[Bill Ferny]

According to the Middle-Earth Encyclopedia, uruk means orc, hai means race. Uruk-hai, therefore, simply means “orc-race” in the Black Speech. From App A, iv: “…the race of uruks, black orcs of great strength, first appeared out of Mordor, and in 2475 they swept across Ithilien and took Osgiliath.” This indicates that Sauron bred the uruk-hai, and that they were definitely different from his regular run of the mill orcs. Also see the term Olog-hai (trolls bred by Sauron). There is no difference between Ologs (a shorten version) and Olog-hai. Uruk and olog can be used to indicate individuals, and the addition of –hai to indicate the race collectively.

Treebeard makes the conjecture that Saruman mingled the blood of men and orc by the use of the sorcery.

However, attempting to find “bred by sorcery” has proven a bit difficult in reference to the uruk-hai. To my surprise, the phrase comes from secondary sources only (Tolkien Bestiary and ME Encyclopedia). This could be an example of an assumption taken for fact and propagated by me. If it is simply an assumption, it doesn’t necessarily take the wind out the sails of my little theory. In fact, it might end up supporting it.

Nar makes the distinction between hroa and fea (body/soul), and very well says that a change in hroa follows a change in fea (as any good Platonist would hold!). However, I disagree on the possibility of corrupting a corrupted race into a more powerful corrupted race.

The hroa can not possess a quality not governed by the fea. Likewise, the fea cannot, through corruption, possess a greater power that it did not already possess according to its nature.

We know that uruk-hai possessed certain powers not possessed by lesser orcs: they were larger, stood upright, and could endure sunlight. Thus, a further corruption can not explain these greater powers. Unless, of course, we throw into the mix the possibility that these greater powers were introduced not by further corruption, but the mingling of orc with a species that did possess these greater powers, namely the species of man.

Of course, the introduction of sorcery could make this logic obsolete. A greater power not possessed by fea could be introduced via magic. I don’t think, however, this fits with Sauron’s brand of magic. His power is focused not on building up, but destroying. Beyond his lies and illusions he gives nothing, but takes everything. I think that a mingling of man and orc can be accomplished through necromantic means that fits with Sauron’s character. Breeding could be accomplished by dispossessing the fae of men and replacing the hroa with that of orcs, thus allowing for the hroa to shape about the fae of men. Out of the cauldron pops Bobby the Drooling Uruk!