Who's afraid of the big bad purists?: Re: Re: did they really...

» Aerlinnel - Re: Re: did they really...

Well, it is true that the movie has inspired quite masses of fanon that have no actual grounding in the books themselves (e.g. the idea that Legolas is exactly 2931 at the time of the WotR - a made-up fact that I myself fell for! *wince*). But there very well might be truth to part or all of movie-Saruman's statement: in the Silmarillion, it is said "that Melkor, ever watchful, was first aware of the awakening of the Quendi, and sent shadows and evil spirits to spy upon them and waylay them. So it came to pass...that if any of the Elves strayed far abroad, alone or few together, they would often vanish, and never return; and the Quendi said that the Hunter had caught them, and they were afraid."
And then, later: "But of those unhappy ones who were ensnared by Melkor little is known of a certainty....This is held true by the wise of Eressëa, that all those of the Quendi who came into the hands of Melkor, ere Utumno was broken, were put there in prison, and by slow arts of cruelty were corrupted and enslaved; and thus did Melkor breed the hideous race of the Orcs in envy and mockery of the Elves, of whom they were afterwards the bitterest foes." So I don't think that PJ was too far off on this one.

-- posted by Aerlinnel