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Old 03-07-2019, 04:22 PM   #9
obloquy
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin View Post
Well, yes; but even in direct combat matchups, there's a certain rock-paper-scissors dynamic, like the classic infantry-cavalry-artillery triangle. Glorfindel was uniquely dangerous to the W-K, because as a Noldorin Exile he "lived at once on both sides" and thus presented a direct threat in the shadow-dimension where the W-K "lived." Note that the WK does not flee from, in fact taunts, Gandalf, even though in raw "power" GtW almost certainly has more wattage.

(But Gandalf's a Maia! you say. Surely he too "lives on both sides." Except he's an Istar, which means as long as he's in that situation he is, effectively, a conditionally-immortal human sorceror.)
I've always attributed WK's confidence to his own flawed judgment, rather than any real perception of spiritual superiority on his part. He was lucky Gandalf was so committed to his Istarin role, because he had no idea what Gandalf truly was. I disagree that Glorfindel was uniquely dangerous to Nazgul: he was also handful enough for a First Age Balrog. An example of "rock-paper-scissors" might be the humble will of a Frodo or a Samwise withstanding the focused spiritual pressure of Sauron through his Ring, in his domain. But we know that this could never have been a Hobbit victory, only a more or less slow descent into slavery. This is an echo of the overarching metaphysic whereby the holy creative power of the Ainur, and the presence of the Noldor in Middle-earth, have held out for ages against the degeneration wrought into the fabric of existence by Melkor, but it is ultimately his will, primevally prime, that will dominate all others.

Speaking of all this, I can't wait to see the orc-wrecking swordplay of Luthien Tinuviel, Greatest of the Eldar, on TV. I hope it's choreographed like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. (I also hope the role is given to a strong woman of color, obviously.)

Last edited by obloquy; 03-11-2019 at 03:54 PM. Reason: Noldor changed to Eldar
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