Arts
In this continuation of our conversation about the stewards of Gondor, we talk about Denethor using the palantír, Sauron using the palantír, and the different military situations in Osgiliath and Ithilien. Episode Timeline 1:00 Where did he get a palantír anyway? 1:20 Fëanor. Kind of the worst IMHO. 1:45 Elendil took 3 palantíri to the north kingdom. One is with Círdan in the Grey Havens, one at 2:25 Amon Sûl (Weathertop), one at Annûminias (capital of the north kingdom). Isildur and Anárion each had 2. One at Minas Ithil (Minas Morgul), one at Osgiliath, one at Orthanc, and one at Minas Anor (Minas Tirith). 3:11 Wormtongue throws one at Gandalf. 3:35 Pippin and Aragorn both look into it. 4:07 Effort of will. - How palantír work. 4:19 Belle’s mirror 4:48 Point your palantír in the direction you want to look! 5:20 Palantír stuff is in Unfinished Tales. 5:45 Mental effort to focus: UT p 403 6:13 Light-related stuff with Fëanor. 6:30 Stewards mostly didn’t use it. 6:44 Sauron used his powers of fear and domination to pull the gaze of the other palantír. 7:09 Sauron turned Saruman through a palantír, but not Denethor. Saruman wasn’t being controlled by Sauron, but he wasn’t very helpful. 7:50 Saruman was trying to play both sides and failed. 8:15 Denethor could use his palantír by right, but it wasn’t a very good idea. 8:28 Technically, they all belong to Aragorn, but the stewards held power in place of the kings so the right to use it belonged to Denethor as well. 9:28 Some of the people of Minas Tirith were Nûmenórian, but not all Gondorians are. The line of Eӓrendil is part elvish, but not all Nûmenórians were descendants of Eӓrendil. 10:17 Denethor was using the palantír to get the information he needed to fight the war. 10:44 He continued to use it even though it was a huge mental strain and aged him prematurely. 11:05 Sauron was drawing palantír to him but Denethor could turn it away. That’s a huge deal. 11:20 Denethor was taking really big risks because he needed the information. This was the only way to do it, even though he knew it could destroy him. 11:30 Dan talks a little about how military intelligence works. Tolkien would have known about that and it was a subtle and interesting way to use that knowledge in the book. 13:20 Scene of Denethor eating is SO AWFUL and UNCOMFORTABLE. It’s supposed to be. 14:10 Shoutout to Billy Boyd. Wow! 14:55 Denethor had ONE JOB! 15:28 Hey Aragorn, what have you done lately? 15:50 He was hiding up north while Denethor was risking himself using the palantír and sending his sons to die. 17:03 In Rohan (Norse) the aristocracy earned honor in battle, so they were out in the front of battle. Gondorian culture is different. 17:50 Aragorn is out in front, like at the Black Gate where he’s all later, haters! 18:57 In Osgiliath, it’s whatever fight you can make it. 19:10 Boromir is a cavalier, Faramir is a ranger. Ithilien requires stealth. 19:34 Gondor CIA? 20:00 The brief geography of Mordor/Osgiliath/Gondor. 20:57 Erica doesn’t want to get into the Kinstrife right now. Maybe another time! References: All music is by the amazing Doctor Turtle! Feel free to show him some love over on Bandcamp. All LOTR movie references will be to the extended editions because Erica can’t stand the theatrical cut of the Two Towers. Here are links to our sources for free at your local library. We heartily encourage you to support your public library, but if you want to own your own copy we understand, so we are also supplying links through IndieBound.org so you can get it from your local independent bookstore. The Hobbit local library / local bookstore LOTR local library / local bookstore The Silmarillion local library / local bookstore Unfinished Tales: local library / local bookstore LOTR Film extended edition blu-ray:local library