Session 2.12 for S2E08

The Valar are involved in a process which also includes a Vala named Melkor, but excludes the elves. This causes unrest among the elves.
 
I understand that. My concern is that I'm not sure the audience will see Melkor as united with the Valar enough for the elves' concerns about the Valar's secrecy and the authenticity Melkor's contrition to read as the same conflict.
 
I don't think it would be viewed as two different stories, Nick. Do you really think it would be?

I'm not saying the Valar need to be viewed as united with Melkor. It's more like, well, they have a conflict, which in turn causes the conflict of the episode.
 
I understand what the conflicts are. I guess what I'm not seeing us how they are the same conflict. Melkor would not be viewed as one and the same as the Valar by our audience or the elves. The fact that Melkor is technically classified as a Vala doesn't mean he will be viewed as member of the party. If our conflict is elvish reaction to Melkor, then they need some sort of contact with him in act 1. If our conflict is the elvish reaction to being shut out of the trial, then the climax of the episode should resolve that conflict, not a different conflict.
 
The conflict isn't the elvish reaction to Melkor. It isn't to being shut out. It's to the process among the Valar, which is an attempt to resolve a conflict.
 
Ok, so how do we resolve that in a way that isn't just "Melkor's an OK guy", which doesn't really address a conflict which centers on the elvish reaction to the Valar's process.
 
Good question - I guess you're way ahead of me as far as story structure goes. It sounds too abstract. (Which I definitely led in too). I have to think about that.... :)
 
Nicholas is right. These are two separate story arcs that are each episodic, but difficult to integrate into a single cohesive episode. So, let's not try. Let's go for broke and act as if were are creating two half-hour long episodes. We don't even try to blend them, but we use the transition between episodes to indicate the passage of time. Even have the frame interject with a "After the trial, Melkor indeed seemed to show contrition and created many fair and wonderful things throughout Valmar, and as his probation was lifted, throughout Valinor. And even as Melkor ingratiated himself into the lives of the Caliquendi, life continued apace for the Noldor..." and then we transition into the second part of the story.
 
Well, to be honest, I think that making the change from the text is what put us in this weird, esoteric "conflict about the conflict" situation.


That said, I was talking to some folks and may have come up with an alternative that fixes some of the structural issues removing the elves from the parole hearing causes.

What if we make Melkor the protagonist of the episode?

Now I know that sounds nutty, but hear me out. The person who overcomes adversity by the end of this episode? Melkor. The person who is involved in every stage of the plot? Melkor. The person who the episode is really about? Melkor.

So why not just make it about him.

We start with the flashback to the original trial, explaining how his imprisonment is going to work. We SHOW him (I know I might get some resistance on this, but I think it's a special case), miserable in Mandos. We might even spend a few minutes there, showing how long he's there, we might now.

We show him being brought into the light, still in chains, and brought before the Valar for his hearing. We see his contrition at the trial, and the reactions of the Valar, then he is released. To Valmar only. Then he starts working on winning the trust of everyone around him, including the Noldor. (We have plenty to do with them also, but that is B plot.) He helps them solve some problem. Meanwhile we get a conversation between Tulkas and Ulmo where Tulkas is angry that Melkor walks free, and Ulmo doesn't disagree, but he understands Manwë's process now better than he did before the War, and trusts Manwë is doing what is right.

The climax could even be something where Melkor might appear to Tulkas to be doing something nefarious, which Tulkas then wrecks, only to find it was clearly designed as something beneficial, so the elves help Melkor rebuild.
 
What is wrong with A plot and B plot? I don't see why we can't blend these stories together.
 
Nothing is wrong with A plot and B plot being mixed together. I just didn't want anyone to think I was forgetting that the elves have stuff to do.
 
Well, to be honest, I think that making the change from the text is what put us in this weird, esoteric "conflict about the conflict" situation.


That said, I was talking to some folks and may have come up with an alternative that fixes some of the structural issues removing the elves from the parole hearing causes.

What if we make Melkor the protagonist of the episode?

Now I know that sounds nutty, but hear me out. The person who overcomes adversity by the end of this episode? Melkor. The person who is involved in every stage of the plot? Melkor. The person who the episode is really about? Melkor.

So why not just make it about him.

We start with the flashback to the original trial, explaining how his imprisonment is going to work. We SHOW him (I know I might get some resistance on this, but I think it's a special case), miserable in Mandos. We might even spend a few minutes there, showing how long he's there, we might now.

We show him being brought into the light, still in chains, and brought before the Valar for his hearing. We see his contrition at the trial, and the reactions of the Valar, then he is released. To Valmar only. Then he starts working on winning the trust of everyone around him, including the Noldor. (We have plenty to do with them also, but that is B plot.) He helps them solve some problem. Meanwhile we get a conversation between Tulkas and Ulmo where Tulkas is angry that Melkor walks free, and Ulmo doesn't disagree, but he understands Manwë's process now better than he did before the War, and trusts Manwë is doing what is right.

The climax could even be something where Melkor might appear to Tulkas to be doing something nefarious, which Tulkas then wrecks, only to find it was clearly designed as something beneficial, so the elves help Melkor rebuild.

I'll admit the thought did pass through my head that this episode should (in jest) be called "All About Melkor" at one point yesterday. :)

I like that last about Tulkas actively 'going after' Melkor. He just won't leave it alone. I think we should be careful about how far Tulkas goes, though. Should we also have Oromë holding conversation with either Tulkas or Ulmo, at least initially? Or would his frustration be strictly manifested in his hunting trips? What about the other Valar? Thinking about the Valmar half.

Edit: I rescind my comment about being careful how far Tulkas goes. He wouldn't actually rebel so I think he can raise as much hell for Melkor as he wants, within reason.
 
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I agree that there will only be so far Tulkas will go. I'm thinking that he makes no move to attack Melkor himself, but destroys some device, thinking it is intended to harm the elves and that he will expose Melkor's evil once and for all.


What is brought to my mind is "Clash" an episode of the Justice League Unlimited. I'm trying to find a video to show what I'm talking about.
 
Exactly. I was actually in the middle of disagreeing with myself and making an edit to include that line of thought, but the page froze for a few minutes. :)
 
I had the same problem. The internet has been having a lot of weird stuff going on the past few days. Maybe Dagor Dagorath is approaching.
 
I think making Melkor the protagonist has clear benefits. Unifying the episode is one. Getting close to him also increases the possibility to give the gullible person inside of us a feeling that he's reformed. And it adds a layer of conflict to his later crimes. If we've partially sided with him, we will feel the tragedy of the killing of the Trees more.
 
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