SilmFilm Session 5-02: Scope of the Season
Theme of the season
The theme ultimately decided upon was Change. The Silmarillion mentions that things begin to change faster after the rise of the Sun. This theme allows us to incorporate several of the other suggested themes, such as death and mortality, learning/understanding, loss and decline, waiting and inactivity. The Elves will start to go from being agents of change, as they were in Season 4, to reacting to changes that happen around them. Elves trying to bring Men to live with them in their realms is kind of like the Valar bringing the Elves to Valinor.
The main question will be how best to respond to change. Is it to try to preserve things as they are (Elvish perspective) or to accept change and face it (Human perspective)? Different characters will be at different points on the spectrum of preserving the status quo vs. accepting change. Turgon, with his city built as a replica of Tirion and lack of interest in anything outside Gondolin, will be one of the characters most resistant to change. Maedhros will probably be nearer the opposite end of the spectrum. Maedhros has been greatly changed by his experiences after coming to Middle-earth, and his hatred of Morgoth gives him an almost Man-like urgency. Finrod can be the center of the change arc. He can begin the season more interested in preserving things, but his attitude towards change will shift after the death of Beor and especially after his conversation with Andreth. Finrod's oath to Barahir can be the culmination of this arc. Galadriel changed a lot in Season 4, but will not be quite as prominent a character this season. This difference in attitude about change is something that can help differentiate the House of Beor from the House of Hador. The House of Hador will be seen more as allies and peers by the Elves they serve.
This theme of change will be relevant through the rest of the story, particularly at times such as the making of the Elvish Rings of Power and encounters with Elvish realms during LOTR. We will continue to build on it in later seasons, just as we have built on the themes of earlier seasons: Collaboration in Season 1, the Fate of Elves/Elvenhome in Season 2, Rebellion in Season 3, and Reconciliation in Season 4.
Fingolfin
How should we handle Fingolfin's duel with Morgoth? It seems both incredibly heroic and a tragic act of despair. It does not really accomplish much; however, it is bad PR for Morgoth. He has to go fight Fingolfin; otherwise, he would look like a coward, and then Morgoth's captains see him almost defeated by an Elf. Perhaps this could be the moment Sauron loses faith in Morgoth.
Why does Fingolfin decide to essentially abdicate and go charging off to Angband? He is not seeking glory for himself. He is not int the middle of battle and presumably going to die anyway like Eomer. Fingolfin must see this as the only hope. Does he actually believe he can defeat Morgoth? Perhaps he sees that the only hope the Elves have is aid from the Valar and that is why he decides to challenge Morgoth.
In The Book of Lost Tales, Ulmo's warning delivered to Turgon via Tuor is different. Instead of telling Turgon to get his people to safety, Ulmo tells him to march out to battle against Morgoth. If Turgon does this, Ulmo will muster the other Valar and Morgoth will be defeated (Turgon still decides to stay in Gondolin). There could some element of this in Fingolfin's rationale for challenging Morgoth. Fingolfin may receive foresight that Morgoth will be defeated by one of his house. He may believe that if he rides out, the Valar will come aid the Elves. This foresight would actually be referring to Earendil's deeds, though we will have to be careful not to reveal too much of this. It is fitting that the divine intervention Fingolfin's duel does prompt is Thorondor bearing his body to Turgon.
Aredhel
Aredhel will leave Gondolin not only because she is discontented but also because she sees that Turgon is beginning to fail in the task Ulmo set him to. Turgon is beginning to see Gondolin as an end rather than a means of survival. He should not be as far along in this line of thinking as he is when he ignores Ulmo's message through Tuor, but Aredhel can have some insight about where Turgon is headed.
Aredhel's relationship with Eol should be an actual love story, and Eol should be a somewhat sympathetic character at first so the viewers see him as Aredhel sees him. We can emphasize the parallels between Eol and Aredhel's relationship and Galadriel and Celeborn, Thingol and Melian, and Beren and Luthien. Aredhel is looking for someone who will listen to her, and Eol is a sympathetic ear, just as Celeborn was to Galadriel. However, Eol's faults are that he is possessive and narcissistic.
Maeglin will also be possessive and narcissistic, but worse than Eol. Eol is focused on himself and wants everyone to leave him alone. Maeglin is ambitious. He will rebel against Eol's possessiveness and use Aredhel as a means to get to Gondolin, where he desires to rule.
We will discuss the larger arc of Gondolin before deciding how much of Maeglin in Gondolin to show this season. Perhaps Aredhel's story could be split around the pivot point of the season, the first half telling of her leaving Gondolin and meeting Eol, the second half telling of her leaving Nan Elmoth with Maeglin.
Next session, we will begin by deciding the pivot point and begin figuring out the layout of episodes in the season. Suggested pivot points include a time skip moving between generations of Men, the death of Aredhel, and the Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth, in which Finrod changes his mind about change.