“While Tolkien built the largest and most consistent fiction universe, he sure didn’t mind being vague at times.” — CGP Grey
There’s an abundance of truth in that sentence right there.
A literary and cinematic achievement, to be sure, it’s no secret that the Lord of the Rings saga is as dense as they come. You’ve got the gist: magic, hobbits, elves, rings, and EVIL. But if you’re not a die-hard “ringer,” filling in the blanks between the basics is an epic journey in itself.
CGP Grey, we need you again.
The YouTuber known for his detailed explainers just released part two of his The Lord of the Rings series breaking down the intricacies of who’s who and what’s at stake with those accursed rings.
Check out part one giving a rundown of the overall mythology of The Lord of the Rings:
And part two making sense of the eponymous baubles of doom: