All Questions
Tagged with the-hobbit the-lord-of-the-rings
226
questions
12
votes
2
answers
751
views
Which plant was used as Athelas in LOTR / Hobbit movies?
There is already an exquisite thread concerning the plant described in the book
link here and its relative real life counterpart,
but my question is about the one actually used in the movies .
Any ...
- 131
14
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Compass/magnetic directions in Middle-earth
Maps in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit have North/South/East/West marked on them, and I am wondering if anyone can tell me what these directions mean and how they are determined in-universe.
The ...
- 2,749
24
votes
4
answers
7k
views
Do we ever see a hobbit use their natural ability to “disappear”?
The Fellowship of the Ring prologue contains the following information about hobbits:
They possessed from the first the art of disappearing swiftly and
silently, when large folk whom they do not wish ...
- 7,167
33
votes
1
answer
11k
views
Does everyone always eat, drink and sleep for free everywhere in Middle-earth?
Maybe it has to do with the specific and unique circumstances in which the characters we follow in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings find themselves, but it seems to me that everyone always assumes ...
- 413
1
vote
1
answer
289
views
Did the eagles from Tolkien's works have other appearances where they saved the day?
The eagles play a pivotal deus ex machina role in both The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. I have not read any of the background works about Middle Earth and would like to know if they played any ...
- 2,528
13
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What (if anything) do we know about the orcs who fought against Sauron?
So, in this question, I saw that it was mentioned that all the races of Middle-earth, save the Elves, fought both for and against Sauron during the War of the Last Alliance.
The Silmarillion states:
...
- 2,133
14
votes
2
answers
4k
views
How come Balin and Dwalin never mention their travel with Thrain II in The Hobbit?
I'm re-reading The Hobbit and I was wondering why there was no reference to Balin and Dwalin accompanying Thrain II on his attempt to go to Erebor. It seems to me that in The Hobbit they act as if ...
- 311
10
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Why did Gandalf change from blue to grey?
Everyone is familiar with Gandalf being described as "Gandalf the Grey", or, later, "Gandalf the White", and he was shown in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies as ...
- 576
0
votes
1
answer
502
views
Does the Necromancer from "The Hobbit" have anything to do with the Dark Lord Sauron? [duplicate]
I finished reading The Hobbit around a week or so ago, and given how ominously the Necromancer was mentioned, I was sure he was being set up to be the main villain (or somebody very important to the ...
- 573
0
votes
0
answers
85
views
Would the sword be visible if Bilbo wasn't holding it? [duplicate]
Today was rewatching the movie The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and got very curious about a scene after the riddle game between Gollum and Bilbo where Bilbo gets stuck between the cave walls / rocks ...
- 1,153
-2
votes
2
answers
868
views
How was the door to Bag End able to be green?
In The Hobbit (and The Lord of the Rings) the door to Bag End is described as green. I'm curious to know how this was achieved; is outdoor weather proof paint easily made, and a technology that would ...
- 55
3
votes
0
answers
418
views
Do we know Sting's real name and anything else about its history? [duplicate]
During the events of The Hobbit, after dealing with the trolls, the Bilbo and co. find three magic weapons in the troll's lair:
... among them were several swords of various makes, shapes, and sizes. ...
- 3,881
36
votes
2
answers
12k
views
Why are Hobbits so fond of mushrooms?
In both the book and the movie it would seem that Hobbits are especially fond of mushrooms, sometimes braving dangers to harvest them.
I have seen somewhere an interview in which Tolkien claimed he ...
-3
votes
1
answer
437
views
How do the Eagles decide where to drop people off?
In The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings, eagles appear occasionally.
How do they decide where to drop people off?
Is it directed by a character? Or are they conscious enough to decide on a ...
- 7,329
1
vote
1
answer
5k
views
How old is Aragorn at the time of the Hobbit movies? [duplicate]
At the end of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Legolas was sent to find Aragorn. But in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Bilbo is already 111 years old. So Aragorn must be ...
- 153
50
votes
2
answers
11k
views
Did Frodo and Gimli ever discuss the adventures of Bilbo and Glóin with each other?
Bilbo and Glóin journey to the Lonely Mountain together in The Hobbit, and share in many adventures including battling a dragon.
Considering that Bilbo recounted his adventures to Frodo, and ...
- 15.2k
6
votes
1
answer
969
views
Tolkien's quote about sadness of kings
I have been searching for a quote by Tolkien, presumably from The Silmarillion, which says (paraphrasing here) that the great kings had a sadness in them because they had seen the suffering from the ...
- 261
12
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Thorin's imprisonment "set right"
In The Hobbit, Thorin and company are imprisoned in the Elven king's dungeons. After a time, Bilbo helps Thorin and the Dwarves escape, and the Elven king seems to intend all along to take some of ...
- 335
1
vote
0
answers
223
views
Was Saruman already siding with Sauron before Dol Guldur? [duplicate]
in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. after Galadriel, Elrond and Saruman rescue Gandalf and banished the formless Sauron they encountered Saruman proceeded to go after Sauron alone
...
- 10.1k
37
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Was The Hobbit meant to be an adaptation of There and Back Again by Bilbo?
I know that The Hobbit was written before LOTR and retconned to be part of the legendarium in the second edition. I also understand it was to some extent a children's book. Both of these explain the ...
- 412
1
vote
1
answer
873
views
At the end of the Hobbit, if Strider was already a Ranger, how come he still looks that young in Fellowship of the Ring? [duplicate]
I didn't read the books (obviously), so I am kind of confused. Do Men live that long in Tolkien's world? I know Gandalf is supposedly an old-timer as well, but he's a wizard so it kind of doesn't ...
- 27
12
votes
4
answers
6k
views
Why did it take less time to go from Rivendell to the Shire than it did to go from the Shire to Rivendell?
Although this question has already asked about the different times for traveling to Rivendell from the Shire, it did not address the duration of the return journey from Rivendell to the Shire that ...
- 1,885
45
votes
3
answers
20k
views
Why did Tolkien refer to goblins in The Hobbit but orcs in The Lord of the Rings?
The Wikipedia article "Orc (Middle-earth)" informs,
The Hobbit generally uses the term goblin, while The Lord of the Rings prefers orc.
Furthermore, Andres F.'s answer "Are orcs and goblins really ...
- 1,885
18
votes
1
answer
8k
views
Why could the trolls from the Hobbit speak, whilst the ones in LOTR could not?
What is the reason for this? I understand that the Hobbit was intended as a children's book so elements such as this can be understood, but is there any legitimate reason why these trolls possessed ...
- 1,101
28
votes
3
answers
5k
views
From what distance can Sting detect Orcs or Goblins?
Having re-watched the Hobbit and LoTR trilogies recently and I wondered if there was any evidence in any of Tolkien's writings as to the what is the greatest range at which Sting (and other elven ...
- 9,334
30
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Did the Shire import any goods?
We, of course, know that the Shire did export a few goods, such as Longbottom leaf which was at some point found in Orthanc. However, do we know if the Shire also imported any goods and traded with ...
- 9,324
8
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Were the spiders in Mirkwood and also the Eagles rational beings?
This question about Bilbo understanding the spiders after he wore the Ring in Mirkwood, got me wondering. Were the spiders really rational beings? If they could talk with purpose and in a meaningful ...
- 9,324
7
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Did Gandalf ever have a romantic partner or a spouse?
Inspired by this question (about interspecies pairings on the LOTR universe), I was wondering whether Gandalf ever had a romantic partner or spouse?
I've read the books several times, but I don't ...
- 9,324
13
votes
3
answers
3k
views
What is the name of the Mirkwood elves' realm?
Inspired by this question (that mistakenly refers to Rivendell), it occurs to me that I don't actually know the name of the realm where the Mirkwood elves live. I don't recall it ever being mentioned ...
- 7,167
7
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Is Gimli really 60+ years old in Lord of the Rings?
In The Desolation of Smaug, when the Dwarves get captured by the Mirkwood Elves, Gloin shows Legolas a picture of his son, Gimli.
But if you look at Bilbo Baggins, he is about 30-40 years old at that ...
- 199
127
votes
2
answers
23k
views
What did Frodo mean by "He told me the true story"?
I'm re-reading the Lord of the Rings saga since 10 to 12 years ago, but something striked me as odd in The Fellowship of the Ring's first chapter: A Long-Expected Party (emphasis is mine):
‘She ...
- 1,713
-11
votes
2
answers
13k
views
Why did the LOTR and Hobbit films use the "Wilhelm Scream" so much?
I was wondering if there was a reason the director (or people who choose sound effects) littered the LOTR and Hobbit films with so many "Wilhelm Screams"?
It really ruined the movies for me, to a ...
- 24.7k
16
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Are beasts of burden in Middle-earth used by the Evil Forces considered inherently "evil"?
As I was recently re-watching the LOTR trilogy, it occurred to me that only the evil forces use (besides horses/oxen) what I consider "beasts of burden", such as Cave Trolls, Oliphants, Fell Beasts, ...
- 11.8k
0
votes
0
answers
194
views
Did Bilbo see Gandalf in between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings? [duplicate]
I know that in Jackson's Fellowship of the Ring Bilbo greets Gandalf as an old friend that he hasn't seen for many years. That implies that it's the first meeting between the pair since Bilbo returned ...
- 62k
36
votes
2
answers
13k
views
When Frodo was guided by Gollum to the Black Gate, how did he intend to enter Mordor?
In The Lord of the Rings trilogy, in the second half of The Two Towers Frodo asks Gollum to act as a guide, to bring him to the Black Gate of Mordor.
Gollum points out that to enter Mordor is easy (...
- 1,606
53
votes
3
answers
11k
views
Why did it take longer to go to Rivendell in The Hobbit than in The Fellowship of the Ring?
Both The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring involve traveling to Rivendell; however, although approximately the same route is taken, the journey took longer in The Hobbit.
In The Hobbit, Gandalf, ...
- 1,885
14
votes
6
answers
58k
views
What makes Galadriel so powerful?
I have seen Galadriel being more powerful than most of the others (in the movies, such as The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies) and I wonder why that is, and also what makes her weak after using ...
- 553
-23
votes
2
answers
9k
views
Was Bilbo's sexuality ever referred to by Tolkien?
Bilbo is certainly known to be a confirmed bachelor, a fact which over the years has resulted in not a few suggestions that he might be gay. GLReview, for example, describes a key theme of the Hobbit ...
- 1,298
7
votes
2
answers
1k
views
What's more famed: Elven or Dwarven armaments?
Dwarven weapons and armour are famed for their exceptional quality. The skill of Dwarven smiths are unmatched, so they are in high demand across the land by all races (except maybe the Elves).
...
- 34.2k
8
votes
6
answers
9k
views
Why did Thranduil bring an army to Erebor?
When the Dwarves fled Erebor following Smaug's invasion, Thranduil was seen arriving with an army before turning away promptly to return to Mirkwood.
Why did he bring an army to Erebor? Did he ...
- 34.2k
7
votes
3
answers
10k
views
Why did Gollum want the Ring so badly when he was still a hobbit?
The Dwarves could not be enslaved using rings of power; nor could the Elves, as the bearers of the Three took them off and hid them when they became aware of Sauron's influence over them. Men, on the ...
15
votes
3
answers
9k
views
How often did Gandalf return to Hobbiton after the events of The Hobbit?
It has been a while since I read the Lord of the Rings novels (don't have a copy at the moment) but I seem to recall he went to Hobbiton at least once, as the young hobbits were always excited to see ...
- 11.3k
9
votes
1
answer
7k
views
What was Tauriel doing during the events of The Lord of the Rings movies?
[Yes, The Hobbit movies are nonsense. But how could I call myself a fantasy fan if I didn't demand my nonsense be as logical as possible?]
Tauriel is presented as a highly-skilled fighter and a ...
- 67.1k
6
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Are there any instances of Hobbits hurting their feet?
Hobbits are known to be almost permanently barefoot, with their tough feet protecting them from the ground.
However, it seems that not wearing shoes or boots would have its drawbacks. If you walked ...
- 67.1k
7
votes
1
answer
3k
views
How was Bard so accurate with his shot that killed Smaug?
Watching 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies', I saw some grade-A marksmanship from Bard, using one of the dragon-killing black arrows to hit Smaug in precisely the spot where ONE of his scales ...
- 773
27
votes
3
answers
7k
views
Have Elrond and Galadriel ever spoken to each other in person?
I find it interesting that throughout the LotR trilogy and Hobbit, Elrond and Galadriel never talked to each other. They were in the same places as each other but I don't recall them ever speaking to ...
user60260
6
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Where is the Void?
Where is the Void located in the Ardean(?) universe?
After thinking about it for a while, I see three different possibilities:
Iluvatar's space [Arda (Void)]: The Void belongs to Arda, which are ...
- 2,684
0
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Tolkien's Hierarchy of Creation Cheat Sheet
So I have recently come upon this link which I have found to be very informative and was wondering how accurate it is.
- 1,051
10
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What language did Hobbits speak before Men?
In Appendix F of The Lord of the Rings we are told that there “is no record of any language peculiar to hobbits. In ancient days they seem always to have used the languages of Men near whom, or among ...
1
vote
1
answer
2k
views
How was music handled in The Hobbit / LOTR novels?
I think it's Pippin that sings in the second The Lord Of The Rings movie, while the dwarves and Goblin King sing in The Hobbit.
Do these same characters sing in the books, and if so, how was it ...
- 33.7k