Tolkien Blog Party 2019 // Tag Answers

These're frightfully difficult, terribly fun, and I couldn't be more pleased with how everything turned out. Can't wait to hear what y'all think! ;)

Would You Rather...

1. ...join Thorin's Company or the Fellowship?

The Fellowship because of... well, just every last bit of it. The Hobbit is a fun adventure, peopled with dear characters, but LotR is just epic. The point springing to mind is all the brothers-in-arms stuff -- likely and unlikely, like Gimli and Legolas. (And, depending who you were with when the fellowship breaks up, you might get to go through either Ithilien or Anorien. <3 And there's Aragorn. And all the other people you'd get to meet, like Faramir. Still, that's not all necessarily key to the question.)

Short answer: for personality variety in the band of adventurers, character development, and adventure-wise, I'd choose the Fellowship.

Except I do hate the Nazgul. Rrrrrr. 

2. ...ride Shadowfax or an eagle?

First off, the eagles always make me Very Happy. But still, gripping the feathers of a huge, fierce, lordly bird -- desperately trying not to pinch as the earth drops away -- v. a mighty, glistening horse, powerful and smooth running as the wind? Shadowfax all the way. <333

(Also must mention lately I'm sliiiiightly peeved at no one in particular, wondering why the eagles couldn't just've dropped Sam and Frodo off at Mount Doom in the first place and spared all the pain and suffering for poor dear everyone. But no story. I understand. Unless there's something I'm forgetting, it's probably just a little loophole Tolkien hoped we wouldn't think about. So let's forget I mentioned it. ;-))

3. ...travel through Moria or Mirkwood?

I dislike them pretty equally, both seem so dark and claustrophobic and endless. If I was a hobbit though I'd pick Moria, cause of all the Big Folk along. Even with all the heartbreak in the loss of Gandalf, Aragorn and Boromir heading and bringing up the rear of the band in the face of that terror, then carrying Frodo and Sam later makes me warm and teary.

4. ...learn to make elvish rope or mithril chainmail?

Both would be interesting, but mithril sounds like ripply silver beauty. Wikipedia says the name mithril comes from two words in Tolkien's Sindarin language -- mith meaning 'grey' and ril meaning 'glitter'. So yes please.

5. ...try to outwit Smaug or Saruman?

Tough one. Ok, bear with me here, but all in all I think I'd actually pick Saruman. Smaug would just be downright terrifying. Saruman would too, but I think of him as kinda the embodiment of modern philosophy -- with smooth beckoning words, twisting, subtly bending meaning and arguing in circles till you're more than half persuaded/feel a fool for holding out any longer. But yet, it's all wound through with pride, i.e. that was his downfall and (not that I've got everything pat in that department) but a humble man who approaches the debate with a little trembling quiver, but still sticks to his guns and keeps repeating what he knows is right -- I think he could make it through.

6. ...spend an hour with Grima Wormtongue or Denethor?

Denethor. Hands down. If he was going on about Faramir I'd be pretty inevitably tempted to give him a gargantuan piece of my mind, but he's still a gentleman and man of honor (albeit ultimately a fallen one). Grima is just... ick. And yuck.

7. ...attend Faramir's wedding or Samwise's wedding?

***First, how can you do this to me, Hamlette?!?!?!?!?***

Well... it depends. If I was in the mood for something epic, the happiness beyond tears, end of a fairy tale sort of occasion, I'd pick the former. If I'm in the mood for hearty food and hilarity and maybe riotous dancing, I'd pick the latter. (Ha, see how neatly I avoided choosing there?)

But I'll play fair and say Eowyn and Faramir. Especially as I intend to be in their retinue and go back to Ithilien and make everything loved and altogether lovely again.

8. ...have to care for the One Ring or the Arkenstone for a day?

The Arkenstone. Gold fever is a very real thing, but I'm not going near the Ring with a ten foot pole. Nuh uh.

9. ...have tea with Bilbo or Frodo?

Ummm... Usually I'd always pick Frodo, but I'm not sure how good of a cook he is, so maybe Bilbo? I do always want to try his seed cakes. For some reason I always picture them as poppy seed.

10. ...fight alongside Boromir or Eomer?

Ok, this one's near impossible. I've literally been thinking about it for a couple days. My initial immediate response was Boromir, but sometimes I feel like Eomer doesn't get as much credit or talking-about as he should and he really is splendid and valiant and loves his sister, and his manly desire to protect is just as strong as the others. So, though I'm not sure how much use I'd be fighting on horseback, at the moment I'm picking Eomer and the Rohirrim.

Thank you for the wonderful party and all the fantastic questions, Hamlette! Again, make sure to check out all the other entries HERE.

And be sure and let me know if you agree/disagree with any of the above!