Tolkien's best fight
 

What was your favourite fight in the whole of Tolkien's works? Big or small, battle or spat, War or handbags, any fight at all.

I guess it would be Helms Deep or the battle of the Pelannor fields or some out of the Silmarillion I'm not quite sure now though. But the use of hanbags would be most amusing! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Pelennor.

'Nuf said.

The one fight we never really get to see...the one that went on in Frodo's mind against the Ring.

Well, I would have to say that my fav battle is from The Return of the King where Eowyn goes head to head with the flying Nazgul. I couldn't wait to find out what happened. [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

moria

or helms deep, i spose.

Definitely Pelennor! I just thought it was so well-written...

For me its a toss up between Pelennor and the Battle of the Five Armies.

I wish Tolkien had been more verbose about the Dwarf/Goblin War. From the appendix, it sounds like it would have made a great story to retail the terrible deeds wrought by both.

As I'm plunging through the Silmarillion I've decided to be appropriate and name something from there. I liked the fight between Sauron and Felagund. Not so much the actual fight, but the idea. A song-fight? I might actually win!

i liked the little fisticuff between gandalf and saruman at isengard.

Oh come on! The best darn fight is when Sam battles with Shelob! It's my absolute favorite, anyway. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

(I also like the Battle of Sudden Flame from the Sil.)

The one infront of the black gate, it is so cool because everything is just about to end and then it is OK. Also the one going on in Frodo's head. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

oooh.... this one is hard! Either the one in Frodo's head, the one in Moria, Sam against Shelob, or Eowyn against the witch king.
Arwen, Queen of Gondor

mines definately pelenor
that bit when aragorn comes in the black ships and then his banner comes out, that was pretty cool
i also like that bit in isengard, when saruman is talking to gandalf

the best battle by far is the fight between Morgoth and Fingolfin easy another good one is the Fifth Battle

I also love Morgoth v Fingolfin. I also love every fight involving Turin Turambar because he was so great. Especially the one where Saeros jumped him but Turin totally turned it around and chased him to his death.

Poor Turin. I just finnished reading his story.

Anyway, I can't pick on fight so I'll just list my favorits:

1. The battle in Frodo's head
2. The arguments between Sam and Gollum (Po-ta-toes)
3. The fight between Sam and Shelob
4. Pelennor
5. The Battle of Unnumbered Tears [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

Most exciting battle, for me, would have to be the Fall of Gondolin from Book of Lost Tales II.

Great build up to the battle as the troops marshal themselves to fight the Balrogs, dragons, and the waves of orcs. Lovely individual fight scenes - Ecthelion vs. the Balrog, e.g.

Wonderful, all round!

I forgot about Gondolin in lost tales 2 yup that would have been better than the Pelannor fields battle to see, it gets quite exciting when u read it. Darn !! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Because of the huge scope, many heroic deeds, and tragic events and final stands, I would have to go with The Battle of Unnumbered Tears.

I am really going to have to get Lost Tales. If it gives you more description of The Fall of Gondolin than the Silmarillion did then I will be mostly delighted.

I think the best fight was the verbal abuse poor Smeagol got from Sam! Man, he threatened Gollum so many times it was sad!

How about the little know bickerings between Gimli and Legoals when the Fellowship first stars out? They last from Rivendell until Legoals drags Gimli away from Balin's tomb in Moria.

Besides that....
My favoutrites are:

The Last Alliance

The Battle of Unnumbered Tears

Pelennor

And Sam's bickerings with Gollum.

OH! and one more.

The scene where Gandlf and Wormtongue spat back ad forth in Meduseld is rather amusing.

For now, it's Eowyn and the slaying of the Witch-King. I never expected it, and because of that, I knew Eowyn better.

I can't believe no-one's mentioned Gandalf and The Balrog.

Oh, that too.

Never thought about that until now. But then, Gandalf fell off. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

I don't think he fell off. Was he not pulled?

Anyway, for a one-on-one fight, Gandalf versus The Balrog was immense! It went on and on until Gandalf finally struck down his foe.

The Fight between Fingolfin and Morgoth.

The Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad. It seemed to be a great victory, but turned out to be the greatest and the final loss of the Noldor. And it shows greatly the deeds of Hurin Thalion and his brother Huor and the Men of Dor-lomin. It's probably the best.

The Battle of Sudden Flame is also great, though.

The War of Wrath, if told more, would probably been great too. And I would've liked to learn more about Ecthelion and Gothmog.

the Last Alliance at The Dagorlad! Man, that battle rocked! I only saw one other person vouch for it. Wasn't the host of men and elves the most magnificent since the host of Nirnaeth Arnoediad? I read it somewhere. I always want to rewind or backtrack when i'm watching the movie. The coolest thing-they won. Nirnaeth Arnoediad was lost, Dagor Bragollach was lost, but this was the battle that shaped the future of middle-earth til its end-and it was won, and decisively. True, Sauron did regain much of his former strength, but lost it in the blink of an eye once gollum fell into the crack of doom.

1. Melkor vs. Fingolfin
2. Eowyn vs. Witchking
3. Nirnaeth Arnoediad

Helms Deep
and
Melkor/Fingolfin

I like the bickerings between travelling companions (well I say companions but, sam and gollum weren't exactly companiony)

Another heart-wrenching fight is when the survivors of Doriath and Gondolin are slaughtered by the Sons of Feanor. Simply because it was just so.....wrong. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

May I offer a modest suggestion here?

As someone reading this thread, I would appreciate if people could provide some reasons for their choice. That would help me understand how to compare the various battles being suggested.

What makes a good fight scene can be an interesting topic for discussion but unless we can understand what the criteria are--goriest slaughter, most emotional impact, greatest heroism, most original perspective--the answers are really just lists of battles seemingly based on whim and opinion rather than discussion.

I am intrigued by Tolkien's discussion of the Battle of Maldon and his analysis of what makes a good leader, someone who responds out of mere personal glory/honour or someone whose conduct is determined by responsibility to those who follow him.

The word 'best' is deliberately vague to suit this forum. List any way that a fight touched you and post it.

But I agree with you Bethberry. Its a little pointless listing a particular fight just because "It rocked!"

Well, in my point of view, I would have to say I like the Battel of the Pelannor Fields the best. It's not because it was the biggest or the scariest or anything like that, it's just because of the major events that happened within.

For instance, Merry and Ewoyn finally got to rise above all others and prove they were really worth something. After being rejected, looked down upon, and told to stay behind, they were finally able to show that they could fight, and that the others were wrong for rejecting them. If it wasn't for these two characters, the entire line of Kings of Rohan would probably be dead.

For another thing, this battle showed Pippin's worth as well. If not for the battle, the steward of Gondor probably would have never freaked out, Pippin would have never run to Gandalf to come try to save Denethor from his own self, and eventually Pippin probably wouldn't have become a knight of Gondor...which still, pretty much, would have made him forever after that "Fool of a Took". Poor Pippin... [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

The battle was very cool though. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

I think the battle of the Pelennor fields was the best. There was so much tension, everyone was wondering if the Riders would make it in time. The Ewoyn/Witchking fight was great, and the stuff that happened inside of the city with Pippin and Denethor was just as exciting. And Aragorn and co. with the ships, and when Theoden died, and Eomer battling on. Not to mention Gandalf saying that the whole battle was just a distraction, and the real battle was with two hobbits, out there alone. I think it was amazing, so well written and compelling.

My favorite battles would be the Battle of the Pelennor Fields and the Battle of Dagorlad.

The Battle of Pelennor Field. The little hairs on the back of my neck stand up just thinking about it. I love the way Theoden's charge is described. I can hear the horns blowing and the hooves thundering. Ride, sons of Eorl! To War, Eorlingas!

PS If PJ does not do it justice, I will do a murder. [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img] [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

I love the (all too brief) depictions of the War of Wrath and Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Both were so well crafted, with tragedy, valor, bravery, friendship and horror mixing perfectly in their limited descriptions in the Silmarillion. As for the most thoroughly crafted battle, I would have to say it is the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. There are so many different angles (the ride of the Rohirrim, Faramir retreating from Osgiliath, the coming of Aragorn, the battle of Merry and Eowyn against the Witch King, Gandalf's various deeds, etc.), all brought together by an overwhelming sense of grim resolve and dire hopelessness. After reviewing my post, I have to say that my favorite would be the Pelennor, for sheer excitement, grandiosity and reader involvement.