The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum


Visit The *EVEN NEWER* Barrow-Downs Photo Page

Go Back   The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum > Middle-Earth Discussions > Novices and Newcomers
User Name
Password
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 02-11-2004, 10:05 AM   #1
paavo
Shade of Carn Dûm
 
paavo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Finland
Posts: 447
paavo has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via MSN to paavo
Question what did legolas shoot at?

In the river Anduin after the Company has been seen by orcs, a dark flying creature approaches them. I first thought that it was a Nazgul and/or his "winged beast" since Frodo's old wound became cold, but then legolas shoots one arrow towards it and kills it. at least I presume he kills it because later on Frodo says that it's fall has dismayed their enemy. But surely a "winged beast" cannot be killed that easily?
__________________
It seems to me that trying to live without friends is like milking a bear to get cream for your morning coffee. It is a whole lot of trouble, and then not worth much after you get it.
paavo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2004, 10:21 AM   #2
Leyrana Silumiel
Haunting Spirit
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Alabama, USA
Posts: 58
Leyrana Silumiel has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Leyrana Silumiel
Well, I can only add my supposition here; I always guessed it was one of the Crebain that Aragorn and Sam see before they go on Caradhras. They are spybirds, so one of them following the Fellowship wouldn't be unexpected. And the Enemy would definitely be dismayed that Legolas shot it down, because that means he can't spy on them until he gets another Crebain out there.

That's just my guess, though. ^_^
Leyrana Silumiel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2004, 11:19 AM   #3
Ashton
Animated Skeleton
 
Ashton's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Middle Earth (Where else would I be?)
Posts: 33
Ashton has just left Hobbiton.
Silmaril

Actually, Legolas did shoot down the one of the Nazgul's winged steeds. I know this because Frodo's wound became cold when it flew overhead. And I can only assume that was from where the Nazgul stabbed him at weathertop.

As for how he could kill it so easily, remember that Legolas is a very good shot. He can see a lot, even though it was at night. He could have shot him through the heart, or up into his brain. Any one of the two would kill it instantly. And he probably has about an 100 pound pull on his bow that would make his arrow go in deep anough to kill it. I think that Legolas, even though he doesn't really know what it is, knows the best way to kill anything that would be stalking them.
__________________
Eat, Drink and be Merry......or Pippin.
Ashton is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2004, 08:44 PM   #4
Finwe
Deathless Sun
 
Finwe's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: The Royal Suite in the Halls of Mandos
Posts: 2,609
Finwe has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Finwe
Hmm... doesn't 100 pounds seem a bit like overkill, even for an Elf? Then again, in the Middle Ages, some longbowmen were using bows with pull weights well over 100 lbs. I always thought that Legolas's bow was something around 60-80 lbs, but I suppose that wouldn't have been able to shoot an arrow that high and that accurately, unless he overdrew a lot.
__________________
But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.
Finwe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2004, 09:47 PM   #5
Eorl of Rohan
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
Eorl of Rohan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Posts: 602
Eorl of Rohan has just left Hobbiton.
Legolas said to Gandalf later on that he shot a dark shape out of the sky and Gandalf said that it was a winged steed of Nazgul. That pretty much clears up the doubt, I think. Olorin would be scarcly wrong.
__________________
There is no signature here.
Eorl of Rohan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2004, 04:02 PM   #6
Silmiel of Imladris
Shade of Carn Dûm
 
Silmiel of Imladris's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Looking into a crystal ball- still see nothing
Posts: 395
Silmiel of Imladris has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Silmiel of Imladris
Sting

Hmmm... I can't remember this part in the book. I really have to read them again. I will put it on my to do list.
__________________
Legolas 20 ales later: I feel something, a slight tingling in my fingers. I think it's affecting me.

Figwit on his name: Are you suggesting that I have the wit of a fig?
Silmiel of Imladris is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2004, 02:05 AM   #7
rutslegolas
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
rutslegolas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: In Elven Lands of India
Posts: 549
rutslegolas has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to rutslegolas Send a message via Yahoo to rutslegolas
ya i think that legolas killed the the nazguls flying beast
the first reason for this is that frodos old wound hurt and started getting cold
and i remember gandalf telling legolas that shooting the beast was a good deed but only the flying beast was killed and the the nazgul was soon horsed again.
__________________
If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with the bull - The Phantom.
rutslegolas is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2004, 08:58 AM   #8
Hot, crispy nice hobbit
Wight
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Troll's larder
Posts: 195
Hot, crispy nice hobbit has just left Hobbiton.
Is this what you guys mean?

Quote:
"The Winged Messenger!" cried Legolas. "I shot at him with the bow of Galadriel above Sarn Gebir, and I felled him from the sky. He filled us all with fear. What new terror is this?" "One that you cannot slay with arrows," said Gandalf. "You only slew his steed. It was a good deed; but the Rider was soon horsed again. For he was a Nazgul, one of the Nine, who ride now upon winged steeds. Soon their terror will overshadow the last armies of our friends, cutting off the sun...."
Which also brought the question: How many "winged steeds" did Sauron breed? Surely, if there are more than enough of them to re-horse a Nazgul, there would have been enough to horse other of his servants?
Hot, crispy nice hobbit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2004, 11:37 AM   #9
Finwe
Deathless Sun
 
Finwe's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: The Royal Suite in the Halls of Mandos
Posts: 2,609
Finwe has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Finwe
True, but the Nazgul were the only ones who really needed the winged steeds, since they were Sauron's messengers. Sauron doesn't come across as a wasteful person, so he probably only "made" enough for the Nazgul, and didn't plan to let any of his other servants use them.
__________________
But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.
Finwe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2004, 03:44 PM   #10
lore_master
Wight
 
lore_master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Valhalla
Posts: 116
lore_master has just left Hobbiton.
English war bows typicly had a draw weight of 140 to 160 lbs, i emagine Legolas, being an Elf, could have pulled that without much strain, 130 lbs would rip through metal plate armor and 160 would most likely rib througn the body of one who had armor on.

i think that the body of a winged steed would probably be equal to that of steel plate armor(if not greater) so adding the height, and gravity, a 150 lb bow would probably kill it.
__________________
As you go the way of life, you will see a great chasm. Jump. It is not as wide as you think
lore_master is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-22-2014, 11:07 AM   #11
arathorn
Animated Skeleton
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 45
arathorn has just left Hobbiton.
It's simple: Legolas is described as being immensely strong by Tolkien, it was given him a "great war-bow"(the most ranged bow in all middle earth made in Lórien and would weight a lot), great sight and steady hands.
The arrow probably stuck to deep in the Nazgul flesh(who isn't as dense as ancient Dragon for example).
arathorn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-22-2014, 11:11 AM   #12
arathorn
Animated Skeleton
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 45
arathorn has just left Hobbiton.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Finwe View Post
Hmm... doesn't 100 pounds seem a bit like overkill, even for an Elf? Then again, in the Middle Ages, some longbowmen were using bows with pull weights well over 100 lbs. I always thought that Legolas's bow was something around 60-80 lbs, but I suppose that wouldn't have been able to shoot an arrow that high and that accurately, unless he overdrew a lot.
His first bow was like that and came from Mirkwood but later Galadriel gave him one of the Lorien bows which are very long and weights a lot.
arathorn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Yesterday, 07:45 AM   #13
B11215
Newly Deceased
 
Join Date: Mar 2024
Posts: 1
B11215 has just left Hobbiton.
White Tree Uglúk confirms

Another confirmation that Legolas killed (or at the least downed) the steed comes in the chapter The Uruk-Hai in 'The Two Towers.' As the Orc factions quarrel on the night before the Rohirrim attack, Uglúk of Isengard taunts Grishnákh of Mordor: "What's happened to your precious Nazgûl? Has he had another mount shot under him?"
B11215 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:29 PM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.