What were orcs originally?

In The Tale of Tinúviel, Orcs originate as "foul broodlings of Melkor who fared abroad doing his evil work". In The Silmarillion, Orcs are East Elves (Avari) enslaved, tortured, and bred by Morgoth (as Melkor became known); they "multiplied" like Elves and Men. Tolkien stated in a 1962 letter to a Mrs.

What is the origin of orcs?

They were created by the first Dark Lord, Morgoth, before the First Age and served him and later his successor in their quest to dominate Middle-earth. Before Oromë first found the Elves at Cuiviénen, Melkor kidnapped some of them and cruelly deformed them, twisting them into the first Orcs.

What did orcs originally look like?

Orcs were described as smaller in stature than Men on average, strong but crooked in frame and bow-legged. One "huge orc-chieftain" was described as "almost Man-high", but some must have been of a similar size to Hobbits (Frodo and Sam succeeded in disguising themselves as Orcs in Mordor).

What were Tolkien's orcs based on?

Other commentators thought that Tolkien's description of the orcs was modelled on racist wartime propaganda caricatures of the Japanese. Critics have noted, too, that the work embodies a moral geography, with good in the West, evil in the East.

How did orcs reproduce?

In The Book of Lost Tales, it is said that Orcs were "bred from the heats and slimes of the earth" through the sorcery of Morgoth. Again, Tolkien later changed this, as Morgoth could not create life on his own. This led to the most popular theory that Orcs were created from corrupted Elves.

Where do Orcs come from? | Lord of the Rings Lore | Middle-Earth

Are all orcs elves?

In-fiction origins

In The Silmarillion, Orcs are East Elves (Avari) enslaved, tortured, and bred by Morgoth (as Melkor became known); they "multiplied" like Elves and Men.

Do orcs eat orcs?

We also know that they are not opposed to cannibalism, as they begin to eat the orc that is killed during the abduction of Merry and Pippin outside Fangorn Forest.

Are orcs immortal?

They could be slain, and they were subject to disease; but apart from these ills they died and were not immortal, even according to the manner of the Quendi; indeed they appear to have been by nature short-lived compared with the span of Men of higher race, such as the Edain.

How are orcs made from mud?

In short, orcs aren't made from mud but rather incubated in it. According to Tolkien's extensive backstory, the first orcs were fallen elves, corrupted and tortured into these horrific new forms.

Are Orcs cannibals?

Tolkien indicates that Orcs are "always hungry". Orcs eat all manner of flesh, including men and horses, and there are frequent hints of cannibalism among Orcs. Grishnákh, leader of the Mordor Orcs, accuses Saruman's Uruks of eating Orc-flesh, which they angrily deny.

What happens to the Orcs after the ring is destroyed?

They were nearly destroyed in the War of Wrath, and those that survived fled eastwards into the Mountains of Angmar and the Grey Mountains (Ered Mithrin). We may assume that the others (the ones Sauron created), along with some of the Melkor breeds, fled and hid anywhere they could.

How did Sauron make Orcs?

Due to his corrupting influence, he swayed many of the Maiar, lesser divine beings including Sauron himself, to his cause. After the Earth was created, Melkor was the first to learn of the awakening of the Elves, and before the other Valar can find them, he kidnaps and cruelly tortures some, twisting them into orcs.

How long do Orcs live for?

Orcs reach maturity at about age 18-20. Middle age is around age 40 or so, old age at 65, venerable age at 80, and they rarely live beyond 100 years of age.

What are Uruk-hai a mix of?

In the movies Uruk-hai are described as a crossbreed between Orcs and "goblin-men". This is presumably a reference to the Goblin-men and Half-orcs in Saruman's service, creatures that blend the traits of Orcs and Men. These Uruks are sent after the Fellowship, and their leader is Lurtz, a movie-only character.

Why do the Uruk-hai come out of the ground?

Saruman's Uruk-hai are shown as being released from a kind of membrane in the mud deep under Isengard (special commentary on the DVD edition explained that they were trying to base the scene on an early description of Tolkien's that Orcs "worm their way out of the ground like maggots").

Are orcs twisted Elves?

In Tolkien's mythology, orcs are traditionally “monstrous”; they represent corrupted, twisted versions of elves and men, made by Morgoth (the original Dark Lord of Tolkien's world).

How many balrogs are there?

In Tolkien's later writings, he made note of the fact that there could not have ever been more than seven Balrogs, yet they were able to drive away Ungoliant in what was described as a "tempest of fire". In another early writing, the Lord of the Balrogs was named Lungorthin.

Was Sauron a human?

A few clues are given as to Sauron's appearance as the Dark Lord, after he lost his ability to take a fair form: Tolkien described Sauron in one of his letters as having the form of a man of more than human stature, but not gigantic, and as an image of malice and hatred made visible.

How are half Orcs made?

Half-orcs can be explained without the implication of rape. The race came from Tolkien and his half-orcs stemmed from interbreeding between orcs and unsavory humans allied with Sauron or Saruman.

What do Orcs drink?

Orc Draught is an invigorating drink used by Orcs, which inflicts damage when drunk but restores some hunger and grants speed and strength buffs. It is essentially Sauron's imitation of elven Miruvor.

What did the Elves eat?

Crisp apples, leafy green salads and even snow berries—a special fruit grown only at the North Pole—all occasionally become a part of the elves' well-balanced diet.

Is AZOG an orc?

Azog was an Orc-chieftain of Moria, who started the War of the Dwarves and Orcs when he slew Thrór. He was himself slain by Dáin II Ironfoot in the Battle of Azanulbizar, and was succeeded by his son Bolg.

Why do Orcs sound British?

The Cockney accent was used by the Orcs and Uruk-Hai, who have a minimal speaking role. These Orcs are bred to follow orders. They aren't even respectable antagonists like the wizard Saruman, who was given the RP accent.

Are Uruk-hai tortured elves?

Uruk hai, unlike their elf descended brethren, are bred by Saruman at Isengard. They come from the dark arts and magical creation rather than torture or biological procreation. It is often said that uruk hai are actually a result of the crossbreeding of humans and orcs.

Are goblins and orcs the same?

In The Hobbit, Tolkien describes Orcs as a large variety of goblins, leading some to the notion that mountain goblins were of smaller build than Orcs, although the Great Goblin and "Azog the Goblin" (as he was called in The Hobbit) were massive in size.