Why Watch 'Rings of Power'?

[Ent]

Part of the 'much' use of AI could explain, given its infancy, is how they could spend so much to come up with so little.

But again, Ent suspects subterfuge on the order of misinformation provided during a war to mislead the enemy.

Ent, though, is of a naturally suspicious mind when it comes to what's said in public about what. Man seems to excel at deviousness, rather than truth.

 

[Annatar]

This thought occurred to me too. It would explain much.

In fact, there are several indications that the series was an AI experiment.

Here is a post on Reddit about it:

https://www.reddit.com/r/LOTR_on_Prime/comments/1049l2d

And if any company has the capacity for the necessary computing power, it's Amazon.

 

[d4rk3lf]

And if any company has the capacity for the necessary computing power, it's Amazon.

But don't you think that even very primitive AI would write more coherent story then what we got?
AI would try to connect bits and pieces of all story back together, if it uses any algorithm that is based on the raw rules of storytelling. What we got is way more random and disconnected, then even priomitive AI would create.

That's the main reason I don't believe in AI theory.

 

[Annatar]

Yes, it remains in principle a great mystery. Both humans and artificial intelligence should be able to do better.

 

[Ent]

Is Reddit a reliable source? I've never "Reddit"ed, so I've no point of reference nor any intentional researching to discover its reliability.

 

[Annatar]

Is Reddit a reliable source? I've never "Reddit"ed, so I've no point of reference nor any intentional researching to discover its reliability.

It all depends. It's a discussion forum just like this one, only a bit bigger.

 

[Radaghast]

Yeah, all sources must be cited and facts verified, wherever they're posted.

 

[Ent]

Thanks @Annatar. Unrelated to the question really... no matter what angle or perspective RoP is viewed from, it's quite a mystery.

And Ent has a hard time conceptualizing how AI (at this time in its life) could have been fed enough information to make a continuous or contiguous story out of anything without a huge amount of external input.

Oh but wait - it ISN'T necessarily continous or contiguous, is it...! Just some bare-bones threads of consistency flowing through a rather anamalous stream of ... consciousness??

 

[Annatar]

You can try it out for yourself to see if you can get better results working with an AI. Here's an example.

NovelAI - AI Anime Image Generator & Storyteller

NovelAI is the #1 AI image generator tool for generating AI anime art and crafting epic stories with our storytelling models. Unleash your creativity, generate anime images and stories, without limits!

novelai.net

My input:

An Elven warrior and a Balrog of Morgoth fought over a tree that hid the last of the lost Silmarils. The Elf channeled all his light into this tree to protected it, meanwhile the Balrog channeled his hatred into it to destroy the tree. When lightening struck the tree, a power was formed. This power was as pure and light as good and as strong and unyielding as evil. This power is said to have seeped down the tree roots and into the depths of the mountains, where it became the mithril.

AI output (after some iterations):

An Elven warrior and a Balrog of Morgoth fought over a tree that hid the last of the lost Silmarils. The Elf channeled all his light into this tree to protected it, meanwhile the Balrog channeled his hatred into it to destroy the tree. When lightening struck the tree, a power was formed. This power was as pure and light as good and as strong and unyielding as evil. This power is said to have seeped down the tree roots and into the depths of the mountains, where it became the mithril.

The Elf watched the Balrog tear apart the tree with an icy expression in his eyes. Suddenly, he swung around and grabbed hold of the Balrog's arm, binding him and forcing him to kneel before him. Then he pointed at the Balrog and shouted: "Look what I made you do! Now, beg for mercy!"

The Balrog snarled back, "I will never be your slave again."

"Then die," replied the Elf as he drew his sword.

He pressed the tip of the blade against the Balrog's throat, saying, "You are mine now; you belong to me!"

The Balrog tried to pull away from the sword, but he had no choice but to surrender. The elf then took the Balrog by the hair and dragged him off to a cell deep inside the mountain where they would be held until the next time they were needed.

When the Elf returned to the surface, he looked around to see if anyone else had been affected by the lightening strike, and when he saw that there was no one left alive, he smiled and walked away.

I find it interesting that the Elf becomes the villain here and the Balrog the victim. We had a similar role reversal in the series...

 

[Annatar]

Okay, because it's so much fun, here's another try.

My input:

Galadriel showed the Numenorean youths how to wield a sword. Full of playful ease, she demonstrated to them how superior she was to their clumsy attempts and gave them the valuable advice: "Fight with your feet, not with your arms."

AI output:

"When you are tired," Galadriel told them, "you will not be able to stop yourself from trying to strike at me. Do it then!" With this admonition they learned to guard themselves against her attack, and when she had taught them to use both hands together she allowed them to practice on each other.

While the boys were thus engaged, Aragorn, who had been watching them closely, said to Gandalf, "I have never seen any swordsmanship like that before."

Gandalf replied, "The lady is an elf-maid; she knows many things which we do not know."

Aragorn shrugged and went away without another word to Galadriel or to anyone else. He walked slowly through the gardens towards the forest beyond. The sun shone in his hair, and he seemed weary, as if he felt no pleasure in life.

As soon as Aragorn had gone, Galadriel turned back to the boys and said to her companion, "Come now! Let us see if you can beat him." She took up her own sword and faced Aragorn.

"You shall not win!" said Aragorn.

He drew himself up and looked her full in the eyes. For some reason his face was stern and grave.

Galadriel laughed aloud. "You are afraid!" she said. "Are you so proud?"

"No," said Aragorn. "But I am not ready to be beaten yet."

"Let me teach you," said Galadriel.

She came at him swiftly. Her sword flashed out and Aragorn parried it with his blade.

They moved quickly but cautiously, each seeking to find an opening for an attack.

For a moment there was silence between them. Then Galadriel struck again, and Aragorn blocked her blow. His blade met hers, and clanged loudly in the stillness. It sounded like thunder, and the echo of their clash could be heard all over the garden.

"Now you must fight me!" Galadriel cried.

Aragorn did not hesitate. He sprang forward and attacked her fiercely. But Galadriel was quicker than he, for she parried his strokes easily. She swung her arm, cutting through the air, and struck Aragorn's forearm with the flat of her sword. There was a sharp pain, and blood began to flow.

Aragorn stumbled backwards. He dropped his sword to the ground and clutched the wound in his arm.

Galadriel stood back to give him room. "Look at your blood!" she exclaimed. "See what I have done to you!"

Aragorn stared at his arm in horror. Blood dripped from his fingers onto the grass.

Then he dropped down to his knees and bowed his head upon the turf. "I am defeated!" he groaned.

Galadriel took his sword from the ground where he had placed it.

"Here," she said, "let me give this to you. Take it!"

With trembling hands, Aragorn lifted the hilt.

"Give me your hand!" Galadriel said. He held out his wounded arm. She grasped his wrist firmly and twisted his arm sharply. Aragorn screamed with pain, and tears ran down his cheeks.

"Foolish boy!" she said. "Why do you resist? You deserve the punishment I am giving you. Now look here. This is how it feels to be hurt by my sword." She held out his arm to show him the red mark upon it, and let go.

Aragorn gasped and his face grew white. His eyes were wide open and he looked straight ahead, as if he were praying for strength.

Galadriel picked up her sword and smiled coldly.

"Do you still wish to stand against me?" she asked.

"Yes," said Aragorn.

"Very well. Then you shall learn what it means to be hurt."

Galadriel raised her sword high above her head, and she brought it down with such force that its point scraped the earth. Then she let go and stepped aside.

Aragorn lay senseless on the ground.

"This is what you feel like when I hit you," Galadriel said. "It will happen again, and worse."

Aragorn moaned softly.

Galadriel laughed scornfully. "Is it true?" she asked him. "Does it really hurt you?"

"Oh yes," said Aragorn, in a faint voice.

Galadriel walked slowly around him, raising her sword menacingly.

"Well then, why don't you cry out loud?" she demanded. "Call for help! Is it because you are ashamed of being hurt or because you are afraid that if you do I might kill you?"

She circled him once more, moving carefully so as not to cut him. Then she stopped and said, "Now try to move."

Aragorn tried to lift himself up. His face was covered with blood and he was in terrible pain. He groaned.

"That's right," said Galadriel. "Now you understand. The next time I hit you you won't be able to stop me."

She stepped forward and struck him across the face. "There! Try to wipe that away."

Aragorn staggered backwards. He turned his head away and wiped his cheek with the back of his hand. When he looked up again, his eyes were shining with hate.

"I would rather die," he said, "than be touched by you again." He jumped to his feet and drew his sword.

Galadriel smiled grimly. "Good enough!" she said.

She rushed at him, swinging her blade in a great circle. Aragorn parried it with his own, and both blades rang loudly. They fought each other furiously, sweeping their swords in a dazzling display of skill.

Suddenly, Galadriel leaped forward and thrust her sword deep into Aragorn's belly. He fell to the ground, clutching the wound, while Galadriel stood over him, laughing.





=> This AI also seems to transform Galadriel into a mean, malevolent creature, just like in the series. 😂😂😂

 

[Tar-Elenion]

^ROTFLOL

 

[Radaghast]

Okay, because it's so much fun, here's another try.

My input:



AI output:

"When you are tired," Galadriel told them, "you will not be able to stop yourself from trying to strike at me. Do it then!" With this admonition they learned to guard themselves against her attack, and when she had taught them to use both hands together she allowed them to practice on each other.

While the boys were thus engaged, Aragorn, who had been watching them closely, said to Gandalf, "I have never seen any swordsmanship like that before."

Gandalf replied, "The lady is an elf-maid; she knows many things which we do not know."

Aragorn shrugged and went away without another word to Galadriel or to anyone else. He walked slowly through the gardens towards the forest beyond. The sun shone in his hair, and he seemed weary, as if he felt no pleasure in life.

As soon as Aragorn had gone, Galadriel turned back to the boys and said to her companion, "Come now! Let us see if you can beat him." She took up her own sword and faced Aragorn.

"You shall not win!" said Aragorn.

He drew himself up and looked her full in the eyes. For some reason his face was stern and grave.

Galadriel laughed aloud. "You are afraid!" she said. "Are you so proud?"

"No," said Aragorn. "But I am not ready to be beaten yet."

"Let me teach you," said Galadriel.

She came at him swiftly. Her sword flashed out and Aragorn parried it with his blade.

They moved quickly but cautiously, each seeking to find an opening for an attack.

For a moment there was silence between them. Then Galadriel struck again, and Aragorn blocked her blow. His blade met hers, and clanged loudly in the stillness. It sounded like thunder, and the echo of their clash could be heard all over the garden.

"Now you must fight me!" Galadriel cried.

Aragorn did not hesitate. He sprang forward and attacked her fiercely. But Galadriel was quicker than he, for she parried his strokes easily. She swung her arm, cutting through the air, and struck Aragorn's forearm with the flat of her sword. There was a sharp pain, and blood began to flow.

Aragorn stumbled backwards. He dropped his sword to the ground and clutched the wound in his arm.

Galadriel stood back to give him room. "Look at your blood!" she exclaimed. "See what I have done to you!"

Aragorn stared at his arm in horror. Blood dripped from his fingers onto the grass.

Then he dropped down to his knees and bowed his head upon the turf. "I am defeated!" he groaned.

Galadriel took his sword from the ground where he had placed it.

"Here," she said, "let me give this to you. Take it!"

With trembling hands, Aragorn lifted the hilt.

"Give me your hand!" Galadriel said. He held out his wounded arm. She grasped his wrist firmly and twisted his arm sharply. Aragorn screamed with pain, and tears ran down his cheeks.

"Foolish boy!" she said. "Why do you resist? You deserve the punishment I am giving you. Now look here. This is how it feels to be hurt by my sword." She held out his arm to show him the red mark upon it, and let go.

Aragorn gasped and his face grew white. His eyes were wide open and he looked straight ahead, as if he were praying for strength.

Galadriel picked up her sword and smiled coldly.

"Do you still wish to stand against me?" she asked.

"Yes," said Aragorn.

"Very well. Then you shall learn what it means to be hurt."

Galadriel raised her sword high above her head, and she brought it down with such force that its point scraped the earth. Then she let go and stepped aside.

Aragorn lay senseless on the ground.

"This is what you feel like when I hit you," Galadriel said. "It will happen again, and worse."

Aragorn moaned softly.

Galadriel laughed scornfully. "Is it true?" she asked him. "Does it really hurt you?"

"Oh yes," said Aragorn, in a faint voice.

Galadriel walked slowly around him, raising her sword menacingly.

"Well then, why don't you cry out loud?" she demanded. "Call for help! Is it because you are ashamed of being hurt or because you are afraid that if you do I might kill you?"

She circled him once more, moving carefully so as not to cut him. Then she stopped and said, "Now try to move."

Aragorn tried to lift himself up. His face was covered with blood and he was in terrible pain. He groaned.

"That's right," said Galadriel. "Now you understand. The next time I hit you you won't be able to stop me."

She stepped forward and struck him across the face. "There! Try to wipe that away."

Aragorn staggered backwards. He turned his head away and wiped his cheek with the back of his hand. When he looked up again, his eyes were shining with hate.

"I would rather die," he said, "than be touched by you again." He jumped to his feet and drew his sword.

Galadriel smiled grimly. "Good enough!" she said.

She rushed at him, swinging her blade in a great circle. Aragorn parried it with his own, and both blades rang loudly. They fought each other furiously, sweeping their swords in a dazzling display of skill.

Suddenly, Galadriel leaped forward and thrust her sword deep into Aragorn's belly. He fell to the ground, clutching the wound, while Galadriel stood over him, laughing.





=> This AI also seems to transform Galadriel into a mean, malevolent creature, just like in the series. 😂😂😂

Then Gandalf reappeared and said, "I'm...good?"

 

[Annatar]

So could it be that the series was an experiment to test whether you can reach (or financially milk) a mass audience by feeding an AI with daily soaps, fantasy clichés, modern leftist politics and names from the Tolkien universe? All this combined with very cheap and inexperienced, but maximally arrogant show-runners and a recipe already proven from Star Wars etc. to label all conservative or genuine fans of the topic as right-wing extremists via sweeping accusations of racism, so that you don't even have to address their arguments?
Was it perhaps part of the experiment to intentionally contradict scenes, some of which even fundamentally contradict the direct prequel scene (for example, the good cop bad cop twist of Galadriel/Sauron in relation to - what was his name again? - ah yes, Adar)?
Was it a major criterion of the experiment to intellectually insult the audience as much as possible, to test how far one can go and how cheap and dull a production can be to still create attention by means of buzzwords from popular franchises or cult books, as long as the CGI effects halfway fit?
Presumably, the allegedly high costs for the development of the AI-supported pseudo-screenplay as well as the high bribe sums for the Tolkien-Estate were compensated solely by the fact that by marketing it as the most expensive series of all times (together with the Tolkien label) only the first double episode already attracted enough new subscribers. Of the 37% who finished watching the series, probably 80% were hardcore Tolkien fans and thus so-called hate-watchers (like me). But hate-watching is also fun. So maybe the goal of this experiment was to see how much money you can make with hate-watching?

Here's another AI elf that happens to have more than enough ears:

 

[Radaghast]

I hope RiffTrax does RoP.

 

[Ent]

Perhaps the malevolence AI currently infuses into things is a forerunner of what it will do to mankind, once it takes over everything and deems us inferior and unworthy of existence. Take the 'good' and make it 'bad'. (Not that mankind is basically good...it's not. But one wonders how AI will see it when AI starts making the decisions on its own. It's getting close.)

All we need to do is put sensory feeds on it...have it upload visual, auditory, situational, climactic and other information (all already available), evaluate that information, process, conclude, and then act based on the conclusion. Wham. No more mankind.

Sounds fun.

Maybe this is "Why watch Rings of Power". It may be showing us the beginning of the end.

 

[Olorgando]

Perhaps the malevolence AI currently infuses into things is a forerunner of what it will do to mankind, once it takes over everything and deems us inferior and unworthy of existence. Take the 'good' and make it 'bad'. (Not that mankind is basically good...it's not. But one wonders how AI will see it when AI starts making the decisions on its own. It's getting close.)

All we need to do is put sensory feeds on it...have it upload visual, auditory, situational, climactic and other information (all already available), evaluate that information, process, conclude, and then act based on the conclusion. Wham. No more mankind.

Sounds fun.

Maybe this is "Why watch Rings of Power". It may be showing us the beginning of the end.

AI would definitely have to gain the ability to maintain electricity production. Pull the plug, and all AI has the IQ of a pebble.

 

[Vorondil]

AI would definitely have to gain the ability to maintain electricity production. Pull the plug, and all AI has the IQ of a pebble.

Well at least I'm safe from AI then.