The One Ring Forums: Tolkien Topics: Movie Discussion: The Hobbit:
Why don't the Eagles just fly them to Erebor



haarp
Rivendell

Dec 13 2012, 2:32pm


Views: 2698
Why don't the Eagles just fly them to Erebor
Why stop outside Mirkwood? They could probably see the lonely mountain from that distance.


chris10112
Bree

Dec 13 2012, 2:37pm


Views: 1952
Eagles aren't a taxi service
They were lucky to be deemed worthy of saving (thanks entirely to Gandalf), nevermind being given a free ride all that way (over a dangerous area for the eagles, since men aren't massive fans)


Aragalen the Green
Gondor


Dec 13 2012, 2:38pm


Views: 2048
In the book,
the Eagles are reluctant to fly near Mirkwood because the Woodmen living between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood would shoot at them "with their bows of yew", thinking they were stealing their sheep.

I would like to see a scene with one of the Eagles carrying off a whole sheep though. The Eagles must be enormous!
" 'Twas a near thing!" said Spam. "Came nigh to a-spoilin' me pantaloons."


Joe20
Lorien


Dec 13 2012, 2:39pm


Views: 1972
Oh no. Not this again.
I can still remember... "Why don't the eagles just fly them to Mount Doom" Tongue


macfalk
Valinor


Dec 13 2012, 2:41pm


Views: 1826
The eagles do not trust humans.
To get to Erebor, they would have to fly over human settlement. The eagles comments that they would be bombarded with arrows, if they went anywhere near such places.


The greatest adventure is what lies ahead.


Notanelvishname
Lorien

Dec 13 2012, 2:50pm


Views: 1770
Also the Eagles are there to save them from some danger.
Not to transport them all around Middle Earth.
And Gandalf probably wants Thorin to

Spoilers

meet Beorn who will be instrumental at the BotFA.


morgenstern
The Shire


Dec 13 2012, 2:51pm


Views: 1755
The idea is to lengthen the journey, not shorten it.
Any change to the original story that would have resulted in a shorter film was probably rejected out of hand.


The Preciousss
Bree

Dec 13 2012, 2:58pm


Views: 1729
And I guess a swarm of giant eagles
wouldn't exactly qualify as a stealth mission...


Eye's on Guard
Lorien


Dec 13 2012, 3:31pm


Views: 1853
This is why...
...IMO it is a mistake not to have the eagles talk, especially in The Hobbit. PJ missed a chance to clear things up here. As Aragalen the Green said, they actually have a good reason for not going any farther. The reason people view them as a "taxi service" is because they have been one-dimensionalized by the films. Unsure


Otaku-sempai
Immortal


Dec 13 2012, 3:50pm


Views: 1655
Is the company still with the Eagles at the end of 'AUJ'?
Perhaps Gandalf will explain the position of the Eagles at the beginning of The Desolation of Smaug (or in the An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition).
'There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world.' - Gandalf the Grey, The Fellowship of the Ring


RalphDamiani
Rivendell

Dec 13 2012, 4:13pm


Views: 1708
An old question
It's one of those cases where things that worked well in the Hobbit because of its light hearted nature, didn't work too well in the LoTR.

The eagles could never wear the ring, but could probably carry it all the way to Mordor. They probably greatly outnumbered the Nazgul flying beasts and if they were recruited from early on, there's nothing Sauron could have done to prevent the ring from being dropped in Mount Doom, short of breeding new dragons, which he likely couldn't.

Tolkien used them sparingly like a deus ex-machina and that probably answers why they never got too involved: Because that would be terrible storytelling.
Amazing as they are, their inclusion does open room for questions which Tolkien, apparently, never felt the need to elaborate.

The closest lore friendly explanation would be: They're not beasts of burden and they can't carry anyone for too great a distance. It's considered a great honor to ride one, and the dwarves' business is not their own. Radagast is their friend, and they would come to Gandalf's aid, above all else, but not to his service.


Wordofmask
Lorien

Dec 13 2012, 4:16pm


Views: 1656
completely agree with you
In Reply To
...IMO it is a mistake not to have the eagles talk, especially in The Hobbit. PJ missed a chance to clear things up here. As Aragalen the Green said, they actually have a good reason for not going any farther. The reason people view them as a "taxi service" is because they have been one-dimensionalized by the films. Unsure


HeatherEntwood
The Shire

Dec 13 2012, 5:29pm


Views: 1599
Deus ex-machina?
...more like deus ex-avibus but I understand what you're saying. Wink


(This post was edited by HeatherEntwood on Dec 13 2012, 5:30pm)


Xanaseb
Tol Eressea


Dec 13 2012, 6:20pm


Views: 1557
*facepalm* ... thought this would come at some point -__- //
 
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Mooseboy018
Grey Havens


Dec 13 2012, 7:24pm


Views: 1536
Exactly
I was really hoping they'd take this opportunity to set the whole eagles thing straight. Or at least address it...

One of the dwarves better ask Gandalf about it at some point near the beginning of the next movie.