Sauron the Gene-maker

[Galin]

Painting flies was part of the Art Yucco movement.

I'm sorry.

But I think I've found the problem: the quote above says files not flies -- yer all readin' it wrong, despite the buzz in the air.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Good post. I would agree the hypothesis you render could easily be correct. Nature or nuture? The environment was obviously nasty and thus like real-world nasty places creatures and plants adapt to the hostile nature of the area. It seems to me many desert or harsh environments have barbed or thorny plants simply as a defense mechanism, or did Sauron plant the devil's garden?

Here's the thing, though. I'm not even sure Mordor was always as barren as we see it in the time of the Ring. The Second Age was never my strong suit, but if I remember correctly, Sauron has inhabited Mordor for quite a long time before he even began to mess with Numenor (and please correct me if I'm wrong). Do we know what Mordor looked like before Sauron took hold of it? It's true what you say about the environment... My question is: is it possible that Sauron himself shaped the environment?

Somehow, given the significance of the way nature looks in the rest of the story, I've always assumed Mordor would not be as barren if it wasn't for Sauron. Perhaps it's not explicitly stated one way or the other, but Sauron has definitely corrupted Mirkwood's nature, and he was there much less time.

Originally Posted by Galin

But I think I've found the problem: the quote above says files not flies -- yer all readin' it wrong, despite the buzz in the air.

Buzzing, stinging paperwork? No wonder everyone hates Mordor.

[Belegorn]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

The Second Age was never my strong suit, but if I remember correctly, Sauron has inhabited Mordor for quite a long time before he even began to mess with Numenor (and please correct me if I'm wrong). Do we know what Mordor looked like before Sauron took hold of it?

Check the chapter The Land of Shadow where Sam and Frodo escape Frodo's captivity. For instance at the bottom of a valley was "the bed of a now dry and withered stream" and "Mordor was a dying land, but not yet dead".