Film Theory: Why You SHOULDN'T FLY to Mordor! (The Lord of the Rings)

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When it comes to The Lord of the Rings, one of the most common questions circulated online is why didn’t Frodo just ride the giant Eagles to Mount Doom? There are theories out there that suggest this was the plan all along, but sadly, when you look at the evidence, that's just wrong. In fact, it's so wrong, it's dangerous! In this episode, I will give you the definitive answer to why Frodo didn’t simply ride those giant birds into Mordor!
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[@QrowVang9801]

“One does not simply fly to Mordor”

[@mr.k418]

That’s another reason that the eagles weren’t used, the Nazgul still had power and their fell beasts were more than a match for the eagles when coupled with a powered up Nazgul.

[@JimmyTurner]

Magic Wizards mostly because of the massive amount of fire breathing drakes

[@TheRezro]

Outside Nazgul people miss also another obvious fact. Those eagles didn't give a shit about the war. They did save Gandalf from time to time because he saved they prince, but outside that they didn't take any orders. If anyone would ask them to fly to Mordor they would simply lough and fly away.

[@williemherbert1456]

@@mr.k418 Nazgul, The Witch King of Angmar

[@tiitto167]

@@JimmyTurner Yeah fire drakes will blow the f eagles away, did you watch the video, it's was cool man.

[@coreyyanofsky]

"The Theorists delved too greedily and too deep. You know what they awoke in the darkness there." (A MatPat)

[@AyumiChanVT]

That always happens

[@coreyyanofsky]

@@AyumiChanVT i had no memory of this place; had to watch the video all over again to decipher wtf i was thinking

[@slevinchannel7589]

Normaly, i dont call people stupid for not knowing a theory, but wow. People didnt knew this? I literally always knew this, decades before this video here came out. I didnt even knew people understand this franchise so much not that they dont know what THE RING does. Wow.

[@wontworkibet]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@jullen4581]

you missed a huge point. The eagles were described as neutral observers for the valar. Gandalf was only allowed to ride them a few times because healed/helped their king

[@danboom101]

Yeah and thorondor promises the valar to not interfere with the acts of men.

[@theholycarp8044]

@@danboom101 and by men he probably means anything not a god or demigod level so no hobbits or dwarfs either

[@nailmanman6146]

Yes so basically the eagles are to badass to help out them weak races (expect for Gandalf because they owed him a depth)

[@johannchin6431]

@@theholycarp8044 Eagles rarely concern themselves with those lesser races, unless they want to steal their sheep. The few times they did got involved was because of the wizards.

[@superdodo1880]

Thank you

[@pieterjan29]

Read the book. Eagles promised the valar not to interact with men. Gandalf was an exeption and he was no human.

[@Joe-xo4yg]

In the west, that is forgotten my name was Olorin

[@telosgrupo8308]

Hobbits are not men. They are hobbits

[@yourdailytoilet5962]

@@telosgrupo8308 and Hobbits are sub species of men

[@Soulwhistle]

Also, in the book Gandalf tells them exactly where he gets taken by the Eagles. Gwahir the king of the eagles flew him to Rohan, becuase the eagles as they say “are meant to bring message not burdens”

[@serenemountain6769]

@@yourdailytoilet5962 Actually No, Hobbits are a misture of Humans, Dwarfs, and Elfs ! Thats why they are not predictable by Gandalf standards ...

[@pkmnFanNr1]

The eagle thing isn't even a plot hole. Sauron was obviously keeping tabs on big players like the eagles. They would easily get spotted and get shut down, giving Sauron the ring. This is kinda the point of getting Frodo to carry the ring to Mordor. The hobbits were always overlooked, ignored and never looked at as a serious threat by Sauron, making them ideal to sneakily carry the ring to Mordor.

[@imaloser5689]

@roxoto He knew one had it and sent three of his servants there who entirely overran the Hobbits attempts at stopping his advance before his servants were turned back by the greatest of the dunedein and eventually one of the greatest elves. So he assumed that those people took it to use it.

[@matthewkreps3352]

Hobbits being overlooked ties into why the ring only makes them invisible.

[@GarrettMoffitt]

@roxoto Yes, but only a Hobbit would still be able to stay hidden becasue they can persevere through the harshest conditions, even though they themselves, don't realize it.

[@maxkennedy-s]

How could the hobbits be overlooked, when sauron is specifically looking for them from the shire on! Hardly a surprise attack vector.

[@pie7438]

You could fly with eagles to mordor because in the hobbit we see bilbo getting carried by an eagle while carrying the ring

[@SwankyBox]

My favorite line was always from Legendary Frog's flash animations: "My love for you is like my quiver of arrows: Never ending." - Legolas

[@bennettperry93]

Never ending until he really needs to use it.

[@ApocolypseChild]

Iamthedarklordsauronandihaveforgedtheoneringtorulethemall.

[@sacratul]

SwankyBox Legolans suck and yondu is the one

[@majinjason]

sacratul I always like Legoland its a fun place to take the kids

[@colemanscollard2207]

GUYS!!! MATPAT FUCKED UP!!! No really the only problem I have with this theory is that the eagles would easily be able to overcome the Nazgul since they're so ancient and powerful, especially since Sauron no longer has the support of dragons or balrogs. Also Eru Illuvitar is the only real god. Aule, Yavanna, and Manwe are all Valar, a.k.a. children of Eru Illuvitar. The Maiar are simple less powerful versions of the Valar, but are all members of the Ainur, or essentially the creators. Melkor (a.k.a. Morgoth a.k.a. Bigger and Badder than Sauron) is also a Valar but is not a god. Have fun!

[@superfluffyshmoopy299]

That moment when you realize the reason the ring turns hobbits invisible is because their greatest power lies in stealth. I wonder what kind of powers would be boosted if given to other races.

[@iceblaze3043]

Wow

[@truemanlyusopp1099]

I wonder what would happen if one of the gods had it? Would they be like god gods?

[@user-fh6te2fc5w]

Isildur also wore the ring, and he's a man, yet he also turned invisible. Interesting thought but I like to think the ring has levels, and the more powerful the race its wielded by, the more level it "unlocks" for lack of a better term. For example, maybe Gandalf would not only become invisible, but have a multitude more powers than Frodo or any other hobbit.

[@gigantycznejabko9362]

It is all explained in the books, with the ring Gandalf or Galadriel could easily defeat Sauron, but would get easily get corrupted by the Ring too.

[@thomasjuniardi3559]

Basically if Gandalf used the ring to defeat Sauron, He will become a new dark lord replacing Sauron..is a Fubar.😁

[@EntityKing1]

When you realize that Gandalf sent three eagles, 2 for Sam and Frodo, and 1 for Gollum.

[@no3ironman11100]

Oh my god

[@EntityKing1]

@@no3ironman11100 ikr?

[@dinojack5567]

oh no

[@tristampratorius4709]

The theory assumes that ''fly'' means literal flight. In the book, Gandalf uses the word ''fly'' several times to refer to running away or hurrying, not literal flight.

[@janthejetplane5668]

Also, in the Polish translation this sentence is translated to "Uciekajcie szaleńcy." which basically means "Escape you fools." And while we all know translations get weird sometimes, i feel like this is more proof that he didn't mean fly.

[@geenkaas6380]

The same is true for the Dutch translation

[@Gfurys]

And for the Swedish translation

[@Sennahoj_DE_RLP]

@@Gfurys and the German

[@arcturus0379]

​@@Sennahoj_DE_RLP and the French one Starting to notice a pattern here

[@izzy1221]

One does not simply make a LOTR theory without wrecking the most famous LOTR theory in history.

[@8bitadamantium306]

mboom123 yeah I doubt the real mat would do that

[@youngthebe1389]

What’s that theory

[@nerfinator6]

K

[@Thrust8EX]

Report the spam comments

[@docheyy]

Isagail genius

[@EuanWynne-Jones]

When watching Gandalf dying the first time I always just took the phrase “fly you fools” to mean run really fast?? I never got the reference to the eagles

[@joelproko]

That's because you were right and it wasn't a reference to the eagles at all.

[@addicted2p0rn]

Yes, in medieval speak "fly" means run or make haste... This eagle theory was always so stupid... especially that part. "Hur dur gandalf was acthually telling them to use tha eegle burds." Hur let's fly the ring to mordor over an orc army through a swarm of nazgul where it's always storming next to a giant magic tower where everyone can see us.

[@bipstymcbipste5641]

@@addicted2p0rn Don't forget Saruman's also there

[@darioluque9079]

For me to be a Castilian speaker, I read: Corred, insensatos.

[@virtualrealitea]

that's because it wasn't a reference to the eagles and he literally just meant run away, you were right

[@premiumrobot]

Debunking the theory in one sentence. "The eye will spot them and send the Nazgûl"

[@notstonks3773]

mat has his moments

[@pyromite38]

Yup! Try to stay on the back of an giant eagle while it does a barrel roll during the aerial fight with the Fell beasts.

[@scoutszewc8989]

*Sauron not the “eye”

[@shadeslayer8631]

Yeah that’s all that was really needed and it’s was basically his final sentence

[@zach415]

Also there’s a part in the book I think that said that the eagles couldn’t because Mordor and Sauron would corrupt them. They only went AFTER Sauron was defeated

[@wherethetatosat]

4:54 Fly you fools! I always thought he was using fancy medieval language and just meant, "Run you idiots!"

[@blarg2429]

He was.

[@henrybonzak5873]

it is

[@Hex.A.Decimal]

Bless your soul.

[@zachburwell3065]

wherethetatosat lol i never knew wat he said till now

[@henryknippling2408]

wherethetatosat I thought he said run you fools until I watched this video

[@00ecroydj]

In The Hobbit, the eagles say they don't fly over the lands of men incase they get shot down. Why would they fly over hundreds of miles of men and then over an orc army in full view of everyone. They picked Frodo and Sam up because the orc army had been dispersed and their risk was pretty much gone.

[@imaloser5689]

Yes. This here is correct. Hallelujah.

[@maxkennedy-s]

This isn't true in the hobbit. The eagles pretty much fly into battle as arrows are raging at the end.

[@imaloser5689]

@@maxkennedy-s Just because the are willing to fly into battle witht heir entire populous gathered at once while supported by several ground armies does not mean arrows are not going to hurt them. They technically did not even change the course of the battle that was Beorn.

[@killer92173]

@@maxkennedy-s that's because the Wood Elves of Mirkwood were already at Erebor.

[@jameslowell9656]

They did though genius.... how do you have you not added that up yet?

[@Wotan1032]

The answer to "Fly, you fools" is pretty simple. It means 'Flee, you fools' and nothing else -- Fly meaning to take flight, ergo to flee.

[@hirosmirnov8287]

Literally Mat's point tho?

[@user-zb8tq5pr4x]

Gandalf says "run" before this multiple times, and only says "fly" once. You can not possibly be sure he didn't mean actually fly.

[@j_stach]

@@user-zb8tq5pr4x I don't know that he says "run" to mean "flee" in the books. "Fly you fools" is a quote from the book, it's more likely that what you describe is just an inconsistency with the script

[@user-zb8tq5pr4x]

@@j_stach "more likely" means nothing. Either he says flee often or he doesn't. And he doesn't.

[@chuckled125]

@@user-zb8tq5pr4x ...so you're saying it's *more likely* that he meant to fly

[@beefstroganoff1774]

Love that in an interview with Tolkien he explained that he was asked this by a bunch of drunks in a bar and he told them (and the interviewer) to "shut up"

[@letsjustplay20]

Haha yes! I am glad someone else has seen that interview. Tolkien was savage.

[@no3ironman11100]

@@letsjustplay20 It was faked by an actor unfortunately.

[@timomastosalo]

Tolkien's fantasy world does have one God: Eru Ilúvatar. Valar were kinda like his 'children', or offspring (of thought). We could call them high angels, lesser angels are called Maiar - They did have their part in creating the world (Eä) - or more like the universe -, and the planet they live on, their Earth (Arda). Yet the children are actually Elves and Men - called the First and Second children. But they could only create within the framework set by Eru.

[@michaelogrady232]

I think it is more likely the Valar and Maiar are akin to the Cherubim, Seraphim, Powers, Principalities, and Dominions, who are far above the angels. The elves would actually be more akin to the angels.

[@timomastosalo]

@@michaelogrady232 Cherubim and Seraphim are types of angels, higher of course than those not mentioned separately by separate names, who are the messengers people meet. Highest ranking is called an archangel, like Michael - but still a type of angel. Bible warns us not to make very detailed studies of angels. So let's not make divisions where there isn't, like Seraphimand Cherubim wouldn't be angels, they are - just difference is in might, mainly. Especially Bible warns us about the Powers, Principalities, and Dominions - showing them more like the forces misguiding us, saying that Jesus is stronger than them. Because they are under the lord of this world - if they don't tell the message Jesus and Holy Spirit are telling. They seek to mislead us instead, so we wouldn't find Jesus and to our Father in Heaven. More is not told to us, so we should take that as a message as well. It's not the focus of Bible - Jesus is, and the relationship of man and God, where Jesus is the key. Even Holy Spirit is not explained in detail, mainly pointed that he will teach us about Jesus.

[@timomastosalo]

@@michaelogrady232 The Elves couldn't be angels, because they are created after the world (Arda) is created. They are just Tolkien's version of another humanoid race - who can even mix with the humans. Well, Bible does tell that some angels (sons of God) made children with women, producing the heros of the old times. But the elves are created, unlike angels - like the Valar and Maiar who were along when this world of Arda was made.

[@timomastosalo]

@Kian Dianati Thanks. Have forgotten some :) Just Eä I would call the Universe - world is very closely synonymous with the Earth (the whole wide world knows ...something, in all 'corners' of the world). But it's more like the people and their countries, instead of the planet. But why you said 'Firstly'.

[@timomastosalo]

With Ea and Arda I was careless, maybe tired. Arda is easy to get, because it's a sound play from the word Earth, and it's cognates Erde (German), Ard (Arabic), Arets (Hebrew), Jord (Swedish) etc.

[@devanjohnson737]

Who would win? One feathery boi Or A giant eye tower

[@pownpoes]

if you want to really know why the egales cant be use'd hit me up

[@devanjohnson737]

pownpoes wut

[@devanjohnson737]

pownpoes I don't care

[@aaronnavidad539]

Don't listen to film theorists it's a scam

[@klepie3874]

ur doing it wrong

[@t.j.armendariz354]

Actually, the 3 “gods” you list are angels, in the beginning there is Eru (God) and he creates them, and they participate in creating everything else, also the eagles, unlike dwarves and ents, don’t have free will, and are not Eru’s children (like the Elves and Men) meaning they may have more power, yet they have less importance. Again, the Valar are Higher angels, the Maiar are lower angels, and, also, in the books Gandalf touches the ring once or twice, but only briefly.

[@sekharapramod7819]

They aren't angels. Valar just means 'the Powers', and they are called gods by Men. "The Great among these spirits the Elves name the Valar, the Powers of Arda, and Men have often called them gods." - the Silmarillion The Valar may not be Children of Illuvatar, but they do have free will, as much as anyone in Arda has free will. Melkor wove Discord into the Music because he had free will. Aule made the Dwarves of his own will, without the approval of Eru. The Maiar also have free wills, because of their own will they turned to Melkor (Sauron and the Balrogs) or to Sauron (Saruman). I say 'as much' because in the end everything seems to be part of Illuvatar's plan (Melkor's discord just contributed to a grander Music at the end). If you are calling them Angels because you think they are allegorical representations of Judeo-Christian angels, I think you'd be wrong because Tolkein famously hated allegory.

[@Dougy359]

@@sekharapramod7819 not true. “The immediate ‘authorities’ are the Valar (the Powers or Authorities): the ‘gods’. But they are only created spirits - of high angelic order we should say, with their attendant lesser angels - reverend, therefore, but not worshipful; and though potently ‘subcreative’, and resident on Earth to which they are bound by love, having assisted in its making and ordering, they cannot by their own will alter any fundamental provision.” Tolkien’s Letter - 153 Also you’re completely misunderstanding allegory. Tolkien was very very careful to keep his work theologically in line with Catholicism and wrote whole letters defending it as bing theologically compatible with Catholicism.

[@JuvenalFariasG]

@@Dougy359 what source do you have to back up the fact that Tolkien was a Catholic, as opposed to a Protestant Christian?

[@catfinity8799]

​​@@JuvenalFariasG "The Lord of the Rings' is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision." -The Letters of JRR Tolkien, Letter 142 "Or more important, I am a Christian (which can be deduced from my stories), and in fact a Roman Catholic." -The Letters of JRR Tolkien

[@amanislight]

When you’re on eagles the chances the eye spots you are extremely high, the only reason they succeeded was because Frodo and Sam was stealthy till the very last moment.

[@shadypelican]

One does not simply fly into Mordor...

[@yoursinisterdoge2785]

One does not simply fly into Mordor, they fly into Mordor using big eagles.

[@potatochipgod7779]

Yes

[@gokulauri]

After everyone else in Mordor was distracted by pretty much every human warrior in all the kingdoms

[@bucktootha]

Its not mordor its MORRDOHRRRR

[@chrisschoenthaler5184]

Also, the Nazghul had giant winged beasts of their own, and if you took the one ring into the air, there would be nothing keeping Sauron from seeing it as soon as they appear on the horizon.

[@marcusalm7350]

Nazghul are the winged beasts, not the 9 ring wraiths. :)

[@KAJYT6969]

@Marcus Alm You're wrong. Nazghul means "Ring Wraith" The flying creatures were called "fellbeasts"

[@GonGetGot]

Marcus Alm you just got out-nerded, son

[@marcusalm7350]

Then I read a book wrong, somewhere. Or the translator got it wrong...

[@MoojinBoi]

Marcus Alm No, Nazghul are the ring wraiths

[@BoldPossum]

The "Gods" you talked about are angels and the God is Eru Ilùvitar

[@PerceptionOverload]

Or you could see them as gods and Eru as a Titan and the Maiar as angels , if we base it on ancient greece. Because really , the "only" difference between Eru and the gods is that he can give free will or a " soul " as he explains to Aule when he is about to destroy his creation , the dwarves, to repent for his sin of creating a new race before the elves. When Aule created the dwarves, they were puppets that he controlled, but when he picked up his hammer to destroy them, they cowered in fear, because Eru, in his love decided to give them free will and adopt them as his own.

[@matthewholman15]

They are just lesser gods. The Maiar would be considered "angels"

[@alwyndsouza1067]

@@PerceptionOverload Hello....... J.R.R was a Devoted Catholic and He Himself Says that the Ainur are Angles that they are just 'Powers'

[@labo3900]

Eru Ilùvatar creates the Valar and the Maiars ( btw the balrog is also a Maiar) and everyone sing together to create the world except the "lucifer" of this universe who create all the suffering (yay 🥳) And the Valar created the creatures

[@jacksonkent69]

Yeah Tolkien said the Real god is well God

[@sheep2826]

I still absolutely love how The Lord of the Rings epitomizes certain aspects of fantasy. Stuff like how the race of men are typically noble and good but are constantly being corrupted when in the presence of power. It’s the kind of thing that isn’t new to fantasy or even other genres but the lord f the rings does it the best.

[@malif1279]

Well tbf Lord of The Rings is basically the grandfather of modern fantasy But yeah Tolkien was a great writer and he did those elements incredibly well

[@Jason75913]

Real humans are constantly corrupted by power, too, even if it isn't magic power.

[@ArcaellusV427]

Probably because Tolkien is literally considered the grandfather of high fantasy, that's why so many tropes exist now. (Fantasy existed before but Tolkien influenced how fantasy as a genre is now)

[@MrPicklerwoof]

It's perfectly simple: The ring cannot be knowingly destroyed. By anyone (with perhaps the exception of Bombadil, but even that's debatable). Gwahir would have not flown to Mt Doom and dunked the ring. It would have corrupted his mind long before that point. If Gwahir had carried a ringbearer, he would have turned against that ringbearer long before that point also. It's sort of the whole point of the books really. It's the same reason Gandalf can't carry it. It was ultimately destroyed by accident and that was always going to be the only way.

[@director00donut39]

MrPicklerwoof I love this comment

[@98Dreadboy]

True, Isildur cracked when he was in mount doom right at the edge. Same happened with Frodo, who had carried it all this way from the shire.

[@GeraltSavior]

But the eagles did carry a ringbearer: Bilbo. They carried him twice after he found the ring in the hobbit, when they rescued the company from the trees and when they brought them to the Carrock. I guess they weren't corrupted back then because they had no idea Bilbo had the ring, just like Gandalf himself didn't know. This would mean that even though the eagles are very powerful and have insanely keen sight, they can't perceive the ring.

[@f.c.laukhard3623]

@@GeraltSavior Not only did they not know but they also only traveled a very short distance so the Ring did not have much time to corrupt them. Flying over thousands of miles with more powerful enemies might create a more tempting situation. Also, does Sauron's state of power influence the power of the Ring maybe? That could be another explanation then because when the Eagles carried Bilbo, Sauron was not fully back in the game yet.

[@edh1970]

Bombadil would accidentally lose it in Mt Doom

[@TheSeppomania]

The Theory-Buster! sounds interesting.... I would watch that ^^

[@nixel1324]

Watch? I'd _subscribe_ to that in an instant!

[@ethondomusic4533]

You should make that a series

[@mosshivenetwork117]

Film/Game Theory's enemy

[@pulsefel9210]

they DO have two more slots on the logo....

[@stickman3208]

9:44 the ring expands to fit the wearer so it would have fit them

[@thenarrator9000]

yeah forgive me if i remember incorrectly but didnt the ring betray the guy who first had it when souron died it grew making him visible and he was made a porcupine with arrows

[@shockwavesteve]

Darragh The ring has a will of its own since it contains Sauron’s soul within the ring. If it wants to be lost, it’ll be lost. If it wants to be found, it’ll be found.

[@benediktheim2614]

The problem is that the "Fly you Fools" thing doesn't even work in any language where the word fly can't mean to flee. In German the translation say they need to flee, which leaves no room for interpretation of this sentence

[@sia1759]

“flieht” und “fliegt” ist ein Buchstabe Unterschied …. Es funktioniert auch in Deutsch

[@benediktheim2614]

@@sia1759 bein und kein ist auch ein Buchstabe Unterschied. Fly und Fly ist das SELBE wort mit selber Schreibweise und ausspreche. Wo lässt ein Buchstabe Unterschied interpretations Spielraum?

[@sia1759]

In der Aussprache meine ich ist es leicht misszuverstehen ob er sagt „flieht“ oder „fliegt ihr Narren“. Deswegen hat es für mich selbst in der deutschen Syncro immer Sinn ergeben.

[@sia1759]

Es funktioniert meiner Meinung nach auf Deutsch, wenn auch auf etwas andere Weise

[@volcanolord44]

You should do a film theory on Charlie and the Chocolate factory on their products. Ice cream that lasts hours without melting on a hot day? Full course meal chewing gum?

[@madfire8403]

The producers said that they were a pain to maintain. The chocolate waterfall would spoils and get mold all the time

[@kayodagamer]

The Film Theorists come one

[@madhippy3]

Back to using science instead of conjecture in all his theories A+

[@LordofFullmetal]

That ice cream actually exists. Certain ice creams are made in such a way that they CAN last for hours outside on a warm day. It's not that incredible.

[@58jharris]

Now that stuff has to have a LOT of synthetic chemicals in it lol.

[@Rhae_of_Sun]

*Adjusts Nerd Glasses* ACTUALLY the Eagles didn´t kill the Great Dragon aka. Ancalagon the Black. They only fought smaller flying drakes. Ancalagon was killed by Elronds Dad by sailing a flying ship into him. Also, I dont have a problem with calling the Valar Gods but technically they´re like lesser Gods or Angelic beings. Good Video though.

[@ariwl1]

That was one part where he confused me. I've read the Silmarillion and remember very little of it, but I do remember everything starting with one supreme being, Eru. I didn't even remember the three he mentioned. haha.

[@4godand4thegays73]

Actually in the silmarillion the valar are referred to as angels

[@Guanchen]

they created sun and moon and before that the two lanterns, they made the world, I think that pretty much makes them gods. Yes there is someone above them who created them but that's like saying the nines in skyrim are not gods because Sithis is above them.

[@janemcfarland9644]

Fake ( The Film Theorists thing in the replies)

[@TheRezro]

But Valar were gods who generally play identical role to typical polytheistic deities. They were inferior to creator (Iluvatar) but still a deities controlling aspects of reality. The Maiar on the other hand were leser deities without much personal influence. I remind that monotheistic classification is based on presumption that only God is worth of worship, and according to it both Valar and maiar would be angels and so refuse to accept prayers unaddressed to God. But that wasn't the case here.

[@coolbro8922]

Remember when the Hobbit came out in theaters? It was 2012, the theater was crowded, and then people just ended up not talking about it until the second came out.

[@diddy_mole3228]

I actually researched this too not long ago and I dug up that the reason why is because the eagles didn't want to join this entire war. they save Gandalf because they owe him a life debt (couldn't find why). the eagles are actually neutral creatures, they don't fight for any side just for themselves which is why they join the fight at the end of the third movie, the nazgul were turning around and heading to mt doom where they would've stopped frodo so the eagles stopped them which would bring peace in the world and the eagles could finally rest. that's just what I read, not saying it's true but I like it and if it's close to being true, cool

[@supercosmickuma7438]

My reasoning all these years was that they could easily get shot down by arrows or the wyvern riding nazgul could intercept them.

[@memebois9764]

Same

[@vulpinedeity3379]

I agree, although technically, the creatures ridden by flying Nazgûl are called Fell Beasts. That's the only name by which they are ever referred.

[@davidfgranger]

Pretty sure the books specifically state that the eagles are faster than the winged Nazgul though.

[@vulpinedeity3379]

Yeah, but the eagles would be flying towards them, not trying to outrun them.

[@die141]

Plus they'd be flying into the heart of the enemy base. Like there's thousands of orcs there. Honestly fuck that. I wouldn't wanna fly into that.

[@liammacd4821]

That moment... When you feel like a huge nerd because you know all this lore going into the video instead of coming out...

[@Nadiki]

I know, right?

[@levipetersen4406]

wear it as a badge of honor!

[@R.DeMora]

@@levipetersen4406 seconded

[@amizielamy5051]

"The theory buster" that coud be the famous 4th channel.

[@slevinchannel7589]

Normaly, i dont call people stupid for not knowing a theory, but wow. People didnt knew this? I literally always knew this, decades before this video here came out. I didnt even knew people understand this franchise so much not that they dont know what THE RING does. Wow.

[@amizielamy5051]

@@slevinchannel7589 I saw each movie once...7 years ago i think and i never read the books.

[@pjpuppyboy1306]

No, the question is "why are there three hobbit movies but the hobbit is the shortest book Edit: Wow I never expected this many likes and replys lol

[@muisje_mira358]

*Money*

[@serenemountain6769]

The Hobbit was a book intended for children ... The LOFTR's and the Silmarillion were intened for a more Teenage audiance ...

[@pjpuppyboy1306]

@@muisje_mira358 lol

[@anthonymcrooster3703]

Money

[@bigwagon6727]

He goes into parts that the book only mentions like Gandalf discovering about Sauron. He creates chracters like Tauriel and gives the movie a romantic side. And the movie has to be longer. The battle of the fove armies is two pages in the book. If the battles was really short then people would be pissed. And money.

[@oldered5663]

The best way to destroy the ring would have been to start the rumor that you could become immortal by putting the ring on and jumping into the fires of mordor in order to obtain the armoire of immortality...

[@gabeschugardt5710]

Olde Red And the first person who tried would be slaughtered by the orcs or the Nazghul, sending the ring straight back to Sauron.

[@rosskeskin7563]

Literally no one with enough power to get to mount doom without being murdered would be stupid enough to fall for that.

[@FraserSouris]

The Ring also “has a mind of its own” and would tempt any users away from the fire (even Frodo)

[@NoESanity]

2 problems with that. 1, some big shot walks into mordor with the ring asking for directions to mt doom, he's going to be orc food. or wraith food. 2, the ring would tell him that it's all BS. it talked to it's wearers. tempting them with it's power.

[@vagri2829]

Looks like you got this one covered guys.LOTR FANATIC OUT!!

[@themagicpotato2943]

Could you do a theory on how many calories the Flash would need? In the Justice League movie (I’m not spoiling the plot I swear) the Flash mentions that due to his super speed he’s like a “snack hole” (black hole of snak food) and needs to eat a bunch to keep it up. Edit: To those of you who have mentioned that they discuss this in the shows and comics, I’m curious if the answers given would be true to real life science Edit 2: I think *Keelan Barron’s* question on if the Justice League Batman is the same as Tim Burton’s would also be interesting *(credit to them)*

[@xyqweltofficial8409]

The Magic Potato it mentions in the tv show that he would need around 10,000 calories of food. Any food.

[@UlyssesProduction]

The Magic Potato Flash said he had low blood sugar

[@Kioinde]

The Magic Potato it's been answered in the live action tv series, and a few comic books

[@danihanson7804]

The tv show says that it’s 10,000 calories

[@eugenideddis]

The Magic Potato A “not even debatable that it isn’t a spoiler” thing to reference is that he has to constantly eat in the comics and TV series.

[@Quasihamster]

"I'm Johnny on the clock, you need me to bring you a ride?" [Eagle's Eyrie] [Yevanwe Eagle] "I'll bring it to ya!"

[@karolinakuc4783]

11:31 I love that quote. Tolkien be like why do you think higher beings care? Mortals are like ants to them

[@TickedOffPriest]

I would watch The Theory Buster.

[@jonathanpirolo3996]

he should make a channel called that

[@campomambo]

Gray Dawg valar are more like the gods of Olympus. While illuvitar is more like Christian God

[@Raphoovvv]

Dean Campos that is a terrible analogy but yeah it's basically that there's an almighty god being the highest ranked and the valar being insanely powerful but not almighty.

[@jackbennett9970]

Next Simon side LETS GO!

[@reubenoakley8967]

It's always easier to disprove something wrong than it is to prove something right.

[@awesomecat42]

If MatPat does end up making a new spinoff channel for debunking theories, maybe he could go back and re-visit some of his old theories and address fan complaints or mistakes with new research. He's never seemed scared to admit he was wrong before (There's no shame in making mistakes), so why not make it fun?

[@matthewsibbald8579]

Except that time he was wrong about one of his for honor shill episodes and blocked out all criticism.

[@APGames13]

+Matthew Sibbald And how do know that he 'blocked it all out'? Or are you just ranting?

[@crtomir1000]

Have you seen a response?

[@TheOneLichemperor]

"He's never seemed scared to admit he was wrong before" Is that sarcasm? I can't tell...

[@ParanoeX]

this is probably my favorite video in this channel. Mat should do more of these theory busting videos

[@b.harrison37]

I wonder if theory busters would be the third theory channel Also the words "Like sneaking into a jamba juice with a fighter jet." Is incredible and possibly the greatest thing said on this channel

[@joshuastevens7724]

Correction on the lore. I love the theory this has always something I wondered about. The Valar werent the gods. They were like archangels. They were below a larger being who created them and the elves and humans and just basicaly everything else except the things the Valar created.

[@gregorymaynard3089]

Actually, Archangels are not amongst the higher choirs of angels, the highest are the Seraphim, then the Cherubim, and Archangels are only the second Highest.

[@pairot01]

Then I still see them as gods, gods are the creators but not necessarily of everything. Sub-gods? For example, Zeus is a god but was created by his father and mother, he was born into the world.

[@gregorymaynard3089]

Gooood point!

[@lisaseverance6785]

Joshua Stevens good clarification. One point though. The Valar could create life. It wouldn't have a soul but would have life. That's a step above arch angels. But otherwise, the comparison is correct.

[@joshuastevens7724]

Thank you greg. Ive never been quite sure on the ranking.

[@24FramesOfNick]

Don't fly Spirit Eagles airlines fly jetblue

[@azathoth7587]

B I G S U P R I S E *-----} NOTASCAM.JPG*

[@spaceboi231]

No fly Southwest

[@danielauen7790]

6! 6 fake accounts!

[@shadowstriker6506]

Yeah I got that add too

[@brodymelton25]

I think I found a plot hole in this. He says they can’t risk the Eagles picking up Frodo because of the One Ring and how it may corrupt them. But in The Hobbit, Bilbo was in possession of the ring when the Eagles carried them out of the forest. So if they didn’t get corrupted then, why would you not trust them now. They could have flown Frodo a very far distance and then let him walk significantly shorter. Just an idea, I’m probably wrong😅

[@AudrenDev]

Back in the Hobbit Tolkien didn't know what the ring did other than make you invisible.

[@baguettegott3409]

The whole situation was a bit different back during the events of the Hobbit. I'm not an expert on how all of this works, but with Sauron gaining a LOT of power during the decades that lie between the books, the ring also got stronger. Its powers of corruption are a bit complicated, but I'm pretty sure they get stronger the closer it gets to Mordor/Sauron. So having the eagles fly Bilbo for a bit,without them knowing about the ring, far away from Mordor, with Sauron still relatively powerless... is a VERY different scenario than telling the eagles about the ring and then expect them to fly a very long distance with it directly towards Sauron, all while Sauron is actively looking for it.

[@TheRpgGuy]

@@AudrenDev Tolkien did actually know as a huge chunk of the LotR's had already been written when the hobbit was being made (neat documentary with Christopher Lee and Christopher Tolkien that discuss that aspect). The reality is that the Eagles are not aware of the ring's existence and that Bilbo was in possession of it. Even in LotR Gandalf, upon seeing the magic ring Bilbo held onto, didn't know it was the ONE ring until he researched it and tested it by tossing it into the fire to confirm his findings. He even mentions that there are a lot of magical rings in the world and none of them are to be used lightly. So Tolkien knew, but the Eagles and Gandalf had no real clue what Bilbo was in possession of if my memory serves me correctly. Even if Gandalf were to deduce it was a magic ring he could probably not, in that moment, confirm if that were the ONE ring just by visual glance. :)

[@sia1759]

I think you are right about this one because the ring doesn’t get his powers and his ability to corrupt by knowing about its identity as some people here suggest. So there is no reason not to fly with the eagles. The only reason i can come up with for them not flying to Mordor is that Gandalf wasn’t with them the second half of the way.

[@blackfalcon1324]

Yea, I really dont like the explanation this guy gave. For me, there are 3 real reasons why they didnt use the eagles. 1. They were so large that they would be easily detected. 2. The eagles served the valar and were, like the valar, obligated to leave middle earth to its own. 3. No one had the willpower to destroy the ring. The ring was only destroyed by Gollum on accident when Illuvitar basically pushed him into the lava. While Gandalf isnt all knowing, I think he knew that there was only one way to destroy the ring, and that everyone had a part to play. He even suspected Gollum might have something to do with it, which he mentioned multiple times.

[@ichmeiner4531]

When Sam carried the ring for a short time, it tried to corrupt him. The ring tempted Sam with visions of him as a great warrior king, but the wildest thing Sam himself could imagine was a huge beautiful garden, with trees, flowers and the best and biggest veggies in Middle Earth. Sam didn't even think about letting others do the gardening, paid or enslaved, he wanted it all for himself, including the work. There's just nothing the ring could work with.

[@ahmasijoseph1996]

Everytime some ask "Why don't they just use the Eagles?" I ask them if they would blast music in an avalanche zone.

[@thegooseking6355]

nice analogy. i might steal that from time to time.

[@jacobfleming2098]

Here’s the deal... nothing can kill the eagles so why not send them?...

[@ahmasijoseph1996]

It's a secret mission. And giant eagles flying overhead is a quick way to get shot down by a ballista and killed.

[@michaelt.5672]

Jake Blake Who ever said the eagles are unkillable? We've seen Mayar, meaning higher ranking beings, be killed. Immortal has never equaled invincible in the Tolkien universe.

[@SvenTviking]

Jake Blake Sauron’s powers would. He would see the Eagle carrying the ring and aim all his power at it. He is watching for a direct onslaught by a new powerful ring bearer like Aragorn or Saruman, and he hopes to kill them before they can master the ring.

[@Laamafani2]

Here's how it would have played out : Sauron spots the birbs from 100s of miles away, calls the Nazgul and the Witch King with their Fellbeasts. Then they would most likely lose the aerial battle.

[@rkbkirin5975]

Excellent points! Even Maiar are worried about having their mortal forms injured.

[@gilgamesh8334]

Or just place Witch King at mount doom lmao he kills all

[@RosesBottom]

Quac Tro pfffttt they don't care about Gandalf they love Radaghast cause he has bird poop hair.

[@Kalleosini]

hahaha FELL beasts. I died

[@RosesBottom]

Ironic.

[@GSPfan2112]

Manwe was so different in his perception of Middle Earth. It's Canon that he truly doesn't understand the evil Melkor is obsessed with knowing. So it makes sense that his eagles would avoid any corrupting influence as long as they could. They could see the evil but knew it would corrupt them so they avoided it at all costs. Your explanation is perfect.

[@soggygremlin3208]

i think he wasted his time taking 12 minutes to say that Sauron is watching and the Nazgul have fellbeasts

[@R.McC1405]

Well he needs to explain it otherwise nobody thinks it'll be good because there are no facts to go with it.

[@JonathanFlexx]

The point is that power corrupts, and the ring is just that. If the eagles were carrying them they woulda went, just like Isildur and Frodo, naw man - it's mine now.

[@JonathanFlexx]

@Craig Gibbons Who's making things up? Eagles are an ancient race with a very good understanding of power. Which is more likely than not the very reason they don't want anything to do with it. Eagles in this universe aren't animals per se, they are very much self aware and can think logically, unlike frogs, snails and most any other beast.

[@MakoTheFrog]

LOOKS LIKE MEMES BACK ON THE MENU BOYS!

[@DarkTraveler09]

I want mine Extra Thicc~!

[@MakoTheFrog]

Gee thanks 100% real Film Theorists, i sure hope it is some sort of malicious browser infecting virus! only one way to find out!

[@twendos833]

OH GOLLY IT WAS! OH JOY!

[@booskabomb1990]

wait is that legit

[@brentvettel5343]

Aku?

[@ComposingGloves]

I would totally watch an entire video of you telling LOTR lore

[@chanceroberts7494]

Composing Gloves you just did

[@mailee6792]

Not just this video, I think we're talking commentary on The Silmarillion! 😎 Oh yeah

[@gadielgonzalez2755]

Me too

[@cas_idy6940]

Same

[@myself2noone]

If you're really that interested there's a good channel called "Men Of the West" that talks about this kind of thing endlessly.

[@jonasjunge638]

I love how the "fly you fools" doesnt even work in German bcs its literally translated "run away you fools"

[@o0Avalon0o]

Tolkien's handwriting is beautiful but after seeing it, I feel less bad about my mediocre legibility. ( Example 5:57 )

[@Voltstorm0207]

Compared to my handwriting it looks amazing

[@Obstreperous_Octopus]

THANK YOU! I'm so tired of people acting like they outsmarted Tolkien with the whole "fly the eagles to Mordor" bit. I'd also point out that even IF they could get the eagles WITH the hobbits and ring past all of Mordor's defenses, that ring is a master of manipulating things to it's benefit. It managed to slip away from Gollum in the caves, it abandoned Isildur to be killed by orcs so it could find a new master, and it influences the minds of people who so much as look at it. I GUARANTEE you that if they managed to fly the ring over Mt. Doom, and even IF Frodo managed to drop it into the volcano despite having no knowledge of aerodynamics, velocity, inertia, etc... the ring would fall all the way down and JUST HAPPEN to land on the very end of that precipice everybody always stands on when someone else tells them to "cast it into the fire". So the whole "fly the ring to Mordor" is a plan that would have failed on just so many levels... and I think Gandalf knew that. Or at the very least, Tolkien did.

[@ahmasijoseph1996]

I'm pretty sure that they would have been shot down before they ever reached Mt. Doom. I mean the eagles are roughly the size of half a football field, they'd be pretty hard to miss.

[@Eseerrowez]

Ahmasi You need to remember that bows reach far because you arch them up in the air and then come down. when you have to shoot straight up at something that really limits a bow. An average speed for an arrow for a bow is around 150ft/s or 45m/s. Shooting straight up in the air would go roughly 330 feet or 100 meters. Eagles can fly much higher then that. Bald eagles can get sore around at 10,000 feet or 3050 meters. I am sure these eagles could fly high enough. So the only real issue that the eagles would run into is nazguls. Which alone would be a big enough concern, because if they so much as bunp the eagle with frodo on them, and he drops the ring, that high up could be impossible to find where it would have landed.

[@stephen0793]

Its called the Winged Ringwraiths! They literally had flying guards of Mordor! You think you can outsmart those things?

[@j9rd115]

+stephen0793 it's called witch king

[@James11111]

They were no match for the eagles, though. As for the original comment, if Frodo's aim and the ring simply willing itself to be a couple inches off when falling is a problem, then land at the entrance to Mount Doom, have Frodo run it, drop the ring, run back out, and fly off before there's even a chance for the orcs of Mordor to make the trip up there themselves.

[@MattiMCFC]

You don’t really have to be either a rockey scientist or a Lord of the Rings fanboy to know that if they flew to Mordor, the eye of Sauron would see them, and 10 000 orks would be standing smiling ready to return Sauron to power...

[@dragoncorn7391]

Dragon riding wraith?

[@Icetea-2000]

Warren Chaos They can use the Nazgûl.

[@midnitest0rm]

Matti Mcfc or they’d get taken down by the Ringwraiths and their fell beasts

[@johndough6225]

Eagles wouldn't go to Rivendell for fear of being shot down by men.

[@Icetea-2000]

John Dough you know that the eagles are not just flying birds right?

[@adhdcreativity4679]

When everybody is like "Fly, you fools" means to literally fly when Gandalf saw them standing there just watching as he was about to fall to his death and he is actually saying "Run, you fools! You're still in danger!"

[@TresureToad]

Well I always thought that legolas could just attach the ring to his bow and fire it into the pit of lava in Mordor

[@TheGuanac]

I recently remembered that the matter about the eagles is actually settled inbook, as Gandalf relates his escape from Orthanc at Elrond's Council : '"- How far can you bear me?" I said to Gwaihir [aka Lord of the Wings]. '"- Many leagues," said he, "but not to the ends of the earth. I was sent to bear tidings not burdens."

[@jameslowell9656]

Except they literally do fly them......

[@isaacbruner65]

@@jameslowell9656 he never said the eagles can't carry people, especially hobbits who are much lighter than men, he just said they don't carry them long distances because it's exhausting.

[@fabioartoscassone9305]

The needed uruk-eagles:stronger and adapt to take burdens

[@gandalfthegay.]

@Bob Smith It's meant to say, they aren't just horses that take people somewhere. The eagles actually give half a sht about the war. Also I'm pretty sure the wind currents would be anything, but in their favour. Sauron literally created fcking storms.

[@BanditRants]

"MORRRDDORR"

[@tonyrawmen4966]

love your vids Bandit!

[@penutbutterswiiiishh4125]

mmmorrrrrrdorrrr

[@thecacoon5489]

BanditRants sut up

[@ezradyson2464]

MORGDOOOORRRR

[@frigusavis]

333 likes. Until NOW.

[@user-of5lo3yf6g]

Pippin has the most important role in the Fellowship because no one can fight with an empty stomach🫠

[@aryabharadwaj9879]

I think people forget that Gwahir drops Gandalf in the Gap of Rohan, as per request. This means he simply couldn't mention the idea and Gwahir would never do it anyway

[@FatGouf]

It confirm that the eagles, even a lesser servants of gods, Gandalf cant just order them around since the eagles and Gandalf answer to different superiors.

[@pierluigidipietro8097]

The One Ring can alter his size to fit every possible finger, as testified in the FOTR movie, when the ring shrinks before Isildur's eyes, from the size of Sauron finger to fit his finger. Size-adjusting to the wielder is a common feature of almost all very powerful artifacts. So , yes, an eagle would have easily able to wield the One Ring and become a flying featerish nightmare. On a sidenote, this also explain, apart the ability to numb the mind of its wielder, how the One Ring fell from the finger of Isildur first, and Gollum later... he simply enlarged a bit on its own to slip away

[@thedemonjesterclownaroundt2294]

But surely it would enlarge to escape the eagle. So that sauron could get it

[@inkdash2341]

once the eagle flew near mordor, it totally would. but what better way to travel than by air?

[@ryanjackman1329]

YOU TURNED A MEME INTO A THEORY?

[@timvanharen3928]

Memetheorists

[@kami9143]

Sorta........

[@catbra1n]

YES

[@starwarsfan0376]

He did it with Bee Movie

[@KaiSilverhawk]

Well, he's been scrapping the bottom of the barrel for a while now...

[@eugenebruyns4999]

So I get how I'm 4 years late on this. But THANK YOU. This has certainly made me super excited to break my own cardinal rule about the series: and watch it BEFORE the summer holidays, as in: at the start of winter; as in: MARCH!

[@Adioslele0_0]

1:33 It said in captions *Elrond saying Mordor like a boss*

[@samueldouglass3478]

I have The Silmarillion within arms reach right now and I know for a fact that Manwe, Ulmo, Aule, and Yavana are not gods, you are right by saying they are Valar, but the Valar are Spirits (think Archangels from Catholicism) and Eru Iluvatar is the One God of the Middle Earth Legendarium and he did the majority of the heavy lifting with the creation of Arda (the world). "There was Eru, the One, who in Arda is called Iluvatar ; and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, that were the offspring of his thought, and they were with him before ought else was made." (First page of The Silmarillion) The Ainur are the Valar and the Mair (think regular angels) and he created them from his thought and as such were way lower than him. Either way though I loved this video I enjoy it whenever people know this beautiful collection of works and I am glad you were able to experience them. Thanks for the Video!!!

[@orangepearlproduction9496]

Hey! I said the same thing but more wordy! Yay... someone agrees with me for the first time...

[@MsKarma-187]

I was saying that just too.. Before wach comments tnx for say it ×3

[@DrJay-vd9tf]

Not to mention, the king of the Eagles, the most powerful of all of them, was killed with a single orc arrow to the heart. Also they don't take the dwarves to the mountain cause they're scared of the farmers that they'll pass cause they'll shoot them, so think, if they, the Eagles, are scared of some farmer with a bow, do you think they'll be OK with going to a land that's filled with skilled archers and fell-beasts?

[@Warsrecker]

Like they did in the third movie? I mean they came pretty late, but still entered an ongoing fight. And from where do you got the information that a Arrow killed the King of Eagles? First the King of Eagles is not even in one of the movies or much lore since he early on left Gwaihir behind when he returned to Valinor. Gwaihir eagle known as the Lord of Eagles is not dead either since he was the eagle who led the eagle attack on the black gate. And even it was the justification...those being scared of back town folk archers is laughable. They are sentient and highly intelligent....and can fly waaaaaay over 250m which was the max range of the most advanced medival bows. If i had to choose a a justification it would be that the eagles to not solve everything for them cause they just do not want to. They are ancient almost godlike beings who are being asked to fly erands, with possible lethal outcome and nothing in it for them. That is like a kid who asks you to get something of a high traffic high way or run across town to get stuff for him. You would think twice if this request deserves your attention.

[@The_Trident_Master]

Middle Earth has three gods, DIn, Nayru and Farore... Wait a minute, wrong lore.

[@fizzypanini7450]

There is no way you cannot watch the extended version it's amazing

[@patney1709]

Gandalf could have said, "Fly, you fools" because in the books when characters talk about running they call it flying. So, Gandalf could have meant 'run you blithering fools'

[@retro3264]

In the Polish translation this sentence is translated to "Uciekajcie szaleńcy." which basically means "Escape you fools.". Seeing that the Polish version from which that translation comes from (Maria Skibniewska's translation) is regarded as canon I believe that the "escaping meaning" is the meaning that Tolkien intended.

[@binthvingit992]

@@retro3264 but as we see with anime the subtitles are kinda badly translated. Same with Dubbed. I doubt Tolkien read every language his books were translated to. Human error is viable

[@kuuderekun7461]

@@binthvingit992 But he actually did just mean escaping, though.

[@ideadlift20kg83]

Fly is norse for flee. It's often used in old english.

[@THEJPIndustry]

Also in german he says "flieht ihr narren " or in short fly (in a run away conext) you fools

[@TheHacknor]

Can't believe no one mentions this, but the term to fly is an ancient expression which prior to the invention of flight meant to leave in great haste, it even turns up in Shakespeare, modern-day society just hears the term and assumes it's literal,

[@madchu7]

GreenManAiming no, that's the way most people interpret that scene, the theory just uses the double meaning to support itself

[@adamroberts2228]

GreenManAiming that’s what I thought but it’s a convincing theory

[@orangesilver8]

I'm pretty sure everybody knows that fly you fools was telling them to run.

[@Sefoskiii]

GreenManAiming Exactly! Another thing that most people don’t realize is that when Gandalf said ”Fly you fools”, that was the *second* time he said it. Right before the Balrog revealed itself, he yelled ”Fly!” Which only means one thing. He was telling them to *run*

[@blazer168]

Pretty sure everybody knew that it also means that... or at least most of us.

[@felixdarlington5676]

The eagles were actually manwe's henchmen kinda. They did his work and fetched stuff for him. Also Gandalf and Saruman May have been Maiar, But when they went to middle earth they became the istari, the wizards. The balrogs were also maiar. You can call them and the wizards maiar, but the wizards official name is the istari

[@onellbrianmeliston8960]

I really love these Film Theory intro. Wish they could come back in the new episodes :(

[@newenglandsun4394]

Added that in Tolkien-style English, "fly" is what is understood by "flee". As in "fl[ee] you fools!"

[@comradet0m]

Not even Tolkein-style English but modern English. For an example consider the phrase "fight or flight" denoting the reaction from adrenaline whereby you enter a state ready to either fight or flee.

[@ovven98]

"Fly" in swedish is the acctually word for flee.

[@Obstreperous_Octopus]

Yeah, it's basically Gandalf seeing that Frodo is just staring at him dumbfounded and going "F***ing run, you idiot!"

[@Whovian1029]

I haven't watched the video yet, but please don't tell me this theory is based on a fallacious understanding of that phrase. I thought it was obvious what it meant. Gandalf knows that he's dead so he's telling the others to run before it's too late.

[@LukeHimself]

This is a major Mandela Effect. There's been loads of videos and stories written from thousands of people about how it says "run you fools"

[@hunted_man4035]

No one is gonna point out that the Valar are no gods? Eru Iluvatar is the almighty creator of everything and the Valar are like his angels. He created both men and elves and gave the dwarves a soul.

[@eduardoguardiano1246]

You are right, there is only one God, Eru is the only God, the creator of Everything, Valar are his angels and Melkor is Lucifer.

[@JediDoc]

We do not speak the name of the Adversary, here! Morgoth is how we all call him.

[@LordofSyn]

Melkor/Morgoth was Maiar too.

[@evelyncox8140]

uhh no melkor was one of the most powerful valar only second to manwe. that's why sauron and the balrogs (also maiar) followed him

[@ithaldir]

+Evelyn Cox Wasn't Melkor the most powerful not the second? It's been a while since I read Morgoth's Ring... That's why he got so upset that he had to do everything Eru's way.

[@RabiezDeWorgen]

Love the work you put into this video. Got any more LOTR? Going to search for them now.

[@pingchen5291]

The Misty Mountains modeled on the European Alps?? Dude- I saw half of them on my holiday to the South Island, NZ, just recently! The weather isn’t that harsh...

[@Mateo27007]

Not seen the video yet, but the eagles on the books are sentient and can talk and literally say to Gandalf (in the hobbit) "man, there's no way we're flying close to civilization, those guys will shoot us with their arrows." but hey that's just a theory...

[@Mateo27007]

good theory tho

[@steph_b7676]

A book theory aaaannnndddd cut

[@VarjoFilosofi]

Even normal mundane eagles can fly well over 5000 meters high. You couldn't drop eagle from that high even with a modern sniper rifle. Good luck with hitting those arrows. Not just that.. Eagle can also dive from that high insanely fast. It didn't seem like there were any guards on Mount Doom so they could had flown insanely high and dived in before nobody could do anything else than say "Oh shit". But yeah.. I know the eagles said in Hobbit that they are afraid of arrows. Didn't stop them in the war diving right in the mayhem not caring about enemy archers at all.

[@thatguy5148]

Teemies the nazgul and the fellbeasts were guarding Mordor. The reason why the eagles were able to defeat the fellbeasts so easily is because they were caught off guard due to them being preoccupied with battle at the black gate. Also, you can’t apply specific aspects of the physics of our world to the world of middle earth. Bard the Bowman was able to precisely aim his arrow at the missing scale of Smaug while he was flying around and burning the town. Human’s eyesight and strength is more powerful in middle earth than in our own world. I’m pretty sure he would have no problem taking out a couple of eagles if he wanted to.

[@VarjoFilosofi]

Bard managing to hit Smaug, who was flying all over the place doesn't mean some random orc archer would be prepared to do the same if eagle whoop down from the skies in seconds.. Well actually there didn't even seem being archers or guards near Mount Doom so it wouldn't even matter, if some orc would be as good as best archer of mankind. I'm not actually only applying "specific aspects of the physics of our world" to mix. Eagles were able to fly over mountains with zero problems, which means they actually can fly pretty high. Also I don't think fellbeasts with Nazguls could stop eagles even if they knew they were coming. Heck even if fellbeasts were problem to eagles they could had used the eagles to fly in when Sauron's army was attacking Gondor and there were no "air force" to counter eagles.

[@micahphilson]

I don't actually think the Eagles would have been too tempted by the Ring themselves, but there's no way they would have been willing to fly over Mordor. The Eagles were just blessed servants of Manwe, not dozens of times more powerful than Illuvatar's own men and elves, just very powerful. And those were the original Eagles; there was only one Eagle alive at that time who could be compared to the might of the original Eagles, and he would have wanted no part of this. Hell, he's the one who told the party of the Hobbit that they avoided flying over the dominions of Men because they were afraid of the men! (the elves preyed on men's livestock, and so the men started attacking/killing the Eagles on sight)

[@micahphilson]

The Eagles could certainly have been stopped by any of literally hundreds of methods Sauron would have been able to conjure up to defeat them, especially since he would have had plenty of warning to come up with a plan, because it's hard to hide an army of giant birds.

[@baconboy2971]

They would be tempted I mean that eagle in the back alley way was definitely tempted.......by meth/crack/cocane/ecstasy/alcohol.

[@thrakstorm-bringer1482]

Micah Philson IMPORTANT DETAIL In the game “lord of the rings , war in the north “ It shows that SAURON has machines made to trap and kill eagles And they are effective since you see one captured , there’s references about other ones that were killed and they can’t help you until you clear all those machine from the area

[@theojaffee7895]

Micah Philson They did fly over Mordor to rescue Frodo and Sam.

[@micahphilson]

Thrak, I haven't played that game, but while I assume the trap is pretty accurate to something Sauron would have created, is that game really true to canon all the time?

[@JAProductions494]

If this is a bad idea because the eagles will be corrupted by the ring then how did they not get corrupted in the Hobbit when they carried Bilbo and the dwarves near the lonely mountain and Bilbo had the ring on him. Theory busted

[@WhatIsSanity]

Good try, but two points. 1) The ring had a will of it's own and had decided to stay with Bilbo for the time being. It would not be beneficial for the rings master, Sauron, at this point if an eagle took possession of it. So one could argue the ring didn't try to tempt the eagles, because it didn't need to do so to preserve it's self. 2) I do believe the eagles had no idea Bilbo was in possession of the one ring. The one ring is perhaps one of the few artifacts powerful enough to hide it's self from the eagles, especially if they are not searching for it. Do let me know if I have missed the mark, it is very late and I am sleepy. Not very sharp at the moment.

[@TorianTammas]

@@WhatIsSanity Can you turn corruption on and off, Either the ring corrupts or not.

[@JAProductions494]

Luke DS that does make sense, however I feel like there is another reason it could still work, it took Frodo days maybe months for the ring to corrupt him so I don’t think the eagles will be corrupted after a 2 or so hours flight

[@TorianTammas]

@@JAProductions494 Very good point.

[@WhatIsSanity]

@@JAProductions494 Good point. I don't have a counter to that either. Except that it would be more like 20 hours or so to get from the northern Misty mountains to mount doom, still a day at most :/. Your point still holds. This begs the question- typically, how greedy are eagles? If they can just figure out how long a particular Eagle can resist the ring they just need a calibrated hour glass as a mission timer, and to avoid the several million obstacles to mount doom for success XD.

[@blue-eyed-bat]

These we're actually kinda nice lines in the intro.... I would totally fall for these 😍

[@JayRengin]

Rollin them rrrrrrrr's when you say MooorrrRRRRRrrrrdor

[@Ifalere]

Jay & Rengin jk rollins 😂

[@Onsvaltti]

The reason why the most popular finnish word is Perkele, because of the RRRRR's! :D perrrrrrrrkele!! Urbandictionary: "noun, Finnish. Most likely the most powerful curseword ever created by mankind. Cannot be translated without loss. Versatile word that can be used alone or repeated indefinitely. Originally name of the tunder god. In the christian era used as a name of the Satan. Perkele is such a powerful word, bacause it includes both of these connotations and in addition is very often associated with 'sisu', the attitude of never ever giving up." .... :D heck

[@BigBassSmallBoike]

Jay & Rengin lol you only have to roll the r once. its not rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[@gunjfur8633]

Onsvaltti Mm, yes, indubitably

[@elijahmugrage]

You alright there, buddy?

[@dcryptikz83]

Well, this completely threw HISHE'S How LOTR Should Have Ended right out the window...

[@mateuszmarciniak2828]

I'm not convinced

[@snoopyfod1807]

Mateusz Marciniak then you're not that intelligent :/

[@mateuszmarciniak2828]

Snoopy Fod OR his arguments just didn't convince me.

[@mariomalacara6916]

I read somewhere that Fly was used as a term to Run. So what Gandalf really said was, " Run, you fools."

[@rohangondor]

Well I know the reason they couldn’t fly all the way erebor in There and Back Again is because the men would shoot the eagles in protection of their sheep.

[@geefreck]

*Reads title* "Why You SHOULDN'T FLY to Mordor!" *Thinks* _Prob because there's an awful in-flight menu_

[@bisexualichigo4227]

🤣🤣🤣

[@douglasparkinson4123]

i think youll find the salted pork is especially good

[@rblxsplat5142]

Actually in the hobbit book, when bilbo and the company of thorin oakenshield actually did ride on the eagles and the eagles actually DID give them some nice food like salted pork and some other bird poop idk, good joke though lol

[@doomer2electricboogaloo730]

1:28 The Eagles only helped Gandalf in a few places because they owed him a favor. The beasts are pretty neutral all around. That's just what I've heard and this information may be wrong due to an arguably unreliable source (and it is the internet so it's almost guaranteed someone's gonna correct this).

[@michaelcubed]

Actually, halfway through writing LOTR, Tolkien realized the eagles could solve all the problems, so he wrote the Silmarillion just to cover that.

[@jimmyb3609]

Tolkien: Using the eagles wouldn't make a good story. Translation: If we did that the book would only be 10 pages long

[@jeskozimmermann7271]

The books do quite a good job at explaining why the eagles are not really an option. For one they themselves claim that they are not beasts of burden and carrying Gandalf from Isengard to Edoras is about as far as an eagle could fly while carrying someone (plus/minus, I think they say many leagues, but not forever). Number two, the king of the Nazgul is so powerful that he straight out defeats film Gandalf, and even book Gandalf is not sure if he is powerful enough to best him. That with a build in Ring of Power sensor would be quite a challenge to overcome. Especially if you have to get everyone within transport range. By the time of the final battle the King of Nazgul has been killed also significantly weakening the other Nazgul. And of course the length of flight is much shorter from the Black Gate to Mount Doom so carrying Gandalf is not that much of an issue. In the films however they are a bit of a deus ex machina...

[@jonesy8486]

Don't take MatPat's "love" advice. Just....don't....

[@You-tv5io]

Advice*

[@uncomfortablecat]

IkarysFlys *Advice

[@sorenswitzer]

IkarysFlys so I shouldn't of done that? Oh crap...

[@qwerty877810]

Yah how is he married?

[@abee948]

Omg u guys some of us make spelling mistakes like normal ppl calm ur buns

[@mattknauf3996]

4:48, he was not the worst. he is a "fool of a took" .

[@carmcarm8230]

Awesome video, and super smart theories

[@phenomcosmic450]

I wish to bring up some corrections, when it comes to the creation of Arda. Manwe, Aule and Yavanna could not create independent life (infuse their constructs with their own soul/consciousness) Eru Ilúvatar is the only one who could do this. Eru is the one who created the Valar and so he is the one who is in the beginning. Aule created the seven fathers of the dwarfs (The oldest of which is Durin the Deathless) because of his impatience for the creation of the elves, but try as he might he could not give them life, they only moved as long as his will was upon them. Eru was angry at Aule, so Aule submitted his creation to the will of his creator. Assuming that his creator wanted them destroyed Aule was about to strike them down with his hammer when Eru decided to give them their own life, basically adopting them as his children. But Eru stood fast on his decision that his elves would be the first to walk on Arda so he sent the 7 Dwarves into deep sleep in mountain caverns, each with a mate except for Durin who was alone. Yavanna, concerned that the Dwarves who would live neath the ground would not understand to value the forests and wild beasts begged Eru to allow her to create guardians for her forests. Eru agreed and so Yavanna created the Ents and Ent-wives and Eru gave them life of their own. Manwe created the Eagles to serve as his spies in Arda to watch over the creations of Eru. I hope I did as best I could to clear these things up.

[@mentaya11]

Not bad at all. Thanks.

[@R.DeMora]

This summed up explanation is great! I only got one question: Manwe created the eagles and Eru infused them with life too? And if so, who where they spying for? EDIT: those are actually two questions :P

[@leafycashstarlord]

Actually the Eagles were created after the elves first came, so Eru didn't have to infuse them with life. They were also not really "born" in any sense but "devised" by Manwe and Manwe alone. They were sent out of Valinor after Morgoth's first betrayal to spy on him and his servants. After his "death"/banishment the Eagles were used to spy on Sauron.

[@VocalBear213]

Do you english-speaking blokes pronounce Sauron like "SAW-RUN"? or is it Saa-u-ron. A russian here.

[@aswpstaff7929]

Tolkien himself gives the pronunciation as "SOUR-on" (As in lemons are "sour.") The movies pretty much follow this, as I recall. The "u" is not pronounced on its own.

[@mvp746]

9:14 That was Ancalagon the Black,you put a image of Glaurung the first dragon,and neither of the two was killed by Eagles.

[@shurikenblast]

Finally.

[@isaachess9425]

Hearing Matpat talk about the lore of middle earth like that, especially when talking about the Gods creating stuff, made me think of Overly Sarcastic Productions. So obviously I need Red to explain the entirety of the Tolkien world

[@alexandermacabre9730]

Im so happy you mentioned the silm!! I love that book its so amaizng and Melkor is my favorite!! Also the VALAR!!! Im so happy you talked about them!!! OMG YPU MENTIONED THE WAR OF WRATH! Also its notable that Sauron was the First Lieutenant of MELKOR/MORGOTH, He is VERY powerful.