The Lord of the Rings is one of the oldest fandoms of the fantasy genre, and over the years, several topics have been endlessly debated. Fans can’t seem to agree on certain aspects of Tolkien canon, preferences for the various movies or books, or the legitimacy of some plot holes. Some of these arguments can never be laid to rest since the author of the now massive franchise never provided an answer himself. Others have been definitively answered, but the argument rages on nonetheless.
Overall, it’s no surprise that Lord of the Rings fans are so passionate about the world Tolkien created. The series has become iconic for a reason, with its complex lore, poetically comforting aesthetic, and impactful themes and parallels. Of course, the series also means something different for everyone, which leads to different understandings and interpretations. The world of The Lord of the Rings is nearly as vast as the real world, and answers are just as hard to find. So, it may just be that no matter how much these topics are debated, fans will never get entirely on the same page.
10 Does A Balrog Have Wings?
Peter Jackson’s version of the Balrog changed things forever.
The Balrog Tolkien described in The Lord of the Rings differs significantly from the one seen in the movies. Jackson took creative liberties with his version, creating a massive, demon-like beast with horns and wings. On the other hand, the Balrogs of the books were said to be the same size and shape of a man, terrible to behold, and of flame and shadow. Though only Tolkien’s version could strictly be considered canon, the impact of the monster seen in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring has led to a shift in how they are commonly perceived. Ultimately, Tolkien never explicitly said they didn’t have wings, and this provides the foundation for the argument.
9 Do Dwarf Women Have Beards In Lord Of The Rings?
Tolkien’s description of Dwarf women was unclear.
In the Lord of the Rings movies, Gimli tells Lady Eowyn that Dwarf women look nearly identical to the males, and Aragorn adds a comical aside, stating that the beards make this true. Though this conversation never happened in the books, the appendices of The Return of the King described how outsiders rarely saw Dwarf women, and if they had, Men and Elves likely didn’t notice since they appeared the same as the Dwarf men. Still, it’s never been explicitly stated that they had beards, and even their similarities to Dwarf men could be explained by disguises meant to keep the women safe.
8 What The Best Lord Of The Rings Movie Is
Each Lord of the Rings movie brings something unique.
The big argument of any film franchise—which is the best movie of the bunch? When it comes to the Lord of the Rings movies, it’s especially difficult to argue since each film has its unique mood and feel. The Fellowship of the Ring is far lighter and is typically what is thought of when considering the Lord of the Rings aesthetic. The Two Towers sees the epic battles that Lord of the Rings is known for, and Return of the King includes the satisfying conclusion and the return of peace. The best Lord of the Rings movie comes down entirely to individual fan preference (though the answer is clearly not any of the Hobbit movies).
7 Did Frodo Ever Know Legolas’ Name?
This Frodo-Legolas theory made waves in the LOTR community.
A strange detail that fans have begun to notice about the Lord of the Rings movies is that Legolas and Frodo really never interacted with one another. They were both members of the Fellowship of the Ring, but while Aragorn, Gandalf, Gimli, and Boromir developed personal relationships with the Hobbits, Legolas did not. Then, the Fellowship’s reunion in The Return to the King saw Frodo exclaim the name of each of his old companions—except for Legolas. This has led to the theory that Frodo couldn’t remember Legolas’ name. It’s a more comical debate of the Lord of the Rings fandom, but there are still pretty convincing arguments to be made for both sides.
6 Whether The Lord Of The Rings Books Or Movies Are Better
Books fans and movie fans can never agree.
Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy reeled many new fans to the decades-old fandom. This also means that there are a great many fans who have never read the books. This is due, in part, to the reality that Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings books were released in the 1950s and are of an entirely different literary style than many modern readers are used to. They are long and packed full of Middle-earth history and poetry, so they aren’t every fantasy fan’s cup of tea. Still, there is so much about Tolkien’s world that can only be understood through the books. Regardless of which is better, book and movie fans can all be considered parts of the fandom.
5 Should Hollywood Take Creative Liberties With Tolkien Canon
The Rings of Power has caused controversy with its many changes to canon.
Perhaps the most significant debate within the Lord of the Rings fandom is how much change in a screen adaptation of Tolkien’s work is acceptable. Back when Jackson’s film trilogy was released, there was tremendous criticism regarding how much the director had changed. However, today, the movies are widely considered respectful adaptations. Now, Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has become the center of fan criticism with its drastic changes to Tolkien’s Second Age. Ultimately, it’s not possible to do a perfectly faithful screen adaptation, but where the line should be drawn is the answer fans can’t settle on.
4 Could The Eagles Have Taken The Ring To Mordor?
The Lord of the Rings argument to rule them all.
Mentioning the eagles of Middle-earth in a circle of Lord of the Rings fans is sure to cause an uproar. Commonly considered a plot hole, many have questioned why the eagles that saved Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring didn’t simply take Frodo and the One Ring straight to Mordor. Gandalf using the eagles again to rescue Frodo and Sam from Mount Doom only added fuel to the fire. However, book fans will typically point out a few issues. The whole point of Frodo’s journey was stealth, so Sauron would have immediately noticed the eagles coming in hot to destroy his great weapon. Still, no matter how much people provide this answer and more, the argument continues.
3 What The Canon Appearance Of Elves Is
Tolkien never explicitly said Elves had pointy ears.
Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy established a specific common appearance of Elves, and fans have had difficulty thinking outside this box ever since. Though Tolkien often described his ethereal immortal beings as having long hair, he gave little else in the way of description. The legendary author never even explicitly said that Elves have pointy ears, which has led to a fiery debate on this small feature specifically. Then, The Rings of Power added fuel to the fire by adding a Black Elf character. Again, Tolkien never said that his Elves had to be light-skinned, and there is the added debate over whether it really matters that much if he had.
2 Is Lord of The Rings Based On Religious Theology?
Tolkien and his own son couldn’t agree on this Lord of the Rings debate.
The debate over whether The Lord of the Rings is a religious allegory goes right back to J.R.R. Tolkien himself. Though the author was adamant that his story wasn’t meant to reflect Christianity or a commentary on the World Wars, his son, Christopher Tolkien, later said that his father’s books were clear religious works. Decades later, fans have picked up this debate for themselves. Though certain characters share similarities to the Biblical Satan and Jesus Christ, others seem to reference Norse Mythology. It could be that Tolkien mixed countless ideas, but there’s clearly an argument to be made for more direct parallels.
1 Whether There Is A Definitive Lord Of The Rings Canon
Is there a single “correct” version of Tolkien’s story?
Everyone seems to have a different idea of what is or is not Lord of the Rings canon. The backstories of characters like Sauron, Galadriel, and Gandalf have been heavily debated, especially since Prime Video premiered its The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Both sides of these arguments can typically find support for their opinion in texts like The Silmarillion and The History of Middle-earth books, which is confusing since these bits of information are often contradictory.
It’s important to remember that many works following The Lord of the Rings were published after Tolkien’s death, which means the author never finished establishing continuity. Therefore, there are multiple versions of different stories. Over the years, fans have determined which of these is the most likely, but there are always arguments that can be made against them. This means the history of Middle-earth is just as fluid as real-world history. There may be a true version of events in there somewhere, but it’s up to the fans of Lord of the Rings to debate endlessly to uncover it.
