From Gondolin to Trollshaws: Glamdring, Orcrist and Sting

© Warner Bros. & MGM Studios

Three Elven swords were forged in Gondolin during the First Age, and presumably lost after the fall of this city as recounted in The Silmarillion. Glamdring, Orcrist and Sting make their proper appearance in The Hobbit in the lair of the three trolls, some 6,462 years later and just under 1,900 miles away from their original place of forging.

How and when could these swords have been carried such a long distance through three ages of wars, plunder and cataclysmic events?

The Problematic Climax of ‘The Battle of the Five Armies’

How Peter Jackson went places he proved he would never go

I have been a Peter Jackson apologist for a number of years: attempting to understand and explain to others certain decisions done by the filmmaker when adapting the Middle-earth stories tothe silver screen.

Never being a narrow-minded “Jacksonphile”, I tried – as much as possible – to understand his reasonings; but not always found myself in full agreement with the outcome of specific choices. However, I always accepted Jackson’s own thoughts behind the alterations he employed.

However, after viewing The Battle of the Five Armies, I have come to the conclusion that Peter Jackson has probably done some shocking errors of judgement in its third act; something I will undoubtedly find extremely difficult to accept why he made the choices that eventually ended up on the screen.

I can most certainly understand why, but I don’t think I’ll be able to agree or sympathise with those decisions.

The Shire’s Military Structure?

Raising the Shire

They are (or were) a little people, about half our height […] have long clever brown fingers, good-natured faces, and laugh deep fruity laughs

– The Hobbit, ‘An Unexpected Party’, Chapter I

Ranks of skilled archers cleverly readying their bows. Organized groups of infantrymen waiting for the signal to attack. One word and any intruders will find themselves facing serious consequences.

It is hard to conjure up the imagery of an army within the Shire, based on the rather rustic and easy-going characteristics of the above quote.

The 10th Nazgûl?

Let’s talk about something pretty crazy within the Middle-earth legendarium, but intriguing nonetheless …

I’d just like to state that this is mere conjecture. It’s simply an idea … (and most likely, a preposterous one).

It may appeal to others though …

So I’m just going to throw this out there and hope others have thought about this, even for just a slight moment …

The Military Structure and Ranking System of Mordor: Part II

Following Part I on The Military Structure and Ranking System of Mordor, here is Part II of the article … 🙂

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Identity and Origins of the Nazgûl

Introduction

There have been many theories and speculations on the possibilities of who and where Sauron’s greatest servants came from.

The Curious Case of Radagast the Brown

Radagast the Brown is one of those mysteries left to us by Tolkien; but unlike many other unresolved issues, we do get hints of his character here and there. Perhaps, it’s one of the reasons why I find him so alluring and why I’ve avoided writing a “Character Profile” post on his character, since he technically isn’t in The Hobbit.