[+] The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - SPOILERS ALLOWED

[TheSword]

Well, we (and Gandalf) know Sauron didn't know where the Shire was, because the black riders go round asking for directions.

The rest is just speculation.

Well there’s knowing where something is - and knowing how to get there. I know Italy abuts the south eastern region of France but without directional signage and a say nav I might need directions to get there.

I think there is a lot of quoting unreliable narrators in Tolkeinism… and a whole lot of speculation and assumption. We should be more comfortable with the idea of the uncertain - allowing space for development.

 

[RuinousPowers]

But then there is this quote from "The Hunt for the Ring" in Unfinished Tales:

Now Sauron had never paid heed to the "Halflings," even if he had heard of them, and he did not yet know where their land lay.​

If Sauron spent days pushing the Harfoot's wagon around and eating with them it will forever tarnish my view of him, and so I refuse to believe it.

 

[Ryujin]

If Sauron spent days pushing the Harfoot's wagon around and eating with them it will forever tarnish my view of him, and so I refuse to believe it.

If, however, it was Gandalf pushing the wagon around for days and being welcomed by the Harfoots, then it would go a long way to explain his fondness for Hobbits in later years.

EDIT - Not to mention that they grow the best weed in Middle Earth.

 

[Hriston]

If Sauron spent days pushing the Harfoot's wagon around and eating with them it will forever tarnish my view of him, and so I refuse to believe it.

I have yet to watch the most recent episode due to the activities of a certain hurricane, so I may be lacking some relevant context, but I think where the show may be going with this is to show, in its own way, the full transition of the maia Mairon into Sauron, to explore the issue that he was in origin an essentially good creature. I think this makes sense of Adar's claim of having killed Sauron and of having him "reform" as an amnesiac "clean slate" a la Gandalf the White.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

On an unrelated note, who thinks that as Galadriel & Co. lead the survivors west across the mountains, they might encounter a certain Shelob with a bunch of her offspring?

 

[Hriston]

On an unrelated note, who thinks that as Galadriel & Co. lead the survivors west across the mountains, they might encounter a certain Shelob with a bunch of her offspring?

Indeed, in fact I've been wondering if the tower in which the people of Tirharad have taken shelter is not the later site of the Tower of Cirith Ungol. Undoubtedly, Shelob is already there.

 

[Ryujin]

Indeed, in fact I've been wondering if the tower in which the people of Tirharad have taken shelter is not the later site of the Tower of Cirith Ungol. Undoubtedly, Shelob is already there.

There are two giant spiders; Shelob, in Mirkwood, and Ungoliant, at the gates of Mordor. Ungoliant was Shlob's mother, if I remember correctly.

 

[Maxperson]

It's Gil-Galad who suggests that Sauron might be dead, if I remember correctly.

And if you go through the folk who might could have killed him, well, Gil-Galad would know if it was him, Galadriel knows it wasn't her, and Glorfindel (AKA Sir Not-appearing-in-this-TV-show) would have presumably have mentioned it. Next rank of beings would be random balrogs (werewolves, vampires), and unknown quantities, such as Adar.

Well, no. Since Amazon is changing stuff left and right, it also could have been Eonwe, 1000 other nameless Maiar, the Valar, all the elf lords of Vanyar who came from Aman to fight in the War of Wrath, Gildor Inglorion and probably a few others.

Hercule Poirot: "And where you on the night in question, Monsieur BOMBADIL?"

LOL

 

[Paul Farquhar]

There are two giant spiders; Shelob, in Mirkwood, and Ungoliant, at the gates of Mordor. Ungoliant was Shlob's mother, if I remember correctly.

Ungoliant was more of a demon in spider form. Immensely powerful.

Shelob is a spawn of Ungoliant. At the end of the 3rd age she lurks in Cirith Ungol. The spiders in Mirkwood are the spawn of Shelob.

 

[Maxperson]

The same goes for them as does for Glorfindel, they couldn't kill Sauron without knowing, and they would report to Gil Galad. The only way for Sauron to be killed by one of those powerful beings and Gil Galad not to know for sure is if they were fellow servants of Morgoth. Which would put Adar squarely in the frame.

Galadriel doesn't think Sauron is dead, that is Gil Galad's theory, passed on through Elrond.

The Valar, Maiar and Vanyar would not report anything to Gil-Galad. They don't work for him and tend to keep things to themselves over in Aman.