Boldogs, Gothmogs and Sauron's New Clothes

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by The Saucepan Man

But if Boldogs could not reproduce, how could Azog, if he was such a being, have produced a son?

There are some who hold that Gorbag's reference, in his conversation with Shagrat, to the "bad old times" and the "Great Siege" derives from first hand experience, suggesting an extraordinary longetivity. Might they perhaps be candidate for Boldog-ship?

Did I say that they couldn't reproduce?

Let me check....

Originally Posted by Formendacil

(hence their ability to reproduce and mate with other proto-Orks),

It's not a huge point, but here is proof that I DID write it as they can reproduce, although if you get right down to it, I suppose that I am hardly qualified to say whether or not a Boldog can mate, but in light of the fact that Tolkien seems to say that when he was looking at Boldogs as Ork-captains, and the fact that their fellow Maia (although not gone bad), Melian, could mate (and with a non-Maia, at that), it would seem to be a logical assumption.

I, personally, wouldn't have picked Gorbag out as a Boldog, but maybe they are more common than I am supposing. Or perhaps, being a captain, he has Boldog-blood, and thus greater longevity?