Shaine

[Shaine @eruannon]

This is insane lol

“Cool way to use AI, have it talk to your family so you don’t have to!”

[Sam Altman @sama]

cool use case of chatgpt work i heard last night:

connect your family calendars and explain your kids' interests.

every morning for the drive to school, have it make a podcast that talks about one kid's soccer game that afternoon, one kid's upcoming birthday, some news, etc.

[Shaine @eruannon]

It’s a message:

“No race*, religion**, or culture*** is inherently evil! Everyone is capable of being good, social and systemic issues are the problem! And a lot of them were brainwashed or too scared to fight back, so they just followed orders!**** Just because a few orcs are evil it doesn’t mean all are! We’ll prove it!” Lol

* Except white people, obviously.
** Except Christianity, of course.
*** Not “white” culture, they stole everything anyways.
**** But not like Nazis, that was different. How? Idk… because they were real? Yeah, that’s good actually. Yeah, this is fiction, we don’t owe you anything!

[Shaine @eruannon]

I’m not arguing the show, I’m arguing whether or not it’s reasonable for Balrogs to use speak. I assume if it spoke it would make for better TV anyways.

Being generals would be a good reason to speak, but ósanwë would be much better. They wouldn’t need to be in vocal range of their troops, it wouldn’t matter which language their soldiers speak (ósanwë bypasses language), and they would be able to reach all of the soldiers needed at once.

[Shaine @eruannon]

@KhaliphaJibreel 1. Ósanwë bypasses the various languages between orcs, trolls, men that would need to be learned, and works regardless of location/head count
2. Maiar use ósanwë to communicate. They have to learn spoken languages. Why would Morgoth have any Balrog learn a language?

[Shaine @eruannon]

@dhbytes @Jakes0nville @IGN That said I’m arguing lore and what’s plausible, not the show. If you’re a fan of the show you have every right to enjoy without any explanation.

[Shaine @eruannon]

@dhbytes @Jakes0nville @IGN Maiar by default communicate using ósanwë. Maiar existed before spoken language. Any that use spoken language (Istari, Sauron) had to learn them. Why would a Balrog learn a spoken language? Why would Morgoth make them learn a language when he already has Sauron?

[Shaine @eruannon]

@Elena2004trans @nerdoftherings1 Shadow of War also had Shelob appear as a woman, Celebrimbor makes a 2nd ring, and you begin the game in Minas Ithil which was taken over and transformed into Minas Morgul over 900 years before the game takes place. I wouldn’t use anything from the Shadow games as an argument lol

[Shaine @eruannon]

@PloddingPilgrim @nerdoftherings1 Letter 210 is definitely about that one scene. But no, this is just how I’ve always interpreted them. I just feel like if Tolkien ever intended for them to speak they would have had dialogue. Durin’s Bane, I just can’t see it not saying at least something to Gandalf if possible

[Shaine @eruannon]

@KamiHaMiaa @nerdoftherings1 I completely missed “in any way”! My apologies. Seems we’re on the same page

[Shaine @eruannon]

@KamiHaMiaa @nerdoftherings1 Morgoth lost his ability to shapeshift and Sauron’s ability was limited, those are basic Maiar abilities. Maiar also didn’t need spoken language. By default they spoke to one another telepathically only using verbal language when conversing with lesser creatures.

[Shaine @eruannon]

@KamiHaMiaa @nerdoftherings1 Unless their corruption twisting them into creatures of fire and shadow stripped them of the ability to speak verbally. I’ve always understood them as the embodiment of wrath and destruction, being able to slow down and have a chat… bleh lol. My opinion/interpretation of course

[Shaine @eruannon]

@Alakazou4 @nerdoftherings1 Actually went back through that real quick. “They took him at last alive, by the command of Morgoth.” Why wouldn’t Gothmog be the one commanding his capture on the battlefield? I’ma take that as a point for me lol

[Shaine @eruannon]

@Alakazou4 @nerdoftherings1 And you’re thinking of Húrin. “Gothmog bound him and dragged him to Angband with mockery.” Mockery isn’t always verbal. Men’s greatest warrior, after shouting “Day shall come again!”, denied a warriors death, bound and dragged? That was my understanding of Gothmog’s mockery

[Shaine @eruannon]

@Alakazou4 @nerdoftherings1 You know what… you’re right about the dragons lol. Maybe balrogs are just an extension of Morgoth’s desire for destruction. Still, I think they’re the embodiment of wrath and destruction.

[Shaine @eruannon]

@Elena2004trans @nerdoftherings1 I’ve always went with that myself. Being able tk project their commands directly into the minds of their subjects seems more badass lol. And they’re still Maiar, so they can do this

[Shaine @eruannon]

@PloddingPilgrim @nerdoftherings1 I do believe letter 210 was strictly about the scene with Durin’s Bane and Gandalf, though.

[Shaine @eruannon]

@nerdoftherings1 How I’ve always interpreted them, they were Morgoth’s ultimate weapons. Unable to speak, reason, negotiate. If they saw something, it must be destroyed. I feel like if Tolkien wanted them to speak, he would have written at least a line

[Shaine @eruannon]

@nerdoftherings1 Balrog’s as the silent weapons of destruction are way cooler in my opinion. I like to think their corruption caused them to not have the desire nor ability to verbally speak anymore, it’s just on sight ass whoopin’s for Morgoth and that’s it.