Saruman's fireball - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lolidir · 01-21-2005, 10:31 PM

exactly. that is a great point. i guess we just get so wrapped up in what we think that we forget to realize that we have no idea what they were thinking. so really all these are just ideas and thoughts.

**The Saucepan Man** · 01-22-2005, 12:34 PM

I doubt that Jackson and co really thought about it that much. They just wanted a nice effect that (non-book reading) viewers would like and, at the same time, would show that Gandalf's powers were now superior to those of Saruman.

Hey, you could come up with any number of theories. Perhaps the restrictions placed on the Istari prevented them using such powerful magic on "lesser" beings.

Although it seems to me that Saruman would have been hard pressed to take all of the Ents out and, Lolidir pointed out, a fireball would have been practically useless once the Ents undammed the river.

Lyta_Underhill · 01-22-2005, 01:48 PM

The fireball didn't bother me nearly as much as Legolas shooting Wormtongue did! Totally gratuitous and another instance of weakening the integrity of Legolas to have him perform a stunt...I don't think a fireball is out of character for Saruman, although we can argue he would not have had the proper skill in terms of the ordering of Middle Earth , etc., etc.,....

Cheers!
Lyta

Essex · 01-24-2005, 09:59 AM

Legolas was trying to save the life of another person. That is a noble cause, not gratuitous, and did not weaken his character IMO.

Lyta_Underhill · 01-24-2005, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Legolas was trying to save the life of another person. That is a noble cause, not gratuitous, and did not weaken his character IMO.

I'll have to go back and watch it again, because I could have sworn he launched the arrow when it was already too late!

Cheers!
Lyta

alatar · 01-24-2005, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyta_Underhill

I'll have to go back and watch it again, because I could have sworn he launched the arrow when it was already too late!

Thought the same, but am relying on memory. And why would Legolas kill someone who was killing the 'bad guy'? Oh, that's right, because Saruman was just about to tell Gandalf something important, and interrupting the same must have warranted death as Gandalf the Anxious needed some assurance...

It is assumed that Legolas' slaying of Wormtongue was a nod to Wormtongue's death in the Scouring of the Shire, but if so, it's pretty weak. The hobbits in the Shire heard that Wormtongue may have eaten the Chief, and so were hot to shoot someone. But Legolas?

And in regards to Saruman vs the Ents, he could have at least attempted to torch the Ent (or was it Ents?) that was undamming the river.

**The Saucepan Man** · 01-24-2005, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alatar

And in regards to Saruman vs the Ents, he could have at least attempted to torch the Ent (or was it Ents?) that was undamming the river.

It is many years since I last played Dungeons and Dragons but, if my memory serves, I don't believe that the fireball spell has sufficient range.

01-21-2005, 10:31 PM	#1
Lolidir Wight Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Roaming the plains of Middle Earth Posts: 103	exactly. that is a great point. i guess we just get so wrapped up in what we think that we forget to realize that we have no idea what they were thinking. so really all these are just ideas and thoughts. __________________ "Its a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to"

01-22-2005, 12:34 PM	#2
The Saucepan Man Corpus Cacophonous Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: A green and pleasant land Posts: 8,390	I doubt that Jackson and co really thought about it that much. They just wanted a nice effect that (non-book reading) viewers would like and, at the same time, would show that Gandalf's powers were now superior to those of Saruman. Hey, you could come up with any number of theories. Perhaps the restrictions placed on the Istari prevented them using such powerful magic on "lesser" beings. Although it seems to me that Saruman would have been hard pressed to take all of the Ents out and, Lolidir pointed out, a fireball would have been practically useless once the Ents undammed the river. __________________ Do you mind? I'm busy doing the fishstick. It's a very delicate state of mind! Last edited by The Saucepan Man; 01-24-2005 at 12:41 PM. Reason: Qucikly, before "undamning" a river becomes subject to the Freudian slip treatment

01-22-2005, 01:48 PM	#3
Lyta_Underhill Haunted Halfling Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: an uncounted length of steps--floating between air molecules Posts: 841	The fireball didn't bother me nearly as much as Legolas shooting Wormtongue did! Totally gratuitous and another instance of weakening the integrity of Legolas to have him perform a stunt...I don't think a fireball is out of character for Saruman, although we can argue he would not have had the proper skill in terms of the ordering of Middle Earth , etc., etc.,.... Cheers! Lyta __________________ “…she laid herself to rest upon Cerin Amroth; and there is her green grave, until the world is changed, and all the days of her life are utterly forgotten by men that come after, and elanor and niphredil bloom no more east of the Sea.”

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01-24-2005, 09:59 AM	#4
Essex Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Essex, England Posts: 886	Legolas was trying to save the life of another person. That is a noble cause, not gratuitous, and did not weaken his character IMO.