Uruk-hai - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Mariska Greenleaf · 08-05-2003, 08:39 AM

So, there are two different topics discussed here:
whether or not Goblins and orcs are the same
and if Uruk-hai were partly created out of men.

first of all, concerning orcs-goblins:
There is a difference. Orcs is the general name of the creatures that were corrupted by the dark lord, Goblins is a name for orcs, and especially the smaller kinds that infested the Misty Mountains and the Grey Mountains in the later third age. Their capital was at Mount Gundabad.
But in fact Tolkien himself wasn't very clear about this, he just referred to the orcs who lived in the Misty and Grey Mountains by Goblins, and the word "goblin" was never used in the Sil.

About the Uruk-hai: they were a kind of orcs, but larger and stronger, and they appeared in the third age.
As far as I can tell the Uruk-hai were created by Sauron through a process of dark sorcery and no hybridization with other races was involved in their creation.
So, men were certainly not involved, but,
maybe some people are confusing the Uruk-hai with half-orcs.
These were creatures made by Saruman, therefor he crossed orcs and men, and the half-orcs were also able to withstand sunlight.
So, maybe because in the movies it is Saruman who creates the Uruk-hai (while in fact it was Sauron who created them) there is some confusion...

08-05-2003, 08:39 AM	#7
Mariska Greenleaf Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Dublin Posts: 1,036	So, there are two different topics discussed here: whether or not Goblins and orcs are the same and if Uruk-hai were partly created out of men. first of all, concerning orcs-goblins: There is a difference. Orcs is the general name of the creatures that were corrupted by the dark lord, Goblins is a name for orcs, and especially the smaller kinds that infested the Misty Mountains and the Grey Mountains in the later third age. Their capital was at Mount Gundabad. But in fact Tolkien himself wasn't very clear about this, he just referred to the orcs who lived in the Misty and Grey Mountains by Goblins, and the word "goblin" was never used in the Sil. About the Uruk-hai: they were a kind of orcs, but larger and stronger, and they appeared in the third age. As far as I can tell the Uruk-hai were created by Sauron through a process of dark sorcery and no hybridization with other races was involved in their creation. So, men were certainly not involved, but, maybe some people are confusing the Uruk-hai with half-orcs. These were creatures made by Saruman, therefor he crossed orcs and men, and the half-orcs were also able to withstand sunlight. So, maybe because in the movies it is Saruman who creates the Uruk-hai (while in fact it was Sauron who created them) there is some confusion... __________________ I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.- Confucius.