What were the Silent Watchers of Mordor? - Lord of the Rings Lore

  Переглядів 27,786

Middle Earth Express

Middle Earth Express

Місяць тому

The Silent Watchers guard Cirith Ungol on the precipice of Mordor. What are they and where do they get their power over the physical world from?
Follow Middle Earth Express for more content covering Lord of the Rings lore, history and more! New posts 3 times a week, including UKposts Shorts and full length video essays.
Feel free to participate in the conversation down in the comments section. I genuinely appreciate hearing your thoughts and Middle Earth theories!
#Arda #MiddleEarth #Tolkien #LordoftheRings #Lore #Theory #TheHobbit

КОМЕНТАРІ: 106
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 24 дні тому
Hi there! Just wanted to clear up a few things I’ve been getting a lot of comments about: -So I research, write and edit all the videos on my channel. I do NOT use ChatGPT to write scripts. The only AI I use is for the nice older British gentleman’s voiceover audio, I liked his voice and wanted to keep myself out of the videos. -I understand the voiceover pronounced Cirith Ungol incorrectly, I hadn’t realized C in this case sounds like a K, this will be fixed in future videos. Thanks for watching!
@totrigo6834
@totrigo6834 18 днів тому
lol I just thought it was In Deep Geek's voice
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 17 днів тому
@@totrigo6834 lets just go with I pay In Deep Geek big money to voice the videos hahaha....
@Callisto_Arcas
@Callisto_Arcas Місяць тому
Thank you for responding to commenters who are concerned about all of the new AI channels cropping up lately. And, you've been kind to those concerns. Which is appreciated. I like the AI voice you used for this one. There's a somberness & quiet to it that fits with the subject matter. I don't mind creators using AI voices as long as they are the ones researching & writing scripts...not chat gpt. I wonder if you would consider doing a video on Imrahil since we didn't get to know him in the PJ films.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress Місяць тому
Thanks for the kind words and I love video suggestions! As you are basically the first, I’ll definitely check out Imrahil and make it within the next few weeks so stick around, again thanks so much
@CountryLifestyle2023
@CountryLifestyle2023 28 днів тому
I don't mind AI videos, provide good content and idc who makes it
@c.ladimore1237
@c.ladimore1237 25 днів тому
it's the pronunciations that get me. cirith ungol is not sirith ungol. that is where you use AI voices to HELP you; not where you blindly rely on them. quality control, editing, artistry, all those are still needed when lazy AI is involved.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 24 дні тому
I do have to change and rewrite the scripts to make the AI voice say a lot of the Tolkien terms differently, so you can think I’m being lazy but I honestly just didn’t know Cirith Ungol was pronounced that way when I made the video… it was my first video but it’s being shared by UKposts to a lot of people and I now know that C is K at the start of places. Either way, sorry about the error
@R0geR0sv0ld
@R0geR0sv0ld 28 днів тому
I propose the Guardians are the corrupted souls of those Knights of Gondor who accompanied King Eärnur to duel the Witch-king. Captured by the Nazgul, these knights' were tormented, corrupted, and made to guard the pass. Sauron would have created the statue, and trapped the spirits inside. I count 6 heads on the statues, meaning 6 knights could be forced to guard the pass.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 24 дні тому
This might be my favorite and most thought out theory/response yet
@kopeofonrac2084
@kopeofonrac2084 9 днів тому
I support this theory with an additional argument based on Sauron's modus operandi. Sauron lies to his servants just as much or more than he lies to his enemies. The orcs believe that the Silent Watchers were made by Gondorian men. That was a lie, but Sauron's lies are always partly true. I think the statues were made "of" Gondorian men, of their souls. These would be powerful, likely far-sighted men of Numenorean descent whom Sauron corrupted and exploited. It's even possible that Sauron had those same Gondorian men oversee the construction of the physical statues, promising them great rewards of power, such as immortality, or even greater, longer far-sight than they had before, not telling them that the promise would only be fulfilled once he killed them and trapped them in the statues. That way, it would even still be true that the statues were actually made by Gondorian men. This also mocks the original purpose the Gondorian men had for the founding of Minas Ithil: to put a watch on Mordor. Instead, Mordor has put a watch on Gondor, and used some of Gondor's best sons to do it.
@TexasTimeLord
@TexasTimeLord 28 днів тому
In Doctor Who, a cave entrance in the episode "Underworld" was said to be guarded by invisible dragons
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 27 днів тому
Cool! I need to watch doctor who at some point
@cambuxton6835
@cambuxton6835 21 день тому
To me they were like self aware statues.
@ethenallen1388
@ethenallen1388 28 днів тому
I doubt that the Watchers could influence non sentient objects, only create the feeling of a barrier to stop living beings such as Sam and Frodo.
@robertm2663
@robertm2663 Місяць тому
I liked the voice and content, and have subscribed
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress Місяць тому
Welcome aboard! Choo choo
@StarsAndDreamz
@StarsAndDreamz 24 дні тому
If the watchers were there when Gondor owned the tower, it could be the watchers originally were pure beings corrupted by Sauron and the Witch King
@paulsarnik8506
@paulsarnik8506 27 днів тому
It's pronounced Kirith Ungol with a hard "k" like most names that begin with "c" in the books.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 26 днів тому
Thanks, yeah I’ve been informed haha will fix the pronunciation in future videos
@PhantomDragon1475
@PhantomDragon1475 Місяць тому
I always took them to have been imprisoned spirits of elves or orcs, seeing as how the spirits of men have to pass through the Halls of Mandos and then to wherever it is they go afterwards when they die. Seeing as how Elves can potentially not go, and nobody know about Orcs, it thought it made the most sense.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress Місяць тому
I like this theory, orc spirits could definitely be a possibility I hadn’t even considered!
@warhorse03826
@warhorse03826 28 днів тому
the question is can a lesser ring of power (still made by sauron) have the same effect as a greater ring of power over time? could the watchers have been guardsmen, gifted lesser rings to assist them in their duties. when it was called Cirith Duath? they used the rings too much, for too long, and fell under the power of sauron. eventually their bodies deteriorated but their duty to guard did not. they did not have the power of a ringwraith, but they remained on duty. obviously not canon...but it works....
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 9 днів тому
This is a great theory, thanks for the input!
@samarthur1847
@samarthur1847 25 днів тому
The fate of the Blue Wizards perhaps, sleep well on that thought ☺️
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 25 днів тому
I saw another person with this same theory so you aren’t alone!
@sdev2749
@sdev2749 28 днів тому
Same evil spirits who inhabit the barrows. They are Wights, not Wraiths in my opinion.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 24 дні тому
Yeah this also makes a lot of sense, I want to do a video on some of the details about Wights at some point
@khylerbane4523
@khylerbane4523 20 днів тому
I propose that the silent watchers are either people turned to to wraiths like Frodo almost was, or they are souls or spirits of orcs that failed, betrayed, or disobeyed the Nazgûl or “criminals” of Mordor trapped in the statues as punishment. Think “I have No Mouth and I Must Scream”.
@ingwerschwensen8115
@ingwerschwensen8115 24 дні тому
Good first video. Thanks. Looked at your new content from these last weeks since the beginning of march, and of course I subscribed. Btw, I wouldn't have known the correct pronunciation either. Read my first Tolkien nearly 50 years ago in a German translation, have read a lot more of him in English by now, but if one doesn't remember that being pronounced from the movies or from some reliable lore video here on YT how is one supposed to keep track of such minor details (it's what Pierre Bourdieu called `cultural capital´ which the self-appointed gatekeepers like to throw around to distinguish themselves from the crowd).
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 24 дні тому
Thanks for this, & also really appreciate the Pierre bourdieu bit at the end. Trying my best over here haha, more cool videos to come!
@squamish4244
@squamish4244 29 днів тому
-We are the Watchers on the Wall-
@miguelcalzada5535
@miguelcalzada5535 28 днів тому
It's like InDeepGeek lite
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 28 днів тому
Good comment
@anadmirer8789
@anadmirer8789 19 днів тому
My theory is that the Silent Watchers are bewitched statues containing the tormented souls of two of Sauron’s former enemies from long, long ago. So long in fact, that their true names are no longer remembered.
@ganeshjain6456
@ganeshjain6456 29 днів тому
Very nice video, watchers subject has not been covered much by any other channel 👍🏻
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 29 днів тому
I’m trying to find more niche topics to cover, the more obscure the better!
@kimiorban4417
@kimiorban4417 29 днів тому
great video
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 29 днів тому
Appreciate the comment!!
@user-by9lg6tu2z
@user-by9lg6tu2z 28 днів тому
The AI voice sounds just like another LOTR youtuber's actual voice. lol
@reeyees50
@reeyees50 24 дні тому
Yes, in deep geek😂
@martygreenspan-xy2jo
@martygreenspan-xy2jo 22 дні тому
I thought the watchers were destroyed when Sam held up the phial the 2nd time? It was something about giving honor to Sams indomitable courage causing the phial to blaze like never before and cracked the stone.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 21 день тому
You’re right!… bummed I missed that in this script but that’s a pretty cool visual, the arch and gate crumbling behind them as the watchers wailed one last time
@pamelah6431
@pamelah6431 29 днів тому
Sirith ungol? C=K in middle earth.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 29 днів тому
Helpful, thank you will change pronunciation in the future
@ddd2l591
@ddd2l591 14 днів тому
Just wanted to add Draugluin was made by Morgoth trough breeding wolves & imbue them with a spirit For the rest nice video
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 13 днів тому
Thanks for the clarification!
@johnbayer9795
@johnbayer9795 28 днів тому
IIRC the term Silent Watchers shows up earlier, before the three get to Minas Morgul. One of the hobbits feels then that invisible things might indeed be patrolling the road leading there. Those Watchers at the gate of Cirith Ungol only figure after Sam needs to get inside & rescue Frodo. I'm not convinced we met the "Silent" ones (note that these statues are _not_ so quiet when alarmed)--though it's also conceivable the author changed his mind about the topic while writing.
@Vohaul86
@Vohaul86 27 днів тому
I remember that when reading the books as a kid (around the age of 10-12) the scene with the Watchers felt really confusing, and I had hoped the movies would have explained that a bit more. The same thing with the Barrow Downs scene, but that didn't even end up in the movies.😕
@coldkush
@coldkush 26 днів тому
@@Vohaul86maybe PJ thought the same and was like how do we do this scene
@AsmongoldvsArtosisclips
@AsmongoldvsArtosisclips 11 днів тому
This is inspired by the book The Night Land that inspired both Tolkien and Lovecraft in all his writings.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 11 днів тому
Definitely gotta check that out, thanks for the info!
@Vaille32
@Vaille32 Місяць тому
I don’t mind the AI voice. The video was interesting.
@sannyassi73
@sannyassi73 27 днів тому
Wait, is this really AI? I am not supporting any AI channel. I was about to sub, then I saw this. I'll withhold my sub/like until I know.
@oops1208
@oops1208 27 днів тому
I do like these lore explaining videos but come on, why not talk about it yourself? AI is getting more annoying each day..
@ben1468
@ben1468 26 днів тому
The voice is, but all the content is written and researched by an actual human, so it's basically like hiring a voice actor I guess??? @@sannyassi73
@Tohma_Ed
@Tohma_Ed 25 днів тому
This is from indeep geek not AI
@Vaille32
@Vaille32 25 днів тому
@@Tohma_Ed Wait Indeep Geek is AI? 0.o
@GreatGreebo
@GreatGreebo 25 днів тому
Tolkien’s “C” is pronounced with the same hard sound as a “k” in the word KICK…(so it’s Cirith Ungol, not Sirith Ungol.)…Cheers… p.s. do you write your scripts or is it ChatGPT generated? Also, do you hand pick all the pictures you show during your videos or is it A.I. generated? Just curious….please let me know.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 25 днів тому
Hi! Yeah, I’ve got the correction on Cirith Ungol now a few times from others and will be making the pronunciation change in future videos. I research and write all videos myself, no chatGPT involved, the only AI I use is for the AI voiceover, I wanted to keep myself and my voice out of the videos and I just liked the way the older British gentleman’s voice sounded so that’s why I picked that. I also scour the internet for all my videos trying to find my favorite pictures/artwork to represent parts of the script, so yeah that’s me too. And I do all the editing in premiere. The music is from different lotr games
@GreatGreebo
@GreatGreebo 24 дні тому
@@MiddleEarthExpress GREAT! I’m subbing now (I am Subscriber no. 588). There are *way* too many A.I./ChatGBT Tolkien channels popping up and I refuse to reward lazy content creators (These A.I. channels are the antithesis of Tolkien IMO). Cheers and thank you for your videos 🤘
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 24 дні тому
Thanks so much subscriber #588!
@karattkensair9891
@karattkensair9891 Місяць тому
Souls of blue wizards???
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress Місяць тому
they had to have ended up somewhere! we need answers haha
@christinebainbridge8774
@christinebainbridge8774 29 днів тому
My favourite guess, even if the Blue Wizards feel a bit too high profile for this use. Kind of funny to make Palacendo into a Watcher, ahaha... In earlier drafts, the orcs say that getting past them would take wizardry, so I wonder if Tolkien did originally conceive them as having once been the Blue Wizards, then decided to downgrade them, or even leave it an open question?
@pamelah6431
@pamelah6431 29 днів тому
Why is there a picture of Sam & Frodo going through the Watchers Gate together? Frodo was in the high tower.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 29 днів тому
After Sam saves Frodo, they return through the gate that the watchers guard
@Egill2011
@Egill2011 27 днів тому
These statues have some magic sort of artificial intelligence, maybe.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 24 дні тому
Who knows? I wonder if Tolkien consider AI at all in his development of Middle Earth, doubtful but possible
@dbsthumper
@dbsthumper Місяць тому
haters gonna hate,l actually like “the voice” (not a Dune reference btw)😉
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress Місяць тому
Just watched part 2 so I appreciate the Dune “not reference” lol
@michaelmicheli5040
@michaelmicheli5040 23 дні тому
Kirith, not Sirith
@rorypowell6641
@rorypowell6641 Місяць тому
The so call AI is pronouncing Cirith Ungol wrong.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress Місяць тому
Thanks for the heads up, should the C sound more like an K?
@pamelah6431
@pamelah6431 29 днів тому
​@@MiddleEarthExpress Yes. In all cases of people and name places starting with a C.
@rorypowell6641
@rorypowell6641 29 днів тому
@@MiddleEarthExpress Yes, like K.
@samlambert7133
@samlambert7133 25 днів тому
Lol in the movies they are nothing but statues.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 24 дні тому
I understand the cut for time but it would’ve been cool to have seen this scene in the PJ films
@StuartistStudio1964
@StuartistStudio1964 25 днів тому
The c in Cirith Ungol is pronounced like a k, not an s.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 24 дні тому
Yep, will be making that pronunciation change in future videos, thanks for the heads up
@albertlamar5938
@albertlamar5938 26 днів тому
I never considered the imprisoned spirit angle, just having regarded them as NPC guardians magically "programmed" by the Witch King's spells for their function. Imprisoned spirits are creepier, and therefore I will update my head canon accordingly.
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 26 днів тому
Anything’s possible & some comments have great theories too, I just felt like imprisoned spirits made the most sense given Sauron’s past actions
@thedelta88
@thedelta88 27 днів тому
I always thought they were just a couple a douche bags
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 26 днів тому
I like this theory lol
@ardaea2529
@ardaea2529 Місяць тому
Have all these new Tolkien channels lost their tongues? New AI channels popping up constantly.
@Alxyzz
@Alxyzz Місяць тому
Last year or so, AI has become quite popular among these types of channels
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress Місяць тому
I honestly just felt that I don't have the right tone of voice to capture the feeling of Middle Earth, may look into a voice actor in the future but I'm working with a zero dollar budget...
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress Місяць тому
just to be 100% up front, the only AI I'm using is for the voice. This is all researched and written by me in a disorganized Google Doc
@Alxyzz
@Alxyzz Місяць тому
@@MiddleEarthExpress It's not that I hate the AI voice, It's just that it's gotten popular lately
@0x7000
@0x7000 Місяць тому
This the future we have to look forward to. Soon, most videos on YT will be AI assisted and or completely AI generated to spam our for profit.
@Foebane72
@Foebane72 29 днів тому
Why is this guy pronouncing Cirith Ungol WRONG? It's a K, not a C!
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 29 днів тому
Thanks, got that note from a few others and will make sure it’s pronounced right in future videos
@Foebane72
@Foebane72 29 днів тому
@@MiddleEarthExpress I also didn't realise it was an AI voice, so obviously, it says what it "sees". Quite impressive for an AI voice, sounds real!
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 29 днів тому
Yeah I have to go in and redo basically every Middle Earth term to get it to pronounce it correctly. My recent dragon video was a doozy getting the voice to sound right pronouncing all the names and locations in Rohan. But it is helpful knowing the C = K thing moving forward
@Rudeljaeger
@Rudeljaeger 29 днів тому
Downvote and reported for spam. Go away lazy AI spam....
@MiddleEarthExpress
@MiddleEarthExpress 29 днів тому
You do you! The only AI I use to make the videos is an AI voice, I write, research and edit the videos myself but thanks for the comment
Saruman's Ring of Power - The Dark Truth Exposed!
15:53
Realms Unravelled
Переглядів 31 тис.
КИРПИЧ ОБ ГОЛОВУ #shorts
00:24
Паша Осадчий
Переглядів 826 тис.
КАК ГЛОТАЮТ ШПАГУ?😳
00:33
Masomka
Переглядів 1,4 млн
Why Aragorn Didn't Take the Army of the Dead to Mordor
8:31
Fairly Fictional
Переглядів 82 тис.
The History of Gundabad | Tolkien Explained
10:27
Nerd of the Rings
Переглядів 591 тис.
Huan - The Greatest Dog in Middle Earth
3:41
Middle Earth Express
Переглядів 3,3 тис.
Gandalf's forgotten first mission to Middle Earth
12:57
In Deep Geek
Переглядів 196 тис.
What I Never Realized About Gollum
7:13
Archetypal Wisdom
Переглядів 107 тис.
Why couldn't Sauron sense Bilbo?
10:39
In Deep Geek
Переглядів 1,2 млн
Where do orcs go when they die?
11:30
In Deep Geek
Переглядів 145 тис.
What Do the Rings of Power Do? Middle-Earth Explained
24:31
Realms Unravelled
Переглядів 329 тис.
Мужчина Идет с Палкой На Огромной Высоте 😱🔥
0:58
Смотри Под Чаёк
Переглядів 1,4 млн
ЧУТЬ НЕ ПРИНЯЛИ В ЧУЖУЮ СЕМЬЮ 😲
0:57
Tasty Series
Переглядів 4,4 млн
Сам Себе Автомеханик 🤯
1:00
MovieLuvsky
Переглядів 3,8 млн