Rings of Power S1E7

Like "Many Meetings" after the "Flight to the Ford," E7 is a slow digestion of fiery E6. Like the rest of RoP's conversational fluff, that means, well, fluff: Hallmark rally cries, soap opera tension, more sap and cheese than the Canada/Wisconsin border. But all of that was baked, deliciously, into Tolkien's originals, reprised by Jackson, and persists in the culture of the franchise. I can't expect them to detach from those sappy roots, though I desire it, similar to how The Batman got modest and gritty. I'd love a gritty take on Tolkien. Almost Game of Thrones-level thematic and sensory maturity... but actually mature in dialogue.

I like this attitude of "I don't care how white-patriarchy Tolkien was, we aren't going to do that in 2022 because we don't believe Tolkien would have done that in 2022."

The Numenoreans disappoint me. They're supposed to be proto-humans: wise, elegant, noble, closer to the elves and to the gods than anyone else. Granted they're proud enough by this time to earn an oceanic apocalypse, so the pride in the portrayal is warranted, but otherwise they don't stand out with those Numenorean traits. If you lined up a few Numenoreans, a few Southlanders, and put them in the same clothes, could you really tell the difference? Halbrand and Bronwyn are attractive and valiant Southlanders, for example. There are some meager Numenoreans. I don't really see that this is the greater race other than their wardrobe (which tells more about material wealth than spiritual wealth) and their city.  I will say the city is inspiring. But the Numenoreans are not.

Jackson also failed me in that respect. Faramir and Denethor were supposed to have the blood of Westernesse running thick. Instead Denethor was uncomely, Faramir was sensitive, and Boromir ironically boasted the double-edged pride of Numenor.

I do like Isildur, which is always fun, since you know he ruins everything. Jackson is none too favorable, casting Isildur as just a guy with an evil smirk who refuses to save the world. Tolkien is more favorable; we know Isildur is a great man of Westernesse, and his ultimate failure more symbolizes his species than degrades his character. RoP makes him a likable young man, whom you can't quite imagine inheriting the kingdoms of men and then betraying all life, but all that should be fun and tragic since we already like him.

I'm much more reserved on Elendil, of course. I would have been so excited to meet him, had I known he was involved. He's actually one of the characters in all of history I would have been most excited about. I thought he'd be such a tall, noble demigod really. All he has for that is a trumpet voice; the rest of him is pretty average.

That's actually one of my broader impressions of the series: what Tolkien treated as lofty is too normal. The Numenoreans, even the elves are not graceful enough. Elrond is, for a youngish elf, but Gil-Galad isn't for a "high king," and Galadriel is moodier than I ever would have expected for an elf.

I entirely expected Elendil to be king of Numenor. Who are these rulers?? Do they have any relationship with Beren? Maybe all of Numenor has some tainted descent from Beren? If I recall right, Elendil and his two sons are the only survivors, who cross to Middle Earth and evidently come to rule all humanity there; Elendil probably dies at the Last Alliance and Isildur inherits. Fascinating that they don't rule anything in Numenor.

One more quick miscellaneous note: kids look nothing like their parents. Isildur/Elendil, Theo/Bronwyn, Nori/her mom... It's related to the show's devotion to mixed-race individuals and couples, and it kinda conflicts with Tolkien and with the idea that all of this happened in our own world, long ago.