Who Is Your Favorite 🧌Orc?

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

He certainly seems to have been smarter than the two orc-captains at Cirith Ungol. 😄

I also like Tolkien's use of language there: a voice "sneered".

 

[Glorfindel Goldtress]

He certainly seems to have been smarter than the two orc-captains at Cirith Ungol. 😄

I also like Tolkien's use of language there: a voice "sneered".

Right? Their civil war was hilarious! If all orcs there did what they did, that would've solved half of the problems on Sauron's home territory! 😅

That word evokes quite the imagery!

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

I don't remember all the details of the Orcs capturing Merry and Pippin in LotR (it was over a year ago when I read it), but I seem to remember their banter being pretty funny! Gotta love some evil minions arguing with each other and some of them being less competent than others!

 

[Glorfindel Goldtress]

I don't remember all the details of the Orcs capturing Merry and Pippin in LotR (it was over a year ago when I read it), but I seem to remember their banter being pretty funny! Gotta love some evil minions arguing with each other and some of them being less competent than others!

Facts! Heads rolled. It was a good time!

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

That word evokes quite the imagery!

Yes, it conveys personality in a very compact way. It really pays to examine the text carefully.

Edit: Not to derail, but if anyone's interested in the subject of "close reading " here's an old thread with an example, from when I was a new member:

A Favorite Passage

A couple of members have challenged me to post on some subjects I've mentioned in passing. They are going to take some digging around, both in LOTR and other references. Plus more serious thought than I'm normally capable of! Unfortunately, I'm about to start a couple of weeks of heavy work...

thetolkien.forum

 

[Radaghast]

The unnamed tracker orc who shot the unnamed soldier orc through the eye. Shagrat would be a close second, partly because of the name, partly because of he's the last orc standing in the Tower of Cirith Ungol. That was pretty boss. The whole orc infighting angle could have made for a pretty cool movie scene 😕

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

He finally got fed up with the constant abuse!

 

[Ent]

My favorite Orcs are the ones Shelob sometimes catches, plays with, and devours. Sauron’s Shelob Snack Treats. (Though Sauron’s real treats were prisoners… the Orcs were just….. oops… captures.)

 

[Vorondil]

Ugluk is my favourite, I'm always quoting him. This one is most useful at suppertime: Looks like meat's back on the menu boys! And this one is also quite useful: I don't take orders from orc-maggots.

 

[Glorfindel Goldtress]

Ugluk is my favourite, I'm always quoting him. This one is most useful at suppertime: Looks like meat's back on the menu boys! And this one is also quite useful: I don't take orders from orc-maggots.

Yessir! He is my choice too hahaha

 

[Þráinn Þórhallsson]

Azog. No, quetion about it. This not even because of my unusually big appreciation for the first Hobbit movie. I remember my dad reading the appendix of Lord of the Rings and Azog started to speak I was like ''now here is an orc that is no push over''.

If you want to know my name But if his family wish to know who is now king here, the name is written on his face. I wrote it! I killed him! I am master!

I don't think there has ever been a better villain qoute in all of Tolkien's middle earth stories.

 

[Radaghast]

Then Azog laughed, and he lifted up his head to let forth a great yell of triumph; but the cry died in his throat. For he saw that all his host in the valley was in a rout, and the Dwarves went this way and that slaying as they would, and those that could escape from them were flying south, shrieking as they ran. And hard by all the soldiers of his guard lay dead. He turned and fled back towards the Gate.

Up the steps after him leaped a Dwarf with a red axe. It was Dáin Ironfoot, Náin’s son. Right before the doors he caught Azog, and there he slew him, and hewed off his head.

I don't know what "no push over" means, exactly. The orcs were the instigators of that conflict (i.e. the Dwarf-Orc war), and they defiled Thrór's corpse. And "turned and fled" doesn't seem very valiant in my view.

 

[Ent]

Amending my response above, the Orcs fed to Shelob are really in 2nd place.

My favorite orc has always been the one I just stomped on.

Aside from that, I find a certain amusement value in this one:

 

[Þráinn Þórhallsson]

I don't know what "no push over" means, exactly. The orcs were the instigators of that conflict (i.e. the Dwarf-Orc war), and they defiled Thrór's corpse. And "turned and fled" doesn't seem very valiant in my view.

By ''no pushover'' I mean that he is seems like somebody you would have more of a problem dealing with then your average Orc. You can't just push him away so to speak and if you try he will probably cut your head of.

 

[Eljorahir]

I like Ugluk. He's a leader who's not afraid to pay a nice polite compliment to his rivals/allies now and then:

"There's only one thing those maggots can do: they can see like gimlets in the dark."

 

[Halasían]

I see Enty has joined the popular forces there.

Fav Orc...

‘They would,’ grunted Gorbag. ‘We’ll see. But anyway, if it does go well, there should be a lot more room. What d’you say? – if we get a chance, you and me’ll slip off and set up somewhere on our own with a few trusty lads, somewhere where there’s good loot nice and handy, and no big bosses.’

‘Ah!’ said Shagrat. ‘Like old times.’

I do love that exchange in the books. Naturally PJ muddied it all up in his film. I'd vote both Shagrat and Gorbag, but ticked Shagrat because the name's visual can't be beat. 🤣

 

[Saint the Mother of Orcs]

I'd say Uglúk by far. He appeared as a trusted Uruk-hai Captain of Saruman—while I personally dislike Saruman (too much in-common, I suppose?), I have to give credit where credit is due; he made a great job with his Uruk-hai breeding program. 😆
Uglúk appears as a very competent, intelligent, and responsible leader who respects his Master, his orders, and the duty he carries. It is not easy to be in a leadership position, especially not among beings as primal and vile as orcs—while Uruk-hai are generally more disciplined, the life they live and are known for differs greatly from that of humans, so controlling them must be quite a challenge regardless, and orcs falls on the same page—or maybe not, if you’re used to getting a few heads rolling for the sake of discipline and some lingering peace. 🤭
Not only that, but he also took care of the Halflings, and it’s thanks to him that they survived the encounter. I also enjoyed his way of speaking and his personality and humour in general. Just impressive, coming from such a brutish being like his kind.

‘You’ll run with me behind you,’ said Uglúk. ‘Run! Or you’ll never see your beloved holes again. By the White Hand! What’s the use of sending out mountain-maggots on a trip, only half trained. Run, curse you! Run while night lasts!’

I mean, poor guy! This eerily reminds me of when I get incompetent coworkers or users who struggle with reading and understanding basic instructions. I feel you, boss—I feel you! 🥴 Anyway…

I really need to get my Lord of the Rings trilogy back, as it’s been years since I last read the books, and my memory is terribly hazy. I’m sure it’ll be a pleasure to re-read the chapters, because, as far as I remember, there was a lot more discussion, banter, and general interaction between orcs and Uruk-hai in those particular chapters on the pages compared to the movies, and I just can’t get enough of these guys!

Oh, and let's not forget about Shagrat, my second favourite! I've felt so bad for him—Sauron did him dirty I say. His discussion with Gorbag was a very memorable one.

Once I finally get my hands on my new books, I’ll probably gather a handful of my favorite lines from the orcs!

 

[Deimos]

My favorite Orcs are the ones Shelob sometimes catches, plays with, and devours. Sauron’s Shelob Snack Treats. (Though Sauron’s real treats were prisoners… the Orcs were just….. oops… captures.)

Some enterprising person (or persons) should make/market Shelob's Orc Snack Gummies. Wouldn't they be great for Hallowe'en Trick-or-Treat

 

[TrackerOrc]

Let me see now...my favourite Orc...

Well that's got to be the immortal Tracker Orc, and I'm using the term immortal in its fullest sense. Probably one of Morgoth's first and finest Elvish 'refinements', absolutely deadly with his weapon of choice, and a dab hand at insulting you:

''You cursed peaching sneakthief!' he yelled, 'You can't do your job, and you can't even stick by your own folk. Go to your filthy Shriekers, and may they freeze the flesh off you!"

Did Tolkien ever pen anything better?

 

[Saint the Mother of Orcs]

Actually I found my second favourite orc! How could I forget about this one...

Look at him cutie-patootie!
I want to squeeze that midget face of his!
He's... He's a... A SNACK! 🍪 . . . 👁️👄👁️

*Heck, I must look scary when excited, perhaps concerning. Anyways...*
​