OpenTube

Middle-Earth Was Always Doomed - Tragic Decline EXPLAINED

Wizards and Warriors

25,095 views

Consider supporting our work: Patreon: wizardswarriors

Previously in our series on the world of Tolkien, the world of the Lord of the Rings, we have talked about the First and Third ages of the Middle-Earth, covering the entire of the Third Age and the war of the ring (War of the Ring - All Battles - Middle-Ear...), the rise of Morgoth in the First Age (Rise of Morgoth - Middle-Earth First Age L...) and his fall (Fall of Morgoth - Middle-Earth First Age L...), as well as the economy and the societies of the Middle-Earth (Economy of Middle Earth - Lord of the Ring...). Why does Middle-earth feel as though it is slowly dying—even after Sauron is defeated? Tolkien’s world is filled with abandoned kingdoms, fading Elves, dwindling Dwarves and wonders that can never be recreated. This was no accidental backdrop. It reflected Tolkien’s concept of history as a “long defeat”: a struggle in which evil may be resisted, but every victory still carries irreversible loss. This video explores how Melkor’s corruption permanently marred Arda and why its divine light became increasingly fragmented—from the Lamps and Two Trees to the Silmarils and Elven Rings. We examine why magic diminishes with every age, why the Elves must eventually abandon Middle-earth and why Men inherit a world stripped of its ancient wonders. We also uncover the influences behind Tolkien’s declining world, including his Catholic faith, experiences during the First World War, hostility toward industrialization and longing for a disappearing rural England. From the destruction of Beleriand and Númenor to the ruins encountered by the Fellowship, Middle-earth is haunted by civilizations greater than anything remaining. The War of the Ring ends in victory—but also destroys the power preserving the last Elven realms. Frodo succeeds, Sauron falls and magic leaves Middle-earth forever.

Full History of Middle-Earth: Complete History of Middle-Earth
Armies of Middle-Earth: Lord of the Rings - Middle Earth
Economy of Middle-Earth Economy of Middle Earth - Lord of the Ring...

Our other series:
Middle-Earth - War of the Last Alliance - Lord of the Rin...
Witcher - First Nilfgaardian War - Witcher Lore DOCU...
Game of Thrones - Game of Thrones - Song of Ice and Fire
Warhammer Fantasy - Battle of Astofen Bridge - Warhammer Fanta...
Warhammer 40k - Warhammer 40k
Star Wars - Star Wars
Fallout - Fallout
Wheel of Time - Wheel of Time
Elder Scrolls - Elder Scrolls
Conan - Conan the Barbarian: Siege of Makkalet - F...
Cosmere, Mistborn, Stormlight, Elantris, Warbreaker - Cosmere, Mistborn, Stormlight, Elantris, W...
Dragon Age - Dragon Age
Alternative History - Alternative History
Final Fantasy XIV - Final Fantasy XIV

✔ Patreon ► Patreon: wizardswarriors
✔ PayPal ► http://paypal.me/kingsandgenerals
✔ Twitter ► Twitter: WizardsWarrior2

Writer: Craig Watson
Illustration and Animation: Arb Paninken
Map: Adam Ellis Charters
Narration: OfficiallyDevin (officiallydevin)

00:00:00 - Why Middle-earth Is Dying
00:01:10 - Arda Marred and the Fading Light
00:05:04 - Tolkien’s Real-World Inspirations
00:08:15 - Why the Immortal Peoples Vanish
00:11:16 - The Ruins of Lost Glory
00:13:23 - Victory—and the End of Magic

Production Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound: http://www.epidemicsound.com

#Lore #MiddleEarth #LordOfTheRings

20 Comments

@Peptuck 2 months ago

"It is not despair, but the bittersweet recognition that all things worthy of love are temporary, and therefore infinitely precious."

This hits beautifully hard.

@nuncasaberas5926 2 months ago

Also the view kinda relates to the anglo-saxons looking at the ruins of roman britain, like as they were looking at the ruins of giants of old. Like the buildings of gondor and numenor from the middleman's view

@mikkokoivunalho7952 2 months ago

Like the dwarfs, also Ents will fade and become mythical tree spirits. In a way, Ents started that process almost right away with the disappearance of Entwives.

@InabaPrism 2 months ago

"It is true that all we hold dear is fated to fade away, but that is no reason for us to forsake it. To take what steps we may, and thus mark the road for those who would follow."

@dairewoods2544 2 months ago

Well now I'm depressed at work

@biped_snake4927 2 months ago

..History became legend. Legend became myth...

The idea of decline and diminishment permeates all of the of the known ages in Middle-Earth. It's with the age of man when the past becomes mythological and fantastical to the minds of mortals.

I'm glad that someone covered the doom of the ages.

@danirey425 2 months ago

Tolkien was a turn of the century man so this was probably quite personal, hell WW1 showed the full power of industrialized warfare and that civilizations will eventually change

@Darth_Xionn 1 month ago

I've always thought of Melkors music as the worst dubstep possible.

@_PITBOY 2 months ago

As a long time consumer of all things Tolkien, as well as viewer of a dozen middle earth style YT channels that discuss the history and stories of the ages of Arda ... never have I heard the journey thru these ages, into the 'age of man' as a fall into ordinariness as described here. So much more of Tolkien's intent and where the stories end up ... make so much more sense.
... no one has framed it this way before.

@neohenry8292 2 months ago

The history of ruins, decay, and loss inevitably cause grief and sorrow among us, but as Aragorn said when he saved Merry from the Nazgul's Black Breath,

"His grief he will not forget; but it will not darken his heart, it will teach him wisdom."

I will hope that given both history of Middle Earth and real life Earth we have gained wisdom, and seeing how psychology, conflict management, and communication studies have grown to help people flourish, I personally think wisdom is on the rise because of the ruins of the past. Sadly, not everyone will benefit said fields, but I think Tolkien would take great interest in the knowledge we accumulated for human flourishing.

@jhonfisher8910 2 months ago

magnificent analysis 👏👏💚💚

@gabbyDL870 2 months ago

Beautifully said.

@lmao7177 2 months ago

Now this is something that made me depressed to even think about.

@kyyyni 2 months ago (edited)

1:40 I always thought that "the endless repeating sounds with clamorous unison" represented humans. Iirc, Melkor's themes weren't described in any specific way other than beeing discordant.

@TSInfiMa-r6z 2 months ago (edited)

Tolkien also acknowledged how the past generations weren't always the wisest despite their accomplishments. So I'll give him that

@JohnnyElRed 2 months ago

It's ironic how this idea has become so pervasive on most works of modern fantasy. Even those with a more optimistic view of progress and the future. No matter how powerful, the magic of before was always more so. No matter how grand buildings are, there will always some ruins that will give hints of something even greater.
I think one part is basically how Tolkien influenced everything in fantasy, even unintentionally. But the other it's how is always more interesting for a story to find out something old that puts everything the characters knew until then into shame. There is more sense of wonder in the characters discovering something grand of the past because it's strange to them as it's to us as readers. Meanwhile, if it was something familiar and everpresent in their age, it might surprise the readers, but by taken as mundane by the characters.