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'
Read next: Watch a Supercut of Every Onscreen Death in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com