The Kalevala is perhaps Tolkien’s earliest inspiration… In this episode, we dig into The Story of Kullervo the tragic Finnish myth (from the Kalevala) that captured Tolkien’s imagination as a young man. We explore why Kullervo’s tragic tale—full of vengeance, orphaned rage, and doomed family bonds—became the seed for later stories like The Children of Húrin (and even Beren and Lúthien!).

We also examine:

• The Kalevala’s raw, unfamiliar style and why Tolkien found it so fresh
• How Tolkien’s early attempts at rewriting folklore reveal his love of language and poetry
• How the Kalevala’s influence shaped Middle-earth’s earliest legends
• The parallels (and differences) between Kullervo and Turin Turambar
• What makes Kullervo so unlike Tolkien’s usual heroes

In our extended episode (available for members at https://theonering.com/members), we discuss:

• The big ol’ Lego set that’ll be released in a month
• Elanor Gamgee as the face of the new LOTR movie.
• Listener’s feedback on Saruman’s strength.

🔗 Episode Links
The Story of Kullervo
The Children of Hurin
The Silmarillion
Unfinished Tales
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Get the Extended Podcast
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🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat

This episode tackles two more changes from Peter Jackson’s Fellowship of the Ring—Saruman orchestrating the storm on Caradhras, and the missing warg attack in Hollin. We break down how these adaptations simplify Middle-earth, debate whether Saruman’s powers go too far, and discuss what’s lost when the mountain itself isn’t an antagonist.

We also examine:

• Why Jackson condensed multiple threats into “just Saruman and Sauron”
• The cinematic potential of Gandalf’s fiery defense against spirit wargs
• Aragorn’s warnings vs. Saruman’s prophecies—and who really drove the Fellowship’s next moves
• What removing the Hollin warg attack means for Sauron’s reach in the story

In our extended episode (members at https://theonering.com/members), we dive into:

• News about Tolkien’s rare books and LOTRO’s new expansions
• Listener comments over Boromir’s character moments on the slopes of the Misty Mountains
• The fated 5 seasons of The Rings of Power
• What’s next for the podcast (Children of Húrin, Kullervo, and maybe Lord of the Rings itself)!

🎉 Get the extended episode by becoming a member at https://theonering.com/members ($4/mo, free for the 1st month) or at Patreon (https://theonering.com/patreon).

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Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for $5 a month on Patreon

🔗 Episode Links
Join our Discord Community (for free)
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member

🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify

🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Fall of Gondolin
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat