January 10, 2023
The purpose of this blog is not only to give me a place to compile my thoughts, but to possibly provide a bit of assurance or comfort to anyone who might be frustrated by rumors or slandering (hence the name: Beyond Darkness). […] We are only through the first season, and the series already aligns so perfectly with the books, analysis does not even require a separation of the two.
February 15, 2023
All of the following skims the very surface of what I want to talk about (and there are still things I want to cover that are not even mentioned in this post). If you would like an idea of the kinds of theories that are going to be on this blog, read everything!
Galadriel’s Obsession Part 1: Chance-meeting
January 11, 2023
Before theorizing about anything else in the show, I believe the most important thing is to determine by what means Sauron and Galadriel were brought together. This topic was not simple enough for a single post, so it might take several parts, or an on-going conversation.
Galadriel’s Obsession Part 2: Finrod’s Death
January 13, 2023
Everything already made sense on the surface, but when I looked deeper into the reason for Finrod’s death, I found there was much more than met the eye. From Galadriel’s perspective, the dagger was special because it was Finrod’s, and she viewed it as a symbol of his task—now hers. However, on the boat, we saw a peculiar attachment as she struggled to let it go. The reason behind this is simple. “The most important truths often are,” said Finrod, but we must learn to discern them for ourselves; J.D. and Patrick will not always be there to speak them to us. First, we must trace this back to the source.
Galadriel’s Obsession Part 3: Vengeance
January 15, 2023
Thanks to Thingol naming the Silmarils in desire, there is a chance that Sauron noticed a great power being moved from slumber, yet he could not discover their secret “no matter how much blood he spilt in its pursuit.” Fëanor’s vow loomed over everything, and Beren’s oath was underneath; but Finrod’s was the reason they were there. There was enough information and evidence for Sauron to pass on a story to someone who did not know the truth, even if he did not truly believe it himself: “The head of this company vowed to seek me out and destroy me. But I found him first.”
Galadriel’s Obsession Part 4: The Boat
January 19, 2023
Sauron knew exactly why Galadriel kept fighting, but he wanted her to stop galloping for a moment, realize what had kept her fighting for centuries, and admit the truth. He already gave her the answer to this question several times. Did she keep fighting to avenge her brother and everyone else she had lost? No. […] Sauron called Galadriel to him.
January 22, 2023
In Sauron’s case, sincerity does not mean “care or regard for others.” If he believed he was doing good, it only went so far as to say, “I will give people what I think they want, but my desires take precedence. ” […] Sauron’s character is so well-written and performed, the deception bleeds into the actual audience, and that is the most frightening thing of all.
Sauron: The Perfect Inverse of Beren
December 25, 2023
(Formerly titled “Chapter 6: The Call to Tinúviel”) The following is an attempt to unravel the mysteries of Sauron’s past. His designs begin to branch in two paths around the time of Finrod’s death, so I have created two parts: Part 1 broadly covers his intentions regarding mithril and all peoples, while Part 2 specifically relates to the dagger and Galadriel. The clearest lens through which to study Sauron’s character is, unequivocally, the tale of Beren and Lúthien.