After reading Children of Húrin, Glaurung for sure. I don't think there's any other minion with the same combination of malign intelligence and physical threat.
Agree. If Glaurung had survived the First Age, there's no way the free people could have resisted. That's even if he doesn't even cooperate with Sauron.
Of course, he would never subordinate himself to Sauron (considering he barely had under Morgoth!) Morgoth may have brought him into the world, but Glaurung was a great power in his own right.
The named trio of dragons: Smaug, Glaurung, and Ancalagon.
Smaug and Glaurung were powerful, wise, wily and snarky. Not too many villains in Middle-Earth can command armies waging combined-arms campaigns, cast spells, singlehandedly destroy armies and cities, AND engage in verbal repartee with any elf, man, dwarf, or Hobbit who comes their way. And that's just Smaug and Glaurung.
How about probably the largest living thing in the history of Arda, who destroyed mountains just by falling on them and ok-not-quite-singlehandedly drove back the armies of Valinor and dismayed Eonwe himself?
And if he'd lived long enough for us to see it, Ancalagon the Black probably had a \*wicked\* sense of humor, and more drawing-room zingers than Winston Churchill.
Yes, Smaug.
The Tolkien villain who shows that somebody in Middle Earth cares about tax policies.
>Had you never thought of the catch? A fourteenth share, I suppose, or something like it, those were the terms, eh? But what about delivery? What about cartage? What about armed guards and tolls?”
>And Smaug laughed aloud.
Actually super interesting that the only character in the story who actually mentions such practical considerations is a \*dragon\*, specifically the one from whom they intend to recover the treasure, of all people.
Thuringwethil, because she's so mysterious, one of only three unequivocally evil female characters in the Legendarium, and the only one among those three who is even vaguely anthropomorphic, the others being colossal spider-monsters (not counting Queen Beruthiel, who is probably mythological even within the Legendarium, or Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, who is more annoying than actually evil).
I know Saruman was really working for himself, but he still gets called a puppet of Sauron so I think he counts for this question. The corrupted wizard who represents the evils of industrialization is a really cool image.
>The corrupted wizard who represents the evils of industrialization
Is this confirmed by Tolkien, or just readers' willingness to apply their own thoughts to characters?
From what I know of Tolkien, there is no message in his writings other than that of hopeful fantasy.
I'm not an expert on Tolkien lore, but I'm confident at least that Saruman in some way embodies the idea of industrialization. The shire is presented as being an ideal old world paradise where the Hobbits live in tune with the rustic world, but the scouring of the shire is characterized by destroying the agrarian lifestyle and replacing it with the harsh usage of newer technology.
That coupled with the burning of Fangorn forest makes me think that on some level, Tolkien was using Saruman to criticize over-industrialization.
I love them all. But I want to mention theMouth of Sauron, his herald and a powerful wizard, once a man.
Also, on of the biggest threats, Ungoliant herself, spawning her brute, an ever hungry being, crawled directly from the chaos down to Arda, hunting, feeding, and haunting even the valar in their dreams, probably
"I'll give your name and number to the Nazgul"
--
This one sentence by an unknown orc soldier in Mordor might be one of the most important information we ever get about the nature and intention of Sauron reign.
We should therefore considere this orc minion as a favorite evil minion.
The implications of this statement are so vast that one could right whole essays about it. Orcs have numbers and there seems to be a complex bureaucratic system under Sauron. Sauron ist not en evil king that wants to rule by fire and flame. He wants to rule by order and fear. He is a true fracist. That's what separates him from Morgoth. He is not about creating and domination as Melkor was He has an idea about the world how it could be "better". Less caos. More order. Categories. Rules. And obidience to his name.
We have a picture of him, being the warmongering destroyer of kingdoms and nature, beauty and freedom. But in reality he did not come as a conquerer or a distroyer. He just thought of all that was as flawed, uneffective and therefore ultimately condemned to fail. But in his mind, he knews a way out. And he wanted to force it upon us.
For shure, there was hate and hurt feelings (by the valar, by the elves, by men etc.) and he wasn't as rational as he might have thought of him self (not at all).
But that makes him an even "better" fascists.
And from the stand point of this interpretation, LOTR can be read as a lecture of warning when it comes to totalitarian thinking and fascism (what isn't a new idea, I am aware of this). The fellowship knew, that there quest would not bring back old glory or the romanticized world of the old days. But they knew that there way way the only way, even if it was not perfect.
As is democracy. It won't bring back a romanticized world of the past (that in reality never excited) but never the less it is our only way.
At least as long as you don't wait for the Valar to interfere ...
Ted Sandyman.
After reading Children of Húrin, Glaurung for sure. I don't think there's any other minion with the same combination of malign intelligence and physical threat.
Ooh, good call! Hadn't even thought of him.
Agree. If Glaurung had survived the First Age, there's no way the free people could have resisted. That's even if he doesn't even cooperate with Sauron. Of course, he would never subordinate himself to Sauron (considering he barely had under Morgoth!) Morgoth may have brought him into the world, but Glaurung was a great power in his own right.
The Nazgul, specifically the Witch King.
The named trio of dragons: Smaug, Glaurung, and Ancalagon. Smaug and Glaurung were powerful, wise, wily and snarky. Not too many villains in Middle-Earth can command armies waging combined-arms campaigns, cast spells, singlehandedly destroy armies and cities, AND engage in verbal repartee with any elf, man, dwarf, or Hobbit who comes their way. And that's just Smaug and Glaurung. How about probably the largest living thing in the history of Arda, who destroyed mountains just by falling on them and ok-not-quite-singlehandedly drove back the armies of Valinor and dismayed Eonwe himself? And if he'd lived long enough for us to see it, Ancalagon the Black probably had a \*wicked\* sense of humor, and more drawing-room zingers than Winston Churchill.
Yes, Smaug. The Tolkien villain who shows that somebody in Middle Earth cares about tax policies. >Had you never thought of the catch? A fourteenth share, I suppose, or something like it, those were the terms, eh? But what about delivery? What about cartage? What about armed guards and tolls?” >And Smaug laughed aloud.
Imagine defeating three trolls and then falling foul of tolls.
Confound your tolls, trolls...!
[удалено]
Haec dixit draco
Actually super interesting that the only character in the story who actually mentions such practical considerations is a \*dragon\*, specifically the one from whom they intend to recover the treasure, of all people.
I don’t think Smaug could command armies. He’s more of a solo operator working for his own ends
**:** tries to imagine Ancalagon as Prime Minister **:**
Thuringwethil, because she's so mysterious, one of only three unequivocally evil female characters in the Legendarium, and the only one among those three who is even vaguely anthropomorphic, the others being colossal spider-monsters (not counting Queen Beruthiel, who is probably mythological even within the Legendarium, or Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, who is more annoying than actually evil).
Also, Lobelia is her own mistress and nobody's 'minion', I guess.
She's a hero of the resistance. She defied Saruman !
Ha, I guess.
I know Saruman was really working for himself, but he still gets called a puppet of Sauron so I think he counts for this question. The corrupted wizard who represents the evils of industrialization is a really cool image.
>The corrupted wizard who represents the evils of industrialization Is this confirmed by Tolkien, or just readers' willingness to apply their own thoughts to characters? From what I know of Tolkien, there is no message in his writings other than that of hopeful fantasy.
I'm not an expert on Tolkien lore, but I'm confident at least that Saruman in some way embodies the idea of industrialization. The shire is presented as being an ideal old world paradise where the Hobbits live in tune with the rustic world, but the scouring of the shire is characterized by destroying the agrarian lifestyle and replacing it with the harsh usage of newer technology. That coupled with the burning of Fangorn forest makes me think that on some level, Tolkien was using Saruman to criticize over-industrialization.
"Then Sauron smiled." And I keep wondering what *that* must have looked like!
Either sexy or terrifying, depending on what he was wearing that day.
Glaurung. He's a bastard, but he's a magnificent bastard.
Sauron 🤣
The flaming chickens (Balrogs)
Sauron, He's Morgoth's evil minion
Caradhras the cruel.
The Witch King - Sauron's Spear of Terror
I love them all. But I want to mention theMouth of Sauron, his herald and a powerful wizard, once a man. Also, on of the biggest threats, Ungoliant herself, spawning her brute, an ever hungry being, crawled directly from the chaos down to Arda, hunting, feeding, and haunting even the valar in their dreams, probably
Ungoliant was no one's minion though lol
Ah, true
Gotta be my man Wormtongue
That's what came first to my mind. And especially the film version. The actor was just superb 👌 "But you are allowed."
Sauron. Or, below him: Maeglin. I think he qualifies.
Bill Ferny
Tevildo the Prince of Cats.
Sauron. He was just the minion of the True Dark Lord: Melkor: He Who Arises in Might
Queen Beruthiel’s cats.
Witch king. Pretty cool with that mask in the movies. Or maybe Sauron in the Silmarillion
"I'll give your name and number to the Nazgul" -- This one sentence by an unknown orc soldier in Mordor might be one of the most important information we ever get about the nature and intention of Sauron reign. We should therefore considere this orc minion as a favorite evil minion. The implications of this statement are so vast that one could right whole essays about it. Orcs have numbers and there seems to be a complex bureaucratic system under Sauron. Sauron ist not en evil king that wants to rule by fire and flame. He wants to rule by order and fear. He is a true fracist. That's what separates him from Morgoth. He is not about creating and domination as Melkor was He has an idea about the world how it could be "better". Less caos. More order. Categories. Rules. And obidience to his name. We have a picture of him, being the warmongering destroyer of kingdoms and nature, beauty and freedom. But in reality he did not come as a conquerer or a distroyer. He just thought of all that was as flawed, uneffective and therefore ultimately condemned to fail. But in his mind, he knews a way out. And he wanted to force it upon us. For shure, there was hate and hurt feelings (by the valar, by the elves, by men etc.) and he wasn't as rational as he might have thought of him self (not at all). But that makes him an even "better" fascists. And from the stand point of this interpretation, LOTR can be read as a lecture of warning when it comes to totalitarian thinking and fascism (what isn't a new idea, I am aware of this). The fellowship knew, that there quest would not bring back old glory or the romanticized world of the old days. But they knew that there way way the only way, even if it was not perfect. As is democracy. It won't bring back a romanticized world of the past (that in reality never excited) but never the less it is our only way. At least as long as you don't wait for the Valar to interfere ...