glare at Elendil in episode 3, so blatantly obvious, even when I didn't know he was Sauron. Sauron death glare at Arondir, the jury's out on that one. I rewatched all scenes several times and did not specifically see it. I am trying to, believe me. I love your observations but for show only characters there are too many possibilities available using the Easter eggs we are given. It can go in several directions and Easter eggs don't clear the way for 1 specific result.😀

Yes, isn't it great? There are so many possibilities!

Even though the phrase "it is said" could be viewed as ambiguous, I think there is an extremely high chance that we will see three Númenóreans receive some rings. I am really interested in spotting foreshadowing, and the shot below looks like a subtle piece of foreshadowing in the direction of what you quoted from the Akallabêth:

"Yet Sauron was ever guileful, and it is said that among those whom he ensnared with the Nine rings, three were great lords of Númenórean race."

"Take it."

(Not saying Tamar and his buddies are those Númenóreans; they're just guys. But the below exchange between Valandil and Sauron is pretty scary. Just saying! Not definitively suggesting that Valandil is going to get a ring. I haven't thought that much about it. But you know. Talk about foreshadowing. haha)

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You're right about the dynamic between Galadriel and Theo being loaded with significance. I don't know if the association itself guarantees a happy ending for Theo, although there certainly is a chance that her advice will get him out of pesky situations; he may go back and forth. Being around Galadriel, Isildur, the Faithful, and even Bronwyn and Arondir, is nothing to sniff at.

But I mentioned before how Theo says a bunch of things that show that his gaze isn't in the right direction. I think the most obvious example is in his conversation with Galadriel, when he says, "What light?" Meanwhile, Bronwyn told him before to "find the light," and he's apparently failing to do so.

He certainly ended on a high note in Season 1, but he is very vulnerable to Sauron's deceit in the future. I'm jumping headfirst into the shallow end by saying that he is going to be the Witch King, because I know how far-fetched it sounds. But 1) he's a main character, 2) he's vulnerable, 3) he's gazing downward into the vast and irresistible darkness of the water, and 4) I thought that Halbrand being Sauron was far-fetched, and look where that got me. Nothing is out of the realm of possibilities anymore (although there may be many said possibilities).

Food for thought: at Comic Con, before the show came out, Lindsey Weber said that Galadriel's armor was "a gift from someone else." That's a strong indication that Sauron (the Lord of Gifts) made her armor, but in addition to making her armor, he would have made that sword.

That might be one reason why Galadriel had to stop and think before giving it to Theo; at that point, she thought Halbrand had died on her account... making that sword a gift from a fallen friend.

In any case, we know that Sauron touching things (let alone crafting things) is not a good thing. The following quotations are just two indications:

"Sauron was become now a sorcerer of dreadful strength, misshaping what he touched, twisting what he ruled [...]" (Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin).

Galadriel: "The powers we forge today must be for the Elves alone, untouched by other hands" (1x08)

The fact that Sauron made that sword, which is now Theo's, seems pretty suspect to me. Theo already had a 'sword [hilt]' made by Sauron, and it had made him feel powerful. Once he no longer had possession of the hilt, he didn't just feel guilt, but loss. And now he has ANOTHER sword made by Sauron.

The kid can't catch a break!

Not to mention, Sauron steadily watched Theo walk by, right after Galadriel said to keep the sword.

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Speaking of death glares, you're right about the death glare Sauron gave when he hugged Elendil (assuming that's the one you're referring to; if you mean another one, let me know)...

...then yes, it's blatantly obvious. His death glare at Arondir is a little less obvious, sure, but it's pretty conspicuous if you consider the context. I can't put my finger on it, but something about Arondir's explanation of how Sauron was found (and the way he says it) is odd.

Is it vague? Too specific? Does it sound like something that someone might say if they made a deal to leave certain information undisclosed?

I don't know.

But it's off.

Arondir: "Southlanders found him on the road like this yestereve." Sauron: [glares at Arondir before lifting his gaze up to Galadriel]

We won't know what happened for sure until Season 2, so you can decide what it means (or does not mean).

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I admit, I'm a bit confused about the "Easter eggs" thing.

I've always considered Easter eggs to be fun elements hidden here and there, with no purpose or significance in the story, just nods to fans or the general audience. By that definition, I didn't think I was paying attention to that at all, since Patrick said:

"We’re not really coming from a place of wanting to add Easter eggs, although that’s there too. We’re coming from a place of wanting to create something that is as visually sumptuous and rich as those books are, literarily. If you like the show, hopefully, maybe you’ll watch it again and you’ll notice all kinds of new things, whether it’s something in the dialogue, or something in the set design, or something in the costuming, that is hopefully communicating a whole other layer of meaning. And if you’re a fan, there’s no end to the deep dive you could be doing. We wanted the show to be something that rewarded reviewing. We wanted the show to be rich and layered and overwhelming. The way you do that is to just keep adding ideas. And when you’re dealing with Middle-earth, there’s no end to how far you could go."

In my observations, if there is something from the book that ties into something in the show, I always frame my thought process with the presumption that it is not a mere nod to the fans, but carries real weight in the story. And sometimes, a character might be aware of something in the book (particularly The Silmarillion), as if it's written history, depending on when it takes place.

I don't know if that's the kind of Easter egg you're referring to, so I may be totally missing something here.

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