J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is the blueprint for high fantasy. His intricate world-building is in a league of its own. The late author and philologist even created multiple, fully developed languages for his characters. Almost half a century after its publication, New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson blessed fans with an audacious adaptation, split into three films. Even today, The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy is regarded as one of the best cinematic works of fantasy. Is it a perfect, page-by-page adaptation of Tolkien’s work? No, but few adaptations are.
Whether left on the cutting room floor, omitted entirely from script to screen, or unexplained by Tolkien himself, The Lord of the Rings (both book and movies) boasts more than a few Middle-earth mysteries we’ll never have answers to.
The Entwives of It All
Entwives, or female Ents, headed east of Fangorn Forest to start a garden (later known as the Brown Lands), abandoning the Ents in the process. Their migration occurred before the Third Age. However, they seemingly vanished into thin air. Treebeard, the oldest of the Ents, searched for them but came up short. Sauron’s meteoric rise to power in the Second Age led to the destruction of the Brown Lands, a region of Rhovanion. In The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Merry and Pippin meet Treebeard, also known as Fangorn, who tells them about the Entwives.
This begs the question: What happened to the Entwives? They’re only mentioned in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings via Treebeard’s account, since they disappeared long before the events of the novel. It’s abundantly clear that they treasured peace above all else and wanted to flee Sauron’s penchant for wreaking havoc in his quest for dominance. Tolkien revealed in a letter that they could’ve been wiped out during the War of the Last Alliance. Still, is it possible that some of the Entwives survived beyond the Second and Third Ages?
What Happened to the Blue Wizards?
Much like the Entwives, the Blue Wizards – Alatar and Pallando – are an enigma. Readers know there are five Wizards, and they’ve already met Gandalf, Saruman, and Radagast. Tolkien wrote that the five Istari arrived in Middle-earth in TA 1000, but in The Peoples of Middle-earth, it’s said they appeared in SA 1600. The aforementioned volume also changes Alatar and Pallando’s names to Morinehtar and Rómestámo.
The Blue Wizards are mentioned in The Lord of the Rings and given (slightly) more focus in an aside in The Silmarillion. Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth also explains that two Wizards ventured to the east of Middle-earth. According to Tolkien, the Blue Wizards were tasked with weakening Sauron’s forces in the east and south of Middle-earth, while the others carried out their mission in the west.
It’s understandable why Jackson’s film trilogy doesn’t include the Blue Wizards in some capacity, given what little is known about them. That said, one can’t help but wonder what those Blue Wizards are up to. Did they fail to reach their objective and shuffle back to Valinor? Or are they hiding in plain sight, still in Middle-earth?
The Watcher in the Water
Also known as the Dweller in the Pool, this tentacled creature that is the stuff of nightmares lives in the waters outside the Doors of Durin. The Watcher only appears in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring film, but it also has a small role in Tolkien’s seminal work. While there are differences between the text and the adaptation, in the movie, the monster catches Frodo as Gandalf attempts to decipher the password to Moria. Legolas launches an arrow into the Watcher’s eye as the Fellowship ventures into the Mines of Moria.
Tolkien didn’t elaborate much on the Watcher’s physical attributes beyond its tentacles. It definitely gives off eldritch horror vibes, though. The Watcher in the Water’s origins are unknown, although Gandalf surmised that it originated from beneath the Misty Mountains. Like other fascinating creatures in this world that are essentially one-hit wonders on the appearance front, the Watcher in the Water is shrouded in mystery.
Aragorn’s Connection With the Elves in ‘The Lord of the Rings’
Aragorn and the Elves are thick as thieves. He even romances the Evenstar, Arwen. While his strong connection is explained in Tolkien’s works, Jackson’s film trilogy doesn’t delve into it. It’s a bewildering choice, to be sure, considering how integral said connection is to Aragorn and Arwen’s story. Readers know that Aragorn’s father, Arathorn, died while pursuing Orcs. Aragorn was only two years old at the time. Then, Elrond fostered Aragorn at Rivendell (his dad also grew up in Rivendell under the Half-Elf’s care). Elrond changed Aragorn’s name to “Estel” to conceal the latter’s royal lineage at the request of Aragorn’s mother. He’s a descendant of Elendil and the Heir of Isildur (both of whom we see more of in Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power).
Of course, even with this basic information, one can infer that Aragorn grew up with Arwen and their relationship blossomed from there. However, it would’ve been nice to see Jackson elucidate Aragorn’s Rivendell ties in The Lord of the Rings movies.
Ungoliant’s Origin Story
A primordial spirit who infamously destroyed the Two Trees of Valinor to do Melkor’s bidding, Ungoliant’s origins are unknown. Tolkien wrote that she transformed into a spider after entering Arda. The consensus among some Eldar seems to be that she was one of the Ainur (the Holy Ones) that Melkor corrupted.
After arriving in Middle-earth, Ungoliant tried to kill Me kor for betraying her. Melkor’s cries alerted the Balrogs residing under the ruins of Angband. Ungoliant fled from the Balrogs in terror and laid down roots beneath the Ered Gorgoroth mountain range, where she mated with other evil, spidery beasts. Then, Ungoliant ventured south of Arda before vanishing. Legend has it that she became a victim of her insatiable hunger and devoured herself.
Ungoliant doesn’t appear in The Lord of the Rings films, but her offspring, Shelob, plays a role in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, giving Frodo and Sam conflict aplenty in the third installment.
This swirling black hole of unadulterated evil is as fascinating as she is mysterious. So, where did she truly come from? What was she before taking the form of a giant spider? Was she always rotten to the core?
The Hobbits and Rivendell
The Fellowship of the Ring sees Arwen coming to the Fellowship’s aid as Aragorn carries an ill Frodo into Rivendell. They’re being pursued by Ringwraiths, so time is of the essence. It’s understandable why Jackson needed to condense this chase sequence for the sake of runtime, but in the book, it takes the Hobbits weeks to reach Rivendell’s perimeter. This gives Elrond and the Elves enough time to catch wind of the Hobbits’ trek to their Elven settlement.
How do the Elves know about the Hobbits and Aragorn’s journey to Rivendell? Sure, Aragorn is proficient in Elvish and grew up among the Elves, but is there some inexplicable telepathic connection between the future King of Gondor and his childhood companions? Or should viewers chalk this mystery up to the technicalities of moviemaking?
Who Are the Other Seven Nazgûl in ‘The Lord of the Rings’?
Celebrimbor forged 19 rings of power in Eregion. Three of them went to the Elves, seven went to the Dwarves, and nine were given to the great lords and warriors of Men. Sauron exercised his corruptive influence over these Men. They eventually became the Nazgûl, otherwise known as Ringwraiths, dark servants of their Dark Lord. They appear in Tolkien’s works, including The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales. They also appear in the titular film trilogy and The Hobbit movies.
Readers know the names of two of the nine Ringwraiths – Khamûl the Easterling, who was a king prior to his corruption, and the Witch-king of Angmar, leader of the Nazgûl – which begs the question: Who are the other seven? Sauron gave rings to three Númenóreans and an Easterling king. However, Tolkien doesn’t name them, nor do Jackson’s films.
While not considered canon, The Rings of Power could provide its own explanation regarding the Nine’s identities, especially with Season 2’s heavier focus on Númenor and Sauron’s contribution to the rings’ creation under his alias Annatar. The prevailing theory seems to be Pharazôn (who usurps his cousin Tar-Míriel as king of Númenor) and his son, Kemen, as potential future Nazgûl. They certainly fit the “impressionable and inherently malicious” requirements needed to be the arm of Sauron.
Perhaps this one is best left to the vivid imaginations of Middle-earth fan fiction writers on Arda and beyond.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
