What If SHELOB Got The One Ring?

[@XX-sp3tt]

Gollum knew that Shelob didn't care about towers or rings, and would toss it aside as she consumed her prey.

[@tooslow4065]

but why? could she not sense the ring?

[@BeppyTurnip]

​@@tooslow4065even if she did, I don't think she cared. Spider hungy

[@linnea5124]

Yes, assuming Tolkien agreed with Gollum, which I feel like he did. Gollum would not have willingly risked getting such a rival for his Precious. At least initially she'd not be interested, being more intent on feeding.

[@ShadeOnTheUtube]

She also does not outright feed. She ensures, wraps, and waits for the body to decompose, creating a bagged slurry. In that time, gollum intended to sneak the ring from their cocoon. So this scenario would also need to presuppose the death of gollum, who would stop at nothing to do so. In addition, I do not think she could be swayed by the ring, and nor do I think she would be turned to conquest. She is the daughter of Ungolianth, a devourer of light, one of the nameless beings beyond the song. She would more likely devour the ring and sap from it slowly over time any power Sauron imbued upon it, until she would have unmade it, and the rest of the rings along with sauron himself. And then, over time, grow to live up to her mother's legacy until all middle earth is woven in gloom and all that remains are the Valar and Iluvitar. With the star and Tom bombadil long having faded or been consumed. Now, that is horror.

[@madisonrolig855]

@@ShadeOnTheUtubethat’s beautiful. And terrible.

[@Trashpanda92]

Last time I was here this early, the light of the two trees shined

[@RobertDeNicola-v5b]

@@Trashpanda92 lol

[@TheCrazyCanuck420]

Two lamps for me

[@gargoyles9999]

So early the Valar hadn't screwed up

[@Sol-Amar]

​@@gargoyles9999 This!

[@theMicW]

Before the song! Lol

[@jeansalomon8225]

I, for one, welcome our new giant spider overlord

[@thurmanwilliams7961]

I heard that one of her children ended up in the pocket of a half giant and took over the forrest of some school in England.

[@gunslinger2566]

Kind of already answered in the book. Shelob is only on the story because Gollum knew she wouldn't care about the ring, she would just kill Frodo and Sam and Gollum could get his ring back.

[@randysavage1]

Shelob was only allowed to live because Sauron saw her as too much trouble to kill for no reward... and she served as a guard just by existing

[@theenderdestruction2362]

​@@randysavage1she was his cat basically

[@Mith420420]

@@theenderdestruction2362 more like guard dog that is allowed to roam.

[@theenderdestruction2362]

@Mith420420 Nope, she was quiet litterly called like suarons cat by Tolkien. Well, not exactly, but he did basically say that shelob was saurons pet cat, but i can see the guard dog angle, BUT NOT THE LOVER ANGLE SHADOW OF MORDOR

[@katherinegraham3803]

Ooh, that's an interesting scenario! I think Tolkien had mentioned in one of his letters that most individuals in Middle Earth could not claim the Ring for long, because Sauron would ultimately dominate their minds and take it back. Gandalf may have had a shot if he had tried, but it would have been close. Would Shelob then have fared better in a mental battle with the Dark Lord? If not through her innate power than simply because her mind is so different than that of most other beings? Rather than attempting to dominate the world, I imagine Shelob sitting tight in Cirith Ungol and using her power to command the Witch King to bring her new victims. Like Uber Eats except Ungol Eats.

[@tooslow4065]

sauron's will in the ring would dominate anyone. but what if it was someone, or something, more powerful? could shelob take sauron normally? if so, maybe she could control the ring?

[@ClareBearBunny]

I don't imagine she'd leave a tip, either.

[@pavelslama5543]

1) Arachnophobia would be strictly outlawed. 2) Anyone suspected of arachnophobia would lose his job.

[@ksanbahlyngwa1998]

@@pavelslama5543 you sure no. 2 doesn't include death by spider swarm?

[@pavelslama5543]

@@ksanbahlyngwa1998 Only in case of dealing with organized crime.

[@Fellow_Follower]

The parallels are scary. The spiders walk among us and they are all blue.

[@sokit2em]

Im freaked out by spiders, yet i have a weird fascination of creatures like Shelob and Ungoliant…idk why i torture myself like this haha

[@solitarysurreal3652]

You and me both! 😂

[@vlaandhael]

keep learning about these creatures, and eventually learn about real spiders, that is how I overcame my arachnophobia :)

[@pokemasterhamertime77]

@@vlaandhaelexposure therapy. I have a light physical aversion to spiders and forcing myself to look at pictures of them right up close has made it tolerable. Now i can kill spiders in my house

[@brucewayne2558]

You played that Xbox game didn't you?

[@gatorhoy0420]

It’s good to push through phobias. Spiders are your friends.

[@StevenOsborne-x6c]

I think she would have also bred like CRAZY

[@codelicious6590]

That is the most awful and terrifying thing that was going through my head, likely it would not be Shelob herself overrunning Middle Earth, but her numberless spawn. YUCKKK!!

[@fred20097]

My favourite interpretation of Shelob is in Shadow of War. She does obtain a ring of power, but she's attacked by the nazgul. She successfully fights them off, but afterwards decides it's not worth all the trouble, so she returns it to Talion.

[@Riku_Light]

VERY interesting question. One I had not considered.

[@scottmccrea1873]

Me either. I thought she was more like an animal not quite sentient

[@codelicious6590]

I love the part in The Silmarillion when Morgoth has told Ungoliant he would, "give of the spoils to you, yea with both hands" and when theyre done she reminds him of this and he has the Silmarils in hid hidden hand! Never has a more gluttonous and disastrous day been in all of the long life of Arda. Ungoliant, I think is the most terrifying being ever created by Tolkien; she cares for nothing but feeding the emptiness in her belly and wants nothing but darkness yet light is what she consumes. Theres definitely an analogy to humankind there somewhere. A very cynical one to be certain.

[@codelicious6590]

"There is only One 'Lord of the Ring'...and he does not share power."

[@rcud1]

The ring would not corrupt Shelob like it would others, because she was already as dark as it gets. So she would gain power but not be corrupted by it.

[@WolfytheTrapHuntrrr]

@@rcud1 imagine it. Living beings, all light gone from their eyes, mindlessly walking over mountains and through forest glades by the thousands. Coming from every direction, but all converging on her den to be consumed.

[@alexharper7699]

Was Shelob evil ?? She just seemed hungry to me.

[@koolaidsipper9120]

@@alexharper7699 she isn't "evil" by definition. She is the daughter of Ungolianth, thus a child of the void/ pure darkness and is basicly just f*cking hungry 24/7. She would kill everyone in her sight (and whom she can take on obviously) and consume them. It's just her nature, so no she isn't inherently evil. Defo not nice either tho.

[@HuyNguyen-rz7cd]

Last time I was this early, Varda hadn’t made the stars yet

[@jacimpartec9259]

What about this: The Witch King of Angmar knows that physical force has never been the primary strength of the Nazgul. Rather, the Nazgul relied primarily on fear, and he realized quickly that this weapon would not work on Shelob. So he attempts to control her using his magic. When he does this, Shelob learns that commanding other beings is a thing a creature could do to another another. This thought had not occurred to her before. She attempts to control the Witch King, and as the Ring Bearer she succeeds and he kneels before her.... Then you've got the Nazgul commanding hoards of Shelob's spider-offspring taking over the world! How fun is that?

[@johnnyboygriffin5764]

Sounds like shadow of war level lore breaking but still sounds fun not gonna lie.

[@scottmccrea1873]

The Witch King is a mighty sorcerer. I'm not sure he'd be that easily defeated/dominated

[@Maegorthecrueltargaryen]

@@scottmccrea1873 he would the nazgul are bound to the one ring and those who wear.

[@scottmccrea1873]

@@Maegorthecrueltargaryen that's an interesting question. Would she be smart enough or strong enough to fully control the One?

[@jacimpartec9259]

@@scottmccrea1873 I can't say, but I would think it is possible. She is basically a demigod, in a sense. Her mother (with Melkor) defied the Valar. Ungoliant may have been a Maia, or perhaps something even older and darker.

[@natureiscool4364]

Tolkien lore youtube will not be complete until there is a "What if ___ got the one ring?" video for every single character in the legendarium.

[@iksarguards]

She wouldn't do anything with it. Either toss it aside, or pass it in her damn stool after eating Frodo and Sam. That was like 100% of Gollum's plan 😂

[@saladinbob]

I'll do you one better. What if Ungoliant had devoured Morgoth?

[@JerseyWolf]

well I guess her next objective would be to somehow devour the light of the sun, moon and stars.

[@cherub3624]

I think we are SEVERELY overestimating the power that the ring would give to Shelob.

[@sinafanaian6238]

Agreed

[@timparks9833]

Ya, I don’t think it would do much of anything for her. She would just make it easier to get back to Sauron.

[@ernestschroeder9762]

Gollum wasn't worried about her claiming the ring, spiders don't have fingers.

[@Tallacus]

Shelob: Hey Sauron I got part of your soul!

[@bobsmith284]

Consistent with the Witch King prophecy that he would not die by the hand of man

[@pl33]

What if farmer maggot got the ring??

[@TheBrokenSword]

😂😂

[@cassiustaylor9265]

What if Tree Beard got the ring

[@TheCrazyCanuck420]

A lot of stomped orcs 😂

[@katherinegraham3803]

@@TheCrazyCanuck420 Bru-ra-hroom! Bru-ra-hroom! Time for orcs to meet their doom.

[@memer7987]

The Ring would amplify Treebeard's desire to expand Fangorn Forest across all of Middle-earth, turning the entire land into a great and untamed wilderness. The forest would sweep away the "squishy" goblins with their hatchets and axes, gnawing and biting. Men, who cut down trees and build their homes from the bones and skin of the forest, would be driven away. Even the elves would be banished, as the woods grew beyond their control, becoming truly untamable, ruled only by Treebeard, the Guardian himself. Like the orcs, the dwarves would be driven back into their tunnels, forced to starve, attempting to sustain themselves on granite and gold instead of the lush green of the earth. Treebeard viewed them as second only to orcs in their crimes against nature. With the Ring in his possession, Treebeard would begin to awaken all the trees that had long been rooted in place, calling them to rise up in vengeance. A vast army of nature’s retribution would be unleashed upon the children of Eru Ilúvatar, and the "useless" Maia who had failed to protect the world. For this alternate scenario to unfold, we must assume that Frodo was captured by Saruman's Uruks and that Gandalf was never revived. I will play this scenario out for you now... ACT I The battle of Amon Hen was a disaster for the Fellowship. Following the betrayal of Boromir, the Uruks descended upon them. Lurtz, Saruman's Alpha Uruk, pierced Boromir with several arrows and defeated Aragorn in a tense duel, leaving two would-be leaders of men dead. Gimli and Legolas, following the defeat, abandoned the quest-Legolas deciding to report to his father in the Woodland Realm, while Gimli, son of Glóin, enraged by their failure and disdainful of Legolas, returned to Erebor. All the hobbits aside from Sam were captured; Sam, having put up too much resistance, was impaled. The Uruks, carrying his body, threatened to kill the others if they tried to escape. Frodo, not wanting Pippin or Merry to die, refrained from using the Ring. ACT II Driven by their master’s will, the Uruks moved with great haste towards Isengard, while Gollum attempted to shadow them, unable to keep up and slinking along behind. Grishnákh and Uglúk argued over where to take the hobbits-Isengard or Mordor. During their heated discussion, as the Uruks' pace slowed, a scout rider from Éomer spotted them traveling across the fields of the Westemnet. Éomer, a staunch enemy of all orcs, began the hunt alongside his Éored ♘. The riders pelted the orcish host with arrows as they followed the exhausted group. The Uruks reached the edge of Fangorn Forest only by abandoning their Moria orcish counterparts, who were slower and less fit. They left them to be slaughtered by the Rohirrim, who continued their pursuit. Uglúk ordered a perimeter to be built and the camp fortified at the forest's edge, giving the coalition time to rest and strategize. But Éomer was no fool; he kept the pressure up. Meanwhile, Pippin, Merry, and Frodo, desperate to escape, tried to exploit Grishnákh's ambition to take the Ring for himself. They baited him into helping them escape, but Uglúk, wary of treachery, placed Lurtz in charge of the hobbits' security after one Moria orc tried to eat them. When Lurtz caught Grishnákh attempting to slip away with the prisoners, he beheaded him, triggering a fight between the Isengard Uruks and the Mordor orcs. This infighting gave Éomer the perfect opportunity, and he led a surprise night raid on the camp. Uglúk made a desperate last stand, roaring defiantly as Éomer dismounted to face him in battle. ACT III In the chaos, the three hobbits managed to slip into Fangorn Forest, pursued by Lurtz. Driven by loyalty to Saruman, he pulled his bow, ready to kill. The hobbits, unpredictable and desperate, had pushed Lurtz to his limit, and he resolved to eliminate them, burying their bodies to report later. His first arrow hissed through the air, striking Merry. "Ah..." was all that escaped Merry's lips as Pippin screamed, the sound echoing off the groaning branches, while Merry's blood pooled among the roots. "P-Pippin, it hurts... it's cold," Merry said weakly. "It's okay, Merry, just hold my hand," Pippin replied, trying to hold back tears as they took cover beneath a large root. Lurtz breathed deeply with delight; these small creatures had caused him such frustration, and now he would enjoy their end. But suddenly, one of the three hobbits vanished. A thought occurred to Lurtz-the Master had warned him about an Elvish weapon that the hobbit carried. A sharp pain suddenly tore through Lurtz’s side, and Frodo revealed himself, having backstabbed the Uruk. Confused, Lurtz lashed out in all directions, striking Frodo and knocking him down. In that moment, the Ring betrayed Frodo and slipped off his finger. The wounded Lurtz, his insides burning from Sting’s blade, turned towards the fallen hobbit. Dropping his bow, he threw his weight onto Frodo, strangling him with a savage strength, even as Sting dug deeper into his flesh. Lurtz didn’t care-he roared in pain as he crushed the life out of the Ringbearer. "Just think of the Shire... c-can't give up yet, right?" Pippin tried to joke, but the tears streamed down his face. "Y-you h-have to he-help, Fro-Frodo," Merry gasped as the last light left his eyes. Pippin cried, feeling weak as his world spun around him. ACT IV The mortally wounded Lurtz staggered to his feet, heavily bleeding. He pulled out the cursed Elvish sword from his abdomen and tossed it aside. The injury was deep-he knew he was going to die. But he would make sure to kill the final hobbit hiding beneath the roots just ahead. Yet, a force stopped him. The Ring gleamed under the moonlight on the forest floor, calling to him. Lurtz limped toward it, clutching his wound as dark blood seeped down his torso onto the forest floor. He reached out to collect it when suddenly- "Get away from that!" Pippin, the last of the Fellowship, sprang into action, throwing a stone at Lurtz. Too light-headed to avoid it, the stone struck Lurtz in the head, sending him to his knees. He looked up weakly, baring his teeth in defiance, letting out a guttural roar, when suddenly, Treebeard crushed him underfoot. ACT V Treebeard stepped forward with a great rumbling of wood and earth, his massive foot coming down upon the Uruk with a resounding crunch. He peered down at the crushed remains, his ancient eyes narrowing with disdain. "Hoom, hrum... foul creatures... nothing but filth beneath my roots." Then, his eyes caught sight of the golden Ring, glinting in the moonlight. Pippin, too shell-shocked to speak, remained silent. Treebeard’s eyes narrowed, glancing back towards the distant edges of Fangorn Forest. He let out a deep, rumbling sigh, the sound like ancient wood creaking in a winter wind. “Hoom, I heard their foul clamor from the other side of the forest, yes, yes... tramping through my woods with their noise and their stench, like a pack of wild boars. It stirred the roots and roused my branches. Hrrm, I don’t take kindly to such disturbances...” His gaze shifted to the small hobbit before him. "And now, they’re just mulch for the soil.” Treebeard reached out towards Pippin, who screamed, "W-wait!" But it was too late. Treebeard didn’t trust orc trickery, and with a loud crunch, it was over. Treebeard turned his attention to the Ring, now glimmering temptingly on the forest floor. The End - Note if you want me to tell you an epilogue just comment.

[@WidarsHall]

😮 do go on! ​@@memer7987

[@TheGoodLuc]

Yes!

[@UnswimmingFishYT]

There was a bit of an error here: Even assuming the Ring strengthened her enough to actually collapse Barad-Dur, book Sauron was still present in physical form at that point and she'd be forced to actually fight him personally, which would have unpredictable results. Considering the previous levels of force to damage Sauron, a ring-bearing Shelob would surely be strong enough to do so, but Barad-Dur being his main fortress would also certainly have guards other than himself such as trolls which would probably be large enough to damage Shelob in her default form. Between Sauron himself, orcs as distracting swarm units, trolls as a brute force, and whatever nasty beasts Sauron may have had similar to the Nazgul mounts, she'd have a very hard time. Sauron also clearly liked fire and could control it, and everyone knows how fire affects a spider, or in her case a very spider-like monster. Light alone would be at least unpleasant to her even if it wasn't something as special as the phial used against her. Fire includes light along with the burning which she'd hate, and for comparison balrogs were effective when a bunch of them went after Ungoliant. Shelob being lesser than her, it wouldn't take a large group of something as terrible as balrogs but Sauron being a Maia would have the same fundamental level of strength as a single balrog. I expect between how dangerous he'd personally be to her with the huge amount of forces he had in range at the time, Sauron would have a significant chance at still winning that, although not certain. He did get hurt before by less threatening things than an empowered great spider, after all.

[@jeffreyschweitzer8289]

Yes! I was hoping you’d do this one!

[@scottmccrea1873]

*The Darth Nihlius of Middle Earth!*

[@Joe-h4i1939]

If shelob got the one ring of power we would be looking at ungoliant 2.0

[@dukstedi]

oh we went with the physical eye of Sauron? I liked it as a well described measure of Sauron’s control. I suppose the new writing could tilt towards my preference. The pictures do not BUT THEN AGAIN, how would you illustrate such a thing without a physical object. 🤔 Fun topic!

[@Dzeffer12345]

Y'all deserve much more than the 200k subs you have. You're easily one of the best Lord of The Rings channels I have the pleasure of watching! Keep up the good work and here's hoping to many more successful years!

[@TheBrokenSword]

Thank you! I Appreciate that :)

[@Vandelberger]

I always found the Eldritch side of Shelob’s origins fascinating.

[@primal1233]

If Shelob got the One Ring, she definitely would have become more powerful

[@InnerDepthsWriter]

Hmmm... You skipped the bit where she also consumes the rings of the Nazgul and the Dwarves and lastly, Gandalf and Narya... [Though, in *MY* fan-fiction: Gandalf lures her to a final confrontation within the heart of Mount Doom where Shelob can FEEL her power swelling. Her pride in her seeming invincibility makes her feel momentarily drunk until (reprising his trick with the Balrog) Gandalf taunts her into rushing him (apparently he's been playing too much Dark Souls, et al.).... Together they fall into the Cracks of Doom, and *all* the rings along with Shelob herself are at last destroyed through Gandalf's heroic sacrifice. ... Pretty dramatic really. ;-) ]

[@paulgoogol2652]

nice dark romance

[@foruwantto3621]

I already know the answer. It wouldn't do anything because shelob doesn't have a finger to put it on.

[@yurikendal4868]

7:30 I had to stop. Shelob was never this interested in power. She wouldn't weild the ring. She has no concept of "power"

[@jasongarcia2140]

@@yurikendal4868 You don't understand. This is purely a what if. Totally just using imagination. Imagination is fun.

[@jasongarcia2140]

Dude he literally says what you just said hahaha

[@AllyrionWW]

@@jasongarcia2140 I’m not sure why the ring would expand her mind to desire more power, rather than it just enhancing her primal drive and hunger. She could just become Ungoliant 2.0, which is in some ways more terrifying. She doesn’t need to become another villain that wants control, but an unstoppable force that consumes everything.

[@mrdavman13]

Imagine being Beren and having to fight potentially Shelob and several other giant spiders like her. Imagine how many there were at that time. Jesus I’d fall on my sword so fast.

[@20PhantoM07]

Good one dude enjoyed that!

[@annabizaro-doo-dah]

Shelob, if at all interested in the ring, would have become Sauron's weapon herself. But if that were possible Sauron would have already used her that way.

[@ZENmud]

Whether Shelob had intellectual knowledge of the Ring, is Part 1: knowing of the Ring would create desire.

[@kylevenstudios]

I often have dreams about Shelob, like I was really there as Frodo, and feeling the webs tighten once more way back in my mind; had she found the Ring oh god… the horrors are speechless & would echo across time to be felt in Hawkins from Stranger Things & present day Mirkwood ✨

[@backwashjoe7864]

You have her swallowing the One Ring? Would the wearers of the Three become aware of Shelob at that moment? What would that be like for Galadriel, Elrond and Gandalf? Seems like it would be a very different experience from if Sauron, the Witch King, an elf, a human or a hobbit put on the One Ring and claimed its powers. Much more an alien mind. Would they take off their Rings? Also, would Shelob perceive the wearers of the Three, and dominate and take control of them and their works? Galadriel points out to Frodo that this is a separate step from just wearing the One Ring. “Because you haven’t tried,” she tells him. Great story telling! 😊

[@belmont8792]

You should do a series of video of you reading a whole book of Lords of the Ring. The first part this video was amazing. The music in the background was great too.

[@HonkIfYouLoveBeer]

Oooh what if Sauron, like Melkor, called for the balrogs, but someone already took care of that 🧙‍♂️

[@yurikendal4868]

They don't answer to Sauron

[@HonkIfYouLoveBeer]

@@yurikendal4868 Shelob didn’t get the ring either, it’s all just fun conjecturing

[@LaineyBug2020]

And now I'm just imagining a gigantic INVISIBLE spider roaming about...

[@jedibane]

Good one ❤

[@Alaedious]

Great video! 😊🎉❤

[@JerseyWolf]

I see this situation to be similar to that of Brightstone Cove Tseldora. Only instead of a great soul, Shelob consumed the ring.

[@lhadzyan7300]

OMFG the dark ending with Shelob defeating Sauron herself and actually becoming closer than ever on what her mother couldn´t reach for is so awesome scary great!!! I guess after this unexpected and even darker turn of events, Gandalf, Galadriel, Elrond, Aragorn and so on got on higher troubles to match for, and well maybe a lot will be leaving out Middle Earth or at least the Northwestern section of Middle Earth where all this happens. It seems Shelob got turned on by the Ring power into facing up main boss-powers on the Middle Earth henceforth she went to doom the Nazgúl King and later Sauron himself, so I guess she might be seeking on Gondor and Rohan right next, then into Lothlorien and Mirkwood, the Lone Mountain and nearby regions and well then going through Orthanc into Eriador and then Rivendell, or even going inside Moria to call upon other darker beings there alike her type to do more havoc when crossing the Misty Mountains.

[@thelightwielder]

Chelob after killing the Witch King: _I am no man_

[@thomasgriffin420]

The spiders of Mirkwood would run rampant with Shelob in charge eventually there'd be nobody left in Middle-Earth, by preying upon the free peoples to the point of extinction would spell their own demise because there'd be nothing left to sustain them...ironic but fitting as it's the same way Ungoliant died with no light left the only thing left to devour was herself

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

shed be like - but i have no fingers!?

[@frankcairney5523]

I wonder, if she'd eaten Frodo and, by accident, the Star Glass: would she have been driven mad like Carcaroth? It is, after all, a bit of a Silmaril...

[@leadingauctions8440]

This was excellent.

[@BeppyTurnip]

Conquering my arachnophobia made this video way easier to go through

[@danielled8665]

I figure she'd just eat it as her ancestor Ungoliant wanted to eat the Silmarils.

[@MagaldiMateus]

Ungoliant almost killed the most powerfull being to inhabid Arda. Chances are Shelob would eat the ring and gain a fraction of her mother strengh, if she gains even just 1/100 of that dark power Shelob could well devour a good part of middle Earth.

[@ianallardyce4222]

I think you're underestimating the power of ring itself. It wants to get back to Sauron and would ditch Sheilob or Smaug or a Balrog once it got home. Sauron is only ever waiting for that to happen... until Bilbo comes along.

[@lhadzyan7300]

Sauron was wiser than Morgoth about how to deal with Shelob better than on how his former master dealt with her mother Ungoliant, however at the end by dealing with her possesing his masterpiece of main power over Middle Earth, he´ll snap on and have a reckless breakdown against her that might be his doom then even more than on what his master got - because he was saved by the Balrogs but... Sauron´s allies didn´t have anything near as those - though maybe he´ll injure fatally her anyways, so it might take some time to her to recover and being at risk by others.

[@chojinnppp]

She’d control the Nazgul and their forces, and would probably look to conquer Mordor first. No allegiance to Sauron, so you have a bit of a Mordor civil war. She could recruit the spiders from Mirkwood to come south, and might actually prevail. May not have Easterlings and Haradrim though, just a bunch of terrified orcs. Probably loses when all men + elves team up from four directions.

[@dukstedi]

interesting title

[@TomBall-r4d]

I think the Ring would have the same effect on Shelob as it did on Tom Bombadill. She was older and from a more powerful stock

[@Mith420420]

weird question lol, she is just spider that is semi sentient, she is a spawn of ungoliant, she just wants to eat because that's what ungoilant passed down to her children, they are forever starving. she is so hungry she just wants to eat and only that.

[@domca4617]

She would help Talion

[@WritingFighter]

Assuming Shelob realized what the Ring was and took it for herself, I think her desire to devour mere flesh would twist into consuming all things, earth, sky, sea, and soul. And I'm pretty sure Sauron wouldn't be able to exhibit control over such a creature. We know that Elves were acutely aware and could thwart and resist his control and the Rings of Power that came to the Dwarves didn't go down in control either, but turned inward into greed, amplifying their carnal desires, to dig too deep with the lust of dragons. As such, Shelob would probably have her own carnal desires amplified and twisted, and she would want to consume rather than really conquer. She could stay her power against those serving her by bringing her great victims to devour, or else other sources of power.

[@TarMody]

The common feature of all rings of power, including the One Ring, is that they enhance the innate abilities of the wearer, enhancing his influence and authority over them. Unless Shelob is a being with a desire for power and dominance, like Sauron, she does not have the same effect on him as she did with Sauron. Whatever abilities Shelob has innately, the One Ring enhances them.

[@creganx83]

I think Sauron would team up with Shelob initially to further his goals and then destroy her because he doesn’t share well with others

[@officialsumo6192]

I like these what ifs, but the realist in me understands that if anyone but the ring bearer Frodo had picked up the ring, they would have been eventually slain by or brought to Sauron’s will.

[@tomdeluca5946]

What if frodo died in the dead marshes

[@paulgoogol2652]

@@tomdeluca5946 Sam would have destroyed the ring much faster on his own.

[@lomiification]

I think she just eats the ring, and it's destroyed, the same as ungoliant eating the light of the trees and all the noldor gems. However, she becomes wildly more hungry for magic and beauty. Rather than teaming up with Sauron, as he'd be similarly destroyed as if the quest succeeded, Saruman would be attempting to use her, and he guides her to the various dragon hordes and the lonely mountain, where she consumes the arkenstone, and also some dragons. After that, Saruman tries to stop her from ensaring the sun and moon, and loses, and then she puts webs across the sky to catch the light, and then the world is plunged back into darkness, with the valar needing to destroy earendils silmaril to create the next form of lights for the world I could see her end being pushed out the gates, where morgoth can use her webs to get back to middle earth, and the last big fight includes a giant magic spider, too

[@cluenarrus6955]

If this was a valid concern I couldn’t see Sauron risking allowing her to live

[@HonkIfYouLoveBeer]

I love the parallelism with Ungoliant vs. Melkor, very much in the Tolkienian mythological spirit

[@tykjpelk]

Great timing, publishing this right before the election.

[@Nagy.Patrik]

What if Ungoliant consumed the silmarils?

[@katherinegraham3803]

Sounds like a light meal.

[@pattywestside9708]

I think, she would have gotten mad with them burning inside her. Like Carcharoth, she would devour and destroy everything in her way. But at the end, she would still devour herself and perish from the world. But leaving Belleriand behind in utter ruin. Nice question though, would make an amazing what if video

[@hoi-polloi1863]

Witch-King: First I get whacked by a girl, now a SPIDER? I get it, I get it, "no man shall slay you", but... This is the LAST time I'm purchasing a discount prophecy is all I'm saying, okay?

[@backwashjoe7864]

The Witch King and his army had departed Minas Morgul before the trio started up the stairs of Cirith Ungol. He was well on his way to Minas Tirith before Frodo and Sam encountered Shelob. Are you positing that he turned his army around and returned to the Morgul Vale to battle Her?

[@therongjr]

I'm not certain that Shelob would be interesting in claiming the One Ring, but if she was, I'm certain that the first thing she would do upon attaining it would be to eat Sauron.

[@ThomasstevenSlater]

There would be an overflow error and shelob would become pure good.

[@mrahoi]

that was metal as @#$%

[@timothypanngam2249]

This is an interesting line of thought. But why was it that Smeagol, in his wicked maturations, didn't have any fear at all of Shelob seizing the Ring? He was confident that she would just cast it aside. “When She throws away the bones and empty garments" and "we shall find it, we shall get it, the Precious, a reward for poor Sméagol..." Smeagol feared almost anyone would steal his ring, even goblins, but not Shelob. It seems Tolkien, through Smeagol, was letting us know that the Ring was not a draw for Her. She simply had no desire for domination or political control. Her whole being was one of desire for visceral consumption.

[@gosseuffe]

The ring doesn't make one invincible. She would still be hurt by arrows.

[@kkupsky6321]

What was this channel called again before you had to change it. Congratulations

[@cherub3624]

"Um... Sauron? ...Help"

[@nategarcia1907]

NO WAY

[@zoorenard1101]

A question I never asked myself before and now i'm scared to know the answer

[@bambino100011]

If only someone in Middle Earth invented pesticides, they could have gotten rid of all spiders and Shelob 😂😂😂😂

[@davidlevenstam4343]

I agree with those who say that Shelob had no interest in the Ring.

[@IulianusTabernarius]

Darth Nihilus but as a giant demon spider

[@gerrimilner9448]

i think she would have sought sauron to suck his power

[@anonym1135]

Well, with Shelob being a female spider, the prophecy about no man striked down the lichking remains true XD

[@Legionnaire_625]

While its an interesting thought, i dont think her conquest of Mordor would so easy. The battle against the Nazgúl is one thing. But Sauron, the Master of the Ring, would be a different matter entirely. The Valar refused the Ring knowing its evil and corruption could taint Valinor. For them to be aware of its power, the idea that Shelob could dominate the Ring is very unlikely. I think the Ring would toy with her mind and she would have to battle Sauron mentally as Aragorn did with Palantir, whether she is successful or no (like this topic altogether) is academic. And I think she would have to battle him physically as well, both would take a serious toll on Shelob. And/or Sauron if he were to prevail in this scenario. But all in all, i don't see her dominating the will of the Ring, at least not easily. She may be an ancient evil, but so too is Sauron. Both have existed since the First Age, but Sauron was before it. Perhaps she does dominate the Ring, but it would drain her mentally and Sauron would take that time to strike at her in her (mentally) weakened state, this could result in her being slain and the Ring reclaimed by Sauron. Or it could result in her victory as described in the scenario of the video. But Shelob conquering the Ring would not be an easy undertaking even for an evil as ancient as Shelob given Sauron is an evil more ancient

[@chadvanderlinden9548]

Again and again I am left with the feeling of how broken Middle Earth is, how inept Eru Illuvatar was to build such a flawed place, fought over by such sick and corruptable beings. All things ultimately came from Eru Illuvatar, and is a reflection of his own defects. Eru Illuvatar, who endlessly roams his "mansions" with white robes grandly flapping.

[@nealjolly5434]

What if she had been good? What if she had actually been an female elf or a primordial cursed by Sauron long ago, just like in the game Shadow of Mordor? What if the curses was broken, once Sauron was defeated when the one ring sunk beneath the lava? Would she rejoin her people or would she continue to dwell in the past full of rage for what was done to her? So many ways to tell a story and so many outcomes. I would love to know what Shelobs back story is and if it was possible that she could take primordial form, like her mother, as well. The primodial who took on the shape of the first giant spider Ungoliant. I wish someone would take up Tolkiens mantel and with his familes blessing continue the world of Middle Earth the way Tolkien would have. There is so much material left unfinished and without answers.

[@kylewitt225]

8 minute script better than 2 seasons of ROP

[@kaidorade1317]

Well she got A Ring in Shadow of War. Does that count

[@davect01]

Would she have recognized the Ring and what it is? And would she have used it or been like Tom and just ignored it?

[@stopwalter8212]

THE BROHIRRIM *subscribes* 🤣

[@solitarysurreal3652]

Shelob is an interesting character in her own right. I reckon the portrayal in Shadow of War was ridiculous, though. They didn't need to make her a beautiful woman. And they simplified her down to the "scorned woman" trope.

[@hardattackdj]

Would it have any effect at all? She is much older than the magic of the ring, similar to Tom Bombadil.

[@tooslow4065]

i'd doubt eru iluvatar would let his creation be destroyed.