11 Questions Lord of the Rings Left me With (LOTR Mysteries)

Like most fantasy worlds, Tolkien’s Middle Earth is complicated…and with such complexity, it raises a few questions. Many of these center around how everything actually works: who can have kids and who can’t, and why? Others are raised by the author himself, through lore or the stories; certain characters are referenced, but their actual outcomes are never addressed. In a world brimming with distinct cultures, several languages, and a magical hierarchy of spirits, elves, men, and dwarves, it’s only natural that some questions should be raised.

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1) Dwarf Love

In The Silmarillion, the reader learns that dwarves were more or less an accident. Humans and Elves were planned, but dwarves weren’t; when another God was feeling creative, he made the dwarves. Though he was reprimanded for not following the plan, pity was taken on the dwarves and they were allowed to stay—though they had to go to sleep until the other races could have their say. As Middle Earth’s happy little accidents, the dwarves didn’t exactly have an auspicious beginning, and their behaviour seldom made them popular.

Being greedy and bearded, other races, the elves in particular, found the dwarves repugnant. The mountain dwellers could never be described as “pretty” or “handsome,” but they are nevertheless considered an equal race. There are old songs describing the unusual unions between elves and man, in which they can have children together. If elves and humans are compatible, what about dwarves? Could a dwarf have a child with a human? Moreover, if dwarves could have children with humans, how would the children turn out? Would they have to choose one side, or would their natures be a clear mix of dwarf and human traits?

Dwarves aren’t immortal like elves, but they still live longer than humans. What kind of a life span could such offspring expect, and why have such unions never occurred? As the accidents of Middle Earth, were dwarves cut off genetically from the others? It seems unusual that no one, in several centuries, has gotten any ideas.

2) More Dwarf Love

To the same end, can dwarves have children with elves? Most fans rejected the fan fiction plot line that was injected into the Hobbit films, in which Kili the dwarf falls for an elf, Tauriel. Nevertheless, love it or hate it, the romantic subplot did raise questions. Dwarves aren’t anymore different than elves are from humans. To that end, it seems plausible that there could be attraction between dwarves and elves—especially if the dwarf in question was unusually tall or clean shaven.

How would this work? Elf blood is special. If a human and an elf have children, each of those children has to choose which race they will belong to. If they choose to be human, they will lose their immortality—though they will still live much longer than ordinary men.

Dwarves already live longer than humans. If a dwarf and an elf had a child, would those children be given the same choice? What would they look like? If a child chose to be a dwarf, would their lives still be much longer than that of an elf blooded human as the result of their dwarf blood?

Dwarf genetics remain unclear.

3) The Blue Wizards

It’s one of the popular questions: what happened to the blue wizards? Gandalf the Grey came from an order of five. There was one white wizard, Sarumon; a gray wizard, Gandalf; a brown wizard, Radaghast; and two blue wizards, who go unnamed in the books. Though Tolkien’s notes did give them names, these names changed in another document. This left it unclear which names were ultimately chosen—if Tolkien got that far. The notes don’t explain much of the pair’s adventures, nor why they weren’t involved with the conflict of the ring. Even Radaghast was mentioned in the books as playing a small role in the war.

What other adventures were the blue wizards having? What was more important than the battle to save Middle Earth from Sauron? Why does nobody talk about them? The fact that there are two blue wizards is also unusual, given that every other colour has only one member. Why wasn’t there one blue wizard, and one green one? What is the significance of blue…and who were these characters?

Was it possible Tolkien had some greater role in mind for them, only to run out of time to tell their stories? It’s an answer we’ll never have—unless someone acquires the legal rights to write about them.

4) Wizardry & Genetics

Wizards, or The Istari, were sent to Middle Earth much as the Maia were. One of Aragorn’s ancestors was a Maiar (as if having elf blood wasn’t enough). This, of course, begs the question: can wizards have children? It’s implied that spirits can have young with mortal or semi-mortal races. If Gandalf fits into this category, what is his potential?

Gandalf isn’t above recreational activities, enjoying the odd pipe. Being of similar ilk to other greater forces, can he procreate? Moreover, if he was to have a child, what kind of a child would it be? Would the child be immortal, or capable of magic? Or would the child just be unusually long lived, and have a strange air, but otherwise be ordinary?

It’s a question worthy of a fan fiction to answer it.

5) Little Humans

The questions Middle Earth raises about genetics are endless, but that’s to be expected in a world where humans can have children with elves. While the other three races of Middle Earth have detailed backstories, the Hobbits are glossed over. There’s an implication in the wider lore, however, that Hobbits are somehow descended from men. They separated from other people, growing shorter and more distinct with each passing century.

This isn’t entirely implausible, as this occurs in our own world. When two animal populations are separated for long enough, they form their own species. At some point, a bear population separated to become black bears, polar bears, and so on.

Moreover, bones have been unearthed that show some humans, in real life, did, indeed, grow quite small. As they continued to breed within one population, that trait was encouraged and exaggerated. Hobbits, like Pygmies, live in isolated societies. They know little of the rest of the world, developing independent of it.

Still, where does this leave them genetically? Hobbits are distinct. They aren’t described as being just short humans—they have large feet, which are covered in fur. They can eat massive amounts of food in one sitting. They also have a detailed culture which includes a dedication to family lines, comfortable living, and a love of pipe weed. While many of their differences could be attributed to their culture, they still don’t feel “human” in the context of the story, and other humans don’t recognize them as such. Instead, they’re called Halflings, and even the Ents haven’t heard of them. What does this make them? If they were human genetically, they could presumably have children with elves…but the stories would imply that, whatever they were once, they have since evolved into something unique.

In a world where every race has an in depth origin story and a purpose as dictated by the gods, it seems unusual that the race to which the protagonist belongs should be so glossed over…but that is exactly the point. The Hobbits are an entirely overlooked people, shrouded in mystery, which makes them the perfect candidates to fight Sauron. After all, nobody is expecting it; most don’t even know they exist.

6) Middle Earth or Just Earth

Was Middle Earth meant to be Earth in some bygone era, or was the implication more a metaphor for the kind of world Tolkien felt we had lost?

Tolkien didn’t like industry. He loved to walk country roads and roam through forests. When society began to build cars and roads, and expand it’s cities, Tolkien was a firsthand witness to the mass destruction of nature. He loved the beauty of the natural world, a love which shows in his stories of woods, rivers, caves, and speaking trees.

In the books, Middle Earth’s beautiful forests are ripped apart by Orcs. Sarumon destroys the lands he had sworn to protect, using the woods to build weapons and war structures.

If there was any feeling that Middle Earth represented a bygone era for our own world, it likely stemmed from the fact that Tolkien was seeing a similar loss. Like the Orcs in his story, humans were destroying nature to build their own structures and to craft weapons of mass destruction (Tolkien also lived through a world war).

On the other hand, if Middle Earth was Earth millenniums ago, that would be an intriguing idea. It’s more likely just that—an idea, made up from wild speculation. Still, it’s a fun head canon, if nothing else.

7) Beards and Pointy Ears

It’s not a grand question, but one which leaves readers curious regardless. Elves are never described as having beards, though men are and dwarves of both sexes are said to have them. This has led to the assumption that elves simply don’t grow them, another trait which sets them apart from humans and dwarves and which has been mirrored in other fantasy stories.

Only one mention is made of an elf having a beard, and the elf in question was one of the oldest in existence; this has led to speculation that elves can grow beards if they reach an exceptionally old age, but others have said the line was a mistake on Tolkien’s part. Others have said it was a genetic quirk unique to the individual.

Whatever the case, it seems clear that most elves can’t grow them. Beards are never mentioned. Moreover, elves are always portrayed as youthful, young, and even pretty. A beard would take away from this quality; a beard makes a person look older, and the elves not having them may have been an aesthetic choice as much as anything.

8) Permanent Immortality

The One Ring is a curse disguised as a blessing. If one comes to possess it, they will find they don’t age and can turn invisible if they so choose. However, the ring corrupts the mind over time. It’s effects sound similar to an addictive drug, in that the “user” becomes fixated on it, and begins to prioritize the way it makes them feel over everything else. The owner forgets to eat and sleep; they can become violent; and they will give up their families to remain with the ring. Letting it go is difficult, and there are withdrawal symptoms: if you manage to dispose of the ring, you lose it’s chief benefit.

Your years catch up with you. After Bilbo gave up the ring, all of his years came upon him in a rush. He didn’t just start aging again—it was as if he had been aging all along.

The rules seem clear. If you lose the ring, you lose the immortality it has given you, but it’s not clear how this affected Gollum.

Gollum was separated from the ring for several decades, following Bilbo’s thievery, and yet there seem to be no indications he’s aged. If the ring works the same way for everyone, Gollum should have turned to dust in a matter of a few years. After all, several hundred years should have crashed over him.

It seems owning the ring for such an extended period has a permanent effect. It’s possible such prolonged exposure made Gollum’s immortality permanent, or at least slow to leave him. Another theory could be his fixation on the ring. When Bilbo left the ring behind, he let it go. Though he missed it, he wasn’t actively working to take it back. Gollum, on the other hand, never let it go. He continued to search for it; it’s possible that he remains bound to the ring, separation notwithstanding, and that it is this bond that creates long life rather than actual proximity.

None of Frodo’s friends aged slower, despite being near the ring, and Frodo didn’t carry it on his person at all times. Instead, he kept it in his house with the sense that it “belonged” to him. As long as an individual considers themselves an “owner,” of the ring, it would seem to grant it’s effects.

Otherwise, it’s possible Gollum didn’t age because he simply wasn’t “human” anymore. The Ring Wraiths were also given immortality, but they were transformed into something else. Gollum may be part Ring Wraith, or something like it; he doesn’t age, because his humanity is gone. He’s become something different.

9) Missing Trees

The mystery of the missing Ent Wives is a question raised by Tolkien, but the author doesn’t go on to answer it in the books. Treebeard explains to Merry and Pippin that there were once female Ents, the Ent Wives. With them, the male Ents could have children.

The implications are sad. With the disappearance of the Ent wives, the Ents can no longer procreate. If the current individuals are killed, the race will die out. It’s a tragic story, and one which remains without a resolution.

How does a whole sex disappear? Where did the Ent wives go? More importantly, are they still alive? It seems strange that they should all disappear, and nobody knows why. It’s a story that remains memorable for both the sadness and the mystery it presents.

10) An Aged Complexion

All of the wizards seen within the stories are old and bearded. Presumably, they don’t age in the sense that they’ll remain fit and won’t die…but how immortal is immortal? Do they still age in such a way that they look older? Did the wizards always resemble old men, or did they appear young and clean shaven once? Do they physically age a year for every century?

However old they look, wizards don’t seem to feel their years. Though Gandalf will assume the form of an old man with his walking stick, he seems to have no trouble riding a horse for hours at a time, running, swinging a sword, cleaving enemies, or any of the other activities which would be expected of a younger individual.

It’s not clear if wizards always appeared old or not, but it is clear that all act as if they are in the prime of their youths.

11) Orc Feelings

It’s a question that plagues fans. Supposedly, it even troubled Tolkien. Do Orcs have individual personalities? Do Orcs feel, or think for themselves? If so, could any one Orc be redeemed? Is every Orc born evil, or are they a product of their environment? If an Orc were raised among civilized people, could they turn out alright—or is it in their very blood to be violent and cruel?

The question is said to have made Tolkien uneasy. After all, he was a devout man. He came from a religion which believed everyone could be saved.

Orcs are also shown as having their own desires, which would indicate an ability to think for themselves. They complain when they think their higher ups aren’t listening; they gossip; and they disagree. Orcs can plan. Orcs can think. What’s not clear is how much Orcs can feel.

Orcs can experience joy when they slaughter a foe, and anger when they lose. They can feel hate for men and elves, but what of their other emotions? If removed from the influence of Sauron, could Orcs feel emotions such as remorse or even love? Orcs were elves once, corrupted by evil; could this process be reversed?

With Sauron destroyed, it’s not clear if all the Orcs are as well. As a thinking, feeling people, many fans would like to think they could be redeemed. It would give people hope to know that anyone could be saved, and in this case we’re looking at an entire race of people.

The Lord of the Rings raises intriguing questions. Whether it be a matter of aging, genetics, or unresolved history, it’s a fascinating world to explore. If anything, the questions enhance the stories, prompting fans to come back to them or to remember the books through continued speculation.

What questions has Middle Earth raised for you? What are your theories? Let me know.