Q: Is There An In-story Explanation For Why the Eagles Rarely Participate in Great Events?
ANSWER: This question (as best I can remember it) was once asked in a lengthy discussion about why the Eagles of the Misty Mountains did not help more in the War of the Ring. One could argue that Tolkien left that whole matter ambiguous (after all, how many battles did the Beornings and Woodmen of Mirkwood fight?).
The Eagles of the Misty Mountains did help to gather news (at Radagast’s request) and they sent Gwaihir the Windlord to convey that news to Gandalf at Isengard. Some readers have questioned why the Eagles didn’t assault Isengard to free Gandalf, but they had no knowledge of Saruman’s betrayal until Gwaihir found Gandalf on top of Orthanc. Afterwards, however, there may have been a “behind-the-scenes” reason for the Eagles’ not dealing with Saruman.
Also, as the story unfolded, the Ents eventually destroyed the power of Isengard — and they, like the Eagles, had a special purpose and function in Middle-earth. As you may recall, The Silmarillion tells us that the Eagles were spirits sent by Manwë to keep a watch on Morgoth. The Eagles did not directly participate in the wars of Beleriand because the Noldor were being punished by the Valar for their rebellion, but Manwë nonetheless used the Eagles to intervene in some of the most dire circumstances (as when Thorondor assisted in the rescues of Maedhros, Hurin and Huor, and Beren and Luthien). The Eagles also assisted in the defense of Gondolin, but they were unable to protect the city against the full force of Morgoth’s army.
The Ents were spirits summoned by the thought of Yavanna; they were given the special task of protecting trees and forests against the depredations of the Children of Iluvatar (Elves, Men, and Dwarves) and Morgoth’s servants.
After the War of Wrath the Ents and Eagles don’t seem to have had much to do in Middle-earth, so far as acting on behalf of the Valar was concerned. Manwë may have continued to receive reports from the Eagles and the Ents continued to watch over forests but they took no direct actions against Sauron. (NOTE: The history of Numenor suggests that Manwë was in contact with the Eagles that dwelt in Numenor.)
Sauron never became as great a threat as Morgoth had been, and therefore the Valar may have intentionally restrained the interventions of the Eagles and Ents; the wars concerning the Rings of Power, after all, were chiefly a matter between the Elves and Sauron. At the Council of Elrond he said: “…they who dwell beyond the Sea would not receive [the One Ring]: for good or ill it belongs to Middle-earth; it is for us who still dwell here to deal with it.”
The Valar did intervene in the wars with Sauron, of course: they sent the Istari, and there are other hints that they provided some help (perhaps mostly guidance). But they did not send or authorize any armies to oppose Sauron. So the Eagles and Ents may have been left to defend themselves against any incursions and perhaps to report back to Manwë (in the case of the Eagles).
Do these hints and inferences constitute an “in-story explanation” for why the Eagles don’t do more? Not really, but I think they come close. Of course, some people ask why the Eagles didn’t have a problem fighting at the Battle of Five Armies when they (apparently) did not fight in the War of the Ring. However, the Eagles did participate in the final great battle before the Morannon. They came to reinforce the Army of the West, and that (I feel) is significant help.
One might argue that the Eagles were used sparingly by Manwë but that he did use them to ensure that the forces of Good were not completely overwhelmed in the struggles with Morgoth and Sauron. And so we can guess that the Eagles may indeed have fought against Sauron at the end of the Second Age — if they were needed. Perhaps they also assisted in earlier wars against Sauron, if they were needed. But Manwë would presumably be the one to determine when the need was sufficient to warrant their intervention.
And if my reasoning is correct then that may answer one of the most challenging, frustrating, and debate-inspiring questions in all Tolkien fandom: Why didn’t the Eagles just fly Frodo to Mount Doom? (Of course, the logic of the story took Frodo far away from the Eagles so it’s not like there was ever an opportunity for that kind of intervention.) Summoning the Eagles to deal with a problem that Elrond had already stated would not be dealt with (directly) by the Valar probably would be rejected just as sending the Ring over Sea would have been rejected.
It was for the Elves and Men who had created the problem to deal with. And Frodo’s journey certainly proves that it was within their means to get the Ring to Mount Doom mostly on their own. Yes, there was an element of deus ex machina in the last minutes before the Ring was destroyed, but the Ring itself played a part in that drama. However, that is a discussion for another day.
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The following passage from On the Rings of Power and the Third Age seems to imply that the Eagles fought on both sides during the War of the Last Alliance!
I thought about that passage but while it clearly indicates that birds fought for Sauron I don’t believe that has to mean that eagles fought for him.
Of course the Eagles really are a deus ex machina, as Tolkien says: “The Eagles are a dangerous ‘machine’. I have used them sparingly, and that is the absolute limit of their credibility or usefulness.” – Letter 201.
There is a “bad” eagle in Norse mythology, i.e. Hraesvelg (the Carrion Eater) which makes the wind with its wings and “gnaws corpses screaming” (Voluspa 50). The image seems to work for the Fell Beasts (Peter Jackson did it even better of course). I think Tolkien projected this potential “evil” aspect on to them – although they came out as “pterodactyls”, they might not have started quite that way:
Pterodactyl. Yes and no. I did not intend the steed of the Witch-King to be what is now called a ‘pterodactyl’, and often is drawn (with rather less shadowy evidence than lies behind many monsters
of the new and fascinating semi-scientific mythology of the ‘Prehistoric’). But obviously it is pterodactylic and owes much to the new mythology, and its description even provides a sort of way
in which it could be a last survivor of older geological eras.
(Letter 211)
In fact the winged Nazgul seem to be a sort of Sauronic Air Force – mostly for reconaissance and line-of-communications duties (e.g. the one waiting to pick up Grishnakh on the east bank of the Anduin), but also with a ground attack role (Faramir’s sortie). So maybe it wouldn’t be so simple for an Eagle to just fly into Mordor. That is the best in-story explanation I can think of!