The Silmarillion TV Series by AndyC

Introduction

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The Block Party challenges us to come up with trying “a new form of fanwork.”

This is sort of a new form of fanwork for me.  Instead of a straightforward story, it’s the script for a TV series.  A Silmarillion TV series.

My first thought was that the three Great Tales would be a good candidate for adaptations: The Tale of the Nightingale, The Curse of Morgoth (which could include the Wanderings of Hurin and the Fall of Doriath), and The Fall of Gondolin (which could interleave with the Second Kinslaying).  A fourth Tale – The Rising of the Star – would be possible, but take a lot of invention.

All the bits we love from the earlier Silmarillion could be done in flashback.  Yes, this could be done.

Then I paused – the point of trying your hand at a form of fanwork you’ve not tried before is to challenge yourself.  I’m already skating over the definition of fanwork in order to make it achievable for myself.  Could I push the start further back?

Well, the key issue for filmed adaptations is (usually) the need to have protagonists (with whom the viewer can identify) going consistently through the work – whether a film or a series.  Well, you can have them “hand over” the narrative, but you have to have introduced the new protagonists significantly in advance and had the viewer get invested in them. In the ones mentioned earlier, it’s easy: Beren and Luthien for the first; Hurin, Turin, Nienor for the second; Tuor and Idril in the third. 

Telling in flashback (by Maglor? – wouldn’t work.  You still need to hold to protagonists for the encapsulated story.  But, as above, you can switch protagonists – especially between.  Could we still see the Darkening of Valinor?

Feanor would be an ideal protagonist for that season – except – he dies at the Dagor nuin Giliath (and any studio executive who suggests “Can we have this Feanor guy survive?  He makes for great conflict!” would get a slap).  We’d have to switch to other protagonists until the Battle of Sudden Flame (although having Feanor as a protagonist (amongst others) who dies partway through the season could be a great outcome – like Ned Stark unexpectedly getting his head cut off in Episode 8).

Musing out loud: If we started at the Darkening of Valinor, we could have Maedhros and Finrod as key protagonists, with Fingon, Fingolfin, Galadriel, and, of course, Feanor as supporting protagonists.  That could work.

Can I go further back?

Got to keep going to the limits of the possible to find out where it’s impossible.  Before the Coming of the Elves, the protagonists are too remote – the Valar and Maiar.  And I don’t want the viewer identifying too much with them – they need to be remote, powerful figures.  Which gives me the answer for how far the limits are (for me, anyway); the Awakening of the Elves. 

So.  And bear in mind that this loose outline is subject to massive change as I go along:

Season One: The Awakening of the Elves to Melkor’s Release from Mandos.  Main protagonists: Finwe and Elwe.  Miriel, Ingwe, Melian, Olwe, Elmo as well.

Season Two: Crafting of the Silmarils to the threshold of the Battle of Sudden Flame (the Battle doesn’t occur yet – but we see all the preparations by Morgoth at the end of the final episode of the season and all the pieces are moved in place.  Maedhros and Finrod as key protagonists, with Galadriel (her part written up more), Fingolfin, Lalwen (plenty of possibility for her to be a wise advisory voice, for a start), some of Thingol (who’s left over from last season, anyway) and Melian, Fingon of course.

Season 3: key protagonists - Luthien and Beren; starting with the Battle of Sudden Flame, covering the Quest for the Silmaril, and ending just before the Battle of Unnumbered Tears.  Also featuring Finrod, Thingol, Melian.

Season 4: key protagonists – Hurin, Turin, Nienor, and Tuor; starting with the Battle of Unnumbered Tears and ending with the death of Hurin and the birth of Earendil

Season 5: key protagonists - Tuor (first half), Dior (first half), Maedhros, Earendil (all the way through) and Elwing (latter half); starting with the Fall of Doriath, through the Battle of Sarn Athrad, the restoration of Doriath, the Second Kinslaying, the Fall of Gondolin, the start of Earendil's Voyages, the Third Kinslaying, the Voyage of Earendil, the War of Wrath.

To be honest, Season Five might need to be split into two shorter seasons…

I’ve sketched out events for each of 10 shows per season for the first two seasons, but I’ll probably take a while to get that far.  Oh, and the names start off slightly differently – my reasoning is that as the Elves weren’t speaking Quenya on Day One, but Primitive Quendian, the tidy names of “Finwe, Ingwe, Elwe, Olwe” were quite possibly not as laid out.  We know that Thingol’s name was portrayed as “Elwe” to the Elves of Aman, and “Elu” to the Elves of Doriath – did it start out as Elwe and mutate a bit?  Or did it come from something like simply “El” and have an appropriate ending appended in each language as Quenya and Sindarin evolved?

I’ve gone for the latter.  So we start with our heroes being known as “Ingar”, “Finn,” and “El.”

And, as a bonus, we don’t start off with too many “-we” names that might confuse the viewer.

[Ed: Andy – this isn’t actually a TV series, you know…]

In addition, and potentially needing to apologise in advance: the dialogue is not even remotely archaic, but modern conversational.  Partly to appeal to viewers, but mainly because if I tried to make it archaic, I'd get it horribly wrong and come up with some sort of faux-archaicisms that would make people who genuinely know what they're doing cringe in pain.  In any case, I'd argue that to the characters, they're always speaking conversationally for their time, anyway.  Call it a translation convention.

So.  Here we go, then.  As TV shows don’t exactly have chapters, and as each episode would probably be on the long side for each “Chapter” update (for me and for you), I’ll post them in “Part 1,” “Part 2,” etc of each episode.

You can imagine the commercials yourself, though…

Season 1, Episode 1, Part 1

Read Season 1, Episode 1, Part 1

EPISODE ONE – CHILDREN OF THE STARS 

PRE-CREDITS SCENE

EXT – OUTSIDE CUIVENEN 

We see Cuivenen under stars from high up.  The stars are far brighter than usual, and more plentiful (we see stars at the 7^th, 8^th magnitude – we’re scaling to Elven eyesight).  There is an effect as if of very faint shimmering light in the air [a sort of very, very diffuse mist – SFX department need to work on this]  We come closer down and see the woodlands around it and skim over a barely seen figure on horseback and through the trees for a while until we come up to two Elves. 

Elf 1 (unsure, eyes darting around): 

I don’t know. I’m still not happy about this. There may be more berries over this way, but- you know. The Dark Rider. 

Elf 2 (cocksure and almost laughing): 

The Dark Rider? The Dark Rider’s just a story. Ooh, there’s a dark figure in the woods who steals away Elves who wander too far alone. Personally, I’m sick of fish and we know there are berries over here. 

Elf 1 (following him uncertainly): 

But Elves have gone missing. Quite a few of them. 

Elf 2 (pauses and looks back, exasperated): 

And who’s to say they haven’t just gone exploring further and not come back yet? 

Elf 1: 

On their own?  

Elf 2 (nearly jumps at a half-heard sound in the distance): 

Now you’ve got me doing it. Yes, on their own. Or they could have met with an accident, which is far more likely. [he pauses] Oh, yes, and the Dark Rider only takes Elves on their own. There are two of us.  

Elf 1 (rolling his eyes):  

Right, I get it: there isn’t a Dark Rider and anyway he only takes Elves wandering on their own?  

Elf 2 (sighs):  

Well- 

[The world darkens; the stars fade down to human-vision levels and still further. The effect of faint shimmering light in the air recedes. Distortion effect as if twisting through a wide-angle lense] 

Elf 1 (almost stammering in panic):  

Not well! Not well! Not well at all!  

[Looks wildly around. Crashing sound of Dark Rider. They stare, frozen in fear. Dark Rider lifts his hand and they stumble and fall. 

CUT TO 

Dark Rider galloping northwards with two unconscious Elves draped over the front of his horse. We see his face – dark and beautiful. Sauron laughs.  

 

OPENING CREDITS 

 

BLACK SCREEN. A DOT OF LIGHT. MUSIC RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF HEARING, SWELLING. PIPES, HARPS, VOICES WITHOUT WORDS. 

 

THE DOT OF LIGHT GROWS AND BECOMES THE FLAT WORLD ENGLOBED IN DARKNESS.   

 

SYMMETRICAL, SILVER LIGHT IN THE NORTH; GOLD LIGHT IN THE SOUTH, AS PER THE AMBARKANTA 

 

The image freezes and becomes a beautiful sketch. A long pause, and then it burns outwards from the centre. In the image in the centre, it blurs as the music turns to discord. 

 

STORMS, DISTORTION, CLOUDS. IMAGES OF CRASHING ICE, RAGING LAVA, FIRESTORMS, TEMPESTS AND GALES. Turns into a sketch and pauses. 

 

MOUNTAIN RANGES FORMING, TREES AND FORESTS GROWING, RIVERS SPRINGING AND RUNNING, LIGHTNING CRASHING AND DESTROYING, STONE SLIDES, ERUPTIONS, PILLARS IN THE NORTH AND SOUTH WITH GREAT LAMPS, GOLDEN AND SILVER ILLUMINATING ALL. Turns into a sketch and pauses. 

 

THE MOUNTAIN-LIKE PILLARS FALLING, THE LAMPS CRASHING, LIGHT SPILLING, STORMS RISING 

PANNING UP TO SEE PINPRICKS OF LIGHT – ONLY THE STARS BELOW THE THIRD MAGNITUDE. 

 

THE BRIGHTER STARS BLOSSOM, ONE BY ONE. 

 

Camera pans down to the flat world again and pulls away to it englobed in darkness, but vastly more complex and detailed than before – and not as it was in the first idealised image. It holds solid and three shining white-gold shimmering lights appear in a triangle: one high in the centre, one happens to be overlain on the Western Ocean, the last, symmetrical in an asymmetric world, is overlain on the land in the East. Once again, freezing into a sketch. 

 

The Silmarillion 

 

-- 

 

SCENE ONE: 

EXT. CUIVENEN  

A series of clearings in the forest under starlight – only it’s merely as dark as twilight on a clear evening. This is for two reasons – firstly, as described earlier, that Elven eyes are far more sensitive than ours in the dark, and secondly because the Light of the Trees is not as physical light since the loss of the Trees: it doesn’t follow the same laws of physics. It’s more like water than light – a straight stream from the Trees to whatever might cast shadow, and then mist or droplets beyond that. The lighter-than-darkness levels here are from what can be thought of as a very very fine (and low-level) mist of light drizzling over the entire world. 

There are huts dotted among the trees – and even in the trees at some places. On first glance, they’re crude, but as the camera nears them, we see they’re actually well made out of basic materials, with symmetry and aesthetic balance. We see Elves of all ages bustling about, but quietly and without fuss. The camera pans along for some seconds until it lights on a trio of Elves: one golden haired, one black-haired, and one with long silver-grey hair (and taller than any other Elf). These are Ingar, Finn, and El.  

Finn:  

So, he said to me that he’ll simply take that place to build a new hut because the view over Cuivenen was better than anywhere else. I tried to point out that, sure, it was, but it meant he’d be blocking the views of about six other families who’d all agreed to keep that – 

[Another Elf runs up to them. He looks similar to El, but a little shorter, younger and with white hair instead of silver. He is Ol, the younger brother of El.]  

Ol:  

El, it’s happened again. 

El (sighing):   

What has happened again? With our Clan, you could be talking of anything from Nurweg falling off a rock half-way up the cliff again, or Nowe nearly drowning when inventing that ridiculous ‘swimming’ concept, or… 

Finn (murmuring):  

Interesting that you should mention two who happen to be your cousins…  

[El glances back at him with a wry smile and a shrug.]  

Ol:  

I mean, Carmo and Neru have gone missing. The Dark Rider! It must be.  

[The three of them share a sceptical glance]  

Finn:  

I don’t mean to intrude into Third Clan business, but can you be sure? I mean, firstly, that they’re missing and not just preoccupied with something – like the play of a spring down a rockface and how the sound of the water sounds like music, just to give one example that cropped up fairly recently? And secondly, that if they are missing, that it’s down to a mysterious Dark Rider – and what he’s riding on has never been explained?  

Ol:  

Galwen saw it! Well, nearly!  

El (leaning forwards, intent):  

She saw it? Genuinely? A Dark Rider taking them away?  

Ol (wincing):  

Not exactly. She was nearby, she heard a crashing sound, she ran towards the place, and when she was there, they were gone. And she thinks she saw something large riding off through the woods.  

El (hollowly):  

She thinks she saw something large. Oh.  

Ingar (has been watching with amusement. Grinning):  

You know, I’m more and more grateful my Clan’s so…  

El:  

Small?  

Ingar (mock scowling):  

I was going to say ‘sane’. At least in comparison to your sprawling Clan of…  

El (arching an eyebrow):  

-  

Ingar:  

Um. Singers?  

Finn:  

It’s okay, you can say ‘lunatics’. He knows they’re a bit – well – absent, most of the time.   

[Grinning at El]  

It could be a lot worse. With the Tatyar, wherever you’ve got two of us, one will invariably say the opposite of the other, just to be contrary.  

Ingar:  

Oh yes, where is Moru these days?  

 

CUT TO THE SHORELINE WHERE A GROUP OF GESTICULATING AND EXCITED ELVES IS ARGUING. 

EXT. CUIVENEN, SHORELINE 

[To one side, there’s a series of low cliffs. About a third of the width of the cliffs is taken up by a series of gentle cascades, falling between 3-10 feet at a time into pools, overflowing, and into the next cascade. The gentle noise of the waterfalls is an omnipresent background. The other direction is a low rise, leading towards a series of low hills, covered with trees. The clearing in the middle is wider than the ones we’ve seen earlier 

Standing nearby, pausing before they wade in, Finn murmurs a question for El and Ingwe]:   

Finn: 

So how exactly did we become the ones everyone else takes complaints to?  

El:  

Don’t ask me. I thought my Grandfather was doing that job for the Third Clan, until he decided to just spend his days fishing. Next thing I know, everyone’s coming to me – or Ol, when I’m not around.  

Ingar:  

For me, it was when Father and Grandfather got grumpy over that chant they started using to teach the youngsters about numbers and greed. 

Finn (winces):  

That was all Moru’s doing. All right, he didn’t come up with it – that was someone over in the Third Clan – but he decided we came out of it perfectly. You know: not too greedy or too large in the end.  

Ingar:  

Maybe. But Grandfather got sick of telling all the newest generation that it wasn’t how it had been, that the numbers were all wrong anyway, and all right, the relative proportions were spot on in the end, but that was the entire point in having a story to help them remember, and… [he trails off]  

El (sympathetically):  

I understand. He’s a bit sensitive about it – even though no-one remembers who exactly was the first to wake up, it could have been his own father and it probably feels like a direct attack.  

Ingar (looks grateful): 

[sighs] I suppose we’d better say something, then.  

[He wades into the middle of it, his hands up]  

Right. What exactly do we know and what are we guessing?  

There is a hubbub of voices all answering at once. From the edge of the clearing, a young woman is watching them. It becomes apparent she’s watching Finn more than the others. She has darker silver hair. She seems to be sewing and pricks her finger as she watches absently. She doesn’t notice and continues sewing; the thread sliding through her dripping blood as she continues. 

 

-- 

  

SCENE TWO: 

INT. UTUMNO 

A dark, empty cavern. The blackness is very different to the perpetual twilight-and-stars.  No hint of the low-level shimmering light, no stars – blackness. There is a flare of fire and we see the two Elves from the pre-credits scene. One is just stirring; the other is looking around in horror. 

Elf 1:  

Car! [in a harsh whisper] 

Elf 2:  

Wh – what?  

Elf 1:  

I think we’re in trouble!  

There is hollow laughter. Another Elf – but with face distorted like run wax and one eye milky shoves his face into theirs.  

Strange Elf: 

You don’t know just how much trouble you’re in, boys.  

Elf 1 (scared):  

How bad – how bad can it be?  

Strange Elf:  

You have no idea how bad it can be. Experiments – animals – spirits – pain – working to death – forced breeding…  

Elf 2 (muzzily):  

Breeding? How do they force you to breed? Do they introduce you…  

Strange Elf (laughing – it’s discordant and harsh):  

Introduce you? Oh, that’s special. Yes, boy, they take you to meet their parents and then they come to meet your parents and you get to meet each other over a bite to eat. Then you explain what skills you have and how you’ll be a benefit to their House and… [he starts to cry.]  

Elf 1:  

Look, I thought you were being sarcastic, but – why are you crying?  

Strange Elf (pulls himself together):  

Right. Yes. No, it’s just – for a moment, I forgot myself and I was far, far away from here.   

[scowls at them].    

No, boy, they don’t introduce you. The Master looks you in the eye and you do what he wants you to do. Sometimes they have to hurt you first –  

[reflecting]  

The first time, they almost always have to hurt you a lot until you let them in, but then you stop fighting and let them in straight away.  

Elf 2 (less muzzily – it’s starting to sink in just how bad this is. He’s looking around in dismay. There are flickers of torchlight and mystic lights illuminating small fractions of what has to be an immense space):  

Let who in? 

Strange Elf:   

The Master, and whoever he’s chosen. 

Elf 1 (confused):  

To breed with?  

Strange Elf:  

No! That’s next. Whoever of the dark spirits he’s chosen to control you for that time. Else you’d never be able to do it. Not you, and not them.  

Elf 2 (almost under his breath. He’s standing up, looking around again):  

I guess I can understand that. No-one wants to be forced to beget with someone not their choice.    

[He crouches down and drops his voice further]   

There must be a way out of here. There has to be. How…?  

Strange Elf (initially ignoring his latter statement):  

You don’t know the least of it, you poor ignorant fool. It’s not just other Elves they breed you with. 

Elf 1: 

I – I don’t understand. Who else is there?  

Strange Elf (almost sobbing):   

Dark spirits in bodily form. Animals…  

Elf 2 (almost retching):  

Animals? But – I mean –  

[looks repulsed and puzzled]  

– that wouldn’t even be viable.  

Strange Elf (can’t catch his voice for a long moment):  

It’s against all laws of nature, yes.   

[Looks up, hopelessly]   

But look around. So’s this place. And so is the Master. He can make viable what shouldn’t be viable.  

[Stands up. Dashes away some tears and says almost conversationally]    

Abandon hope.    

[Turns to Elf 2, properly]    

There isn’t any way out. There’s no escape. The tunnels are lightless and infinite. They lead only to other caverns and halls – like this one. The same. Always the same. Wherever you go, they find you there. They don’t need to punish you – they do anyway. If you try to escape. If you don’t try to escape. If you disobey. If you obey. If you beg. If you stay silent. They break you.    

[pauses]    

You will live and work and slave for Him. You will do whatever He wants you to do. You will chip away at stone, you will work in His forges, you will make do and mend, you will eat what you are given – or who you are given. And, yes: you will breed with whoever or whatever He makes you breed with. Your children will be monsters. You will live and die here, far from the precious stars, far from all your kin, and even after death… I’ve seen and felt some of the dark spirits and recognised them.  

Elf 1 (disbelief on his face):   

Even in death?  

[There is a commotion, not far from them. The Dark Huntsman has walked in and stands there, a cruel smile on his perfect face. Despite the lack of light, we can see him – as if there is always the faintest light around him. He stands there, obviously enjoying the fear he’s generating. At last he walks slowly towards the new Elves. They freeze in terror. He catches their eye, holds it a long minute, snorts, and grabs an Elf near where he is. 

As if like a zombie, the Elf he’s chosen stands up and shuffles after him. They vanish into the blackness. Elf 1 and 2 hold their breaths for a long, long moment, before letting it out explosively]  

Elf 2:  

Thank the Stars! 

Strange Elf (laughs hollowly again): 

You think that was a mercy? You poor fools.  

Elf 1:  

What? I mean – he didn’t take us yet.  

Strange Elf:  

But he will. He will. He’s playing with you. To make the moment of loss so much the worse. Maybe he’ll take you straightaway next time. Or maybe he’ll just get closer and closer, veering away at the last moment. Giving you more and fresh hope each time – so it’s that much more delicious for him when he finally-  

[Interrupted by a silky smooth voice. They jump as the Dark Huntsman materializes right next to them] 

Sauron:   

Well, well. Someone’s been learning. I’m impressed.  

Strange Elf (cowers):  

No, Master. Not me. Not me. Take them! Not me! Not again!  

Sauron:  

Oh, my precious one. It is you. And it’s not that. Not again. No, my precious one, it’s time you moved on. You’ve learned so much – but there is so much left to teach you.  

Strange Elf (sobbing as he turns to follow):   

I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. 

[The camera pans back, we see dozens of tunnels and caverns in a sudden rush, and then we’re high up outside, seeing Utumno from above. Crumpled mountains above, pits and tunnels leading down, fortifications that then blend into crags and outcrops, larger than life. The camera pulls back further and we see the snow fields around it and then, far off, the Iron Mountains to the south] 

 

-  

END OF PART ONE 

Season 1, Episode 1, Part 2

Read Season 1, Episode 1, Part 2

PART TWO 

SCENE 3 

 

EXT. CUIVENEN  

Finn:  

Right. So we do know that Carmo and Neru are gone and they said they’d be back immediately they got the berries. They didn’t scream, and neither has returned, so it’s not likely to be an accident.  

Elf:  

And Carmo was going to be betrothed immediately he returned!  

Finn (rubbing the bridge of his nose, wearily):  

So it’s very unlikely they decided to keep going and keep exploring.  

El:  

I think it’s gone far enough. Each disappearance on its own, over all this time… 

Ingar (decisively):  

Yes. Each one on its own could be explicable, but adding them all up and with this as well…  

Finn (sighing):  

We need to take some sort of action. 

Ingar:  

Exactly! We can tell people to…  

El (interrupts, with a wry smile);   

You can tell people to – well, whatever.  

Ingar (looks puzzled a moment and shakes his head in recognition):  

I get it.    

[He nods to them and they walk away from the knot of Elves. Miri is still watching and looks down with a start. The blood-sodden thread has weaved in and out of her work, making a red pattern. She sucks her finger – belatedly – and looks on the work, thoughtfully]  

I get it. My Clan will comply if I advise them, while…  

El:  

Exactly. Your Blondies will do as they’re told, while my Singers will agree and then wander off immediately. The Smarties will just argue with Finn, even if he’s saying something like ‘It’s a bad idea to jump off the top of the cliff and see how big a splash you make in the lake’.  

Finn (snorts):  

It’s mainly Moru, to be fair.  

Ingar (mildly):  

No it’s not. El’s right. There’s something in the make-up of [he snorts] the Clan of Smarties – that makes them difficult, like this. You, my friend, are the only being I know with any chance of getting them to see sense.  

Finn:  

Look, I appreciate the compliment, but [Looks pained] ‘Smarties’? Seriously?  

El:  

You can take the word as meaning Wise. Or Wise-A..  

Ingar (cuts him off):  

Let’s just leave it as ‘Wise’, shall we?   

[He’s manfully keeping a smirk from his face]  

Finn:  

Yeah, I know it can mean that but – let’s face it, it doesn’t. Not like this.  

El:  

I hate to point it out, but we’re getting off track. Firsts are blonds, Seconds are… ‘wise’, and Thirds are singers, fine, but what do we do to try to protect our people?  

(long pause)  

Finn:   

All we can do. We can’t force people to do anything, so we’ll each tell our people to stay in big groups and stay near the rest of us. There’s how many of us, now? Over a couple of thousand?  

Ingar:  

Half of which are children.  

Fin (grimaces): 

I know, but anything powerful enough to take people out from the entire group of us is powerful enough that there’s nothing we could do anyway.  

El:  

I think I see what you mean.   

(sighs)   

Herding Nelyar. This is going to be fun. 

Finn:  

We also get together groups with those sharpened sticks Moru came up with to fight those beasts.  

El:  

You don’t suppose…?  

Finn:  

- That it was those beasts again, only this time they were perfectly quiet and they took the bodies away without leaving any sign of trouble or even, you know, blood?  

El (shrugs):   

Fair point.  

Finn (musing):  

And it might be a way to get Moru onside. Stars only know – if he and I are pulling together in the same direction…  

El:  

Another one of your Clan will become a contrary pain to fill the gap in the order of the Universe?  

Finn nods, with a wry smile.   

Ingar: 

Nevertheless. We all have to do our best to keep our people safe.  

They start to disperse.  

Camera pulls back and high, high up. It sweeps west over the lake of Cuivenen and we see it’s but a bay – nearly enclosed – on a vast inland sea. Across the Sea, across forests, is a figure on horseback – a white horse.  

-- 

   

SCENE 4 

EXT. CUIVENEN 

It’s a little away from the centre of the settlement. Miri is dipping threads in various colours. She glance up at a commotion nearby.  

Female Elf (cradling a baby): 

Where’s Alya? Where’s Alya? Has anyone seen my boy? 

Miri (stands up and walks over): 

Alya? Little lad, about so high?    

[she holds her hand about waist height off the ground] 

Female Elf: 

Yes! Yes, that’s him. He was supposed to be back immediately – he went down to the water with his sister and she’s been back for a while now. She thought he was with his friends, but they’ve not seen him.  

[She’s looking very worried, but obviously unable to abandon the baby to search]  

Miri (reassuringly): 

I’m sure he’s just been diverted from there to here. I was just going down to the water myself. I’ll find Alya and bring him back.  

Female Elf (looking a little relieved): 

Oh, would you? Thanks, Miri.  

[She pauses, and says with a grin]  

I’m sure if Finn sees you with a child, he’ll notice- 

Miri (arching an eyebrow): 

He’ll notice what, precisely?  

Female Elf (with a knowing smile): 

Anything he should notice, I suppose.  

Miri (trying to look stern and failing): 

That’d be a first for Finn. If it’s not an argument to sort out, or a new invention to praise, it may as well be a rock.  

Female Elf: 

Well, if it’s an unusual rock, you know what you Seconds are like… 

Miri (waves her hand in a flicking motion): 

I can’t win, can I? 

[pauses] 

Then again, I do have a new invention, as it happens.  

Female Elf: 

Hah. See? Typical Smar- Wise One, right?  

Miri: 

[Gives her a Look.] 

Yes. Typical Smarwise. That’s me. I’ll be back with Alya before you know it. 

 

CUT TO EXT. WATERS EDGE 

[Miri looks puzzled. She’s talking urgently with a group of children. They’re pointing towards a darker area of the forest, out to one side. Miri shakes her head, wearily, sighs, and walks off into that area with a determined look] 

 

EXT: CUIVENEN, DEEP FOREST 

It’s darker here, the trees closer together. Miri is searching systematically. She’s calling Alya’s name in a low voice – as if not wanting to alert anything to her presence but still wanting to catch Alya’s attention. Camera close up – she’s looking scared, but persisting. 

Camera pulls away and upwards. We see, some distance forwards and left, a small golden-haired child looking lost. 

 

Camera pulls up even further. We can see a disturbance in the forest out beyond the child. Zooming in, it’s the Dark Huntsman 

 

EXT. CUIVENEN, WATER FRONT 

Finn nods at someone and trots over to a knot of people. Ingar is talking to them, turns and sees Finn  

Ingar: 

Ah, good. All the Minyar are close by now. No-one’s out in the forest on their own.  

Finn: 

Most of the Tatyar are pretty close by. Moru was surprisingly easy about it all. He’s fashioning more of his ‘spears’ and I’ve put him in charge of a couple dozen ‘Defenders’ 

Ingar (looks impressed): 

Got to be honest, that’s pretty good. Have you seen El? 

Finn: 

I last saw him heading over towards the cliffs. Nurweg had apparently taken a small group to try climbing. 

Ingar (winces): 

Again? 

Finn: 

And Lenn wanted to find the source of the third spring.   

[shrugs] 

At least Nowe’s kept his fishing crew close by. Ol and Elmo, however, are exactly where they’re supposed to be. 

Ingar (looks smug): 

I’m glad my Clan behave themselves.  

Finn (mutters): 

However few there are of them. 

Ingar (overhears): 

[mock glare] 

 

EXT: CUIVENEN, DEEP FOREST  

Cut back to the boy.  

Cut to Miri 

Cut back to the Dark Huntsman. He stands up in his stirrups, turns his head as if sniffing, and lets a cruel smile cross his face.  

 

EXT. CUIVENEN, WATER FRONT 

El is hurrying up to them, looking somewhere between harassed and resigned.  

El: 

I’ve got about six hundred of us accounted for. 

Ingar: 

That’s about as many as there are of Firsts and Seconds put together. Not bad going.  

El (gloomily):  

Just leaves about five hundred still anywhere. Up the cliff face, up stream, wandering about down the shore…  

Finn: 

It’s the first time we’ve tried this. People will get-  

[Another black-haired Tatya Elf runs up]  

Tatya Elf: 

Finn! Moru says to say while we were working out a way to attach cords to the spears, we seem to have come up with a way of propelling smaller spears really quickly. Mahtan thinks if we attach small-  

[Finn is diverted and starts talking assiduously. Ingar and El trade knowing glances.]  

El: 

I’ll go and see if I can send someone upstream and get hold of Lenn, then. 

 

EXT: CUIVENEN, DEEP FOREST  

Cut to Miri  

Cut to the boy. He’s starting to cry. He jumps as a hand falls on his shoulder and lets out a strangled cry. It’s Miri. She is trying to look reassuring and anxious at the same time, with varying degrees of success  

Miri (quietly): 

Alya – it’s Miri. I’m a friend of your mother  

Alya: 

(nods)  

Miri: 

Let’s get back home, right?  

Cut to Dark Huntsman. He can just see them through the trees. He walks his horse towards them  

The scene darkens, like in the pre-credits scene. Twisting effect again 

Miri looks downright scared and holds the boy protectively 

The Dark Huntsman nears; he’s just beyond the last screen of low trees 

A loud horn sounds. SFX – shimmering light in the sky  

Dark Huntsman (scowls): 

Oromë. No.    

[he pauses]  

I will not take on one of the Aratar.  

[he winces. Pauses again, and shakes his head] 

I will tell the Master.  

[He turns his horse and gallops off] 

 

EXT. CUIVENEN, WATER’S EDGE   

El sprints back out of the forest edge. Ingar and Finn are looking in disbelief towards the source of the noise – to the north. There’s a blur of white light. It’s a tall figure on a huge white horse.  

Tatya Elf: 

It’s the Dark Rider! Someone get Moru and his… 

Finn (calmly): 

Not very dark, really, to be fair.  

[Some Elves are running into the forest. Less than a third of them, however – the rest are coming up behind Finn, El, and Ingar. The three of them glance behind them at the Elves relying on them.  

Ingar (very softly): 

Looks like we’re up. 

Finn (also softly): 

If he’s powerful enough to take us out from here, there’s not much we can do, so…  

El (just as softly): 

… So we assume he’s not here for that, right?  

[They square their shoulders and step forwards. The figure on the horse is looking at them with an expression of wonder.]  

Ingar: 

Hello! Who are you?  

Finn: 

And what do you want?  

El (winces, and in a lower voice, almost an aside): 

If you don’t mind. 

Oromë: 

[Tilts his head, as if listening behind the words. He nods and stares at them. His voice comes straight into their minds (everyone’s minds) without his lips moving] 

I am Oromë. For that is my name.  

Finn (muttering): 

At least he’s polite, if he is intending to seize us.    

[His volume increases to normal]  

Thank you. And what was it you wanted?  

Oromë: 

[Laughs in delight] 

You! All of you!  

El (murmuring): 

Oh dear.    

Oromë: 

I mean – we have been waiting for you – you, the Children of Eru. I am one of the Powers of the World – the Valar. The World exists for you. We exist to protect and teach you – and we have been waiting for you for Ages out of mind.  

[He laughs again and his voice rises to a roar]  

The Children are here! Oh my Father, the Children are here! This is wonderful!  

[He lifts his horn to his mouth and blows. The sound rings out – pure and loud. Ingar, Finn, and El wince – they’re rather close to it] 

 

EXT. CUIVENEN, DEEP FOREST 

The Dark Rider redoubles his speed as he gallops northwards. 

END OF PART TWO

---

Chapter End Notes

Finn: Finwe

Ingar: Ingwe

El; Elwe

Miri: Miriel

Nurweg: Nurwe (here imagined as one of the Nelyar)

Moru: Morwe (here imagined as one of the Tatyar)

Blondies - Fair haired ones - Vanyar

Smarties - Wise ones - Noldor

Singers - Lindar

Season 1, Episode 1, Part 3

Read Season 1, Episode 1, Part 3

PART THREE

 SCENE FIVE

EXT. CUIVENEN

Long silence.

Ingar:

You want to – protect us?

Finn:

And teach us?

Orome (still without moving his lips):

Yes!

El:

I’ll be honest, that’s not at all what we were expecting you to say. Could you wait a moment?

Orome (looks as nonplussed as an archangelic figure can):

-

[The three of them huddle]

Ingar:

Thoughts?

El:

It’s not as though we’ve got many choices, is it?

Finn (musing):

I don’t know. There’s only one of him, no matter how large he is. We’ve got a group with a whole bunch of the spear things and that throwing-tiny-spears device we were coming up with…

Ingar:

…isn’t ready or anywhere close to ready. And, if I recall correctly, your group with spears is only just becoming ready as well.

Finn:

True. If he’d just come a little later…

El (half under his breath):

Should we ask him to go away and come back in a bit, then?

[Finn gives him a Look]

Sorry.

Anyway, we may as well take him at his word. He’s not grabbing anyone while he’s talking, and he might be telling the truth.

Ingar:

It’s hard to see what benefit it would be for him to lie like this. As El says, it’s not as though we can do much to stop him right now.

[They break the huddle and turn to Orome]

 Welcome to Cuivenen – ah, ‘Oromë’, wasn’t it?

[Oromë nods, gravely]

Um. What did you want to do?

EXT. CUIVENEN, INLAND, NEAR THE MOST OF THE HUTS

 Finn:

So, we worked out how to build places like these – that could do the job and look nice as well.

El:

By “we”, he means his Clan, here.

Orome:

You’ve mentioned Clans a few times. Could you tell me more?

[They glance at each other. Ingar shrugs]

Ingar:

It’s quite simple. When the Unbegotten awoke – the Elves who weren’t born but simply woke up here as adults – they congregated into three groups. The First Group – the Minyar; the Second Group – the Tatyar; and the Third Group – the Nelyar.

Orome:

I understand. Those names you give mean ‘First’, ‘Second’ and ‘Third’. But how did they know to which Clan they belonged.

El (mischievously):

Well, the firstborn Elf chose companions when they walked…

[Ingar glares at him]

Ahem. Sorry, Ingar.

 [At Orome’s raised eyebrow]

Private joke.

Finn:

I’ll tell it. Apparently, to hear the Unbegotten, they felt a greater kinship for some other Elves. As if they were part of the same family. It turns out that each of the Clans has a certain mindset.

Ingar (smiling):

And headset, too, as a rule of thumb.

[explaining, at Orome’s inquiring glance]

I mean that Minyar are almost all golden-haired, while that’s very rare among the other Clans. Tatyar tend to have black hair, like Finn, here. Nelyar are a bit more mixed – usually either silver hair or brown hair.

Orome (gesturing at Miri):

So she would be of the Nelyar, then?

Finn:

Actually, you’ve picked one of those exceptions. Miri is one of mine.

 [He doesn’t see Miri’s blush]

But otherwise, yes, Ingar’s right. It’s why we call his Clan ‘Vanyar’

Ingar (muttering):

I’m still not that fond of that name, but never mind.

Orome:

That is ‘Golden’, is it not?

Ingar:

Exactly. Of all the traits to name us after, our hair colour is a bit – well – unimaginative? The Third Clan, for example, we call ‘Lindar’.

Oromë:

Singers.

El (nods):

We’re fond of singing, to be fair. It’s probably our most distinguishing single feature. We’re told many of the Unbegotten Nelyar sang before they talked.

Oromë (turns to Finn):

And what is the characteristic of your Clan?

Finn (glares at the others to cut them off):

They call us ‘Noldor’ – meaning ‘Wise’. In the sense of craft and skill, mainly.

El (as an aside):

Because common sense has never really been demonstrably in high levels of supply amongst them.

[Orome laughs]

Finn (shrugs):

It’s fair. But take any Tatyar Elf and you’ll find someone who’s trying to build, invent, enhance, craft, or do something physically artistic. That’s why we did the first buildings. How Mahtan found out how to get that substance out of rock that you heat and melt and polish up and looks the same colour as those flecks in his hair. And we came up with methods of weaving clothes, and creating spears to defend ourselves.

El:

And that catapult thing to get up the low cliffs quickly. Shortly followed by inventing the splint and the bandage, as I recall.

Finn (looks faintly embarrassed):

Not all our discoveries and crafts have been complete successes, I’ll admit…

Ingar (mildly):

Which isn’t to say the rest of us don’t invent things. Musical instruments, for example.

Finn (musing):

Actually, we might be able to repurpose that catapult in some way to protect against the Dark Hunter. You know – it could throw something at…

Oromë:

Wait. ‘Dark Hunter’?

Finn:

Yes. The Dark – didn’t you know about him? I thought that was what you meant when you said ‘protect’ us. He’s a mysterious figure who comes at times and seizes unwary Elves. We had thought he was just a legend, but we’ve determined he’s real.

Ingar and El look uncertainly at Oromë

Oromë (heavily):

I feared something like this when I met you. It is of Melkor, no doubt. One of his servants. Maybe even the fallen Mairon.

Ingar:

Ah – ‘Melkor’?

Orome:

I have to tell you more.

CUT TO FURTHER DISTANCE. MIRI IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A SMALL GROUP OF FEMALE AND MALE ELVES.

Miri:

Here it is

[She hands over a tunic with an emblem of stars and flames on it. The rest of them marvel]

 Vanya Elf:

What gave you the idea? Or is it worth even asking a Noldo that? [snorts]

Miri:

Oh, like all worthy discoveries, it came through pain and blood.

Vanya Elf:

[laughs out loud – he thinks she’s joking]

Regardless, I think this embroidery thing is marvellous. Bringing beauty to functionality.

CUT BACK TO OROMË AND THE THREE LEADERS

Oromë:

I and my kin are all of the Ainur – the spirits both greater and lesser that sprang from the thought of The One who was before and above all others.

[the Three Elves look at each other]

Oromë:

We came together to fashion a Great Song under the One – and this song turned the One’s thoughts into reality, with the help of the Sacred Fire. It created the World.

El (gives a short laugh):

So, the World came about because of song?

[He gives Finn a mischievous poke]

Ingar:

And it turned ‘thought’ into ‘reality’.

[He also grins at Finn]

Oromë:

The Song, though, was marred by the rebellion of Melkor, the greatest of us under the One. He imposed his own Theme upon it, and led others into rebellion. He marred the work and thus marred the World.

[He looks grave. The others are quiet]

Some of us came down into the World to help build and guide it – for despite the vision of the Song, when we got here, it was dark and unformed. We had to build the substance of the Earth to the vision, and Melkor ever tried to hinder our efforts, for he had also come and tried to claim the World as his own.

Finn (muttering to the others while trying to be respectful):

So, for all of the thinking and singing, they still needed to build it.

[Orome pauses and the others glare at Finn, who looks abashed]

Indeed, young Finn. All of you have skills and preferences that reflect what was needed.

[he sighs]

Of those of us who came to Arda, fifteen were the greatest and, of these, fourteen of us are the Powers of Arda, the Valar. The countless lesser spirits are the Maiar – and some… many, even… follow our fallen brother Melkor.

Ingar:

I’m guessing Melkor is the fifteenth.

[Oromë nods]

So, the Dark Hunter is one of this Melkor’s many dark spirit servants.

Finn (puzzled):

If they’re spirits, how come they can physically take us… oh, wait… you’re a spirit and have a physical body…

Oromë:

Yes. We can put on physical forms like you can put on a tunic. Our normal forms usually reflect our spirits themselves.

[He pauses]

Melkor waged war against us for many Ages, until one latecoming Vala, Tulkas the Warrior, helped us drive him back and he fled into the darkness. We fashioned the world, then, and the Lamps to light it brightly.

El:

Ah - I don’t mean to criticise, but these Lamps of yours are either not that bright at all, or very, very far away.

Oromë (looking sad):

Unfortunately, when we had finished our work and celebrated, Melkor attacked and destroyed the Pillars holding the Lamps and caused their destruction and massive damage to the World itself – aided by treachery from within. Key to that was the most powerful servant of the Vala Aulë the Smith – Mairon the Admirable.

Finn:

I’m guessing this 'Mairon' lost that title after that…

Oromë:

And I suspect that the former Mairon – the most powerful, subtle, and cunning of all Melkor’s servants – is behind the depredations of this Dark Hunter. Or he is the Dark Hunter himself.

Finn:

 Oh.

Oromë:

Since then, we removed to the lands in the furthest West, beyond the great Sea, and fortified the land of Valinor. The Two Trees were grown to provide blessed light to Valinor and we dwelt there, preparing for the time of your arrival. We could not take the fight to Melkor, as the devastation and upheaval that would smash parts of the world could have destroyed the lands where you were destined to come.

El (swallowing):

Probably for the best, I guess.

Oromë:

Our leader, Manwë the Blessed, the Lord of the Airs and Elder King under The One, will need to know of you. He dwells with Varda, Lady of Light, who fashioned the stars.

[He gestures upwards at the stars]

Ingar:

Wait – you – she – made the very stars themselves?

[The others look suitably impressed as they stare upwards]

[There’s a long pause as Oromë stops talking]

Ingar:

So - now what happens?

 

--

SCENE SIX

EXT – THE WESTERN OCEAN, NEAR VALINOR

The camera swoops over the dark ocean waves and rises up. The horizon comes into view – mountainous, but with light spilling over it. Gold and silver, flowing over like water. The white horse is racing over the waves, carrying Oromë

Oromë comes up over the strand and over streams and grasslands, through a deep pass between steep mountain walls. Past a hill in the centre of the pass, thundering through and into Valinor proper.

Behind him looms the immeasurable bulk of Taniquetil, tallest peak in the world (but so steep it’s not hugely wide). Before him is the city of Valmar: marble traceries and walls with arches throughout, domes of gold, bronze, and silver, beautiful stone, pearl, and wood buildings, wide boulevards – but they’re just the background. He circles the city without pausing, racing towards a wide, grassy mound. This mound draws the attention – or, at least, the Two Trees on them.

They are huge – hundreds of feet tall – but graceful and proportionate enough not to seem so big until you’re near them Laurelin (Shaped like a beech tree, with green leaves edged with gold, flowers like clusters of golden flame, which form glowing horns, spilling rains of gold dripping to the ground) and Telperion (Looks a bit like a cherry-tree, leaves of dark green, shining silver beneath; boughs decked with brilliant shining white blossoms that shed a rain of silver dew).  SFX department has to work to get these right – they’re the focus of much of the story.

In addition, colours are enhanced a notch or two, contrast stronger, brightness does NOT make everything washed out.  SFX must make this feel more “real” than reality itself.

Oromë (dismounts and blows his horn again. As the echoes die away, he roars):

Valar and Valier, Maiar and all spirits – the Children are here! , Ai, the Children are here!

 

EXT: THE MAHANAXAR, THE RING OF DOOM

Near the Ezellohar – the wide mound on which stands the Two Trees- and close to the western gates of Valmar, is a circle of fourteen stone thrones

The Valar do not move their mouths when they are conferring. The camera focus on the particular individual and the voice is all that tells us who is “speaking”

Aule (Big, solid, bearded):

The Children are finally here.

Yavanna (Willowy, mature) (gives him a meaningful glance):

All we needed was patience.

[Aule winces]

Ulmo (Tall, broad, looks a bit older than the others):

Melkor. He is out there.

Orome:

Moreover, I have learned that he has found them.

Varda (Beautiful and ethereal):

He has found them?

Orome:

Aye. He has sent a Dark Rider and taken some of them.

Nienna (Dark haired, sad looking):

For what reason!? What has he done to them?

Orome:

We can only imagine. I do not believe it would be good.

Tulkas (Think Chris Hemsworth as Thor):

Then shall we not finally war on him? We withheld our might before for fear of destroying wherever it was to be that the Children would awaken. Now we know.

Aule:

As well as doubt over whether we could overmatch him. We defeated him the first time thanks to surprise – your own arrival from the Timeless Halls at the right time caused him consternation and fear and he withdrew and hid until his ambush on the Lamps.

Tulkas (scowling):

We would still have defeated him had he stood and fought.

Orome:

Perhaps. Perhaps not. Not even Mandos knows what would have been.

Mandos (Austere, possibly bald.  Mark Strong?):

[The camera lingers on his face, as the others turn to him. He remains impassive and says nothing]

Orome (continuing):

And when the Lamps fell and all was tumult, we ourselves withdrew to this land. By the time we collected ourselves and fortified the land, he had vanished to his northern lairs.

Tulkas:

Does that not signify his own awareness that we would defeat him?

Nienna:

My brother knows fear – moreso than any of us. It is kin to his great hatred. He may fear and his fear be unfounded. Indeed, it is likely that his wariness is greater than merited 

Manwe:

He had the greatest share of gifts and powers of all of us in the beginning. His gaze, that can daunt anyone, is a dreadful power of itself. We can only withstand him together – and that only maybe.

Tulkas (exasperated):

Then what shall we do?

Manwe:

I will meditate.

 

EXT. THE PEAK OF TANIQUETIL.

A high snow-field, a peak behind it piercing the heavens. Camera flying up the steep peak with a flat top at the very very top; a mansion on it – white and blue marble, with a roof of apparently solid blue air, transparent. The view from here is wide across the Ocean in one direction and all of Valinor in the other.

Manwe is there, alone. His eyes are closed and his head is back. The camera holds on him for a long count of twenty. At last, his lips move and he murmurs the word, “Father”

EXT. THE RING OF DOOM.

The Valar are still sat in Conclave. Manwe walks across the grass and seats himself.

Valar:

[All look at him, expectantly. No-one speaks; they’re all waiting for his decision]

Manwe:

There is no certainty in any action. We may fight Melkor and we may be defeated. Nevertheless, to essay something that is right but beyond our strength is not a fault; not to try is the greater wrong. This is the counsel of Iluvatar in my heart: we will take up again the mastery of Arda, at whatever the cost. We will deliver the Children from the shadows of Melkor.

[Pauses]

Orome. You will set a guard around the Children to protect them from Melkor’s minions. I doubt he himself will leave his secure dwellings to torment them in person; he will have his victims brought to him.

Aule, you shall craft a chain capable of binding even Melkor. This must be done, and must be possible.

I will assemble the Host of the Valar. We will ready ourselves as swiftly as we may and we will pass over the north of Aman and Middle-Earth and wage war on our renegade brother – for the sake of the Elves.

 

EXT – PLAIN IN FRONT OF VALMAR

The Host of the Valar is starting to draw up. Orome gallops off on Nahar, other Maiar following him. This is a very small fraction of the overall Host. We see Eonwe (un-named) holding the Standard of Manwe.

 

END OF PART THREE

 

---

Chapter End Notes

This part of Episode 1 contains the bulk of the exposition covering the Ainulindale, Valaquenta, and all of the time preceding the Awakening of the Elves.  There's a danger it's too exposition-heavy, but I've tried to make it not too boring.

It also contains my personal head-canon that the story in Quendi and Eldar about Imin, Tata, and Enel was simply a childrens' story intended to teach the proportions of the thre Clans and the need to avoid greed, rather than being sober history.  Pure headcanon, of course, but it feels somewhat "realer" to me this way around.

Season 1, Episode 1, Part 4

Read Season 1, Episode 1, Part 4

PART FOUR

 SCENE SEVEN 

 

 INT. UTUMNO 

  It appears unchanged. There’s a flare of light and a torch is lit. It burns dully. Elf 1 (Neru) is staring at it. 

 Neru: 

Huh. It actually worked. I thought that was how they were doing it. You had to sort of sing it into existence.   

 [He pauses, looking at his fellow captive] 

 Car? I said – never mind. Hard to even think of singing in this place. Still – at least we haven’t seen the Master in – what, a few hundred sleeps, now? Maybe that’s what made me relaxed enough to- 

 Strange Elf (suddenly looms into the circle of light from the torch): 

[He’s more deformed and twisted than before. His teeth have become almost like tusks; his white eye has a black dot in the centre and he has tufts of fur-like hair over his face] 

Relaxed? Relaxed? Stupid, stupid Elf! 

 [Neru sees him and scrabbles backwards, a look of horror on his face] 

 What? Don’t you like how I look now? - My children look even better than me, you know. So do yours. I saw them. 

 Neru:

My – my children? You – and you look – what? 

 Strange Elf: 

Funny. You’re so funny. Can’t you feel it? 

 Neru:

Feel what? 

 Strange Elf: 

The Master’s back. He’s back at last. Back for us. Back for you. 

 Neru:

No. No. No! 

 [As he scrambles away from the Strange Elf, he scrabbles over Elf 2 (Carmo), who watches with a calm air. As if he’s not really there any more. It can be seen that his face is now mottled and his hair is falling out] 

 Strange Elf: 

He’s here! He’s here! Yes! Yes! No! No! Yes! 

 Sauron: 

[His voice is heard first – soft and mellifluous. His face comes- just – into view in the firelit area of the torch. Behind him, we can catch a glimpse of deformed and twisted babies] 

 Which is it? No? Or Yes? 

 Not that it matters, of course. Oh, my precious ones. I have missed you. 

 And you – my star subject. I hear the others have given you a new name? 

 Strange Elf: 

Oh yes, Master. They call me Gorkh 

Sauron: 

Gorkh? Hmm. Discordant, jangling, harsh – yes. I like it. 

 [He seizes Gorkh under the chin and examines him. Gorkh winces but endures it] 

My. How well you’ve done for an original generation. We do have to watch your line closely. I have great hopes for it – as long as we have time. 

 [There is a distant booming noise and some dust falls from the ceiling of the cavern] 

 Hmm. Well, we’ll have to see how it goes. And you… 

 [He turns to Neru] 

 You did this? 

 [He indicates the torch] 

Neru (stammering in fear): 

Y-y-yes. Yes, master. 

 Sauron: 

That’s possibly very useful. Or worrying. I haven’t decided yet. Either your line will be very important – or swiftly extinguished. It may depend on how things turn out here. 

 [he pokes Carmo with his foot] 

 This one, however – I can see his line being useful cannon-fodder. Him, though – well, we’ll see how many more we squeeze out of him before the end. 

 [He tilts his head] 

 Ah. I must leave you. Gorkh! Make sure you and this one get enough to eat. Some other thralls died last night, I am told. They will do. 

 

-- 

SCENE EIGHT 

EXT. CUIVENEN. NEAR THE WATER FRONT, BUT A BIT FURTHER BACK 

 Finn (rubbing his nose): 

Moru, I understand, I really do. But the guards are there for our protection. 

 [Before the Elf who’s talking with him can reply, the earth shakes. They ignore it] 

  Moru: 

I’m just saying I could go all the way up the Red Stream to the springs before, and now I can’t. We were looking for a good place to build out the next group of flets – this whatever-it-is that these 'Powers' are doing won’t last forever.  

 Finn: 

Well, exactly. We’re just going to have to wait. The Valar will defeat Melkor and the threat from his minions will be gone. Then we’ll be able to go as far as we like. In any direction. 

 [There’s a series of booming rumbles from far in the north. They both glance over to it for a moment and then ignore it again] 

 Moru: 

Assuming they win, of course. Anyway, the – whatever-it-was – that spoke to me out of the shadows wasn’t very respectful. It just said I had to turn back now and couldn’t go any further. 

 Finn: 

What did you expect? An invitation to dinner? 

 Moru: 

I’m saying there doesn’t seem to be much difference between being protected – and being prisoners.   

 [He chews his lip for a moment] 

 We were doing fine before this Oromë turned up. All right, there was the Dark Hunter, but we’d just found out about him and we were starting to take steps to protect ourselves against him. Who’s to say we wouldn’t have been able to protect ourselves – without need for these ‘guards’? 

 [There’s a series of bright flashes coming from the north, and sheets of light illuminating the sky] 

 Let’s be honest – this Melkor person sounds like he’s going to be more occupied with what’s going on where he is than where we are. So why can’t we go to the springs? 

  Finn (exasperated): 

Because the Maiar guarding us can’t be everywhere. If they expanded their perimeter to the springs in that direction, they’d have to take guards from the other direction – and you’d just complain you can’t go that way instead! 

 [The ground shakes again] 

 Moru: 

There’s no use talking to you, sometimes. 

[He glares at Finn and stalks off] 

 [Finn glares after Moru. He scowls and shakes his head as El joins him] 

 El: 

Moru being a pain? 

 Finn: 

Of course. He’s awake, isn’t he? 

 El (snorts): 

I can guess what he’s complaining about. Let’s see:  

 [Affects a nasal whine as sheets of light flash to the north again] 

 ‘Why can’t I go wherever I want? It’s not fair that there are now spirits actually protecting us against the embodiment of Evil, rather than leaving us to be swept up in the War! Why can’t things be as they were before – or as we thought they were and never actually were’ 

 [pauses, before resuming his normal voice] 

 Of course, he’ll probably not say that last bit out loud, but it’s the truth. 

 [The ground shakes again, this time worse than before] 

 Okay, that was a big one. 

 Finn: 

I wish it was over. It’s been going on forever. I mean – Ingar’s sister was unwed when this all started and now her daughter is about so tall. 

 [He holds out his hand at waist height] 

 El: 

You’re behind the times, Finn. She’s now this tall. 

 [Holds his hand at chest height] 

 Finn (straight faced): 

How long was Moru arguing with me? 

[They both laugh and start to walk towards the water’s edge] 

 El: 

It’s not just him. Nurweg’s said similar things – although in a far nicer way. Lenn’s muttering about it. Even Oro’s quietly saying people are unhappy about it. Personally, I think fear’s behind a lot of it. 

 Finn: 

You’d have thought people would be used to it by now. 

 El: 

They are. It still scares them, though, deep down. Basically, they’re used to being a bit scared, and really wish it would all go away. 

 Finn (shakes his head): 

And with all this going on, Ingar manages to get wed and take time to relax. 

 El: 

He can get away with it. I know we banter with him over it, but the Minyar are fewer than half the number of Nelyar that look to Nurweg, alone. 

 [Another sheet of light in the north, together with the Earth shaking] 

 Finn: 

And the Minyar will just put up with it. If I were to take time off, we’d have armed fights going on within six sleeps. How much longer is this war of theirs going to take? 

END OF PART FOUR

 

Season 1, Episode 1, Part 5

Read Season 1, Episode 1, Part 5

PART FIVE

SCENE NINE
 

INT. UTUMNO, THRONE ROOM 

 [Cavernous, but shaped into a huge chamber. Darkness beyond the camera in all directions other than the defined elements here: A throne on a dais, with werewolves slinking around. Melkor sits on the throne, his chin in his hand. Terrible and huge, the Lord of Utumno regards Sauron, who is kneeling before him. 

 Melkor (Rufus Sewell?): 

You should have held out longer at Angband. You failed me there. 

 Sauron: 

My Lord, we held as long as we could. Tulkas was there, and Oromë, and Ulmo, and even Manwë himself – with a full Host of Maiar. We might – we might have held if we had received reinforcements. 

 Melkor: 

You question me? You would not have held. You would have lost eventually. They would always have got through but you were supposed to make them pay more than they did! 

 [There is a loud boom and the throneroom shakes. Melkor arches a brow] 

Your former master is throwing his weight around. Aulë was never subtle. 

 [Sauron continues to bow his head. Melkor’s lip turns into a sneer – he’s taking it out on someone who can’t fight back] 

 I hear the breeding slaves have new names for you when you’re not around. 

 [Sauron glances up with what might be a flash in his eye, but bows his head again] 

 ‘Gorthaur’ is one, isn’t it?   

 Sauron: 

I am told it means ‘The Cruel’. I think I like it. 

 Melkor: 

How about the one about your smell? Are you as fond of that? ‘Sauron’. The Stench. Stinker. 

 Sauron (even with his head bowed, he scowls): 

No, Master. 

 Melkor: 

I think your original name is long gone, my apprentice. Not even Aulë would call you Admirable now. Although I still may find you so. May. 

 [Booming and more violent shaking. Sauron glances up and looks worried. Melkor notices] 

 Fear not, apprentice. My servants above are doing well. The Valar haven’t broken through as yet, and even if they ever do, they will have to face me directly.   

 [His expression becomes a leer] 

 I’d like to see what that oaf Tulkas can do without the benefit of surprise. 

 [Sauron looks unconvinced, but Melkor doesn’t notice his expression] 

 Sauron: 

Master – why do you not help with the battle directly? 

Melkor (laughs): 

Sometimes I forget how limited lesser beings can be. I am helping. Every moment. You didn’t think even the Balrogs had as much power as I’m expending up there? I’m holding off the combined power of all the Valar simultaneously – which will leave them without much in reserve when the counterattack begins! 

 [His expression becomes more serious] 

 Apprentice – your projects are still not mature enough to help. 

 Sauron (quickly): 

Your projects first, master. I’m just helping with them. 

 Melkor: 

Not quickly enough, though. Maybe if we hold for a few more years of their Accursed Trees you’ll have accelerated another generation to adulthood – but their numbers are still far too few. 

 [He looks thoughtful – pensive for the first time] 

 No – if they do get through, and even, unthinkably, defeat me, they will not destroy me. I will return. Somehow. Your role will be to prepare against that day. If they come close to breaking through, do not join in the fight. If the Balrogs cannot turn the tide, you will not make the difference. Hide. And prepare. 

 -- 

 

SCENE TEN 

 EXT. CUIVENEN. 

 [The flashes of light, blasts of fire, booms, rumbles, and shaking earth are near-constant. Finn, El, and Ingar are walking silently among their people, trying to keep them calm with their presence] 

 CUT TO 

 EXT. UTUMNO.   

Mountains under twilight levels of light, blasted and thrown down. Snow and ice explosions. The camera pans out, backwards and upwards, high, high up. We see the Host of Valar and Maiar from a tremendous distance, encircling the hugeness of Utumno, a train of flames leaping towards the centre-most point: a sapphire dot. The flames can be resolved into seven point sources, with further dark points trailing them. Pits of fire and devastation are widespread, more opening, as Utumno convulses and pits are unroofed. 

 Close up of Manwë looking calm and slicing horizontally with his sword. A blast of wind and sheets of lightning destroy the Balrogs 

 CUT TO 

INT. UTUMNO, THRONEROOM 

 Sauron: 

Master. They are breaking through. The Balrogs have been withered and swept aside by the Sword of Manwë and Aulë is forcing the Gates of Utumno at last. 

 Melkor: 

Flee and hide, my servant. I will confront them. 

[Pauses] 

 Wait. Take this. If the Balrogs have fallen, they will need help. 

 [He hands Sauron an ugly, twisted metal-and-crystal rod] 

Sauron: 

Yes, my Lord. 

 [He stands, takes the rod, bows, and steps back, fading into the darkness] 

CUT TO 

EXT. CUIVENEN, WATERFRONT 

 [The Elves have all assembled and are silently waiting. Ingar, Finn, and El are standing in front of them. Finn and El exchange nervous glances] 

 Ingar (softly, in a voice that carries only to Finn and El): 

I have the feeling that this is the moment of truth. 

CUT TO  

 INT. UTUMNO, THRONEROOM 

 [Melkor sits motionless, staring at the massive doors. 

A long beat, and then the loudest booms and explosions yet are heard. The doors shudder and burst in. 

We see Manwë first, tall and stern, standing in the now-open doorway. He is flanked by Ulmo and Oromë. Behind them, we can make out Aulë, Mandos, Tulkas, and other figures. 

 There is a long pause] 

 Melkor: 

My brother. I would welcome you, but you seem to have made yourself welcome. Nevertheless, there are proprieties to be observed. When you are in front of the King of the World, you will kneel. 

 [There is another long pause. Manwë’s expression changes to one of mild surprise, with possibly a tinge of relief.] 

 Manwë: 

Are you perhaps unwell, my brother? 

 Melkor (angrily and louder): 

You will KNEEL! 

 Manwë: 

No. I will not.   

[He looks unworried and unpressured. Melkor looks confused] 

 Mandos (from behind, moving forwards and gazing at Melkor, before speaking in an emotionless voice): 

He has lost his power to daunt. He has let too much of his own essence out of himself and into the world, and especially his servants and tools. He is lesser than before. Far lesser. No greater than you. 

 Melkor (shocked): 

I am – what? This – no! 

 [He shakes his head, thinking quickly, and rises] 

 So – I am now one of many, if Namo is correct. And you are many against my one. Will you claim your right to judge me by force – and the force of several against one? Is this the vaunted justice of Manwë 

Mandos: 

Justice is not what you would wish it to be. 

 Manwë: 

Nevertheless, we can meet his request. One of us, against him alone. 

 

  Tulkas. Will you stand for us? 

 Tulkas (pushes to the front and flexes his muscles): 

Gladly. 

 

CUT TO  

EXT. UTUMNO, THE RUINED GATES 

[The Valar issue forth, Melkor in their midst – bound with a massive chain] 

 CUT TO 

EXT. CUIVENEN 

[Silence. It drifts on, and on. The Elves look at each other, anxiously. Finally, Finn speaks in an undertone to El] 

 Finn: 

Do you think the War is finally over? 

El (just as softly): 

Either that or we all died just then and didn’t notice it. If so, the afterlife looks rather similar to before. 

END OF PART FIVE

---

Chapter End Notes

This is possibly the most Valar-action of the entire series.  Repeated cuts to and from the Elves to keep the viewer "grounded" and to not become too much on the Valar.

At least, that's the theory.

Season 1, Episode 1, Part 6

The final part of the feature-length series opening

Read Season 1, Episode 1, Part 6

PART SIX

 

SCENE ELEVEN

 

INT. UTUMNO, CAVERNS

 

[The camera moves through tunnel after tunnel, cavern after cavern as they are burst open and unroofed by a host of Maiar.

 

It dives downwards, to another level, where there are yet more Maiar ripping Utumno apart. And down to another level, and another – and then a long, deep, dive, to a quiet level – apart from the distant booms and slight shaking].

 

INT. UTUMNO

 

Neru (whispering):

 

What – what’s happened?

 

[No-one answers. The camera pans around to show Carmo huddled and unmoving nearby, Gorkh pacing up and down, and hundreds of other forms – large and small, some no larger than babies - huddled in fear]

 

[The booms continue for a while as they stare in fear, before the noise dying away]

 

CUT TO

 

EXT. VALINOR, THE RING OF DOOM

 

[Melkor lies bound with a chain of peculiar metal – it looks variously red or green under differing light – and blindfolded.

 

He lies on his face, grovelling]

 

Melkor:

 

Manwë – my brother – give me mercy.

 

Mandos:

 

Why should any give you mercy when you yourself gave it to none.

 

Tulkas:

 

Better that you should be killed – if it were possible. But you would just take another form.

 

[Manwë remains silent]

 

Melkor:

 

I only wanted to create. You must be able to understand that! I was wrong – I know that now.

 

Oromë:

 

A convenient and timely realisation.

 

Melkor:

 

I was coming to understand it over the past Ages, I think, when all I tried to create turned awry. I started to realise it – and denied it in my anger – when I began to try to destroy what others had been making.

 

Varda:

 

This realisation has been building for a very long time, then.

 

Melkor (wincing):

 

I am your brother, Manwë, and you have to be able to understand me – to understand the drive to create something in this Realm. I thought – I thought you were getting it wrong. You were building Arda too slowly and in such a way as it would take too long to mature.

 

Aulë:

 

That is colossal hubris.

 

Melkor (humbly):

 

I have realised that. It became a flash of understanding when Manwë confronted me in Utumno and we realised how much I had dwindled. You see – I dwindled because I had been wrong.

 

Nienna:

 

It is welcome that you can say that, my older brother. Accepting you were wrong is the first step to repairing your damage.

 

Melkor:

 

Nienna? My sister? Thank you. You are wise, and merciful.

 

Nienna:

 

We must grant mercy where we can, or else we fall into the same trap as did Melkor. Without mercy, we cannot rebuild trust and work to reduce the Marring of Arda.

 

Tulkas:

 

The Marring that Melkor did.

 

Nienna:

 

Even so.

 

Melkor:

 

Without me, the building of Arda would be incomplete – I have a role even as do you all. I was given power to help the shaping of Arda. I misused it – I know that now, and I can do no other than beg for mercy. But extremes are needful, else the World becomes tame and boring. I was not wrong there. Consider the snowflake: water from Ulmo, air from Manwë – and uttermost cold from me, making unique beauty. Beauty that would not exist without me.

 

Oromë:

 

The cruelty you have shown and the need to possess all that is – you cannot excuse that.

 

Melkor:

 

My need to possess – as I have said, that was down to my arrogance in believing you were all wrong and only I could be right. I wanted to show you all the beauty of what I could create!.

 

 Yet I realised in that flash of understanding that I was wrong – I had to be wrong, else I would not have fallen in my power so far.

 

Ulmo:

 

I can almost believe you in that – your power was ever precious to you, and losing power could affect you greatly.

 

Melkor:

 

My power was precious in so much as what I could create with it. Which meant losing it in my failed attempts showed how wrong I must have been.

 

Oromë:

 

Yet this does not begin to cover your crimes against the Children.

 

Melkor:

 

The Children? But – that was not me!

 

Aulë:

 

You cannot expect us to credit that!

 

Melkor:

 

I – I can only beg you to believe me. It was He who was once Mairon! He found them and brought one to me. He was trying to corrupt and taint them, but I told him we could not. They are separate, independent minds from us, and a separate creation of The One. They are the point of this creation.

 

He could not understand that. He did not see. Perhaps this was my greatest failure – I had twisted him to the point where all he could see was tools. I do not understand – his entire desire had always been to create order – order to benefit the Children and all who dwell in Arda. Why, then, would he see them only as things to be used?

 

Nienna:

 

It is a trait of those who fall from their path and give up what they know to be right for immediate convenience.

 

Melkor:

 

You must be right. So – I sent him away. I ordered him to leave them alone and return the poor one he had seized. I learned – much later – he had ignored me and continued. He had hunted them for many Years of the Trees, and seized many of them. I fear they all died in his experiments.

 

When I learned that, I ordered him to come to me; I was to confront him, but he fled. He went west – I had wondered if he was to return to you, but surely Manwë would not abide his crimes against the Children?

 

Tulkas:

 

Indeed he would not!

 

Melkor:

 

He made a citadel of his own in the North West, and drew away some of those who served me. I was pondering what to do with him, when I heard you had attacked him, resolving the problem.

 

Oromë:

 

That must have been the citadel we fought against shortly after crossing the Helcaraxë.

 

Melkor:

 

Indeed. Did you capture him as well?

 

Oromë:

 

No. He fled.

 

Melkor:

 

Ah. In any case, he must have lost almost all his forces and will be all but powerless now.

 

[Another pause as the Valar look at each other]

 

I beg you – let me but take my place among you – as the least of the Valar – and I will dedicate myself to undoing the harm I have done!

 

Tulkas:

 

You must think us fools!

 

Nienna:

 

We must allow for the possibility of redemption. None can ever fall so far they can not come back to the Light.

 

Oromë:

 

I misdoubt both his claim and his sincerity.

 

[They all turn to look at Manwë]

 

[At long last, Manwë speaks]

 

Manwë:

 

I have heard the argument and I do not deny our kinship – yet your crimes are vast and unimaginable. But we cannot deny mercy and redemption where the hope for such remains. I also have doubts for your sincerity, my brother, and I feel the time that has passed since your claimed realisation is insufficient to make it solid. So this is the Judgement of Manwë:

 

[He rises]

 

You will be taken from here and locked in the fastnesses and deepest halls of Mandos, where the Dead of the Elves will come to be held and healed and none may ever escape – not even you. There you will reflect on your crimes and your possible redemption.

 

Melkor:

 

Is this sentence eternal? For I do not see the mercy in that.

 

Manwë:

 

No. You will be held for three Ages of the Trees, after which time you may once more sue for pardon. Then we will judge you again and see if your repentance is sincere.

 

Mandos:

 

So it is doomed.

 

--

 

 

 

SCENE TWELVE

 

EXT. CUIVENEN, WATER’S EDGE

 

[The camera looks down at the various knots of Elves wandering and talking, before homing in towards Finn talking with Moru. As it goes, we hear a voiceover of the Valar in Conclave once more]

 

V/O Oromë:

 

And what of the Elves?

 

V/O Aulë:

 

Should they not be invited here? We have waited through Ages out of time for them – to teach, to protect, to guide, and to be with.

 

V/O Lorien:

 

But what do they most desire and dream of?

 

Finn:

 

They’ve gone. It’s all stopped and the guards have gone.

 

Moru:

 

About time.

 

Finn (holding back annoyance):

 

You can freely go to the Red Springs now.

 

Moru:

 

I don’t think I want to right now.

 

Finn:

 

Fine. Well, you can go when you do want. They’ve all gone now.

 

Moru:

 

Hopefully we’ll never see them again

 

Finn:

 

What?

 

Moru:

 

We don’t need them. They had to come here to prevent one of their own from hurting us. He’s gone. With any luck, so are all of the others.

 

[Finn looks to remonstrate, but Moru stalks off. The camera pulls up and we see Miri walking towards Finn, holding something]

 

V/O Ulmo:

 

The Children should be left to dwell where and as they choose.

 

V/O Oromë:

 

But Middle-Earth is still full of danger and many of Melkor’s servants yet roam.

 

Miri:

 

Finn – I have something for you. You’ve led our people through a time of fear, and I thought I could make you something from my new embroidery.

 

Finn (smiling politely – but his smile becomes impressed and genuine as she shakes it out):

 

You didn’t have to, Miri, but I’m – well. I truly am very grateful.

 

[He lifts it up – it’s a dark grey tunic with an image embroidered on it – a golden star-circle covering the centre of the chest, golden rays stabbing out all around]

 

Miri (starting out a bit tentative, but gaining confidence):

 

I saw one of the greater flashes of light during the War in the north and it looked to me like a star – but larger and brighter and golden. It only lasted for an instant, but it was directly over your head – from where I was standing. It stayed in my eyes for a long moment after it faded; I was blinking for a while.

 

Finn (almost absently as he admires the tunic):

 

I know what you mean – some of the images took a very long time to leave the eyes.

 

[The camera pulls up again. We see El walking towards the two of them. He pauses and his lips twitch into a smile; he waits until Miri smiles and excuses herself]

 

V/O Ulmo:

 

I feel it would be an error to bring them here. We should trust in their gifts of skill to order the lands and heal their hurts

 

V/O Aulë:

 

Then for what reason are we here at all? We should, of course, let them freely choose where they go, but if they were to come here, they would be free from the mischances of Middle-Earth, free from the roaming creatures of Melkor, and they could advance and learn far faster than otherwise. We cannot exclude them from the Light of the Trees.

 

V/O Nessa:

 

Can we celebrate and dance and feast alone, when the Children of Iluvatar do not?

 

V/O Lorien:

 

They may prefer to remain under the stars and restful shadow in Middle-Earth.

 

V/O Yavanna:

 

There is so much they can learn from us – would it not be wrong to refuse to teach them? As my husband says – why else are we even here?

 

[El is now talking with Finn]

 

El:

 

Now that is an impressive tunic, my friend. But I think you’ve earned it – keeping Moru and the discontented in line.

 

Finn (waves it off):

 

If anything, you’ve done better than me. Not even Nurweg caused any problems with your Clan, and your Clan is larger than mine and Ingar’s put together.

 

El:

 

Sometimes it works out. With a Clan as large as mine, you have more groups within it, and those groups have their own leaders. You can get support from those to help keep others calm. With my brothers, with Oro, and with Nowe all on side, keeping Nurweg and Lenn calm was easy enough.

 

[The camera pulls back until it’s high above. You can see the shoreline, the Cascades, the low cliff, the springs, multiple clearings off the main clearing, well-made huts, groups of Elves working, or relaxing, or exploring. The smoke from multiple controlled fires – and from one or two that look like rudimentary forges]

 

V/O Oromë:

 

Surely we should not stand back and remain safe, content, and luxurious in our safe gardens and fields while the Eldar are abandoned in Middle-Earth?

 

V/O Ulmo:

 

Say not ‘abandoned’, but rather ‘free to roam as they choose’

 

[We see Moru return to upbraid Finn, but we do not hear what he says. El steps back, but is confronted, almost apoplogetically by Nurweg and Lenn.]

 

V/O Manwë:

 

We cannot and will not constrain any. But we can and will offer them a place with us. This is not a pleasaunce or a walled garden and we are here to guide and help. Oromë will return to Cuivenen, there to summon them to dwell with us in Valinor if they should choose.

 

[As the camera recedes still further and higher away. We catch Moru storming off again]

 

V/O Mandos:

 

So it is doomed.

 

 

 

 

 

END OF EPISODE 1