SME059: Continuing their dive into the Quenta Silmarillion, Thomas Salerno, Jeff Haecker, and Patrick Mason discuss Melkor’s corrupting influence, Fëanor’s tragic complexity, and the symbolism of Ungoliant’s darkness and hunger as they set the stage for the entire First Age. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give...

SME058: The trilogy ends! Jeff Haecker, Thomas Salerno, and Alix Murray finish their discussion of the Peter Jackson LOTR trilogy, diving deep into the themes of sacrifice, courage, resilience, and more, while comparing how the films differed from original book and the film’s lasting impact. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at...

SME057: The theme for Tolkien Reading Day 2024 is Service and Sacrifice, so Jeff Haecker, Thomas Salerno, and Patrick Mason shares their favorite quotes from Tolkien’s works on the subject, concluding that nearly the whole Legendarium is on that topic. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give today? Links for this...

SME056: Awakening. Thomas Salerno, Jeff Haecker, and Pat Mason continue their walk through the Silmarillion, covering the creation and awakening of Elves, origins of orcs, the first binding of Morgoth, and themes of power, sacrifice, and morallity. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give today? Links for this...

SME055: So much happens in Peter Jackson’s film verison of The Two Towers. Jeff Haecker, Thomas Salerno, and Alix Murray discuss the film’s portrayals of Faramir and Theoden; the themes of hope, unity, and despair at Helm’s Deep; and the changes made from the book. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give today? Links...

SME054: Continuing their discussion of The Silmarillion, Thomas Salerno, Jeff Haecker, and Patrick Mason discuss the beginning of the Quenta Silmarillion and the themes of fate, free will, creation, and destruction within Tolkien’s universe. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give today? Links for this episode: *...

SME053: We gave Patrons the opportunity to ask our Tolkien experts Thomas Salerno, Jeff Haecker, Mike Schramm, and Patrick Mason their related questions and made the answers available exclusively to Patrons first and the later to the whole audience. This time the questions cover the origin and fate of the wizards, where the Entwives went, and what part of Tolkien’s stories they would change. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and...

SME052: Focusing on Peter Jackson’s Fellowship of the Ring, Jeff Haecker, Thomas Salerno, and Alix Murray share their experiences of the film; highlights, including Boromir’s redemptive death; its cultural impact; controversies about changes from the books; and more. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give...

SME051: Over 23 years Tolkien wrote a series of letters from Father Christmas to his children. Thomas Salerno, Jeff Haecker, and Patrick Mason discuss their experiences of the letters; Tolkien’s whimsical, playful side; his devotion as a father; and the enduring magic of his imagination. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at...

SME050: Tolkien’s Silmarillion begins with the Ainulindale and Valaquenta and so Thomas Salerno, Jeff Haecker, and Patrick Mason begin the first part of a conversation about these two stories, on Middle Earth’s creation, the balance of good and evil, immortality and free will, and more. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at...

StarQuest CEO Dom Bettinelli has a special message for listeners as we approach the Christmas season. We need to hear from you this Advent and Christmas at sqpn.com/give

SME049: Examining Tolkien’s Elves and Dwarves, Thomas Salerno, Mike Schramm, and Jeff Haecker discuss their mystical and earthly natures; portrayals in media; their rich backstory in “The Silmarillion;” symbolism in their relationship—elves reflect beauty; dwarves, greed; their history of conflict and cooperation, especially in “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings,” where Gimli and Legolas’s friendship exemplifies their potential harmony. Get all new episodes automatically and for...

SME048: Explore the theological and philosophical themes concerning good, evil, and power, as reflected in the One Ring’s symbolism. Thomas Salerno, Jeff Haecker, and Mike Schramm discuss the influences of Tolkien’s work on modern fantasy, highlighting the Ring’s evolution from a plot tool to a symbol of power and corruption, paralleled in modern takes on sin and redemption. The Ring’s symbolic narrative rooted in Judeo-Christian themes signifies a timeless struggle between power’s allure and...

SME047: One of the first film versions of Tolkien’s work, Rankin Bass’s animated The Hobbit continues to delight. Thomas Salerno, Thomas Sanjurjo, and Jeff Haecker discuss the virtues of the adaptation and the differences from its more famous brethren. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give today? Links for this...

I need to ask for your help, but first I want to thank you for listening to StarQuest and supporting our mission of exploring the intersection of faith and pop culture. Over the past five years–since 2018–StarQuest has grown by leaps and bounds, more than at any time in our previous 12 years. With more than a dozen programs and hundreds of thousands of listeners and viewers each month, we are able to bring the Gospel to the world in a unique and entertaining way. This summer, we marked...

SME046: Not all Middle-Earth movies are big-budget Hollywood productions. Thomas Salerno, Kaitlyn Facista, and Jeff Haecker review the fan-made LOTR film “Born of Hope” and discuss the bittersweet tale of Aragorn’s parents Arathorn and Gilraen. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give today? Links for this...

SME045: Smeagol or Gollum? Thomas Salerno, Thomas Sanjurjo, Jeff Haecker, and Kaitlyn Facista do a deep dive on the character of this Ringbearer, his motivations and roles in various, the latest video game featuring Gollum, and the controversial opinion: Is Gollum the hero of LOTR? Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at...

SME044: Happy Father’s Day! Jeff Haecker, Thomas Salerno, Kaitlyn Facista, and Thomas Sanjurjo are celebrating Dads as they discuss the fathers of Middle Earth, both good and bad, including both biological fathers and spiritual fathers. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give today? Links for this episode: * Leave...

SME043: Happy Mother’s Day! Jeff Haecker, Kaitlyn Fascista, Thomas Sanjurjo, and Thomas Salerno discuss motherhood in Tolkien’s Legendarium and Rings of Power, including how his own mother’s death at a young age affected his portrayal of mothers in his own works. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give today? Links...

SME042: The Valar are the angelic guardians of Middle-earth who watch over the heroes and influence the world in dramatic and surprising ways. Thomas Salerno, Kaitlyn Facista, Thomas Sanjurjo, and Jeff Haecker discuss their favorite Valar and even create their own original Valar characters. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at...

SME041: It’s Tolkien reading day and Thomas Salerno, Kaitlyn Facista, Jeff Haecker, and Thomas Sanjurjo offer up their favorite passages on the theme of travel and adventure, from the darkest depths to the hopeful highs. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give today? Links for this episode: * Leave us a review on...

SME040: Tolkien’s stories are filled with tales of romance and friendship, and Thomas Salerno, Kaitlyn Facista, Thomas Sanjurjo, and Jeff Haecker discuss all the great love stories, including their favorites, like Beren and Luthien, Aragorn and Arwen, and even Gimli and Galadriel. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at...

SME039: Faith is the topic for Jeff Haecker, Thomas Sanjurjo, Thomas Salerno, and Kaitlyn Facista as they discuss Tolkien’s own Catholic faith and how he saw it in his works, plus the faiths of the people of his creation in Middle Earth. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give today? Links for this episode: * The...

SME038: Who is Tom Bombadil? Thomas Sanjurjo, Kaitlyn Facista, Thomas Salerno, and Jeff Haecker discuss the enigmatic Tom: Who is he? What did Tolkien have to say about him? And what other similarly enigmatic characters are there in the Legendarium? Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube. Help us continue to offer the Secrets of Middle Earth. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give today? Links for this...