Lord Of The Rings: Why Did The Eagles Not Take Frodo To Mordor? Explained

This article explores why the Eagles didn’t fly the One Ring to Mordor in "The Lord of the Rings." Tolkien's response and fan theories explain their limited use to preserve the story’s tension.

By Shovan Roy

Published on Aug 28, 2024 | 11:49 AM IST | 38.4K

Lord Of The Rings: Why Did The Eagles Not Take Frodo To Mordor? Explained

Lord Of The Rings: Why Did The Eagles Not Take Frodo To Mordor? (PC: IMDb)

In the course of the series The Lord of the Rings, readers come across an array of theories that, if true, would fundamentally alter the story. One of the most common questions is the one puzzling many fans: Why don’t the Eagles simply deliver the One Ring to the volcano of Mount Doom? This very idea could have put a quick finish to the epic quest. Many fans think it’s an easy answer, which struck someone’s mind but was ignored.

Tolkien's answer to the eagles’ question

J.R.R. Tolkien is the author of The Lord of the Rings series and he was quite quick in his rebuttal to this frequently asked question. There’s a video on Reddit from an old interview, in which Tolkien describes a certain lady who asked why can the Eagles not carry the Ring to Mordor. His very soft response was "Shut up!" His bluntness stood that he was very bored answering the same thing again and again.

However, a more considerate explanation was given by Tolkien in a letter that dates back to 1958. He noted that the Eagles are a “dangerous machine”. He utilized them judiciously so as not to make the plot too straightforward or implausible. So to speak, too much use of the Eagles would render the story so mundane that suspense and interest would be hardly achieved.

Fan theories about the Eagles

It was quite blunt of Tolkien to say that, but it did not prevent the fans from theorizing. One such popular theory suggests that the Eagles just do not have the stamina to fly into Mount Doom. In The Hobbit, the Eagles come to Bilbo and his friends’ rescue but do not abandon them fully in the rescue.

In Lord of the Rings, Gwaihir also tells Gandalf, a hassled wizard, that he cannot carry him to the ends of the earth. In essence, this means that had the Eagles wished to assist, they might have been over-cautious of the unnecessary risk of making a lengthy flying trip.

Other fans think that the Ring had in it the capability to doom the Eagles as well. Because so much power is contained in the Ring, perhaps even the Eagles would not be unaffected by this temptress. Another contention points to the fact that it would have been too dangerous to attack Mordor flying. In the skies were Sauron’s servants, the Nazgul, who were always on patrol for such acts and the Eagles would have been easy to eliminate.

To illustrate, there’s also the question of the Eagles’ willingness. The Great Eagles of the Age are the heralds of the Valar, god-like creatures that oversee the land of Arda. Even when they are on the side of good, they are not waiting at people’s commands. They only go on missions when the matter is most serious, that is why they did not just fly the Ring to Mordor and dump it.

When do the Eagles come into play?

Even though they did not transport the Ring and throw it into the fires of Mount Doom, the Eagles are very important in the affairs of Middle-earth. They come at crucial times, including in the rescue of Gandalf from Isengard and on the last day of the War of the Ring at the Black Gate. In addition, they also assist in recovering a rather stupid Frodo and a sad Sam after the destruction of the Ring.

In this, he is right: the Eagles are an indispensable element within the tales, nevertheless, their participation should be reserved for the few occasions when they are really necessary. Their appearance at the most dramatic point of the story always increases its dramatic tension, and heroics do not come easily. Therefore, if you are ever in doubt as to why the Eagles did not simply fly the Ring into Mordor, you should recall the words of Tolkien, “Shut up!”