Lord Of The Rings' Eagles Didn't Take Frodo To Mordor For A Reason You Might Hate

There are plenty of "Lord of the Rings" theories that, if true, would change the story dramatically. One of the most enduring Middle-earth plot holes is the question of why the Eagles didn't just ferry the One Ring to Mount Doom as soon as possible. Fans endlessly bring up the idea as a cop-out solution that would have ended the story in a fraction of the time.

Well, Tolkien had a response to this oft-repeated critique, and it's one for the ages. In an old recording shared on Reddit, the author can be heard saying that he has a letter from a fan of "The Lord of the Rings" who asks why they didn't just fly the Eagles into Mordor. "I told him," Tolkien explains, "I get this same question — people run into me at the pub and ask, 'Why didn't they just fly the Eagles to Mordor? It would have made the quest a whole lot easier.' And I told him the same thing that I'm telling you right now. You know. Shut up!"

The author is known for coming up with elaborate reasons to explain why his stories play out the way they do, but the presence and inactivity of the Eagles are a clear sticking point that is difficult to truly resolve. Nonetheless, he did offer another, more eloquent response to the Eagle question in a letter written in 1958, where he provided some harsh feedback on a bungled movie adaptation that threatened to abuse the utility of the airborne armada. In response, Tolkien warned, "The Eagles are a dangerous 'machine'. I have used them sparingly, and that is the absolute limit of their credibility or usefulness." Translation: Don't overuse these guys, or you'll deflate the story.

Tolkien's declaration to "shut up" about the Eagles may be an indirect admission of the issue, but it hasn't stopped fandom from head-canoning their way to a solution. The internet is rife with theories about why the Eagles were sidelined until after the Ring is already destroyed, and Nine-fingered Frodo and Samwise the Strong need a lift from the Cracks of Doom.

One suggestion is that the Eagles couldn't physically do it. This tracks with "The Hobbit," where they save Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Dwarves from the goblins and wargs but only fly them part of the rest of the way. In the "Fellowship of the Ring" book, Gwaihir the Windlord similarly informs Gandalf that he can carry him "many leagues [...] but not to the ends of the earth. I was sent to bear tidings not burdens." To help gauge the distance required to bear the Ringbearer to Mount Doom, in just over six months, Frodo travels around 1,800 miles to complete his quest. Yes, the Eagles could have picked Frodo up in Rivendell (where they decide to destroy the Ring) rather than at the front door of Bag End and flown him to Mordor from there. They would have gone straighter, too. Still, we're still talking about hundreds and hundreds of miles.

Other theories (many of which can be found in the Reddit thread under the recording with Tolkien's own thoughts) are equally entertaining. Some claim the Ring would have corrupted the Eagles, who are sentient beings. Others say it's a bad plan since they would have been in plain sight and would have had to get through airborne Nazgûls keeping watch around Mordor.

There's also the factor of the Eagles' willingness. The Great Eagles are messengers of the Valar (the god-like beings who watch over the earth). While they are squarely on the good guy's side, they aren't automatically on anyone's team and aren't beasts of burden to be called for when it's convenient.

While the Eagles can't help with the primary Ring-destroying event of "The Lord of the Rings," they definitely pop up more than once in the story. The Great Eagles are regular participants in "The Silmarillion." They're also involved in the history of Númenor during the Second Age (when "The Rings of Power" is set), too.

In "The Hobbit," the Eagles save Bilbo and Company in the Misty Mountains kerfuffle. They also show up again at the end of the story to turn the tide during the Battle of Five Armies. In "The Lord of the Rings," the top Eagle, Gwaihir, saves Gandalf from Saruman's stronghold of Isengard. He shows up again to help the Wizard after he defeats the Balrog. Then, the Eagles arrive en masse to save the day at the fight in front of the Black Gate at the end of the story. At that point, as if to put a bow on top of their impressive resume, a few of them conduct a final rescue mission to pick up Frodo and Sam in Mordor itself.

So, while they don't just fly the One Ring to the fire, Tolkien's point makes sense. The Eagles are critical to the Middle-earth story and are already used aplenty. They show up at key eucatastrophic moments and help when absolutely necessary — all without stealing agency from the primary characters. They're a useful story device that should be used sparingly, all of which drives home the point: if you find yourself asking why the Eagles didn't just fly the One Ring to Mordor themselves, remember Tolkien's words and shut up.