The Lord of the Rings ‘Eagle Plothole’ explained!
by Kel on Sep.29, 2010, under General
I’ve heard a lot of people talk about this, and I always wondered about it. Well, thanks to all of these people, I no longer have to wonder! Yay!
Here’s the collated story from their posts:
Why couldn't those giant eagles have just picked up Frodo with the ring and carried him to Mordor, you ask?
Simple, really. Remember the Nazgul? They could fly too. Sauron was scouring the skies as well as the seas and land. The only reason Frodo made it on foot was because of all the other distractions being laid by the wars and intentionally by his confederates.
Also, the eagles were servants of Manwe, of the Valar. Long before the War of the Ring, the Valar decided against getting involved with the wars of Middle Earth. However, sending an eagle after the ring was destroyed would not contradict that pact as it would be After-the-Fact, plus at that point Sauron and the Nazgul were powerless/destroyed, so the skies were safe.
Also, contrary to the way the movie tells the story, the eagles didn't carry Frodo and Sam all the way to Rivendell or Minis Tirith, they only took them as far as Ithilien and they went from there the rest of the way on horseback.
And there you have it.
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February 4th, 2011 on 10:14 AM
Movie didn’t show them going all the way to Minis Tirith, only that they were picked up.
Also, the eagles did come just before the ring was destroyed (movie and book), to fight with the “west” before the black gates.
May 6th, 2011 on 9:22 AM
“Then come, and let your brother go with us, and some other of your folk who is most swift! For we have need of speed greater than any wind, outmatching the wings of the Nazgûl.”
Also the eagles did participate in the war just before frodo did all that drama, the eagles themselves went in to battle the shit out of the servants of mordor