Exploring Tolkien

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exclusives! Is evil REALLY in control? Tolkien pursues this in this chapter–for the first and only time Morgoth reveals himself in a long discussion… and the results are….? We dissect this showdown on a hill of bones and discover why it is unlike anything else in Tolkien&#821...

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exlcusives! This is my favorite interview from the December 2, 2003 roundtable discussions for The Return of the King! Bernard Hill was such a real, genuine, and engaged personality. He had great stories from the set, from time spent with James Cameron, and how much he found joy in his home an...

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exlcusives! “Day shall come again”–but for now, it’s the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. In this episode, we walk through Chapter 2 of The Children of Húrin a breaking down Tolkien’s bloodiest, most tragic battle. We cover the epic (and doomed) alliance of elves, men, and dwarves, the double...

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exlcusives! Turin’s tragic journey starts here. In this episode, we examine the opening chapter of The Children of Húrin, exploring the foundational relationships and lineage that shape Turin’s fate. Why does Tolkien focus so much on houses and kin? How does the friendship with the crippled se...

We finally return to Tolkien’s First Age for a new deep-dive series on The Children of Húrin, starting with Christopher Tolkien’s introduction. We discuss why Tolkien considered Turin’s tale one of his “three great stories” alongside Beren and Luthien and the Fall of Gondolin, the central themes of pride, what Morgoth’s curse actually was, and more! We also look at: The three great hou...

The Kalevala is perhaps Tolkien’s earliest inspiration… In this episode, we dig into The Story of Kullervo the tragic Finnish myth (from the Kalevala)  that captured Tolkien’s imagination as a young man. We explore why Kullervo’s tragic tale—full of vengeance, orphaned rage, and doomed family bonds—became the seed for later stories like The Children of Húrin (and even Beren and Lúthien!). We...

This episode tackles two more changes from Peter Jackson’s Fellowship of the Ring—Saruman orchestrating the storm on Caradhras, and the missing warg attack in Hollin. We break down how these adaptations simplify Middle-earth, debate whether Saruman’s powers go too far, and discuss what’s lost when the mountain itself isn’t an antagonist. We also examine: Why Jackson condensed multiple threats into...

In this episode, we examine the insertion of Boromir’s ring-handling scene on the slopes of the Misty Mountains–though it was completely invented, how close was it REALLY to the books? … and THEN we discuss Peter Jackson’s NEXT Lord of the Rings films, this time written by Stephen Colbert! 😬 We look at: Boromir’s believable corruption How much of this scene was actua...

In this episode, we dig into two crucial scenes: the iconic formation of the Fellowship and the bridge-side tryst between Aragorn and Arwen. Drawing from both book and film, we examine what’s gained (and lost) when Tolkien’s deep lore is streamlined for cinema. We also look at: Who actually attended the Council of Elrond Boromir’s famous “Gondor has no king” line—book vs. film debate Why Gimli’s a...

Here’s another episode in our series of interviews from the December 2, 2003 roundtable discussions! In this interview–just before The Return of the King was released–Sean Astin reflects on wrapping up The Lord of the Rings films and the impact they had on his career, his perspective on playing Sam, and how he navigated fame and family life during the trilogy’s success. He also d...

Orc pods and Uruk-hai origins: lore-breaking or the best possible changes? In this episode, we dig into Peter Jackson’s “orc pod” scenes and the cinematic invention of Lurtz, the alpha Uruk-hai, We also weigh Tolkien’s less-than-precise lore against the movies’ need for explaining the Uruk-hai—and debate just how much Jackson’s changes actually fit Middle-earth. We also explore: What Tolkien actua...

In this episode, we look at two of the most unloved film changes from Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings: Arwen replacing Glorfindel and making Arwen the only one with power and agency in The Flight to the Ford.. Michael and Jonathan break down why these choices set off so many Tolkien fans, how they impact the agency of Aragorn and Frodo, and whether these moments actually improve the movies. Why...

We’re back to going through ALL the changes in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings!  This week we discuss Aragorn’s sword substitions, changes at Weathertop, and that infamous messenger moth: Was Aragorn really just carrying around a package of small swords the entire time? Was the battle at Weathertop lore-friendly? The messenger moth replaces Radagast… and Jonathan can&#821...

Most people haven’t read how Tolkien actually wrote how The Hobbit precisely connects to The Lord of the Rings.  In The Quest of Erebor (first published in Unfinished Tales) Tolkien explains precisely how every major event in The Hobbit is connected to the greater story in The Lord of the Rings. And it’s not only the historical/factual connections–Tolkien clearly connects the phi...

We turn our attention from The Hobbit to a long-hidden Tolkien gem: his 1936 Christmas poem, “Noel.”  We take a look at the history of the poem’s rediscovery, its deep-rooted Tolkien-esque imagery, and why its message of hope stands uniquely in Tolkien’s literary career. We discuss: The surprising 2013 rediscovery of “Noel” and how Tolkien scholars tracked it down through forgotten school annuals...

In this episode, we wrap up The Hobbit with “The Last Stage” and reflect on Bilbo’s road home, the petty (now less petty?) Rivendell elves, the unexpected return to Bag End, and how Tolkien so thoroughly captures the meaning of “home.” We also take an extended look at Tolkien’s 3 (THREE!) songs in this final chapter. Then, we examine why Tolkien might give so much attention to the aftermath...

Three dwarves lost and a shape-shifting berserking bear unleashed—the aftermath of the Battle of the Five Armies reconciles Bilbo to Thorin and gives us a completely different Elvenking than what you saw in the movies. In this episode, we dig into Tolkien’s penultimate chapter, “The Return Journey,” unpacking the emotional aftermath and story-shaping consequences of the war that changed Middle-ear...

Did Tolkien “earn” The Battle of the Five Armies, or is the surprise enough to justify its existence? In this episode, we look at Tolkien’s climactic battle from The Hobbit, comparing how it unfolds on the page to its chaotic portrayal in the extended film edition. How do armies materialize so suddenly, and does Tolkien set the stage well enough for the goblin onslaught? Check out the...

Bilbo owns up to his burgling — a betrayal that drives Thorin to the brink of killing him.  But Bilbo isn’t cowed… and the armies of elves and men aren’t cowed by Dain’s special forces.  But maybe they should be! We also explore: Bilbo’s crowning “honest” achievement. Bard as Faramir? Dain’s Dwarven special forces arrive! What exactly were thos...

We look at Chapter 16 of The Hobbit, where Bilbo makes his most controversial choice-—handing the Arkenstone over to Bard and the Elvenking. Is Bilbo a traitor to the dwarves, or the only one thinking clearly as war looms? Or maybe he just wants to get home! We also explore: Did you know this chapter originally had a different title? Why EXACTLY did Bilbo give up the Arkenstone (and his part of th...

The talking birds bring news of the dragon’s demise to the dwarves–only to find a host of elves and men are coming to the mountain’s gate. Bard makes his claim for a portion of the treasure, but Thorin finds his reasons lacking–or is it just his lust for the treasure overtaking him? This episode, we look at: More (very old) talking birds Thorin’s “dragon sicknes...

You’d think the death of the dragon is is the climax of The Hobbit… right? In this chapter, Tolkien gives us action, destruction, and the rise of a new unlikely hero. We look at Bard’s big moment, the politics of Laketown in crisis, and what Tolkien’s original idea for Smaug’s demise actually entailed. , we geek out on Hobbit facts, Tolkien’s fondness for enchanted gems, and the...

Smaug is gone, so the Bilbo and the dwarves… just sit there?!  For a couple of days they do–and eventually they reach the treasures.  Bilbo, though, makes a choice to REALLY become the burglar when he sees the Arkenstone. We explore: The deep lore connection between the Arkenstone and the Silmarils. Bilbo’s big “burglar” moment—what are the moral implications of his d...

Smaug is finally fully revealed! This week, we finish “Inside Information”, where Bilbo finally comes face-to-face with the unassessably wealthy dragon. We break down the wordplay Bilbo engages in as he denies Smaug his real name, Smaug’s memorable boasts, and how Bilbo manages to outwit Middle-earth’s greatest dragon (or maybe it’s just… luck?). We explore: Why names and riddles matte...

The new game, Tales of the Shire was released last month after numerous delays… so, I took a bullet for the team and bought the game.  I livestreamed playing the game for the very first time earlier this week–and it was everything I thought it would be! Here’s the YouTube Link: https://youtube.com/live/HsU4yfM4g7U I review the game early in the review… but you can listen to...