King Durin III and Prince Durin IV of Khazad-dûm are depicted as father and son. In J.R.R. Tolkien's writings, the Dwarven kings named Durin are born generations apart, and the Dwarves believe them all to be reincarnations of the original Durin. This is a component of the "time compression" in this series' narrative.
Halbrand says to Galadriel that "The tides of fate are flowing." Galadriel herself uses the same expression to Frodo and Sam in the novel of "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring".
The Plough, or Big Dipper, is visible in the sky above the Sundering Seas in the opening scene. In J.R.R. Tolkien's writings, the Elves call the Plough the "Valacirca", or "Sickle of the Valar", and regard it as a sign of Morgoth's defeat. The Hobbits of the Third Age also know it as the "Sickle".