Season 2: Episode 10 Script Discussion

Script Outline - Draft

Season 2: Episode 10 - Kinstrife [or, Which F'in Elf?]

Protagonist: Fingolfin
Conflict: The pride of Fingolfin and Fëanor brings them into conflict over a variety of topics, including the leadership of the Noldor, the revelation of the coming of Men, the proper use of a sword, and how much stock to set by Melkor's words.

Teaser: Fëanor walks through Tirion with the silmarils on his brow [this is the only scene where he wears them in this episode]. He gets tons of adulation and clearly has celebrity status. Fingolfin sees this and is clearly so done with the fawning his older brother gets. We see that his shop is doing brisk business in 'Fëanorean lanterns' which are not actually made by Fëanor.
Frame: Arwen knows that Galadriel wants to return to Valinor someday, but does not know why she left in the first place.

Act 1
1. Fingolfin is taking part in a sword-fighting tournament in Tirion. Finwë is present as an observer. He defeats his opponent, and Fingon congratulates him, saying he totally could have killed him! Fingolfin rebukes him, saying that's not the point of this....but yes 😉.

2. Galadriel in Alqualondë visiting her Teleri relatives.

3. Melkor tells fortunes for some of the Noldor. He tells Turgon to 'guard well his daughter' (he has no daughter yet). He offers to tell Caranthir's fortune, but Caranthir disdainfully points out that he has no interest in these fanciful tales. And then Melkor tells Fingolfin that someday, he will be king of the Noldor.

Act 2
4. Caranthir tells his family about Melkor's prediction. Fëanor says that any fool could have seen that's what Fingolfin really wants.

5. A meeting in Finwë's court where the supporters of Fëanor and Fingolfin argue over their relative merits. Fëanor's supporters question the devotion of Fingolfin to the Noldor (the children of Indis are half-Vanyar, and Turgon just married a Vanya woman). Fingolfin's supporters point out that Fëanor only cares about himself.

6. Finwë and Indis discuss the problem with the rift between their children, and what to do about it, before it is too late.

7. Edit: Fingolfin and Irimë make it clear that they are done talking to Fëanor. Finarfin tries to be peacemaker. Fëanor makes a sword in his secret forge.

Act 3
8. Melkor lets slip that there are 2nd Children, and feigns surprise that the elves didn't know about this. The Noldor rumor-mill takes this and runs with it!

9. Finwë tells Fingolfin that he's being summoned to a meeting to discuss family business. Fëanor reacts to this news by privately accusing Fingolfin of poisoning the king against his own son. He mentions having put the silmarils away for safe-keeping.

10. Rumor-bearers tell Fingolfin and Finarfin that Fëanor is making plans to be rid of them.

11. Finarfin and Fëanor both give very different very public speeches about what to do about the 2nd Children. Fëanor thinks the Noldor should defend their birthright and return to Middle Earth, and that the Valar clearly can not be trusted. Finarfin thinks that everyone should calm down and think things through, and not rush into any hasty judgments. Fingolfin would like to support Finarfin, but secretly agrees with Fëanor.

Act 4
12. Fingon and Maedhros discuss the family situation - they think that everything would be solved if they could just sit down and talk about it. Fingon points out that their fathers don't disagree as much as they think they do.

13. Fingolfin arrives to Finwë's summons, and starts complaining about Fëanor. He mentions that Fëanor has disregarded the summons and is speaking in the king's name publicly. Fëanor arrives in full regalia, delivers his line about finding his half-brother trying to be before him with their father, and draws his sword. He tells Fingolfin to get out; and Fingolfin ignores him, but silently walks out. Fëanor follows him out, holds him at swordpoint.

14. Melkor flees Tirion. Fingolfin seeks out Finarfin to let him know what Fëanor did.

Tag: Galadriel on the beach talking about wanting realms of her own in Middle Earth, and asking the Teleri if they could build her a ship.

Frame: Galadriel-in-the-Frame reacts to the opinions expressed by Galadriel-in-the-Main-Story. The message is a mix between you-don't-know-what-you-have-til-it's-gone and wisdom-means-being-able-to-change-your-mind.
 
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*claps forehead*

We forgot about Irime and Findis, the two daughters of Finwë and Indis! Irimë is supposed to be closest to Fingolfin (and take his side), and Findis is close to their mother. I think we could make Irimë dark-haired and Findis blond or something, to distinguish them.

Findis isn't important (she can just quietly be there in a few scenes - like the Court, or Finarfin's speech), but Irimë has to be a character so that we care when we kill her off in the kinslaying. She should be vehemently anti-Fëanor here, so that it's a bit of a shock when she's vehemently pro-getting-revenge-on-Morgoth later and thus speaks on Fëanor's side.


Also, we had a bunch of eldest children working on this script outline, so I would *really* appreciate it if a 2nd-eldest or middle child could take a look at this outline and let us know what we need to make Fingolfin more believable. 😉
 
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I'm a middle child!*

The one thing I'm not sure I agree with, based entirely on the outline, is Fingolfin's relationship with Finarfin. It's too... reactionary? Passive? Not sure what word I need here. But remember, while Fingolfin is technically a middle child, he's also the eldest of the second batch of children -- he's going to feel entitled to/responsible for (and yes, it's a mix of both) taking leadership amongst them. Maybe, instead of seeking out Finarfin to "tattle" on or gossip about what Feanor's done, he should summon him, or otherwise make it clearer that he thinks his brother needs to be warned, or meet with him to strategize. He'll also be very much aware of who his best allies/those most in sympathy would be; he might actually summon/meet with Irime first, while Finarfin could seek them out to play peacemaker, rather than letting the two of them stew together.

When I can watch the video of the discussion, I might have more to add.


*And, interestingly, I have just a touch of a parallel w/ the Fingolfin situation... Sorry to digress into bio, but long story short, there's 4 & 1/2 years between my elder sister and I, less than a year between my younger sister and I, and 15 months between her and our baby brother. So I'm the "little big" -- the oldest of the younger bunch of children. And my older sister is amazing; I love her to pieces, but having a beautiful, athletic, and brilliant big sister is not fun when you're an awkward preteen with asthma and weight issues... So yeah, I'm totally in sympathy with Fingolfin
 
Thank you so much! Yeah, it was like, wait...Fingolfin is the protagonist, but we keep getting distracted by what Fëanor is up to. 😉

Oh, and you can watch it now; it's available on YouTube in the video linked above. It's just not cut into segments yet.
 
"Can" refers more to time than availability, I'm afraid! Maybe this weekend?

I know ppl have shared worries elsewhere that grown-up Fingolfin with children could look bratty, but I think there's definitely room here for depicting him as less "Daaaaad! Feanor's not that special!!!!!" and more "I am my own, capable person now, and I am no long deferring to or indulging my brother." That change in the dynamics alone could be enough to cause conflict, and Fingolfin being humble enough to give an inch could have spared a mile of trouble, to twist the metaphor.

Edited to add: That "I am my own person" assertion is apparently completely normal for second/younger siblings -- I certainly had that moment I no longer looked to my sister as the wise, all-knowing fount of knowledge (interestingly, that happened after it did with my parents, I think because her knowledge seemed more "relevant" to high school/college life than theirs), and at least three of my younger-sibling friends have discussed having this event with me, as well.
 
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Cool to read this as i've just finished listening to the podcast for that episode. I was a bit surprised that Fingon seems to have a sword before Feanor has, but I guess it makes sense. Even if weapons are not worn open there would be Spears and bows known for hunting and swords probably for sports. That absolutely makes sense and it also makes the secret armament of the Noldor much less suspicious.
 
Fëanor can't invent everything 😉

Oh, and also - Fëanor is thus besting Fingolfin at his own thing, if we show Fingolfin as the one who has taken up swords from a crafting/martial arts stand point. We also had an annoyed Fëanor show up Rumil by inventing a better writing system. Fëanor may not have had interest in swords before...but now that Fingolfin is presenting as an opponent, Fëanor will take it, make it better, and beat him at it.
 
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