“Don’t Fly, You Fools!”

[1stvermont]

Why sending the eagles to Mordor to destroy the One Ring would have failed. And it is quite foolish!

“Don’t Fly, You Fools!”

“Don’t Fly, You Fools!”

BY JEB SMITH Jeb Smith returns to the subject of his article with Lloyd R. Hedberg, “Getting A Grip on Tolkien, Or: Fly? You Fools!” and considers whether the heroes of The Lord of the Rings could …

fellowshipandfairydust.com

 

[Ent]

Ent sees Mr. Smith has posted a link to his follow-up article of a previous one. Ent's not sure the first article was posted here, so to give you the full picture, it's attached here as a .pdf.

Again, the first one's title:

 

[1stvermont]

Ent sees Mr. Smith has posted a link to his follow-up article of a previous one. Ent's not sure the first article was posted here, so to give you the full picture, it's attached here as a .pdf.

Again, the first one's title:

View attachment 50221

Have you had time to check out the updated website at F and F? I love it!

 

[Ent]

Have you had time to check out the updated website at F and F? I love it!

Ent just gave it a few minutes, sir! (But a precious few are available for Ent to arrest and direct at present.)
The Site is more logically organized and still attracts and appeals to the viewer.
Form has not been sacrificed to function.

We may e-Speak more of this soon when moments are granted Ent can direct to a 'purpose' discussion on the matter.

 

[Deimos]

Why Flying to Mordor is a Bad Idea

 

[Radaghast]

Why sending the eagles to Mordor to destroy the One Ring would have failed. And it is quite foolish!

“Don’t Fly, You Fools!”

“Don’t Fly, You Fools!”

BY JEB SMITH Jeb Smith returns to the subject of his article with Lloyd R. Hedberg, “Getting A Grip on Tolkien, Or: Fly? You Fools!” and considers whether the heroes of The Lord of the Rings could …

fellowshipandfairydust.com

Just some comments about your articles:

• It's never a consideration to have a powerful warrior like Aragorn or Boromir to use the Ring against Sauron, except, of course, by Boromir himself. When he argues for it, he is immediately told by Elrond, "‘We cannot use the Ruling Ring. That we now know too well. It belongs to Sauron and was made by him alone, and is altogether evil."
• I don't think those arguing for the Eagles to take the Ring to Mordor really have it in their argument for an Eagle to actually enter Mount Doom. Just for carrying the Fellowship (or someone) there. I think it involves dropping the Ring from the Eagle into the volcano, which wouldn't work for reasons you explain in your article.
• The article operates with the assumption that the Eagles would leave from Rivendell, but this is perhaps the first and foremost problem with the idea of an Eagle taking the Ring to Mordor in the first place. Why would an Eagle leave from Rivendell? How would one even be summoned there? Gwaihir rescues Gandalf from Orthanc because of messages spread by Radagast , as per Gandalf's request, among the "beasts and birds that are [his] friends". The Eagles noticed happenings on the ground and wished to inform Gandalf what was happening, so they send Gwaihir, the fastest Eagle who flies by Orthanc and sees Gandalf—no one summons him. Gwaihir rescues Gandalf from of Zirak-zigil because Galadriel sent the former to look for the latter. We are not told how she does this but perhaps she has a telepathic link with them. In any case Galadriel has not yet even been mentioned in the story. So, in any case, at this point in the story it would be absurd and out of place for anyone to even bring up the possibility of using Eagles to transport the Ring to Mordor. It would not logically have occurred to anyone there.
• The articles don't mention what Tolkien himself said about the Eagles in letter #210 (which is as close as the author comes to directly answering the question):

"The Eagles are a dangerous 'machine'. I have used them sparingly, and that is the absolute limit of their credibility or usefulness. The alighting of a Great Eagle of the Misty Mountains in the Shire is absurd; it also makes the later capture of G. by Saruman incredible, and spoils the account of his escape."

— The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien

• Lastly, minor point, but one of the articles mentions "two magically cloaked Hobbits" getting to Mount Doom, but Frodo's cloak was taken by orcs in Cirith Ungol.