Pretty sure any mortal dies faster but in bliss. Not sure how much faster. 10%? 100%? I don't think Tolkien thought in those kinda terms. Not sure we will get specifics on the exposure to Valinor for mortals: DOT AOE % of HP per second.

Yeah, I think the "hopeful" answer in Tolkien is that evil will undue itself by its very nature. The fact that the ring creates such desire for it in those that bear it proves to be the ring's undoing in the end not the action of any man/hobbit. I think its a specific theological point Tolkien is making. It is the…

See below for my distinction between LOTR's "optimism" and what I think is more its true currency, "hopefulness".

Frodo pretty much goes off to die in the Undying Lands but it's a death where he will find peace from the wounds of the ring and the Witch King's blade a little before he dies. Its basically a physician's assisted suicide. So both pessimistic and optimistic I guess?

I'm not sure Tolkien "found the light" since his worldview seems to be that modernity will diminish and kill us all. I think LOTR is essentially a book about hope. I don't think there's much in it that is optimistic per se but there is a great deal in it that is hopeful.

You grow up in Bayonne you come out a pessimist. Survive the Battle of the Somme & it's all gumdrops and lollipops.

Just his prose style is insufferable food descriptions or not.

Does anyone think King's "Shinning" isn't inferior to Kubrick's?

Gandalf is a demigod, angel or whatever. Him coming back is different than a mortal coming back. I don't buy into the god's grace aspect of Tolkien's world view but I understand it within it's own framework.

This dude can't even pretend to be a normal human being for 5 minutes

So clearly the only thing this could be is he's been fucking the puppet for years.

Singling out a poorly written episode in this season is shooting fish in a barrel.

I sorta wanted Ellie Kemper. Doreen needs to play pretty young. While Kemper is older than Kendrick she plays younger than her. To me anyway.

If it stops those AT&T commercials it's worth it.

Yeah I thought that's why they kept her vague. Not sure how to really play that without getting really convoluted and weird. I mean they don't need 2 Wasps and have already done the hero out of time thing with Cap. If they do do it I hope she brings the FF with her though.

Shield shows up in Avengers 2

I miss Jan more than Hank. The MCU could use Jan's goofy energy. Too many of their female characters come off as scolds or moms.

Awww … now they can't use the Enforcers in a sequel. The karate chopping little person and the guy that lassos people such clear candidates for live action.

They haven't been better than that in quite some time.

Logan was good fun but there isn't as much inherently "not silly" in it as is often stated. Stabbing people thru the skulls in slow motion also has a deeply silly side to it.