Shannon Shell

The visuals are very pretty and the music is lovely, but it's sometimes out of step with what's happening on screen. The opening with Galadriel as a child would have been better as a flashback instead of the opening scene even though the scene itself is weird and Finrod's advice was trying too hard to be mysterious. They need to introduce characters by name when they first appear on screen because why should we care about them later when they die if they don't even have a name attached to them? Why do the elves have age lines? They're immortals who only die if killed. Don't they have the makeup or CGI skills to attend this minor detail? The destruction of the two trees didn't include Ungoliant helping Morgoth, who was part of their destruction in the books. They had the CGI to add a demonic spider. Her lack of presence causes issues for history down the line since her descendants, especially Shelob plays a main part in the 3 Rd age. But then it moves straight to all the elves sailing off to fight Melkor/Morgoth... And that's not what happened at all. It was Morgoth killing Finwe, High King of the Noldor and stealing the Silmarils made by Feanor. And it's these last acts that causes the Noldor to want to leave and culminates in the Oath of Feanor. The Oath of Feanor is at the heart of the events of the first and second Age. Do the Silmarils even exist in Amazon's interpretation? The leaving wasn't peaceful at all as Feanor led the kinslaying against the Teleri, which is what led to the Noldor being banned from Valinor. They don't address Feanor's betrayal of Fingolfin by taking the boats they'd stolen and leaving his forces behind to either cross the Helcaraxe or return to Valinor in shame. This horrific crossing did earn the sons of Finarfin forgiveness. This is also why the returning on the ship scene is ridiculous. Galadriel literally isn't allowed. She's banned from Valinor as a Noldor. But back to stuff left out. Finrod was killed by a werewolf. Not Sauron. Also, because Finrod opposed the Oath, was very noble, and a friend to the race of men, he's not actually dead. He was reincarnated in the Undying lands before the end of the first age. So if she was avenging her brother she'd be hunting werewolves. But if he's not dead why is the TV show focused on avenging him? A bow would have been a better memento than a dagger since elves are supposed to be superior at archery. Also, why does the story ignore the fact that there are elves in Middle Earth? Galadriel's great Uncle stayed. She was supposed to be a lore master so she should know about him, unless they decided an immortal life wasn't long enough to master more than swordsmanship and erased it from her character? Galadriel is right that Sauron is still alive. But they rewrote the history and characters of other elves so she's the only one arguing so. In the histories Gil-galad believed Sauron still existed and was one who continuously argued this. Others did as well. Also, any elf except the Noldor can travel to Valinor whenever they want. They don't need his permission. Only the Noldor can't because they were banned by the Valar. And why was there fireworks? A feast with music would have suited better. Dwarves make fireworks. Not elves. Has Amazon erased the Silmarils, the Oath of Feanor, and the kinslaying entirely? That the driving force for events in the 1st and 2nd age.