The Reel Rejects - THE RINGS OF POWER 2x05 Breakdown & Review |

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Starting point is 00:01:07 this week's videos are brought to you by Rocket Money a personal finance app that I've been using since way before we partnered with them more on them soon uh yeah let's do this thing well gang we did it

Starting point is 00:01:28 made it episode five down of what eight like two two thirds of the way through this thing all right well gee i'm glad i could go first thank you so um i thought this was a good one i really like i liked it sure did you yes are you being honest with me i'm being i can't tell super honest okay it started off boring sure but then it got back better a lot better i'll tell you exactly where it got better okay i'll tell you the exact time time when it got better to no that was boring that was boring that was boring that was started getting a little more interesting when they're like hey let's make rings for men evident it's still like oh god i get it yeah come on you just shot so blandly

Starting point is 00:02:20 and not really anything interesting happening the king and his son um okay yeah the whole thing with the blind queen and uh that the captain i was like uh this is so melodramatic i'm not digging it um okay so i really well but then okay it was this scene it was this scene when things started to get a little interesting when when captain they're like oh captain my captain yeah and there was you could see this like civil war this divide happening and this great empire occurring and i was like all right that was actually a pretty interesting thing this is called a breakdown people boring um You guys can't see what I see. Did the episode get better after a certain point,

Starting point is 00:03:02 or were there just a couple scenes that were good? It's true stuff. No, I mean, it's a long show. So, okay, the whole thing would like, I liked everything when the king started becoming like a douchebag. Sure. You know, with the ring, and he's like, hey, we're going to start taxing people.

Starting point is 00:03:18 One dollar for me and one dollar for the ring. Yeah. The ring needs money. And then the whole thing with the crystal and possibly the ballrog down there. right um yeah i like that the king is becoming like greedy and the whole psychological aspect of like oh he finally gives durin the praise he's always wanted but it's the rings doing you know and he's actually brought in doom here during not hollow and false yeah it's it's spooky and yeah no and i like i thought it finally started getting yeah it was after that scene

Starting point is 00:03:50 when it started um after the maybe ballrog in the cave scene where everything was pretty interesting Sure. From there on that. Like the whole thing with the rings. You know, actually doing the Lord of the Rings story, you know, intermediate stages of corruption. Sure. Works talking fast in this show, you know. The Crow to like a whole movie to get there.

Starting point is 00:04:12 Yes. Actually, no way not to think about it. He didn't have, it wasn't like wearing the ring for most of the movie. No, no, yeah. For most of them. He's not wearing the movie. He's got it on his neck. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:04:21 He's just in its presence. He's like secondhand smoking the ring. Yeah, yeah, yeah. but he's got like an irradiated thing around his neck essentially these guys are actually wearing the ring yeah and um everything with sarah manipulating calabrimbor i think started becoming some really compelling drama like all this stuff that they were trying to do in the first half actually started feeling um tense and the second half numinor stuff is generally kind of dull to me but the the whole thing with the um one of your favorite character died yeah curly hair boy i like him i'm sad was naming it Allendial, I don't know if it's an L or an R at the end Because every end of every word is So

Starting point is 00:05:01 Yeah, might be right Yeah, allendial, I want to say That was it, that actually made me You know, like when they were fighting against Pomp his son, I was like, yeah, kick his ass Even though John, it did go beat by beat Exactly how every movie in show does it That was one instance where the way they shot it

Starting point is 00:05:23 and the compelling performance from my boy. Ellen Diel's the captain, John. You don't even know, you don't even know your favorite character's name. And you were so touched by that guy. Well, hey, I liked his presence. All right. Me too. I knew his face.

Starting point is 00:05:44 Here, I found a photo of him. Oh, good. And this one's in Russian. Thank you, Russian fandom.com. Just tell me who this guy is for fucks it. All right. Valendio. LNDL and Valendil kind of sound similar, but I'll take the L on this one.

Starting point is 00:06:01 For your favorite character you think you'd be playing. Is my number one favorite character. And I, yeah, totally beefed it. And I'm sorry to Valendil as well as the actor. I feel like we should have gotten into this part of the story way sooner. This show has a fascinating blend of things I think. should have happened way sooner and things where i'm like whoa wait a minute we're already doing this it's it's a fascinating blend of like taking their time and really running through some

Starting point is 00:06:34 certain things and i'm torn on some of that like i i kind of for example the way the rings we just kind of start this episode and the rings are just there with the dwarves and it almost feels like they just kind of showed up like in a way i think that's kind of neat and interesting because like oh like that speaks to the insidious nature of power and greed and whatever else but showed him meeting with them at the end of last episode right? Yeah but I don't know like maybe that

Starting point is 00:07:00 just didn't leave as much of an impact but I don't know having some because we even do the thing with the dwarf lords and I thought that was interesting to the sort of like because I was wondering about that like why do you get them all and why do you get to be the one but it's because you got the connection through Elrond and Kellebrimbor and all that stuff

Starting point is 00:07:16 but I don't know I felt like I had it maybe expected some more ceremony in the dwarves receiving them and the debate around that uh for how you know part it's part of that you know initial prologue about like oh three rings for the elves and seven for the dwarf lords and all that stuff it just seemed like one of those a significant moment of like we us accepting these and all the i don't know it just seemed like there was more that i had thought what happened there but at the same time i equally see how like kind of just having it work this way

Starting point is 00:07:51 is also cool this is not my most articulate point but uh I think you're killing it thanks man this is a I should get you a ring this this episode certainly everyone needs a ring they're really fixating it on this

Starting point is 00:08:09 this one specific idea which makes it it does feel a little bit like Lord of the Rings Sauron's got Michael Myers loves masks he's making himself tons of masks he's making himself tons of masks, which is a detail I like in that movie, but still, it's like Sauron, he's just a ring guy.

Starting point is 00:08:24 He's just all about rings, man. But isn't the idea that everyone gets the rings, that way he can control them? But he's got, he creates the ultimate ring to rule them all. Yeah. Right? Yeah. So I think it makes sense, story wise. No, yeah, totally. It's

Starting point is 00:08:41 more in the way it is, the way it's portrayed, because, I don't know. I feel like there's a lot of very clear warning signs against these. rings very early on yes it makes me wonder how do we graduate to the level we get to with saron yes when so early on it was like who there was something's wrong with these rings yeah like this episode was interesting to me because of all the ones we've seen in the season i asked my question saron's changing the narrative that's what he does that's right because he's like

Starting point is 00:09:07 no it's not the rings it's galloprimbor yeah he's got emotional problems he do i do i like uh sauron and his saron and the blacksmiths is what this show is Sorry, just hanging out with a bunch of blacksmiths. That's right. He's just filling them. All we know is smithing, and you can just fill our minds up with the rest. We are your disciples now. Maybe they'll become the NASGOOle or something, you know.

Starting point is 00:09:35 Or I'm sure people already know all the Lord of them. Yeah, but they change stuff here. Sure, and they don't have certain things to work with due to certain rights issues. This episode was interesting to me because there were some good scenes. of scenes that I was really into. This episode highlighted a lot of like thematic stuff that I think is cool and interesting. And like it's like, the upside

Starting point is 00:09:58 to certain things being so writ large is you're like, oh, cool. Like I kind of like that I'm getting some themes out of the show that seem pertinent in a way that doesn't feel pandering or obvious, but that, you know, make kind of a greater case for like the relevance of doing this on TV in this format or whatever.

Starting point is 00:10:19 you know, like some of the debate and some of the nature of the deceit, and again, just like constantly, and it's not just the rings, it's like the Palantir and things like that. Like, what do we, when presented with a device of some kind of significance and power, you know, people will start to bend and debate, you know, can I take this thing that's potentially corrupting or corrupted and spin it for good? And I think that's, you know, obviously a well-motivated theme in terms of this universe. and I think it's like a neat question. That's what they do. And then having that reach of, like, I like watching Sauron right now because as much as I feel like

Starting point is 00:10:58 he's pretty much just manipulating and being evil and there are certain times where you cut to him and it feels like he's just smiling. At the same time, there are like little beats and things, maybe just in the performance where I'm like, oh, I can almost imagine in my head cannon this being him debating

Starting point is 00:11:12 because I don't know, like the whole thing about like it's spiritual. We labored under deceit, and, like, he told Kellebrimbor, like, there's that element of, like, yeah, he's probably just playing ahead of every step and spinning everyone out of control slowly against each other in a way that is undetectable. It's the thing he says about giving me an idea and making me believe it was mine. But there's enough in the Sauron guy's performance where I'm like, I could imagine him almost having some level of truth

Starting point is 00:11:41 in the sentiment of like I wanted to bring all these to create some force to help everybody or to at least like create the perfect world and people just continually, no matter what form I take, you know, I wind up here on the margin. And like, I don't know, that question of like how aware of you are, how aware are you of your own

Starting point is 00:11:59 nature or the times when you're blind, you know, because of ambition or whatever. Not that it's, it's just me extrapolating, but that was a threat I thought was interesting. On top of the also, yeah, using the rings as just little, you know, Sauron Jr.'s, essentially, just like anyone who gets one, you know, kind of goes through that thing he does to everyone around him, you know. So, yeah, that's interesting to watch, and it's neat. And it seems like, you know, kind of a universal topic to explore. And then, you know, the people in numinor, nor dealing with their usurped power structure.

Starting point is 00:12:41 Kind of neat. Reject Nation, I just want to take a quick second to thank today's sponsor because as a business owner, I am surprisingly not the greatest at handling and tracking finances. It just doesn't come naturally to me. I can definitely have an oversight when it comes to certain things. And I'm sure you can relate with this. I hate the feeling of paying for something that I just haven't thought about in a while or worse. I just keep forgetting to cancel. Procrastination is the name of the game.

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Starting point is 00:13:37 I was paying for things I don't even remember subscribing to. Free trials will do that. One of the best things about Rocket Money, they found those things and canceled them for me effortlessly. What I really love about Rocket Money is organization. It puts everything in one place. Imagine just seeing all your subscriptions and with just a tap, you're able to cancel the ones you don't. don't want. It even compares your spending month to month keeping you on track for more financial success. Money's the name with the game. Rocket Money can also negotiate lower bills for you up to

Starting point is 00:14:04 20%. With over 5 million users and over $500 million saved and canceled subscriptions, it's helped people save up to $740 a year. Join the Rocket Money community and stop wasting money on things you don't use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com slash rejects. That's rocketmoney.com slash rejects. It's a great way to support the channel and a great way to support your bank account. Heck, it would even just help us out if you wanted to just click the link and poke around. Generous thing that you could do for us and for you. It's a win-win. Cool. I don't know. Those are good points, John.

Starting point is 00:14:41 I don't know, yeah. Like the, yeah. I still contend that this is better than the first season, but it is like oddly shaped and I still did my favorite episode this season I would agree yeah easily

Starting point is 00:14:56 yeah and it brings into high relief I think a lot of things that work in are interesting and worth exploring and some things that are I found myself actually emotionally connecting

Starting point is 00:15:08 in scenes in the last half of this episode sure and it only took two and a season and a half for me to get there I felt for Calibrimbor at the end Calraimbor there.

Starting point is 00:15:18 I felt for this guy. And he's like deteriorating. He's got a bit of an Oppenheimer thing going on. Absolutely. And even the captain, Eleander, when he was dealing with all that stuff down and, you know,

Starting point is 00:15:33 when they broke the shrine and all that, I was like, oh, this poor guy, like he's getting shat on. And the dwarf stuff is the most interesting dwarf stuff. I think that's happened at all. Totally. The whole scene. And I actually really like

Starting point is 00:15:47 ending moment with Adar and Galadriel is like actually I'm hoping for a little team up here yeah it's also like ooh cool like this was my Sauron plan was to find a set of things to say that would then compel you to say good things about the show yeah yeah but there's I guess there's just some politics stuff I don't find that interesting like um I don't know how that Newman or stuff I just think it's a little boring A lot of it. You don't, I like

Starting point is 00:16:18 the queen lady whose name I should remember as well. I like her performance. I don't care for the story still. Yeah. Like I get the function and I get the...

Starting point is 00:16:29 Sure, and I get a lot of that stuff about like, oh, we just have to be the calm in the storm. And that's also an interesting thing to talk about, but there's enough else going on that I don't really feel like we... She feels like less of a character this season in terms of

Starting point is 00:16:44 She only has shown up a couple times. A lot of people feel like less of a character this scene. That is true. But, you know, that whole thing about, oh, the prophecy is different when you touch the Palantir. And maybe this is, yeah, the way. And I'm like, well, if things are still going to get destroyed, maybe it's just a different bad way. But, and I don't know, the theme of what's happening there and people choosing their allegiance and kind of taking that critical moment

Starting point is 00:17:13 to be like, you know, but the orcs are going to fight against Sauron. Well... I mean, I know they hated him at one point, but in terms of like their big war? Well, he'll somehow get his thumb back over them, but at least Adar's crew of orcs is sort of like, you never were good to us anyway, so...

Starting point is 00:17:32 Yeah, we have family. We don't like you. We're just like regular people. Which, you know, I'm for the exploration of that. That's an interesting idea. Like, you know, I'll watch Lord of the Rings where orcs are just malevolent creatures of evil and nothing else or one that bothers to be like, well, what if maybe not? What if they're just like anybody else? I think that's kind of neat.

Starting point is 00:17:54 That's true. You know, depending, again, on how it is unpacked. But I would agree. It still exemplifies what may be frustrating about the show, but every dose of good is a good dose. And I thought the last half was all good. It was pretty good. So if you end good, and I'm like, all right, maybe we'll show up for next episode.

Starting point is 00:18:17 Enthusiasmatic. I don't ruin more moments for John when he is on the verge of crying. That's my favorite character whose name I know. What is it? It's Vlandiel. Something like that. He got so many scenes this season. He did, and everyone kept calling him by name.

Starting point is 00:18:36 We haven't seen a sill door. At least had a handful. We didn't see Norrie and... He had five scenes. I think I was able to count all that guy's scenes. Yes. Well, it felt like one of those things that, like, oh, is this character... I'm not going to minimize your feelings.

Starting point is 00:18:51 Going to grow into a bigger character, or a prominent character, rather than just in a Seildore storyline support. But, you know, I'm sad. He had to go on the sacrificial pile. I want you to be sad. I am. Because if you are sad, I want you to be that. I'm not going to minimize it. minimize your feelings. That is a cruel thing to do. This is wrecking my week actually. You're allowed to feel whatever you want. All I'm going to be thinking about is the grief of this. People could shit on me all they want in the comments for what I did you because I have to be crying. I wield power over you. That's right. The power. Tell me what my opinion of Lord of the Rings should be. I did feel like that one speech was meta. I feel like that one speech was a very meta speech. Was it that whole thing about what we do here, this new batch, this new set of things.

Starting point is 00:19:37 we're making. This has to be it. This has to do justice to the OG. It has to make up for this weird badge. Only hope. One can only hope. Oh, poor dwarves, man. You think the men stand a chance with their rings. And I don't get that either. I'm like, you guys are going to put a head with this. But if laboring under deceit, did you send a new letter being like, hey, sorry I lied. Yeah. And now we're not deceitful anymore. I missed that. I don't know. But you got to feed the cats. Well, anyway, it's time for me to learn the newest way to feed the cat. so leave us your thoughts on the episode and we'll catch you next week for season five

Starting point is 00:20:11 gradually, steadily improving rings of power.

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The Reel Rejects - THE RINGS OF POWER 2x05 Breakdown & Review |

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