# Easy Answers for Fictional Dilemmas **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 15, 2025, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080 "2025-04-15T20:26:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/301 "2025-04-29T08:26:45Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > do you have a hypothesis for the in-story reason the eagles didn’t help out? They are agents of Manwë and so are constrained from too direct an interference in a similar way to the Wizards. In-story there is no other _good_ reason. Tolkien knew this and hesitated using them as _deus ex machina_ because of it: > The Eagles are a dangerous ‘machine’. I have used them sparingly, and that is the absolute limit of their credibility or usefulness.” I should point out that I don’t think the Eagles _are_ a solution. I just think that a lot of the reasons people put forward for _why_, are easily disproven - the “they would be corrupted” one especially, as I’ve covered, but the flying Nazgûl one also - _where_ were these flying Nazgûl when the Fellowship were in Eriador or boating down the Anduin? They only show up _after_ Amon Hen. If the Fellowship had set off on Eagle Airlines at the same date they had on foot, there would have been no aerial opposition from the _Nazgûl_ - they were not yet rebodied after their little Bruinen disaster. And like I said, the eagles could fly at night and rest up unobserved during the days. > [@Andy\_L](#): > > “Fly these two little guys to the center of Sauron’s power” is more of a stretch. Why would only those two go on this trip? There’s a whole _host_ of eagles, all capable of carrying a full-grown man. > [@Andy\_L](#): > > Maybe Gandalf is working for Sauron, and this request to go to Mordor is a trap. They didn’t doubt Gandalf when they rescued him from Orthanc… > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > it would have killed Frodo and taken the Ring for itself. Like they did to Bilbo? > [@Andy\_L](#): > > Faramir turned it down .._and_ let Frodo go on with his mission. Is that not “deliberately take action they know will destroy it”? > [@Andy\_L](#): > > but to carry it to be destroyed, even if not knowing what it was? They’d decide that it’s too (what’s the word - ah) _precious_ for such treatment Using _what_ Ring-sense? Evil creatures are drawn to the Ring because it’s literally part of Sauron himself, and there’s a bond there. What bond is there for an Eagle of Manwë? > [@echoreply](#): > > Hobbits riding giant eagles would attract the eye At night? > [@echoreply](#): > > would probably have let the Ring Wraiths find them again after Rivendell. The Ring Wraiths weren’t embodied until _months_ later. > [@DrDeth](#): > > Frodo and Sam ran into armies of them on the way. None were anywhere near the Cracks. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/302 "2025-04-29T09:51:31Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Like they did to Bilbo? Bilbo don’t go near Mount Doom, where the Ring is stronger. Sauron _relied_ on the fact that nobody could bring themselves to destroy the Ring, and he was _right._ ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/303 "2025-04-29T10:54:29Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Using _what_ Ring-sense? > > Evil creatures are drawn to the Ring because it’s literally part of Sauron himself, and there’s a bond there. What bond is there for an Eagle of Manwë? I don’t know what you mean by a Ring-Sense. The Ring is very pretty - people who see it, want it, even decent folks like Bilbo. People who know what it is face a different temptation, and if they’re smart, like Faramir, they stay away from it as muxh as possible. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/304 "2025-04-29T11:14:34Z")
Way back on August 16 I wrote, in response to **furryman** ’s observation: > [@furryman](#): > > I know it’s meta but Tolkien said that the number one complaint he received was that LOTR wasn’t long enough. I said that I would’ve thought it was “Why didn’t they just use the Eagles to get the One Ring to Mount Doom?” People immediately responded as if _I_ was saying that Tolkein should’ve just had the Eagles fly the Ring to Mount Doom, when what I clearly said was that asking was “why that didn’t happen ought to be the single most popular comment about LOTR.” Ever since then, whether the Eagles should’ve been tasked with getting the Ring to Mordor has been the major topic of conversation. Thanks for making my point for me. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/305 "2025-04-29T11:31:39Z")
Moderating: The discussion about the eagles carrying the ring perhaps risks overwhelming this more general thread. Let’s turn to other examples. If there’s interest in continuing this question, DM me and I’ll break it out into its own thread. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/306 "2025-04-29T11:32:00Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > The Ring is very pretty - people who see it, want it, I haven’t suggested Frodo shows the Ring to the Eagles. Or even says to them that he has it. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/307 "2025-04-29T11:43:42Z")
Ignoring that simul-post, let me suggest that there was something in the middle Harry Potter that drove me nuts when i read it, because it was an obvious easy answer and i couldn’t understand why the characters didn’t try it. But i no longer remember the story well enough to recall the details. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/308 "2025-04-29T11:46:28Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Ignoring that simul-post, let me suggest that there was something in the middle Harry Potter that drive me nuts when i read it, because it was an obvious easy answer and i couldn’t understand why the characters didn’t try it. But i no longer remember the story well enough to recall the details Possibly something to do with the time-turner? Once you include reliable time travel into the story there are thousands of ways they could have used it better, but like you I haven’t read them for ages and I forget the exact details. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/309 "2025-04-29T11:51:20Z")
Was it the elaborate lengths the bad guys went to in order to get Harry to touch a portkey? They could have just handed him one at any time. Or maybe it was Harry casting _Accio Broom_ and then flying to the egg, when he could have just cast _Accio Egg_. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/310 "2025-04-29T11:54:06Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Was it the elaborate lengths the bad guys went to in order to get Harry to touch a portkey? Yes, that was it. I was scratching my head over that. That’s really the point when i soured on the whole series. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/311 "2025-04-29T15:35:27Z")
The late 00s Dark Knight inspired “Every bad guys plan is to get captured by the police/heroes just so they can escape directly into their HQ and cause havoc” How about, don’t put the most dangerous man on the planet where you keep ALL your secrets. Put him in a generic prison somewhere and then deal with him. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/312 "2025-04-29T16:24:50Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > At the end of _Dark Star_, one of their sentient orbital nukes gets an erroneous command to begin its detonation countdown, but the release mechanism is jammed. > > What you gonna do now, smart guy? Let the ship’s computer handle it: > “Automatic dampers have gone into effect, and will confine the explosion to an area one mile in diameter.” > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > In _Live And Let Die_ (movie version), they tried to just take Bond to a back alley and shoot him. Didn’t work out too well for them. Only because Felix came along and bailed Bond’s arse out of the fire; Bond very nearly died as ignominiously as a Double-O agent can. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/313 "2025-04-29T16:57:26Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > The late 00s Dark Knight inspired “Every bad guys plan is to get captured by the police/heroes just so they can escape directly into their HQ and cause havoc” Ah, the _Skyfall_ plot problem. Also, don’t hook strange computers into your network, Q!! ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/314 "2025-04-29T17:01:41Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > let me suggest that there was something in the middle Harry Potter that drove me nuts when i read it, because it was an obvious easy answer and i couldn’t understand why the characters didn’t try it. But i no longer remember the story well enough to recall the details. Or the opposite. In the final book, magic now can’t do shit to help you. Speaking of that, Hermione claims that they can’t go back to the Sirius house because someone literally rode her coattails and she’s a secret-keeper. Why not confirm or deny that by calling Kreacher and asking if anyone has broken into the house or spy on the people watching to see if they know? ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/315 "2025-04-29T17:09:39Z")
Best not to think too much about the logic of Harry potter. Basically every book / film has multiple known magic or Muggle tech that could solve the main plot. The _pitch meetings_ for Harry potter remain some of the best of that series. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/t8uJtWtDkk4/maxresdefault.jpg "Ultimate Harry Potter Pitch Meeting Compilation") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8uJtWtDkk4) ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/316 "2025-04-29T17:10:43Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > > > In _Live And Let Die_ (movie version), they tried to just take Bond to a back alley and shoot him. Didn’t work out too well for them. > > Only because Felix came along and bailed Bond’s arse out of the fire; Bond very nearly died as ignominiously as a Double-O agent can. No, he already knocked out his two captors. And it wasn’t Felix. Couldn’t find a better quality clip than this, but it suffices. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mvEI8B9Zj78/maxresdefault.jpg "Keep your Hands up honkey scene") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvEI8B9Zj78) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/317 "2025-04-29T17:25:15Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Only because Felix came along and bailed Bond’s arse out of the fire; Bond very nearly died as ignominiously as a Double-O agent can. At least he would not have been > liquidated, I’m afraid, sir. Our Finland, stabbed to death in a ladies sauna bath, sir. Our Madrid, burned in a blazing bordello, sir. And, Tokyo, sir, garroted in a geisha house. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/318 "2025-04-29T18:00:37Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > The late 00s Dark Knight inspired “Every bad guys plan is to get captured by the police/heroes just so they can escape directly into their HQ and cause havoc” I’ve never forgiven that movie for ignoring the basic question of: You have this mystery mass-murdering psychopath in custody – why didn’t you wash his face and take some ID photos as your first move? When they show him, he has bare patches where the greasepaint had worn off. Finish the job, cops! I’ve heard numerous fanwank handwaves like “They were afraid of him” all the way to “Well, he’s _The Joker_ so you can’t remove his makeup any more than you could take Zeus’s lightning”. They’re all weak justifications. Maybe this wouldn’t have solved the question of why The Joker is but it’s dumb they didn’t even try. I wonder how long they’d let me stay in custody before running a wet rag over my face and taking photos. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/319 "2025-04-29T18:17:42Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Maybe this wouldn’t have solved the question of why The Joker is but it’s dumb they didn’t even try. I wonder how long they’d let me stay in custody before running a wet rag over my face and taking photos. You’d think that they knew about this kind of thing from _The Man with the Twisted Lip_… ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/320 "2025-04-29T18:21:35Z")
“World’s Greatest Detective”, my ass! (Batman, not Holmes who did the obvious) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080.md?page=17)