For the fourth episode of True Fiction, we're delving into the creation of one of the most beloved fantasy universes of all time: Middle-earth. For many, reading the Hobbit or watching Lord of the Rings was their first entry into a fantasy world of Elves and Orcs, Dwarves and Ents, but not everyone knows the origins of it all are in a tragic real-world event.

J. R. R. Tolkien hasn't overtly confirmed that Lord of the Rings is an allegory for the first world war, but the parallels are obvious. Not to mention, Tolkien's own personal experiences very obviously have manifested in different ways within Middle-earth. We dig into all of this, and more, in the episode which you can watch below.

You can check out True Fiction on the GameSpot Universe YouTube channel, where new episodes will be released every Sunday. In previous episodes we explored the real-life inspirations between Twin Peaks, Godzilla, and Nightmare on Elm Street.