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This is my favorite interview from the December 2, 2003 roundtable discussions for The Return of the King! Bernard Hill was such a real, genuine, and engaged personality. He had great stories from the set, from time spent with James Cameron, and how much he found joy in his home and horses. And he really like the iPod I used to record this interview! 😂

He also discusses:

• How he helped shape iconic scenes, including the “spears” charge at Pelennor Fields
• The collaborative script process and what it revealed about the making of LOTR
• Bernard’s own shire: restoring a wildflower meadow and building his haven in Suffolk

In our extended episode (available via our Exploring Tolkien App or for our site’s members–), we go deeper on:

• New app features–including Word of the Day feature and trivia
• How you can join the conversation, give feedback, and win giveaways

🎉 To get the extended episode, become a member using our Exploring Tolkien app, or become a member at https://theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month).

🔗 Episode Links
Get the Exploring Tolkien App!
The Children of Húrin
The Story of Kullervo
The Silmarillion
Unfinished Tales

🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
Get the Exploring Tolkien App
Get the Extended Podcast

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

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exlcusives!

“Day shall come again”–but for now, it’s the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. In this episode, we walk through Chapter 2 of The Children of Húrin a breaking down Tolkien’s bloodiest, most tragic battle. We cover the epic (and doomed) alliance of elves, men, and dwarves, the double-cross by the Easterlings, and why Morgoth’s victory still leaves him filled with dread. And we even get the Pope involved!

We also look at:

• Why the elves’ greatest host could never stand against Morgoth—and what the battle’s tactics reveal about Tolkien’s “epic history” mindset
• The legendary valor (and fate) of Húrin and Huor—plus the prophecy that links Gondolin to Morgoth’s ruin
• Tolkien’s use of prophecy, fate, and heroism: why the darkest chapter is full of hope for the future
• The difference between Tolkien’s approach to battles and the modern appetite for nonstop action

In our extended episode (available via our Exploring Tolkien App or for our site’s members–), we go deeper on:

• Listener comments about tragic foreshadowing, and Turin’s nature.
• More LEGO Lord of the Rings
• Why pop culture’s take on Tolkien struggles with the deeper logic of Middle-earth

🎉 To get the extended episode, become a member using our Exploring Tolkien app, or become a member at https://theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month).

🔗 Episode Links
Get the Exploring Tolkien App!
The Children of Húrin
The Story of Kullervo
The Silmarillion
Unfinished Tales

🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
Get the Exploring Tolkien App
Get the Extended Podcast

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

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exlcusives!

Turin’s tragic journey starts here. In this episode, we examine the opening chapter of The Children of Húrin, exploring the foundational relationships and lineage that shape Turin’s fate. Why does Tolkien focus so much on houses and kin? How does the friendship with the crippled servant Sador color Turin’s early years? We unpack the narrative roots of tragedy, prophecy, and the fraught bond between elves and men.

We also look at:

• What Tolkien’s “fire” actually means when describing Húrin
• The rare, uneasy alliance between elves and men in the First Age
• How tragedy marks Turin’s family from the very beginning
• Giving, pity, and the early signs of Turin’s character—before everything goes wrong

In our extended episode (available via our Exploring Tolkien App or for our site’s members–), we go deeper on:

• The roles of Morwen and Húrin—and how their contrasting natures shape Turin’s destiny
• Tolkien’s craft: why his metaphors never just describe, but also worldbuild
• Why houses and heraldry matter so much in Middle-earth’s oldest tales

🎉 To get the extended episode, become a member using our Exploring Tolkien app, or become a member at https://theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month).

🔗 Episode Links
Get the Exploring Tolkien App!
The Children of Húrin
The Story of Kullervo
The Silmarillion
Unfinished Tales

🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
Get the Exploring Tolkien App
Get the Extended Podcast

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