Middle-earth Bad Popularity Cup

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Tuor in Gondolin

And about the counetrfactual fiction/history
above, for JRRT's concept I think Aragorn
has to come in from the south. Without the
written narrative it might be something like
Aragorn's (book) company fighting their
way through (with Strider actually dispatching
the KotD) and then rallying the South
Gondorians, who would of course have to
have enough of a navy to take over the
Corsairs fleet. In some ways a more satisfactory
plot then the somewhat deux ex machina
(and it might have dissuaded PJ from
the invasion of the green slime at Minsas Tirith).

Counterfactual history, now you got it, sir

Okay, just briefly - not to be off-topic too much - this won't work anyway, otherwise, it will be far better for the South Gondorians to just send more troops to Minas Tirith in the first place (seeing that they have enough men themselves to cope with the Corsairs), in which case, the battle will be obviously victorious for Minas Tirith in the first place. But we needed this typical "our heroes look like they will be obviously doomed" and then this sudden turn of the tide. And this was only possible if the Corsairs were stronger. And this again needed some reinforcements to come. And the Dead were still quite a smooth way to do that, I can't think of anything better now (like I said, Elves from Lórien won't do...).

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Perhaps, like Ancalagon the Black, it is because of the dearth of information on Scatha that makes the dragon intriguing, or dragons are just interesting in and of themselves. In any case, this is yet another Tolkien character that got only a passing mention, but for whom I'd love to hear a more fleshed-out tale.

Yes, unlike Ancalagon the Black, perhaps because the lack of information, Scatha is intriguing. I like him. He was nice. I liked him very "early" - short after I read LotR for the first time. He was a cold-drake, but that does not prevent him from being cool, quite the opposite And he was killed by a man from Éotheod, now isn't that great?

++Scatha

Eol had a dad? Hmmm...I believe, like Thingol, he was among the Firstborn.

I think Tuor had his son in mind.

[Thinlómien]

++Shelob

Scatha has a cool name and he reminds me of old legends like Beowulf, but I've got to be feminist and vote Shelob.

[skip spence]

I love dragons but there's just not enough info on Scatha for me to vote for him. I mean, the only adjective you could use describing him is "dead".

++Shelob

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

Scatha has a cool name and he reminds me of old legends like Beowulf, but I've got to be feminist and vote Shelob.

Hey, but what if Scatha was a she? Now wouldn't that be even cooler than some silly spider?

Speaking of silly spiders: why were not Lazy Lob and Crazy Cob inculded? They were cuute!

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

Hey, but what if Scatha was a she? Now wouldn't that be even cooler than some silly spider?

His name sounds masculine, except that it resembles Scathatch (aiee not spelt that way, I know ).

But I always kind of liked Shelob anyway.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

His name sounds masculine, except that it resembles Scathatch (aiee not spelt that way, I know ).

What? Sasquatch?

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

What? Sasquatch?

Nope, Scáthatch.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

Nope, Scáthatch.

I have to confess, a Hobbit? Neverr heard aabout ahobbit befoore... (too bad. Too bad.)

Nevertheless, I always liked what happened to Scatha's teeth - also pretty cool story.

And speaking of Scáthatch, I started to wonder about the etymology of Scatha's name - is it possible that it had something to do with "Shadow", after all, too? Or did Tolkien say anything more? Was it supposed to reflect the language of the Éotheod, who were, after all, the ones who encountered him? Okay, I see I would be starting another thread again...