# Silly Lord of the Rings Thoughts **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** middle-earth\ **Created:** [July 9, 2023, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810 "2023-07-09T11:34:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 6
**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:** [July 19, 2023, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/101 "2023-07-19T21:58:13Z")
Merry turns out to be a boy after all, by the way. Despite not being neutered when we first sent him in because the vet thought he was a girl. I suppose he’s probably somewhat intersex, but eventually a vet removed testicles from him, not ovaries. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/102 "2023-07-19T22:32:00Z")
> [@salinqmind1](#): > > This question reminds me of in the past when my little brother asked me ‘Where does Superman (Spiderman/Prince Namor/The Fantastic Four, etc.) go to the bathroom?’ I’d long wondered this about D&D adventurers. Finally I got an answer: [https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0086.html](https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0086.html) ---
**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:** [July 19, 2023, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/103 "2023-07-19T22:33:45Z")
I included latrines in my dungeons. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/104 "2023-07-19T22:38:41Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Hang in and I’ll dig up a link. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/105 "2023-07-20T04:49:31Z")
Kitties! 🥰 In keeping with the thread, I guess Tolkien wasn’t a cat person, according to [this listing of cats in his writings.](https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Cats) Berúthiel isn’t the best name for someone’s cat, but Tevildo could work. ---
**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:** [July 20, 2023, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/106 "2023-07-20T11:20:58Z")
Part of the fauna of Mordor, huh. 😟 ---
**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:** [July 20, 2023, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/107 "2023-07-20T13:03:15Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > I can’t imagine anyone naming a dog or cat Troll or Nazgûl Possibly. Friend had cats named The Golux and The Todal, though… ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/108 "2023-07-20T13:54:06Z")
A very obscure question: we know Sauron wanted black horses for his Nazgûl so they offered to buy ‘em from Rohan. I wanna know who’s making the offer? Orcs aren’t gonna roll up and start negotiating. And who mentioned the rumors of Rohan selling their horses to Eomer? Was it “You know what people are saying?” Actually I just checked, and Aragorn suggests that they sold horses to Sauron. You would think he’d be smarter than to believe rumors. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/109 "2023-07-20T14:36:02Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > I wanna know who’s making the offer? Orcs aren’t gonna roll up and start negotiating. I bet it went something [like this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23BRttvqyfI). ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/110 "2023-07-20T14:48:07Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > A very obscure question: we know Sauron wanted black horses for his Nazgûl so they offered to buy ‘em from Rohan. I wanna know who’s making the offer? Orcs aren’t gonna roll up and start negotiating. And who mentioned the rumors of Rohan selling their horses to Eomer? Was it “You know what people are saying?” > > Actually I just checked, and Aragorn suggests that they sold horses to Sauron. You would think he’d be smarter than to believe rumors Sauron had human servants. The Mouth of Sauron, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/111 "2023-07-20T15:01:56Z")
I bet that guy could really negotiate. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/112 "2023-07-20T15:04:33Z")
I was going to say, many Southrons and “swarthy people” in general were supporters of Sauron. The Haradrim had been largely devoted to Sauron, so he had plenty of humans ready to assist. Also, there were humans with mixed orcish ancestry running around as well who could mostly pass for human. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/113 "2023-07-20T23:10:54Z")
It’s not silly, but I came upon this blog that talks about strategy and politics and things. One of the parts that caught my eye was [a discussion of why Saruman’s plan to get the Ring and defeat Rohan was terrible.](https://acoup.blog/category/collections/the-battle-of-helms-deep/) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2023, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/114 "2023-07-29T20:01:35Z")
Thanks for that, @Love_Rhombus; that was a fascinating read. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/115 "2023-07-30T01:10:36Z")
You’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2023, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/116 "2023-07-31T22:35:05Z")
This may or may not be a “silly” LotR thought: Since Tolkien named his two Stoors “Déagol” and “Sméagol,” (WITH the diacriticals) WHY THE FUCK do people call Gollum “Smeegle?” ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2023, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/117 "2023-07-31T23:08:36Z")
Perhaps through the same process by which my paternal grandmother’s birth name (Beausoleil) ended up being pronounced “Bushley.” Given the chance to compress sounds, people just naturally seem to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2023, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/118 "2023-07-31T23:39:33Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > “One does not simply walk into Mordor.” Not the whole way, anyway - [the sidewalks only go about half a block!](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mordor+Dr,+Lorton,+VA+22079/@38.6759326,-77.2415023,45m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x89b6548a98d6d16b:0x9067eaf237341e8!8m2!3d38.6836238!4d-77.2401826!16s%2Fg%2F1txy36tv?entry=ttu) ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2023, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810/119 "2023-08-01T01:23:17Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > Perhaps through the same process by which my paternal grandmother’s birth name (Beausoleil) ended up being pronounced “Bushley.” Some of my ancestors were Boseleys. We could easily be related. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-lord-of-the-rings-thoughts/986810.md?page=5)