Olog-hai and Uruk-hai
 

This has been "confuzzling" me....
How exactly are the Olog-Hai and Uruk-Hai related? Did they both use the Black Speech to communicate? I know the Uruk-hai was created by Saruman. The Olog-hai was created by Sauron?

Can anyone elaborate more about them???

According to the Encyclopedia of Arda, and The Tolkien Companion, The Olog-Hai were not actually Orcs. They are a race of Trolls, (Olog means "Troll" in the Black Speech.) They were bred by Sauron to be more cunning and fierce, and to be able to tolerate the light of the Sun.

Interestingly, both the above sources say that the Uruk-Hai were not created by Saruman, but Sauron, and appear some 500 years before the events of LoTR. Saruman merely "improved" his own army of Uruk-Hais, and also created "half-orcs" a cross of Orcs and men, which it is best not to dwell on too much.

Tolkien suggests that the "Southerner" in Bree may have been one of these "Half-Orcs".

[ June 09, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]

So, Olog-hais were advanced, enhanced trolls? Because ordinary troll,as you know, turn to stone in the sunlight. Are Olog-hai smart, unlike ordinary trolls?

You are correct, that Olog-Hai are smart trolls, or as smart as they can be. They actually used hammers and shields as weapons. And my recommendations, Birdland. Not many people knows that the Uruk-Hai were created by Sauron.

They were so as long as Sauron's will was with them. When the Ring was unmade, the spell was broken and their senses were taken away from them.

Uruk-Hai appeared in the year 2475 of the Third Age from Mordor. They used to carry shields with the Red Eye of Mordor

Hmmmm, interesting. I'd always thought the Uruk-Hai were created from a "strain", by Saruman not by Sauron... that's where I get confused. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Also, the Black Speech was said to have been taught by Sauron to his Olog-Hai (and orcs), or perhaps it said to his minions. Another puzzling bit, since it did not say if those orcs were the Uruk-hai or not.

Did any of the Uruk-Hai and Olog-hai survive after the War of the Ring? I think there was mentioned at the index of RoTK, Thranduil and Celeborn got together and cleansed Mirkwood, and later it was renamed to Eryn Lasgalen. Were these the remanants of those orcs & troll race?

Maybe some of the stronger, smarter creatures survived. The Uruks do not seem to be as controlled by Sauron's will like orcs, e.g. Ugluk seems rather independent. I think they could probably survive in places like Mirkwood, and that's why Celeborn and Thranduil got together and cleansed the wood once and for all.