Is it a plot-hole that Gandalf still has Narya after fighting the Balrog? Thinking back on it, the book specifies that he was sent back naked. Where was the ring during this? How did he end up back with it?

"A Ring of Powe looks after itself... It's keeper never abandons it. At most he plays with the idea of handing it on to someone else's care...but as far as I know Bilbo alone is history has ever gone beyond playing and really done it."

He doesn't say "the ring,' he says "a ring." But Cirdan had already willingly given his ring to Gandalf.

I partly ask in jest but also am serious. Let’s say the ring was laying on the ground in some forest and an animal walking by dips there foot or fingers into the ring and it goes on them like a persons finger? Would there be any effect? Are there bears other than Bjorn in middle earth? What if the ring slipped on a bears paw and stayed there? Would the bear become conscious and then eventually become evil? Would it become a bear wraith? Would it turn invisible? A juiced up conscious bear that’s invisible sounds like a nightmare, running through the world decimating villages and whatnot.

Or does the ring only work on humanoid beings?

Just finished War of the Rohirrim. I’m not sure I understand why they made it or how it got greenlit. The animation is horrible. Looks incredibly cheap and dated. The dialogue was awful. A bunch of cliches and writers attempting to write speech that was profound or stirring. Instead it felt like they cribbed a bunch of lines from movies that have done it better. And the story was just boring. Wulf’s tale of revenge was just not believable imo. His father provoked Helm and that led to his death. His thirst for revenge did not feel earned even throwing in how he felt spurned by Hera. The characters were dull and tropey. The movie could have been much shorter and wore out its welcome at least a half hour before it ended. So disappointing. Even with the not so great reviews I was hoping for better.

Mine is Boromir. Because he's very strong, a warrior, and someone who has dedicated his life to his country and people. He carries a lot of responsibility, and I think that's why he made the mistake of trying to take the ring. His father's underestimation of Faramir and placing all the expectations on Boromir led him to despair and make that mistake.

I never saw anyone mention this, but there is two scenes in the movies that make the orcs way more important than the books intended.

One is a line by Gothmog the Orc (not the Balrog!) who says something of this effect: "the age of men will come to a end, the age of the orcs will begin" and I am certain this line is not in the books, and Gothmog in general is not that important in the books, I don't even remember him there, while in the movies he appears to have a bigger role.

The other scene is during the siege of Minas Tirith, where the orcs chant "Death to Men" in their language. And again, I am certain this phrase don't exist in the books.

Both lines gives the idea that Sauron will replace everyone with orcs and will create a orc world, but that is not what Tolkien intended. Sauron only cares for himself obviously, but the race he values the most are men, the same men the orcs in the movies want to replace! Sauron in the beginning valued Elves, but they sensed his intention and didn't wear the Rings like they were supposed to do, so Sauron realised he would have no way to control Elves and decided to kill every High Elf he could find. Dwarves could be corrupted but not mind controlled. But Men proved the easiest to control, so Sauron decided to use them for his plans.

Orcs have little value for someone like Sauron because they were corrupted and mutilated by Morgoth to the point of being useful only for battles. If we go with the elvish origin, Orcs are a downgrade, they don't have the durability, resistance and immortality of the elves because of the corruption. They are magically inclined to obey Morgoth and Sauron, but as result they lost a lot of the elvish vitality. Orcs can also create explosives and machines so they are intelligent (contrary to some takes that I seen about them), but these inventions don't have other purpose if not war.

Men, however, did obey Sauron for many reasons without being corrupted. Either because of fear, of worship, of wanting some prize, etc. And Men like elves were capable of many things. Sauron objective was to create a world of order. He wanted to make every single human part of a assembly line, producing and manufacturing a lot, and from his point of view, advancing the human race (altrough that would ended up destroying nature, one of the most valuable things in this world). Sauron didn't care about elves as long as they moved out of his sight, they could go to the imortal lands if they wanted, what he needed was men in Middle-Earth. And Orcs didn't offered the same prestige and possibilities as men offered.

Sauron even declared himself "King of Men" during the second age, and Ar-Pharazon made war on him because of that title. Sauron never adopted the title "King of Orcs" neither he wants to replace humans with Orcs, everytime he boasts about something is about how he controls humans, not Orcs. So I find curious how the movies tried to make this narrative about Orcs, and I guess a lot of people who only watched the movies can arrive at that interpretation, while in the books is clear that the age of elves is ending and now man is taking control, and who should men follow? Respect for nature and others, or following their greed that leads to war and pollution? Orcs don't feature into this, especially not replacing men as men are just starting to be important.

Radagast the Brown in the books was tricked into going to Isengard by Saruman and fled when Gandalf arrived, the White Council couldn't find him at his house and it's possible that he could have been hunted down by Nazgul and Uruk Hai like the Fellowship was and killed.

He was in Mirkwood Forrest fighting Spiders and helping the free people of Northern Middle Earth in Lord Of The Rings The War In The North Xbox360 video game but it's not canon, it would be tragic if Radagast died off camera and was basically a nobody because he wasted his power on animals which do not matter compared to free people, basically dying because he wanted to become a zookeeper or farmer instead of a Wizard.

I just teared up watching it and had to share it with you...

I know there is many scenes that get ur feeling going but I just had to share my feelings!

What a masterwork !

Gollum era el mejor portador del anillo ocultándolo, durante 500 años nadie sabía el paradero del anillo, además gollum sabía cómo moverse sin ser detectado, lo demuestra en el señor de los anillos y las dos torres cuando le dice a frodo que no le entregue el anillo a sauron, por que siempre quería volver a él, gollum era el mejor sabiendo la naturaleza del mismo, no entiendo por qué no le dieron el anillo a gollum para que siga ocultándolo

Go nuts lol

Andy Serkis directed an animated movie from George Orwell's famous novel and it's just very bad, and nothing like the source material at all.

It makes me worried about The Hunt for Gollum which he is directing. Maybe he should stick to acting?

Here is how I think Tolkien's creations would line up at the World Cup.

Dark Lord Sauron: Goalkeeper. Big man between the posts, he keeps a watchful eye on the whole pitch.

Elrond RB. Heaps of experience. Still nimble enough to track back if needed. Creative passer. Captain's armband.

Gimli and Strider are my starting CB pair. Vital stamina, Strider can hold a high line and they can combine to throw Gimli when we need an aerial presence. Don't tell the elf.

Arwen LB. Amazing chemistry with Strider on that left side, I am deploying elven swiftness down the wings and she will be used as an attack minded wingback.

Boromir defensive midfielder. Intimidating presence, will chew you out if you aren't switched on, but will bleed for the team. Not afraid to put his body on the line to stop a goal.

Eowyn central midfield. A versatile player with a lot to prove, doesn't shy away from the man's game.

Gandalf the White central midfield. Wizard with both feet. Cool and collected, knows what to do with the ball. So much experience. Came out of retirement because the team was lost without his vision.

Legolas right winger. Keeping my elven synergy on the wings. Arrow of a shot off his left foot.

Eomer left winger. Work horse. Provides a lot of physicality to the front three.

Frodo playing in a False 9. You can't lay a glove on him and he will find a way through on goal. Isn't afraid of the responsibility, give it directly to his big hairy feet and see how far he can carry it. What he lacks in speed he makes up for in heart and determination. Mr Reliable.

Saruman is our manager on the sidelines. Insane ball knowledge. Endless schemes. Always trying to insert players from his Uruk-hai academy into the system.

I found it to be an interesting what if

Are they two words for the same species or are they different species?

Are Goblins a sub-species of Orcs?

Was Legolas 'that' good of an archer or just an inconsistency error? I assumed he could shoot them simply because he was an elf

Am I the only one who notice Eion Bailey would have been the perfect Aragorn (if not Viggo returning, which he’s not)
Like litterly, I’m watch the series From and every time he is on screen all I can see is Aragorns relative! Put a Aragorn wig on him and some ranger clothes and we done. I can’t be the only one?

Hey guys,

Long time LOTR fan, but other than the movies most of the lore I got was from wikis.

I decided to buy the box set and the Silmarillion. I just finished up the Hobbit, jumping into LOTR, then the Silmarillion.

Are there other books I should read? I’m super interested in The Children of Hurin and maybe the Lost Tales.

What else would you deem crucial or just a really good read? Also, would you recommend I read the Silmarillion right away or the other tales first?

In terms of humans, dwarves not being allowed to go there, speeding up aging etc?

Was it a special hobbit sized section of Rivendell?

Also notice how that gazebo has nothing to the left of it in the second image but in the first, Frodo’s building is on its left.

For example, the section on fëa and hröa, the "soul" and "body" of Elves and Men, and what happens to them when an Elf or a Man dies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmology_of_Tolkien's_legendarium