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selenakStill in a mood for Middle Earth, not least because the craziest twist in either book or movie verse makes more sense than British politics right now. (Yep, it’s still that painful „watching a friend commit a long, drawn out suicide by drinking themselves to death“ feeling.)
So, on to fiction, where people behave in less lethally farcical ways. You know, just a trivial matter but I couldn’t help but notice: in fanfiction, Kili and Fili address Thorin with „Uncle“ all the time and refer to him as „Uncle Thorin“, ditto with Frodo and „Uncle“, „Uncle Bilbo“ etc. Whereas in canon: the movies have use Frodo „Uncle“ as an address precisely once (in the „Unexpected Journey“ opening flashfoward) , versus „Bilbo“ at all other occasions (Fellowship and Return of the King), and he never refers to him as „Uncle Bilbo“. (Nor does anyone else. Sam says „Mr. Bilbo“, Merry and Pippin mention him as „Bilbo“ or „the old Hobbit“.) In the books, it’s „Bilbo“ all the way. As for Kili and Fili, as far as I recall in the book their biological relation to Thorin is only mentioned in the paragraph that brings up their deaths; in the movies, Fili uses „Uncle“ once – when pleading that Kili should not be left behind in Laketown – but it’s „Thorin“ otherwise from both brothers. (Fili calls „Thorin“ before the wounded Thorin regains consciousness near the end of „An Unexpected Journey“, Kili addresses him as „Thorin“ in his „what the hell, hero!“ speech in „Battle of the Five Armies“.
Now, at a guess, the reason for Frodo’s fanon constant „Uncle“ use is that Frodo, no matter at which point the story is set, tends to be written as younger than he is anyway, and definitely in pre-quest stories. (If you’re the woobie, you get infantilized.) As for Kili and Fili – maybe there’s a subconscious assumption that calling their uncle by his name is too informal for a hierarchical society? Too modern? Whereas yours truly sees the constant „Uncle“-ing as the modern touch.
Now, some recs:
I measured out my life in tea spoons: lovely Bilbo character portrait from childhood to Valinor, using tea as the Macguffin
The well-travelled soul: and another excellent character portrait of Bilbo through the ages via short vignettes
Sunshine and Rain : this one has Elrond and Bilbo talk about Arwen and mortality; it’s a hurt/comfort & friendship story with Bilbo doing the comforting
Splintes and Bruises: more but less serious h/c, this one set after the first movie, when both Thorin and Bilbo have to be covered in bruises due to the state Unexpected Journey left them in.
Five Times Lindir Was Stressed By Dwarves and One Time He Smiled: to finish my recs on a light note, poor Lindir. (Elrond’s steward at Rivendell, previously known as Figwit in fandom. *g*) Also a good look at Bilbo in this early stage of the quest.
So, on to fiction, where people behave in less lethally farcical ways. You know, just a trivial matter but I couldn’t help but notice: in fanfiction, Kili and Fili address Thorin with „Uncle“ all the time and refer to him as „Uncle Thorin“, ditto with Frodo and „Uncle“, „Uncle Bilbo“ etc. Whereas in canon: the movies have use Frodo „Uncle“ as an address precisely once (in the „Unexpected Journey“ opening flashfoward) , versus „Bilbo“ at all other occasions (Fellowship and Return of the King), and he never refers to him as „Uncle Bilbo“. (Nor does anyone else. Sam says „Mr. Bilbo“, Merry and Pippin mention him as „Bilbo“ or „the old Hobbit“.) In the books, it’s „Bilbo“ all the way. As for Kili and Fili, as far as I recall in the book their biological relation to Thorin is only mentioned in the paragraph that brings up their deaths; in the movies, Fili uses „Uncle“ once – when pleading that Kili should not be left behind in Laketown – but it’s „Thorin“ otherwise from both brothers. (Fili calls „Thorin“ before the wounded Thorin regains consciousness near the end of „An Unexpected Journey“, Kili addresses him as „Thorin“ in his „what the hell, hero!“ speech in „Battle of the Five Armies“.
Now, at a guess, the reason for Frodo’s fanon constant „Uncle“ use is that Frodo, no matter at which point the story is set, tends to be written as younger than he is anyway, and definitely in pre-quest stories. (If you’re the woobie, you get infantilized.) As for Kili and Fili – maybe there’s a subconscious assumption that calling their uncle by his name is too informal for a hierarchical society? Too modern? Whereas yours truly sees the constant „Uncle“-ing as the modern touch.
Now, some recs:
I measured out my life in tea spoons: lovely Bilbo character portrait from childhood to Valinor, using tea as the Macguffin
The well-travelled soul: and another excellent character portrait of Bilbo through the ages via short vignettes
Sunshine and Rain : this one has Elrond and Bilbo talk about Arwen and mortality; it’s a hurt/comfort & friendship story with Bilbo doing the comforting
Splintes and Bruises: more but less serious h/c, this one set after the first movie, when both Thorin and Bilbo have to be covered in bruises due to the state Unexpected Journey left them in.
Five Times Lindir Was Stressed By Dwarves and One Time He Smiled: to finish my recs on a light note, poor Lindir. (Elrond’s steward at Rivendell, previously known as Figwit in fandom. *g*) Also a good look at Bilbo in this early stage of the quest.
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Date: 2019-01-18 06:03 pm (UTC)