# What if the characters from LOTR found themselves in earth's 21st century?



## Darth Saruman (Jul 7, 2002)

How would they make a living?
Where would they choose to live?
What new hobbies would they take up?


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## Lantarion (Jul 8, 2002)

I don't think anybody would be too happy about what the world is like today. Where have all the green fields and huge forests gone? What are these terrifying towers of steel? And why is this river brown??
The Elves would just pack up and leave pretty quick, I'd say. No time for such dispicable nonsense. 
Men would find today easier to hande, I think, because it's their offspring who eventually crap the world up, after all.
Saruman would love it, all this new technology to corrupt.


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## Anarchist (Jul 8, 2002)

They would most probably get crazy and commit massive suicides.


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## Arda's Bane (Jul 11, 2002)

It'd be a good thing for all those weed dealers.


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## Arda's Bane (Jul 11, 2002)

Anyway I think that the elves (assuming that heaps of them were transported) would reek a terrible vengeance upon men for crapping up the world (assuming again that they thought that we did crap it up).
Hobbits would hate its as the dislike more complex machinery that a drill (or something like that) and would probably reside in the country.
And men would like it after they were used to it.
Oh and the ents would be mighty ****ed.


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## Merry (Jul 11, 2002)

*This is so Bill and Ted!!*

Gandalf - I'm sure he would hate living in the 21st Century today. He would not be listened to much and probably treat as an old mad man that rambled great speeches but didn't understand how modern life worked.

Melkor/Sauron - They would revil in the world today, there is so much to corrupt and so much that is already corrupted. If they could have dreamt a world that they could rule, I guess our world is not too far away from it!

Elves - I think they would soon pass away through grief and a desire to no longer live. No amount of good work could they perform to un-do all the pollution and wickedness that cloaks this earth, the kin slaying would be especially painful

Ulmo - He would choke in his own dirty waters and probably leave

Arwen - who gives a **** what she thinks

Aragorn - I think he would hate the lack of honour and selfishness of the world today, no one is willing to put themselves out and serve others in a righteous way. Those that do are very much a minority.

I am a happy person really......


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## Rangerdave (Jul 11, 2002)

Well, if there are any Elves left in the 21st century, I am fairly sure they can all be found in a tie-dyed 68 VW microbus wandering the countryside following the Grateful Dead.

RD


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## Jon (Aug 2, 2002)

Hey I think you all are exagerating how messed up our world is...

Yes, there`s pollution and many ugly cities but there`s still thousands and thousands of miles of beautiful untamed wilderness, and peaceful, calm feilds, hedgerows, blackberry bushes, badgers, snow-topped mountains, enourmous waterfalls, rolling hills, craggy cliffs etc etc ..well you get the picture. Most of the world is still believe it or not, `rural` or `countryside`..just have a look..read National Geographic, or at least look at the pictures.

Stop focusing on all the bad stuff. Learning to accept and enjoy our own world, to see its amazing beauty, even in sorrow, will help you all to apreciate and enjoy Tolkien`s world. You won`t have that feeling of `jealousy`, you`ll see that both our worlds are intertwined. They are really very similar. His world also had bad people, corruption, sorrow, darkness, filth, crime etc, and not just in Mordor, I`m on about nearly everywhere, even the Shire.

Those of you who live in England go out into the countryside on a sunny day (it isn`t far) and have a look at the rolling green hills, the hedgerows..you`ll feel like `this is what the shire looked like`, after all Tolkien based it on England, and it hasn`t changed much since his time (outside of the big cities). Those who don`t live in Britain will see other parts of middle earth, the shimmering heat of Harad, the mountains, the dark forests of the South, the winding rivers, anyway , you get the picture.

This is really important. For all we know we only live once, so we have to enjoy and see the beauty of our own world before its too late. Stop being so cynical. Smell the grass and the sea. See the unfathomable dome of sky above you. Our world is Tolkien`s world! The nature is the same.

Also an important point is to why Tolkien`s world is so captivating why?..because it has inns and envelopes and and beer and pipe-weed and cooking pots as well as Elves and wizards ..exactly..familiar elements from our own world, mixed with familiar elements from our own folklore. From our world!

Anyway, some cities are nice. Look at Paris or Rome or London, even the more ordinary areas and cities, they all have their own special charm and feelling. In some ways our world is far richer.

Nuff said.


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## HLGStrider (Aug 2, 2002)

Thanks for showing up with some sanity, Jon... I was afraid this was turning into a panicked environmentalist field day...  

It depends where they ended up. You can't just throw someone into a century without warning. It just doesn't go for going forward in time. If I went back in time without warning I would be wandering around in shorts and a t-shirt and talking weird and probably get burned as a witch or something for wearing "mens" clothes... Are we giving these people time to adjust to culture shock? I know you could never completely adjust them, but give them a chance.

I don't know. I think the dwarves would like some of our modern life styles. 



> Well, if there are any Elves left in the 21st century, I am fairly sure they can all be found in a tie-dyed 68 VW microbus wandering the countryside following the Grateful Dead.



Thanks for the laugh, RD.

Gandalf would go on the lecture curcuit, I'm sure. Elves would end up lost and join a group of Vulcans at a Trekkie convention. Hobbits would end up in a preschool by mistake... Where they would be driven insane... Anyone who spends too much time at a preschool would go insane.


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## Lantarion (Aug 3, 2002)

Thanks Jon, you are absolutely right. It's just that whenever I see or hear the phrase "the 21st Century" I immediately think of the technological advancements and lack of respect for nature. But I'm sure that in a theme this wide people are sure to generalize.


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## Galadhwen (Aug 3, 2002)

Like Lantarion when I hear of 21st Century I think of the moden cities and technology, but Jon ur absoloutly right. I live right bang onto the edge of the Green Belt round London, fields, mature trees, acres of skies... Going into da country hobbits and elves would be more at home (Although da silver dragons in da sky might proove hard to accept) and cities like Rome or Florence would be a dream to men and some elves, all that art, music and history. But hating urban I must say orcs would love some areas. Can NE1 else c elves working for NASA? Surley they'd luv gazing at Elbereth's stars.
Can also c opening for Morgorth/Sauron-politician. Whispering in leader's ear...sound familiar?


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## LadyGaladriel (Aug 3, 2002)

*THE ELVES ARE ALWAYS HERE IN THE FORM OF HIPPIES!*

I agree with the mass hysteria idea .


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## Elbereth (Aug 3, 2002)

LOL...I started a thread like this a few months ago called "Middle earth careers for the 21st Century"....anywho...

I see the Elves being one of those new age healers, who promote being one with your inner spirituality. Either that or they would Budhist monks. 

Hobbits would of course be farmers...living in either New Zealand as sheep herders or in Mid-west America tilling the land and planting corn (oh no!  Got freaky flashback of stephen king's 'Children of the Corn')

Then I would see Gandalf becoming a motivational speaker, coming out with his own book and television series. 

Radaghast would be the next "Crocodile Hunter"...who travels the world hunting for and researching animals both great and small.

Melko and Sauron would be huge CEOs of large corporate entities, owning several corporations apiece and crushing the small businesses, polluting the environment, abusing their factory worker in their many 'swettshops', and causing trade wars that result in the lose of thousands of innocent lives.

The dwarves would still be miners and craftsmen but many of their men would be very successful jewel dealers as well.

Men would be anything that we are currently doing...because let's face it Men rule the twenty first century as it is.


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## Maeglin (Aug 3, 2002)

the men, who always seem to be involved in some kind of war in Middle-Earth, would be professional chess players, trying to improve battle strategy, or all in the army, they would all attend West Point military academy or something of that sort.

The elves and hobbits would all live in Russia where there is nothing but empty land covering a majority of the country, they could stay well hidden there and they would be farmers, while the dwarves would mine out all the huge mountain chains and the orcs would raid their mines, the dwarves would dig more mines, the orcs would raid those, the dwarves would take them back, and the cycle starts again.


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## Elbereth (Aug 3, 2002)

Oh I forgot the orcs!!!

I have always seen the orcs as being the underbellies of our society. The homeless guys on the street who beg for money and rant in rave in strange tongues that only they can understand. 

They are also the the gang members...and the drug dealers...and the better of the group are working in Hollywood as pimps and porn directors...Or leaders of a Mafia.


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## Melara (Aug 3, 2002)

It is sooooo nice to read things like Jon wrote (though this world is quite messed up and people in the "rich" countries can hardly live without making some damage (flushing, shopping, etc.), but I did not mean to talk about those things and spoile everybody's day, sorry, forget it)...After all this planet isn't dead...

Poor Legolas and Treebeard, if they would end up here. Well they should perhaps go to Russia..?

Hobbits would be scared I think...and I wonder if they would like our tobacco...


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## HLGStrider (Aug 3, 2002)

I personally see the Orcs ending up in Zoos... 

Hobbits would start their own brand of smoking tobaco and get sued by somebody or other... 

Personally, I hold an optimistic environmental outlook... besides, I'm a Repulican and reserve the right to make fun of the green party.


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## Gil-Galad (Aug 3, 2002)

I'll be short they won't survive.We're living in such world that I'm wondering how do we survive?


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## Jon (Aug 3, 2002)

Gil-Galad - what a stupid thing to say. Life in middle earth would be hard. Toil, sweat, poor entertainment (beer...and..), poor toilet facilities etc!!


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## Gil-Galad (Aug 10, 2002)

Jon,just imagine something:
an enormous amount of skyscrapers,thousands of cars,polluted air,water,and not a single tree.......
I doubt that a creature like a Hobbit would survive in such condition.Something else.People from ME are very,very different from people nowadays.Just imagine how Aragorn will wake up every morning and go to his work with his car .And finallyid you thing Galadriel would like our world and change Lorien for it?I doubt she is a crazy person.


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## Maeglin (Aug 10, 2002)

I strongly agree with Gil-galad


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## Aerie (Aug 11, 2002)

Me and some others at ASciFi.com were going to start an RP about the Fellowship getting transported through time to our world. It should be fun!


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## Lhunithiliel (Aug 11, 2002)

I think, that this VERY INTERESTING question needs some altering ... or, let's say, some precisions to be made.

Let's specify whether the ME characters are just MOVED into our world "over their night-sleep" OR they have been around for an age or two already.

So, Darth, if you could specify these issues, then I will be only delighted to take part in the discussion.

Looking forward to it!


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## LadyGaladriel (Aug 12, 2002)

I believe Humans have destroyed the world . 
We Have succeded in creating new diseases for ourselve f . Its not safe to swim in some seas. We have choked ourselves by our own filthy air . We could see a man dying in the street and we would walk on . The animals are just viewed as food . The countryside is by no means better . The Countryside is becoming over built and crowded with tourists . The people aren't friendly. 
We are faced with commercialism everyday . We have Famine and War . We have no moralisitic surroundins and it all goes down to one thing , Money. I however do not "envy" tolkiens world because it dislussiional and I do know there's no such thing . 



> Smell the grass and the sea.


 and the pollution. 

There is no respect ect in the world and it saddens me so .


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## HLGStrider (Aug 12, 2002)

I personally believe "money" will save the environment. Pollution isn't profitable. There are better ways to "save the world" than making stupid rules that harm humans more than they help the environment. The environmental sector has much too much political power. Recylcing saves a company money. Using resources well and as sparingly as possible also saves a country money.

The air around most major cities is now clearer than it was a century ago, due to coal being replaced by cleaner methods. Progress will lead to better conditions on earth for humans and nature alike.

While I do think what we have already lost is sad, it is no reason to start condemning everyone who makes more money than you and run around passing more legislation.


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## LadyGaladriel (Aug 13, 2002)

> _Originally posted by HLGStrider _
> *I personally believe "money" will save the environment. Pollution isn't profitable. There are better ways to "save the world" than making stupid rules that harm humans more than they help the environment. The environmental sector has much too much political power. Recylcing saves a company money. Using resources well and as sparingly as possible also saves a country money.
> 
> The air around most major cities is now clearer than it was a century ago, due to coal being replaced by cleaner methods. Progress will lead to better conditions on earth for humans and nature alike.
> ...




Im not saying that we should. Im saying that Humanity will end up destroying the world . Money is the Cause of it. Why not have renewable fuels ? Too expensive. Less commericalism/ toruism ? Too muchmoney would be lost . 


Think about it. Money has caused the World to be too wraped up in self rightouness . The world is going under due to people not taking care of the world and not trying to majke it a better place . 


The air pollution in cities disgust me. Its still around big time . what about this weird weather ? We have destroyed the O zone layer with our own Vanity .


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## Maeglin (Aug 13, 2002)

I agree, especially about the air pollution in cities, I can't stand huge cities. I have been to New York City once and I'm not in any hurry to go back because it was so crowded you can hardly breathe, and almost every breath you take is likely to be second-hand smoke.


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## HLGStrider (Aug 13, 2002)

Elgee's arguementive side is telling her 'REFUTE EVERY POINT!!!" Elgee's sensible side says "Not a good place to try and spout on environmental propaganda with your own version of propaganda..."


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## Aslan (Aug 13, 2002)

I still have a hard time believing it is the 21st Century. Orcs would have a field day! Most others, I believe, would want Middle-Earth again. Men would be thrown in assylums and the rest would be in the freek shows.
New religions would pop up and many would be worshipped. Elves in particular....or something like all that!...


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## LadyGaladriel (Aug 14, 2002)

> rest would be in the freek shows.




Hey , what kind of jobs would they have? I see Gimili as the hariest man thing .





HGL - Propagnda is not giving an opoion to people and forcing them to accept it. Im not doing that Im simply saying that this world is screwed up .


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## Confusticated (Aug 14, 2002)

They would say "Mordor?? I didn't imagine it was This bad...so the old tales are true"


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## Tyaronumen (Aug 14, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Jon _
> *Hey I think you all are exagerating how messed up our world is...
> 
> This is really important. For all we know we only live once, so we have to enjoy and see the beauty of our own world before its too late. Stop being so cynical. Smell the grass and the sea. See the unfathomable dome of sky above you. Our world is Tolkien`s world! The nature is the same.
> *



Jon -- unfortunately, the world is not static, and even more unfortunately, it is not cynical to make note of the fact that our planet is being more or less mindlessly pillaged. 

It *is* important to enjoy and see the beauty of our own world before it is too late -- before it has all been endlessly compromised by oil drilling and freeways and cellular phone antennas and the whole gammut of crap that could all be done in far more environmentally friendly ways -- if enough people care enough to put pressure on their governments!


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## Tyaronumen (Aug 14, 2002)

> _Originally posted by HLGStrider _
> *Thanks for showing up with some sanity, Jon... I was afraid this was turning into a panicked environmentalist field day...  *



Hmm -- you speak as though the fact that there is currently plenty of beautiful, open land means that there will be tomorrow...? If so, then you are somewhat uninformed about the current rate of land consumption going on in the world today.


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## Tyaronumen (Aug 14, 2002)

As for 'pollution isn't profitable'...?

 

Maybe not in the long-term, but how many business men think in the long-term? Uhhhhhhhhhhh -- none, really. That's why guys like Ken Lay drive their corporations into the ground, regardless of the cost to human beings, or the long-term health of the corporation itself.

Obviously, short-term thinking has been extremely profitable for Lay and his cronies, for guys like Joe Nacchio at QWEST (profiteering $100 million in the same year that you drive your company into the dirt...?), etc.

In a similar fashion, these guys don't give a damn about the pollution they're spewing because they know they won't have to deal with the repercussions or be held accountable for any of it.

This *REALITY* can be easily observed by regularly following local, national, and international news.


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## Eriol (Jul 23, 2003)

I was attracted to this thread's views on environmentalism and economics, but I guess I'll stay on topic.

Gandalf would be a modern-day Forrest Gump -- or at least he would be seen as such. 

Aragorn would be a nobody; a happily married nobody, respected by all who knew him, and probably with a work demanding leadership, but still a nobody (the only guys I can see with a "knack" for politics and showmanship are Denethor and Saruman).

Boromir would be another nobody, but with a more physical line of work. I see him as a truck driver, don't ask me why.

Gimli would be Gimli; a dwarven smith. What did you expect?

The hobbits would hide in the country; and Legolas would probably go with them.


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## HLGStrider (Jul 24, 2003)

I just got an image of Legolas somewhere in the Mt. Hood National Forest on top of a fir tree looking at Mt. Hood, flapping his arms pretending he could fly, and yelling "Too hoo too hoo!"

I have no idea where this image came from. It just came.


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## Eriol (Jul 24, 2003)

And who drove Legolas there? Boromir. It all fits.


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## HLGStrider (Jul 25, 2003)

It does, doesn't it.

I still don't know where that image came from.


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## Turin (Jul 25, 2003)

This thread is too depressing it makes me think of stupid people running around cutting down old trees just so they can build houses until theres no trees left. Thats whats happening around my house, we used to be surrounded by trees and forests and now theres barely any left.     
I'm afraid that when I'm grown up and I want to move to the country there'll be no country left.


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## Eriol (Jul 25, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Turin _
> *This thread is too depressing it makes me think of stupid people running around cutting down old trees just so they can build houses until theres no trees left. Thats whats happening around my house, we used to be surrounded by trees and forests and now theres barely any left.
> I'm afraid that when I'm grown up and I want to move to the country there'll be no country left. *



Have no fear, Turin; and this is an ecologist speaking. The country will be there.


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## Rhiannon (Jul 25, 2003)

> I just got an image of Legolas somewhere in the Mt. Hood National Forest on top of a fir tree looking at Mt. Hood, flapping his arms pretending he could fly, and yelling "Too hoo too hoo!"



Heheeheehee!

I agree with Eriol about Aragorn and Boromir; Faramir would be a history professor and possibly a re-enactor, Eowyn would be a feminist, Legolas would be a park ranger at Yosemite, the hobbits would live in some scenic little place in England, and Gandalf...Gandalf would be a professor too, and his students would be terrified of him.


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## HLGStrider (Jul 25, 2003)

Nah, that isn't my image of Eowyn. I think she would've found her Faramir all the same. She would originally have been the bitter, near-manhating sort of feminist then eventually met Faramir, calmed down, opened a coffee shop in the town where he is teaching at a university, and come home everyday and try to teach him not to put his feet up on her coffee table. . .he'd drink tea which would frustrate her to no end. . .He'd also be a tad bit out of some times because he doesn't have enough caffine in his blood and she has too much.


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## Rhiannon (Jul 25, 2003)

Oh no no, I didn't mean to imply that Eowyn wasn't with Faramir! And not a rabid feminist, but a feminist. About as feminist as I am.


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## Eriol (Jul 25, 2003)

You're not feminist, you're self-assertive; at least in your TTF incarnation, that is. 

(Thankfully)



And Éowyn would have waaaay too much caffeine.


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## Rhiannon (Jul 25, 2003)

I'm taking that self-assertiveness as a compliment, Eriol 

There was a discussion at R'ville about this a little while ago- I never really considered myself feminist, but by definition (I'm for equal opportunity/rights for the sexes) I am. 

I can see Eowyn being a coffee addict  Not a career woman, though; I like the coffee house thing, Elgee


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## Eriol (Jul 25, 2003)

Oh, by that definition I'm a feminist as well. Now I'm going to tell this to Lúthien.



P.S. I am such a steadfast feminist that I insist in equal rights and opportunities for women and men to be self-assertive.


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## Rhiannon (Jul 25, 2003)

Good for you, Eriol! 

All right...Eowyn is a coffee-addicted, unconventional, self-assertive woman running a very nifty coffee house, Faramir is a serious but charming history professor (his classes are challenging but his students love him, partly because he has a pony tail), half the time they don't know what to make of each other but they love each other anyway, and Eomer is a Harley dude.


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## Eriol (Jul 25, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Rhiannon _
> * Eomer is a Harley dude. *



Hehe...

"Firewheel, my chopper, will bear us both, if you will", said Éomer.


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## Rhiannon (Jul 26, 2003)

hehe, Eriol...

My sister says she wants to see Merry and Pippin in New York. 'Think of all the mischeif they would cause!'. No, that's _you_, dear...


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## Rhiannon (Jul 26, 2003)

General summary:

*Aragorn* is a contented, respected, middle-class nobody, happily married

*Arwen* is a model house-wife with a perfect house, perfect children, perfect hair, perfect make-up, perfect clothes, and perfect manners, and all her neighbors secretly hate her

*Gandalf* is a professor- maybe of obscure ancient languages or literature- whose classes are extremely difficult and who terrifies his students but those who bother get an excellent education

*Boromir* is a truck driver

*Faramir* is a history or literature professor, charming but shy, whose students adore him despite his difficult classes, because he cares about their lives, and he has a ponytail

*Eowyn* is a self-assertive, unconventional, former-man-hating-feminist who has since calmed down after meeting Faramir and opened a coffee shop- she's also addicted to coffee

*Eomer* is a Harley dude. He loves his bike and his black leather duds. 

*The elves* in general are hippies, living in communes and doing crafty things with hemp and stuff

*Legolas* is a globe-trotting conservationist, or a park ranger

*Gimli* is a welder

*The hobbits* are living pleasant, unremarkable lives in the English countryside

*The orcs* are thugs and form street gangs

Did I leave anyone out?


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## 33Peregrin (Jul 26, 2003)

Wow, a few months ago I had to go to Denver and I was daydreaming kind of that I met Frodo there, so this is an interesting threas. He kept asking me what everything was and why everything was so changed........ OK this is really stupid. I wonder what he would have thought if we went up to the mountains or something?


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## Rhiannon (Jul 27, 2003)

*Saruman* is a big, evil, CEO

*The Nazgul* are serial killers


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## Kelonus (Jul 27, 2003)

I just say the areas described in Lord Of the Rings is wonderful. The location the movie was filmed is beautiful. Sometimes I imagine being there.


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## Rhiannon (Jul 27, 2003)

Yes, they are...unlike Oklahoma, which is mostly desolation


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## HLGStrider (Jul 28, 2003)

> Saruman is a big, evil, CEO



I know for a fact you're wrong. Saruman taught my writing 122 class up at the community college. I'd recognize him anywhere.

Galadriel owns a gift shop and has her own line of perfumes.


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## Rhiannon (Jul 28, 2003)

> I know for a fact you're wrong. Saruman taught my writing 122 class up at the community college. I'd recognize him anywhere.



All right, I can believe that, because Wormtongue taught me 1 semester of sophomore honors English (boy did I transfer out of that class in a hurry).


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## HLGStrider (Jul 28, 2003)

I can believe that
BE WARE OF COLLEGE TEACHERS! BEWARE!


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## Old Man Willow (Jul 31, 2003)

Gollum is Ozzy Osbourne.


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## HLGStrider (Aug 1, 2003)

I can sort of see that even though I don't watch the Osbornes. . .


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## Turin (Aug 1, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Old Man Willow _
> *Gollum is Ozzy Osbourne. *



Hehe, I can see that, always muttering to himself about nothing.


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## 33Peregrin (Aug 1, 2003)

Strider is a biker and Arwen Evenstar is his girlfriend.


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## pgt (Aug 5, 2003)

Read the Lampoon version - Bored of the Rings for your answers. I wish I hadn't tossed my copy years ago! I thought it hillarious as a kid and provided much levity ;o)


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## jimmyboy (Aug 11, 2003)

> [The Orcs] are also the the gang members...and the drug dealers...and the better of the group are working in Hollywood as pimps and porn directors...Or leaders of a Mafia.


Yep, these are the Orcs of today, for sure. The homeless guys, however, are not all Orcs. Confused, sick, lazy, alcholics/drug-addicts, unfortunate, abused and victimized, irresponsible...some or all of these, yes. Some are there because of thier own doing, some not. But to say they are Orcs is a rather unkind miscategorization.


> Strider is a biker


Interesting thought. The Harley-type guys do have a tendency to be looked down upon, or be shunned by "decent" people. Just like the Rangers of the Dunedain. But I imagine Aragorn as a Green Beret-type soldier, going all over the world into various situations and with various groups of people, organizing, negotiating, advising, fighting, and bringing aid when possible; in short, helping to "free the opressed", as says the SF motto.


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## elithraniel (Aug 11, 2003)

Here's what I think would happen:

They just laugh and think _'This is what we fought all those battles for?'_


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## king theoden (Sep 6, 2003)

Sauron would be working in a jelwery store.And hobbits would smoke marihuana.


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