The Lord of the Rings Expert Answers More Tolkien Questions From Twitter | Tech Support | WIRED

[@dredhead117]

"Lord of the Rings Expert" wow, my middle school dream job is actually a real thing

[@Buttington_Headerson]

Lol well the books and movies are gigantic cultural phenomenon so it makes sense

[@VRichardsn]

Well... not quite. Not trying to rain on your parade, but he has a bachelor's degree in Astrophysics in addition to his B.A. in English, Masters in Philosophy, and PhD in Medieval literature.

[@zanezealand]

He’s probably an English lecturer .

[@ivanvidakovic9222]

I only fear what amazon will bring with new "woke" lotr...

[@sabasklahn6012]

He’s an expert not a professional.

[@Tia-Marie]

"Sauron has his own Air Force" is my new favourite response to the Eagle debate.

[@Quartan284]

But when the Eagles do show up they make mincemeat out of that airforce...

[@OfficialFedHater]

@@Quartan284 He also has an army with lots of bows and artillery.

[@ihm8181]

@@Quartan284 That's after the Big Boss just lost his horcrux, which also more directly powered the riders of said air force.

[@shmeebs387]

@@Quartan284 To be fair, their top general was just killed. Whose to say they wouldn't have faired much better with the Witch King leading them?

[@kjmergen]

"Sauron has an air force, too". If you're going to use quotes, use them properly.

[@wadud92]

In The Hobbit a man shot a DRAGON out of the sky. Can we stop asking why the Eagles didn't want to fly over the lands of men and orcs?

[@GurniHallek]

Didn't he have like a magic arrow or something? And wasn't dragon ravaging a city at that time, so it was flying REALLY low to reac hthe ground with it's fire breath?

[@akrinornoname2769]

@@GurniHallek And Sauron also has things that are much, much scarier and powerful than orcs and trolls and his hordes of mercenaries. Unsleeping things so old and evil that their names are long forgotten, if they ever had any at all

[@bendover9813]

@@GurniHallek he didn’t have a magic arrow, he was just able to speak to birds like his dad, so a sparrow who could fly close to Smaug told him where a plate of Smaug’s armor was missing.

[@TheDanEfranChannel]

@@bendover9813 The arrow probably was magic. It was at least a revered antique.

[@bendover9813]

@@TheDanEfranChannel it’s the Black Arrow made by the Dwarf King Thrór, and one gifted to one of Bard’s ancestors. It’s definitely a revered arrow, and while Bard says he’s retrieved it every time he’s shot it, there’s no verifiable magic attributed to the arrow itself.

[@sluggmom]

I love that JRRT was so thorough about fleshing out the world that no one can ever 'its not that deep' you.

[@scrubs4everr]

So true!

[@davidioanhedges]

95% of the Lore is in the Silmarillion ... which he wrote so that the vast history existed needed for a place to seem real, and for multiple languages to exist and evolve - but most of it is only mentioned in LoTR and THe Hobbit ... In the LoTR Strider sings part of the song of Beren and Lúthien, saying the original is in Sindarin and this is but a rough echo of it ... The story is in The Silmarillion, sorry the story nearly *is* the entire Silmarillion ...

[@Inastewpopotogo]

some people will still try tho😆

[@samreddig8819]

Except Tom Bombidil. He even says so when asked.

[@MeanBeanComedy]

​@@samreddig8819Look, we've established that Tom Bombadil is the exception to *every* rule!

[@owenb8636]

This guy's excitement for talking about middle-earth is a joy to behold

[@imotekh6110]

The fact this had no replies and yet one thousand likes displays this perfectly. Utter enthusiasm and joy for such a rich fantasy

[@Ered15.]

Indeed, I will always love Lord of the Rings.

[@ilmara668]

I'd pay a fair amount of money to see a 1 hour talk between him and Steven Colbert

[@ryanmccue8180]

Imagine someone loving Christ and God like this fantasy

[@chrispysaid]

Fully-grown man becomes an expert on another fully-grown man's pretend world? Cool, I guess?

[@gatfatf]

"What I really need for my form is decorative non functional wings" *nervous laughter of over a million MMO players*

[@deanlonagan1475]

..ha..do the 12 man raid in Lord of the Rings Online called Ost Dunhoth Wound and Fear Wing and you will lose your fear of Balrogs..

[@aesir1ases64]

but they look so cool!

[@stephenmerasty1420]

@@deanlonagan1475 play COD and you'll lose your fear of bullets

[@psychepeteschannel5500]

Haha, well - its kinda exactly what Balrog did though, just like the mmo players :D To call it "vestigial" is inocorrect ofc, because that points to some remnant of actual wings lost during evolution or something similar... but what a Balrog does have (or does produce at times) are "visual-only" wings :D Just like that cosmetic item in MMO that looks cool, Balrog does the same thing with shadows - to look more cool, which really means - more intimidating. Cosmetic effects like this can be powerful when facing humanoid creatures.

[@asukaknightmare8904]

They're corrupted Maiar, and all forms of spirits entering the physical world are said to be able to freely choose their form. So it's not that crazy to think that some might have wings, functional or not.

[@chandlerfrantz3140]

Frodo: Who are you? Tom Bombadil: Yes.

[@TrueBladeSoul]

What if he is the world like Gia

[@szabok1999]

@@TrueBladeSoul There is in fact such a theory. But it is important to note that his (huge) power is limited to a small area, the lands around his house. I think if he would be the earth itself in some sort of way, his power would be everywhere.

[@DuelistaVG]

the Chad Bombadil vs the little hobbit Frodo

[@bunnyswallows]

that part is just bad.

[@veryanonymous3630]

@Only1CookieMan I would have liked to have put him down as "just" middle-earth instead of the whole world but I guess this is also possible.

[@mephostopheles3752]

In regard to Tom Bombadil, I always interpreted it very simply. When Goldberry is asked who Tom is, her response is “He is.” When I read that, I read it very literally. “Who is Tom Bombadil?” “HE is. That guy, right there. HE is Tom Bombadil.” Fits the vibe when Frodo asks Tom himself who he is. “Eh? Don’t you know who I am yet? I’m just Tom Bombadil, why does it need to be more complicated than that?”

[@mochitheceltiberian4007]

He isnt a man nor elf nor god nor beast. He s Tom Bombadil

[@TheCrazedCreator]

In Deep Geek had my favorite theory that Tom is the manifestation of the music and that's why he appears so powerful. His power is rooted into returning things to the state which they should naturally be. And it may even be possible Shelob's mother Ungoliant was the manifestation of Discord. This is why they don't exactly align with the valor or Malkor respectively as they are much more forces of natures but have shared characteristics.

[@thecrimsonfuckeralucardlor5087]

Probably like a good version of what sauron is.

[@mephostopheles3752]

@@thecrimsonfuckeralucardlor5087 Nope, we know that not to be the case. Sauron is a Maia, basically a lower-level angel. Other Maiar you may know include the Istari, AKA the wizards (like Gandalf and Saruman), the Balrogs, and possibly the giant eagles if some theories are correct. And the reason we know Tom isn’t one of them is because even the Maiar are susceptible to the temptation of the ring, as well as its powers. Tom is immune to both effects. He is not remotely tempted by it, and he remains fully visible while wearing it for the brief moment he does so. So he either IS a Maia or even a Vala (the higher-level counterparts to the Maiar; together they are the Ainur) who just so happens to be more pure than the others or something (unlikely. Ilúvatar-God-works in far less mysterious ways than you’d expect, and having a secret Ainu more powerful than all the rest kinda spoils the whole Morgoth narrative), OR… he’s something else altogether. He’s probably not Ilúvatar, because as fun as that would be, that would make him Middle-Earth Jesus and Tolkien wouldn’t roll that way with his Legendarium. In my opinion, it makes the most sense for Tom to be an almost metaphorical (yet still ultimately sentient) embodiment of the natural world. Tolkien didn’t like allegory, but nevertheless one of the primary themes of the Legendarium is the struggle between nature and artifice. He saw industry, technology, and the making of things as the acquisition of power. Obviously people make things all the time just to sort of get by, but as we make more and more complicated and powerful things, so too does humanity become more and more complicated and powerful. The One Ring is the ultimate culmination of this trend, a horribly powerful, horribly addictive object which tempts and leads people to ruin. EVERYONE is susceptible to the corruption its power presents, even the very small… but not Tom. As the embodiment of nature itself, he is the antithesis to artificial power. So when he holds the Ring, it means nothing to him. When he puts it on, it does nothing-what is there to enhance? He can’t turn invisible, he’s an embodiment of the physical world, he may not exist at all in the Unseen World the way creatures like men and elves and hobbits do. It can’t enhance his power because that goes against his very nature. It’s like trying to cut someone’s hand off with a laser pointer, it just means nothing to him. That was long-winded lmao, sorry

[@thecrimsonfuckeralucardlor5087]

@@mephostopheles3752 tldr. All I got was that you misinterpreted what I said. i said he was *like* what sauron is, not actually what he is, just sort of similar in that he existed for longer than most characters. It's the same thing with Balrog wings, they don't exist. But it's magic shadow power was described as wing like without being wings. He is likely a good counter part immune to the ring. In the sense he is the forces of good and nature manifested like sauron is basically evil manifested. Think like angels and demons but not angels and demons. Similar in concept but different origin and power.

[@Telechontar09]

“Tolkien thinks that Gandalf is probably right about that.” Whole series, basically ^

[@alexanderloncar9556]

I was teaching The Hobbit recently, and one of my students had this to say: "If it looks like chicken, smells like chicken, and tastes like chicken, but Gandalf says it is beef... IT'S BEEF!" One of my favourite observations about that book.

[@jbrisby]

@@alexanderloncar9556 Gandalf's love of the Halfling's leaf has clearly slowed his mind.

[@thehappyloaf]

@@jbrisby Lmao

[@Daniel_Alves1993]

I love his answer, as if Gandalf really existed and has a mind of his own.

[@Slardax]

@@Daniel_Alves1993 Right like he didnt create Gandalf lmao.

[@cjkrocks11]

Casual reminder that this man has a bachelor's degree in Astrophysics in addition to his B.A. in English, Masters in Philosophy, and PhD in Medieval literature.

[@alexdevitry7842]

I love Corey he’s great

[@jalin8039]

@@alexdevitry7842 😂😂😂

[@ellechi7337]

Wow

[@M_ROU]

Omg

[@nonachyourbusiness1164]

Got dam man

[@Gholian-g3i]

Sauron: "uses ring detection" - Hmmm, must be broken. It says it's right here.

[@grungeknuckle5577]

"Maybe... maybe that means the ring was inside me all along? No, no, that'd be dumb."

[@EphyStorm]

@@grungeknuckle5577 "Maybe I never even wore it to the battle and left it on the night stand?.. No that's silly, I don't even have one of those.."

[@glorytoukraine5524]

"Nazgul! Check out mount Doom, it keeps saying the ring is there. Hm, now it disappeared... OH SHI-"

[@sullyeeet6715]

"wow, the ring was actually the friends we made along the way" ;)

[@ZeroTSONG]

Basically the same as Find my iPhone but without the Play Sound button.

[@uprisingsun9105]

Here's my theory about Tom Bombadil. I read somewhere that he was essentially Tolkein's self-insert character, much like how Treebeard is C.S. Lewis, but I'm taking it a step further and saying Bombadil is literally Tolkein. Like he is present in the world as the author. Not the God, but as the author of the world who needs no mortal or immortal identity. For example when he can see Frodo with the Ring on, etc, it feels like 4th wall breaks often feel, because he is so nonchalant about casually seeing into the wraith-world. Bombadil, in the same way, feels like a 4th wall break to me, like he's Tolkein as he exists within that world.

[@TBPetitP]

I agree, Tolkien often said that hobbits where inspired in (partly british people) but also how he would have liked to live. Tom, lives like a hobbit (exept for the part where his house is underground), but he is (phisically) a man. He goes around writing songs (which Tolkien loved to do, you just have to read the books, they are full of songs), meeting characters but letting the story develp itself, just like the author would do.

[@CorwinPatrick]

I still think Tom is an avatar of God. He is not THE Avatar. Jesus is an Announcement, a claim that God is walking the Earth. Tom is a watcher. And God would claim to be exactly as Tom does, He just is. How could he interact with the Beings of Earth as Tom does if he claimed openly to be God? it would change the dynamic, he would have to change how he exists in the world or break it. He never lies, but does conceal his nature. He is an Anachronism. He existed Before. He cannot be anything else.

[@Hunter010993]

Tolkien did insert himself & his wife into the storys. Berin & Luthien is based upon them & the names engraved upon their tombstones. Pretty touching once you know the story of Berin & Luthien.

[@josephhirning2642]

Laughs in Stephen King.

[@mitchellsmith4690]

Treebeard isn't CS Lewis.

[@illyasvielemiya9059]

it is rare for someone to acknowledge that, "It wouldn't be a good story" is a valid answer for a (perceived) plot hole questions

[@clokie6671]

@@puppieslovies you would be surprised. Tolkien had a sense of humour, so it's possible that he would have end up with an answer like that

[@Vulpes89]

Eagles weren’t even a hole in the first place

[@clokie6671]

@@Vulpes89 some people actually think that it's actually a plot hole. I've talked with some and they actually find weird that they didn't "use the eagles"

[@thakillman7]

@@clokie6671 It's mostly due to the movies i think, where Gandalf seems to have access to easy eagle rides.

[@Keanine]

I still find the idea of Gandalf telling the others to seek the help of the eagles through his line "fly you fools" an interesting idea, even if it's pretty unlikely to be true

[@Mazzaka511]

Had the privilege of having him as a professor at Washington College. Medieval Lit, Faerie Lit and the Tolkien class were the highlights of my English major. (Also, thanks for Honors on my thesis! An absolute pleasure.) An awesome dude, truly. So happy to see him be able to nerd out for everyone here.

[@jakubp1315]

That’s awesome. He seems like a swell guy all in all :)

[@jamescrossland4608]

What's Faerie lit? I need to know more!

[@Mazzaka511]

@@jamescrossland4608 Faeries and Fantasy, I believe I remember it being called. We studied a lot of the early mythology coming out of the Isle and how it influenced Tolkien, Arthurian legend and modern fantasy. Awesome class. Really fun. Great conversations. His classes were always some of my favs.

[@alexdevitry7842]

@Major Problems Stem majors are usually very bad at this, it’s MUCH harder than you think

[@Pladdabus]

@Major Problems I'm in STEM and I couldn't disagree more. The arts are integral.

[@DraphEnjoyer]

While its usually said as a joke, “why didn’t the eagles fly them there” is on par with saying “why didn’t Harry just shoot Voldemort with a gun”. What a fun imaginative tale

[@dragonlogos1]

I mean it is also really stupid. why didn’t you fly toward an always watching eye who is surrounded by infinite amounts of war weapons next to an active volcano in a sky filled with ash and has 9 magical nigh unkillable skilled air fighters he is in telepathic communication with? Like really flying there would have just been asking to die and just giving the ring over.

[@ModernEphemera]

I like the theory that the eagles, being intelligent beings with souls, could have themselves been tempted by the ring, just like Gandalf himself was (the reason Gandalf didn’t take the ring himself in general)

[@dragonlogos1]

@@ModernEphemera this is also a good point

[@mjk0104]

I dunno, I kinda like that idea, Harry gets real sick of trying all this magic nonsense and just smuggles a Glock into Hogwarts

[@dragonlogos1]

@@mjk0104 I want at least one scene in the fantastic beast series were a group of muggle soldiers just ambush and gun down a few wizards (I don’t care if they then just instantly die after killing one) I just want to see a magic vs gun fight in that series at least once.

[@thegamingpigeon3216]

That's what I think people overlook with the "just take the eagles to Mordor" argument: say they do that. As you said, Sauron would see them coming, he has amazing sight. So what do they do when they arrive, ascend Mt. Doom and enter the mountain only to see Sauron just standing there. Congrats, you just went deep into enemy territory impossibly outnumbered and gave the enemy his most devastating weapon on a silver platter.

[@maciejmarciej5982]

The eagles would have to fight fellbeasts on their way and when they would try to descend, thousands of orcs would start shooting at them. I think Council of Elrond was better in the books, because we got a better look at the situation, we learned why they couldn’t just dump ring into the sea and more importantly, we learned that good guys are doomed to lose, whether Sauron gets ring or not and only suicide covert operation can make a difference, but it’s fool’s errand, because the chances are so slim that one mistake can cost them everything.

[@MMallon425]

The appendices also clarify that the War of the Ring is being fought on multiple fronts, with the elves and dwarves also facing Sauron's minions and allies. Gwaihir was probably pretty busy for the duration of most of the story. But yeah, the whole point of assembling a Fellowship to escort the Ring to its final destination is that invasion would be exponentially more difficult than sneaking in, and it's kind of hard to sneak in when you're flying in the open sky.

[@aaaaaaaaa6417]

could you clarify that "sauron standing there", he said on the video too, but i don't understand what that means, why didn't sauron appeared during LoTR? was it because he didn't know where Frodo and Sam where? he had the power to do that, i thought he lost that skill

[@MMallon425]

@@aaaaaaaaa6417 yes, most readings of the text assume that Sauron no longer has the ability to take corporeal form until he reclaims the Ring. He's definitely "there" in Mordor, waiting, even if he can't physically manifest. I will say this though - even if the Eagles flying over the border and making a beeline for Mount Doom would be really obvious and they would be detected immediately, up until that point I think they would literally fly under the radar. This is because it never occurs to Sauron that someone would willfully try to destroy the Ring. It doesn't make sense to him; not because the quest is hopeless, but because he can't imagine anyone deliberately throwing away that power (or the promise of that power - of course, we know the Ring lies 100% of the time and has no actual intention of helping the Ringbearer defeat and replace Sauron). When Frodo, Sam and Gollum reach the Crack of Doom, it must have taken Sauron utterly by surprise and that is portrayed very effectively in the film adaptation.

[@thecoastergnome8603]

The eagles would also succumb to the power of the ring,they would be carrying it because they would be carrying Frodo, and they are very powerful creatures like Gandalf.

[@robertJ14]

He should sit in the Amazon writer room for the new show. Not having a Tolkien expert on hand could really damage the show

[@charliexoxox]

i have such low hopes for this show it’s not funny

[@zukacs]

they have really good and trusted expert on board

[@samsunguser3148]

Just like in Pacific Rim, there was no sequel (haha)

[@FramesPerSecond]

@Cassie Doerksen isn’t it a prequel series taking place in an earlier age?

[@THEWILLY417]

WDYM are you not excited for black Elfs and transgender Dwarves?

[@devonharris5936]

When Isildur first takes the ring off of Sauron's dismembered finger in the movie, it slowly changes size right on screen.

[@rikk319]

The movies aren't the book, as so many questioners seem to find out. But yes, even the books explain how the Ring has a mind of its own and changes sizes to slip off of fingers when it feels it has a chance to switch owners.

[@silentlamb21]

In the books, it is also Isildur who aludes to this, in the text that Gandalf reads in Gondor.

[@SophiaAphrodite]

I though it was mentioned briefly in the Hobbit the Bilbo noticed the ring seemed to alter itself in size.

[@TripleBarrel06]

A lot of the questions do seem to be solved by the answer "read the book" huh?

[@jacksonhobbs5325]

I can imagine seeing this powerful ring of magic shrink to fit you exactly would play a very powerful mental trick in making you think you should keep it rather than destroy it.

[@DavidMarkovic98]

"Gandalf thinks that Beorn is a man and Tolkien said that Gandalf is most probably right" Imagine creating so complex world, that you as author are instructed by your characters :D

[@disturbed157]

Tolkien was an excellent world builder. There are mysteries in our real world so he wanted to mimic the idea and have mysterious creatures in his ie ungolianth and bombadil

[@Gandalf-Olorin]

I'm always right.

[@LadyElvan]

I have had this happen to me SO many times! Like the saying goes "I don't write stories about my characters, I just follow them around as they do stupid $*it and write up the incident reports". Sometimes characters know more than I do because they live IN the world while I'm busy trying to keep it running!

[@latronqui]

@@Gandalf-Olorin probably

[@nilssundblad1637]

And imagine having it hijacked for commercial exploitation purposes by a big corporation - intimacy coaches and racial pluralism, the works. Why isn't it cultural appropriation when it happens to pale people?

[@Bolpat]

If this is correctly shown in the movie, the One Ring not only will adapt to its owner’s finger, but can also widen so that its owner loses it. Happened to Isildur.

[@htspencer9084]

Yeah, that ring be sneaky!

[@hamiham32]

​@htspencer9084 it's also an answer to why sauron couldn't find it. It has a will of its own (yes it wants to be returned) but it's an explanation as to why sauron didn't have a tracking beacon on it. It had it's own will. At least that's how I interpreted it

[@TheEFRoommates]

"Tolkien seems to think Gandalf is right." Literally if anyone was uniquely qualified to be able to say whether Gandalf was right or not, it was Tolkien.

[@adamcetinkent]

I believe that is the joke.

[@davidwright7193]

Well you don’t want annoy old one eye.

[@Auzzie015]

I mean, Tolkien is Eru Iluvatar. Literally has the final say on anything within the universe.

[@Lernos1]

@@Auzzie015 Well, Tolkien considered his works on the Middle-Earth more of a description of the events that went by, and himself a humble archaeologist and chronicler. He also said that Arda is actually Earth, and Silmarillion and LOTR simply describe the events of the very ancient past of our Earth. I mean, I don't think he seriously believed that, but it was the narrative for his books at least. It also seems that Eru Iluvatar is the God of Christianity as well (that was one of the points Tolkien made as to why Tom Bombadil couldn't have been Him, the only avatar of God to walk the Earth would be Jesus Christ much later), and Melkor is the Devil, I guess. As a Christian, Tolkien wouldn't dare to literally associate himself with Eru. Also, it is a very common feeling for many authors to simply be, y'know, UNSURE of what the actual truth of something is, and only CONSIDER to believe that some of their characters (who sometimes start to almost live the lives of their own inside authors' heads) may be right about something.

[@Divinemakyr]

@@Lernos1 Yes. Tolkien's universe is definitely inspired by Christianity. The Ainur, Valar, and Maiar are all angels and Eru is God. As you pointed out, Melkor would be Lucifer.

[@jackkoffin1]

One thing Mr Olsen missed in his answer Re: the Witch King is that, the "no man" thing isn't like a rule or a special weakness in the Witch King's power. It was a prophecy. Glorfindel in the Second Age predicted (or foresaw) that no "mortal man" was going to kill the Witch King. That's all it was. His prophesy was proven correct when it happened that a human woman and a hobbit destroyed him. So, if the question is if Beorn could've killed him, the answer is, maybe, under the right circumstances. But Glorfindel predicted it wouldn't be "a man," simple as that.

[@LeChaunce]

@Austin Litt Moore I've also seen it suggested that the dagger, having been in the barrows of the kings of Arnor, may have been enchanted specifically to combat the Witch-King, and as such it's Merry's blow that breaks any enchantments the Witch-King may have, allowing Eowyn to kill him. I prefer jackoffin1's interpretation, personally.

[@gajbooks]

@@LeChaunce It can definitely be both. He says "no living man" may hinder him, so a hobbit, a woman, and an ancient sword (made by his enemies) all make a perfect storm.

[@Caidezes]

@@gajbooks That's my take on it. It doesn't have to be one single thing that does the job. Maybe all the right elements just happened to gather together at the right time. The prophecy comes to pass regardless, since a living man doesn't kill him no matter how you look at it.

[@onkelpappkov2666]

"No man can-- aargh!" **gets killed by weapon**

[@DavidPerezRodriguez1976]

Exactly

[@user-N20]

I love Tom Bombadil's response to "who are you" because it's very similar to Gandalf's answer in The Hobbit (either book or movies or both) when he says "My name is Gandalf, and Gandalf means... me."

[@ElvenWisdom]

It’s all very Gnostic. “To know thyself is to know God”. So the wisest question for a gnostic is to ask “who are you?” and realize “I am the I am”. All is one.

[@MachaMongRuad]

Just wanted to add a couple thoughts re: Sauron being so close to the ring for so long, but unable to track it. Peter Jackson's films heavily implied (I don't remember if it was stated outright) that Sauron was only able to track the ring while it was in use. Having sat in a river for a couple millennia would thwart that tracking sense pretty soundly, I would imagine. Second part is just my own little connection, but running water has historically been used by many cultures to negate or cleanse magical properties of items, as well as blocking negative spirits and energies (eg vampires who can't cross running water). Perhaps this widespread folk tradition influenced Tolkien in some way regarding the Ring lying dormant for so long?

[@riccardoalcaro8483]

I think the use of the ring exposes the user to Sauron and the Nazgûl also in the book. I might be projecting the film on the the book, but so I remember

[@sergeandou9853]

In Middle Earth running water indeed has great power. One of the mightiest gods there is Ulmo - a god of water. And implacable enemy of Morgot, Sauron and all of their creations. In the books and in the movie you can see water is being used for magic too. And Nasgul are afraid of the water.

[@Jan-gh7qi]

@@sergeandou9853 I would say, running water symbolizes the untamed nature, in opposite to the tamed civilisation. Sauron was a servant od Aule, the God of Craftsmenship, before he turned to the dark side. I think, there is a strong sentiment in Tolkiens Works, that manmade culture is able to produce the highest of good but is also the closest to the Shadow, while the rough nature may be passive but will not turn to evil so easy.

[@-8l-924]

that’s a really cool thought.

[@SolomonFactor]

I believe personally that sauron knew where the ring was, but simply didn't really worry about it, knowing that it would eventually try to make its way back to him. Obviously after he captured Gollum, I'm sure he was even less worried. Saurons arrogance is what led to his destruction, He didn't believe a hobbit could exactly withstand the power of the ring long enough to destroy it and thought someone more powerful like Aragon would have it, which is why after a certain point he stops really looking for the hobbits

[@eosvartauga]

My favourite theory of Tom Bombadil is that he’s the “embodiment” of the music that created the world. He also sings like 95% of the time

[@ElectromagNick]

Or he's the spirit of the countryside, just as Goldberry's the spirit of the river. But yes, more likely he's the physical representation of that music of creation, save for the disharmony of Melkor

[@atisnicholson1844]

I like to think he is an embodiment of the Middle-Earth itself. The personification of continent.

[@maddazza9557]

To me he's just Tolkien's way of saying even with all the war and chaos going on sometimes you just need to sing and dance and have a good time and block out the bad.

[@skootties]

Isn't the whole world the embodiment of the music that... embodied the world

[@Baumfelds]

Much like Ungoliant could be a creature that is the embodiment of everything that isn't, the very shadow that contrasts with the light. Both Tom Bombadil and Ungoliant have that quirk of being primordial beings with no clear source of origin.

[@chlorox01]

I was always under the impression that Sauron could not see/sense the ring unless it was actively worn by the bearer because the bearer would then be in his realm of the Wraith world. You can even see this being implied in the movies.

[@SeraphsWitness]

Same. They definitely show the sight being given to Sauron as soon as Frodo puts on the ring. Which makes sense, if it's literally Frodo stepping into his realm.

[@Jan-gh7qi]

Someone on the internet framed it really good. Who in the third age is able to enter the Spirit-World? Sauron of cause, Frodo with the ring, the Nazughul, maybe the wearers of the three. So, when Frodo puts it on, he basically teleports himself into a vast plane, where he, the Nazghul and Sauron are the only people hanging out. Of cause they see him there.

[@nancymunlyn]

I don't know if the line/scene in the movie is in the book the same way but when Frodo is at the end and he says how the Eye is basically locking onto him I think it's easy to surmise that it's because he's becoming so corrupted by the ring at that point that Sauron is almost able to sense/see him without him needing to put the ring on. But again, this requires a ring bearer, Sauron cannot see the Ring itself.

[@johns1625]

And in the books, when Frodo uses it to escape Boromir he can feel Sauron percieve him, and reach out across the lands to search for him, he knows it is being used just not by who nor where, but a general sense of direction probably based on what the ringbearer is seeing. As soon as Frodo looks southeast and sees Barad-Dur he has to take the Ring off because he can feel Sauron very nearly find him

[@zirak93-2]

Yeah. It's like the ring itself has a will to go back to its master, Sauron.

[@codymccormick7317]

I could listen to this guy talk for hours. The fact that there is lore so deep and complex that we need a professor is just a testament to Tolkien’s mastery.

[@Dr_Bombay]

you can! if you want to hear more, you should check out his podcast. there's years of him talking at length about all sorts of Tolkein-based stuff.

[@Soulessblur]

In terms of the vestigial argument, I've always enjoyed the idea that Tolkien's simile is actually literal. The shadows surrounding the Balrog are in fact, shaped like wings. They are not wings, and therefore Balrogs cannot fly, but the smokey black darkness kind of vaguely look like spiritual wings. Like evil seeping out of their backs or whatever.

[@stephensmith3111]

Also, the ring doesn't turn Sauron invisible because he is just such a diva and wants everyone to see him all the times in both the physical and spiritual worlds.

[@saryntoews]

*starts blasting Ru Paul’s drag race music*

[@curbgrinder111]

Ha. I feel like being a diva is something of a job description for any dark lord

[@kevinobrien1897]

I think the ring did not make people invisible to the spiritual world, only the physical world. Remember when Sauron was wearing the ring he was visible without the ring and the part that was magic was part of Sauron himself. That may be too summarized for your liking but limited time.

[@PeregrinTintenfish]

The ring would also not turn an elf or a dwarf invisible. The invisibility side effect is also a side effect of the Rings of Power.

[@Escalusfr]

That's the point, Sauron wants mortals to fear him

[@Dan-B]

The question regarding the eagles: They also didn’t fly to Mordor because the whole point was to do it without Sauron knowing about it. Secrecy was the purpose of the Fellowship, rather than being obvious about it and being caught.

[@nickmalachai2227]

Also, who says the ring can't corrupt eagles? They'd probably be just as susceptible to the promises of the ring as any other species. Wait, was there an Eagle delegate to the meeting that lead to the Fellowship? Did they just not send anyone? Were they even invited?

[@ESPmrBrough]

@@nickmalachai2227 Tolkien's eagles are basically divine spirits, not entirely unlike angels

[@nickmalachai2227]

@@ESPmrBrough no wonder Gandalf was kinda friends with them

[@headecas]

@@nickmalachai2227 the ring:common man think about it, a nest made of gold, and jewel encrusted eggs. All of that can be your if u just drop those fools on the lava and not me. We got a deal

[@nickmalachai2227]

@@headecas jewel encrusted eggs seems dangerous for the eggs health, and gold is a poor material to build a nest.

[@mariokestler5390]

Sam wasn't supposed to carry the ring, but he carried the team. 🙌🏼

[@tarettime9392]

Sam carried frodo who held the ring so he carried the ring carrier😂

[@agustin4741]

Isnt Sam the real hero at the end?

[@demacherius1]

@@agustin4741 He definetly is!

[@samuelcosta8189]

Sam was a real team player

[@tilley163]

Chad sam

[@Masuba]

Please bring Cory back for more Twitter questions! He's amazing

[@dxtrum]

This is actually his second video on the channel

[@TheJPJT1234]

Just to add... the ring never got air lifted to the mountain because otherwise all of mordor would know they are trying to destroy it. The evil forces of mordor only thought the race of men would try to use the ring NOT destroy it, hence the sneaky approach

[@ZiggyMandarr]

It's the same answer to the age old "why doesn't Sauron have a few guys posted up at the Crack of Doom?" question. Because he never thought they'd try to destroy it. And to be pedantic, he's right. No living create on Arda could have destroyed the ring once they held it, not Sam, not even (despite his protests) Elrond. It took an act of God.

[@EddieFunkowitz]

@@ZiggyMandarr No, it was not an act of God. It was the decision by Bilbo & Frodo (and Gandalf, Aragorn, Faramir, the Elves, etc.) to NOT kill Gollum and to be merciful towards him that allowed the ring to reach the Cracks of Doom and ultimately be destroyed. But the reward for this heroic act of mercy was indeed a form of divine intervention -- the arrival of the eagles.

[@ZiggyMandarr]

@@EddieFunkowitz I know that, the mercy that stayed Bilbos hand, etc. It was all important, but Gollum didn't simply trip, and there was that sort of gentle nudge as Illuvatar honored Frodo's journey in a moment of karmic mercy.

[@EddieFunkowitz]

@@ZiggyMandarr Really? Where does Tolkien ever say that Illuvatar influenced Gollum falling into the Cracks of Doom? I suppose one could always argue it's part of the Divine Plan. But I'm not aware of Tolkien ever suggesting that at this specific moment, Illuvatar reached out and knocked Gollum off the edge, like a fallen chess piece. On the contrary, Tolkien consistently describes Illuvatar as having a hands-off attitude towards Arda. And on the rare occasion that He does intervene, it's never a "gentle nudge" -- unless that's how one describes sinking continents and reshaping the entire world.

[@TaliesinBHeidkamp]

@@EddieFunkowitz I wouldn't literally watch it as god intervening, but definitely some kind of act of fate, as Frodo also was not able to destroy the ring when he got to the crack of doom. Nobody was, so what it took was for someone to slip into the pit. In the end, the ring wa snot destryoed by a willful act but by accident.

[@wizardsuth]

One consequence of the Ring changing size to fit the wearer is that it would also have fit Smaug.

[@benn454]

That's a horrifying thought.

[@pissfrog]

Less of a ring and more of a hula hoop at that point

[@lorenzoriley3567]

Or Durin's Bane

[@wh8787]

Invisible armour plated dragon. Oh... Oh no...

[@randomstuff1019]

Considering their greed of the dwarven rings of power...

[@malifex9922]

In regard to the "Sauron Ring Detector" question, I had always kind of assumed that unless the ring had a bearer, it was like any other object and carried no latent power that one could detect. Even Gandalf is not aware of its significance until he presents it before a flame to reveal the script created during its crafting. Some of the descriptions of the history of the ring tend to refer to it "sleeping" until someone finds it, and that seems like a very apt comparison. It's only when it has a bearer that it begins to stir the longing within them, and thus awaken its master to the fact that it stirs at all. The Nazgul can seem to sense it when they're relatively close, going so far as to influence Frodo to feel a driving need to use it and reveal himself to them.

[@Elurin]

Gandalf talks about this in Shadow of the Past. Although Sauron cannot "detect" his ring, as he grew in power in the 3rd Age, his Will was able to awaken the Ring to do what it could to leave Gollum, only to be picked up by the most unlikely person in the world, Bilbo of the Shire!

[@aesir1ases64]

Interesting, never thought about that way before, cool theory and I will keep in mind next time I read the books!

[@TehCakeIzALie1]

There was another pretty significant reason presented for why Sauron couldn't find the one ring, engraved onto the ring itself. "One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them..." The One Ring is the ring that lets Sauron locate the rings of power in the first place, unless I am mistaken.

[@clokie6671]

In the books it's always mentioned that the ring "wants to be found". It calls for his master but only when someone has it. It seems to absorb the life and soul of its bearer, so it is possible that without a bearer it has no energy to "call" Sauron

[@jsullivan2112]

I always just assumed that he couldn't detect the ring itself, only when it's put into use, like when Frodo puts it on, and the Nazgul are also drawn to it. He/they are drawn to anyone that gets pulled into that other world. It seems so obvious to me that I was surprised people actually thought he had a ring detector, and questioned it. Um, no. Duh-uh.

[@numerobis2178]

The fact that Tom Bombadil says he was there before Melkor (who was the first of the Ainur to enter Arda) makes me think more and more that this theory is the right one: Bombadil is the/an incarnation of the Music, just like Ungolianth in an incarnation of the Discord. Because, as Tom says, he saw the first raindrop, the first acorn. To be able to see that, he would have to be in Arda since literally the creation of the world. It would also fit with what Gandalf says: he could withstand Sauron for a time, but not indefinitely, which makes perfect sense if he is the Music, and Sauron represent the Discord

[@gp8189]

"That would make for a less interesting story"- the answer to 90% of the internet's cinema critiques

[@thomasboyd1402]

Ryan George's Pitch Meeting character sums it up nicely: 'because movie needs to happen' and 'so the movie could happen'..

[@predwin1998]

While that answer should usually be sufficient in most cases, since the most important part should be to have an interesting story to tell, it's always much more satisfying when it's not the only answer. Just like how it's not the only answer to why the Eagles didn't just fly the ring to Mordor.

[@sephirothsadvent]

@@predwin1998 "why don't they just call the police Mr Hitchcock?" "Because that would be boring."

[@brightappiah6327]

Exactly. These same critiques would not have watched the movie at all if that had been the plot they adopted.

[@lukaszspychaj9210]

A way better explanation is that they would be intercepted by the Nazgul on their flying creatures and could very easily lose the ring.

[@kg4wwn]

I would say that the biggest example of a creator imbuing an item with some of their essence was Fëanor, who put all of his common sense into the Silmarils leaving himself bereft.

[@ElvenWisdom]

💯 agree. A tragic character he was and a lesson to us all.

[@mrutgers231]

That is one good quality Fëanor roast. Thank you, you totally made my day.

[@dwell7315]

I'm ALWAYS excited to see people dragging Fëanor online, you just made my night

[@lightsabermadeofbees4924]

"Eternal light and happiness if I just give up my shiny rocks? I guess I only have one choice then. And that choice is to murder kin, take boat." Fëanor ladies and gentlemen.

[@maedhrosfeanorian9555]

I hate how correct you are...

[@dadude2140]

I love that this guy never made anyone feel dumb for asking questions and always validated by saying "That would be really cool" or "That's a fantastic question". Even when he was explaining why an idea was wrong, he always says "but that's a great idea"

[@hesha3000]

I am not sure but I remember he was a bit of jerk in his first video...now trying to be nice

[@grabbity]

@@hesha3000 lol you must have missed the first video. Watched them back to back and he's just a pleasant dude in both.

[@hesha3000]

@@grabbity okay then sorry my bad

[@idek7438]

He must be a good teacher to have. I know my best teachers at uni never made anyone feel dumb for asking a question

[@ignarskjolvjentski7809]

I’ve always imagined Tom Bombadil as a personification of old Celtic type gods, what with his connection with nature and clear supernatural connection. I think the reason tolkien had difficulty describing this is because he built his mythology around the judeo christian god and orders of patron angels, and having a second order of divine would convolute his pantheon and mythology. But his love of old Britannia and nature would embody some parallel in his writing, as a nod to the mystical, esoteric world.

[@zackmoon592]

Yes, but Tolkien was also a professor of old Norse and Anglo-Saxon, and was perfectly well aware of norse mythology and medieval literature/mythology. He primarily based it on Christianity but there are definite elements of ancient British, Viking, Finnish and Greco-Roman beliefs too

[@meganofsherwood3665]

My personal favorite explanation for Tom Bombadil is that he is a fragment of The Song that brought Arda into being - hence his connection to the land itself

[@noxcorvus]

'And even in a mythical Age there must be some enigmas, as there always are. Tom Bombadil is one (intentionally).' The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, No 144, dated 1954

[@michaelchallis4129]

I picture Sauron in his armour walking around with a metal detector.

[@PLBiohazard]

"Come on, come on ! THE BEEP BEEP SAYS IT'S RIGHT HERE"

[@Kingfishertim24]

And wraiths flying around on fell beasts with comically large magnets stamped “ACME” on the side

[@antondavidovic3996]

No wonder he never found it in 2000 years...

[@izzisart]

I need someone to draw this 😂

[@sozhran]

"I looked everywhere... AND IT IS EVERYWHERE!!!"

[@Joseph_Biten]

"Tolkien Professor" sounds like an interesting job title. I, myself, would like to achieve my Dark Souls doctorate.

[@torinjones3221]

Good luck

[@theolddeus9672]

Dark souls doctorate, first challenge, beat all of the games with no damage taken. Second challenge, know all the lore. Third challenge, survive the other two.

[@selenagamya1612]

Better take that up with Headmaster Vaati

[@dimitrikemitsky]

Doc Souls

[@NathanY0ung]

Any ideas on the subject of your thesis?

[@emilywagner6354]

I appreciate that he gives actual evidence of why Balrogs do not have wings. People usually just get sniffy and look down their noses at you for asking such a "stupid" question.

[@Dedalus94]

I mean, listen. The Balrogs of Morgoth were Maiar, who by their very nature are shapechangers. I think if they wanted to have wings of shadow and smoke as depicted in the Peter Jackson films, they could have.

[@KS-xk2so]

@@Dedalus94 I think maybe at a certain point the Maiar who turned evil lost their shapechanging skills... like how Sauron could never take a fair form ever again after his deception of Celebrimbor was discovered.... maybe once the Balrogs manifested their full might into the destructive forces that they were, they were stuck? If they could still shape change... I feel like they would've used it... as this guy mentions, maybe grow some wings quickly to not die in a fall...

[@meltedjax3619]

Right? I literally had this happen yesterday

[@stuartbaxter-potter8363]

Seconded! I've heard the argument before, but this is the first time I've run into it backed up by textual evidence.

[@FredMaverik]

I really didn't see an explanation in the video except the joke at the start

[@karenfuchs4252]

Small point to the Beorn and Witch-King question: "Not by the hand of man will he fall" doesn't mean he's invulnerable to dudes. It means that the seer saw the future and knew that it would be Eoywn (and Merry) who killed him. So yeah, Beorn can kill him but it's not what Fate had in store

[@kahn9573]

The Witch-King´s weakness was the sword Merry used. Without it they would not have been able to kill him.

[@pokey796]

@@kahn9573 They would have been able to destroy his physical form, however his spirit would have still survived and Sauron would have been able to grant him a physical form. The barrow blade that Merry used had an enchantment that broke the Witch King's immortality spell, allowing Eowyn to kill him.

[@shareholder1408]

The seer is glorfindel

[@teree9781]

@@kahn9573 hobbit arent men either, so yeah beorn kinda foreseen that

[@PoetryInHats]

I agree, except I doubt Glorfindel knew the exact persons who would kill him. Prophetic visions tend NOT to be like watching a movie of a future event. They tend to arrive in dream-like symbols. (I.e. Moses' vision of a 7-day creation; John's vision of the arc of history in Revelation.) Tolkien was not much of a movie-watcher, so he wouldn't have thought of prophecies that way.

[@pogeman2345]

Additional note on the elven door of Moria: Mithrandir is Gandalf's elven name (the name elves call him by). It literally means Grey Pilgrim in Sindarin.

[@rlenn6512]

This is why I'm in the comments. How did he forget to mention that? I guess he was explaining a lot with limited time to answer each question.

[@dwell7315]

Also the fact that the doors were made when the Dwarves and Elves were allies almost certainly is why the password is "friend"

[@ChristaCrow]

The movies have confused the eagle situation too, especially with that moth thing. In the book, Gandalf doesn’t summon or ‘magic’ an eagle to the top of Orthanc, the eagle found Gandalf there by chance and then rescued him.

[@PoetryInHats]

Movie writers have a deep resistance to any problem in a story being solved by chance. Even though this occasionally happens in life, it must (apparently) never happen in a movie. Since Tolkien believed in Providence, not to mention stocking his world with layers and layers of sub-deities watching over the world, he was more than OK with something like that happening.

[@TaliesinBHeidkamp]

@@PoetryInHats in a way it's still fitting though, as the moth was there by chance. Gandalf didn't summon a moth or called it, it flew by, he caught it and then aske dit to call for help. Same thing in the Hobbit movie, where a moth just happens to be on the pine tree with Gandalf. In the 3rd Hobbit, we see Radagast riding one eagle, implying that he asked them for help andhe has a much stronger bond to nature anyway and Beorn probably helped as well. So the only time where the eagles just showed up by themselves to help is the battle of the Black Gate whick makes totaly sense. As much as I dislike a lot of the Hobbit movies, I think the eagle stuff is pretty consistent in all 4 of their appearances and I still think that the chance encounter of the eagles helping Gandalf during his time on Orthanc and in the pine trees is kept in a way through the moth just being there.

[@austinpurcell8518]

Radagast met Gandalf on the greenway by order of Saruman, Gandalf asked Radagast to let word be spread among birds and beasts who were Radagasts' friends that all news of the enemies movement be sent to Orthanc. There it was that Gwaihir who was bringing the morning newspaper found Gandalf imprisoned atop Orthanc

[@brooksboy78]

@@PoetryInHats It wasn't chance in the book either. Gandalf had Radagast send all news to Saruman/Gandalf in Orthanc, and that's why Gwaihir was sent to Isengard and saw Gandalf on the pinnacle.

[@taelorpickel2830]

There are few instances where the Valar actually intervened in the affairs of Middle-earth throughout even the Third-Age.

[@steveb_]

Man I am so thankful for this mister right here. Not only he is polite and easy going person, but his insight fills my mind with ideas.

[@shazlynn3677]

gandalf also thought of the perfect plan to get a hobbit as the ring-bearer - as one of the reasons sauron couldn't find the ring for so long is that he was not familiar with the race of the hobbits nor with the shire because they've largely kept to themselves and are naturally very peaceful & unassuming, so there's no way he would have predicted that it would be a hobbit to destroy his ring. it would be like if you lost some expensive jewellery, you'd think your brother or sister or a thief stole it but you would never expect that a bunch of ants got together to plan a heist.

[@kyleellis1825]

I dunno, you see the video of the ants stealing some woman's mail?

[@iReiGNxx]

@@kyleellis1825 Congratulations, you are Gandalf. XD

[@aussiedudeofthesoutheast789]

But what about the ant wives?

[@TgiYuffy]

@@aussiedudeofthesoutheast789 LMFAOO

[@godlyoblivion]

The thing with the ‘eagles could just fly them to Mordor’ thing is that this might be incredibly visible to Sauron, making them an easy target.

[@ananthkamath1703]

Yeah! And the whole point of the secrecy was so sauron would never know that they were planning on destroying it. Almost till the ring was destroyed, he thought that Aragon was wielding the ring and was coming to challenge all of Mordor with this power.

[@mr.n0on344]

Also, the Eagles were incredibly proud creatures, and would have strenuously objected to the mere mention of being used as a taxi service

[@VulKus117]

@@mr.n0on344 I mean… being used as a “taxi service” to ferry the One Ring of power to a giant volcano in order to be almost single-handedly responsible for destroying the darkness, and therefore biggest threat to the free peoples of Middle Earth since Melkor fell, is a pretty glorious purpose to be fair.

[@ParabolH]

Not to mention the Nazgul could literally fly. Do we really think the witch king of angmar wouldn’t have killed them

[@AlexMiamorschh]

but didnt the eagles fly to mordor anyway at the end not being killed and only as a taxi service?

[@Cristov123]

Imagine being so powerful, that innocuously using the term "flew" in a thing you wrote a hundred years ago, remains a source of anxious discussion giving birth to entire categories of conspiracy and theory for thousands of people lol

[@thefracturedbutwhole5475]

*fly

[@TheUbernuck]

@@thefracturedbutwhole5475 no, flew

[@DinsRune]

Tolkien, a professor of linguistics and literature who used to get into debates about Beowulf, would have appreciated the irony.

[@PoetryInHats]

But to be clear, the first book was published in 1954. Tolkien was purposely archaic in his language, so I can see the confusion.

[@olewyrdd]

And yet we still debate Shakespeare.....hmmmm.

[@johns1625]

I believe Tom Bombadil and Goldberry are the exact opposite of Ungoliant. Every way you think about it they are opposites entirely. And I believe Ungoliant was created by the Discord of Melkor, and Tom and Berry were created by the response of the other Ainur in attempt to drown out that discord. Of course this means that if they are not Ainur or Children of Illuvatar, they can't be free agents or have a soul, and it does seem they are this way. Ungoliant is driven only by desire to consume, Tom and Goldberry are driven only by desire to conserve.

[@thegatorhator6822]

First time I've seen someone else say my exact opinion on the matter, or very close to it.

[@martavdz4972]

Please, just stop putting into a box a character who is obbviously there to enjoy life and not be put into a box.

[@MrFelblood]

Another point in favor of Balrogs not having wings: When they need to attack a walled city, they ride on dragons.

[@yrenekurtz5268]

Winged dragons only appeared at the veeeeery end of the first age during the War of Wrath, as Melkor was saving them as a secret weapon. During almost the entirety of the first age if you saw a balrog riding a dragon in battle you'd be A) crapping your pants while also thinking "this is the most awesome thing ever", and B) seeing two land based creatures.

[@seregons]

Balrogs are penguins

[@AndreiH1605]

@@yrenekurtz5268 basically it'd look like Black Hulk riding a Dune Worm.

[@888pil]

didn't Tolkien change his description of balrogs over time though? originally they were only twice human height and rode dragons, but later became much bigger and more powerful, matched in power with dragons

[@matthiuskoenig3378]

@@yrenekurtz5268 the point is they couldn't fly over the walls themselves and road a monster instead

[@jayremi1835]

Tom Bombadil and his response to the question "who are you?" can hold a lesson in not categorizing others and just being who you are as an individual. Tolkien was ahead of his time and a gift to this world.

[@pablopumarestaminiau7512]

I think the lesson is it's silly to ask someone who they are if they walked into your life SINGING THEIR NAME over and over again in their yellow green leotards

[@vulcov7430]

Well amazon thinks he is behind of his time and is racist and changing his writing...

[@azmiraclegirl441]

Yuck

[@StoneDeceiver]

@@vulcov7430 wdym?

[@StoneDeceiver]

"Not categorizing others and just being who you are as an individual' has been a concept in religion and philosophy for thousands of years. Saying that he is 'ahead of his time' because of that is pretty silly.

[@Siygrah]

I'm really happy that this guy is not a rabid Tolkien fan who pretends to know everything. The way he answers the questions gives me confidence in his knowledge.

[@scorpix96]

I get the feeling that he literally is a university professor specialised in Tolkien litterature actually. I could of course google that ... Ah well he actually is

[@martavdz4972]

He´s a genuine expert. This is what genuine experts are like.

[@Partor6]

I think the best theory of what Tom Bombadil is that I have heard is that he is the manifestation of Illuvatar's song. It completely fits his musical nature and the fact that he is more of a phenomenon, than a being.

[@roryarcher6014]

I wish I could be like this guy: professor on lore of a fictional universe. Genuinely sounds fun

[@SoopaTroopa]

Who's stopping you? :P

[@CChissel]

@@SoopaTroopa probably the fact there is no guarantee you will make a living. But as a hobby, sounds good.

[@tevildo9383]

@@CChissel How do you think VaatiVidya does it?

[@kilpta4746]

@@tevildo9383 He’s also a professor in medieval literature. The Lord of the Rings is more of a supplement.

[@mattstrauchon6756]

The Eagles didn't help destroy the ring because they are susceptible to it. They are mighty and wise like Gandalf and refuse the temptation. Imagine a dark Lord of the skies.

[@74blackmailtn]

Imagine a golem of the skies..

[@74blackmailtn]

@@washada yeah. Just imagine Pippin having the same expression when he said that*

[@BalefulStar]

fk ye!

[@connaeris8230]

I would bow to evil eagle overlords, personally

[@cryptosporidium1375]

@@washada top of the pecking order

[@rayw3332]

Gandalf: "Fly, you fools!" Perhaps a biting fly was on poor Gandalf's neck or nose, distracting him so much, he lost his grip and fell. No reason to get so angry and take it out on the Fellowship.

[@Kingfishertim24]

Gandalf in the alternate universe: “a little help, you jerks”

[@NinjaDimes]

He's super eloquent. I play Lord of the Rings Online and its really neat to see him explain places referenced in the game (like Eregion, which I realised after this video that I was pronouncing wrong) and the Elven side of Moria is also in the game, there is also another exit on the other side, which makes sense! It's great. I would watch a hundred more of these videos if he made them.

[@Elurin]

I think Gandalf was pretty clear on what Tom B was: "I am going to have a long talk with Bombadil: such a talk as I have not had in all my time. He is a moss-gatherer, and I have been a stone doomed to rolling. But my rolling days are ending, and now we shall have much to say to one another." - The Return of the King (Homeward Bound) There seems to be a kinship there, different roles, but similar.

[@aesir1ases64]

So you think he is a Maia? But didnt he said he was around before Melkor?

[@Elurin]

@@aesir1ases64 Yes, a Maia, he didn't say he existed before Melkor, but he was in Middle Earth before Melkor. Except for the Vala, Tulkas, most of the Valar and Maiar were in Middle Earth before Melkor

[@RHCole]

@@Elurin ...and they all existed before Arda. Ungoliant was a dark spirit who came down into Arda, drawn by the light. Perhaps Bombadil was a similar spirit, tho light instead of dark, and perhaps Arda came to him instead 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@SeekingKnowledge77]

Also ,T.B. was never affected nor tempted by the ring in any way, he put it on ,the ring didn't change size ,he never became invisible, gave it right back to Frodo and saw Frodo when he was invisible

[@highwaytoheaven99]

"When he says 'fly' it just means 'run very fast'" I can almost hear the "Gandalf told them to use the eagles" theorists fainting

[@fidjeenjanrjsnsfh]

"Across the bridge, fly"

[@onkelpappkov2666]

"Fly, you fools!" "What, you mean like... on a kite?" **Gandalf gives up and sinks into oblivion alongside a cringing Balrog saying 'yikes' with his eyebrows.**

[@latronqui]

"Wait for the eagles to pick you up, you fools!"

[@fidjeenjanrjsnsfh]

@@latronqui except Gandalf told the fellowship to fly across the bridge even before breaking it. So yeah, wAiT fOr ThE eAgLeS...

[@naedanger123]

People actually thought that’s what that meant? I thought it was pretty obvious he just meant to run away.

[@x3dfritz0]

its always so obvious when someone is talking about something they love, their excitement and joy at expressing the knowledge they've collected. props for sharing this Q&A with us! Loved it!

[@TheKingsPride]

I have actually developed my own answer to the Tom Bombadil question that may or may not be satisfying to others: in much the same way that Melkor and Sauron represent all things bad and evil, Tom Bombadil is primarily a metaphor and story device. He represents all of the good, and the things that Tolkien perceived as worth fighting for. He also shows what our heroes stand to lose should they fail. He represents and provides safety, warm, wholesome food, a nice fire to sit by, song and dance, and a warm bed. He represents knowledge of, and mastery over, nature, but most importantly not subjugation of nature as Sauron represents. He doesn’t cut down the Old Willow, he soothes it back to sleep. I think that Tom Bombadil is everything that Tolkien dreamed of while sitting in those cold, damp trenches, constantly being shelled. That’s my take on it, anyway. I don’t think he’s supposed to be entirely literal.

[@scrubs4everr]

That's a nice take on it!

[@dopetheadjective2020]

THE REAL REASON EAGLES CANT FLY FRODO TO MORDOR: As explained in The Hobbit, eagles famously distrust man and dare not to fly anywhere near settlements for they have been hunted to the verge of extinction. To fly Froddo to Mordor means to straight-up fly across the entire middle-earth, giving the the whole world (in essence) a chance to bag an eagle since humans or hobbits simply can't withstand flight at extreme heights. They owe Gandalf a favor or someshit and that's why they make the occasional cameo, but it's simply not their fight. y'all feelfree to read the books and come argue with me all you want.

[@Monkeyboy1995project]

The fact that people can't understand this is beyond me. People really need to read the dam books, And stop asking stupid questions about eagles and why they don't fly to Mordor.

[@TheAcer4666]

Problem is that they did fly to Mordor to rescue Frodo though....

[@Salvarius]

It's been ages since I read the books or the Silmarillion, but I remember being confused regarding the reciprocal nature of the relationship between Gandalf and the eagles. As far as I know, it was stated the eagles owed Gandalf a favour because he had tended the wounds of an unnamed eagle leader. In return, they helped out the dwarves in their quest for the Lonely Mountain. But that did not make them even, then? I suppose it was a huge favour, since they helped out Gandalf on several occasions.

[@BlizzardofOze]

@@TheAcer4666 And that occurred after Sauron was already defeated, by eagles that were already nearby. Sauron's air force was in disarray, giving them the opportunity to slip by without being accosted like they would have otherwise.

[@Cristov123]

It's been a long while since I've delved into the lore extensively, but weren't the eagles said to be emissaries of Iluvatar, at least to some extent? Maybe I'm having a stroke but I remember reading or hearing that at some point. If that's the case I can imagine Iluvatar sending them to reward the fellowship for succeeding in their challenge.

[@vegurion2]

What I find hilarious with the moria doors is that if someone tries to read loudly the inscription in elvish instead of translating it then the doors will open before he finish reading the sentence.

[@marieroberts5458]

Dear Earth. That was the point! The Elves of Ereigon under Celebrimbor were so friendly with the Dwarves of Kazad-dum, that the doors were designed to be opened at a word for "friends" and all literate elves were considered friends! It's like giving your neighbor the key to the house and saying 'me casa, su casa ' and truly meaning it. Day or night the door is open as if you were family. No orc could even speak the Elvish words, so all good.

[@vegurion2]

@@marieroberts5458 Thanks Marie, I do know that, but what I find funny is that the reader/visitor can't finish the sentence. Friend is the second word if I'm not mistaken.

[@KowakianMonkey-Lizard]

@@vegurion2 "The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs." are the proper writings on the doors. BTW if you usually read words on a wall you read it your head and not out loud all the time when you see it xD

[@MrFelblood]

@@KowakianMonkey-Lizard I never noticed before that Narvi got an Elvish master artisan (really **the* elvish master artisan, the guy who helped make The Rings) to write the letters on his door, just to make sure the script was perfect. Truly a perfectionist in an age of collaboration.

[@52flyingbicycles]

“How do we open this door” “We’ll let’s read the instructions!” *reading the instructions opens the door

[@Blazedancer1997]

I love listening to this guy talk about LOTR. Definitely going to listen to his podcast after this.

[@promane557]

Wait he has ome what's it called I'd love to hear him talk about LOTR in length

[@KIFFIR]

@@promane557 ohh in length listen to him you can. check out Signum University channel. thousands of hours of content.

[@mayalackman7581]

@@promane557 Tolkien Professor Podcast, but he has waaaaaay more LOTR content than just that. Literally thousands of hours and he is making more all the time.

[@pendragnx]

check out Nerd Of The Rings on youtube as well.. his channel is amazeballs

[@PrinceofArfon]

This is a rabbit hole…he’s got way more than just a podcast now, and if you start one you’ll just get sucked into the rest! I advise against it. It’s dangerous to have this as much fun with art and literature as he does.

[@ajdoman317]

Prof. Cory Olsen amazes me. There's so much I want to ask him. I often find myself overwhelmed by the world Tolkien created. Goes to show how great Tolkien really was.

[@jorgedasilva7665]

Fun fact about the time Sam carried the ring. It is the only time we actually see the ring tempting someone. What was Sam's temptation? To use it to destroy Sauron so he could make Mordor into a garden.

[@jorgedasilva7665]

@@solara4461 Sam's a simple man. What he loves more than anything is the Shire. Frodo is #2 to the shire.

[@martavdz4972]

I think we also saw it tempting Galadriel? For a moment, she imagined herself the Queen of Middle-Earth.

[@RoxyLuffer]

"Why didn't they summon an eagle to drop the ring into the fiery depths of Mount Doom" Another easy answer, The Eagles are as powerful as Gandalf (Or So I've heard), and they want NOTHING to do with that ring, lest one of them turn into the next great evil.

[@Ludzig]

I always assumed they were in the Tom Bombadil class where they're above everything and you can't really tell them what to do

[@legion999]

They're nowhere near as powerful. Maybe their King is.

[@patrickbohn5235]

@@legion999 i would probably agree that they arent on the same level as a maiar but they are definitely powerful enough that if one got their hands (talons?) on the ring it would be very bad for everyone

[@rockyblacksmith]

@@octodaddy877 Well Sauron used to be a shapeshifter before the fall of Numenor.

[@honscha]

@@octodaddy877 He did turn into a wolf once, and lost a fight to another wolf

[@Kr4th]

When do we get Olsen vs Colbert? The one Tolkien-off to rule them all. Put that up on Pay-per-view and you'll outsell McGregor/Mayweather.

[@sonofhamp]

I'd watch that :)

[@samuelleask1132]

That would be incredible

[@Tcheera]

I pretty much never buy things on pay per view, but I'd be all in for that.

[@juanchoteado5046]

I'd pay for how the professor humiliates Colbert

[@jacobrodgers7743]

@@juanchoteado5046 Colbert has already admitted that he listens to Corey's analysis, it still be very fun and a polite conversation, no humiliation needed.

[@javiersds8081]

Wow. This video was so gripping that I watched it in its entirety without even blinking. And I usually don't watch videos on YT that exceed 10 minutes or so. Great content!

[@gc6329]

The best answer I've heard to the *just fly the eagles to the mountain next time stupid* idea is that Sauron would obviously see the eagles flying through the air immediately, and absolutely smite the life out of them, immediately. Sauron would then recover the one ring and doom middle earth to a thousand years of darkness. I don't like the common answer. That being, the eagles aren't taxis and they didn't feel like it. That doesn't add up. Obviously the eagles care about the light and peace of middle earth. If they could've taxied the ring to the mountain they would've. If the eagles didn't care about what was going on then they'd never had played any meaningful role in the series. The eagles can fly and toss a few orcs around but you'd have to assume that they're just as susceptible to magic and arrows as all other life in middle earth. None could stand (or fly) before Sauron's might. Remember, hobbits make great burglars. Frodo snuck the ring to the mountain. It was the only way. And the only ones that saw him do it were two other hobbits.

[@SophiaAphrodite]

YEah they were literally taxis after the ring was destroyed.

[@yuidesu5625]

Yeah, but why didn't the eagles taxi frodo to near the mountain skiping 15 months of the 16 month journey? Sauron cant even detect the ring so he would just se a bunck of birbs flying around.

[@greenblack539]

@@yuidesu5625 cause they would still have to fly across middle earth where not only saurons generals could potentially hear about them, but also because men nearly wiped the eagles out. they dont wanna put themselves in that danger

[@yuidesu5625]

@@greenblack539 You guys are just in denial. A plot hole is fine, sometthing doesnt need to be perfect to be loved.

[@thespankmyfrank]

@@yuidesu5625 It's really not a plot hole. The whole reason for them making a fellowship and walking there is secrecy. You really think flying almost all the way there on giant eagles (who rarely show themselves otherwise) would be kept secret? Spies would notice and inform both Saruman and Sauron and they would be shot down before they got halfway there.

[@nayncat17]

Tom Bombadil: He’s not and elf, he’s not a man, he’s something we’ll never understand 💁🏻 But he would die for me

[@gir2195]

I would die for Tom Bombadil!

[@paradoxalpl5666]

Well wasnt he majar?

[@gir2195]

@@paradoxalpl5666 watch the video.

[@TheHermesLP]

He would... if he could die.

[@evilsquirrel0573]

Maybe he would die for you, but he probably couldn’t die

[@KS-xk2so]

I like the Tom Bombadil as God theory too, but since Tolkien himself turned that down, I've always had the following theory myself: Tom is the physical manifestation of the "spirit" or "will" of Arda itself. In the original song that was sung to create Arda, Melkor broke away and changed the song, trying to make his own part in it greater, and creating many of the evils that would later plague the lands. When this happened, I think that Arda itself, in defense, created Tom Bombadil. Who in a small area of the world, would have total mastery of it. So that at least some small part of Arda could always stay as it was originally meant to have been, for all times. I think this is also why they say Tom would likely forget and lose the ring. In his domain, Arda as it should've been, such an evil shouldn't even be possible, so he'd easily forget it or pay it no mind.

[@ForbiddenFollyFollower]

I like to think Tom was a write-in for Tolkien's secret lover.

[@KS-xk2so]

@@ForbiddenFollyFollower Huh.... first time I've ever heard that. I kinda doubt it based on how many different accounts there are of how utterly besotted Tolkien was with his wife Edith. She inspired the tale of Beren & Luthien.

[@justinhalloran5182]

Great theory that he is the spirit of Gods song of creation. Which I like

[@mphltd6386]

But Tom's realm includes the Barrow Wights, and so is also corrupted by the evil of Melkor (via Sauron, via the Witch King).

[@glamourweaver]

Additional point on the eagles - they’re proud and powerful sapient beings. If they were knowingly carrying the One Ring it could go very very badly. Frodo thrown to his death in half an hour as the ring slides onto the talon of the new Dark Lord of the Four Winds…

[@MorteMurium]

"The Ring of Power is just like the Traveling Pants." Previously unsaid sentences in the history of the world.

[@lemon98TV]

I was quite amused that he was just like yes and being familiar with the power of the pants :)

[@emmalemon473]

@@lemon98TV i die laughing thinking about the LOTR characters in all the different traveling pants movie scenes--discovering and trying them on, writing letters to each other about their pants stories

[@A-G-A-G]

@@emmalemon473 the spin off film Tolkien would have wanted

[@samsunguser3148]

I will say another sentence that has not been uttered in this universe. I ate 12 chicken nuggets by the Mordor crew and I crapped my pants so Beleriand sunk and Arnor stank.

[@JW-mg1sk]

Please, let’s protect this professor at ALL costs.

[@onecoolghoul]

The Professor's Professor!

[@christophero3869]

“I’ve only just met Corey Olsen, but if anything were to happen to him I’d kill everyone in this room and then myself.”

[@onkelpappkov2666]

You have my upvote!

[@kingrobert7246]

Why do we need to protect him? He can fend for himself

[@latronqui]

Is he in danger?

[@puellanivis]

Also interesting, one of the reasons Samwise was offered the ability to sail to the West and live with the Valar is because he was a ring bearer, same as Bilbo and Frodo.

[@BelegaerTheGreat]

*On one hand it seems it would have been amazing to have Hobbit/LotR as a mandatory school read, however, if it became so, I'd be afraid of 2 things:* *1.Teachers would start analyzing it, trying to find allegories (which Tolkien HATED).* *2.Children would see reading LotR as just another burden, going through summaries, and it would get thrown with all the other 'boring' books.*

[@longing_for_the_void]

I had read the hobbit when I was in middle school and it was one of the few books that I actually enjoyed studying. It was fun and interesting for me. A lot of the assigned books I had were boring, but the hobbit is a special story that really grabbed my attention. It wasn't a burden at all.

[@graemecheadle9997]

Tolkien wasn't *quite* as opposed to allegory as he let on ("Leaf by Niggle" is quite obviously allegorical), and he certainly welcomed "applicability."

[@Nerobyrne]

There's an easy way around this, make it one of 5 books you can do a presentation on. That's the better way anyway, in general. Set out a number of books, and give everyone the choice of one. "But what if they already read it?" As someone who took english lit in uni, I can assure you, it doesn't matter how many times you've read a book. You're going to need to at least skim it once more to do a report that earns a passing grade.

[@thegrandwombat8797]

This is a misunderstanding of Tolkein's point on allegories, he absolutely meant his books to have meaning that can be applied to the real world. He just thought that writing a 1:1 analogy for a specific thing was uninteresting in writing, and the meaning in his books was broader than that. So it's not an allegory for WW1 or 2 as events, but it intentionally and explicitly speaks to his experience of war, for example.

[@martavdz4972]

We studied it as part of a non-compulsory additional literature course in high school, which was a great idea IMHO.

[@diligentdisciple]

341 episodes in to The Tolkien Professor's podcast. He's fantastic. The only authority you need on all things Tolkien.

[@benbooth2783]

Regarding the Eagles, I always thought that the Eagles, being agents of the Valar, were vulnerable to Sauron's (Melkor's) darkness in the same way as the Elves. The Elves having to leave middle Earth due to Melkor's taint. Although not explicitly stated, I always assumed that the Eagles couldn't fly into Mordor while it was under Sauron's influence.

[@Parkjoonho18]

I like this guy. Who answers all the questions politely. And the final question he admit something could maybe been improved or better if this happen. So he is not close minded

[@elenersbebeners]

I did not know I needed this guy's videos. He's gotten me all hyped up about reading the books again.

[@proletariatbourgeoisie9929]

That's one thing I wish the movies had made more apparent was just how much time Gandalf spent in Minas Tirith looking through old texts to find information about The Ring. Going by the movie, it's easy to assume he was gone a couple days, maybe a week. I had no idea until very recently that he had been away for 17 years. It just astounded me.

[@brettlawrence9015]

Yeah that shocked me the most.

[@martavdz4972]

He did other things in that time, I think he hunted for Gollum and consulted Aragorn. But yeah, it´s an incredibly long time, I never made that connection, thanks!

[@eliasbischoff176]

Can we just appreciate for a moment that history aligned perfectly for us to exist in the same space and time as "Lord of the rings Experts"?

[@sweatyskinfolds1385]

Right? It's so delightfully cringe.

[@idek7438]

@@sweatyskinfolds1385 Why? You know that people have been studying literature for centuries right?

[@dipen7224]

Everyone who has watched lotr once: Im something of an expert myself

[@ManDuderGuy]

I know that "silmaril" is the singular of silmarillion. Boil em mash em stick em in a stew. And we're done.

[@Flash4ML]

A.A.-ron Silmaril is the singular of Silmarilli. The Silmarilli were ancient gems of incredible importance in the First Age. The Silmarillion is the story of the First Age

[@ManDuderGuy]

@@Flash4ML A macguffin by any other name is still...you know the thing

[@ant8041]

Once? Rookie numbers

[@misaelvillalba8671]

Most of these questions are answered in the Silmarillion

[@Scientist_Salarian]

SO glad there was a part II of this guy! Really interesting stuff.

[@thomasrush2095]

The One Ring doesn't turn Sauron invisible because he already has the ability to turn invisible whenever he wants. In the prologue scene in the Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, (Which is basically Sauron tearing through ranks of human soldiers and killing Isuldur's father the king...) Sauron is not going for subtlety here. Stealth was not his objective. He wanted the opposing armies to see him because he felt assured that he could have torn through the entire army with just his mace, and he wanted not just destroy the opposing ranks, but to do so with such ease as to scare the living crap out of the humans and elves who dared oppose his ascending supremacy. One can't take credit directly for acts of violence if no one witnesses your actions. Sauron wanted to rule and enslave the world. Not just attempt to blatantly destroy it as his predecessor, Morgoth tried to do in the past. When Sauron killed the king he may have been expecting the king's subjects and soldiers to surrender to him. Unfortunately for Sauron, Isuldur and his sword, Narsil had other ideas, especially after Sauron had just slain Elendil, Isuldur's father.

[@chrisheretic7]

True. I also thought that the power of the ring stands in correlation to it's wielder. And since Hobbits or humans are not the most powerful magical beeings, invisibility is pretty much all it does for them. At least that's what my headcannon says.

[@Canadian_Zac]

I thought the power of the ring depended on the race. Like, because Hobbits don't have much else, all it does for them is make them invisible. But for Men, it unlocks the power to lead amazingly well, which would make even their little armies a threat to Sauron. For Sauron since he's a Spirit-thing, forget the name. It lets him dominate and massively buffs his power

[@chrisheretic7]

@@Canadian_Zac BLOOD FOR THE BLOODGOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKULLTHRONE!

[@chrisheretic7]

@@Canadian_Zac sorry, it's a habit

[@legion999]

The Ring is Sauron's, he has complete control over its powers. Plus being a shapeshifter he is/used to be a master of his own form. Bombadil isn't affected either, he is his own master

[@jbrisby]

Gandalf: "Fly, you fools!" Balrog: "Workin' on it, bro!"

[@MostLikelyMortal]

As much as I love getting into the nitty gritty of the lore, I absolutely love talking about thematic analysis of LOTR because it is chock full of awesome takeaways. Combine the two and it makes for a story for the ages

[@vulcov7430]

well not anymore with what amazon is doing lol

[@reservoirfrogs2177]

@@vulcov7430 how does that effect the other works?

[@vulcov7430]

@@reservoirfrogs2177 other works of what?

[@deifiedtitan]

Two other reasons the art team for the movies gave the Balrog wings: 1. Immediately connotes demonic appearance, like with the horns. Just conveys what they sort of are to the viewer in a nonverbal way. 2. Wings make it look bigger and more dynamic. It’s the same reason superheroes got capes and it’s stuck ever since. You can convey much more motion and scale with it, which is important with it being animated rather than physical

[@JXEditor]

8:22 that’s also why the password is “Friend.”

[@segments2156]

and it's a very weak password, especially if there is a riddle to help anybody guess it... no wonder the Moria was taken... They could have, at least, chose something like "#FrIenD_96"

[@louisvictor3473]

@@segments2156 Weak if you know how to read elvish and can do the trick to see the inscription. Normally elves didn't need to use it, it was more an emergency key, so there was no opportunity for enemies to learn it (and chances are elves would notice if there was anyone spying in hearing range, with their stupid powers).

[@segments2156]

@@louisvictor3473 i was being sarcastic

[@brittanyr938]

They should have at least enabled two step verification before allowing just any old person walking by to access the security question

[@Vtlaghe69]

Oof

[@A.Filthy.Casual]

Eru iluvatar: creates the elves Elves: who is that guy and girl over there **points to Tom Bombadil and Queen Elizabeth** Eru: idk they were there when we got here

[@billystokes3917]

And they will both be there long after your time has ended, elf.

[@JohnLundSweden]

Lmaoo

[@colinlittlewood9613]

It feels quite fitting that this guy doesn't do brevity.

[@houdin654jeff]

You have no idea... he's doing a deep reading of the book in his Signum University channel. To date, they're on episode 189 (each about 90 minutes of text discussion), and the class is nearly through the Council of Elrond... where they have been for a year and a half.

[@nickllama5296]

Neither did Tolkien.

[@alexdevitry7842]

@@houdin654jeff We joke that professor Corey will be in his sixties by the time we finish

[@houdin654jeff]

@@alexdevitry7842 haha… “finish….” I’m slowly catching up and, based on what I’ve seen so far, the smart money would probably be on his kids finishing it for him.

[@guitarchim]

@@houdin654jeff Just like Christopher Tolkien in a way. Seems fitting

[@edithengel2284]

Great analysis of why Sauron does not become invisible while wearing the Ring, and why mortals do. Thank you.

[@fokkenamazing]

"No, samurais don't actually have wings." - Sun Tzu, The Art of War

[@Paulafan5]

Real Ninjas didn't look like ninjas do in movies. The "ninja" costume is actually a puppeteer costume.

[@kretmenpl]

@@Paulafan5 There was never such a thing as a "ninja"

[@gannielukks1811]

@@kretmenpl and shinobi?

[@kretmenpl]

@@gannielukks1811 well shinobi is more accurate but it is basically a spy, doing quite normal deeds for that time period. Only our "western" image of it is false, romanticize and idealized. Like stupid excitement about katanas. Craft wise for their time period they were much technologically inferior.

[@gannielukks1811]

@@kretmenpl It's not just a western romanticization, even japanese people romanticize katanas.

[@MarcWFaceman]

My high school geography teacher was also an expert on Lord of the Rings and known in those circles as such, and he was also a super chill guy, just like this guy. Draw any conclusions you will based on that information, I just love to see what I choose to believe is a pattern there. :D

[@Refixul]

I find the whole thing of Tom Bombadil and labels, names and such incredibly profound. It adds to the idea of a great being, of something not bound to mortality and the stupid problems of man and other creatures, but going to the essence of what "being" is.

[@Canadian_Zac]

Tom Bombadil is not a man. he is not an elf. He's not even a nature spirit He is, Tom Bombadil. He was the first and will be the last. He isn't one of the other races, he just Is Tom Bombadil, he's his own thing.

[@iapetusmccool]

@@Canadian_Zac Name: Tom Bombadil. Species: Tom Bombadil. Personality: Tom Bombadil. Job: Tom Bombadil.

[@Atlan]

bring this guy back a million times please