What race/specie is Sauron?

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Cruddy
Agathon, I thought the point was debated in the Council at Rivendell? As in "O for a handy dragon. Sadly we've killed them all."

I thought Tolkien was making a point here about species extinction - it looks like I read too much into that!

p. 59 "The Shadow of the Past"

"..there is no smith's forge in the Shire that could change it at all Not even the anvils and the furnaces of the Dwarves could do that. It has been said that dragon-fire could melt and consume the Rings of Power, but there is not now any dragon left on earth in which the old fire is hot enough; nor was there ever any dragon, not even Ancalagon the Black, who could have harmed the One Ring, the Ruling Ring, for that was made by Sauron himself."

I always remember this bit because of Ancalagon the Black, who, some writer said, would make Smaug look like a homesick hobbit.

[Cruddy]

Ah, I did read too much into it. Thanks Agathon.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Cruddy
Ah, I did read too much into it. Thanks Agathon.

No trouble. I guess this shows what a lame life I lead, if I have time to remember such things.

[Frogman]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
They were only barely able to defeat him last time and that was only through an amazing stroke of luck; the severing of his hand. At least that was the impression that I got from the movie because I haven't read the Silmarillion yet.

The interesting thing about the silmarillian is that over time the forces in Middle Earth become weaker not stronger. In the beginning it was the "gods" themselves who battled. Each period becomes progressively weaker, quite unlike what we think of in our world.

[Lord Merciless]

Re: Re: What race/specie is Sauron?

Originally posted by St Leo


Tolkien implemented the medieval notion of regress in his books. People in the Third Age were not as tough and intelligent as the ones in the Second. Civilization had, in many ways, collapsed.

Yeah. Arnor disappeared, Rohan and Gondor were depopulated, Dwarven strongholds were taken over by Orcs and Goblins, and Elves were leaving the place all together.

I guess Tolkien wasn't happy with the way OUR world is moving to.

[Lefty Scaevola]

Originally posted by Agathon
, and I'd love to know what really happened to the blue wizards.

One of tolkien last notes, available in vol XI of HoME, and aluded to above by me, describes their missions. They were to go into the east of Middle Earth and try to find what was left Suaron and prevent him reforming. Failing that, as obviously they did, they were to hidner his control over the peoples their, stir up revolts, and prevent maasive forces from there from overwhelming the west, which they have somewhat more success at. Despite the preopderance of territory in the East and south, Sauron was not able to field overwhelming forces from there againt the Northwest, until the end of the third age and the War of the Ring.

The names of the Blue Wizards in valinor (from Unfinished Tales) befor becoming Istari are Alatar and Pallando. In Middle Earth their names are Morinehtar and Rómestamo, meaning "darkness-slayer" and "east-helper".