The Life of Shelob & the Spiders of Mirkwood

The Life of Shelob & the Spiders of Mirkwood | Tolkien Explained

Рет қаралды 695,997

2 жыл бұрын

Shelob was the dark terror of Cirith Ungol - consuming all unfortunate enough to cross her path. Not only did she serve as a guard of the passage into Mordor, but her offspring would bring terror to the forest of Mirkwood. Today, we cover Shelob's life. In the First Age, she lived in Nan Dungortheb - the Valley of Dreadful Death - where Beren would miraculously cross to eventually meet Luthien. Later, she flees to the mountains that would be her home, outside Mordor. We cover these early days through her fight with Samwise Gamgee and the possibilities of her ultimate fate.
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Shelob - Ozani Ferreira
Shelob - Serban Gabriel
Spawn of Shelob - Herckeim
Frodo and Shelob - Roterotto
Frodo - Ignacio Fuentes
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Sam vs Shelob - Matej Cadil
Beleriand Map - Lamaarcana
Bargain with Ungoliant - Diana Franco
The Killing of the Trees - John Howe
Ungoliant and Melkor - Ruben Devela
Dark Lore of LOTR - Into the Storm - Sebastian Rodriguez
Beren in Dungortheb - Anna Kulisz
The Tower of Cirith Ungol - Enthing
Beren Crosses Ered Gorgoroth - Peet
Shelob - Daniel Govar
Orc of Minas Morgul - AIMaNeGrA
Shelob - John Howe
Dark Lord Sauron - Spartank42
Shelob's Lair - Alan Lee
Orcs debate - Turner Mohan
Courage - Olanda Fong-Surdenas
Cirith Ungol - Giuliano G Alves
Sauron - Shadow of War Concept Art
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Spider's Lair - Jimmy Jim Jim
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Shelob and Frodo - Enrico Ottini
Shelob inktober 2018 - Mindabble
Shelob - Liza Kurenkov
Shelob - The Brothers Hildebrandt
Sam and Shelob - John Howe
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Shelob - Ted Nasmith
Shelob's Retreat - Ted Nasmith
Shelob's Lair - Baron Von Gunter
Sam and Shelob - Ahmed Slaibi
Ungoliant - Eric Faure-Brac
Giant Spider - Papilia
Shelob - Loganneverscars
Spiders of Mirkwood - Alvaro Calvo Escudero
Shelob About to Leap on Frodo - John Howe
#shelob #tolkien #lordoftherings

Пікірлер: 871

@NerdoftheRings 2 жыл бұрын

What's the scariest creature/character in Middle-earth?

@jemleith3263 2 жыл бұрын

Turtle-fish

@TheCinderestBlockAround 2 жыл бұрын

The balrog. Period. I wonder if they can understand elvish or common speech

@smaug9956 2 жыл бұрын

Bard the bowman

@Kansanite 2 жыл бұрын

Dwarven Women

@jemleith3263 2 жыл бұрын

@@Kansanite They're like banelings in Starcraft when you unburrow

@valentinkambushev4968 2 жыл бұрын

I bet Shelob is glad that her mother, who almost killed Melkor himself, isn't around any more to see her defeated by a hobbit.

@Enerdhil 2 жыл бұрын

Yep.... Ruined the family reputation.

@azaram8133 2 жыл бұрын

@@Enerdhil to be fair, he was a mighty gardener hobbit with the light of a Silmaril

@jlenhumphrey4933 2 жыл бұрын

@@azaram8133 mighty indeed. That Samwise.

@prathamchaturvedi2243 2 жыл бұрын

Also the mother, died by devouring herself coz of hunger xD

@Dougy359 2 жыл бұрын

@@azaram8133 yeah but her mom ate the trees which the light of the Silmarils are made from. Shelob really didn’t live up to the family rep. That phial would’ve been a snack for mommy.

@lizzies4964 2 жыл бұрын

The description of Shelob is absolutely one of the most disgusting monster descriptions I've ever read in any book. Brilliant picture painted by Tolkien. Always gets me.

@NerdoftheRings 2 жыл бұрын

As someone who is not a fan of spiders...I completely agree!

@dumbldawg744 2 жыл бұрын

😂 same

@ThisAdamGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Shadow of War Developers: *reads that description* "Soooo...a sexy lady?"

@BertoBerg 2 жыл бұрын

I was eating lunch while watching the video 😟

@Dougy359 2 жыл бұрын

@@ThisAdamGuy I’m gonna give them every single benefit of doubt and say maybe they were inspired by Ungoliant being described as “taking the form of a spider” implying that she could maybe be a shapeshifter. Perhaps they figured her daughter would be the same. Or at least thought it would be a good excuse to include her as a character

@jamesshelton308 2 жыл бұрын

Once again, I feel there is little doubt Sam is probably the most badass character in The Lord of the Rings. He kills Shelob, he dons the Ring and then freely gives it up, he carries Frodo up Mount Doom. He becomes the leader of the Shire for years, one of his daughters is Lady Arwen's personal handmaiden. And he sails into the West.

@jamiebuzzeo4842 2 жыл бұрын

Not too mention he fights of Orcs & Goblins with a frying pan, takes on a bunch of Uruks at Cirith Ungol and wins, fights against ringwraiths, even threatens Strider when he first comes across him, and argues with Gollum / Smeagol regarding the etiquette of good food...brilliant. 'PO-TA-TOES, boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew'. 😂👏🔥⚔🎬

@jamesshelton308 2 жыл бұрын

@@jamiebuzzeo4842 Yup, not bad for a gardener.

@Tentin.Quarantino 2 жыл бұрын

And not once be he droppin’ no eaves

@johan.ohgren 2 жыл бұрын

Shelobs kill is unconfirmed, though. She may have survived.

@jamesshelton308 2 жыл бұрын

@@johan.ohgren Better than anyone else ever managed to do to her

@claytonparfumorse3101 2 жыл бұрын

"his cat he calls her, but she owns him not" clearly, tolkien understood the true relationship between cat and servent. or, owner.

@DocTinfoil 2 жыл бұрын

One of the most exhausting days I had while we were filming Lord of the Rings, was being "inside" Shelob's belly attacking Sam (yes, we built her belly full sized at Weta Workshop) controlling her stinger with both hands, while "palpitating" her underbelly with my feet. I sure earned my Lembas that day!

@user-gb1cv1bc9r 2 жыл бұрын

jesus that must have been amazing!!!!!!

@SkitterMcBoo 2 жыл бұрын

If I was able to do that I could die happy

@heyheytaytay 2 жыл бұрын

odd flex, whatev bruh

@DocTinfoil 2 жыл бұрын

@@heyheytaytay - I have ZERO idea what that highly articulate response must mean?

@tezwoacz 2 жыл бұрын

@@DocTinfoil was it always the same ? or did you guys go through multiple takes with different models ?

@bradyweed4124 2 жыл бұрын

Shelob is scary as hell and I am convinced that Tolkien just put her in to flex how good of a writer he is, sewing such a vivid terror into our minds

@25Erix 2 жыл бұрын

He was a known arachnophobe, as well. I think he was bitten by a spider as a child and he feared them ever since.

@macree01 2 жыл бұрын

Well, no. Shelob is a spawn of Ungoliant and thus ties into the mythology that Tolkien has been already writing since WW1.

@edwardness7497 2 жыл бұрын

@@macree01 Tolkien is bitten by a snake when he was little instead of a spider and bam... Shelob is a Snake as is Ungoliant

@jaimy_games 2 жыл бұрын

I thought Tolkien put spiders into The Hobbit just to scare his son Michael, who had a fear of them. Tolkien himself was bitten by a tarantula in South Africa when he was still a small boy. That may have helped to tap into the dark terror, but he himself did not develop any dislike of spiders, which I find remarkable.

@thorodinson9782 2 жыл бұрын

@@edwardness7497 that is so very wrong

@gray9818 2 жыл бұрын

Do you think Sam had war flashbacks whenever Rosie asked him to kill a spider in their home?

@namafault9617 2 жыл бұрын

imagine her asking him again, only for him to find Shelob in the living room sitting there like "listen here you little shit".

@adieuuuu 2 жыл бұрын

Sam: I've seen bigger

@LucasGomez10 2 жыл бұрын

I imagine Sam grabbing the lamp and saying "you will not come here again... come on and finish it" (after scaring away the spider) "ha, back!" (with lamp feints) lol

@mattjones1776 2 жыл бұрын

No way, Sam would have picked up his pint-mug, grabbed a slice of parchment and then stabbed it to death with Sting.

@jamiebuzzeo4842 2 жыл бұрын

I don't believe he would kill it, but more put it outside and have words, then send it on it's way. In all actuality he didn't actually go for the kill with Shelob and finished her off, he just badly wounded her then basically told her to f**k off. 🤔😂👍🎬

@godfreemorals 2 жыл бұрын

Tolkien: So, she's 'spider-like', but has glowing eyes, horns, out thrust head with short stalk-like neck and a huge swollen bag of a body. Each leg ends with a claw, there's steel wire hair on the them and she's black with livid marks, except her belly which is pale and reeks. I mean, I could go on... All Artists: Great big spider gotcha. Tolkien: *sighs*

@LordVader1094 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah it's sad how boring the mainstream designs are

@luke8536 2 жыл бұрын

“Most like a spider” not ‘spider-like’, very different images. Plus he says the only difference between her form and regular spiders was her size. Nobody can know exactly what Tolkien had visioned her looking like, but I think it’s safe to say giant spider is pretty close and still conveys the terror and evil he was going for.

@smithgdwg 2 жыл бұрын

@@luke8536 I'm guessing Tolkien wasn't a big fan of Spiders. Of course I'm not either.

@MrEMVme 2 жыл бұрын

@@smithgdwg Tolkien actually didn't mind them, avoided killing them and tried to set them free outside his home. But being a good writer means he knew how to give the audience a depiction of something to be feared. Whether the person fear spiders or not is irrelevant when it is the size of your house and is not frugal in what it eats.

@BasePuma4007 Жыл бұрын

Well, when I was a child first watching the Peter Jackson movies, I remember noticing that spiders inject venom with fangs, not with a stinger like a wasp/ant, meaning the Peter Jackson interpretation isn't exactly 100% a spider technically either. I think it's okay for artists to mostly focus on making it a spider.

@frankrault3190 2 жыл бұрын

I've heard that Tolkien, as a child, was bitten by a tarantula back in the days when he lived in South Africa. Probably he never forgot.

@josemigueldeohansel6062 2 жыл бұрын

To tell you the truth, Tolkien was never afraid of spiders, even as a kid. It was because of his son's fear of spiders, not his. Glad if helped.

@HCProds1 Жыл бұрын

It was a snake

@efxnews4776 Жыл бұрын

Aracnophobia is one of the most common phobias on mankind, even more common than ophidiophobia (fear of snakes), despite snakes be far more dangerous than spiders.

@vampiresquid 10 ай бұрын

On the contrary, he said he had no recollection of it.

@vampiresquid 10 ай бұрын

@@HCProds1 No, it was a tarantula.

@EEZO115 2 жыл бұрын

I love how Sting got its name from defeating shelobs children, while ending up being the very same sword to almost kill her herself

@Zerbzie Жыл бұрын

It’s the spiders only weakness. The sword is made from mythril. And the light inside mythril never fades. This is why the elves sought out the mythril from the dwarves.

@Zerbzie Жыл бұрын

The spiders devour and feed on light

@Zerbzie Жыл бұрын

But couldn’t consume the light from mythril.

@Zerbzie Жыл бұрын

Hence why it’s their only weakness.

@howardbaxter2514 Жыл бұрын

A sword worthy of being wielded by a hobbit.

@runevi 2 жыл бұрын

Props to the Woodmen of Mirkwood for living among horrors like the brood of Shelob. They must have been the hardest of the hard to have chased off the orcs of the gladden fields and lived on frontiers where giant spiders roam. I always picture them like the fur trappers of "Revenant" fame.

@ComicalHealing 2 жыл бұрын

Notice how Tolkien describes a cat as owning their "masters" "His cat he calls her, but she owned him not" Tolkien for a long time did not like cats, as others have mentioned Huan was set to fight an evil giant cat initially; however, at some point Tolkien's family took in a cat and his opinion of them changed. He even has a poem where he pays respect to the mentality of a cat. Not saying he came to love cats, but I think he understood them better.

@17Watman 2 жыл бұрын

The cat Huan fights in the original story was the Literary Predecessor to Sauron called Telvido.

@AnnaMarianne 2 жыл бұрын

Ooh, I didn't know the rest of the story! As a Tolkien fan and a cat lover I'm glad.

@theenderdestruction2362 Жыл бұрын

@The Cornered Luchador I do not like cats but I love the unknown the fear of it somewhat excites me to say this for the whole is to fall so short of a ladder unknown

@vampiresquid 10 ай бұрын

No, that' not what he is saying. He's using "own" in the sense of "acknowledge or admit." Own up to. She didn't acknowledge him as her master. It goes without saying she didn't own him in the sense of possession.

@josedelapinio 8 ай бұрын

One furrball to rule them all

@jansolo4824 2 жыл бұрын

As far as I know, the spider bite in his childhood wasn’t his source for all these eight legged monstrosity’s in middle earth. If I remember correctly ist was because his son Christophers fear of spiders, which inspired him to use these as villains.

@josemigueldeohansel6062 2 жыл бұрын

Exactly

@LuxBellator92 2 жыл бұрын

That's pretty gnarly as a dad move. "Hey, son, what do you hate most?" "Spiders." "Great! You're going to love this new scene I wrote in The Hobbit!"

@lizardlegend42 2 жыл бұрын

Shelob's lair is probably my favourite chapter of the books. Such a beautifully written sequence of suspense, terror and mystery

@SpecialOrder_937 2 жыл бұрын

My favourite chapter of all 3 books of LOTR is Many meetings , the description of Imladris is just so enchanting 🤣 and the Shelob passages give off disgust and fear

@Sevenigma777 2 жыл бұрын

Shelob was actually the first creature in a book that actually made me feel fear. Nothing will compare with the first time reading thr way Tolkien describes it and just the whole setting. Easily my favorite reading experience of all time.

@SuperPrestogamer Жыл бұрын

Same here…not the balrog, the watcher in the water, the Nazgûl’s, not the wargs, or orcs scared me…But Shelob had me covering my eyes every time she was on scene when I was a child….It’s not just the fact she’s an evil disgusting spider….But how she is so quick, and sneaky, while being so huge and Monstrous!

@philipchristiansen9730 4 ай бұрын

I had always seen Shelob as a symbol on spider the black widow as the black widow shelob just like the black widow eats the male spider after they have given her the offspring.

@stanmann356 2 жыл бұрын

One of my biggest complaints about the movie adaptation, was that they did not make Shelob formidable enough. When you think of how small the hobbits were in relation to other races, and her size in relation to them, it did not look as if she was much bigger than a large bear. To the point where I think four or five orcs working together could have easily defeated her. Plus she was not that much bigger than the spiders depicted in The Hobbit trilogy which should have been much smaller.

@michaelnash1067 2 жыл бұрын

Part of the 'adapted to fit your screen' mentality

@no3ironman11100 Жыл бұрын

Well also the light didn't affect her that much so that's compensation. The point was to make her believable while keeping the threat similar.

@dantesparda14175 Жыл бұрын

I really like the depiction of Shelob in shadow of war because it makes her so much more complex and a very likeable character

@Goodbutevilgenius Жыл бұрын

@dr.calibrations7984 3 ай бұрын

That's the problem. She's not supposed to be humanized or likable. She's a monster. A beast incapable of reason. At best, she's a glutton, at worst she's aware of what she does and enjoys it. I like "Shelob" but the character in Shadow isn't Shelob from LOTR

@Nerobyrne 2 жыл бұрын

"His cat he called her, but she owned him not" Ah, I see Tolkien knew what was up ^.^

@corriedebeer799 2 жыл бұрын

Shelob is also the word for a female spider. As Tolkien admitted in a letter to his son, Shelob "is of course only 'she + lob'", lob being , influenced by Old English loppe or "spider".

@calummacritchie7840 2 жыл бұрын

She's always hungry and orcs don't taste very nice now, do they precious?

@TheCinderestBlockAround 2 жыл бұрын

She hungers for sweeter meats

@garytwinem5275 2 жыл бұрын

Not nice at all 🤢

@aPheonixRises 2 жыл бұрын

Yet gollum sings sweetly when he was fixing to eat a goblin that he had just killed with a rock.

@25Erix 2 жыл бұрын

Ah, yes. Sauron's cat. His giant, eight-legged, many-eyed, cat. The terror of arachnophobes everywhere. I'd rather face down a Giant Frostbite Spider from The Elder Scrolls than fight with Shelob.

@adieuuuu 2 жыл бұрын

Cat is goot metaphore for shelob, because she has her own will

@Unvexed 2 жыл бұрын

I got a mod to replace those with bears because I am terrified of spiders.

@17Watman 2 жыл бұрын

Fun fact: Sauron literary predecessor was a Giant Cat called “Telvido the Prince of Cats”.

@alexandremiguel5408 2 жыл бұрын

I'd rather die instantly than even look at those spiders XD

@christopherbacon1077 2 жыл бұрын

And as with a cat his "ownership" was more theoretical than actual

@Xenomrph 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks to the videogame Shadow of War, we finally have an answer to the age-old question, “What if Shelob was *sexy*?”

@LandStrider23 2 жыл бұрын

Appreciate your quality presentation of these creatures of nightmares.

@jayoyo1001 2 жыл бұрын

Shelob was the second most terrifying spider, but Ungoliant her mother was the number one most terrifying spider that even the second most powerful evil dark lord Morgoth was terrified of her.

@custink22 2 жыл бұрын

Only after devouring the Trees though. Before that, he saw her as a useful tool he could control. But the massive influx of divine power from eating the trees made her even stronger than Morgoth temporarily.

@fathel9221 2 жыл бұрын

@@custink22 Melkor was already severely weakened by then, but he was still the most powerful Valar.

@custink22 2 жыл бұрын

@@fathel9221 he was still more powerful than Ungoliant until she ate the trees.

@seamushayday1222 2 жыл бұрын

Morgoth was the first most powerful darklord

@LordVader1094 2 жыл бұрын

@@seamushayday1222 You don't say?

@z1az285 Жыл бұрын

"....Such as beren had once fought in the mountains of terror in doriath". That reference itself is chilling as well as understanding how old shelob is and how long she has survived as the last child of ungoliant who fled ered gorgoroth

@eikixia 2 жыл бұрын

Gotta say going into Shelob’s Lair in LOTRO was an amazing moment and a nice way to follow up to that untold portion of the story.

@badjokezach6359 2 жыл бұрын

Sam also stabbed her in one of her eyes, and cut off one of her claw-feet. Dude was straight gangster.

@hanburgundy4317 2 жыл бұрын

Samwise the Strong!!!

@deew187 2 жыл бұрын

Idk for some reason Carcharoth, the great wolf of Angband, always scared me the most.

@KeppyKep 2 жыл бұрын

Tolkien's description of him, especially of how he was raised, is both horrifying and incredible.

@deew187 2 жыл бұрын

@@KeppyKep and how he wasn't afraid when Beren held up the Silmaril... Definitely a moment in the story that made me gasp

@rykehuss3435 2 жыл бұрын

@@deew187 That moment when Beren lost his hand was obviously little bit copypasted from Norse mythology, with Týr and Fenrir

@vagabondx2132 Жыл бұрын

Every time I watch one of your videos I am just overwhelmed with the sheer quality of everything you have presented. These videos are the absolute upper echelon of what lore videos can be in any and all topics. Superbly, masterfully, fascinatingly done, my dear friend.

@josephweaver7140 11 ай бұрын

I'm late to the argument. But Sam's assault on Shelob is one of the most, if not The Most valiant acts in ALL of Middle Earth. Born purely out of Love, and HOPELESS in it's outcome....He defends His friend & master....to the DEATH. If death it must be. But Masterwise Sam Gamgee PREVAILS BEYOND HOPE, and rescues his friend & master. Of ALL the battles in Middle Earth.......this one....above all others.....brings me to tears. To me. This is the mightiest battle ever fought in Tolkien's stories.

@q45ij54q 2 ай бұрын

The only one that compares is Fingolfin taking on Morgoth, but we all know how that turned out.

@FlopRider 2 жыл бұрын

Fantastic content as always,I could watch your videos all day! Definitely a Ungoliant video is needed, and one about the Great Eagles would be interesting too 🙂

@joeybox0rox649 2 жыл бұрын

Always a great way to start my weekend! This is a perfect Halloween tale.. Thanks Matt!

@NerdoftheRings 2 жыл бұрын

Always a pleasure! Thanks for watching!

@braylon3233 2 жыл бұрын

I would love a video on the nameless things in moria and what they were, awesome video!

@vikinglegacy9136 6 ай бұрын

Its insanely beautiful how he writes tolkien. Like it was a world that he found and write stuff like he never found out so he could use it later on in later stories. Its beautiful. Very intelligent man.

@inakilambrechts1114 2 жыл бұрын

You are my favorite Lotr channel by far. Been listening to your podcast also, great stuff!

@jeremy2958 2 жыл бұрын

Looking forward to the Ungoliant video (this one was great too)

@zainmarai9521 2 жыл бұрын

I love your vids

@jaimy_games 2 жыл бұрын

Great video. I love the direct reading from The Two Towers to illustrate the interactions of Sauron and Shelob. I'm very much looking forward towards your video of Ungoliant. She's probably the scariest terror in all of recorded history.

@MLaak86 2 жыл бұрын

Indeed, be fascinating to know if Tolkien ever sorta explained what Ungoliant, and thus her offspring, actually were

@jaimy_games 2 жыл бұрын

@@MLaak86 Tolkien doesn't really explain what Ungoliant really was. Her true origin story is unknown. Not even the Valar knew where she originally came from. It is thought that she likely came from the Darkness itself surrounding Arda, but it's also possible that she was a corrupted Maia that came to Arda in the form of a spider. Personally I expect her to be like Tom Bombadil. Tom Bombadil's origin is also a mystery, but I feel he is most likely a result or by-product of the song of the Ainur. I feel that Ungoliant is the same but on the opposite, a result or by-product of the discord in the song started by Melkor. Tolkien does mention her ending; she likely killed herself by devouring herself to ease her ever-growing hunger.

@MLaak86 2 жыл бұрын

@@jaimy_games I'd be most comfortable with her being a personification of 'eldritch' darkness, perhaps what 'was' before Eru began creation, especially since she was a threat to Melkor after eating the sap of the Two Trees - that just seems too powerful for even an empowered Maia to ever become.

@itayshorek6872 2 жыл бұрын

amazing as always. youre the best tolkien channel my friend. from start to end. the voices, the pictures, how long the quates/pics are, the number of ads during the video.. youre the best!

@ryanthunder3247 2 жыл бұрын

i love watching all these videos. such neat backstory presented really well :)

@beng557 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! You have the best videos!!

@diddyknux 2 жыл бұрын

Ten years between meeting Shelob and making good on his promise to bring her food? I guess to a multiple-millenia old beast, 10 years is nothing.

@MrMeloska 2 жыл бұрын

If Smeagol was nicknamed Shelob's Sneak by the orcs. I can imagine it probably happened more than once, why else would orcs even know of the ordeal. Moreover the nickname itself.

@josh6689 2 жыл бұрын

Pretty sure he delivers her food several times before lord of the rings takes place because they have a meeting in two towers or return of the king where she tries to kill him but he says he's bringing her more than just food. Think it takes place during the secret stairs when he sneaks off.

@thecantaloupe2518 2 жыл бұрын

You rock! Love these vids.

@NerdoftheRings 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching & subscribing!!

@LookHereMars 2 жыл бұрын

Not sure if you will see this as I'm sure you have many notifications for comments. But I must say thank you for this content. I have only recently found your channel and have been binge watching for days now. Please keep up the good work and thank you.

@donaldwatson7698 2 жыл бұрын

I find it hard to believe that King Ellesar would hear how Shelob nearly killed his beloved hobbits, and not react with decisive wrath. Had Tolkien written of the matter, I suspect Ellesar or Faramir would ride out at first good opportunity with a host of warriors, and burn out Shelob's den, making certain she was destroyed in the process.

@Zerbzie Жыл бұрын

They would’ve all been devoured or tricked. Shelob was a lot like Medusa in deceiving men.

@royalhero4608 Жыл бұрын

Despite being hunted, Aragorn survived for so long in his life as he was cautious. Doing something like that would get him killed pretty quick

@Enerdhil 2 жыл бұрын

Poor Shelob, stuck in the depths of despair for ages with no cat to keep her company, or maybe Tevildo is down there with her. 🕷️🐈

@shehansenanayaka3046 10 ай бұрын

We always appreciate your hard work and dedication towards these videos. Love you guys. Love from Sri Lankan fan of you from Sri Lanka 🇱🇰🤝🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿.

@pianogang2273 2 жыл бұрын

Maybe in one of your later videos, you can discuss the earliest versions of the Legendarium? I really love The Book of Lost Tales, and they are some very interesting manuscripts (or typescripts ;D)! Great video as usual! :D

@GothicLightingQueen 2 жыл бұрын

Seriously misunderstood creatures, spiders are. - Hagrid Imagine if we teleported Hagrid to shelob

@Renserin Жыл бұрын

*laughter* Oh, no question, it would be a case of love at first sight. At least for Hagrid.

@DracoInduperator Жыл бұрын

"Harry, she's so *PRETTY,* ain't she a gurt big beauty!?!"

@justice4all190 2 жыл бұрын

The scariest creature of Middle Earth IMO: 1. Ungoliant 2. Balrogs 3. The Watcher in the Water 4. Shelob

@michaelnash1067 2 жыл бұрын

Good list.... but I'd have Dragons after Balrogs. You can avoid the caves and the water but the Dragons can come to you!!

@jamiebuzzeo4842 2 жыл бұрын

I'd say the creatures of the 'Dead Marshes' deserve to be on that list like...scary...👏🌃⚔🎬

@michaelnash1067 2 жыл бұрын

@@jamiebuzzeo4842 I agree with you about the scary .. but 'The Dead Marshes' is remains of souls that died in a battle.... not creatures.

@michaelnash1067 2 жыл бұрын

@@jamiebuzzeo4842 kinda like 'The Walking Dead' ...but kinda 'The Swimming Souls'

@mexicanadian0846 2 жыл бұрын

For me its 1. BALROGS 2. UNGOLIANT 3. DRAGONS 4. WEREWOLVES/WARGS 5. SHELOB The reason I put Ungoliant second is that when she was at her "peak" just a few balrogs came and f$#ked her up. Literally sent her running into the shadows of Ered Gorgoroth. They sent many many many a creature running with their presence in battle. Yes Gandalf defeated one, but being weak from thousands of years underground and then having its fire quenched from the fall at the bridge and Gandalf using all his knowledge and magic to kill it, thus killing himself really sets up how powerful and terrifying Balrogs, even one let alone a squadron, really are.

@yujin4985 2 жыл бұрын

There really is just something so special about the way Tokien describes the monsters of Middle Earth...

@guilherme5094 2 жыл бұрын

Sam is really the guy, I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm afraid of big spiders.

@custink22 2 жыл бұрын

I cant stand spiders in general after an ill fated camping trip, and especially not big spiders. But that said, id still fight shelob, because the only other choice is to lose my friend and die myself. Sam didnt have anywhere to run, and wasnt gonna leave frodo behind.

@teamvlcn6820 2 жыл бұрын

Shelob is the source of the only nightmare I remember.

@TheCinderestBlockAround 2 жыл бұрын

Shelob is a demon in her own way, for real. Though I think I would rather face her than a Balrog any day. Congrats to Samwise the Brave for wounding her and annihilating our worst fears

@Steel-101 2 жыл бұрын

I would rather face a Balrog. Yeesh, spiders creep me out!! 😖

@TheCinderestBlockAround 2 жыл бұрын

@@Steel-101 indeed

@Mr_Doogz 2 жыл бұрын

I dont think Sam actually kills her though. But true I would rather take a literal fallen supernatural being than a spider

@Mr_Doogz 2 жыл бұрын

Also ,speaking of balrogs, how do they die? I thought they were immortal like Gandalf?

@TheCinderestBlockAround 2 жыл бұрын

@@Mr_Doogz immortal means you cannot die of old age, you still can be slain, the only reason Gandalf survived is because the Valar sent him back to finish his job in Middle Earth, otherwise he would not have. So Balrogs can be slain.

@chitown38 2 жыл бұрын

If only Frodo had a can of Raid Bug Spray.

@laurenbernstein621 2 жыл бұрын

Galadriel's idea of bug spray was the light of Ëarandil, apparently

@heyheytaytay 2 жыл бұрын

Don't know if Amazon's production covers this age but i'd LOVE to see a fight between Ungoliant and some balrogs brough to animation.

@shaunholt 2 жыл бұрын

I think they're doing a Second Age series, aren't they? First Age was the age of Morgoth, as told in the Silmarillion, which I don't think anyone has acquired the rights for, so no films or shows about it. Second Age is the rise of Sauron, who had been Morgoth's lieutenant. Wanna know how badass Morgoth was? He had an army of balrogs, dragons, and Sauron.

@LordVader1094 2 жыл бұрын

@@shaunholt The latest image for it shows the Two Trees of Valinor, so we might get flashbacks.

@jonviall5566 Жыл бұрын

YOU ARE GREAT at WHAT YOU DO !!

@ngaming3287 2 жыл бұрын

I think Ungolianth wasn't just mother of Spider-like creatures such as Shelob, but mother of all insects that roam Arda. This is my opinion because Tolkien did state Shelob did have many other Body parts from other Insects we in real life see thus making it interesting to suggest that every insect is a sub species of Shelob and her brood. And overall opinion of Insects in Arda just strikes me as Alien-like creatures that do not belong in this world.

@teleportedbreadfor3days Жыл бұрын

I believe that the children of Shelob in Mirkwood were actually driven out, because I believe the much smaller spiders of today are the giants’ descendants, as do the eagles of today likely descend from the Greats.

@Roshan-sb8mh 2 жыл бұрын

I love your videos man just found you scrolling and now my fav channel

@gamingwithelk5653 2 жыл бұрын

I had no idea shelob was so old! Great vid and keep up the good work also can u make a video on the people of forodwaith

@jasonrichards7230 2 жыл бұрын

Great video! I would love to see a Fingolfin video and his battle with Morgoth!

@NerdoftheRings 2 жыл бұрын

Definitely! Fingolfin is certainly on my list!

@jasonrichards7230 2 жыл бұрын

@@NerdoftheRings the best middle earth content out there! Keep up the great work!

@josemigueldeohansel6062 2 жыл бұрын

@@NerdoftheRings Could you also make one about "The New Shadow" from Tolkien's letters?

@DeadHeadspace 2 ай бұрын

Another great deep dive!

@VoidLantadd 2 жыл бұрын

As of this comment being written, this video is the last in the Third Age playlist, and having watched it, I've just finished with all three playlists on the Ages of Middle Earth. This has been a really good introduction to the channel, and has helped me brush up on my Tolkien in preparation for another attempt at the Silmarillion (I got about half way through around six years ago). I'll definitely be watching more videos not included in the three playlists, and I'll be keeping an eye out for future uploads! Keep up the good work!

@stiring614 2 жыл бұрын

I'm a recent subscriber but I've watched lord of the rings since I was a toddler and it amazing and you gave me that wonder and want to read the books again. Thank you

@annaroselarsen4218 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome video!

@indio4-215 2 жыл бұрын

Informative video as always, so thank you Matt! I shall be waiting patiently for that Ungoliant video in the future. And speaking of Ungoliant, If I'm not mistaken, wasn't it only made possible for Ungoliant to overpower Melkor as easily as she did due to consuming the light of Telperion and Laurelin thus greatly amplifying her power and perhaps most importantly, Melkor having already become vastly diminished from infusing most of his power and essence into the very fabric of Arda and into his countless servants that followed him, including probably Sauron and his balrogs and quite possibly Ea as well during the beginning days of the world's creation prior to arriving in Arda? Or so I've read in Volume 10 titled Morgoth's ring from the History of Middle-earth series so if I'm inaccurate regarding the latter, please correct me on that front since I'm still relatively new to the Legendarium. I apologize for any grammar issues I may have made since English isn't exactly my Mother Tongue.

@NerdoftheRings 2 жыл бұрын

You are correct. Morgoth was weakened from his deeds and Ungoliant was bigger and more powerful from consuming

@justinkraus1687 Жыл бұрын

I can’t get enough great content

@mithras5768 2 жыл бұрын

Every time I get to Shelob's part in the books I get creeped right out. When I first saw Shelob in the movies I was disappointed because it was just a big spider. None of the malice She had in the books. I understand it's difficult to bring that into the movies but there was not even an attempt, it seems.

@cdavis4111 2 жыл бұрын

Make a video about beorn please, love these

@raukawacassidy-rickard3045 2 жыл бұрын

“A vast bloated bag swaying and sagging between her legs; it’s great bulk was black, blotched with livid marks” Sounds like Shelob’s packing

@marionbaggins 2 жыл бұрын

How to make people scared of Spiders by J.R.R Tolkien Tolkien creates the best: Nature, Dog, Spiders, and more...and why shape how I see the world!!!

@2dostone2 2 жыл бұрын

I just found this channel Im like wow. I am now extremely hyped about new lotr series. Hope nothing less than game of thrones, but should be even better.

@imgamegame3560 2 жыл бұрын

Love your content thank you so much

@mattmennone9825 Жыл бұрын

hey man. love your videos and been a long time fan of the channel. if i may, i think you should do a walkthrough of the Lotr books and their events. im sure there are others besides myself who only know the events of the films and would like to see the differences without having to subject ourselves to the 300+ pages about breakfast. as enticing as it may be.

@alexharris6481 2 жыл бұрын

ELITE content yet again

@jamiegregg9211 2 жыл бұрын

cool Vid Matt enjoyed it

@ajfilmguy 2 жыл бұрын

Duuuude, I just finished reading The Two Towers last night. Perfect timing :)

@donaldhenderson5041 2 жыл бұрын

Shelob was the most interesting character for me in the books as a child.

@EdricLysharae Жыл бұрын

It was bittersweet and poetic justice that some of last remnants of the pure light from the Trees of Valinor would be used in battle against the last of Ungoliant's children.

@Skypothesis 2 жыл бұрын

Amazing!

@gregorykollarus8190 2 жыл бұрын

Love the info

@djtripmix 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome! Thanks

@untruelie2640 2 жыл бұрын

As always, a great video. :) It is perhaps worth mentioning, that during the confrontation between Shelob and Hobbits, something "higher" is going on (as usual in the Lord of the Rings). Before his final fight with Shelob, Sam sort of "prays" to Varda, the Vala who created the stars and the two trees of Valinor, despite the fact that he doesn't speak Sindarin - the words just come to him. Some higher power gives Sam strength and improves his will to fight. The other important aspect, perhaps THE most important aspect in this scene, is the fact that the light in Frodo's phial is the light of the Silmaril and therefore the light of the two trees of Valinor (which frightens and hurts all evil beings). In other words: Shelob is beaten by the light of the trees her mother had destroyed. Isn't that a great story arc?

@Nokyyyyy Жыл бұрын

"A terrifying monster, born from the darkness, with an appearance so horrendous and disgusting and that will never leave your brain until your death. It was feared by all of the Middle Earth and no one survived her encounter. But there is a truth that must be said. The story of the one time she escaped a gardener's raging heart."

@jwmusic7093 2 жыл бұрын

can't wait for the ungoliant video!

@Alex9971000 2 жыл бұрын

Amazing video.

@Zoggosh 2 жыл бұрын

I remember playing the LotR games on gamecube and fighting Shelob. First time I was ever legit scared at something in a game.

@ccdaly2561 4 ай бұрын

I found this and several other channels just looking for perspectives on Ungoliant, Shelob, and the great spiders.

@AutumnReel4444 2 жыл бұрын

Shelob is part of why spiders are my favorite animal. Shelob is great.

@herr_der_spiele 2 жыл бұрын

Wonderful Video.

@iwatchkittenvids45 2 жыл бұрын

Cant wait for the Ungoliant video

@bindair_dundat Жыл бұрын

In the hungarian translation Shelob was referred to as "Banyapók", which essentially translates to "witchspider". That combined with her ability to speak made me imagine it as this half witch half spider entity. Similar to Quelaag from Dark Souls. Was kinda bummed when I learned it was just a big spider.

@Amesang 2 жыл бұрын

I'm reminded of Norman from _Mighty Max_ being deathly afraid of spiders.

@brunogaron2705 2 жыл бұрын

In one of Lord of the Rings online MMO latest raids' the hero/player gets to fight Shelob/Ungwetari after defeating an Ungoledain army and boss (spider-men, the last of their kinds), a grodbog queen, and Rukhor the pale herald, with the help of Celeborn, Legolas and a dwarf named Atli Spider-Bane after having hunted hints of a pact between her and a lieutenant of Sauron, Rukhor the pale herald (one of the raid bosses) which had planned to unleash her on the world. At the end Atli the dwarf severes one of her arms and she falls into an abyss, presumably dead for good. It is said that Celeborn had hunted the great spiders for years. All not proper cannon but interesting indeed.