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[Bregor]

Background from the Silmarillion helps explain this.

The reason why the Eagles refused to become involved is because they are representatives of Manwe, king of the Valar (think of the Valar as something between gods and angels). Twice before the Valar had directly intervened to save the mortal races from the original Dark Lord Morgoth, both times with unintended consequences. This time they wanted the mortal races to rise to the challenge and defeat the Dark Lord themselves.

 

[Mejilan]

By 'this time' you mean against Sauron, right? Technically, he's only Morgoth's servant.

 

[Bregor]

By 'this time' you mean against Sauron, right? Technically, he's only Morgoth's servant.

Correct.

 

[8bit]

 

[Mejilan]

Fission Mailed, dude.

 

[DrForester]

Elrond had proven himself before the last aliance battle at the beginning of fellowship. If i remember right, he has already recived one of the 3 elvan rings from some high-up guy by that point. Having one of the rings that the one ring controls pretty much nixes any chance of Elrond being able to even try anything.

In the book, i cant remember if Tom Bombadil put the ring on, but he did hold it, and gave it right back to frodo without incident.

 

[maharg]

In the book, i cant remember if Tom Bombadil put the ring on, but he did hold it, and gave it right back to frodo without incident.

He put it on and nothing happened at all.

 

[Memles]

For the record, I just finished the filmmaker's commentary on ROTK:EE, and Philippa Boyens' comment on the Eagle theory was that "The Nazguls would get them." So there's the screenwriter's view on it.

 

[Celicar]

weare

:lol :lol

 

[DopeyFish]

there is one problem though.

Remember the ring corrupts people, it corrupted Frodo, corrupted bilbo, Gandalf didn't even want to touch the ring.

Imagine if an eagos had it, and became corrupt, *flap flap flap* here you go sauron! enjoy your gift =P

 

[teiresias]

Imagine if an eagos had it, and became corrupt, *flap flap flap* here you go sauron! enjoy your gift =P

If the eagles became corrupted by the ring why would they willingly give it back to Sauron?

 

[Gorey]

Bregor is right about the Eagles. The Eagles are the Servants of Manwe. They aid Gandalf because Gandalf is an Istari- a being sent to Middle Earth for the singular purpose of helping the races of Middle Earth oppose Sauron. The gods (Valar) involved themselves several times in earlier ages with the battle against Morgoth, and each time the world was 'remade from the cataclysm of the battles waged upon it'. Then they watched the Numenoreans (aragorn's ancestors) try and fuck them over due to Saurons influence....by the Third Age, they would only act by indirect or symbolic means.

Tom Bombadil was not affected by the One Ring because he is, technically speaking, the same sort of being Sauron is; he is a form of spirit called a Maiar. In his own way, he is equally as 'powerful' in his own realm as Sauron would be in his. I should note this is my opinion on a widely debated subject among Tokien fanatics.

Morgoth = Fallen God (Valar). Sauron = lesser heavenly spirit (Maiar), Servant of Morgoth. Survives the 'final battle' wherein the Valar kicked Morgoth out of Middle Earth/creation, ends up last 'big heavy bad guy' after all the others get their asses kicked.

 

[Scrow]

Tom Bombadil was not affected by the One Ring because he is, technically speaking, the same sort of being Sauron is; he is a form of spirit called a Maiar. In his own way, he is equally as 'powerful' in his own realm as Sauron would be in his.

i sure would like to know where you got this info about Tom Bombadil and his origins...?

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

i sure would like to know where you got this info about Tom Bombadil and his origins...?

Tolkien wrote stuff after the Hobbit and LoTR that details the back history of Middle Earth. Not sure what the books are called but they're out there.

 

[Bregor]

But he never said what Tom was. He purposely left it a mystery. Quite a few people believe he is a Maiar, but if he was he shouldn't be immune to the influence of the Ring. Gandalf and Saruman are Maiar and were not immune.

 

[Mejilan]

I thought Gandalf and Saruman were Istari, not Maiar. If so, wouldn't that put Gandalf and Saruman on equal footing, potentially, with Sauron?

 

[Gorey]

i sure would like to know where you got this info about Tom Bombadil and his origins...?

To be completely honest it's a commonly held opinion based on conjecture more than fact. Tolkien never directly stated what Tom Bombadil was or wasn't. The idea that he's a Maiar is widely and vehemently debated among Tolkien fans. For a good summary, read this overview. Note, it's not what I'd call 'light fan reading'.

 

[Shogmaster]

You fuckers turned a perfectly good teh funny thread into a fantasy geekery jerk off fest. DIE.

 

[ElyrionX]

You fuckers turned a perfectly good teh funny thread into a fantasy geekery jerk off fest. DIE.

And with that reply, you have just single-handedly remedied the situation......

:lol

 

[Scrow]

Tolkien wrote stuff after the Hobbit and LoTR that details the back history of Middle Earth. Not sure what the books are called but they're out there.

yeah, they're called The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, and The Lost Tales I & II.

you really only need to read The Silmarillion though, which I've read two or three times now (GEEK ALERT!).

To be completely honest it's a commonly held opinion based on conjecture more than fact.

thought so ;P

 

[Shogmaster]

And with that reply, you have just single-handedly remedied the situation......

:lol

I do what I can to help out the forum.

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

yeah, they're called The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, and The Lost Tales I & II.

you really only need to read The Silmarillion though, which I've read two or three times now (GEEK ALERT!).

That's them. I want to check them, ever since I stumbled across the Illustrated Tolkien Encyclopedia on our book shelf.

 

[Gorey]

you really only need to read The Silmarillion though, which I've read two or three times now (GEEK ALERT!).

That makes two of us . Shogmaster, don't hurt me.

thought so ;P

Heh, yeah. Original post edited to reflect opinions vs facts. I'd still stand by that explanation when debating the point, though.

 

[Bregor]

I thought Gandalf and Saruman were Istari, not Maiar. If so, wouldn't that put Gandalf and Saruman on equal footing, potentially, with Sauron?

Istari is just another word for Wizard. They are in fact Maiar, but this doesn't neccessarily put them on equal footing with Sauron. Keep in mind that the power of the Maiar varied greatly, from some who were barely more powerful than Elves to others that nearly matched the power of some of the Valar (Sauron). Also, when the Valar sent the Istari to Middle Earth they placed strict limits upon the use of their power, since it was their job to help by advising and motivating the mortal races in their fight against Sauron, rather than doing the fighting for them.

 

[Oni Jazar]

 

[Phoenix]

Gandalf would never carry the ring, he didn't want to he near it hence his giving it to Frodo in the first place. Now its possible that they could have taken the time to train Frodo to fly the eagles and make sure they didn't just drop him and peck up his body for their young, but that wouldn't have been as interesting. In any event, Gandalf couldn't fly it.

 

[Matlock]

:lol!

 

[Phoenix]

Excellent!

 

[refreshZ]

You need them in this order...

Boromir's Master Plan Part 1

Boromir's Master Plan Part 2

 

[Gorey]

Holy Crap, I haven't laughed that hard in weeks. My ribs!!!!!1111

Bregor- that last bit was very nicely put.

 

[MrPing1000]

You need them in this order...

Boromir's Master Plan Part 1

Boromir's Master Plan Part 2

:lol :lol boromir gloating at the end had me laughing

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

To be completely honest it's a commonly held opinion based on conjecture more than fact. Tolkien never directly stated what Tom Bombadil was or wasn't. The idea that he's a Maiar is widely and vehemently debated among Tolkien fans. For a good summary, read this overview. Note, it's not what I'd call 'light fan reading'.

I can't recall it 100% correctly, (I did a TON of independent research on Tolkein back in college, so it's all fuzzy now), but I recall reading somewhere that Bombadil "had no asperations"; or at least no asperations that the Ring could fulfill, and that was why the Ring had no effect on him.

 

[Scrow]

OWNED! FUCKING OWNED!

:lol