“I gave Hope to the Dúnedain, I have kept no hope for myself.”
—Aragorn’s mother | Lord of the Rings | Appendix A
Don’t become a fan like a Star Wars fan
In recent years, the fanbase for Star Wars has turned against the franchise. They may have good reasons, but many Star Wars fans have become so full of rage and cynical that they come to hate the thing they used to love so much.
I fear that Lord of the Rings fans are barreling too quickly to a similar peril. Check any social media feed around Amazon’s Rings of Power, the forthcoming film War of the Rohirrim, or even comments about the Peter Jackson films, and you’ll find no shortage of haters (“this story sucks” “how has CGI become so terrible?”), gate-keeping self-proclaimed lore masters (“read the books, you stupid film fan”), and just downright insulting fans. The keyboard warriors come out in full force, typing ferociously attacking any conceivable angle.
The myriad of views is to be expected, especially with a tale as epic as Lord of the Rings, full of complexity and ambiguity, as well as several decades of fans and scholars alike trying to understand Tolkien’s works.
This is my warning to any fan of Tolkien’s world and works: do not become like the Star Wars fanbase.
I offer five themes from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings that can serve as guiding principles for how to be a fan and wanderer of Middle-earth:
Find common cause: we all love Tolkien
First, take a look at the Fellowship of the Ring: four hobbits, two men, an elf, a dwarf, and a wizard. These companions came from very different lives. Some of them were blessed with immortality, and could have chosen different responses to the growing threat of the Shadow. Yet they were able to set aside their differences, and join together in a common cause. What was that cause? I really like the way Samwise put it in the Two Towers film: “That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.”
No matter what happens in the various on-screen adaptations of Tolkien's works, we can put aside our differences. Middle-earth is big enough for anyone who shares even a small inkling of positivity towards the epic tales that came from the Professor’s pen. We have no need for petty squabbling or insults. We can set our differences to the side and agree on our love for Middle-earth.
Share what you know without being a bully
Second, Gandalf can have a temper and be rather cranky. But he also had a deep love and friendship for his allies along the way. He knew more, could see further, and had deeper wisdom than most in Middle-earth. He didn’t chide Frodo for not having “read the books” in Gondor’s archive and understanding the true nature of the One Ring.
If you have read the books, feel free to share your knowledge. But do so like a mentor and guide, not with a condescending attitude.
If you have only seen the films, then be prepared for someone to correct your understanding. Plus you should really read the books. If you need a guide as you wander into the amazing and complicated world of Middle-earth, then I have several podcast guides for you, including chapter by chapter breakdowns of The Hobbit, Fellowship of the Ring, The Silmarillion, and more to help guide you.
Demand high expectations, but don't whine and complain
Third, it is a well known fact that Tolkien and CS Lewis and others were good friends. In fact, it seems that everywhere Tolkien went, he would start some sort of literary club of writers, thinkers, and professors. Lewis and Tolkein would share ideas and drafts of their stories, and rip them to shreds. But they did some from a place of love and friendship.
So must we as Lord of the Rings fans. Criticize the horrendous dialog of Rings of Power Season One. Balk at the eye-bleeding CGI from the Hobbit films. Call out the lack of Tom Bombadil in Peter Jackson’s films. All valid criticisms. There’s countless decisions that have been made that I think were downright dumb (who needs Alfred, am I right?). But I criticize not from a place of thinking I know better or that I somehow understand Tolkien at a deeper level (even though I might). I criticize because I deeply understand the potential that Tolkien’s tales have to transcend the mundane of life, and to enchant us as readers or viewers. And anything that falls short of that potential is fair game to call out, but build with your criticism, don’t just tear down.
Don't seek to dominate, rather share the light
Fourth, one of Sauron’s chief characteristics is his desire to dominate and lord over others. In his pride and hubris, he sought to destroy his enemies by various means: deception, bribery, torture, false promises, and overt aggression.
As fans of Tolkien we must not succumb to the modern, social-media-fueled equivalents to these coercive tactics. Domination, “winning an argument”, scoring points, insulting others, that does not become us. We can rise above that. Let Star Wars fans tear each other apart. Let Game of Thrones fans manipulate each other. Let Twilight fans have their dichotomous teams.
But not here. In Middle-earth we resist domination. Here, it is the small, everyday actions that bring light into the world. Our light shines in dark places, and brings courage to our companions.
Hope for the best
And last, my favorite character in Lord of the Rings is Aragorn. The last of a kingly line, heavy expectations fall on his shoulders. But he went by a different name as he was growing up: Estel. Estel is the elvish word for hope. Aragorn is the embodiment of hope and optimism in Middle-earth. These themes permeate nearly every tale involving Aragorn’s story, from it’s First-Age origins to his Third Age final struggles against Sauron.
And so we too must have hope and optimism. Like Samwise singing in the dark tower Cirith Ungol when all things seem bleak, hope is what motivates us. We must not give up on Middle-earth. We will undoubtedly wander in dark corners, and situations will be bleak, but we must keep hope in the sudden good turn of events that will come.
—Aaron, your guide and fellow Middle-earth wanderer
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