The One Wiki to Rule Them All
Don't have an account?
Register
Register
The One Wiki to Rule Them All
The Lord of the Rings Wiki
6,661
pages
in: Articles with unsourced statements, Eagles, Valar animals, Creatures
English

Changes: Great Eagles

Back to page
Sign in to edit
No edit summary
Tags: Visual edit apiedit
No edit summary
Tags: Source edit Mobile edit Mobile web edit
 
(98 intermediate revisions by 54 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{Race
  
{{Race
−
|image= 012408fellbeastveagle.jpg
 +
|image= Eagle attacking orcs.jpeg
−
|name= Great Eagles
 +
|name=
−
|dominions= [[Taniquetil]], [[Crissaegrim]], [[Eagles Eyrie]]<ref>''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', Regional Maps, "The Misty Mountains"</ref>
 +
|dominions= [[Taniquetil]],</br>[[Crissaegrim]], [[Great Shelf]] in [[Middle-earth]]<ref>''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', Regional Maps, "The Misty Mountains"</ref>
 
|languages= [[Westron]], [[Quenya]], [[Sindarin]], [[Valarin]]
  
|languages= [[Westron]], [[Quenya]], [[Sindarin]], [[Valarin]]
−
|height= Huge, possibly larger than 100'
+
|height=
 
|length=
  
|length=
 
|skincolor=
 
|skincolor=
−
|distinctions= Tall, gigantic, agile, graceful, courteous, fair
+
|distinctions=
−
|lifespan= [[Immortal]]
 +
|lifespan=
  +
|members=
−
|members= [[Gwaihir]], [[Thorondor]], [[Landroval]]
  
  +
|leader(s) = [[Thorondor]], [[Gwaihir]]}}
−
}}The '''Great Eagles''' were said to have been "devised" by [[Manwë Súlimo]], leader of the [[Valar]], and were often called the '''Eagles of Manwë'''. They were sent from [[Valinor]] to [[Middle-earth]] to keep an eye on the exiled [[Ñoldor]], and also on their foe the evil [[Vala]] [[Morgoth]] and later his lieutenant and future [[Dark Lord]], [[Sauron]]. Who was a big fat Cunt
  
  +
The '''Great Eagles''' were beings of [[Arda]] said to have been "devised" by [[Manwë|Manwë Súlimo]], leader of the [[Valar]], and were often called the '''Eagles of Manwë'''. They were sent from [[Valinor]] to [[Middle-earth]] to keep an eye on the exiled [[Ñoldor]], and also upon their foe the evil Vala [[Melkor|Morgoth]], and later upon [[Sauron]].
   
 
==History==
  
==History==
  +
[[File:EagleAttacksDragon KipRasm.png|thumb|290x290px|An Eagle attacking a dragon of Angband in the [[War of Wrath]], by [[Kip Rasmussen]]]]
  +
 
===First Age===
  
===First Age===
  +
The Great Eagles were the messengers and spies of Manwë, and possessed the ability to see through all physical matter, except for the blackness of Morgoth's evil pits.<ref>''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]'', Chapter I: "[[Of the Beginning of Days]]"</ref> Morgoth first discovered the limits of their sight prior to the fall of the great stronghold of [[Utumno]].
   
  +
For a time, the King of the Eagles, [[Thorondor]], kept his eyries at the top of [[Thangorodrim]], the three mighty peaks that Morgoth raised from the [[Iron Mountains]] above the gates of [[Angband]]. While they lived there, Thorondor helped [[Fingon]] rescue [[Maedhros]] from one of the sides of Thangorodrim.<ref>''The Silmarillion'', ''Quenta Silmarillion'', Chapter XIII: "[[Of the Return of the Noldor]]"</ref> Thorondor's folk later removed their eyries to the [[Crissaegrim]], part of the [[Echoriad]] encircling the secret location of [[Gondolin]]. There they were friends of King [[Turgon]], and kept any spies away from the mountains.
−
[[File:Ted_Nasmith_-_The_Eagles_of_Manwe.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''The Eagles of Manwë'', by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
  
   
  +
Thorondor wounded Morgoth in the face immediately after Morgoth's duel with [[Fingolfin]] in the [[Dagor Bragollach]], and carried Fingolfin's corpse to the Echoriad, where Turgon would bury him.<ref>''The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion'', Chapter XVIII: "[[Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin]]"</ref>
−
There were four eagles named Dick, Penis, Vagina and Joey They lived in a land called butthole
 
   
−
The Great Eagles were the messengers and spies of the [[King of Arda]], and possessed the ability to see through all physical matter except for the blackness of Morgoth's evil pits.<ref>''[[The Silmarillion]], [[Quenta Silmarillion]]'', Chapter I: "[[Of the Beginning of Days]]"</ref> Morgoth first discovered the limits of their sight prior to the fall of the great stronghold of [[Utumno]].
 +
[[File:Ted_Nasmith_-_The_Eagles_of_Manwe.jpg|thumb|left|340x340px|"The Eagles of Manwë", by [[Ted Nasmith]], depicting the warning to the Númenóreans]]The Great Eagles fought alongside the host of [[Elves]], the Valar, and [[Edain]] in the [[War of Wrath]] at the end of the [[First Age]], intervening decisively with [[Eärendil]] in a fight with [[Ancalagon]].<ref>''The Silmarillion'','' Quenta Silmarillion'', Chapter XXIV: "[[Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath]]"</ref>
  +
=== Second Age===
   
  +
In the [[Second Age]], a pair of Eagles had an eyrie in the King's House in [[Armenelos]], the capital of [[Númenor]], until the reign of [[Tar-Ancalimon]]<ref>The Nature of Middle-earth, Of the Land and Beasts of Númenor, pg 337.</ref> when the Kings became hostile to the Valar. The Eagles also watched the peak of Mount [[Meneltarma]], and three Eagles would always appear when someone climbed to the summit and during the festivals of [[Erukyermë]], [[Eruhantalë]], and [[Erulaitalë]].<ref>''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', Introduction, Part Two, chapter I: "[[A Description of the Island of Númenor]]"</ref>[[File:Ted Nasmith - Bilbo and the Eagles.jpg|thumb|284x284px|"Bilbo and the Eagles", by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
−
For a time the King of the Eagles, [[Thorondor]], kept his eyries at the top of [[Thangorodrim]], the three mighty peaks that Morgoth raised from the Iron Mountains above the gates of Angband. While they lived there, Thorondor helped [[Fingon]] rescue [[Maedhros]].<ref>''The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion'', Chapter XIII: "[[Of the Return of the Noldor]]"</ref> Thorondor's folk later removed their eyries to the [[Crissaegrim]], part of the [[Echoriath]] about [[Gondolin]]. There they were friends of [[Turgon]], and kept spies off the mountains.
  
−
<br clear=left/>
  
   
  +
Towards the [[Akallabêth|end of Númenor]], the Valar sent storm clouds in the shape of Great Eagles in an attempt to warn the Númenóreans of their folly and impending punishment.<ref>''The Silmarillion'','' [[Akallabêth]]'' (The Downfall of Númenor)</ref>
−
Thorondor wounded Morgoth in the face after Morgoth's battle with [[Fingolfin]], and carried Fingolfin's corpse to the Echoriath, where Turgon buried him.<ref>''The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion'', Chapter XVIII: "[[Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin]]"</ref>
  
−  
−
The Great Eagles fought alongside the army of the Valar, [[Elves]] and [[Edain]] during the [[War of Wrath]] at the end of the [[First Age]].<ref>''The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion'', Chapter XXIV: "[[Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath]]"</ref>
  
−  
−
===Second Age===
  
−  
−
In the [[Second Age]], a pair of Eagles had an eyrie in the King's House in [[Armenelos]], the capital of [[Númenor]], until the Kings became hostile to the Valar. The Eagles also watched the peak of Mount [[Meneltarma]], and three Eagles would always appear when someone climbed to the summit.<ref>''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', Introduction, Part Two, I: "A Description of the Island of Númenor"</ref>
  
−  
−
Towards the [[Akallabêth|end of Númenor]], the Valar sent storm clouds in the shape of Great Eagles in an attempt to warn them of their folly and impending doom.<ref>''The Silmarillion, [[Akallabêth]]'' (The Downfall of Númenor)</ref>
  
   
 
===Third Age===
  
===Third Age===
  +
In the [[Third Age]], some of Thorondor's descendants lived at many eyries of the North, with the most important one being called the [[Great Shelf]], which was to the east of the [[Misty Mountains]] in [[Wilderland]]. These Eagles helped the [[Elves]] of [[Rivendell]] and [[Radagast]] in watching the land and gathering any news of Orcs.<ref name="council">''The Lord of the Rings'','' [[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', Book Two, Chapter II: "[[The Council of Elrond]]"</ref>
−
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Bilbo and the Eagles.jpg|thumb|250px|''Bilbo and the Eagles'', by Ted Nasmith]]
  
   
  +
In [[TA 2941]], the [[Lord of the Eagles]] at the time with a company of Eagles rescued [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]], [[Bilbo Baggins]], and [[Thorin Oakenshield]] and [[Thorin and Company|thirteen fellow dwarves]] from [[Goblin-town]], bringing them to the Great Shelf for a night and a day. Weeks later, a number of these Eagles flew to the [[Lonely Mountain]], joining the Battle of Five Armies that had erupted, and assisting in the defeat of [[goblins]] and [[Wargs]]. The Lord of the Eagles thereafter became "King of All Birds".<ref>''The Hobbit'', Chapter XVII: "[[The Clouds Burst]]"</ref>
−
In the [[Third Age]], Thorondor's descendants [[Gwaihir]] and [[Landroval]] lived in an [[Eagles Eyrie|eyrie]] to the east of the [[Misty Mountains]] in [[Wilderland]].
  
   
  +
[[File:LOTR mega-eagle.jpg|349x349px|thumb|[[Gwaihir]] rescuing [[Gandalf]] from Orthanc|left]]
−
These Eagles helped the [[Elves]] of [[Rivendell]] and [[Radagast]] in watching the land and in gathering news about the Orcs.<ref name=council>''The Lord of the Rings, [[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', Book Two, Chapter II: "[[The Council of Elrond]]"</ref>
  
   
  +
In [[TA 3018]], during the [[War of the Ring]], Gwaihir rescued Gandalf the Grey from the top of [[Isengard|Orthanc]] in Isengard—having been dispatched by Radagast—and again, in the [[TA 3019|following year]], from [[Zirakzigil]] high above [[Moria]] after Gandalf's duel with the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]].<ref name="council" />
−
In ''[[The Hobbit]]'', no eagles were identified by name. Only the title [[Lord of the Eagles]] distinguished the eagle leader from other eagles in this story.<ref group=note>The text added that he was given the title ''King of All Birds'' at a later date.</ref> Many readers assume that it was Gwaihir and Landroval who rescued [[Thorin Oakenshield]] and Company from a band of [[Warg]]s and [[Goblin]]s, flying them to the river [[Anduin]], and later assisting in the [[Battle of the Five Armies]] fought near [[Lonely Mountain]].<ref>''The Hobbit'', Chapter XVII: "[[The Clouds Burst]]"</ref> However, in [[Return of the King]] Gandalf says that Gwaihir has carried him twice before, while the proper count would be three times if Gwaihir and the ''Lord of the Eagle''s were the same individual.
  
   
−
Before and during the [[War of the Ring]], Gwaihir rescued [[Gandalf]] the Grey from the top of [[Isengard]]—having been dispatched by [[Radagast]]—and again from [[Zirak-Zigil]].<ref name=council/> The Eagles aided troops of [[Aragorn II|King Elessar]] at the [[Battle of the Morannon]] at the [[Black Gate]]. The Eagles arrived in time to overthrow some [[Nazgûl]], including [[Khamûl]]. Gwaihir, with others of his people, rescued [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] from [[Mount Doom]] in [[Mordor]] after the [[One Ring]] had been destroyed.<ref>''The Lord of the Rings, [[The Return of the King]]'', Book Six, Chapter III: "[[Mount Doom]]"</ref>
 +
After Mordor's defeat in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]], the Eagles aided the host of [[Aragorn II Elessar|King Elessar]] at the [[Battle of the Black Gate|Battle of the Morannon]] at [[Mordor]]'s [[Black Gate]], in March of 3019. The Eagles arrived in time to overthrow some of the [[Nazgûl]] astride their [[Fellbeast|fellbeasts]]. Then Gwaihir, with others of his people such as [[Landroval]] his brother and [[Meneldor]], rescued [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] from [[Mount Doom]], nearby, when the [[One Ring]] had been destroyed.<ref>''The Lord of the Rings'','' [[The Return of the King]]'', Book Six, Chapter III: "[[Mount Doom]]"</ref>
   
  +
After the War of the Ring had finished, the Eagles departed Middle-earth.{{Fact}}
−
==Notable Great Eagles==
  
−  
−
*[[Thorondor]]
  
−
*[[Gwaihir]]
  
−
*[[Landroval]]
  
−
*[[Meneldor]]
  
   
 
==Names==
  
==Names==
   
−
The Elves have various names for the Eagles, including the [[Sindarin]] ''thoron'' or ''thorn'' and the [[Quenya]] ''soron''.<ref>''The Silmarillion'', Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin names</ref><ref>''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'', Vol. 5: ''[[The Lost Road and Other Writings]]'', Part Three: "The Etymologies"</ref>
 +
Elvish words for the Eagles were [[Sindarin]] ''thoron'' or ''thorn'' and [[Quenya]] ''soron''.<ref>''The Silmarillion'', Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin names</ref><ref>''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'', Vol. V: ''[[The Lost Road and Other Writings]]'', Part Three: "[[The Etymologies]]"</ref>
   
  +
==Background==
−
==Behind the Scenes==
  
  +
{{Blockquote|The Eagles are a dangerous 'machine'. I have used them sparingly, and that is the absolute limit of their credibility or usefulness.| [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] on flying the [[One Ring]] to [[Mount Doom]]<ref>''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]]'', [[Letter 210]], From a letter to Forrest J. Ackerman</ref>}}
  +
Tolkien's painting of an eagle on a crag appears in some editions of ''The Hobbit''. According to [[Christopher Tolkien]], the author based this picture on a painting by [[wikipedia:Archibald Thorburn|Archibald Thorburn]] of an immature [[wikipedia:Golden Eagle|Golden Eagle]], which Christopher found for him in ''The Birds of the British Isles'' by [[wikipedia:T. A. Coward|T. A. Coward]]. However, Tolkien's use of this model does not necessarily mean that his birds were ordinary Golden Eagles.
   
  +
==Other versions==
−
{{Quote|The Eagles are a dangerous 'machine'. I have used them sparingly, and that is the absolute limit of their credibility or usefulness.| [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] on flying the [[One Ring]] to [[Mount Doom]]<ref>''[[The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien]]'', 210 From a letter to Forrest J. Ackerman</ref>}}
  
  +
In earlier texts, Tolkien had envisioned the Great Eagles as bird-shaped [[Maiar]].<ref>''The History of Middle-earth'', Vol. X: ''[[Morgoth's Ring]]'', [[The Annals of Aman]]</ref> However, he had remembered that he abandoned the concept of the Children of the Valar, and that Gwaihir and Landroval were descendants of Thorondor during the events of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Eventually, Tolkien decided that the Great Eagles were animals that had been "taught language by the Valar, and raised to a higher level — but they still had no ''fëar''."<ref>''The History of Middle-earth'', Vol. X: ''Morgoth's Ring'', [[Myths Transformed]]</ref>
   
  +
==In adaptations==
−
Tolkien's painting of an eagle on a crag appears in some editions of ''The Hobbit''. According to [[Christopher Tolkien]], the author based this picture on a painting by [[wikipedia:Archibald Thorburn|Archibald Thorburn]] of an immature [[wikipedia:Golden Eagle|Golden Eagle]], which Christopher found for him in ''The Birds of the British Isles'' by [[wikipedia:T. A. Coward|T. A. Coward]]. However, Tolkien's use of this model does not necessarily mean that his birds were ordinary Golden Eagles. In some of his texts Tolkien speculated that these great Eagles were actually [[Maiar]] in bird-shape, as he felt it unlikely [[Ilúvatar]] would grant [[Fëa and hröa|feär]] to animals. If this was true, then [[Roäc]] the [[Raven]] and the [[Thrush]], who appear in ''The Hobbit'', might also be Maiar or other spirits in animal form (and possibly even [[Beorn]], who sometimes takes the form of a bear).
  
  +
===Peter Jackson's film trilogies===
  +
In [[Peter Jackson]]'s film trilogies (those of ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''), the Eagles are smaller than they are in the book. They have been noted to be around 6m (20ft) tall, with a wingspan of no more than 23m (75ft). Also, in the film adaptations the birds are not shown to be capable of speech.
   
  +
In ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey|An Unexpected Journey]]'', after Thorin and Company are cornered by Azog and his Orc pack after their escape from Goblin-town in the Misty Mountains, they fend off Azog and his followers by starting a fire, but Thorin confronts Azog and is defeated and wounded, but Bilbo and the others defend him by fighting against the Orcs and Wargs until eventually they are rescued by the Eagles, who also take out some of Azog's pet Wargs, much to his fury. They carry Thorin and Company throughout the lands, landing them on the Carrock before departing.
−
==Other versions of the legendarium==
  
   
  +
During the titular events of ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies|The Battle of the Five Armies]]'', the Eagles carry Radagast and Beorn into battle against [[Azog's army]]; otherwise their role in the films is identical to that of the books, though the Eagle that carries Gandalf from Orthanc is summoned by Gandalf and not sent by Radagast.
−
In earlier texts, Tolkien once envisioned the Great Eagles as bird-shaped [[Maiar]].<ref>''The History of Middle-earth'', Vol. 10: ''[[Morgoth's Ring]]'', The Annals of Aman</ref> However, he had remembered that he abandoned the concept of the Children of the Valar, and that Gwaihir and Landroval were descendants of Thorondor during the events of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Eventually, Tolkien decided that the Great Eagles were animals that had been "taught language by the Valar, and raised to a higher level — but they still had no ''fëar''."<ref>''The History of Middle-earth'', Vol. 10: ''Morgoth's Ring'', Myths Transformed</ref>
  
   
  +
===Video games===
−
==Portrayal in adaptations==
  
  +
*In ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'', an eagle named [[Beleram]] acts as a supporting character, aiding the players in battle by attacking enemies like [[Trolls]] and [[Uruk-hai]].
−
===Peter Jackson's film trilogies===
  
  +
*In ''[[LEGO The Hobbit: The Video Game|Lego The Hobbit]]'', the eagles act as a transportation form that carry the player(s) all over Middle-earth. The eagles appear in the same scenes as they did in the first two films.
  +
*In ''The Battle for Middle-earth II'', the Elven faction may summon one Great Eagle with the "[https://bfme.wikia.com/wiki/Eagle%27s_Nest Eagle's Nest]" upgrade to their fortress.
   
  +
==Translations==
−
In Peter Jackson's film trilogies (those of ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''), the Eagles are much smaller than depicted in the book. They have been noted to been around 6m (20ft) tall, and have a wingspan of no more than 23m (75ft). Also, in the film adaptations, unlike in the books, the birds are not shown to be capable of speech. During the titular events of ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies|The Battle of the Five Armies]]'', the Eagles carry Radagast and Beorn into battle against [[Azog's army]].
  
  +
<!--<div style="overflow:auto; height:200px;">-->
  +
{|class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" data-expandtext="Show" data-collapsetext="Hide" style="border: 1px solid #a6a6a6; width:100%; margin: 1em auto 1em auto;"
  +
| width="300" |'''Foreign Language'''
  +
| width="300" |'''Translated name'''
  +
|-
  +
|Afrikaans
  +
|Groot Arende
  +
|-
  +
|Albanian
  +
|Shqiponjat e Madhe
  +
|-
  +
|Amharic
  +
|ታላላቅ ንስሮች
  +
|-
  +
|Arabic
  +
|العقبان العظيمة
  +
|-
  +
|Armenian
  +
|Գրեատ Եագլես
  +
|-
  +
|Assamese
  +
|গ্ৰেট ঈগলছ
  +
|-
  +
|Azerbaijani
  +
|Böyük qartal
  +
|-
  +
|Basque
  +
|Handia arranoak
  +
|-
  +
|Belarusian Cyrillic
  +
|Вялікія арлы
  +
|-
  +
|Bengali
  +
|মহান ঈগল
  +
|-
  +
|Bosnian
  +
|Veliki orlovi
  +
|-
  +
|Bulgarian Cyrillic
  +
|Велики орли
  +
|-
  +
|Chinese (Hong Kong)
  +
|巨鷹
  +
|-
  +
|Catalan
  +
|Grans Àguiles
  +
|-
  +
|Cebuano
  +
|Dagko nga mga agila
  +
|-
  +
|Croatian
  +
|Veliki Orlovi
  +
|-
  +
|Czech
  +
|Velcí Orli
  +
|-
  +
|Danish
  +
|Store ørne
  +
|-
  +
|Dutch
  +
|Grote Adelaars
  +
|-
  +
|Esperanto
  +
|Grandaj Agloj
  +
|-
  +
|Estonian
  +
|Suured kotkad
  +
|-
  +
|Faroese
  +
|Stórur ørnirnar
  +
|-
  +
|Filipino
  +
|Dakilang mga Agila
  +
|-
  +
|Finnish
  +
|Kotkat
  +
|-
  +
|French
  +
|Grands Aigles
  +
|-
  +
|Frisian
  +
|Grutte Earnen (Western)
  +
|-
  +
|Georgian
  +
|გრეათ ეაგლეს
  +
|-
  +
|German
  +
|Große Adler
  +
|-
  +
|Greek
  +
|Μεγάλοι αετοί
  +
|-
  +
|Gujarati
  +
|ગ્રેટ ઇગલ્સ
  +
|-
  +
|Hebrew
  +
|נשרים גדולים
  +
|-
  +
|Hindi
  +
|महान ईगल्स
  +
|-
  +
|Hungarian
  +
|Nagy Sasok
  +
|-
  +
|Icelandic
  +
|Mikill Ernir
  +
|-
  +
|Indonesian
  +
|Elang-elang besar
  +
|-
  +
|Italian
  +
|Grandi Aquile
  +
|-
  +
|Irish Gaelic
  +
|Hiolair Mór
  +
|-
  +
|Japanese
  +
|大鷲
  +
|-
  +
|Javanese
  +
|Gedhe elang
  +
|-
  +
|Kannada
  +
|ಗ್ರೇಟ್ ಹದ್ದುಗಳು
  +
|-
  +
|Kazakh
  +
|Ұлы бүркіттер (Cyrillic) Ulı bürkitter (Latin)
  +
|-
  +
|Korean
  +
|위대한 독수리
  +
|-
  +
|Kurdish
  +
|Egles mezin (Kurmanji)
  +
|-
  +
|Cambodian
  +
|ឥន្ទ្រីដ៏ធំ
  +
|-
  +
|Kyrgyz Cyrillic
  +
|Улуу бүркүттөр
  +
|-
  +
|Latin
  +
|Magnae Aquilae
  +
|-
  +
|Latvian
  +
|Lieliski ērgļi
  +
|-
  +
|Lithuanian
  +
|Didieji ereliai
  +
|-
  +
|Macedonian Cyrillic
  +
|Греат Еаглес
  +
|-
  +
|Malaysian
  +
|Helang Besar
  +
|-
  +
|Malayalam
  +
|ഗ്രേറ്റ് കഴുകന്മാരുടെ
  +
|-
  +
|Malagasy
  +
|Voromahery Lehibe ?
  +
|-
  +
|Maltese
  +
|Kbira ajkli
  +
|-
  +
|Manx
  +
|Rauee ny Vooarey ?
  +
|-
  +
|Marathi
  +
|ग्रेट गरुड
  +
|-
  +
|Mongolian Cyrillic
  +
|Их бүргэдүүд
  +
|-
  +
|Nepalese
  +
|ठूलो ईगलहरू
  +
|-
  +
|Norwegian
  +
|Stor ørner
  +
|-
  +
|Pashto
  +
|غوره ایګلونه
  +
|-
  +
|Persian
  +
|بزرگ ایگلز
  +
|-
  +
|Polish
  +
|Wielkie Orły
  +
|-
  +
|Portuguese
  +
|Grandes Águias
  +
|-
  +
|Punjabi
  +
|ਮਹਾਨ ਈਗਲਜ਼
  +
|-
  +
|Romanian
  +
|Mari Vulturi
  +
|-
  +
|Russian
  +
|Великие Орлы
  +
|-
  +
|Scottish Gaelic
  +
|Iolair Mór
  +
|-
  +
|Serbian
  +
|Велики орлови (Cyrillic) Veliki orlovi (Latin)
  +
|-
  +
|Sesotho
  +
|E khōlō lintsu
  +
|-
  +
|Sindhi
  +
|عظيم ايگلز
  +
|-
  +
|Sinhalese
  +
|මහා රාජාලීන්
  +
|-
  +
|Slovak
  +
|Veľké Orly
  +
|-
  +
|Slovenian
  +
|Veliki Orli
  +
|-
  +
|Spanish
  +
|Grandes Águilas
  +
|-
  +
|Swahili
  +
|Tai Kubwa
  +
|-
  +
|Swedish
  +
|Stora Örnar
  +
|-
  +
|Tajik Cyrillic
  +
|уқобҳо бузург ?
  +
|-
  +
|Tamil
  +
|பெரிய கழுகுகள்
  +
|-
  +
|Telugu
  +
|గ్రేట్ ఈగల్స్
  +
|-
  +
|Thai
  +
|พญาอินทรี
  +
|-
  +
|Turkish
  +
|Büyük kartallar
  +
|-
  +
|Turkmen
  +
|Beýik bürgütler
  +
|-
  +
|Ukrainian Cyrillic
  +
|Великі орли
  +
|-
  +
|Urdu
  +
|عظیم ایگلز
  +
|-
  +
|Uzbek
  +
|Греат Еаглес (Cyrillic) Buyuk Burgutlar (Latin)
  +
|-
  +
|Welsh
  +
|Eryr Mawr
  +
|-
  +
|Yiddish
  +
|גרויס יגאַלז
  +
|}
   
  +
{{Clear}}
−
===Video games===
  
  +
−
*In ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'', an eagle named [[Beleram]] acts as a supporting character, aiding the players in battle by attacking enemies like trolls and [[Uruk-hai]].
  
  +
{{Races}}
   
 
==References==
  
==References==
 
<references />
  
<references />
−
{{references|notes}}
 +
{{references|notes}}<references group="note" />
  +
<references group="note" />
−
==External link==
  
  +
<references group="note" />
−
*{{TGlink|Great Eagles}}
  
  +
<references group="note" />
−  
−
{{Races}}
  
   
 
[[de:Adler]]
  
[[de:Adler]]
 
[[es:Águilas]]
  
[[es:Águilas]]
  +
[[fr:Aigles]]
 
[[it:Aquile]]
  
[[it:Aquile]]
 
[[pl:Wielkie Orły]]
  
[[pl:Wielkie Orły]]
 
[[ru:Великие Орлы]]
  
[[ru:Великие Орлы]]
  +
−
[[Category:Races]]
  
−
[[Category:Eagles| ]]
 +
[[Category:Eagles]]
−
[[Category:Birds]]
 +
[[Category:Valar animals]]
−
[[Category:Elf friends]]
 +
[[Category:Creatures]]
−
[[Category:Valar Animals]]
  

Latest revision as of 04:34, 2 April 2024

The Great Eagles were beings of Arda said to have been "devised" by Manwë Súlimo, leader of the Valar, and were often called the Eagles of Manwë. They were sent from Valinor to Middle-earth to keep an eye on the exiled Ñoldor, and also upon their foe the evil Vala Morgoth, and later upon Sauron.

History

EagleAttacksDragon KipRasm

An Eagle attacking a dragon of Angband in the War of Wrath, by Kip Rasmussen

First Age

The Great Eagles were the messengers and spies of Manwë, and possessed the ability to see through all physical matter, except for the blackness of Morgoth's evil pits.[2] Morgoth first discovered the limits of their sight prior to the fall of the great stronghold of Utumno.

For a time, the King of the Eagles, Thorondor, kept his eyries at the top of Thangorodrim, the three mighty peaks that Morgoth raised from the Iron Mountains above the gates of Angband. While they lived there, Thorondor helped Fingon rescue Maedhros from one of the sides of Thangorodrim.[3] Thorondor's folk later removed their eyries to the Crissaegrim, part of the Echoriad encircling the secret location of Gondolin. There they were friends of King Turgon, and kept any spies away from the mountains.

Thorondor wounded Morgoth in the face immediately after Morgoth's duel with Fingolfin in the Dagor Bragollach, and carried Fingolfin's corpse to the Echoriad, where Turgon would bury him.[4]

Ted Nasmith - The Eagles of Manwe

"The Eagles of Manwë", by Ted Nasmith, depicting the warning to the Númenóreans

The Great Eagles fought alongside the host of Elves, the Valar, and Edain in the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age, intervening decisively with Eärendil in a fight with Ancalagon.[5]

Second Age

In the Second Age, a pair of Eagles had an eyrie in the King's House in Armenelos, the capital of Númenor, until the reign of Tar-Ancalimon[6] when the Kings became hostile to the Valar. The Eagles also watched the peak of Mount Meneltarma, and three Eagles would always appear when someone climbed to the summit and during the festivals of Erukyermë, Eruhantalë, and Erulaitalë.[7]

Ted Nasmith - Bilbo and the Eagles

"Bilbo and the Eagles", by Ted Nasmith

Towards the end of Númenor, the Valar sent storm clouds in the shape of Great Eagles in an attempt to warn the Númenóreans of their folly and impending punishment.[8]

Third Age

In the Third Age, some of Thorondor's descendants lived at many eyries of the North, with the most important one being called the Great Shelf, which was to the east of the Misty Mountains in Wilderland. These Eagles helped the Elves of Rivendell and Radagast in watching the land and gathering any news of Orcs.[9]

In TA 2941, the Lord of the Eagles at the time with a company of Eagles rescued Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo Baggins, and Thorin Oakenshield and thirteen fellow dwarves from Goblin-town, bringing them to the Great Shelf for a night and a day. Weeks later, a number of these Eagles flew to the Lonely Mountain, joining the Battle of Five Armies that had erupted, and assisting in the defeat of goblins and Wargs. The Lord of the Eagles thereafter became "King of All Birds".[10]

LOTR mega-eagle

Gwaihir rescuing Gandalf from Orthanc

In TA 3018, during the War of the Ring, Gwaihir rescued Gandalf the Grey from the top of Orthanc in Isengard—having been dispatched by Radagast—and again, in the following year, from Zirakzigil high above Moria after Gandalf's duel with the Balrog.[9]

After Mordor's defeat in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, the Eagles aided the host of King Elessar at the Battle of the Morannon at Mordor's Black Gate, in March of 3019. The Eagles arrived in time to overthrow some of the Nazgûl astride their fellbeasts. Then Gwaihir, with others of his people such as Landroval his brother and Meneldor, rescued Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee from Mount Doom, nearby, when the One Ring had been destroyed.[11]

After the War of the Ring had finished, the Eagles departed Middle-earth.[citation needed]

Names

Elvish words for the Eagles were Sindarin thoron or thorn and Quenya soron.[12][13]

Background

The Eagles are a dangerous 'machine'. I have used them sparingly, and that is the absolute limit of their credibility or usefulness.
— J.R.R. Tolkien on flying the One Ring to Mount Doom[14]

Tolkien's painting of an eagle on a crag appears in some editions of The Hobbit. According to Christopher Tolkien, the author based this picture on a painting by Archibald Thorburn of an immature Golden Eagle, which Christopher found for him in The Birds of the British Isles by T. A. Coward. However, Tolkien's use of this model does not necessarily mean that his birds were ordinary Golden Eagles.

Other versions

In earlier texts, Tolkien had envisioned the Great Eagles as bird-shaped Maiar.[15] However, he had remembered that he abandoned the concept of the Children of the Valar, and that Gwaihir and Landroval were descendants of Thorondor during the events of The Lord of the Rings. Eventually, Tolkien decided that the Great Eagles were animals that had been "taught language by the Valar, and raised to a higher level — but they still had no fëar."[16]

In adaptations

Peter Jackson's film trilogies

In Peter Jackson's film trilogies (those of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings), the Eagles are smaller than they are in the book. They have been noted to be around 6m (20ft) tall, with a wingspan of no more than 23m (75ft). Also, in the film adaptations the birds are not shown to be capable of speech.

In An Unexpected Journey, after Thorin and Company are cornered by Azog and his Orc pack after their escape from Goblin-town in the Misty Mountains, they fend off Azog and his followers by starting a fire, but Thorin confronts Azog and is defeated and wounded, but Bilbo and the others defend him by fighting against the Orcs and Wargs until eventually they are rescued by the Eagles, who also take out some of Azog's pet Wargs, much to his fury. They carry Thorin and Company throughout the lands, landing them on the Carrock before departing.

During the titular events of The Battle of the Five Armies, the Eagles carry Radagast and Beorn into battle against Azog's army; otherwise their role in the films is identical to that of the books, though the Eagle that carries Gandalf from Orthanc is summoned by Gandalf and not sent by Radagast.

Video games

  • In The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, an eagle named Beleram acts as a supporting character, aiding the players in battle by attacking enemies like Trolls and Uruk-hai.
  • In Lego The Hobbit, the eagles act as a transportation form that carry the player(s) all over Middle-earth. The eagles appear in the same scenes as they did in the first two films.
  • In The Battle for Middle-earth II, the Elven faction may summon one Great Eagle with the "Eagle's Nest" upgrade to their fortress.

Translations

Foreign Language Translated name
Afrikaans Groot Arende
Albanian Shqiponjat e Madhe
Amharic ታላላቅ ንስሮች
Arabic العقبان العظيمة
Armenian Գրեատ Եագլես
Assamese গ্ৰেট ঈগলছ
Azerbaijani Böyük qartal
Basque Handia arranoak
Belarusian Cyrillic Вялікія арлы
Bengali মহান ঈগল
Bosnian Veliki orlovi
Bulgarian Cyrillic Велики орли
Chinese (Hong Kong) 巨鷹
Catalan Grans Àguiles
Cebuano Dagko nga mga agila
Croatian Veliki Orlovi
Czech Velcí Orli
Danish Store ørne
Dutch Grote Adelaars
Esperanto Grandaj Agloj
Estonian Suured kotkad
Faroese Stórur ørnirnar
Filipino Dakilang mga Agila
Finnish Kotkat
French Grands Aigles
Frisian Grutte Earnen (Western)
Georgian გრეათ ეაგლეს
German Große Adler
Greek Μεγάλοι αετοί
Gujarati ગ્રેટ ઇગલ્સ
Hebrew נשרים גדולים
Hindi महान ईगल्स
Hungarian Nagy Sasok
Icelandic Mikill Ernir
Indonesian Elang-elang besar
Italian Grandi Aquile
Irish Gaelic Hiolair Mór
Japanese 大鷲
Javanese Gedhe elang
Kannada ಗ್ರೇಟ್ ಹದ್ದುಗಳು
Kazakh Ұлы бүркіттер (Cyrillic) Ulı bürkitter (Latin)
Korean 위대한 독수리
Kurdish Egles mezin (Kurmanji)
Cambodian ឥន្ទ្រីដ៏ធំ
Kyrgyz Cyrillic Улуу бүркүттөр
Latin Magnae Aquilae
Latvian Lieliski ērgļi
Lithuanian Didieji ereliai
Macedonian Cyrillic Греат Еаглес
Malaysian Helang Besar
Malayalam ഗ്രേറ്റ് കഴുകന്മാരുടെ
Malagasy Voromahery Lehibe ?
Maltese Kbira ajkli
Manx Rauee ny Vooarey ?
Marathi ग्रेट गरुड
Mongolian Cyrillic Их бүргэдүүд
Nepalese ठूलो ईगलहरू
Norwegian Stor ørner
Pashto غوره ایګلونه
Persian بزرگ ایگلز
Polish Wielkie Orły
Portuguese Grandes Águias
Punjabi ਮਹਾਨ ਈਗਲਜ਼
Romanian Mari Vulturi
Russian Великие Орлы
Scottish Gaelic Iolair Mór
Serbian Велики орлови (Cyrillic) Veliki orlovi (Latin)
Sesotho E khōlō lintsu
Sindhi عظيم ايگلز
Sinhalese මහා රාජාලීන්
Slovak Veľké Orly
Slovenian Veliki Orli
Spanish Grandes Águilas
Swahili Tai Kubwa
Swedish Stora Örnar
Tajik Cyrillic уқобҳо бузург ?
Tamil பெரிய கழுகுகள்
Telugu గ్రేట్ ఈగల్స్
Thai พญาอินทรี
Turkish Büyük kartallar
Turkmen Beýik bürgütler
Ukrainian Cyrillic Великі орли
Urdu عظیم ایگلز
Uzbek Греат Еаглес (Cyrillic) Buyuk Burgutlar (Latin)
Welsh Eryr Mawr
Yiddish גרויס יגאַלז

References

  1. ↑ The Atlas of Middle-earth, Regional Maps, "The Misty Mountains"
  2. ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter I: "Of the Beginning of Days"
  3. ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XIII: "Of the Return of the Noldor"
  4. ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XVIII: "Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin"
  5. ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XXIV: "Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath"
  6. ↑ The Nature of Middle-earth, Of the Land and Beasts of Númenor, pg 337.
  7. ↑ Unfinished Tales, Introduction, Part Two, chapter I: "A Description of the Island of Númenor"
  8. ↑ The Silmarillion, Akallabêth (The Downfall of Númenor)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, Book Two, Chapter II: "The Council of Elrond"
  10. ↑ The Hobbit, Chapter XVII: "The Clouds Burst"
  11. ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Six, Chapter III: "Mount Doom"
  12. ↑ The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin names
  13. ↑ The History of Middle-earth, Vol. V: The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies"
  14. ↑ The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 210, From a letter to Forrest J. Ackerman
  15. ↑ The History of Middle-earth, Vol. X: Morgoth's Ring, The Annals of Aman
  16. ↑ The History of Middle-earth, Vol. X: Morgoth's Ring, Myths Transformed

Notes



Deutsch Español Français Italiano Polski Русский
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
More Fandoms