Session 7-01: A Look Ahead

[Odola]

If that is the option that is taken, then I guess we need to have Melian bring the Nauglamir to Beren and Lúthien before shuffling off this mortal coil Middle-earth, back to Valinor.

Yes, but this makes Melian a very ambivalent figure - why does she doom her daughter and her offspring to unnecessary early deaths and her late husband's realm to be massacred? She is a Maia who has foresight, she knows how this will end, especially now that her bound to her corporeal body had been broken and the limitations of corporality had been lifted from her.

 

[David_M_R]

This is indeed a big question to answer. Maybe Melian lost confidence, in her grief, that she could do anything particularly positive for B&L? Maybe she was in too much "spiritual pain" to stick around? Maybe she felt that she had meddled long enough with the Children of Ilúvatar? Maybe she got a message from Manwë to come back to base? Maybe her foresight didn't quite see everything, due to the part of the music she had particular involvement in (marriage with Thingol, Lúthien as Elf/Maia-hybrid, which is ... kinda no longer true) was over? Lots of questions....

 

[Odola]

Maybe Melian lost confidence, in her grief, that she could do anything particularly positive for B&L? Maybe she was in too much "spiritual pain" to stick around?

That is clear. She simply goes home after Thigol dies.

But why does she bother with the Silmaril? It was Thingol's so she inherits it as the widow. She could sent it to the Feanorians or got it thrown into Sirion or just leave it laying there on the floor of the throne room. Why the trouble to get it to Luthien just to let it kill Luthien sooner and then get Dior, his wife and his sons killed a mere few years from now and then get the Havens sacked with all that death toll as well several decades later? This one action of Melian kills off several hundred people at least, and among them her nearest kin.

 

[MithLuin]

Yes, I was a bit surprised how certain he was that the Fëanorean vs Dwarves storyline was the one we would want to use, but I always knew this part of the story (ie, the final 4 chapters) would be the place where wanting to capture Tolkien's story and following the text of the published Silmarillion would not match up. How we choose to deviate is going to be a frequent conversation moving forward, I think. The question mark after Beren's name is indeed a reminder that while we do need to include the end of his story, it might not involve the dwarves any more.

The end of Melian's story is indeed a story of grief. Wanting to visit Lúthien again before she leaves is a natural impulse, but....she's been grieving Lúthien since their return from the Halls of Mandos. She knows she will be parted from her daughter forever. So, I'm not sure if she has much of a concept of 'soon or late' regarding the death of Lúthien. The inevitablity of mortal death isn't something Melian has had to grapple with before, and she's already grieving Thingol and losing her own sense of self. Her choices can be wise and in character...but still appear bizarre to an observer.

I know this is *everyone's* favorite plot device...but...Melian is foresighted, it's true. She could have a vision of disaster with the Nauglamír/silmaril in Doriath. Giving it to Lúthien could be her way of trying to avert the disaster (though ultimately unsuccessful). She could even acknowledge to Lúthien that it is beyond her power to avert the fate that is coming - the doom of the silmaril was always more powerful than the Girdle of Melian - but that her action will allow Dior to live his life (which would have been even shorter otherwise). Or something like that.

I'm not sure how we're going to keep the Nauglamír out of the hands of the dwarves who sack Doriath, but it will establish the precedent that sacking a place to get this item *doesn't work*. The Fëanoreans are going to fail twice, despite successfully defeating the person who has the Nauglamír. So, it's probably thematically okay, though it's going to take some practical wrangling. Melian is no doubt part of that.

As an aside, having an adult (or nearly adult) Elwing at the Second Kinslaying means that she will have much more agency in her escape from Doriath. There have been some questions in the past about why and how she's bringing certain artefacts out of Doriath (such as Aranruth), and it's typically been assumed that the people who rescued her also rescued these items, bringing her and them to the Havens of Sirion. If she's in her late teens when this happens, she's making decisions...and not managing to save her younger brothers or father. So, there's a story to tell there, and I'm interested to see what we do with that in Season 11.

 

[Erucheb]

Hey everyone! It's been a long time since I've been able to attend one of these live, but I've been following along diligently with the recordings. I just watched Thursday's discussion and had some thoughts that I wanted to share about how the last few seasons could be structured (after catching up on this thread as well, haha!).

I think the plan to end S8 with Glaurung's sack of Nargothrond and Tuor's meeting of Ulmo is great, and absolutely the best way to overlap their stories. But I want to push back on the idea of releasing Húrin early (and not just because, like many of us, I prefer not to meddle too much with the timeline, haha). I think releasing Húrin early doesn't actually solve as much as it was portrayed as doing.

It seems like the problem arises from trying to have Gondolin fall by the end of season 10, which means either Doriath falls the same season or in season 9. That either means (by the "official" chronology) that the Túrin story has to wrap up before the end of season 9 so that all the Húrin/Thingol/Nauglamír stuff can also happen, or else all that has to compete with the Fall of Gondolin for time in season 10. But, the idea seems to be, if Húrin can get the Nauglamír to Thingol before the end of the Túrin story, that bottleneck is removed!

Unfortunately, I don't think this actually works. The problem isn't really when Húrin is released: the problem is when the Nauglamír can leave Nargothrond. And regardless of when Húrin is released, that can't really happen until Glaurung leaves. That means that at absolute earliest Húrin (and Mîm!!) could arrive at Nargothrond while Glaurung is en-route to Brethil. In terms of in-story time, that probably gains you a few weeks -- but in terms of episode sequence, I don't think it gains you any time at all.

Thematically, I also think having Húrin deliver the Nauglamír to Thingol before discovering the grave of his children and burying Morwen robs Húrin of much of his pathos when he throws it at Thingol's feet. After all, for all he knows his family is all still alive. And even if he is despairing of that due to the curse, what becomes of his healing by Melian? Does it turn into "oh, maybe there is hope after all!" only for that to be dashed again? This isn't as insurmountable a problem as the chronological issues, but I think it is a deep loss. A frantic scramble by Húrin to reach his children before their doom would add some drama, but I think the cost would be more than the gain.

But how to resolve the timing of the falls of Doriath and Gondolin? In my opinion, the best solution is to add another season. I know, that's not always popular! But I think allowing 13 seasons total, while not as numerically satisfying as 12, allows the stories to breath better while still not being spread too thinly. I've mocked up an image of what this might look like based on @MithLuin's wonderful slide (of which it is a pale imitation at best).



A couple of comments:

• I've added my own thoughts on how Galadriel's story could go in season 7 if we respect the LotR line that she leaves "ere the fall of Nargothrond". What if she were deeply involved with Maedhros in planning the Union, and left Beleriand in the wake of its catastrophic failure? I know we may want to keep her in Beleriand longer though, so that point isn't integral to my alternative projection of the remaining seasons
• I made Fëanorian-plot items dark red for more visibility
• Turgon's rejection of Ulmo's warning might not have to be immediate, what if he delays an episode or two after Tuor arrives? His final decision might be an interesting contrast with Túrin claiming the name Turambar?
• In this scheme, we actually have time for the Wanderings of Húrin and a (sad) wrap-up for Brethil
• Tuor and Idril's wedding, instead of competing with gloomy plotlines, can fit into the relative calm between Húrin's healing by Melian and the creation of the Nauglamír -- a brief calm before the final storm
• I put Idril's tunnel after the wedding as in the book, but my scheme isn't inherently opposed to doing it earlier. This is just an example of "as close to the WotJ timeline as possible"
• We get more time to explore the build up and aftermath of the fall of Doriath, including Melian's response to everything. Material from Concerning the Hoard could absolutely fit in
• Eärendil's birth is a strong counterpoint to Thingol's death, as in Tolkien's final chronologies in WotJ
• Each of the final three seasons has a nice parallel of the Fëanorians trying to claim Silmarils, failing, and loosing members

The main objection might be that elements of the Gondolin storyline from the source material are sparse in the proposed seasons 9 and 10 -- but honestly I think that's ok. We just need to check on them from time to time (and some things could probably be invented). We certainly have plenty of other characters that only get passing screen time each season!

Finally, I just wanted to throw my two cents in on the Fëanorians vs Beren debate re. who destroys the dwarf-host. What if we could work in both? The Fëanorians learn of the host, and so do Beren and Lúthian. The brothers go to catch the dwarves while Beren recruits the Ents. Fëanorian forces destroy most of the dwarven-host, but Beren and the Ents arive in time for Beren to be the one who ends up with the Nauglamír in his hand. Because of the presence of the Ents and the reputation of Beren (and perhaps Maedhros has to talk down Celegorm), the Fëanorians begrudgingly let Beren and the Ents leave with the necklace. (And perhaps angrily dispose of the rest of the treasure in a river?) I'm not sure if it totally works, but wanted to throw it out there to see if others might take it up!

Sorry for such a long post, but I hope all these thoughts are helpful for our conversation, even if they don't necessarily find agreement!

 

[Odola]

As an aside, having an adult (or nearly adult) Elwing at the Second Kinslaying means that she will have much more agency in her escape from Doriath. There have been some questions in the past about why and how she's bringing certain artefacts out of Doriath (such as Aranruth), and it's typically been assumed that the people who rescued her also rescued these items, bringing her and them to the Havens of Sirion. If she's in her late teens when this happens, she's making decisions...and not managing to save her younger brothers or father. So, there's a story to tell there, and I'm interested to see what we do with that in Season 11.

So you are going with an "Evil Elwing" (alliteration) angle where she sacrifices first her little brothers and then her little sons to an uncertain fate and assumed death by preferring the Silmaril over their safety? And then gets kind of redeemed when she voluntarily gives the Silmaril up to her husband whom (and with him the stone) she sees rarely, mostly residing alone (or maybe later together with the reembodied Nimloth) in her tower? Interesting... this would echo Feanor who sacrifices his sons' souls for the stones...

Still a problem I would see is how would Earendil as a husband and father forgive her having preferred the stone over the lives of their sons...

 

[MithLuin]

Erucheb, thank you for that! It looks great 🙂 I agree that there are many different ways this can go. And it is true that if we add another season, we have more room for the stories and have to sacrifice less of the original timeline (and thus more of the original connections and meanings of actions can be preserved).

The way I see it, the discussion in Session 7-01 made a lot of important headway in laying out the rest of the project, but did not set it in stone. We're fairly firm on the shape of Seasons 7 and 8 right now. But after that? Some of that is still very much up for discussion. The suggestion to release Húrin early does not solve the original problem it was proposed to solve, but does offer a potential ending to Season 9. Túrin is going to be out of commision for most of the final episode. After he slays the dragon, he takes a step back. So, some other character will have to be the protagonist of that final episode. The options are, essentially: Nienor, Húrin, or Mablung. Making it Húrin would be an interesting choice, and it would then allow the casting of the Nauglamír at Thingol's feet to be the punctuation mark at the end of that season, setting up Season 10.

I agree that that change doesn't buy us much time. But there is an opportunity to get the Nauglamír out of Nargothrond before Glaurung's departure - Mablung enters Nargothrond while Glaurung is busy with Nienor. So, that is the earliest the necklace can be in play, I think. But regardless, the death of Thingol will still happen in Season 10, because that has to be after Túrin. And I think it is very important to keep the Fall of Gondolin after the fall of Doriath, so that Gondolin is the last safe stronghold. My main concern with putting Doriath and the Fall of Gondolin together, however, was in cutting Dior's story short. I didn't want to have the fall of Doriath twice in one season. It would seem repetitive and rushed. But with the second kinslaying delayed until Season 11, now the story of Dior in Doriath is being paired with the story of the Havens, and those match up much better.

How much space we have in each season is something that only becomes clear after we begin planning the seasons. It is quite possible that, when it comes time to plan Season 9, we will realize that the Túrin story doesn't need to span the entire season, and that we can have the confrontation between Túrin and Glaurung much earlier - leaving the end of the season for Wanderings of Húrin and culminating with the Nauglamír thrown at Thingol's feet. Or what we plan for Sauron or Galadriel may become an important storyline in one of these seasons, leading to restructuring beginning and ending points to match.

I should point out, though, that by delaying the Fall of Gondolin to Season 11, your plan does stretch out Tuor's story even further. And while 'more Tuor' is fine, 'filler Tuor' becomes a bit concerning. Corey Olsen was already concerned about not much happening in Tuor's story in Season 9; if both Seasons 9 and 10 were only a small part of his story, then he might feel we're dragging this out too much. By introducing Tuor's story in Season 8, we will be putting the post-Nirnaeth aftermath content where it belongs in the story....but we will then also be creating some anticipation that we will be telling Tuor's story.

But I do think we will be revisiting this conversation in a few years when we sit down to plan Season 9!

So you are going with an "Evil Elwing" (alliteration) angle where she sacrifices first her little brothers and then her little sons to an uncertain fate and assumed death by preferring the Silmaril over their safety?

No, I am suggesting tragic Elwing, where she is unable to save her younger brothers during the sack, but being closer to adulthood, she can try. I do not like her being part of the 'spoils' of Doriath that are taken to the Havens, but would prefer her as a character in this story.

I agree that abandoning her sons when she jumps off the cliff is not a good look. We were always going to have to deal with that part of the story, though. Elrond and Elros are allowed to have some resentment towards their parents for being left where and how they were.

 

[MithLuin]

Here's my notes from the session; hopefully I captured most of what was supposed to be where:

Planning the rest of the First Age for Silm Film:

• Season 7 will begin with Húrin and Huor in Gondolin, and end with them in the Fens of Serech, bookending the season with their interactions with Turgon.
• Season 8 will begin with the aftermath of the Nirnaeth, Túrin’s fostering in Doriath, and Tuor’s childhood with Annael. It will include Túrin’s outlaw days, the death of Beleg, and the fall of Nargothrond, focusing on Túrin’s poor decisions. Tuor’s story will take him through his time as a slave, his escape, to his meeting with Ulmo at Nevrast. This will pair with Túrin meeting Glaurung. Also in this season, Turgon will send ships to Valinor and we will see Húrin’s captivity in Angband and curse.
• Season 9 will begin with Túrin heading north to Dor-lómin and Tuor journeying with Voronwë. The two cousins will meet at the Pools of Ivrin, but not recognize one another’s names. Tuor’s story will culminate in delivering the message of Ulmo to Turgon, who ultimately rejects it. Idril builds a tunnel. Túrin will become Turambar - now, all of his choices are fated to go wrong. He goes to Brethil and marries Niniel. He kills Glaurung. It has been proposed that Húrin be released from Angband early, so that he is trying to find/reach Túrin, but does not know that he is in Brethil, so is not successful in getting there in time. Possible delivery of the Nauglamír to Thingol in Doriath in this season. Final episode of season will not be Túrin-centric - either Húrin or Nienor would be the likely protagonist. Choosing to emphasize the role of Glaurung as Túrin’s foe will likely mean not concealing the identity of Niniel from the audience. Still much to discuss!
• Season 10 will tell the story of the Fall of Gondolin and the first sack of Doriath. The Doriath story will begin with the story of Thingol and the Nauglamír, leading to his death, and the deaths of the dwarves who killed him (at the hands of the Fëanoreans), while Melian delivers the Nauglamír to Lúthien in Tol Galen. Dior will come to Doriath. Final moment of Beren/Lúthien? Meanwhile, Tuor and Idril will develop a romance and wed, to the dismay of Maeglin. Years of bliss with young Eärendil in Gondolin. Then, Maeglin’s capture, betrayal, and the fall of the city. Death of Glorfindel as the refugees escape.
• Season 11 will be a wonderful season where very little happens, but we get to tell some great stories that we invent! The refugees of Gondolin will come to the mouths of the River Sirion, meeting up with refugees from Nargothrond and elsewhere in Beleriand. The founding of the Havens under the guidance of Círdan. Contrast between running away vs staying to fight/survive/do something. Eärendil’s early journeys, which are ultimately unsuccessful at reaching the West. Dior, meanwhile, is rebuilding the kingdom of Doriath, without Thingol, without Melian, and without the Girdle. But with the Nauglamír. And so we will have the story of the Second Kinslaying, and explain how the Fëanoreans regrouped after the 5th battle and their failure to win the silmaril from the dwarves. Ultimately, they decide to fulfill their oath at all costs, and there is much loss of life in Doriath as a result (including their own). Elwing (now grown) makes her way to the Havens of Siron after the second sack of Doriath. Not clear yet where the wedding of Eärendil and Elwing fits - could be end of this season or beginning of the next.
• Season 12 will be the final season of the First Age. We will have Eärendil set out on his last voyage, saying farewell to little Elrond and Elros. We will have the Third Kinslaying at the Havens, leading to the retreat to the Isle of Balar. We will have Maglor fostering Elrond and Elros. Eärendil and Elwing will arrive in Valinor with the silmaril, leading to the Host of the Valar returning for the War of Wrath and Eärendil becoming Gil-Estel, the Star of High Hope (and fighting Ancalagon). The War of Wrath will culminate in Morgoth being cast into the Void. The final kinslaying will result in the final resting places of the silmarils.
• Save for the Second Age: Sauron’s attempted repentance, The choices of Elrond and Elros?

 

[Odola]

• Season 11 will be a wonderful season where very little happens, but we get to tell some great stories that we invent! The refugees of Gondolin will come to the mouths of the River Sirion, meeting up with refugees from Nargothrond and elsewhere in Beleriand. The founding of the Havens under the guidance of Círdan.

Pengoloth (he should be shown already in Gondolin - maybe as a teacher of Earendil?) and Dírhaval the mortal composer of the "Children of Hurin" - the intermingling of cultures resulting in an exchange of technological and artistic ideas, a melting pot of creativity born of need and different traditions meeting for the first time...
Some intercultural conflict too, of course, all connected with the flair of a harbour...

 

[MithLuin]

Pengolodh has been introduced, yes. He's an elf who is born in Gondolin, in contrast to the Lords of Gondolin who were of course all alive when Gondolin was founded.

 

[Odola]

Pengolodh has been introduced, yes. He's an elf who is born in Gondolin, in contrast to the Lords of Gondolin who were of course all alive when Gondolin was founded.

So he does not come from Nevrast in our story? Still, he should appear in Gondolin a few times and then more often in the Havens of Sirion where most of his famous work was created most of which is the basic for most of our stories in the series...

 

[Arnorion]

No, I am suggesting tragic Elwing, where she is unable to save her younger brothers during the sack, … I agree that abandoning her sons when she jumps off the cliff is not a good look. We were always going to have to deal with that part of the story, though.

I would vote for tragic irony. She could believe her sons are already dead, possibly triggering terrible memories of her brothers’ death in similar circumstances. The audience might know they are captured but not slain, but she might be casting herself into the sea not in trust but despair. The transformation then is a miraculous intervention.

 

[Ange1e4e5]

Thinking ahead, how do the Hadorians and the Bëorians keep their culture with the occupation of Dor-Lómin? It's typical for an invading force to attempt to assimilate the "host" land with its own culture.

 

[Arnorion]

Since the Easterlings move in as explicit overlords and take the current population as slaves, I don’t think there would be much deliberate attempt to bring the Beorians and Hadorians into the new dominant culture. They would probably resist by performing as expected by their new masters in public or when serving, then practicing their original cultural norms in their own homes or in private gatherings. This model might also work for the oppression of the Faithful in Numenor, though there we’d see forced conversions too, where I would not expect it in Dor-Lomin.

 

[Alvisan]

Here's my notes from the session; hopefully I captured most of what was supposed to be where:

Planning the rest of the First Age for Silm Film:

• Season 8 will begin with the aftermath of the Nirnaeth, Túrin’s fostering in Doriath, and Tuor’s childhood with Annael. It will include Túrin’s outlaw days, the death of Beleg, and the fall of Nargothrond, focusing on Túrin’s poor decisions. Tuor’s story will take him through his time as a slave, his escape, to his meeting with Ulmo at Nevrast. This will pair with Túrin meeting Glaurung. Also in this season, Turgon will send ships to Valinor and we will see Húrin’s captivity in Angband and curse.
• Season 9 will begin with Túrin heading north to Dor-lómin and Tuor journeying with Voronwë. The two cousins will meet at the Pools of Ivrin, but not recognize one another’s names. Tuor’s story will culminate in delivering the message of Ulmo to Turgon, who ultimately rejects it. Idril builds a tunnel. Túrin will become Turambar - now, all of his choices are fated to go wrong. He goes to Brethil and marries Niniel. He kills Glaurung. It has been proposed that Húrin be released from Angband early, so that he is trying to find/reach Túrin, but does not know that he is in Brethil, so is not successful in getting there in time. Possible delivery of the Nauglamír to Thingol in Doriath in this season. Final episode of season will not be Túrin-centric - either Húrin or Nienor would be the likely protagonist. Choosing to emphasize the role of Glaurung as Túrin’s foe will likely mean not concealing the identity of Niniel from the audience. Still much to discuss!

Wow! Two seasons for Turin Turambar!
Although I think it's worth it since then both the stories of Turin and Tuor can be told in parallel, contrasting the highs and lows:
Turin has a mum (high),
Tuor hasn't (low)
Turin and the easterlings (L),
Tuor and the elves (H)
Turin goes to Doriath H,
Tuor enslaved L
Turin fights with Beleg H,
Tuor is an outlaw L
Turin and Saeros L,
Tuor finds the Gate of the Noldor H
Turin finds Amon Ruth L,
Tuor finds the Belegaer H
Turin is a lord in Nargothrond H,
Tuor is an errand in the wild L
...
Also, even though it may be a challenge for the chronology (it would take Tuor very long from Vinyamar to Gondolin):
Turin meets Glaurung L,
Tuor meets Ulmo H,
Turin kills Glaurung and dies (super low),
Tuor enters Gondolin and starts a new life (super high).

In the frame, the parallel is with Aragorn/Thorongil, but the contrast is that Aragorn (who knows well both stories), will never feel as great as his ancestors (at least not yet, not until the war of the ring)

 

[Ren]

Here's my notes from the session; hopefully I captured most of what was supposed to be where:

Planning the rest of the First Age for Silm Film:

• Season 7 will begin with Húrin and Huor in Gondolin, and end with them in the Fens of Serech, bookending the season with their interactions with Turgon.
• Season 8 will begin with the aftermath of the Nirnaeth, Túrin’s fostering in Doriath, and Tuor’s childhood with Annael. It will include Túrin’s outlaw days, the death of Beleg, and the fall of Nargothrond, focusing on Túrin’s poor decisions. Tuor’s story will take him through his time as a slave, his escape, to his meeting with Ulmo at Nevrast. This will pair with Túrin meeting Glaurung. Also in this season, Turgon will send ships to Valinor and we will see Húrin’s captivity in Angband and curse.
• Season 9 will begin with Túrin heading north to Dor-lómin and Tuor journeying with Voronwë. The two cousins will meet at the Pools of Ivrin, but not recognize one another’s names. Tuor’s story will culminate in delivering the message of Ulmo to Turgon, who ultimately rejects it. Idril builds a tunnel. Túrin will become Turambar - now, all of his choices are fated to go wrong. He goes to Brethil and marries Niniel. He kills Glaurung. It has been proposed that Húrin be released from Angband early, so that he is trying to find/reach Túrin, but does not know that he is in Brethil, so is not successful in getting there in time. Possible delivery of the Nauglamír to Thingol in Doriath in this season. Final episode of season will not be Túrin-centric - either Húrin or Nienor would be the likely protagonist. Choosing to emphasize the role of Glaurung as Túrin’s foe will likely mean not concealing the identity of Niniel from the audience. Still much to discuss!
• Season 10 will tell the story of the Fall of Gondolin and the first sack of Doriath. The Doriath story will begin with the story of Thingol and the Nauglamír, leading to his death, and the deaths of the dwarves who killed him (at the hands of the Fëanoreans), while Melian delivers the Nauglamír to Lúthien in Tol Galen. Dior will come to Doriath. Final moment of Beren/Lúthien? Meanwhile, Tuor and Idril will develop a romance and wed, to the dismay of Maeglin. Years of bliss with young Eärendil in Gondolin. Then, Maeglin’s capture, betrayal, and the fall of the city. Death of Glorfindel as the refugees escape.
• Season 11 will be a wonderful season where very little happens, but we get to tell some great stories that we invent! The refugees of Gondolin will come to the mouths of the River Sirion, meeting up with refugees from Nargothrond and elsewhere in Beleriand. The founding of the Havens under the guidance of Círdan. Contrast between running away vs staying to fight/survive/do something. Eärendil’s early journeys, which are ultimately unsuccessful at reaching the West. Dior, meanwhile, is rebuilding the kingdom of Doriath, without Thingol, without Melian, and without the Girdle. But with the Nauglamír. And so we will have the story of the Second Kinslaying, and explain how the Fëanoreans regrouped after the 5th battle and their failure to win the silmaril from the dwarves. Ultimately, they decide to fulfill their oath at all costs, and there is much loss of life in Doriath as a result (including their own). Elwing (now grown) makes her way to the Havens of Siron after the second sack of Doriath. Not clear yet where the wedding of Eärendil and Elwing fits - could be end of this season or beginning of the next.
• Season 12 will be the final season of the First Age. We will have Eärendil set out on his last voyage, saying farewell to little Elrond and Elros. We will have the Third Kinslaying at the Havens, leading to the retreat to the Isle of Balar. We will have Maglor fostering Elrond and Elros. Eärendil and Elwing will arrive in Valinor with the silmaril, leading to the Host of the Valar returning for the War of Wrath and Eärendil becoming Gil-Estel, the Star of High Hope (and fighting Ancalagon). The War of Wrath will culminate in Morgoth being cast into the Void. The final kinslaying will result in the final resting places of the silmarils.
• Save for the Second Age: Sauron’s attempted repentance, The choices of Elrond and Elros?

Love the outlook for the remaining seasons. Especially the early release of Húrin in Season 9, so tragic! I remember when this project started and it was beleieved it will go on forever. But now the story has progressed through half of the First Age. At this moment I would like to thank all of you doing the hard work and invest your personal time over so many years, or better ... decades!

 

[MithLuin]

I don't think any of us realized we were signing on to a lifelong project! But luckily it's a group effort, so people can come and go as their schedules permit over the course of the project.

 

[MithLuin]

Especially the early release of Húrin in Season 9, so tragic!

Nick has also suggested ending Season 9 with the death of Thingol over the Nauglamír as a cliffhanger for season 10. The early release of Húrin makes that a possibility.