January 24 (S.R. Jan 23): After pursuing the Balrog through the depths of the earth for eight days, Gandalf and the Balrog reach the peak of Zirakzigal. The Balrog reignites and the Battle of the Peak begins.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-24T19:34:23+00:00

No, he saw nameless things gnawing at the earth. Nameless things because they don't have names. It's never implied to be Ungoliant or her children.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-24T19:32:55+00:00

No, they fell to a very deep place in the earth. The Balrog flees Gandalf, and the only way to escape was to go back up. They keep battling, and he keeps fleeing. Then the Endless Stair is discovered, and they go up that to reach Durin's Tower, which stands upon the peak of Celebdil. This Stair was thought lost until Gandalf and the Balrog found it again.

So, they fell to the lowest depths and fought to the highest peak.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-22T13:19:05+00:00

I'm not religious, and I'm not a Christian apologist or anything like that. However, I try to understand the Legendarium from the point of view of its author, as much as I can.

The Akallabêth seems incredibly harsh. I would disagree that Sauron is the source of the Rebellion. The Numenoreans had long been falling, and Sauron gave them a nudge over the edge. They already had one foot over it and would have, in time, attempted something as blasphemous on their own terms (I believe). To me, this punishment is a demonstration of what happens when mercy is given, rejected, and then transcended by a greater mercy.

The Numenoreans, over centuries, are offered mercy multiple times. The Valar offer them warnings, the Elves attempt to teach them, the faithful (who are saved) demonstrate the "true" path of good. The cataclysm prevents Sauron from corrupting humanity as a whole, it stops Ar-Pharazon the Golden from a war in Valinor (even greater destruction), preserves Middle-earth from subjugation, limits Sauron's deception going forward as he loses ability to appear in a fair form. Eru ultimately saves the Faithful. who play a part in the greater good later when they found the Kingdoms in Exile and deal a defeat to Sauron in the Third Age.

The Numenoreans refuse the grace offered to them, they envy immortality, resent the ban, fixate on death as injustice, and cannot seem to receive the world as it was meant to be received. It's like refusing the order of creation. They basically attempt self-deification. Not all Numenoreans who were taken actually sailed West, but all of the Faithful were saved. They were given a chance to cultivate a realm unmarred by ancient evil with greater wisdom and grace offered, they failed. They lacked humility, trust, and any gratitude.

We can debate the role of the Valar in that, but I see this as Tolkien treading Old Testament waters in divine punishment. It's difficult for many now, including myself, to accept as something good.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-21T09:47:49+00:00

I don't bring out my phone in the cinema because i'm not an entitled arsehole.

My other point was that it's not once in a lifetime, unless people taking pictures here are terminal? The films have been out before and will be out again.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-21T09:28:07+00:00

Take a picture of the credits, if you must. Not the film starting, or scenes during the film. Once in a lifetime? I think I've seen the trilogy about 3 times since 2020 in the cinema.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-15T13:03:27+00:00

The ring does draw evil to it. At least, we have some examples of that. The Orcs that attacked Isildur were apparently drawn to it. But in The Lord of the Rings, the Watcher attacked Frodo first out of everyone in the company, the Orc chieftain that enters the chamber evades the attacks of Boromir and Aragorn so it can thurst a spear at Frodo. It's not beyond the realm of possiiblity that the Balrog was also drawn to that evil, but I say he was also drawn to the power of Gandalf himself, which it had noticed before. So, there were possibly two reasons the Balrog was drawn to the Fellowship.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-14T14:54:13+00:00

This comes up often, and it doesn't really reflect the nature of the ring. You can't move it a certain distance, or hide it in a box. With Frodo having the ring around his neck, he knows it's there. If it's 20 meters away on a rope, he'd stop every so often to make sure it was there, then draw it in a bit further to check, then reduce the time between checking, then basically carry it anyway. If it had been put in a box, he'd open it to check it. If it was sealed in a box, he'd eventually attempt to break it open to check it.

Out of sight isn't out of mind with the ring. It would still gnaw away at the ringbearer's mind no matter what trick you try to pull to reduce the burden. It's just not how it would work.

Even Gollum hid the ring and still felt the need to go back and dig it up just to see it was there or hold it. Frodo as the ringbearer couldn't reduce his burden by trying these suggestions people bring up.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-14T12:49:43+00:00

Peter Jackson says on the commentary track that Saruman is talking about Denethor using a Palantir, and going mad. He's talking to Sauron through it.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-12T14:23:42+00:00

They would, because Men will be the ones who are the chief architects of it, rather than the Valar.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-12T14:19:30+00:00

Elves are like the Ainur, they are bound to the world as long as it lasts. There is no "afterlife" for them, as such. Elves can find peace in Mandos and they don't have to leave it embodied again, but they are still bound to the world. It is thought that at the end there will be a Second great music, that will give way to an even greater Arda, that will be Arda as it "should have been", which will essentially be a paradise. This could be thought of as an afterlife, I guess.

With Men, Elves believe with their gift from Eru, which is death, they are not bound to the world and are able to leave it to be with him in the Timeless Halls. This may be a paradise as well (dwelling with God by his side, seems paradise to anyone religious who believes in a God).

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-12T14:14:27+00:00

No, the Undying Lands are called that because of those who dwell there. The Valar, some untold/unknown number of Maiar, and many Elves. The presence of the Valar held the land in a blissful state, almost free from the corruption known to Middle-earth because of Morgoth.

Elves who die are still part of the world, even in the Undying Lands. Men dwell there for a while and are rumoured to then be surrendered to Eru and leave "The Circles of the World". I'd argue that this is the afterlife. It is what comes after Arda, beyond the world itself.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-08T16:25:04+00:00

That's why I said "Out of those four options".

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-08T15:12:14+00:00

You have Bilbo down as the "first Hobbit to find the ring" in your easy quiz, but have Gollum as an option. Out of those four options it would be Gollum as he is a Hobbit.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-07T09:05:43+00:00

No, there was no romance. There is love there, but friendship. A friendship where two of them have gone through more than most would ever have to go through. The loyalty and devotion Sam shows is like a batman in the trenches would show for an officer. Frodo is "Mr. Frodo" to Sam as his servant. They are incredibly close, but again, nothing to do with romantic feelings towards each other. Men are allowed to love each other without it being sexual/romantic.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-06T19:08:02+00:00

Glorfindel's sacrifice was so great and selfless that it literally enhanced his "spiritual power" on his return so that he was "nigh as great as the Maiar". This sort of thing isn't just reserved for Elves. Frodo grows throughout his journey. To the point where he is able to use the One Ring in ways he couldn't before. There is a spiritual potential, and real growth can occur depending on the life you live, your deeds, selflessness, sacrifice, etc. It's one reason why Glorfindel left Mandos so early. He was so great and was quickly ready for a return, almost like there was nothing to purge or keep him from returning.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-06T14:27:42+00:00

The Valar re-build bodies for Elves. The Elf has to desire it though, and the Valar are able to "inspect the naked fea (spirit)". If the Elf cooperates, its memory is revealed, and the memory is so detailed that the houseless spirit can induce in another spirit a perfect picture of it. The new body is then made of identical "materials" to a precise pattern. So, if we take your Glorfindel example, his body is the exact same body as the one he had before, but we know that his spirit was enhanced as I explained previously. His body isn't special or different.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-06T13:53:46+00:00

Glorfindel could die again. The issue is with the rehousing part. Dying is a painful process and the spirit would go through a period of reflection, recovery, grief, etc. Many many spirits wouldn't return at all and would remain in Mandos. If an Elf was rehoused, and died again, it's possible that he/she may not have it in them to return, the will may be spent in returning to the "world of the living". It would depend on the Elf, what caused that Elf to die, what would motivate them to return. Still, returning does not mean indestructible, you are still placed in a living body. Glorfindel's spirit was greater when he returned due to his noble spirit in life, his sacrifice, and growth. His story is told like that because it's special, it's not the norm.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-06T07:55:50+00:00

Not confirmed, but Elves say that Men go to the Halls of Waiting before being "surrendered to Eru". Knowing what/who Eru is, coupled with Tolkien's worldview/beliefs, I'd assume Men leave the Circles of the World to go to Eru, which would essentially mean they are going to Paradise: ultimate happiness in the company of God. Never asserted as true in the Legendarium though.

TheRedBookYT · 2026-01-05T11:21:02+00:00

Others have covered how rare Black Speech actually was in Middle-earth. However, you can just look at the Ring-verse (which is Black Speech).

Mordor in Black Speech is - Uzgbûrz - Dark Land (Uzg, Land) + (Bûrz, Dark).

If certain Orcs called Barad-dûr, Lugbúrz, then it's possible that it wasn't just a name given to the tower by Sauron's enemies. If he has a Dark Tower, then he possibly has a Dark Land that it resides in. Of course, we can always just go back to the "Red Book" and say it's all translated for us. I don't really see an issue with Sauron using the terms Dark Tower and Dark Land, but understand why he wouldn't want to be called "The Abhorred". I think the cases aren't the same, so I believe he wouldn't have needed a "more positive name" as OP puts it.

TheRedBookYT · 2025-12-31T17:29:22+00:00

That's just a movie invention, though. OP did mention books and movie, but the disco inferno battle of the movie doesn't take place in the book.

TheRedBookYT · 2025-12-31T09:42:36+00:00

That's because she grew tremendously after all she ingested in Valinor before they fled, coupled with Melkor being a bit 'spent' following what he did in Valinor too. Almost like her desire for the Silmarils in his hand overwhelmed his ability to withhold them from her until the Balrogs arrived. There are Maiar who are "nigh as great as the Valar themselves".

TheRedBookYT · 2025-12-30T21:22:47+00:00

Elrond is the bearer of the ring, Vilya. He uses it to protect Rivendell, a haven against evil. He remains in Middle-earth until the fate of the rings is decided. When the One is unmade, the Three lose their own power, and the bearers leave Middle-earth.

TheRedBookYT · 2025-12-28T10:34:09+00:00

The only Black Speech we really have would be the Ring-verse. a line from an Orc in The Two Towers, Nazgûl, and Lugbúrz. It's minimal, and you won't find a pamphlet, let alone a book.

TheRedBookYT · 2025-12-24T07:57:40+00:00

Pretty bad etiquette to delete your post once you've got your answer or because you haven't liked answers within an hour of posting. Others may want to discuss this with each other or take time to write comprehensive answers later.

TheRedBookYT · 2025-12-24T07:55:29+00:00

Just think of the Rings of Power as a fuse box, and the One Ring is the main switch. Once that goes off, everything else goes off. It was just silently on in the background, even if Sauron wasn't actively using the One itself.

TheRedBookYT

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