Geeks!!!
:dubious: :smack: :wally
Do you mind? We’re trying to have a meeting here in our secret clubhouse.
And I didn’t hear you say the password.
Did you know that before JRRT settled on calling her “Ungoliant” she was “Ungweliant” and before that, she was “Gwerlum”?
QtM, Uber-geek.
Well then Uber-Geek a question.
Was Shelob a survivor from the first age, or spawned by Ungoliant after she fled the balrogs?
Would you believe Ghan-Buri-Ghan?
<bowing frantically> I’m not worthy! I’m not worthy! 
I know Ungoliant killed the trees, but I must’ve missed the bit about biting off Morgoth’s hand when I skimmed coughthe boring parts ofcough The Silmarillion. The only people with missing hands that I recall were Beren (bitten off by a wolf) and Maedhros (lost in escaping the clutches of Morgoth).
I admit, I haven’t got a DVD player and haven’t watched the Balrog scenes frame by frame. But in the theater, I never saw full wings. It’s clear that the Balrog has wing bones. But, the smoke and shadow never lift enough to make out whether there are muscles and tendons connected to them, or if they have feathers, membrane or other lift surface.
My impression was that the Balrog still had the bones, but nothing else. The rest of the wings had been burned away when it was cast out. (I’m not too clear on just what happened as I have heard very mixed reviews of the Simarillion and I’m not sure I want to read it).
Re Shelob
“As he had run forward, eager, rejoicing to be free, Shelob with hideous speed had come behind him and with one swift stroke had stung him in the neck”
David Day’s A Tolkien Bestiary says that Shelob possessed a poisonous beak and horns. However, it also says that Sam mortally wounded her while The Two Towers explicity says that she may have died, or managed to heal herself.
Poly was being a smart-aleck. The words “balrog wings”, written in a post to certain communities, will commence a war the likes of which haven’t been seen since Ëarendil slew Ancalagon and broke the Thangorodrim.
You simply have NO idea…
And you won’t mention the bedroom slippers either, if you know what’s good for you. 
JayJay Ah. I thought that matter was made clear in Fellowship when Tolkien said “Mebbe the thang had wings. Mebbe they’z jest shadows whut looks lik wings. Mah glasses are all greasy an Ah can’t say fer shur. Anyhoos, the thang dun fell into the chasm of Khazad Dum.”
Ah dun been whooshed… :smack:
That would be mellon.
May I come in?
I had elen sila lumen omentielmo in mind, but yours is better. C’mon in.
[quote]
Did you know that before JRRT settled on calling her “Ungoliant” she was “Ungweliant” and before that, she was “Gwerlum”?
[quote]
Why yes, as a matter of fact, I did know that. You’re not digging very deep, there, Qadgop, that’s right there in Lost Tales. I mean, everyone’s read those, right?
I don’t think it’s inconsistent, by the way, to refer to a pointy stabby bug-part that injects venom as a sting, regardless of whether afore-mentioned bug-part is a modified ovipositor at the end of the abdomen. In other words, I think that Shelob’s “sting” is her mandibles, which we know to be poisonous. So she’s still consistent with Seventh-Age spiders. Except, of course, for the light-sucking webs, and her size, and all the other ways in which she’s not.
As for Balrogs, my interpretation is that they do have literal wings, but which are composed of shadow. Shadow-wings, of course, are of no aerial use to a corporeal creature, but I’m willing to accept that they would be able to carry an unclad Balrog aloft. It’s worth noting that, out of the three Balrogs we’ve ever heard of dying, two fell to their deaths (the cause of death for the third being unspecified, beyond “slain by Ecthalion”). So I think it’s safe to say that, regardless of the exact status of their wings, clad Balrogs cannot fly, glide, or otherwise engage in a controlled fall.
Yes, yes…but what’s the average unladen airspeed of an African Balrog?
[QUOTE=Chronos]
Since when are we in the Seventh Age? I thought the Fourth Age just never ended in Tolkien’s chronology? I mean, FA is the Age of Men. Are we not Men? we are Devo!
You little Drûg, you!
jsc1953 is right. Ungoliant didn’t bite Morgoth’s hand off. He kept all his bits. Fingolfin maimed him, but didn’t remove anything vital either. IIRC.
Well, the only mention of Ungoliant mating was during the first age, after fleeing Lammoth. And passing mention is made of Shelob escaping the wreck of Beleriand. Therefore I’d say it’s safe to assume that Shelob was born during the First age.
Think Kirk vs. Piccard . . . only worse.
DD
I’m still curious – are we still in the Fourth Age?
Perhaps this begs a new thread.