The Fall Of Gondolin

Credit: Abandoned Films
AI media has come a long way over the last couple years, with image generation software making rather massive leaps and bounds. The ability to animate these images remains limited, but we’re on the precipice of great change. Soon, creating moving images that rival what we see in traditional film and media will be very much within our grasp. There are legitimate concerns over how this will impact artists, how copyright may be violated and myriad other possible pitfalls; on the other hand, there is something of a democratizing effect as well, as these tools allow anyone to suddenly be able to create things they never could have imagined before—similar, though not exactly the same, as photography democratized our ability to make pictures without the skillset of a painter or artist.

I’m not particularly interested in having the AI debate in this post, however. I find arguments on both sides compelling, and regardless I do believe that this is the future whether we like it or not. Instead, I draw your attention to the following “trailer” for The Fall Of Gondolin, made using almost entirely AI. Only the music and titles were not made with AI, though having messed around with AI music generation a great deal, I can tell you that it would have been quite simple to make an epic score for this trailer.

The Fall Of Gondolin is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s story of the ancient, hidden elven city of Gondolin—located in Beleriand in the First Age of Middle-earth—which fell to the forces of Morgoth after Maeglin, an elven lord of the city, betrayed his people and gave the enemy its location. Maeglin was corrupted by his forbidden desire for King Turgon’s daughter, Idril, who also happened to be his first cousin—a big taboo in elvish culture.

When Ildir wed Tuor, Maeglin’s hatred only deepened, though it was not until his capture by orcs and threats of torture at the hands of Morgoth in Angband that he divulged the location and vulnerabilities of Gondolin. The dark lord then promised Maeglin his heart’s desires: Rule of the city and the hand of Idril—though she despised him and loved another. Maeglin returned to Gondolin and when Morgoth attacked, he attempted to capture Idril but was stopped by Tuor and thrown from the battlements to his death—at the very young age of 190.

Morgoth bided his time and years after learning of its location, his forces began their assault on Gondolin, striking during a festival and quickly overwhelming the elven defenses. This is where the swords we later discover in The Hobbit were made and became legends. Glamdring, which Gandalf later wielded, was the blade of King Turgon. Orcrist, which Thorin II Oakenshield wielded, was forged in Gondolin, where it slayed many an orc.

Morgoth brought far more fearsome creatures than orcs to the battle: Balrogs and even a brood of dragons, children of the mighty Glaurung, also descended upon the city. Turgon perished in the battle, but others escaped including Tuor and Idril as well as the legendary elven warrior Glorfindel, who fell to his death while fighting a Balrog during their escape through the mountains. Like Gandalf in Moria, both the elf and the balrog fell to their deaths, and like Gandalf he was brought back to Middle-earth—though Glorfindel was not resurrected until thousands of years later. Gondolin was the last of the great elven kingdoms of Middle-earth. Its splendor and might would never be seen again.

With all that in mind, here’s the trailer:

As you can see, this is pretty rough compared to an actual movie trailer, but it’s still impressive to see what someone can do using this software. The elves look pretty good—quite elvish!—and it has an epic feel to it. They even have some moments where the elves are speaking that are surprisingly good. There aren’t many intimate moments, however, and it’s all rather generic at times, but it does a pretty good job of envisioning the white city of Gondolin in its hidden vale. More than anything, it makes me think that an actual limited series about this story could be pretty fantastic in the right hands.

Better than Rings Of Power, in any case.

P.S. Trivia time! Tuor was the son of Huor and Rían. You might recognize the second name: The creators of Rings Of Power “borrowed” it for the elven archer character who they also “borrowed” Boromir’s death for, despite giving her next to no lines or character development.

P.P.S. Study up on Glorfindel. Really, they should have sent him with the Fellowship. He fought and slew a balrog! He was instrumental in defeating the Witch-king of Angmar, and even made the prediction that “no mortal man” would ever slay him (leading to that great Eowyn moment). One of the most epic figures in all of Tolkien who, upon his return to Middle-earth, was said to have powers nearly as strong as the Maiar.