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Bishop
Gondor
Aug 9 2014, 4:42am
Post #1 of 9
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Is Radagast "built" differently than other beings?
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Or has his solitary life in nature changed his body in some way? Perhaps there is some Tolkien wizard lore I am unfamiliar with. Watching AUJ for the millionth time the other night, it occurred to me that the scene where Radagast blows smoke out of his ears from his mouth may not be intended as a really stupid throwaway gag that breaks any semblance of realism, but rather as a true depiction of how his body differs from other beings (I think one could be forgiven for mistakenly thinking the former is the case). So in other words, inside his head his mouth connects to his ears, perhaps through canals that are unique to his wizardly physical being. We know he has a brain though, because Saruman says it's been addled. Also, he is carrying insects around inside his body, and the top of his head is more like a tree with branches rather than hair with a nest in it. Is Radagast perhaps partly made of wood?
(This post was edited by Bishop on Aug 9 2014, 4:53am)
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Cirashala
Valinor
Aug 9 2014, 6:29am
Post #2 of 9
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if his nose were plugged (granted I don't smoke, but I do have a decent understanding of anatomy) then MAYBE, if there were something wrong with the seal around his eardrums, smoke could conceivably exit through the ear.
Just hold your nose, close your mouth and try to breathe out- it "pops" your eardrums out. Swallow, and they pop back into place with the suction. That's because your ear canal IS actually connected via a thin tunnel toward your throat to allow for middle-ear drainage. It's when you get that middle ear plugged (ear infection) that air cannot move- that's partly why you feel so congested when you have ear infections (the other part is because the pressure of the blocked middle ear partially presses on a nerve that affects equilibrium, thus giving a person slight vertigo with an ear infection too).
The eardrums will cover the opening though, but it's not a 100% seal (if it were, then water wouldn't get trapped in there after swimming sometimes). It is a good enough seal that I don't think smoke would exit without possible significant ear drum damage, but as I mentioned above I don't smoke, so wouldn't know for sure.
But no, I don't think Radagast is made of wood (and I do think it was presented in the movie for comic effect- at least it was subtle enough that I don't pay attention to it (meaning I know it's there but it's so subtle I can easily ignore it)). I think the idea was pointing toward his personality trait of being a bit absent minded and having a slightly addled brain (and thus things he says about the necromancer can be easily dismissed by the White Council without the audience members questioning why they don't listen to his story), which is further backed up by Saruman's dismissive and scolding attitude about Radagast's mushroom habits (which is annoying because it's later found out that he's also on Gandalf's case for pipeweed yet he smokes it too in secret  ).
Same with the stick insect (don't like that part)- he's a bit of an absent minded nut, but IMO when he's in "wizard mode" he's 100% with it. And I think that was just a case of he simply does not pay a lot of attention. Haven't you ever ended up with a bug in your mouth? Of course, us 100% with it all the time people spit it out, but when you're always around nature.....and you're a bit of a loon....
As to the hairdo.....well, I have very, very naturally curly hair, and I've awakened in the morning with my hair quite resembling a honey colored blondish red bird's nest before (especially when it's shoulder length and it was a restless night, which is one of the many reasons why I prefer it long). I would say that's more of a case of a) he probably doesn't own a brush, and b) I think he has an actual bird's nest on his head for his birds, and because it's tangled up in his hair it doesn't fall off
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Cirashala
Valinor
Aug 9 2014, 6:31am
Post #3 of 9
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of course, you could also be entirely joking
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in which case 
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DanielLB
Immortal
Aug 9 2014, 7:40am
Post #4 of 9
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Radagast is made entirely of moths.
When he gets a spear through the chest during the Battle of Dol Guldur, his body will splinter off into a million million moths.
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Spriggan
Tol Eressea
Aug 9 2014, 9:58am
Post #5 of 9
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Everyone's ear is connected to their throat by the Eustachian tube. No unique wizarding canals required.
And you can find people who can get smoke out of their ears. They'd just need a perforated ear drum (or two!).
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shadowdog
Rohan
Aug 9 2014, 5:41pm
Post #6 of 9
(475 views)
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Don't have real bodies, he could adopt pretty much any physical appearance and body he wished?
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Bishop
Gondor
Aug 9 2014, 6:27pm
Post #7 of 9
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Thanks for this response, and other responses.
Indeed we do have interconnected ears, noses, and throats. But it saddens me that Radagast must have severely perforated ear drums or more damage to be able to blow that much smoke out. Also, although I've read that it is possible to do this, it seems more theoretical or David Blane style magic when people do it. I was hoping that maybe Radagast really is just a weird kind of Wizard creature. I'd like to see him lose his balance and fall into a pool of water, and then blast the water out of his ears onto the Nazgul. That would be hilarious!
I do truly like the idea that he's made of moths, or could shift into another creature. Tolkien's ME is rich with these kinds of things, such as Beorn.
(This post was edited by Bishop on Aug 9 2014, 6:29pm)
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Elciryamo
Rivendell
Aug 11 2014, 4:16am
Post #8 of 9
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That's what happens when you regenerate bodies ;)
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There are some side effects after the regeneration wears off.
;)
I wonder if there are any animals that allow for a connection without the perforation that would have to happen in humans that Radagast based his body on?
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Bishop
Gondor
Aug 12 2014, 9:24pm
Post #9 of 9
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Do you think Saruman's eardrums are ruptured/perforated? Maybe all wizards?
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