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Middle-earth & J.R.R. Tolkien Blog
Fantasy dwarves work on a waterway in a town in an artist's depiction.

Could Tolkien Dwarves Swim?

  • Questions and Answers
February 22, 2021February 21, 2021 Michael Martinez 3 comments

Could Tolkien Dwarves Swim? ANSWER: Yes. Well, in the sense that it wasn’t physically impossible for them to, that’s the short answer. Convincing people that […]

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Gandalf stands against the Balrog of Moria on the Bridge of Khazad-dum.

Could Aragorn and Boromir have Helped Gandalf against the Balrog?

  • Questions and Answers
February 18, 2021February 23, 2021 Michael Martinez 13 comments

Q: Could Aragorn and Boromir have Helped Gandalf against the Balrog? ANSWER: This is one of those questions that invites speculation. While I don’t recall […]

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A hand holds a sword up to the sunlight.

What Does It Mean to Cast Up A Sword?

  • Questions and Answers
February 15, 2021February 19, 2021 Michael Martinez 9 comments

Q: What Does It Mean to Cast Up A Sword? ANSWER: Tolkien often used obscure meanings for common, everyday English words. Deciphering what he meant […]

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Amazon's official map of Middle-earth for LoTROnPrime

Amazon Releases 1st Official Summary for Lord of the Rings TV Show

  • News
January 12, 2021 Xenite.Org Administrator 3 comments

Per TheOneRing.Net: Amazon Studios’ forthcoming series brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. […]

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Why Did Aragorn Forget Thranduil’s Name in the “Two Towers” Movie?

  • Questions and Answers
December 21, 2020December 22, 2020 Michael Martinez 4 comments

Q: Why Did Aragorn Forget Thranduil’s Name in the “Two Towers” Movie? ANSWER: A fan-made video uploaded to YouTube has been circulating for years, claiming […]

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Luke Johnston as young Aragorn receives the Ring of Baragir, symbol of his heritage, in 'Born of Hope'.

Why Didn’t Sauron Know that Aragorn Existed?

  • Questions and Answers
December 10, 2020December 10, 2020 Michael Martinez 4 comments

Q: Why Didn’t Sauron Know that Aragorn Existed? ANSWER: I received the following question in July 2020: Could Sauron have discovered from Saruman that Isildur’s […]

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A thoughtful man in silhouette stares up at the night sky.

Random Questions from a Single Reader

  • Questions and Answers
December 7, 2020December 7, 2020 Michael Martinez 9 comments

Q: Random Questions from a Single Reader ANSWER: Normally when people submit multiple questions I try to space out the answers for them across multiple […]

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A remote mine building stands atop a sandy hill.

Did the Noldor Dig Their Own Mines?

  • Questions and Answers
December 3, 2020December 4, 2020 Michael Martinez 8 comments

Q: Did the Noldor Dig Their Own Mines? ANSWER: This is a variation on a more generalized question about mining in Middle-earth. Everyone knows the […]

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A blacksmith forges metal next to a roaring fire.

What did Sauron Use the Sammath Naur for?

  • Questions and Answers
November 30, 2020December 13, 2020 Michael Martinez 18 comments

Q: What did Sauron Use the Sammath Naur for? ANSWER: This will undoubtedly be one of those questions where despite my quoting the book, people […]

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The ruins of an ancient town stand in desolate countryside.

Where Did the Second Age Númenoreans Live in Eriador?

  • Questions and Answers
November 26, 2020November 26, 2020 Michael Martinez 2 comments

Q: Where Did the Second Age Númenoreans Live in Eriador? ANSWER: The short answer is “almost everywhere”. The following question was submitted in February 2020: […]

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A volcanic landscape seethes with fire and lava flows.

How Much Damage Would the Valar have Caused If They Attacked Sauron?

  • Questions and Answers
November 23, 2020November 26, 2020 Michael Martinez 3 comments

Q: How Much Damage Would the Valar have Caused If They Attacked Sauron? ANSWER: This is a difficult question to rephrase into a simple headline. […]

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A picture of the cover of 'The Nature of Middle-earth', by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Carl Hostetter

New (Final) Tolkien Book about Middle-earth to Be Published in 2021

  • News
November 19, 2020November 22, 2020 Xenite.Org Administrator 4 comments

As Xenite.Org founder Michael Martinez mentioned in a comment on the Q-and-A article “Was Smaug Present at the War of Wrath?” a new Tolkien book […]

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