Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has received mixed reviews from audiences. While critics have praised the series for its astonishing cinematography, viewers poorly reviewed the first episodes – although a concerning amount of bad reviews criticize the series for all the wrong reasons, like the cast’s diversity. Which, considering how flat the script of the series has felt, it may be one of the few plus points for the show.
Among other common complaints, it has been pointed out that the series disregards Tolkien’s books, and has taken its own little twist with orcs. The foul creatures of Middle-earth are as terrifying and grotesque as they are fascinating, and there are plenty of things to know about them from all the sources. Fortunately, memes can sum it all up.
How Orcs First Came Into Being
Tolkien himself never made up his mind about the origin of orcs, and there is a lot of debate about how they first came into being. However, the most accepted theory explains that Melkor kidnapped some firstborns (the earliest elves) and turned them into the race that would terrorize Middle-earth for the ages to come (per Game Rant).
The theories revolving around the orc’s origins are only known to the most hard-core fans of Lord of the Rings who have read The Silmarillion. Tolkien offers so much fascinating lore within its books of Middle-earth that for connoisseurs it’s a conscious effort not to talk about it. However, the history class is inevitable after a couple of drinks, like the meme shows.
Baby Orcs Are Sent Into Battle
In spite of all the theories, orcs’ origins are still unclear, and there are many debates on how they reproduce. Many Tolkien readers suggest that female orcs exist, however, they are either indistinguishable from male orcs, or they are withdrawn somewhere within their territory with a very specific role, perhaps breeding.
Every possibility is on the table, but they all seem to point out that if there are in fact orc babies, their childhood doesn’t last for long, and the many times men and elves saved the fellowship and Middle-earth, they were actually killing orc infants, like this meme points out. Although it is easy to understand why the children of men are easier to root for than orcs.
Everybody Hates Orcs (Even Orcs)
Gandalf, one of the best mentors in fantasy once said “There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world” but sometimes, it is really hard to pin down something worse than them, and many other races can vouch to how much of a pain in the neck they can be.
Although the meme refers to Dungeons and Dragons, the game share similarities with Tolkien’s lore, and everything that it hilariously points out is applicable to Middle-earth’s orcs. In Tolkien’s books, goblins and orcs are the same things unlike the films, but they also frequently fight each other, as they do with humans, dwarves, elves, and hobbits.
Orcs Don’t Care How They Look
It is safe to say that orcs are not the best-looking creatures in Middle-earth. They can be unpleasant and downright terrifying to look at, but while some men and elves rejoice in their good looks, orcs really couldn’t care less about the subject. Which honestly, is a great approach to life.
The meme creator and his friend learned the only good lesson there is to take from orcs and embraced their appearance, even if it doesn’t fit into stereotypical beauty. Many extras in the Lord of the Rings films no doubt had an amazing time playing orcs, regardless of how they looked on set.
They Don’t Make Great Friends
There are many times Gimli and Legolas proved they had the best friendship throughout all the books and films, but perhaps the greatest one is the scene referred to in the meme (that Lord of the Rings fans know too well).
Although a friendship between a dwarf and an elf is unlikely, it is still more likely to occur than one between two orcs. As this meme hilariously depicts, if Legolas’ line had been said by a goblin to an orc, the response would have been unfriendly, to say the least.
Orcs Can Be Cannibals
“Looks like meat’s back on the menu, boys!” has to be the most popular line said by an orc in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings, and it’s said by an Uruk-Hai who beheads another orc who tried to kill Merry and Pippin for lunch. As the meme recreates, the orc was shocked to become the meal he demanded.
The hungry orc is one of the many movie villains that have a satisfactory demise, but it is unquestionable that being eaten by his fellow comrades is a horrific way to go. Nonetheless, orcs are frequently gruesome, and it is not surprising that as long as they have their bellies full, they’ll enjoy eating one of their kind.
Orcs Have A Way With Words
Middle-earth is recognized for how well-spoken most of its races are, including their human narrator and creator, J.R.R Tolkien. However, not all of them are so well versed, and orcs especially have a clumsy way of expressing themselves.
Their dialogue is almost equal to cavemen’s, and they frequently lack vocabulary. It would be hilarious if they were able to speak like the rest of the races in Middle-earth whatsoever, and this meme does a great job recreating their dialogue if they were able to talk in such a manner.
They’re Foodies At Heart
It can be uncomfortable when orcs talk about hobbits like delicious pieces of meat and argue about who should get which part of the body. Nonetheless, orcs are not different from humans in this regards, and they have preferences, just like humans may prefer the wings of the chicken, instead of the breast, or vice-versa.
Humans have all sorts of different cuts for meat. Orcs may not be so exquisite in their cuisine, but they are just as invested in their food.
They Can Be Charming (In Their Own Way)
Orcs may have been created to be foul and terrifying, but in the end, fans of Lord of the Rings love them. Their race has been so appreciated by fantasy fandom that they are frequently found in other fantasy books, films, series, and games.
It is safe to say that they have stolen the hearts of everyone, although, if it was their way, it would be violently. Probably by tearing it out through the ribcage, only to eat it along with other meat pieces they tear from the body. That considered, they are still incredible creatures of fiction.
