• Newsfeed
  • movies

Everything About Lord of the Rings Explained in Less Than 5 Minutes

2 minute read
New Line Cinema's "Lord Of The Rings" Gets 13 Oscar Nominations
Academy Award? nominees Grant Major for Best Art Direction and Dan Hennah for Best Set Decoration in New Line Cinema's epic adventure, "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring." (Photo by New Line/WireImage)New Line—WireImage
By Melissa Locker

The Lord of the Rings was successful because J.R.R. Tolkien knew how to tell a good story, one that director Peter Jackson was able to bring to life on the screen. But Jackson’s version didn’t even scratch the surface of The Lord of the Rings mythology, a complex tale of wizards, elves and rings of power woven into a tapestry so tight it could be hung in the Great Hall of Thingol.

Luckily the elves that operate the internet, which may or may not be the same elves that populate Middle Earth, have heard our head scratching and created a helpful videos series that unravels some of the mysteries of the Lord of the Rings. In the latest installment of the informative series posted on YouTube channel CGP Grey, the origin story of the One Ring —and the secret to elven agelessness and dwarf wealth— is explained in less than five minutes.

If you are preparing to face-off against LOTR superfan Stephen Colbert you may want to check out part one of the series, which helps you know your Balrogs from your Orcs.

PHOTOS: See the 13 Actors Who Play the Dwarfs in 'The Hobbit'

Fili, Dean O'Gorman
Fili - Dean O’GormanWarner Bros.; Anita Bugge—WireImage—Getty Images
Kili - Aidan Turner
Kili - Aidan TurnerWarner Bros.; Gregg DeGuire—WireImage/Getty Images
Oin - John Callen
Oin - John CallenWarner Bros.; Tschiponnique Skupin—Geisler-Fot/picture-alliance/dpa/AP
Gloin - Peter Hambleton
Gloin - Peter HambletonWarner Bros.; Dave J Hogan—Getty Images
Dwalin - Graham McTavish
Dwalin - Graham McTavishWarner Bros.; David Livingston—Getty Images
Balin - Ken Stott
Balin - Ken Stott Warner Bros.; Ben A. Pruchnie—Getty Images
Bifur - William Kircher
Bifur - William Kircher Warner Bros.; Ray Tamarra—Getty Images
Bofur - James Nesbitt
Bofur - James Nesbitt Warner Bros.; Ray Tamarra—Getty Images
Bombur - Stephen Hunter
Bombur - Stephen Hunter Warner Bros.; Joel Ryan—Invision/AP
Dori - Mark Hadlow
Dori - Mark Hadlow Warner Bros.; Ray Tamarra—Getty Images
Nori - Jed Brophy
Nori - Jed BrophyWarner Bros.; Ray Tamarra—Getty Images
Ori - Adam Brown
Ori - Adam Brown Warner Bros.; Anita Bugge—WireImage/Getty Images
Thorin Oakenshield - Richard Armitage
Thorin Oakenshield - Richard ArmitageWarner Bros.; Jason Merritt—Getty Images

Read next: Watch a Supercut of Every Onscreen Death in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Listen to the most important stories of the day.

More Must-Reads from TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com