Gandalf was an IDIOT

[Mark Dunder]

OK so maybe Gandalf could not have brought the Ring himself due to the corrupting influences, then he could have stuck little Frodo on the Eagle and sent him on a red eye flight to the pit of DOOM!

Good idea except for one problem... who bites off of Frodo's finger?

 

[The King]

When I read the first post of this thread I wonder what is the relation between Gandalf and the twin towers.
I never heard that a 3-years old child was ever emprisoned over a roof.
and another question:
Would you compare the Boeings to the giant eagles and the Concorde to some Nazgul? Well, it seems then there were losses on both sides.

 

[Mark Dunder]

Don't forget that the Great Eagles were originally Maiar like Gandolf. I'm not sure their descendants were too? If I remember, Gandolf asked Radagast to contact the Great Eagles to tell them where he was (no, Radagast was never a moth!).

But I wonder why Gandolf did not use the Great Eagles more often. I remember they may have not though it "dignified" or something like that. It's been too many years, I've forgotten so much.

I've got a question for all of you. If Saruman took Gandolf's staff, how did he get it back? I think Elron gave him another, I just can't remember. Well, I guess I have to hit the books again!

 

[Raven Blackwell]

But I wonder why Gandolf did not use the Great Eagles more often. I remember they may have not though it "dignified" or something like that. It's been too many years, I've forgotten so much.

The Eagles were an elder race and didn't want to be consider a taxi service for anyone- even Gandlaf. Their range was limited as well. I think I recall the eagle carrying Gandlaf saying to the effect "I came to bear messages, not passengers. I cannot bear you to the corners of the world." if not in Fellowship than in some of the LotR source material JRR Tolkien had lying around. So Gandalf had the Eagle drop him off at the great Hall of Rohan which was relatively nearby to get a horse. That's also likely why both the Nazgul and Gandalf used horses for long range transportation. Eagles and the Hellspawn Nazgul rode likely had a very short range of flight. They certainly couldn't get from the Shire to Mordor or vice versa in a single flight.

 

[Korppis]

But I wonder why Gandolf did not use the Great Eagles more often. I remember they may have not though it "dignified" or something like that. It's been too many years, I've forgotten so much.

The Eagles were an elder race and didn't want to be consider a taxi service for anyone- even Gandlaf. Their range was limited as well. I think I recall the eagle carrying Gandlaf saying to the effect "I came to bear messages, not passengers. I cannot bear you to the corners of the world." if not in Fellowship than in some of the LotR source material JRR Tolkien had lying around. So Gandalf had the Eagle drop him off at the great Hall of Rohan which was relatively nearby to get a horse. That's also likely why both the Nazgul and Gandalf used horses for long range transportation. Eagles and the Hellspawn Nazgul rode likely had a very short range of flight. They certainly couldn't get from the Shire to Mordor or vice versa in a single flight.

Correct. after saving Gandalf from the Isengard, Gwaihir says that he is unable to carry him for a long time... Also, in Two Towers Gandalf says that after after he was rescued from Zirag Zigil, Gwaihir mentions how Gandalf 's new form is lighter than before.

 

[Korppis]

Frodo had not been stabbed by the Witch King, he might have had an easier go of it, and not have succumbed to the lust for the One Ring so quickly. Remember, Bilbo gave up the One Ring with only a "little" persuasion by Gandolf, and he had had it a lot longer than Frodo.

Bilbo owned the ring over 50 years if i remember correctly, but he also used it only now and then to avoid unwelcome visitors and most of the time he lived in Shire, hundreds of miles away from mordor.
Frodo put the Ring on his finger in the very heart of Sauron's realm, in a place where the ring was forged and where Sauron's power was strongest.

 

[Mark Dunder]

As the Ents would say, perhaps I was a little too hasty to come to the conclusion Hobbits did not have strong wills. But will power was not something anyone actually ascribed to Hobbits, unless the term resilient means will power? But how do you explain how fast the Hobbits always recovered? That's resiliency, I think.

But, what about Conan! Am I on the LOTR's board?