Time to fix Gandalf versus the Witchking

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Galendor

No, Alatar - I spoke too carelessly and I apologize for it. I don't really have the time or expertise to compile such a list to back up my claim, so it was a pointless claim to make. I can think offhand of scenes that I might like to see eliminated, but as far as arguing for alterations I am probably not up to it in expertise. Sorry again.

Don't take it that way. I hope that it didn't seem that I was demanding anything. I always like to hear what others think about the movies.

Is there any scene that you would 'fix?' If so, how?

But I do tend to agree with Quempel on the issue of Shadowfax, dwarves, and physiological endurance. If you were to poke and prod Shadowfax, would he not feel like a real horse? And if you were to (sorry) dissect Shadowfax, would he not be composed of tissues? And if you looked closer, would not these tissues be composed of cells? And then proteins and nucleic acids?

If you ate him, would he not taste like chicken?

So why shouldn't Gimli be able to run longer and faster than one of us can here in the "real" world? He was a heroic, stout little member of a different species than us, so we can only guess at the metabolic pathways governing his physiology. And Gimli might have a long history of strengthening his body by running up mountains, for all we know. Plus, the oxygen content of the Middle Earth atmosphere might have been higher, permitting a longer run.

Maybe the Endless Stair was a dwarven training course.

Besides, if we are willing to make an argument as STW does that Gimli should be constrained by the biochemistry that governs our bodies, then where does it all end with science versus LOTR? A physicist could come here and make the argument that there is no way that putting a ring of metal on your finger can make your physical form, and everything you are wearing, become invisible (i.e. no longer absorb, reflect, or refract light), especially while you remain solid and able to interact with other physical objects (pick them up, kick them, etc.).

I guess the discussion is, what works within the fantasy world, and what sticks out like a sore foot (from all of that running)? Like I've always said, we've got Balrogs and wraiths and ghost armies, so what's a marathoner Dwarf between you and me?