Finale: Dr John Dundee Payne is honored by The Rings of Power

Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings series, The Rings of Power, has earned itself plenty of attention since it wandered onto our screens, whether that’s for its eye-watering budget or mystery storylines that have intrigued and frustrated viewers in equal measure.

Season 1’s final episode featured many emotional scenes as several mysteries were solved.

The Rings of Power’s finale was a climactic episode with many twists and turns. However, it maintained a personal touch by pausing to pay tribute just before the credits roll.

The Rings of Power pay tribute to Dr. John Dundee Payne

The final episode of The Rings of Power’s first season uncovered the secrets behind many of the mysteries that have been touted throughout the season while also teasing some of the perils to come in season 2.

Before saying farewell to viewers, the series took a moment of pause to pay tribute to Dr John Dundee Payne.

The title card was displayed just before the credits were rolled.

“Dedicated to Dr John Dundee Payne 1946 – 2021.

“Now in the far green country, under a swift sunrise.”

Who is Dr. John Dundee Payne

Dr. John Dundee Payne is the father of The Rings of Power’s co-showrunner J.D. Payne.

Born January 16, 1946, Dr. Payne was raised in Chicago, Illinois. He studied at Northwestern Medical School before becoming a psychiatrist.

According to him, he was studying at Northwestern while he did so. ObituaryJohn met and married his love, Dr. Lillian Marlene Jones. With her, he would start their family. He had three children, Jennifer (J.D.), and J.D. Heather, (also known as John).

During the Vietnam War, John moved to Washington DC where he served at St. Elizabeth’s mental hospital and he later completed his residency in psychiatry at Georgetown University Hospital.

After his training, Dr. Payne established a private practice in psychiatry where he treated patients for 42 years.

John, surrounded by his loved ones, passed away peacefully on the 6th of November 2021. He was 75 years old.

A Tolkien quote is featured in the dedication

The title card pays tribute to Dr. Payne by referencing a line in The Lord of the Rings books. This line appears in both The Fellowship of the Ring (and The Return of the King).

The line in questionFrodo’s dream of Valinor is a reference in the novels as he sails to The Undying Lands.

The Return of the King: Frodo embarks on a fateful journey in The Return of the King. The line reads, “The grey rain-curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back, and he beheld white shores and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise.”

Gandalf’s film adaptation of The Return of the King uses this line to reassure Pippin of what comes after death “isn’t so bad” in a poignant moment that is underscored by Howard Shore’s piece of music, A Far Green Country.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is available for streaming in full on Amazon Prime VideoSeason 1 was completed on October 14, 2022.

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