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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: shadowrn@*********.com (BD)
Subject: [OT] Lord of the Rings (SPOILERS)
Date: Thu Jan 3 01:00:02 2002
--- KiltedJamesman@***.com wrote:
>> Then why were Merry and Pippin stealing produce? Is stealing not evil?
If you don't think so, look more closely into the tenets that have formed
the bulk of Western morality.
>>
> As you stated yourself repeatedly...read the books. They did so once long
ago, as children, playing childish games...and were reprimanded for it. But
aside from some petty vegetable theft, halflings are not known for any real
great atrocities, preferring a much simpler happier life. That scene was
another of my minor pet peeves about the movie as it relates to the books,
but as good a way as any to get the hobbits together for the road ahead if
they didn't want to follow the book I guess...
>

So in the end of the third book, those halflings that went along with the
human's takeover of the Shire; they weren't acting "evil?" Even that
aside, this argument is sort of goofy. I've gotta back Marc on this: SR
morality is (mostly) based on Real Life; that is to say, there aren't good
races and bad races (both a merit and failing of Tolkien's work, if you ask
me), there aren't good archetypes and bad archetypes, and there aren't
idiotic alignments narrowly dictating your character's actions. There are
people, and people are bad and good, mean and nice, petty and generous, all
at once.

====-Boondocker

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Message no. 2
From: shadowrn@*********.com (John)
Subject: [OT] Lord of the Rings (SPOILERS)
Date: Thu Jan 3 10:10:01 2002
<snip>
> there aren't good
> races and bad races (both a merit and failing of Tolkien's work, if you
ask
> me),
<snip>

Now, I've only just started reading 'The Fellowship of the Ring' so I could
be wrong, but in the movie they said that Orcs were once Elves toutured blah
blah blah. Thus creating the Evil Orcs. They also rose one from the
ground, could have been part of the tourture, could have been a reanimation.
They mentioned Goblins also but I assume that because Frodo's sword glowed
Goblins are synonomous with Orcs. They also say "...and they have a Rock
Troll" which gives the impression (more so with the leash around its neck)
that Trolls have little more than animal intelligence and are thus trained
to be "evil." The wraiths, weren't they the nine original ring toting
humans according to the movie?

Once again, I've read little of the book so far so I have not seen any other
reference to "evil races" but the indications in the movie suggest the
"evil" is incited, not a matter of nature.

Feel free to correct the heck out of me, I am curious to know more. I love
spoilers :)
John
Message no. 3
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Chris Beilby)
Subject: [OT] Lord of the Rings (SPOILERS)
Date: Thu Jan 3 10:20:01 2002
> Now, I've only just started reading 'The Fellowship of the Ring' so I
could
> be wrong, but in the movie they said that Orcs were once Elves toutured
blah
> blah blah. Thus creating the Evil Orcs. They also rose one from the
> ground, could have been part of the tourture, could have been a
reanimation.
> They mentioned Goblins also but I assume that because Frodo's sword glowed
> Goblins are synonomous with Orcs.

Goblins are simply little more than small Orcs. As for the Orcs, according
to the Silmarillion, they were created by Morgoth (The supreme evil power of
the universe, of whom Sauron is merely a servant) as a twisted mockery of
the elves.

> They also say "...and they have a Rock
> Troll" which gives the impression (more so with the leash around its neck)
> that Trolls have little more than animal intelligence and are thus trained
> to be "evil."

Trolls can have intelligence as much as low human, as the trolls in The
Hobbit did. The Cave Troll in LoTR was never really elaborated on in the
novels, so...

> The wraiths, weren't they the nine original ring toting
> humans according to the movie?

Yes. The Nine were the nine kings of Men who Sauron gave the rings to, and
drew them into his power.
>
> Once again, I've read little of the book so far so I have not seen any
other
> reference to "evil races" but the indications in the movie suggest the
> "evil" is incited, not a matter of nature.
>

Definitely read the books. The movie is incredible, but the books are even
better.
Message no. 4
From: shadowrn@*********.com (shadowrn@*********.com)
Subject: [OT] Lord of the Rings (SPOILERS)
Date: Thu Jan 3 13:00:01 2002
In a message dated 1/3/2002 10:15:14 AM Eastern Standard Time,
lpvoid@********.rr.com writes:

<< They mentioned Goblins also but I assume that because Frodo's sword glowed
Goblins are synonomous with Orcs. They also say "...and they have a Rock
Troll" which gives the impression (more so with the leash around its neck)
that Trolls have little more than animal intelligence and are thus trained
to be "evil." The wraiths, weren't they the nine original ring toting
humans according to the movie? >>

Correct on all accounts so far. Worry pax, the books explain nicely.

Further Reading

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Thwap!