The lines between beings and creatures are not as clearly drawn in Middle Earth as they are in our society. In Middle Earth, there are beings, creatures, and those that fall in between.TheHobbitandLord of the Ringsstories that Tolkien wrote, and the many movies based on them, all focus primarily on the beings of Middle Earth, though fans encounter creatures along the way. While these creatures may not all play particularly essential roles in the story, they all contribute to the vibrancy and magic of Middle Earth, and they commonly reflect the themes of the stories.
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It’seasy for fans to recallthe many different beings that they appreciate from theHobbitandLord of the Ringsstories, like the elves, dwarves, hobbits, and even humans. Because fans are able to become more familiar with these beings through the characters in the tales, it’s easy to appreciate their value. The creatures of Middle Earth may not get as much recognition in the stories, but examining them on their own helps to identify what makes them likable or unsettling.
The Good Creatures
There are some creatures in Middle Earth that easily mirror the creatures here on Earth, like rabbits, boars, badgers, etc. While these animals areessential to Middle Earththe same way they are essential to our world, focusing on them would require a whole separate list. The fantastical creatures that are unique to Middle Earth are the ones that set the world apart from others. In particular, the following ones are noble, lovable, and on the side of good.
The Great Eagles
One creature that played a pretty big role in the success of both the parties in theHobbitand in theLord of the Ringstrilogy were the great eagles. Their nobility, loyalty, and willingness to help out easily makes them one of the more lovablecreatures of Middle Earth. They have a long history, said to have originated with the leader of the Valar, Manwe Sulimo. They were often used as lookouts to keep an eye on evil presences.
The Mearas
Another great and noble creature that was often of help to the parties was the Mearas, a special breed of horses in Middle Earth that are exceptionally intelligent, fast, and strong in comparison to regular horses. They were brought from the West by Orome and came to be particularly significant to the kingdom of Rohan. Shadowfax,Gandalf the White’s gallant steed, is likely the most famous example. Through his presence in the tales, readers recognize what truly lovable creatures these horses are.
The Huorns
Another lovable and protective creature is the Huorns, which exist in the in-between zone as they’re reflective of beings but aren’t really considered a race. They are slightly animated trees that can communicate with each other. Unlike Ents, they don’t usually move around or speak the languages of beings. They are either trees that gradually became more Ent-like or Ents that slowly became more tree-like. Their resilience, wisdom, and courage are often overlooked by thebeings of Middle Earthand fans of the tales, alike.
The Evil Creatures
Though there are clearly good creatures in Middle Earth that were willing to assist the presence of good, there were even more that were aggressive or just downright evil. These creatures are just as important to Middle Earth as the lovable creatures, because they cater to balance in the world, and they create obstacles for the characters in the stories. Because all the world building was engineered to display how evil slowly grew into a vast threat in Middle Earth over time, more creatures weredrawn into doing evil workthan that of good.
The Mumakil and the Wargs
Some milder examples of terrifying creatures were those that were used as mounts for war by evil forces. One such creature is the Mumakil, exceptionally giant elephant-like creatures that were most notably used in battle by the Haradrim. Described as larger than houses, it’s not even their size that makes them so intimidating, but their natural bloodlust which made them the perfect beasts of war.
Another example is the Wargs, which are a large, ugly breed of wolves that live in the Misty Mountains. They’regenerally used by orcs, and their speed and strength make them an easy threat to anyone that isn’t mounted on their backs.
The Great Spiders
One obvious example of a terrifying creature, especially to any arachnophobes in the audience, are the Great Spiders. Sure to exist still in the nightmares of both fans and Hobbits, these giant spiders are famously known throughout Middle Earth as being vicious and merciless. They are known as the children of Ungoliant, who was the Spider used by Melkor, the first dark lord, to destroy the trees of Valinor. Ungoliant eventually ended up consuming herself, which speaks tothe unsatisfiable hunger of these creatures.
The Fellbeasts
Another creature that was sure to have visited the nightmares of some – if even just its terrifying shrill cries – were the Fellbeasts. The Fellbeasts are the creatures used by the Nazgul to get around and hunt down those associated with the one ring. These creatures not only have a startling, large, and ugly stature, but they also have a foul stench to match their appearance. Their ability to fly and thus hunt from above, makes them a threat anywhere in Middle Earth.
The Dragons
The last of the terrifying creatures arethe dragons of Middle Earth. Though their names did not always suggest the true terror of these creatures, their ability to communicate with and outwit the beings in the stories certainly speaks to their superior capability. These creatures not only make extraordinarily great guard dogs for treasure but are equally difficult to defeat, which is why an entire team of beings is required to take them down.
Though there are a greater number of terrifying creatures that make up Middle Earth in the periods thatLord of the Ringsfans are most familiar with, the few lovable creatures prove to be more powerful. Again, likemany of the elements of Middle Earth, the creatures there reflect the story, and the gradual consumption of the world by evil would have affected the creatures there as well. While easily a greater number of creatures were influenced or created by evil, the few that weren’t were powerful enough to not only resist the influence of darkness but to also actively work against it by assisting those fighting for the side of good.
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Source:Wiki Fandom - The Lord of the Rings - List of Animals
