Hello good tumblrian's, I am Sir Alejandro of the great nation of north Canadia-land. I have traveled across many foreign seas (two) and seen a great mountain or the two (actually about 100 of those) and I am here to... uh... tumbl. Like, Tumblr. Or tumble. Get it
No?
Okay. I like superheroes, tv shows, D&D/Fantasy and movies. Also other stuff.
palpatine straight up told anakin he was a sith lord and anakin was like well. this is a lot to process so im going to go fetch my boss and we’ll come back in about half an hour and murder you so don’t go anywhere and palpatine didn’t you have to admire the man
palpatine is the best villain of all time bc he’s the classic master manipulator who pits his enemies against each other without lifting a finger by preying on their weaknesses but normally those types of villains have the caveat that once their bullshit get exposed it’s a simple matter of slapping handcuffs on them bc they’re like weak old CEOs or whatever
but our boy sheev? when his plans don’t go perfectly he’s just like oh well and starts zapping fuckers to death bc he’s also the most powerful old prune in the galaxy and he could just kill everyone around him if he gets bored
like luke throwing away his lightsaber and declaring himself a jedi was great but you know that luke kinda thought that was it, the crotchety old emperor doesn’t have vader to fight for him anymore courtesy of luke cutting off vader’s hand for possibly the fortieth time in anakin’s life, so it’s smooth sailing until lando destroys the death star and blasts them all to kingdom come, but then palps is like aw shucks no new apprentice can’t blame a guy for trying and just starts deep frying luke for shits and giggles and our poor twink is like THIS ISN’T ONE OF THE THINGS I THOUGHT THE FORCE COULD DO ABORT ABORT ABORT
and with mace and co arriving at sheev’s office to bring him in for being dark catholic it’s functionally the equivalent of a scooby doo villain of the week getting unmasked by the gang but then he just starts snapping necks
Incomplete list of great things the PJ LOTR films added that weren’t in the books
OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD– feel free to add on!
“I made a promise Mr Frodo— a promise! Don’t you leave him Samwise Gamgee. And I don’t mean to. I don’t mean to.”
In general all the scenes where there’s no words/dialogue, and the music and visuals and actor’s performances are allowed to carry the story instead….something that’s impossible to do in a book. The standout moment for me is the moment after the ring is destroyed, Bard-Dur collapses, and it’s portrayed as.relief beyond words.
THE SOUNDTRACK IN GENERAL
The scene in mount doom that’s like “don’t you let go. Don’t let go.”
The hobbits returning home to find everything the same, and being heartbroken because they’ve changed so much.. I’m not saying it’s better than the book’s plotline where they returned home to find the Scouring of the Shire™, but it’s impactful in a completely different way
The scene where Eowyn hears Theoden’s last words, instead of Merry hearing them like he did in the books. Again, not necessarily “better,” but impactful in a different way
“my brother, my captain….. my king.”
Flm!Boromir in general. He’s a drastically different character than he was in the books, and YMMV on which version you like better, but I’m so glad film!Boromir is here
“No parent should have to bury their child.”
Arwen’s expanded role in general, and the way they we actually got to see her make her choice to stay in Middle Earth
That subplot in the Two Towers where Aragorn tames a wild unruly horse, basically becoming the protagonist of a Horse Girl Movie
THE PACING!!!!!!!!!!!!
The way they moved around a lot of the dialogue to places that made it hit differently. .Like in the books Gandalf says the line “many that live deserve death– and some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them?” when he’s still in the Shire with Frodo. But in the films, he says it in Moria instead, in his last conversation with Frodo before his own death.
cracks knuckles
My time has come.
Legolas’ miniature character arc of growing to understand death. Gandalf dies? Just pure shock. He looks like he got punched. Boromir dies? He’s just so. Sad and confused. Like a little kid who doesn’t know what dying is but he knows it’s bad. They think the Hobbits are dead? Legolas bows his head and murmurs a farewell in Elvish, but he still doesn’t seem to comprehend. He thinks Aragorn is dead? He practically shuts down because now he gets it. Battle of the Black Gate, when it looks like Aragorn is about to die? That is the only moment besides Moria when we see Legolas is genuinely afraid.
“Never thought I’d die fighting side by side with an Elf.” “What about side by side with a friend?” “…Aye. I could do that.”
Éomer finding Éowyn after the battle instead of in the middle of it and letting out that gut-wrenching scream.
“They have a Cave-Troll.”
Basically the entire fight sequence in Balin’s tomb, which was much shorter in the book.
That EPIC charge down the mountain at Helm’s Deep. Looks like a freaking Renaissance painting.
Boromir training the Hobbits to fight. It’s just so pure and wholesome.
Actually that whole scene because it’s the one moment—before the crebain show up—that we get to see the Fellowship just being friends without some immediate crisis.
Sam getting to say a proper goodbye to Bill the Pony because I have FEELINGS about that pony, okay?!
Arwen and Aragorn having an essentially telepathic connection. Idk if it’s better than the books, but honestly it’s a good way to expand her character without changing it completely—which is what they were gonna do originally by having her show up at Helm’s Deep to fight.
The Elves showing up at Helm’s Deep. I don’t like that literally none of them survived, but that moment when Haldir said they came to honor the old allegiance of Men and Elves? That is some Good Content.
