Exploring Tolkien
Episodes
55. The Chuck E. Cheese of Middle-earth – Of the Rings of Power, Part 1 – The Silmarillion – 35
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us endured Amazon's Rings of Power show last year... and now we've finally reached that part of The Silmarillion. Of course, here we actually ...
54. Gollum’s Apology, Why We Love Tolkien, and the Nerdiest Thing We’ve Ever Done
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Join us as we look back on one year of Exploring Tolkien! This week we talk why we love Tolkien so much, the path that brought us to be a part of t...
53. The Path to Gollum’s Redemption | Tolkien Discusses What May Have Happened
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With the release of the new Gollum game, we decided to take a deeper dive at this character--not his motivations or history, but what Tolkien specific...
52. Fellowship Fridays Live | NEW Lord of the Rings MMO, Galadriel’s BIG Life Changes, Gollum Game | #3
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Join us as we talk about Galadriel's "life-changing" event in Rings of Power season 2, the Gollum game releasing May 25, 2023, the newly announced MMO...
51. Liars and Junkies of the 2nd Age – Akallabêth, Part 2 – The Silmarillion – 34
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We finish up the Akallabêth this week talking about religion in Númenor, if the Valar gave up governing Arda (and for how long), and if men of Núme...
50. Rings of Power Got it ALL WRONG – Akallabêth, Part 1 – The Silmarillion – 33
09 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We reach the 2nd age of Middle-earth, and with it are compelled to bring up The Rings of Power -- and how they got even the basics wrong!
49. Elven genetics! Race-baiting! Half-elf lies! | Of the Voyage of Eärendil – The Silmarillion – 32
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Michael, Dan, and Jonathan finish the first age of Middle-earth! We see the final destruction that Fēanor's Silmarils wrought, how Ēarendil's desper...
48. Fellowship Fridays Live | NEW Lord of the Rings Movies, Rings of Power DIED, Gollum Game| #1
30 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Listen in as Michael Grumbine (from our Exploring Tolkien), John Trent from Bounding into Comics, John Carswell From The Tolkien Road podcast, The MId...
47. The Sea is Always Right! – Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin – The Silmarillion – 31
25 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Join Jonathan, Michael, and Dan as they discuss Ulmo's influence, Turgon's pride, Maeglin's treachery, and the Tolkien's rule on fighting Balrogs!
46. What’s Good in the Rings of Power?! – with The Middle-earth Mixer
18 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Podcaster, Tweeter, and Tolkien fan, we chat with The MIddle-earth Mixer about Tolkien, The Rings of Power, and where these upcoming new films from Wa...
45. Real Middle-earth Bling – Of The Ruin of Doriath – The Silmarillion – 30
11 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Morgoth's curse over Hurin and the Curse of Mandos over the Noldor come join forces and end up destroying the the oldest elven kingdom from the inside...
44. Captain Foolhardy! – Of Túrin Turambar, Part 2 – The Silmarillion – 29
04 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The footsteps of doom overtake Túrin. But is his doom his own fault, or do we find Morgoth to blame?
43. The Worst Hero – Of Túrin Turumbar, Part 1 – The Silmarillion – 28
28 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The tale of Túrin Turambar is one of the great stories of Middle-earth. But Túrin isn't really a hero--he makes bad decisions and runs from them. He...
42. Sub-creation is Art, Not Power – with Austin Freeman, author of Tolkien Dogmatics
21 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for a deep discussion with Austin Freeman, author of "Tolkien Dogmatics", where we talk about Tolkien's theology, Tolkien's approach to critic...
41. Why Tolkien is Great – with John Carswell from The Tolkien Road
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
John Carswell has been podcasting Tolkien for 8 years (and written 2 books!), but he's still on a Tolkien Road to discover more depth and meaning in h...
40. They Don’t Understand Tolkien – with John Trent from Bounding into Comics
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bounding into Comics reports on culture and geek news, but doesn't ever hesitate to call out the hypocrisy, double-standards, and cronyism seen in tho...
39. Middle-earth’s Rambo – Of the Fifth Battle – The Silmarillion – 27
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tolkien holds nothing back when the races of Middle-earth decide to take on Morgoth. There's treachery, gore, rage, victory, defeat--pretty much what ...
38. Morgoth’s Kaiju-Wolf – Of Beren and Luthien Part 3 – The Silmarillion – 26
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
eren and Luthien's tale isn't just a love story, it's the apex of events that sets the rest of the history of Middle-earth into motion.
37. 10 Ways The Lord of the Rings has aged POORLY?!
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We TEAR APART this article that claims Tolkien's Lord of the Rings has problems that need to be corrected for "modern audiences".
36. Middle-earth’s Real Power Couple – Of Beren and Luthien Part 2 – The Silmarillion – 25
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The story of Beren and Luthien takes a dark turn with death and cruelty, but also reveals a more fairy tale side with all the shape-shifting, magic, a...
35. Tolkien’s Real Alpha Male -Of Beren and Luthien Part 1 – The Silmarillion – 24
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The story of Beren and Luthien is the beating heart of Tolkien's entire Middle-earth. It's one of the first two stories he wrote (while serving in Wor...
34. Tolkien’s Greatest Joy – Of Beren and Luthien Intro – The Silmarillion – 23
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Among the tales of sorrow and of ruin that come down to us from the darkness of those days there are yet some in which amid weeping there is joy and u...
33. Sauron’s Great Entrance – The Ruin of Beleriand – The Silmarillion – 22
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sauron makes his big entrance into Middle-earth in this chapter, and does some serious damage to the elves and men. But Morgoth still seems to underes...
32. There is a Tempest in Him – The Fall of Fingolfin – The Silmarillion – 21
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We delve into the first half of Chapter 18, "Of the Ruin of Beleriand and Fall of Fingolfin", taking a long look at this valiant elf's hopeless assaul...
31. Middle-earth’s Actual Strong Woman – Of the Coming of Men, Part 2 – The Silmarillion – 20
03 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Who is the REAL "strong" woman in Tolkien's Middle-earth? Why do men fear elves? Death really weirds-out the elves... and why we measure our lives in ...
30. Noel, a Christmas Poem, by J.R.R. Tolkien
27 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This poem, titled "Noel", was written by J.R.R. Tolkien before The Hobbit was published, and only just discovered in 2013 in a 1936 copy of The Annual...
29. When Elves met Men – Of the Coming of Men, Part 1 – The Silmarillion – 19
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do elves regard men as enemies? Foes? Invaders? How did the elves treat men the first time they met them? Join Jonathan, Michael, and Dan as they look...
28. Tolkien’s Disney Princess!? – Of Maeglin – The Silmarillion – 18
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Is Aredhel really a Disney princess!? What about this Dark Elf, Eöl -- even though, as we find out, his name is not the first time Tolkien uses the c...
27. He’s an Angry Elf | Of the Noldor – The Silmarillion – 17
06 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As Turgon builds the city of Gondolin in secret, the bitter seeds of distrust between the Noldor and the Sindar find fertile ground. Join Jonathan, M...
26. This Map is HELL – Of Beleriand – The Silmarillion – 16
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Location and placement were incredibly important to Tolkien--so important that an entire chapter of The Silmarillion is dedicated to who is where! Let...
25. Doomsday and Dragons – Return of the Noldor, Part 2 – The Silmarillion – 15
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Tolkien sets out the pieces of Middle-earth's chess board, putting the characters in their proper places before the doomsday of Fëanor's unspoken rea...
24. Middle-earth’s Game of Thrones – Return of the Noldor – The Silmarillion – 14
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With Chapter 13 of The Silmarillion, Tolkien tells us Of The Return of the Noldor, revealing that the houses of Feanor, Fingolfin, and Thingol are the...
23. Toxic Masculinity or Inscrutable Men – Of Men – The Silmarillion – 13
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In Chapter 12 of The Silmarillion, "Of Men", Tolkien gives us the first glimpse into Man-Elf relations--and it wasn't all toxic at first (just incsrut...
22. Inspired by Tolkien | The Rings of Power, Glass Hammer, and Music in Middle-earth
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I had the pleasure of sitting with Steve Babb from the band Glass Hammer to talk The Lord of the Rings, The Rings of Power, and what it's like to be a...
21. The First Sunrise – Of the Sun and Moon – The Silmarillion – 12
26 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In "Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor", Tolkien taps into a grander myth of Middle-earth and returns to the two trees of Valinor to explai...
20. The Rings of Power IN-DEPTH Review : Episode 8 : Full of Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing
19 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In our darkest dreams, we never imagined Amazon would change Tolkien's work as dramatically as they did in The Rings of Power. In our final in-depth r...
19. The Rings of Power IN-DEPTH Review : Episode 7 : Shadow and Flame. And a Leaf.
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We stand amazed at the volcano survivability rate in Middle-earth, stare bemused at Galadriels' all new personality, sit frustrated at how the Harfoot...
18. The Rings of Power IN-DEPTH Review : Episode 6 : Insta-Mordor!
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan, Michael, and Dan go in-depth on The Rings of Power Episode 6, "Udun", and dive into questions like: Is Galadriel allowed to lecture us on hu...
17. The Wisest Elves – Of the Sindar – The Silmarillion – 11
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we look at the OTHER elves--the ones who never left Middle-earth for Valinor. These elves created the fairest dwelling that has ever ...
16. The Rings of Power : Episode 2 : In-Depth Discussion (where no detail matters)
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan, Michael, and Dan discuss Episode 2 of The Rings of Power and Galadriel's "I'm fine" face, Encino Man and the Harfoots, the made up Morgoth s...
15. The Rings of Power : Episode 1 : In-Depth Discussion (and a Michael Scott moment)
06 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan and Michael dive into a deeper discussion of Episode 1 of The Rings of Power, "A Shadow of the Past". They look at how much of Tolkien's work...
14. Tolkien is Worth Defending : Why The Rings of Power MUST be excellent!
30 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan, Michael, and Dan discuss why Tolkien is worth defending--and defending ardently. If Tolkien's work is truly excellent, how much excellence ...
13. Burn the Ships – Of the Flight of the Noldor – The Silmarillion – 10
23 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In "Of the Flight of the Noldor", the ill choices of Fëanor are finally brought to bear as we watch the grievous opening to a long and tearful tale.
12. Morgoth’s Arachnophobia – Of the Darkening of Valinor – The Silmarillion – 9
16 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week we dive right in and get deep into Ungoliant, what she does, who she might be, and how even Morgoth fears her.
11. The Road to Hell – Of the Silmarils – The Silmarillion – 8
09 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As we dive further into Fēanor's story and the Silmarils, Dan realizes that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
10. Fire and Greed – Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor – The Silmarillion – 7
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Jonathan quizzes Dan and Michael on some important numbers, Dan sees similarities between the two big characters, Jonathan realizes Melkor ...
9. Love Makes You do Stupid Things – Of Thingol & Melian / Of Eldamar – The Silmarillion – 6
19 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Reading Of Thingol and Melian, Dan realizes that love can make you do stupid things, then wonders what in the world is going on in Of Eldamar and the ...
8. An Analysis of The Rings of Power Trailer
15 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Michael and Jonathan review the new Rings of Power teaser trailer, looking through the entire 2+ minutes, and discussing what is Tolkien (a little), w...
7. Of the Coming of the Elves – The Silmarillion – 5
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan poses some trivia questions to Michael and Dan, Michael puts together a great diagram to explain ALL the different types of elves, and we con...
Independence Day Break
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dan, Jonathan, and Michael are taking the week off. But if you're looking for a little more Tolkien on this off week, check out our YouTube videos at ...
6. Of Aulë and Yavanna – The Silmarillion – 4
28 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan is gobsmacked that the dwarves are ACTUALLY the firstborn! The guys also discuss the ins and outs of Aulē's relationship with Yavanna, and h...
5. Of the Beginning of Days – The Silmarillion – 3
21 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With the stage set for enormous battles between Melkor and the Valar, Jonathan, Michael, and Dan dive into "Of the Beginning of Days".
4. Valaquenta – The Silmarillion – 2
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the second chapter of The Silmarillion, Valaquenta, Michael, Dan, and Jonathan test their knowledge with "All that is Gold, Does Not Glitter", deci...
3. Ainulindalë – The Silmarillion – 1
07 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Why is music so important? Are the Valar really transgender? Join Michael, Dan, and Jonathan as they begin the long journey through The Silmarillion w...
2. Thoughts on Amazon’s Rings of Power
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Michael, Dan, and Jonathan offer their thoughts on what we know and what we’ve seen about Amazon’s Rings of Power series.
1. An Introduction to Window on the West
25 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Who are these guys? Why are they doing a podcast? When did they read the Lord of the Rings? How do they know each other?