049 - Fire, Fear, and the Fall of Hope in "The Siege of Gondor"

This week we discuss book 5, chapter 4: The Siege of Gondor from "The Return of the King".

The walls of Minas Tirith are tested, Denethor fully loses the plot, Faramir gets sent into a nightmare, and the Witch-king arrives at the gate like Middle-earth’s final boss.

Conversation Topics

Pippin’s first day in the Tower Guard and his uneasy place inside Minas Tirith

Faramir’s return, his encounter with Frodo and Sam, and Denethor’s fury over the Ring

Gandalf trying to piece together Frodo’s fate, Aragorn’s Palantír move, and Mordor’s timing

The fall of Osgiliath, Faramir’s doomed retreat, and the rescue by Prince Imrahil and the Swan Knights

Denethor’s collapse, his grief over Faramir, and the horrifying funeral pyre plan

Grond, the Witch-king, and Gandalf’s stand at the broken gate

Shadowfax, Rohan’s horns, flaming bananas foster, and the chapter’s massive cliffhanger

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome back for “The Siege of Gondor”

08:30 Faramir flees Nazgûl, and Gandalf rides out

15:28 Gandalf pieces together Mordor’s attack timing

23:07 Gandalf returns as Faramir holds the rear

30:25 Mordor surrounds Minas Tirith with fire

38:26 Pippin discovers Denethor’s funeral pyre plan

43:05 The Witch-king faces Gandalf before Rohan arrives

49:42 Pippin sees Faramir’s nobility and sorrow

56:26 Denethor, Boromir, Faramir, and the Ring

1:05:26 The crew considers Denethor’s possible Palantír

1:13:22 The Witch-king terrifies, but Shadowfax stands firm

1:18:46 Food for Thought brings flaming bananas foster

Today's "Food For Thought": The Flames of Gondor

The amount of fire in this chapter was brutal. So of course, I had to use fire in my treat! Right? During the episode, I sort of followed this recipe: https://kitchen-catastrophe.com/kitchen-catastrophe/kc-155-bananas-fosterIt failed because I tried to leave out the alcohol for RJ, spoon out her portion, and then add the alcohol for the rest. I think you need the alcohol to get the right consistency for the sauce.

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Content Warning: Explicit

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