Weapons of Middle Earth

[Elwe Singollo]

Which of the most famous from the Hobbit, LOTR and The Silmarillion would you like to have. Please don't say Anduril or Narsil because you fancy Aragorn from the movies or because it is much more important. And please give a reason.

I like Glamdring because of its history and I think Turgon and Gandalf are both dudes.

[Boromir88]

For me it would have to be Gil-Galad's spear, Aiglos. Two reasons, because I like Gil-Galad and other is because I think Aiglos is a good name.

[Mahal]

The sword of Turin(what was the name of the sword again), because I love the story, and he is quite the sad guy.

[Gorwingel]

Can I say Sting? (and, no I do not fancy Frodo)

I have just always liked it because of the history that it has, and how it was found by Bilbo in The Hobbit, and then passed down to Frodo in the LOTR. I like how it is something consistant that draws the two stories together, and just to add, I like how it helps Sam defeat Shelob

[Fingolfin II]

I'd say Gurthang because I like Turin and it (along with Anguirel) is the most powerful sword ever in ME.

[Selmo]

I'm not sure I want to have any of the named weapons from Middle Earth.
Too many of their owners died premature deaths carrying them.

[Orophin]

I think that I wouild pick Grond the legendary mace of Sauron. He made it himself and he killed Elendil and Gil-Galad with it. Not only were they both kings but they were also his two worst enemies at the time. Also Grond was the name of the battering ram that was used to break the gates of Minas Tirith. Awsome. Both of these are in the movies but I don't think that they name them. Grond is my weapon of choice.

[Elwe Singollo]

In the books Grond was the Hammer of the Underworld, the mace of Morgoth. Sauron had his own mace and it was not Grond. That weapon was probably lost in the War of Wrath and the breaking of Thangorodrim. It says no where in any encylopedia that Grond was wielded by Sauron, or in the Weapons and Warfare book. He probably just made his own mace.

[The Saucepan Man]

I'd say Gurthang because I like Turin and it (along with Anguirel) is the most powerful sword ever in ME.

I'd go with Anglachel too. Hard to beat a talking sword from outer space.

[HerenIstarion]

It would be creepy to be in possesion of such a thing. Remembering HP and Mr. Weasly's 'never trust a thing with its own mind, especially when you can't see where does it keep its brains'...

edit:

what mace?

I believe the mace Sauron so magestically throws warriors of the West around with is a movie invention. Consider:

Elrond at the council of, well, Elrond:

I was the herald of Gil-galad and marched with his host. I was at the Battle of Dagorlad before the Black Gate of Mordor, where we had the mastery: for the Spear of Gil-galad and the Sword of Elendil, Aiglos and Narsil, none could withstand. I beheld the last combat on the slopes of Orodruin, where Gil-galad died, and Elendil fell, and Narsil broke beneath him; but Sauron himself was overthrown, and Isildur cut the Ring from his hand with the hilt-shard of his father's sword, and took it for his own.'

and

Silmarilliion 77

The host of Gil-galad and Elendil had the victory, for the might of the Elves was still great in those days, and the Númenóreans were strong and tall, and terrible in their wrath. Against Aeglos the spear of Gil-galad none could stand; and the sword of Elendil filled Orcs and Men with fear, for it shone with the light of the sun and of the moon, and it was named Narsil.
Then Gil-galad and Elendil passed into Mordor and encompassed the stronghold of Sauron; and they laid siege to it for seven years, and suffered grievous loss by fire and by the darts and bolts of the Enemy, and Sauron sent many sorties against them. There in the valley of Gorgoroth Anárion son of Elendil was slain, and many others. But at the last the siege was so strait that Sauron himself came forth; and he wrestled with Gil-galad and Elendil, and they both were slain, and the sword of Elendil broke under him as he fell. But Sauron also was thrown down, and with the hilt-shard of Narsil Isildur cut the Ruling Ring from the hand of Sauron and took it for his own. Then Sauron was for that time vanquished, and he forsook his body, and his spirit fled far away and hid in waste places; and he took no visible shape again for many long years.

Neither I do recall any mention of weapon in association with Sauron. Shape-shifting - yes, wolves under hand - yes, maces - no.

[The Saucepan Man]

Hehe. It could indeed be a bit unsettling to have a talking sword. Just ask Lord Earnur Etceteron.

Then again, I'm sure that Gurthang behaved itself as long as it was kept sharp and well-oiled and frequently fed with nassty Orcsses blood. And it would provide some company on long nights by the fire out in the wilderness. I wonder if it was a good conversationalist. Perhaps it had a sharp tongue and a rapier wit.

[Elwe Singollo]

Ah well we can't get everything right. I was right about the fact that Grond was not used by Sauron though so......

[Lhundulinwen]

I would have to say good old Sting. I would really appreciate my sword glowing when big ugly orcs were sneaking up behind me. Plus, none of the hobbits who used the sword died prematurely, and they are all on my list of top characters.

[Meela]

A Palantir, definitely. It counts as a weapon, doesn't it? I'd normally opt for a good old sword, like Narsil, because I like a weapon that's simple and old-fashioned strong. But I'd quite like a weapon with a greater power and wider effect.

[The Saucepan Man]

I believe the mace Sauron so magestically throws warriors of the West around with is a movie invention.

A good invention in this case though, I think. It makes sense that Sauron would use a mace, given that his Mentor wielded just such a weapon, and one of great renown. Sauron was clearly rather taken with Grond, since he named one of his most devastating siege weapons after it.

[Son of Númenor]

I don't remember Melkor using a mace. Wasn't Grond a hammer?

I think the most interesting weapon in Middle-earth was Gurthang, because it was the only one that had any sort of personality. Anduril certainly had a great 'presence' when it was mentioned, but the doom that hung on Gurthang, its unique & mysterious origin, & its interaction with Beleg & Turin, made it the most fascinating to me.

However (to answer the initial question), I do not think I would rather wield it than other weapons of Middle-earth, because of Melian's proclamation to Beleg:

There is malice in this sword. The dark heart of the smith still dwells in it. It will not love the hand it serves; neither will it abide with you long" (Silmarillion, "Of Turin Turambar").

I certainly wouldn't trust such a blade. If I had my choice of weapon (if we use the term 'weapon' in a very liberal sense to mean something used in the opposition of an enemy), I would choose Narya, whose power is not in might but in summoning the courage & kindling the valour necessary to overcome evil.

[HerenIstarion]

Indeed Grond was a hammer. But in the index to Silm 77 it is explained as 'great mace Morgoth wielded", so, probably, when used as a weapon, as opposed to its usage as a tool, hammer is akin to and maybe qualified under maces...

[Son of Númenor]

Ah, thanks for the clarification.

[Vanya]

Although the Sting is very usefull as a Orc alarm, I would really like to have Bilbo's mithril mail. It saved Frodo's life few times, and after war it can be used like a bank savings, since it's worth more than whole Shire.
Also, I would like to have Galadriel's phial, because I hate dark, and in those days without electricity and bateries it was valuable and usefull possesion.

[Lhunardawen]

Anglachel/Gurthang is really an interesting weapon, and I'm sure it would have done much good in Middle-Earth if not for Eol's bitterness. However, the fact that it was the one used by Turin to kill his own friend Beleg is very disturbing.

I'd stick with Orcrist and Glamdring instead. It's amazing that they were created during the First Age in Gondolin yet they were still around for Thorin Oakenshield and Gandalf (respectively) to wield during the Third Age.

[Elwe Singollo]

Some of us seem to be drifting away from the meaning of 'weapon' The Phial of Galadriel I would class as prtction and certainly the mithril shirt.

[Fingolfin II]

While the mithril shirt is normally worn for protection, it can be used as a weapon- Shagrat used it in against Sam in Cirith Ungol.

[Vanya]

Well, I did mention Sting, didn't I?
Yes I know that mail and phial can't be classified as weapons, but I agree with Selmo who said:

I'm not sure I want to have any of the named weapons from Middle Earth.
Too many of their owners died premature deaths carrying them."

[Lhunardawen]

Originally posted by Fingolfin II
While the mithril shirt is normally worn for protection, it can be used as a weapon- Shagrat used it in against Sam in Cirith Ungol.

Forgive my ignorance, sir, but how? I don't have the books with me right now, and I can't recall anything of the sort.

[Fingolfin II]

And Shagrat could not both fight and keep hold of his treasure. He stopped, growling, baring his fangs. Then once more, orc-fashion, he leapt aside, and as Sam sprang at him, using the heavy bundle as both shiled and weapon, he thrust it hard into his enemy's face.

(From the Chapter "The Tower of Cirith Ungol")

There ya go .

[rutslegolas]

Well my choice is not akin to yours but rather than a sword or a mace ,I would rather have a bow made by Galadriel and a short elven knife such as Legolas carried.

[Amrod the Hunter]

Gurthang,but it would be creepy to have black sword who talks so I would most likely go for Sting,wich is really useful-I mean,you know when the danger is coming.And Grond was Morgoth's mace,Sauron didn't even touch THAT Grond,but there was also Grond in Return of The King (Pelennor fields) wich destroyed the gates of Minas Tirith.

[Carnimírië]

Gurthang, because anything it wounded would die. That could be very helpful.

[Lachwen]

I'd like to have Angrist, the knife Beren took from Curufin and used to cut the Silmaril from Morgoth's crown. I mean, how much more awesome can one knife be?

I'd also like to have one of those short swords the hobbits got from the barrow. It'd be almost unstopable by any servant of Sauron (save the Ringwraiths, but then I wouldn't ever intend to run into one of them) and it would look awesome. Come to think of it, I'd like just about any weapon from Tolkien's writings. I have this obsession with shiny sharp things...