Comments on: The Return of the King http://www.ficml.org/jemimap/wordpress/2004/01/02/the-return-of-the-king/ Cheating on the Kobayashi Maru since 2001 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 02:55:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.11 by: Jemima http://www.ficml.org/jemimap/wordpress/2004/01/02/the-return-of-the-king/#comment-478 Thu, 08 Jan 2004 16:45:03 +0000 http://www.ficml.org/jemimap/wordpress/2004/01/02/the-return-of-the-king/#comment-478 I think balrogs and dragons operate as free agents. I'm just inferring from the orcs' total loss of morale when Sauron just took his attention away from the Morannon (even before the Ring was destroyed), that a more powerful Sauron means more powerful minions. This doesn't really apply to the Pelennor Fields because Sauron was far away and ringless, and the Nazgul captain was (according to the book) driving the orcs before him in fear. Saruman's orcs were supposed to be super-orcs, though. I think balrogs and dragons operate as free agents. I’m just inferring from the orcs’ total loss of morale when Sauron just took his attention away from the Morannon (even before the Ring was destroyed), that a more powerful Sauron means more powerful minions.

This doesn’t really apply to the Pelennor Fields because Sauron was far away and ringless, and the Nazgul captain was (according to the book) driving the orcs before him in fear. Saruman’s orcs were supposed to be super-orcs, though.

]]> by: Samuel Kleiner http://www.ficml.org/jemimap/wordpress/2004/01/02/the-return-of-the-king/#comment-477 Thu, 08 Jan 2004 15:52:41 +0000 http://www.ficml.org/jemimap/wordpress/2004/01/02/the-return-of-the-king/#comment-477 Yes, Gil-galad was a bad example- But- I don't remember, it was a while ago I read about it, but wouldn't Sauron have had balrogs and dragons back then to take the edge off the elves? Yes, Gil-galad was a bad example- But- I don’t remember, it was a while ago I read about it, but wouldn’t Sauron have had balrogs and dragons back then to take the edge off the elves?

]]> by: Jemima http://www.ficml.org/jemimap/wordpress/2004/01/02/the-return-of-the-king/#comment-476 Sun, 04 Jan 2004 03:16:53 +0000 http://www.ficml.org/jemimap/wordpress/2004/01/02/the-return-of-the-king/#comment-476 I did notice that the orc captain seemed to be doing the Nazgul captain's job of running the siege of Minas Tirith, but otherwise the modern-day orcs didn't seem to have too much in the way of individual personality or moral presence. As for the battle with Gil-Galad, Sauron had the ring at the time and his power was presumably driving those orcs. I did notice that the orc captain seemed to be doing the Nazgul captain’s job of running the siege of Minas Tirith, but otherwise the modern-day orcs didn’t seem to have too much in the way of individual personality or moral presence.

As for the battle with Gil-Galad, Sauron had the ring at the time and his power was presumably driving those orcs.

]]> by: Samuel Kleiner http://www.ficml.org/jemimap/wordpress/2004/01/02/the-return-of-the-king/#comment-475 Sat, 03 Jan 2004 03:14:50 +0000 http://www.ficml.org/jemimap/wordpress/2004/01/02/the-return-of-the-king/#comment-475 I don't know- I'm more of the opinion that what is really lacking in the movies as such is the illustration of depth in the otherworld. As they are now the films after the first is not even watchable- after Moria the orcs are too dangerous. They should be like rats, and they are like wolves. What is lacking is really the visualization of superhumanity that was so evident in Moria- Despite the swarm-like numbers, they still falter. It seems to me that one lone orc should not even be able to take on a human, and yet a line of orcs charged the line of elves in the initial Gil-Galad scene. What was lacking was the implied moral difference from the difference in capabilities. I don’t know- I’m more of the opinion that what is really lacking in the movies as such is the illustration of depth in the otherworld. As they are now the films after the first is not even watchable- after Moria the orcs are too dangerous. They should be like rats, and they are like wolves. What is lacking is really the visualization of superhumanity that was so evident in Moria- Despite the swarm-like numbers, they still falter. It seems to me that one lone orc should not even be able to take on a human, and yet a line of orcs charged the line of elves in the initial Gil-Galad scene.

What was lacking was the implied moral difference from the difference in capabilities.

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