Half-orcs and Uruk-hai, a hypothesis

[Bill Ferny]

I agree with you about time frame problems. I don't think that my theory requires an actual time and place for the definitive creation of the uruk-hai. In fact, their creation was probably an evolution of sorts, either initiated by inter-mating or sorcery or both. The only definitive date for the appearance of the uruk-hai from the canon is 2475 of the third age of Middle Earth, but as you point out, that is only in regards to them actually showing up the history of Middle Earth. After all, the words breed, bred, etc. imply a process.

Minor differences between various orcs, I've always assumed, is dependent on environment and lifestyle, in much the same way that there are differences between humans from Asia and humans from Europe in the real world. It can be assumed, then, that there would be similar differences due to environment and lifestyle among the uruk-hai, especially toward the end of the third age. After all, they had been around for some time, at least long enough to adopt ethnic differences.

Obviously, from Morgoth on down, the Dark Powers (and wannabee Saruman) have a great interest in trying to make Orcs more useful. As Morgoth discovers early on in the War of the Great Jewels, and is later demonstrated, Orcs by themselves are not of much effect unless they are massed in extremely overwhelming numbers.

What better way to improve on the orc theme, than to combine them with a race that has traits that overcome their weaknesses? I’m standing by the principle that a thing can not possess that which is not according to it’s nature. If all orcs possess these weaknesses, then how can further corruption of the race overcome these weaknesses? Something must be added to their natures. Dog breeders were well aware of this principle.

Now Sauron is standing by watching the Númenóreans kick the crap out of his orcs. “Hmmm,” he thinks in his dungeon cell in Númenórë. “I bet that if my orcs were part human, somehow, that they could do much better.”