Questions tagged [tolkiens-legendarium]
For questions about any works in J.R.R. Tolkien's Legendarium - The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, and other works set in the same universe - or about that universe as a whole. Questions about movies, games, or other media set in the same universe should also use this tag. Questions about Tolkien himself or works by him which are not part of the Middle-earth universe should NOT use this tag use [j-r-r-tolkien] instead.
3,139
questions
3
votes
0
answers
156
views
Were the Valar aware of the surviving Balrogs? And if they weren´t but was made aware would they have removed it themselves? [closed]
In the council of Elrond it is debated whether or not to send the ring across the ocean and transport it to Valinor.
That idea is however quickly rejected as it is mentioned that they would not ...
- 901
23
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Tolkien's art - Lake Mithrim
Scratching my head here trying to work out what object or event is represented by the bright golden triangle in the background.
Any ideas? Please don't tell me it is Thangorodrim! Perhaps it is the ...
- 341
12
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Are the fires of Mt Doom lava, magma, or something else?
My son is learning about geology while reading LoTR. He wants to know if the fires of Mt Doom where the One Ring was forged were lava, magma, or something else. Are the fires described anywhere in the ...
- 565
-8
votes
1
answer
248
views
Are the Silmarils and the Rings of Power the same basic thing? [closed]
To my understanding, this question roughly translates as: Are fëa (souls) compositionally the same as "holy light" (e.g. from the Two Lamps, Two Trees, Silmarils, etc.)?
In the same way that ...
- 91
10
votes
2
answers
2k
views
First Age "of the Sun" terminology
I saw a statement a couple weeks ago that the terminology of ages "of the Sun" in Middle-earth appeared nowhere in Tolkien's actual works and that it was invented by fans. This seems ...
- 91.5k
50
votes
3
answers
14k
views
If Sauron wins eventually without the Ring, why weren't Elrond/Gandalf in panic mode before Frodo showed up?
Sort of a follow-up question to Why did the Council of Elrond debate hiding or sending the Ring away, if Sauron wins eventually in that scenario?
If Sauron wins eventually even without finding the ...
- 1,047
4
votes
2
answers
439
views
About orcs, elves, ents and trolls
I was discussing The Lord of the Rings with my son tonight, and we were puzzled by something—Treebeard tells Pippin and Merry that trolls are "mighty strong" but are merely weaker imitations ...
- 151
11
votes
1
answer
7k
views
When were Frodo and Sam first conceptualized as gay?
In my journey through the internet I came across this Reddit post which links a Cameo from Sean Astin (Sam in the LotR movies). If I understand correctly, he is responding to a question or paid for ...
- 59.4k
14
votes
1
answer
437
views
What events, characters, or settings are shown on this album cover?
I picked this up at a thrift shop over the weekend. I found it very neat to see what a reader may have imagined the characters and world of LOTR to look like. I read the book in a Post-Jackson world, ...
- 2,417
-6
votes
1
answer
218
views
In what ways does the One Ring affect the wearer?
The key quote from Tolkien that answers this is contained in Letter 246, with my added emphasis:
It was part of the essential deceit of the Ring to fill minds with imaginations of supreme power.
...
- 6,924
18
votes
4
answers
6k
views
Did Gollum want possession of the Ring but not want to wear it?
Is this accurate? While the Ring is definitely something he desired and wore to become invisible occasionally, he did not particularly want to wear it.
- 13.1k
24
votes
3
answers
8k
views
Orc calls elves "filth?"
The orcs insult and disparage elves but they use terms that seem too human -- is something being filth that big a deal to an orc? So are we getting only an imprecise translation of what orcs say often,...
- 13.1k
5
votes
1
answer
212
views
At what point in the writing of The Lord of the Rings did Bilbo's "Translations from the Elvish" appear?
The original framing story for Tolkien's Book of Lost Tales, which later developed into The Silmarillion, was a sailor named Eriol/Ælfwine who chanced upon Tol Eressëa and was told the stories by his ...
- 14k
12
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What happened to Frodo's house at Crickhollow?
In The Lord of the Rings, Frodo buys a house at Crickhollow after selling Bag End to Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. He goes there on the way to Rivendell, where it is revealed that Merry and Pippin both ...
- 186
6
votes
1
answer
292
views
Why did Sauron's spirit reform in Mirkwood? [duplicate]
When Sauron was defeated in the War of the Last Alliance at the end of the Second Age, why did his spirit reform in Mirkwood and not elsewhere? Did Sauron have some sort of connection with Mirkwood ...
- 186
15
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Compass/magnetic directions in Middle-earth
Maps in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit have North/South/East/West marked on them, and I am wondering if anyone can tell me what these directions mean and how they are determined in-universe.
The ...
- 2,769
13
votes
1
answer
816
views
What Old English works did Tolkien write?
In addition to being a fantasy author, Tolkien worked professionally as a linguist. His background in Old English found its way into many different aspects of the main books in the Lord of the Rings, ...
- 19.8k
1
vote
0
answers
83
views
Marriage and kinship among the Ainur: symbolic or literal? [duplicate]
Tolkien previously intended the Valar to be just like polytheistic gods, who had children, sex and familial connections among each other, but he later scrapped this idea, to an extent at least: some ...
2
votes
1
answer
311
views
The height of the levels of Minas Tirith
In LOTR, Minas Tirith in Gondor is described as having seven levels. What was the average difference in height between levels?
- 39.2k
28
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Why did the Council of Elrond debate hiding or sending the Ring away, if Sauron wins eventually in that scenario?
From Did Sauron have the military power to control all Middle-earth? it's evident that Sauron would eventually win even if he never reacquired the One Ring.
Given that, why did the Council of Elrond ...
- 1,047
1
vote
1
answer
195
views
Is the Notion Club set in the same universe of the Legendarium?
"Imaginatively" Middle-earth "is the actual Old World of this planet".
I wonder whether the Notion Club members lived on the same planet, Ages after the Elves vanished, and the ...
- 1,993
40
votes
2
answers
8k
views
How was Aragorn's legitimacy as king verified?
Similar to the question "How did Faramir know that Aragorn was the King in the Houses of Healing?". How was it verified that Aragorn was indeed the rightful king of Gondor and not an ...
- 15.7k
5
votes
1
answer
499
views
In the Return of The King movie, why does Gandalf cough while smoking?
So this is a minor nitpick, but it's been bugging me for a little while now.
In The Fellowship of the Ring, we can see that Gandalf is a casual pipe smoker; he seems quite adept at it, even able to ...
- 3,179
45
votes
1
answer
8k
views
How did Bill the Pony survive in "The Lord of the Rings?"
On the road to Moria, the Fellowship released Bill the Pony, who in my opinion is the true hero of The Fellowship of the Ring. At the end of the series, Sam is reunited with Bill who made his way back ...
- 455
29
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Had Bilbo with Thorin & Co. camped before the rainy night or hadn't they?
From The Hobbit, chapter 2, "Roast Mutton:"
In the Lone-lands they had to camp when they could, but at least it
had been dry.
Then in the sixth paragraph later:
They decided in the end ...
- 2,814
11
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Did Tolkien use Mont Saint-Michel as the inspiration for Minas Tirith
I am aware that Peter Jackson used Mont Saint-Michel as the inspiration of Minas Tirith, within the Return of the King movie.
If there any evidence that Tolkien used the same place as inspiration for ...
- 3,015
2
votes
0
answers
265
views
What exactly was the plan that drove the bulk of the Southlands subplot?
By the end of the first season of The Rings of Power, we learn that
So...whose plan was this, and what exactly was the plan? For example...
Or,
And given that
- 167
8
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What is 'light' in Tolkien's lore, exactly?
'Light' as a concept seems confusing, since it can possibly encompass (or just be supplied in varying amounts by) Eru's Flame Imperishable, the Lamps of the Valar, the Two Trees, the Silmarils, the ...
- 91
17
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Was Gandalf on Middle-earth in the Second Age?
Amazon's Rings of Power shows someone who may be Gandalf operating in the second age. When does Gandalf first arrive to Middle-earth in Tolkien's writings?
- 82.9k
25
votes
4
answers
7k
views
Do we ever see a hobbit use their natural ability to “disappear”?
The Fellowship of the Ring prologue contains the following information about hobbits:
They possessed from the first the art of disappearing swiftly and
silently, when large folk whom they do not wish ...
- 6,780
5
votes
2
answers
469
views
Could the Witch-king be killed without a Barrow-blade?
It seems to be widely assumed (see, e.g., https://middle-earth.xenite.org/could-earnur-have-slain-the-lord-of-the-nazgul/) that the Witch-king would have been somehow invulnerable to Éowyn's sword had ...
- 1,047
9
votes
3
answers
2k
views
In "The Rings of Power," what is Halbrand referring to when he says "The One?"
In the last episode of the show The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, during the scene between Halbrand and Galadriel, Halbrand makes a reference to "The One", but I don't understand ...
- 101
4
votes
0
answers
141
views
Was there a Baggins at Bag End after Frodo left for the Undying Lands? [duplicate]
In the beginning of the first LOTR movie, Bilbo narrates
"....There has always been a Baggins at Bag End and there always will
be."
But after Frodo leaves for the Undying Lands, who was ...
- 141
5
votes
0
answers
416
views
What kind of beings are the three women that hunt down the istar [closed]
In the Amazon Prime Series, there are three magical beings clad in grey that hunt down one of the main characters and have several interactions with what are to become hobbits.
As shown in the last ...
- 827
11
votes
2
answers
488
views
How did the Red Book of Westmarch survive?
Nothing else seems to have survived. Not cities, not even mountains. How did the Red Book survive to fall into the Translator's (Tolkien's) hands?
- 725
20
votes
2
answers
5k
views
How well known is the effect of death in Middle-earth?
Out of universe, it is well established that when Elves die, they don’t “really” die, instead they go to the Halls of Mandos where they will probably reincarnate after some time.
Men go to another ...
- 14.7k
14
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Did Sauron, at one point, regret what he had done under the service of Morgoth?
In the Season 1 finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episode 08 "Alloyed", Sauron* has revealed himself to Galadriel and says to her:
Sauron (speaking in the form of Finrod ...
- 6,089
12
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Who or what is "Nampat" in the chant of the Orcs in the Rings of Power?
In a recent episode of the Rings of Power, the Orcs are chanting the word "Nampat" during a march, as seen in this video:
According to some websites it could ...
- 9,194
7
votes
1
answer
588
views
How are Orcs so prolific in Tolkien?
The question as to how Orcs reproduce is one that has come up many times, and the answer is basically, as they are just corrupted Elves they do it in the traditional fashion.
For the Orcs had life ...
- 334
8
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Did Gandalf and Sméagol ever meet before Sméagol got the One Ring?
I am thinking that since Gandalf enjoyed being with Hobbits and liked to visit them, I am wondering if there is anything in LotR canon that mentions whether he had visited the Stoor Hobbits during his ...
- 3,271
22
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Besides Galadriel and Glorfindel, were any of the elves living in Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age born in Aman?
Both Galadriel and Glorfindel were Noldor born in Aman who followed Fëanor to Middle-earth, and are still there at the end of the Third Age (though yes, technically Glorfindel died, was reembodied, ...
- 331
-3
votes
1
answer
309
views
How did Uglúk escape Éomer's assault?
After Lurtz's death, Uglúk became the leader of the Uruk-hai who captured Merry and Pippin. Later on, Grishnákh's troops joined them.
When Éomer's riders attacked the troops, Grishnákh escaped ...
- 287
21
votes
1
answer
5k
views
How did Gollum follow the Fellowship through Lothlórien without being caught?
Lothlórien was guarded well. How did Gollum follow the Fellowship through Lórien without being caught by the Elves as the Fellowship was?
The Dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the ...
- 287
3
votes
1
answer
393
views
Did Tolkien ever discuss the inconsistent number of recorded Human and Elven relationships
In Tolkien's legendarium he was very clear that there were three unions of elves and men. Which were those of:
Beren and Lúthien
Tuor and Idril
Aragorn and Arwen
Tolkien also describes at least two ...
- 3,015
0
votes
0
answers
117
views
Is Eru Ilúvatar the God? [duplicate]
We can read in the answers to this and this question that Tolkien envisioned his works to take place in our own world, albeit be it on "different stage of imagination" or "a period of ...
- 133
10
votes
1
answer
720
views
Who was the elf fighting a balrog over a tree on top of a mountain over Khazad-dum?
In S1E5 of The Rings of Power, King Gil-galad and Elrond tell a story about an elf and a balrog fighting over a tree on top of a mountain as they tell the backstory about the origin of mithril. They ...
- 415
16
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Did the ringwraiths develop a better sense of smell and if so, why?
In my understanding, ringwraiths were once humans. The books portray them as sniffing a lot and trying to pick up a scent. This is especially true in the first part where Frodo departs from Bag End.
...
- 2,312
11
votes
1
answer
695
views
Who made the ring of Barahir
In JRR Tolkien's work the Ring of Barahir (RoB) was one of the key heirlooms of the Heirs of Elendil.
There is a relevant passage I recall, (I think it is from "Appendix A" of LotR, but my ...
- 2,612
28
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Who were the two large hobbits?
In the Lord of the Rings chapter "The Scouring of the Shire", there is this passage:
The hobbits at the gate still seemed ill at ease, evidently some rule or other was being broken; but ...
- 471
1
vote
1
answer
278
views
Why is there no evidence of any locations from Arda? [duplicate]
Tolkien said that he imagines the events of The Lord of the Rings to have happened about 6,000 years ago. Assuming this is the case, what happened since then to make the land completely unrecognizable?...
- 139