Topic: Common sense when someone watches the LOTR for first time

[Jack Morris]

It was funny, was watching the extended versions of LOTR with people that have not seen it before. One of them cracked me up when they made a comment about Gandalf calling the Eagles.

We all know Gandalf had the Eagles as friends. We all know one rescued him from Saruman's tower at Isengard.

Fast forward to when Gandalf brought the Eagles back at the last battle in front of the Black Gate.

"Where the hell where they before when the Nazgul and Fellbeasts ripped Theoden a new one? Took em long enough to show up!"

 

[RazalYllib]

Tolkien himself addressed that very issue in a letter to a fan; It would have not been a good story if it went that way, additionally he went on to explain to the writer (at that time the Silmarillion had not been codified) some of the backstory, particularly that the Eagles were in some ways, the eyes the Vala Manwe and were under restriction ala Uatu the watcher in marvel universe...(paraphrased) Gandalf...was a Maiar "Olorin I was in the west but that is forgotton" ...lesser angelic being...and most eagle interventions were at his request...he had some standing with them.

[Capt_Bearslayer_XC]

Ah yes, the Silmarillion... haven't read that in a while...

I always consided the Valar (Melkor & Manwe) to be like Arch-Angels and the Maiar (Sauron, Sauruman, & Gandalf) to be angels...

Manwe was the leader of the Eagles, they rarely did anything without his approval. The two exceptions being saving Gandalf, Bilbo, and 13 dwarves from the orcs and goblins in the Misty Mountains and the rescue of Gandalf from Sauruman's Tower at Orthanc.

As for the question, it was not Gandalf's place to solve their problems, but to inspire them to fight the enemy.

He was more of a helpful cheerleader than anything else. He was only supposed to fight those things that the mortal races could not fight. IE the Balrog and the Ring Wraiths (which is why he was so pissed when a little hobbit dragged him away from the walls to save Farimir from his father)

I loved how Tolkien tied in the Hobbit with LotR saying that Gandalf helped Thorin's expidition to remove one of Sauron's biggest allies (Smaug) for the war that Gandalf knew was coming since the Great Woods fell and became Mirkwood....

[Just plain old Punisher]

You know, I never liked Tolken. I know that's going to bring down the elvish wrath of all the fantasy nerds on here.

But yea, there it is.