Oh heck yeah, the lighting of the beacons and Theoden declaring that Rohan will answer with the mustering of the Rohirim was one of my favorite moments of Return of the King.

@Nerobyrne

3 ай бұрын

It's really a moving scene. Before, we see him lament that Gondor wasn't there, and how he won't move to help them. But then the beacons are lit and he just says that one line. Truly masterful directing/screenwriting! 😮

@daarom3472

3 ай бұрын

​@@Nerobyrneand you see him think and hesitate a bit before answering. Very well acted.

@j-mc5201

3 ай бұрын

Gondor Calls for aid !?!!

@Scorpionwincheater88

3 ай бұрын

​@@daarom3472so stupid. He didn't hesitate in books. Bad change in the movies

@alanguages

3 ай бұрын

The dramatic score was amazing, when they were all being lit.

"The beacons of Minas Tirith!! The beacons are lit!! Gondor calls for aid!!!" -Aragorn

@michaelkaduck1915

3 ай бұрын

"And Rohan will answer. Muster the Rohirrim!"-King Theoden

@ghaznavid

3 ай бұрын

"Sending thoughts and prayers." King Theoden has set a temporary profile pic.

@dolandarkxgrandayy6953

3 ай бұрын

​@@michaelkaduck1915 *Howard Shore Theme Intensifies*

@toomanyjstoomanyrs1705

3 ай бұрын

You stole my comment.😅😅😅😅😅 Love that line. There is no rest for the weary.

@Svensk7119

3 ай бұрын

I always thought that that sequence cheapened Aragorn's character....

Although the depiction in the movies was notably different from that in the books, they did it so so well. That whole sequence is jaw-dropping and draws a tear from my eyes every time. From Gandalf's "Hope is kindled" to Aragorn's reaction to seeing the beacons and Theoden's courage and resolve to answer the call. Perfect. ❤

Growing up in southern Ukraine I saw many man made hills called kurgans, my grandma explained that they were built by Cossacks to be served as beacons, but some were built much earlier. Was cool to see these in the beloved trilogy years later.

@PLuMUK54

3 ай бұрын

Not far from where I live, there is a hill still called Barr Beacon. It is on the edge of the city where Tolkien was raised, so I'm sure he would have known about it. Even closer to where he lived was another hill called Frankley Beeches, believed by some to have been another beacon hill. From the top of either hill, it is still possible to see the other, as well as hills stretching in all directions. A lot of Tolkien’s influences are found in the area, so no doubt he remembered them when writing.

@TheGeneralGrievous19

3 ай бұрын

As a Pole I think the "kurgan" is linguistically related to Polish "kurhan" which is a a type of tumulus (artificial hill) constructed over a grave. The Barrow-downs from LotR are called "Wzgórza Kurhanów" in Polish translations. Maybe some of the ones in Ukraine are also hill-graves like that, used later as beacons.

@JenyaFookleff

3 ай бұрын

@@TheGeneralGrievous19 yeah, I think that’s what most of them were originally. I believe this term came to Slavic lexicon from Turkic language of some sort

@rofflestomp684

3 ай бұрын

@@JenyaFookleff Sooooo...... derived from the elvish then? :)

@Aiwendill

3 ай бұрын

@@TheGeneralGrievous19 before Cossacks southern Ukraine was home of many other steppe tribes and peoples - Pechenegs, before them Sarmats and others... So those kurgans may have been indeed graves of chieftains of those people...

These beacons is one of the coolest bits of worldbuilding in Tolkien's world. It's reminiscent of old practical techniques of sending messages during medieval conflict, especially in Eastern Europe. And in the movie adaptation of Return of the King, the cinematography and Howard Shore's Score sell how magnificent of a feat they are.

@PLuMUK54

3 ай бұрын

Not far from where I live, there is a hill still called Barr Beacon. It is on the edge of the city where Tolkien was raised, so I'm sure he would have known about it. Even closer to where he lived was another hill called Frankley Beeches, believed by some to have been another beacon hill. From the top of either hill, it is still possible to see the other, as well as hills stretching in all directions. A lot of Tolkien’s influences are found in the area, so no doubt he remembered them when writing.

@LoneTiger

3 ай бұрын

The Kandori towers on The Wheel of Time are a great concept of tower forts with mirrors to send messages to other towers alongside the Blight and the border or to the capital, I really liked that prologue in book 10 or 11, the only part of the series where they are mentioned. Mercedes Lackey makes a few references to mirror beacon towers too in the Valdemar series. My favorite and tied for the first place alongside the movie version of LotR, the telegraph towers in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, the only signal towers used to pass news and gossip (mostly gossip) in the world. 😹

One of many moments where PJ played a little fast and loose with the text (in this case both the number of beacons and their purpose) to give us a more epic visual experience.

@ZakhadWOW

3 ай бұрын

Whhhaaa???? Peter Jackson playing fast and loose with the actual book text/details?? PERISH THE THOUGHT (cough.....Fake Elf/Humanish Dwarf Nonsense romance... cough). 😁

@charleslarrivee2908

3 ай бұрын

@@ZakhadWOW exactly 😉 Although in that particular case, I think it may have been good old-fashioned studio meddling by the expert meddlers at WB.

There's something incredibly satisfying about watching the beacons being lit up. It's like they put a light in the darkening world.

@SockieTheSockPuppet

3 ай бұрын

"The stars shine brightest in the darkness before the dawn."

My first thought when the beacons were lit in the film was about who manned them 24/7, how did they get up there, and how did they survive on mountaintops in the winter. Thanks for the clarification.

@alanguages

3 ай бұрын

The easy answer is the Eagles.

@marsneedstowels

3 ай бұрын

Regular visits from mountaineers with supplies. Shacks somewhere near the beacon. Not an enviable life.

@thunderzproductions5474

3 ай бұрын

one of the worst but most important jobs in middle earth . lol

@tonysnyder2216

2 ай бұрын

I have been curious about how those people live. Their whole purpose in life was to watch over that beacon and wait till it was ready to be lit.

I've watched RotK like 100 times, and still chills at this part. every. single. time.

@bighand1530

3 ай бұрын

One of my all time favorite movies.

@sheenapeter7682

3 ай бұрын

@@bighand1530 Same here.❤

@bighand1530

3 ай бұрын

@@sheenapeter7682 Nice.

Growing up and living in the Shires of England that Tolkien lived in, we have beacons on the tops of our hills that could be lit to warn of an attack. I imagined this was the inspiration?

@PLuMUK54

3 ай бұрын

Not far from where I live, there is a hill still called Barr Beacon. It is on the edge of the city where Tolkien was raised, so I'm sure he would have known about it. Even closer to where he lived was another hill called Frankley Beeches, believed by some to have been another beacon hill. From the top of either hill, it is still possible to see the other, as well as hills stretching in all directions. A lot of Tolkien’s influences are found in the area, so no doubt he remembered them when writing.

@colinbaldwin313

3 ай бұрын

That's fascinating! Do you know when was the last time one of those beacons was used?

@SamW1337

3 ай бұрын

@colinbaldwin313 I think 1588 they were lit when the Spanish armada was seen in the English channel. Otherwise, they are lit for Royal jubilees. Lots of hills in the UK have Beacon in their name 'Beacon Hill & Ivinghoe Beacon' etc etc

@colinbaldwin313

3 ай бұрын

​@@SamW1337 According to Beregond, it was the Corsair fleet that motivated Gondor to light the beacons, so Tolkien very well may have had 1588 on his mind. Thanks for the info!

One of the greatest moments in the entire trilogy. Theoden showed that the race of men was still capable of honor and bravery. “The beacons are lit! Gondor calls for aid!” … “and Rohan will answer. Muster the Rohirrim!”

That filmography was one of the most epic pieces of art in cinematic history. The music, the scenery, the way it was filmed... just epic

@ZakhadWOW

3 ай бұрын

I would call anyone who denied feeling goosebumps on some level a LIAR. It was impossible to not be fired up by that score. An absolute perfect example of the literal power of music/sound to affect the body physically. Soundwaves/Resonance interact with your nervous system in all sorts of ways - one of the better examples being the infamous "nails on a chalkboard" .. or for me, rubbing pieces of styrofoam together 😱🤐😵‍💫😶‍🌫🤯

The music that plays during the lighting of the beacons is amazing!

@ZakhadWOW

3 ай бұрын

Yep.. Howard shore was obviously not as well known/high profile and prolific as John Williams, no one from 2000 will ever forget his music for those movies. And one of my most beloved songs ever from Annie Lennox to end the epic "Into The West". I might have remained merely teary-eyed as the Grey Ship passed the gates of Mithlond, but that song... it actually made me cry.

Denethor was done a great disservice by Jackson. His character was effectively disfigured just to create a cheap, unnecessary side villain plot that doesn't even make sense. Instead of a capable, proud and powerful ruler who falls into depression and madness (which is much more effective and tragic as a narrative), he is just constantly irrational ans crazy.

@julienperonne2347

3 ай бұрын

Or, you could also say that this arc mirrored too heavily that of Theoden from the previous book/film and that of Saruman from the first film, that it would have gotten too repetitive in a more streamlined narrative and that Jackson understandably tried to emphasize the differences between Denethor and these other powerful characters, even if it meant make Denethor more of a villainous presence... The third film makes clear that he went mad because he lost his son, and the extended cut of the Two Towers also manages not to let him completely off the hook by showing he was already corrupt by the time he sent Boromir to Rivendell, covertly to take the ring.

@untruelie2640

3 ай бұрын

@@julienperonne2347 But this is even further removed from the original character. Boromir doesn't know of the ring befire he arrives in Rivendell and Denethor is initially reluctant to let him go, even though he eventually orders him to go instead of Faramir (after Boromir had asked for this). Perhaps he had a vague idea what "Isildur's bane" was, but this narrative that he sent Boromir to take it is nonsensical. And even when he talks to Gandalf he doesn't want the ring to use it, just to keep it out of Sauron's reach - although it can be assumed that he would've been corrupted by it eventually, just as his son, as Gandalf told him. And the point about the later story is that Denethor indeed becomes mad because of grief for his son(s) and the perceived inevitability of Gondor's defeat, but only AFTER Faramir is wounded and he has consulted the Palantír for one last time. Before that, he is still a capable and cunning ruler and even accepts Gandalf's help, despite their mutual distrust and suspicions (he suspects that Gandalf plans to replace him with Aragorn and increase his own influence over Gondor while Gandalf suspects that Denethor has been influenced or corrupted by Sauron through his Palantír - a possibility he was made aware of after Pippin'slittle mishap unveiled the connection between Saruman and Sauron).

@untruelie2640

3 ай бұрын

@@julienperonne2347 And the cases of Théoden, Saruman and Denethor are very different in nature. Théoden is not as "evil" in the book as the film depicts him, just lulled into a sense of frailty, distrust and passiveness (ironically, he is also physically older than shown in the film, but still manages to become more active again). The point about him is that he manages to reject the corruption, with help from Gandalf. Denethor meanwhile doesn't succeed in this and gets consumed by madness and fatalism, despite the fact that he is much more cunning and powerful than Théoden, being of númenorian descent. And Saruman is an entirely different story, he becomes a villain himself, because he had fallen into the same trap as Sauron before him - the lust for power and control.

@julienperonne2347

3 ай бұрын

@@untruelie2640 How is that removed from the original character and how is Denethor so different from Saruman ? In the book, Denethor is basically Theoden with Saruman's personality. His status in the story in the Return of the King heavily resembles that of Theoden in the Two Towers : has lost a son, while his nephew/adoptive son tries to defend the realm against the neighbouring threat, and is about to lead his kingdom into the ground. His characterization as a cunning lord, possessing and using a stone of vision, being slowly corrupted by years of mental battle with Sauron, which caused him to get delusions of grandeur and grossly overreach his status as a Steward, in the same way Saruman believed himself more than the helper that the Istar were always meant to be and suited for actual power. They're both powerful characters who end up treating others like chess pawns rather than humans and pay the ultimate price for that; in Denethor's case, it's just even more shameful because it's his sons... I would agree with you more for Theoden. The difference with Theoden is stronger but it's also more culture-based and born out of a sense of superiority from Gondor over Rohan, as the people of Gondor are the descendants of Numenor and by extension of the elves and therefore out of snobbish thinking, believe themselves to be superior to the people of Rohan descend from the Eotheod which are exclusively humans... So Denethor has a bias which also plays a part in his fall. But it doesn't change the fact that the storyline of Gandalf and Pippin in RotK is structurally very similar to that of Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli in Rohan in The Two Towers.... If you are a screenwriter constrained with a more streamlined narrative, and that you know people will notice more easily structural resemblances in plot rather than subtle differences in characterization, you are bound to compensate by making those differences less subtle... Denethor had to be dumbed down so his madness and moral erosion could be more obviously distinct from Theoden's hopeful vulnerability or Saruman's ambition. You have to make changes to make the narrative clearer. Honestly, I don't get your problem with it, aside from purist minutiae... How does it undermine the thematic breadth of Tolkien's work ? The theme of the corruption of power, and the obsolescence of goodness in Men are still properly conveyed...

@julienperonne2347

3 ай бұрын

@@untruelie2640 The point of the changes made in the film regarding Denethor (both Denethor's character in RotK and his sending Boromir to get the ring in the extended cut of the Two Towers) is to try and be faithful in spirit to the book and to the fact that if the death of Boromir and Faramir's are catalyst for his descent into madness, they weren't the source of it, as it was more related to the broader context or Mordor's growing threat in the decades prior to the War of the Ring, the constant assaults against Osgiliath, and Denethor's repeated use of the Palantir over the years, etc. By showing that Denethor sends Boromir to take the ring but emphasizing the idea that he wants it to make Gondor more powerful against Mordor (after Boromir retakes Osgiliath), you make him into a Saruman-like character but with good intentions, which is also in keeping with the book where he is, as you rightly pointed it out, still a pragmatic ruler even late in the game (which they couldn't be completely faithful to in Return of the King as they had to characterize Denethor more quickly to distinguish himself more easily from other powerful figures previously introduced). If the fact that it implies that Boromir knew of the ring before coming to Rivendell is what bothers you, honestly, I find it to be minutiae at best, bad faith at worst. Boromir's arc in Fellowship (the book AND the film) is his progressive failure to let go of his fear of seeing his people fall and his growing belief that the ring is his birthright, and the extended scenes of him and Denethor in the Two Towers are completely in keeping with that arc and make Boromir's fall even more poignant in retrospect...

A video none of us knew we needed but now couldn’t live without.

@TheWindcrow

3 ай бұрын

Oh I needed it. I can only hope he saw my pleas a couple videos ago for it 😊

Not far from where I live, there is a hill still called Barr Beacon. It is on the edge of the city where Tolkien was raised, so I'm sure he would have known about it. Even closer to where he lived was another hill called Frankley Beeches, believed by some to have been another beacon hill. From the top of either hill, it is still possible to see the other, as well as hills stretching in all directions. A lot of Tolkien’s influences are found in the area, so no doubt he remembered them when writing.

In my opinion is the beacon-scene one of my favorites in the films...

I absolutely LOVED how you used Lotr online’s depiction of the beacons, as they look like properly manned outposts, with most in game having a gondorian settlement nearby or small houses for the men manning them.

The insane detail Tolkien placed in his world is beyond comprehension 😳

I asked about thos a few videos ago! I'm so glad it got into a video. Thanks Nerd!

0:36 love to see some LOTRO shots in your vids!

Always wanted to know more about the beacons. Thankyou for another interesting watch 🤓👍

It's the best scene in the entire movie trilogy. In a series of movies that contains epic battles, fascinating characters, love, drama, pathos, humour...this series of helicopter establishing shots beats them all. The visuals, the music...from "Hope is kindled" to "And Rohan will answer!" It's beautiful. ROTK deserved its oscars for that sequence alone.

The Chinese also did this along the Great Wall, fire signals at night, and smoke signals during the day were used to alert parts of the Chinese Empires of invaders.

Easily one of the top 10 scenes from any of the movies. The cinematography, the orchestra score, the circumstances surrounding it, all of it perfection. And the scene of Aragorn watching as the beacon in the distant mountains light and then just sprinting to tell King Theodon only to hear him says the one of the coolest lines of the film. Aragon-“The Beacons are lit! Gondor calls for aid!” Theodon-“And Rohan will answer. Muster the Rohirrim!”

Great vid, Matt. As always, the art and in-depth lore is top-notch.I'm loving the recent posts on your channel and can't wait for you to post your New Zealand vid!

Definitely one of the coolest moments in the movies and your video definitely them justice!

Another fascinating tale. Still, I would have thought the beacons would have been built much earlier. None of the Palantiri were in Pelargir or to the south of the Ered Nimrais so there would have been a need for an early warning system in that region.

Tolkien took much inspiration from the Roman Empire, and the later Eastern (Byzantine) Empire. In fact, it is safe to assume that Gondor was based on the Eastern Roman Empire, whilst Arnor was based on the Western Roman Empire. Minas Anor (Minas Tirith) was based on Constantinople, and the beacons were likely inspired by the Byzantine beacons in Anatolia, to warn Constantinople and other nearby cities of an attack, usually from the Arabs and Turks.

Timely video, I’ve just been rereading ROTK and paying attention to the beacon stuff, and checking it against LOTRO. Interesting that the beacons light off just as Gandalf and Pippin are riding through the territory. And by the time Theoden leads the Rohirrim into Anorien the fires had burnt down. Also the movies seem to show 11 or 12 beacons versus the 7 or so in the book (though maybe that’s just a case of seeing the same beacons light off from different directions a few times).

Me: *lights a fire because I can't read in this darkness Everyone else in Gondor: 👀😱🤬

I love LOTRO's attention to detail. ❤

Love seeing you use stills from LOTRO and makes me wanna know how well they got their lore, some of those side quests seem a bit too fantastical, even for Tolkien.

I'm 66 years old. I discovered LOTR when I was 12 and fell in love with it immediately. Middle Earth! A place where honor and character and integrity still mattered. Over the course of many years I have read LOTR 8 times, put my children to sleep with The Hobbit, disappointedly watched the previous attempts to put LOTR on film (The Lord of the Rings (1978), and The Return of the King (1980)) although The Hobbit (1977), was excellent, and waited.... Then Peter Jackson made a really decent trilogy. Fellowship of the Ring was dead on; story line, atmosphere, dialogue, everything. But artistic liberties in the next two was, for me, disappointing. I don't recall reading about Aragorn being dragged over a cliff by a warg in The Two Towers. But the movies are a masterpiece, none the less. What I've been looking for since is a FB channel that gives in-depth info based on the books, NOT the movies. I think I've just found it. Thank you!

@Eowyn3Pride

3 ай бұрын

A lore master! Respect❤😌🗡🍻

@bighand1530

3 ай бұрын

Nice!

@ZakhadWOW

3 ай бұрын

ah.. the notorious Bakshi movie that gave us nerds blueballs... because he never made the rest of the story (for whatever reason)

@bighand1530

3 ай бұрын

@@ZakhadWOW Feels weird that there was not more.

Have to say mate, really enjoy your videos. Bought the silmarillion the other day on the back of your videos making me enjoy this world more and more. Many thanks buddy, keep it up.

Great video Matt!!

I'm over here just waiting for the Travels of Debbie

I was just watching that sequence earlier today and thinking that it's doubtful they would build a beacon on the summit of a snow and ice covered mountain. It would be impractical and very dangerous, not to mention very difficult to resupply. Great shot, though.

Donato Giancola has a very lovely art print called The Beacons of Gondor.

Exellent video bro!!

Thank you for this latest video. Never knew there were beacons on the south side of the White Mountains. Makes sense considering the fiefdoms in the south.

Nice work dude thanks

@NerdoftheRings since I found your channel a just before the rings of power series premiere which loved your breakdown videos for each episode!! I wanted to read the books to see how there different even better then the films. I’m in the Two Towers now. Plus I’ve gotten the unfinished tales the fall of Gondolin the fall of Numenor

Similar things were in use in Balkans in the times of horrific islamic Turkey invasions. The beacons were telling people to run in the castles, before the Turks were killing, plundering and enslaving local population. Here we still have today a midday chuch belling, which was becom custom, from few centuries ago.

One look at the thumbnail and lighting the beacons immediately started playing in my head 😂

I’ll never forget seeing the beacons lit on the big screen for the first time. What an amazing sequence.

It is such an epic scene in the movie (prime Howard Shore in action + the cinematography 🤤). However, I also a fan of the book version, as we can see that the beacons are already lit when Gandalf and Pippin passed by them. Idk why but i just like that part, it gives the reader some kind of feel of emergency.

Anyone who watched this scene in the movies and wasn’t stirred to awe and inspiration… is dead inside! I love this review as it both clarifies the differences between the book and movies but also notes the shared purpose over the genres and fantastic details of how they were staffed. The known information being little, still provides awe in remembering why we loved this part of the movie and book. You definitely seem to have a great sense of what we want to know about most, even when some channels seem to be running short on content.

I believe Tolkien took his inspiration from the historical fire beacons of old Byzantium in the 9th century. This system was actually more complex and elaborate than the one we see in the LOTR movies. Indeed, medieval eastern romans were able to send different messages with their beacon system using ''water clocks''. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_beacon_system

“The beacons are lit!!” “Gondor calls for aid”

@valentinkambushev4968

3 ай бұрын

And Rohan will answer!

@cmic_1365

3 ай бұрын

”and Rohan will answer"

@nickengland300

3 ай бұрын

And Rohan will answer !!!

The only reason I can see for why the beacon was lit by Pippin so late in the story was to give him something important to do, because aside from warning Gamdalf of Denethor's madness and plan to kill Faramir, he doesn't have anything else to do. Therefore the light was delayed, and Denethor refused to light it for no discenable reason, so Pippin had to sneak to make it happen. Meanwhile in Rohan Theoden had refused to ride to Gondor's aid, until Aragorn told him the beacons were lit, and then Theoden abruptly changed course, also for no discernable reason, and said they would go to Gondor's aid.

My favorite thing is opening KZread and seeing you posted a new video lol!

Love this channel

1:21 A lot of things belonging to Gondor get lost in the Anduin. I'm surprised they don't call it something like River of lost hope or whatever.

I saw the thumbnail and my mind immediately went to "Gondor calls for aid"

@momokochama1844

7 күн бұрын

And Rohan will answer!

@kosgaming9389

7 күн бұрын

@@momokochama1844 Arise, arise riders of Rohan! Spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered! A sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now, Ride for ruin and the world's ending! Forth Eolingas!

i guess they each had a crew hanging around 24 7 on mountaintops just in case something happens..

Yes! New video let’s go!!!!

It was a jaw-dropping scene...

Raise your hands of you were 10 years old seeing this movie and then screaming 'Gondor calls for aid' every 30 seconds. ✋

I was just re-watching return of the king when you post this 🙀🙀🙀🙀

Thks Nerd❤ God bless ❤

The more I read the books and study the lore the more I feel robbed by the movies

Couple years ago in Kristiansand, Norway, I visited one of these beacons in real life. For the Viking beacon system was clearly an inspiration to JRRT.

@ZakhadWOW

3 ай бұрын

Fun Facat: my last major boss before I lost my career was a lovely woman from Kristiansand. I rarely see it mentioned, so I thought I'd give her a shout out.... that she'll never see 😁😆

I had to pause halfway through this video to go watch the beacons scene.

Another change is that in the movie there are thirteen beacons as opposed to the seven described in the book.

God bless you and your work sir 😇😇😇❤❤❤ respect from Croatia 👍👍👍😇😇💙💙💙

Fascinating

In the movies the mountain beacons had camps and shelters where they would work in fortnight shifts, or 12 days and nights, that depends on interpretation

Side note: huge plot flaw for using the palantiri for long range communication/urgent signaling. access to them was extremely restrictive and would consequently result in great chances of delayed communications. Also such a restriction that could be tactically exploited or sabotaged

Beautiful ❤

Here in the UK the Royal Observer Corps saw their historical origins in the Elizabethan beacon lighters. There was a celebration in 1988 where an event saw beacons lit in a fashion (similar to the movie) to recognise the connection to the modern Corps and the thwarting of the Armada in 1588. The beacon lighter was the Corps badge and standard 😊

Next video idea: “What if Frodo had left the ring in Rivendell with the Elves?”

Brokeback beacon.

It was a great scene but I didn't like how Pippin and Gandalf had to trick Denethor into it in the movie.

@PLuMUK54

3 ай бұрын

I agree. In the book, it is possible to follow the relatively slow descent of Denethor into madness. From his willingness to look to the future and the lighting of the beacons, to his vision of no future and the ordering of the burning of Faramir, there were several steps. However, with the pace of the film that madness would have seemed to appear from nowhere. It was necessary to show it this way in the film, I suppose. Much as I've enjoyed the spectacle of the films, I have always been dissatisfied with how events had to be compressed, allowing for the more spectacular events to be expanded.

I think a large part of why the beacons could be so easily seen was also to do with how the higher you went on Arda the more was clearly revealed below you. Remember how when riding the Eagle the location of Gondolin is revealed to Hurin (I think) and he could see everything in middle earth and where people lived but not like how you'd see thing in the real world. But maybe that also changed once Arda was made round I dunno

Again, thank you so much for your passion and shared love for Middle Earth!

The Beacons are lit 🔥!!!!

When the beacons are lit its so symbolic. Politics and hostory thrown to the side and all men will answer the threat with all their strength.

Hello Matt

I've always assumed this passage was based on the coming of the Spanish Armada in 1588. Upon the 300th anniversary we were told a great many things about this potential invasion. The first of which was that many beacons were set across the coast of England and they were there ready to set warnings. (I don't actually recall whether we were taught that they were used) On the 300th anniversary itself there was a ceremony held. The beacons were lit. In my home town of Harwich, from a handful of primary schools, ours was chosen. From the pupils within. I was chosen. (And a girl. Can't remember who. Claire? Maybe) We recorded a narrative which was to be played. It was played. Over loud speakers. At Beacon Hill. In Harwich. My mum said "is that you?" I was so embarrassed at the sound of my own voice that i said no. The beacon was lit. I dint recall ever seeing any other beacons being visible in the distance. I suspected much of it was a fraud. But i was only 10. Anyway, the other thing we learned was that the Spanish Armada although seen off by Elizabeth's navy was actually sunk by storms off the coast of Scotland and Ireland. We also had to write a nd weather a letter from a marooned Spanish sailor to his wife. Wow. That's cool. Anyway, the point being. It is weather. Not heroism. Or great navies. Or armies. That win wars. Stalingrad. Spanish Armada. Divine Winds. The list goes on. (I imagine).

The coolest thing about them is that, in real life, beacons like this were used to warn the English about the approach of the Spanish Armada.

Those beacons are indeed lit! ... I'll see myself out.

Manning the beacons is a nightmare. You need a dedicated HR system to make sure no one is slagging off and keeping an eye out. You need to make sure the wood and oil is usable and need a set of standards and inspectors. Its not just the people who man the beacons but the entire supporting staff! And as Gandalf says its been long since they've been lit. Useless government spending when they could have put it towards an aircraft carrier.

When the beacons cross the Terminix I have to wonder just how far that is cause I you can't ride 1:03 1:07 a horse that far. I've been a great fan of talking since the mid 1950s when I bought my first set of The Lord of the Rings.

Earliest reference to beacons I know of is from The Oresteia by Aeschylus. Legend has it that beacons signaled to Argos the Fall of Troy (allowing Clytemnestra to prepare her scheme for Agamemnon’s return home).

@ZakhadWOW

3 ай бұрын

clearly Aeschylus was taking major liberties there.. as far away as Ilium(Troy) was from Mycenae, across the entire Aegean sea, it seems just a wee bit improbable! LOL

Request: can you do a video on the sapling on the snow bank from RotK?

The beacon!! The beacons are lit!

There were such beacons along the coastal lines in real life, at least here in Scandinavia. They were lit in case of invasion.

In the Nordic countries we had those and they are called Vårdkasar in norse

2:25 2:30 to 2:33 2:45 to 3:42 Halifirien, and Amon Anwar, or ''Hill of Awe'', and Elendil 4:45 to 5:03 6:04 🏹 6:42 to 6:51 6:51 to 7:20 7:27 to 7:43 Pharos

I apologize for not discovering this channel sooner.

@NerdoftheRings

3 ай бұрын

Haha! No apologies needed! So glad you found it and are enjoying the vids! 😁

Just curious if there are possible videos each for the groups and sub groups of beings. Balchoths, Wainriders, Variags, Dundelings, Drúedain, Huorns, etc...

Fun fact. One of the earliest Greek tragedies from over 2500 years ago opens with beacons carrying the message that the Trojan War ended with victory for the Greeks led by Agamemnon. The play is titled Agamemnon. As a classicist, Tolkien would have read it and known just how ancient the practice was. I find the comments below fascinating in their revelation that it was also Medieval.

Imagine how many Withers they had to kill in order to have that many beacons

where do you get the music in these videos? ive wondered that for a long time because the music is great

What is the music used in NOTR videos? It is great

😠Now all of Gondor knows you're here. 😠

Have you done a video on the Sackville-Bagginses yet? I’m curious to learn how they’re connected to Bilbo (clearly they’re related, given the shared name), but how their animosity began and why it’s persisted. And also, what became of them?

@ZakhadWOW

3 ай бұрын

I think Ive read nearly everything Christopher put out after JRR died, but Ive never actually seen much detail or discussion ever given to them, other than conveniently using Lobelia (?) as a punching bag/antagonist.

I can't believe they named the best Doctor Who companion after one of the Beacon Hills in Middle Earth

So when beings go to Valinor and I mean beings as people like Frodo and Bilbo, do they just get to live there till they die, and then get off just becomes a Myar again?? And it leaves me thinking of Bilbo‘s “that would be a grand adventure” I would love to hear more about what happens when you go back to Valinor whether like you get to see other creators and talk to them I wonder what that would’ve been like for Gimli.