Episodes

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exclusives! In this episode (a replay of an episode from 2024) we discuss that renowned Tolkien scholars Christina Scull and Wayne Hammond published a new book with NEW content by Tolkien–The Collected Poems of JRR Tolkien. I take a look at their announcement, highlighting some of the details they mentioned. I also take a bit of time to discuss therevised and expanded version of Tolkien’s l...

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exclusives! This week, we look at the second half of The Children of Húrin Chapter 6 and discuss the manifestation of Morgoth’s curse. We discuss Morgoth’s shadow… this “mist” that operates curiously like the One Ring, weaponizing Túrin’s pride against him right when he has the chance to accept grace and redemption. We also look at: Why Beleg is the only messenger to keep searching for Túri...

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exclusives! Túrin Turambar has officially abandoned the protection of Doriath, choosing instead to live as an outlaw among murderers and cutthroats. In our breakdown of the first part of Chapter 6 of The Children of Húrin, we explore Túrin’s tragic descent into darkness, his absolute refusal to live under anyone else’s law, and how a deadly “accident” turns him into the captain of the Wolf-M...

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exclusives! In this episode, we explore an incredibly rare event in Tolkien’s legendarium: a formal Elven trial. We examine King Thingol’s judgment of Túrin after the death of Saeros, uncovering how law, evidence, and mercy operate in Doriath. We also look at: How Mablung’s testimony and Nellas’s surprise appearance shifted the king’s verdict. The evolution of Thingol’s character since his...

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exclusives! Túrin Turambar in Doriath transitions from Thingol’s foster son to a hunted outlaw. Does the fatal insult from Saeros, Túrin’s explosive reaction, and the brutal, naked chase through the woods change his destiny forever? Or is this Morgoth’s curse at work? We also discuss: The litany of imprudent choices as Túrin (and others) ignore the advice of those around them. The stark co...

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exclusives! Is The Rings of Power Season 3 course-correcting—or just running out the clock? In this episode, we wade through two weeks of Comic-Con news and leaks, catching all the ways Amazon’s show is retooling, rewriting, and ruining Tolkien’s world. From the much-maligned Harfoots’ quiet removal to a new class of “Nazgnagol” proto-wraiths and the baffling “Balrog teaches Sauron” rumor, w...

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exclusives! Is Morwen heroic, tragic, or just stubborn to a fault? We’re on to chapter 4 of The Children of Húrin, exploring how pride, fate, and Morgoths curses shape the next generation after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. We unpack why Morwen refuses help, howt fate and free work in tandem, and how Túrin’s story is already marked by sorrow and legacy. We also discuss: Whether Morwen’s choices ...

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’s works, what it reveals about free will, evil, and despair, and how Húrin’s stubborn defiance sets the stage for all the ...

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 and horses. And he really like the iPod I used to record this interview! 😂 He also discusses: How he...

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-cross by the Easterlings, and why Morgoth’s victory still leaves him filled with dread. And we even get t...

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 servant Sador color Turin’s early years? We unpack the narrative roots of tragedy, prophecy, and the f...

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 houses of men—and why they matter in this story The encroaching darkness of Morgoth and the echoes of Greek trag...

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 also examine: The Kalevala’s raw, unfamiliar style and why Tolkien found it so fresh How Tolkien’s earl...

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 “just Saruman and Sauron” The cinematic potential of Gandalf’s fiery defense against spirit warg...

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 actually pulled straight from the book? Will this be a movie we want, or just another exercise in fan-service? Will the film really...

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 axe-to-the-ring moment feels out of place How Arwen and Aragorn’s romance changes when moved fro...

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 discusses: Why Astin sees Sam’s cinematic arc as more heroic than the book’s version The struggle to balance being “...

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 actually says (and doesn’t say) about how Uruk-hai were made Why “orc pods” feel a bit too much like T...

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 losing Glorfindel means losing a key link to Middle-earth’s ancient history The movie’s “girl boss...

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’t get over it. Become a member at https://theonering.com/members or https://theonering.com/patreon to hear our thoughts on: ...

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 philosophical underpinnings of Middle-earth more clearly into The Hobbit too! We take a look at: The three published ver...

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 and convent archives. The poem’s Nordic and Middle-earth flavor in the early stanzas—and the “euca...

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 and how Bilbo is changed forever (or maybe it’s just a bigger stronger Tookish side?). We also cover: Th...

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-earth. We also explore: Why Beorn’s sudden intervention was more than just another “eagle rescue”—and...