In the Harry Potter series, magical creatures such as giants, dragons, Graphorns, Manticores, Basilisks, and trolls have considerable spell resistance. However, Smaug, a fire-drake of the Third Age, is considered the last “great” dragon of Middle-earth and is drawn to the wealth amassed by the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain. Harry and Snape often disagree on ways to battle different dark forces, with Snape being a calculated, calm, and brainy character.
Offfensive magic is used to attack another witch or wizard, while defensive magic repels or blocks a magical attack. A wide variety of spells can be used against Smaug, who is bigger, faster, tougher, and more destructive. The Basalisk could bite Smaug in the eye or mouth, and he owes a particular debt to two literary dragons: the dragon from Beowulf and Fáfnir, the dragon from the story of Sigurd.
Harry Potter’s world is full of famous spells, but some are more iconic than others, such as Expelliarmus and Wingardium Leviosa. Smaug and Voldemort challenged each other for a duel, and most spells are useless and bounce from Smaug’s skin. Even an army of aurors would be useless against Smaug.
Smaug is more intelligent than Potter dragons and may know how to shield his eyes from curses. Some competent wizards can stun Potterverse dragons with their magic, but Smaug would likely win by taking over Hogwarts. Harry was powerful and had beaten a dragon before Smaug, but he wouldn’t make the same mistakes.
Magical creatures are resistant to spells because they are supernatural from the start. There is at least one instance of a spell causing far-reaching damage, but it wasn’t his job. The Istari (wizards) were sent to Middle Earth to oppose Sauron by stirring the free people of Middle Earth to resistance.
📹 Benedict Cumberbatch – The hobbit – The best scene – Smaug-
Beautiful performance of Benedict Cumberbatch in the movies of the hobbit as the dragon Smaug The best scene.
Are dragons immune to magic in Harry Potter?
Magical creatures such as giants, dragons, Graphorns, Manticores, Basilisks, and trolls have considerable spell resistance, with their hides repelling most concentrated and powerful spells. However, they are vulnerable to attacks on their eyes, such as the Conjunctivitis Curse. It takes almost half a dozen wizards to stun a dragon for the Triwizard Tournament. Half-giants like Rubeus Hagrid can resist repeated stunning.
Quintaped creatures can resist Untransfiguration, despite attempts to turn them back into humans. The Folio Bruti provides information on natural resistance to certain spells, measured by a series of bars, with a higher bar indicating weaker resistance.
What is the rarest magic in Harry Potter?
Ancient magic, a mysterious and powerful form of magic, was largely forgotten in the wizarding world by the late 19th century. Those who could perceive and wield it were considered to have a unique and rare ability. Ancient magic appeared in traces or “whispers” and could also access unique expressions of ordinary magic, augmenting their spells with increased power and potency. Three known inherent wielders of ancient magic began schooling at Hogwarts in their fifth year, linking the ability with late-blooming. Xenophilius Lovegood believed that love was a great blessing bestowed upon the world by practitioners of ancient magic.
What is the rarest wand core?
Phoenix feathers are the rarest core type, capable of the greatest range of magic and showing the most initiative. They are the most expensive and rare materials used by wandmakers, and they have distinct properties. After much experimentation and research, Garrick Ollivander discovered that only three substances produce wands of the quality he is proud to call Ollivander: unicorn hair, dragon heartstring, and phoenix feather. Each of these costly and rare materials has its own unique properties.
Unicorn hair produces the most consistent magic and is least subject to fluctuations and blockages. Wands with unicorn cores are the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts and are the most faithful of all wands. They remain strongly attached to their first owner, regardless of whether they were an accomplished witch or wizard.
In summary, wands are a complex subject that is influenced by the wood, core, and experience of their owner. Phoenix feathers are the most consistent and difficult to turn to, making them the most loyal and loyal wands.
Why can’t wizards just use Avada Kedavra?
The utilization of “EW” as a primary designation for witches and wizards is typically regarded as unfavorable and illicit, resulting in a diminished reliance on it. Such circumstances may prompt individuals to reassess their convictions and refrain from employing the term “EW” in any context.
Could Smaug beat a Balrog?
In The Fellowship of the Ring, the Balrogs were masters of sorcery, and Gandalf, a powerful being, was not just a wizard but also an Istari, a subcategory of the Maiar. Gandalf was instructed by the Valar to rally the free peoples against the machinations of Sauron, and his power was curtailed to prevent them from succumbing to the temptations of power and becoming evil creatures. The Valar’s instructions to Saruman, who sided with Sauron during the War of the Ring, further emphasized the need for Gandalf to operate within certain rules.
His powers were typically subtle and rely on seemingly coincidences to achieve their goals, making him a formidable opponent to the Balrog. The only way to save Smaug from Balrog’s defeat was by his wings if he flew away in full retreat.
Is Hagrid immune to spells?
Hagrid, a half-giant, is less vulnerable to jinxes and spells than full-humans. In Order of the Phoenix, Hagrid fights back against Umbridge and other wizards, bouncing off spells due to his giant-inherited resistance. He also shows resilience in Half-Blood Prince, withstanding powerful curses from a Death Eater. Some potions, like Polyjuice Potion, are ineffective with Hagrid. Rosemary Goring notes that the Forest of Dean is an influence on Rowling’s work, and Hagrid is the only character directly drawn from it.
Goring also claims Hagrid is physically modeled on the Welsh chapter of Hells Angels. Hagrid has appeared in various media, including Alistair McGowan’s Big Impression show, Harry Potter and the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan, and the parody stage production Harry Potter and the Obnoxious Voice. His giant-inherited resistance to magic and physical appearance make him a unique character in the Harry Potter series.
Was Smaug aware of the One Ring?
In the story, Thorin and Company arrive at Lonely Mountain and send their burglar Bilbo Baggins to find the Arkenstone. The Hobbit accidentally causes a landslide amongst the mountainous pile of treasures, uncovering the dragon. Smaug, suspicious of his presence, searches for Bilbo and beckons him to come out from hiding. When Smaug gets too close, the Hobbit is overcome with fear and attempts to run, only to alert the dragon. Bilbo evades him and hides behind a massive pillar under the cloak of the ring.
Smaug claims to be aware of the Ring in Bilbo’s possession and senses that Bilbo has something “made of gold, but far more precious”, which forces the Hobbit to remove the Ring. Smaug is amused by Bilbo’s knowledge of his origins and begins a conversation with him to deduce his origins.
Bilbo tries to lie to Smaug, claiming he is a simple traveler who came to the mountain alone to see the dragon. The dragon asks Bilbo if flattery will keep him alive and asks about his origins. Bilbo answers in riddles, claiming to be the “luck-wearer”, “riddle-maker”, and “barrel-rider”. The dragon reveals that the Dwarves are outside the mountain, but Bilbo denies it.
Smaug tries to break Bilbo’s friendship with Thorin by lying to him, claiming that the Dwarf is using him and finds his fate worth nothing. He is intrigued by Smaug’s word and wants to know what reward Thorin is willing to give him if he succeeds in finding the Arkenstone.
During the chase, Smaug shows Bilbo his underbelly coated in gems and catches a glimpse of a missing scale. Smaug spots Bilbo’s eye on the jewel and claims he is almost tempted to let him take it, but it consumes Thorin to madness. The dragon ends the banter with Bilbo and attacks the hobbit. Bilbo uses his ring to escape and manages to get the Arkenstone, while Smaug flies around in rage and unleashes a torrent of flames around the treasure chamber.
Was Sauron aware of Smaug?
In the Hobbit films, Peter Jackson posits that Smaug and Sauron are aware of each other and intend to form an alliance. This is evident in both the theatrical and extended editions of the films.
What part of a dragon is most sensitive to magic in Harry Potter?
Dragons, being their weakest point, resisted most spells due to their hide. The Conjunctivitis Curse, which caused eye irritation, was effective against them. In the Triwizard Tournament of 1994, Durmstrang champion Viktor Krum used this curse on a dragon. Multiple wizards using the same spell as a dragon successfully subdued it, as Charlie Weasley and others demonstrated. Fleur Delacour successfully put a Common Welsh Green into a trance during the Triwizard Tournament.
Does Avada Kedavra work on dragons?
The protective properties of dragon hide have been demonstrated to withstand the effects of spells cast by an average wizard, as evidenced in the novel “The Goblet of Fire.” It has been demonstrated that the Avada Kedavra spell can kill dragons, but only when multiple or powerful wizards are involved.
Could Sauron have used Smaug?
Similarly to the Balrog, Smaug was too formidable for Sauron to subjugate. It is conceivable that Sauron might have employed him, but it is more probable that he was compelled to confront him as an equal.
📹 Tolkien’s Dragons: Smaug EXPLAINED l Beowulf & Fafnir (Lord of the Rings l The Hobbit)
IF YOU WANT TO SEND THINGS TO ME (address): Tim Hickson PO Box 69062 Lincoln, 7608 Canterbury, New Zealand The …
Holy shit, what an absolutely incredible actor!!!!! On the very first sight I laughed at him crawling around on the ground in grey spandex 😂 but literally Only seconds later I was completely convinced he was smaug, he’s not “playing” Smaug, HE IS SMAUG he completely drops everything human and literally becomes a dragon it’s truly incredible to see! Sooooo much more respect for him after perusal this article!!
I’m lately come to these movies (I know, I know) and hadn’t realized at first that Smaug was done via motion capture. So I found this clip …. and am absolutely astonished. Yes, it’s amusing –at first. I’m astonished that he could even do this with a straight face or the cameramen film it without cracking up. But having seen the finished scene first I’m even more astonished at his brilliance. What talent. What an incredble actor. Such concentraton. Such fierceness. Wow. Words fail to even begin to describe the phenomenal respect this performance deserves. Someone said below there should be an Oscar category for this type of performing. I completely agree. And Cumberbatch should be the inaugural winner!
I once acted on a school play. I gave it my best, but since my boyfriend couldn’t stop laughing (he’s in charge of the music for the play), I became embarrassed. I never acted again, even if the teachers praised my performance. Kudos to Benedict for sticking with it! Not giving a shit, staying professional, and being badass about it!
it seems he does this all while keeping in mind to move faster than normal, so they can slow down the footage later for size. Fantastic. and as much as LOTR fans like to piss all over the Hobbit movies, there is no part in the LOTR trilogy that compares with the Smaug / Bilbo scenes. Maybe the Balrog / Gandalf fall in the Two Towers.
If you want the real crazy truth. This was before he even accepted any role to play any dragons. The director and a small crew happened to be driving past his house found him like this on his lawn crawling around in a dragon onesie. They also happened to have the motion capture suit with em after shooting scenes with Serkis and they said “heck, why not, he’s doing fine”
I really feel, in my acting career, this is something I always come back to for inspiration and guidance in both technique and spirit. It makes me realise that when an actor has the time and the space to rise to their highest expression and you can see it all come together – I hope one day I can reach these heights – I am blessed and patient. Will always return to this clip in moments of doubt. Thank you BC x
Now, perusal this and other amazing parts of how the LotR movies and The Hobbit was made makes you really appreciate the skill and talent that went into it. Most of the cast and even some of the staff was a fan of Tolkien and they all gone out of their way to make perfection. Than there is Rings of Power…
If I was a god, I’d want to be the god of lost knowledge. Anything written or theorized that humans have destroyed, lost, defaced of cast away I would keep safe in my own realm, and repair it for when humans are ready for it again. Also, I’d control an army of sprites and faeries and other little creatures who would help me recover those types of things, act as curators, scribes, and my messengers between other gods and humans.
For school I had to do a perspective writing essay for a character in Beowulf, and I chose the Dragon. I immediately thought of Smaug and drew a lot of inspiration from rereading/rewatching all of Smaug’s dialogue. I think it’s kind funny and that I characterized a Beowulf character based on a Tolkien character, based on a Beowulf character (if only loosely because as you said JRR didn’t actually find much complexity in the character of the dragon). It shows a lot about how iconic the Legendarium is that it has such a repeating effect on modern writing and an influence comparable to Norse/Medieval mythology : )
I want imperfections, evil wills, evil ways of living, evil, negativity and untruthfulness to not exist in anything and anyone than some title, powers and abilities (“god”). It would be a lot more beneficial for everything and everyone if only perfection, good wills, good ways of living, goodness, positivity and truth to exist than an extra “extremely/very powerful and more knowing spirit” (“god”) to exist.
I’d be a god of the beyond. I would value grasps beyond one’s believe, including beyond myself. I would Praise those giving birth to new ideas and new concepts of the world, and occasionally if I find so fitting, create those ideas. Most likely in a new world, as the world from which the idea was drawn shall remain pure unless I see fit a change, throwing chaos to allow for new tales to be born again.
i walk wherever the weather provides. i am sundrvayl: deity of sight; insight, foresight, and hindsight. the omninaut. they who recognize the delusion inherent to all forms of being and embrace it as a cherished friend. they whose curiosity may never be sated. ever-wandering but never lost for every wayward step is a step toward discovery and learnage.
I would have to say I’d be the god of obscure knowledge. Not the type of information like “Eating fruit cures scurvy”, it would be stuff like “Some invertabrates use copper instead of iron to transport oxygen through their bloodstreams”. Not useful by itself, but stuff that points out how little you actually know.
Mythology is so great because it is open to so much interpretation, including scientific. I never would has guess what god I would be before. So here goes… I would be the goddess or common things, daily tasks, getting water, hunting food, gathering planets, etc. Guiding mortal with dirt paths that lead to food or enhancing smell (only slightly) to detect water. I don’t know that’s my god guess lol.
Lord of the Forge. God of smiths, craftsmen, and laborers. As a tradesman (machinist/construction) I always romanticized the working class, journey man, master of his craft. Metal workers like myself play a massive role in innovation and society even if it’s often unknown. My god would be the patron of the craftsmen, of artisans, and workers. When the warriors went into battle they would pray not only to the lords of war but also the lord of the forge for with his blessing their armor will turn any blade and their swords will stay sharp and true
I would be the God of Lore and Storytelling. In my view, that would also entail reshaping the world around me to tell a story, much like a hobbyist crafts intricate and detailed models for tabletop RPGs, or Disney Imagineers create fantastic environments for their parks. A good storyteller knows how to put his listeners right into the story, make it come to life.
“Tolkien was an avid reader, and loved mythology” Understatement of the century about the author of the century! More like “Tolkien was a professor of Anglo-Saxon/Old English literature, and translated Norse and Old English mythological works” As I’m sure you know, but it needed to be said ;). The names of the Dwarves and Gandalf come from the Prose Edda (as again I’m sure you’re aware).
I would be the god of imagination, stupid-determination, and intellect. Why you may ask, I’ve got a headcannon story that could probably be made into a 400 page book and with alternative timelines where major events are the opposite. And stupid-determination is well self explanatory I want to do something pretty badly I’ll go to stupendous levels to achieve it the last one, well I am doing pretty damn well in school. I’m pretty sure I’d be a good or evil god, depending on the occasion because the character I imagine myself in is usually the power hungry powerful villain which usually ends up ruling something and not dying or turning good cause I am tired of happy endings and usually the character is a dragon idk why maybe it’s that I read too much W.O.F.
I have a crazy fan theory about the dragon in Beowulf, that I’m sure can be disproven but also is really fun to think about. My theory is that the ancient king who had hoarded his gold in the barrow actually became a draugr, a norse version of the undead (think barrow wight). In a lot of Norse legends the draugr can change shapes, and I think it would be pretty cool if the ancient king had never truly died at all, and he guards his treasure in the form of a dragon. My best way to back this theory up would be that Fafnir was one of the only other “true dragons” as Tolkien would say, in Norse mythology. He was a dwarf (or giant, depending on the tale) who had changed into a dragon to guard his treasure. I think its implied that he did that purposefully, though, since Fafnir was brothers with Otr, who could change into an otter, and Andvari was a dwarf who could change into a pike. Either way, its just something I thought of randomly, curious on if anybody has any opinions on it
If I was a god I would be the god of light. And I don’t mean a god of good I mean a god of photons, I would be able to control them to shred anything to pieces, or coax them into an atom like structure to form crystalline structures. But my signature move would be adding all the kinetic energy of all the photons around me combining it with my sword swing to slash my opponent faster than light.
Hmm I loved Smaug but was disappointed by the lack of word play and wit between Smaug and Bilbo. Smaug seemed to have more of a magical sight beyond sight to figure things out rather than deducing everything from clues and words. He did a bit but very little. Most was just he knew things just because.
If I was a god I’d for sure be a god of revelry and the pleasures in simple things. The small things that makes your life fulfilling, the things that relaxes you after a long day of work. The tiniest of pleasures. A god of relief and fulfillment. Because that is what I love most in life, those tiny moments when you get to breathe after a long day of work. Those moments should definitely be celebrated
I think I’d be a god of knowledge. A god of creativity and imagination, but also a god whose domain ends there because even he is so easily distracted and such a procrastinator that rarely does the full picture of something he has imagined come into being before he starts a different project, never to return to the first again.
Hey, loving the website 🙂 Just a minor correction to how you pronounce Midgardsorm, you say it like this Midgard sorm, I believe, but it is actually pronounced like this Midgards orm, orm being the danish word for worm, and this is how we spell it in Denmark, Midgårdsormen 🙂 Keep up the great work 🙂
Dragons are still SO BADASS… Better than: Trolls (they have potential…) Ogres (brute beasts… yeah, can be scary…) Basilisks (dragons “light”, kind of…) Harpies (they have potential…) Hags (they have potential…) Minotaurs (ho hum) Orcs (meh…) Ghouls (nasty) Vampires (can be insanely frightening still, but most miss the mark somewhat… I think the demonic, glowing eyes, fangs, nightmarishly rapid movement and unheard of strength definitely suggest that there is a lot more ground to cover with vampires that AREN’T Dracula…) Werewolves (they have potential…) Zombies (DONE) Ghasts (nasty) Goblins (not scary, unless we’re talking Rankin-Bass/Tolkien Hobbit type Goblins…) Hydra (they have potential, but it hasn’t truly been explored yet, I think…) Tarrasques (meh-they’re insanely big…) Kraken (just stay out of the water…) Banshees (they only come for you when you are about to die…) Chimera (eh…) Liches (but they have potential, particularly vampiric liches…) Only the most hideously evil and terrifying archdemons rival the level of villainy of particularly cruel, evil great wyrms… (Not including the most powerful evil wizards/witches, etc.)
Definitely god of darkness as well wisdom, treachery, patience and madness . Only because I would be that one that has the best advice which the other gods won’t listen to even though I’ve seen how everything is going to play out, warned them so many times but they still end up doing it anyways. So I just say f it. Let it play out because I have no control over their actions. At the end of the day they’ll always come crying to me hoping I will fix it for them like always or help them hide the fact it happened.
If there was one character Peter Jackson’s Hobbit Trilogy DEFINITELY got right, it was Smaug. On the Desolation Of Smaug Extended Edition DVD, there’s a three-part documentary all about creating Smaug for this new trilogy. And the first line in this documentary is Peter Jackson stating how important it was to get Smaug right: “There’re certain characters in movies where you just have this knowledge, going into them that, if you don’t get this character right, you’re jeopardizing the entire movie.” And in the first episode of that documentary, they did talk a lot about the old Dragon lore that Tolkien loved, and the ones that he hated that came around after the Renaissance, such as the Reluctant Dragon, who would rather be composing poetry than fighting knights. So Tolkien wanted to give Dragons back their former glory, and he tried to do so with Smaug. That documentary DID mention that Smaug was a “direct descendant” of both the Beowulf Dragon and Fafnir from the Volsung Sagas, and I thought that was really cool to learn, because I loved reading both of those growing up.
I think it’s fascinating how different dragons are depicted in Western and Eastern literature. There’s this Buddhist monk/leader who, after China invaded Tibet, was forced to start a new life in London. One of the more shocking things to him, he said, is how dragons in fiction were depicted as evil beings who must be slain by the hero to get the damsel in distress. Where he came from, dragons are personifications of ultimate wisdom and transcendence. Not evil, not necessarily good either, but a representation of absolute enlightenment. He thought that said a lot about the cultural difference of his new home compared to where he grew up. So I guess what the East and the West do have in common is that we perceive dragons as mystical, mysterious and “beyond-mortal”-ish. Real interesting and I wonder where that difference in interpretation originates from. Also, great article man I loved it 😀
Smaug is supposed to have hands though, like a true hexapod dragon!! I was so miffed that they made him a wyvern without arms in the movie; all dragons in modern cinema/tv have to be wyverns to be more “realistic”, cuz that clearly matters with an impossibly flying, magical fire breathing reptile. Tolkien even drew Smaug more than any other character of his, and he always gave Smaug arms. Hell I have his illustration of Smaug from the inside jacket of the hobbit tattooed on my chest, I should know.
Don’t forget the story of Sigurd and Fafnir is in Richard Wagner’s opera Der Ring. Strangely the story revolves around a ring made from all the gold in the Rhine River with the power to rule the world (does the One Ring suddenly sound familiar). The Ring was in Fafnir’s posession, until Sigurd / Siegfried kills him and takes the ring for himself. Sigurd is however is killed by Hagen who drowns in the Rhine trying to recover the ring. Tolken must have loved this opera as well.
I would not be a “god” per say but one that all of the gods would need or whoever requires of assistance or help. “He who walks unseen” being literally yet appear when in true need, to those who do true horrible acts would not be punished (Being that’s not my job to do so) but the help they would require would be different drastically to some other person. (Ex. They require a huge sword but instead get a flimsy dagger.) I would probably also be chilling in some random location for a while and be that one annoying misc quest you have to go out of your way to find but the payoff is worth it. Also make cookies for lost travelers. ^^
Beowulf?, It is a little bit tricky, but the almost right way to pronounced it’s BE-WOLF (I stated almost right, because I don’t speak ancient Scandinavian), like BEE-O-WOLF. P.S. I know this because I am a geek.(or a nerd? I don’t remember anymore) P.S.S. If you are interested? My source is Mr. LINK CARTER.
i would be more like Loki the god of mischief unlike the Marvel version he is not evil but a cause of change and a trickster and prankster. His behavior normally was to teach a lesson esp to some who were arrogant or thought too highly of themselves. Though he was not above a good prank or two to make the stuffy gods a little more humble and not so serious
I’ve been a diehard TOlkien fan since 5th grade….I’m 33 Now….I’m very “protective” of my tolkien….I absolutely hated the movies (as does Christopher Tolkien….I hate them in part because Peter Jackson is an awful director, specifically in the area of cinematography.)….anyway, your articles are simply amazing!!!
My introduction to Dragons began with Granymyr from He-Man & the Masters of the Universe. His haughty, ancient and wisened demeanor was at first a bit off putting, but as I grew older and hopefully wiser, he grew on me. Now, for me, any and all matters of draconic lore are immediately held up to Granymyr’s high standards.
Also, I would like to point out that the Hobbit movie added in the idea that Thorin may have turned into a dragon had his greed kept spiralingn onward. This definitely seems to be inspired by the story of Fafnir, who was turned into a dragon through his immense greed (and I think he may have also been a dwarf).
AS you may know there are different realms in norse mythology. Asgård (never mind the curious a with the circle above it) the realm of the gods. Udgård – the realm of the jötnar. And to the point: Midgård – the realm of humans. Encircling this realm is a worm or dragon the Midgård(s)orm. Thus translated into Tolkienesque it would be the Middle Earth Dragon or Worm. I would pronounce ‘orm’ as ‘norm’ (without ‘n’ of course) and do away with the ‘s’ in the middle as it is there for pronunciation reasons, that are only relevant to Scandinavians.
Tolkien definetely got his inspiration for The One Ring from the story of Ring der Nibelungen. It’s said to be from the 1200 sometime, possibly earlier. The story was later revived in the late 1700 but I think it was Wagners opera that really spread the story in modern times. In the opera the hero is known as Siegfried, not Sigurd as in the original story.
God of the Silent Void You must travel through my realm in absolute silence, failure to do so will incur my extremely prejudiced wrath. Forcing you to be silent forces you into self-reflection; most people can’t handle self-reflection for long. Those who adventure, and can not see themselves for what they are, do not deserve to continue. Whispers of pejoratives fill your head, acts of your hypocrisies, known lies you’ve uttered, every justification you’ve built your house of cards upon. Soft yet incredibly weighted footsteps in the darkness; you are alone, and something big is stalking you, waiting for you to admit that your “heroism” is just noise. Oh? You’ve reached the other end and now back in the light? Ahhh… well go ahead and have a good cry, you’ve earned it. Burning eyes in the darkness turn away and vanish.
I would wanna be like Jyggalag. A being of perfect order, a master of logic and deductive reasoning, being able to know and take into account everything that as ever happened along side that which is occuring presently to predict everything that will ever happen. I don’t want to be as cold as Jyggalag though lol I dunno it would be kinda hard for something like that to not be synical (and even boring in a sense) simply by nature, I may rethink my choice later but I always thought he was such a great character in the Elder Scrolls.
Hi just discovered your website. I like how your articles are unscripted but it’s clear you speak from memory and a great store of knowledge and with passion on the subject. Makes me want to re-read everything Tolkien related…..now, where is my copy of LOTR? I’m about due for my annual re-read lol. Oh and I would be like Janus, looking to the past and to the future.
If I, as is, became a god… Won’t Sugarcoat it, I’d likely end up being a god of Indulgence/Satisfaction. Basically think of a slightly different version of Sanguine from Elder Scrolls. Probably be more serious and slightly more moral though, so basically a boring version of Sanguine. As my dimension too would likely reflect his really closely. His dimension is that of infinite pocket dimensions, in which his worshipers inherit upon death. The dimensions bend to the will of its owners, only exception being Sanguine can overwrite that control. So effectively you are living in a lucid dream basically.
To answer your question near the end; As a welder who takes great pride in his work, I would probably be a metalworking or smith god, like Vulcan, Hephaestus, or Athena (who was also the Greek goddess of technological advancement and innovation, as part of her aspect of wisdom). One needs to be relentless and professional in his job, but also work smart on top of working hard. A bit of innovation can go a long way. Those who dismiss technology as “evil” simply lack imagination. However, as far as Tolkien’s taste in dragons go, I have to disagree. Beowulf’s wyrm actually succeeded in killing the hero in epic fashion. Fafnir in contrast went out like a chump, falling victim to a cheep shot that any warrior with a good sword arm could deliver. I always wondered why Regin went through all the trouble of recruiting Sigard if all he had to do was figuratively stab the Wyrm in the back.
I think I’d take travel, because that it the real way people discover themselves and the world around them. Merchants, soldiers, explorers, adventurers, they all must travel and you never know what you’ll find. My question is, what do you think Tolkien would’ve thought of Eastern mythology and dragons?
My work colleagues said I have the personality of Smaug…hmmm. 🤨🙄 I’d be the God of Invisibility and use it to acquire intel or get out of things I don’t want to do. Free international travel would be good too and I could stay in the library after hours gathering arcane knowledge. I thought about going back in time but honestly healthcare/hygiene would be horrendous and I’m an OCD clean freak.
As a god, I’ want two domains: 1) The sky, weather, and storms, and 2) healing, renewal, and replenishment, of the body, the spirit, an the natural world. The first is mostly due to a lifelong obsssive love of the X-Man Storm. The second is due to an overly empathetic nature. I tend to want the best for everyone, even people who don’t deserve it. I hate violence unless it’s for a greater good, and scenes and stories of great beauty tend to move me strongly. (I am, as you’ve probably guessed, a MASSIVE DIsney nerd) It’s weird, considering how much I loathe their arrogance, but I see a god version of me as something similar to Tolkien’s elves, someone whose power heals, purifies, enhances, and empowers. The power to heal others is the one power I’d wish for more than anything in the world.
Thank you for your article series. Wonderful stuff. As for Dragons … I thought you were going to mention that the common thread beneath all dragons, the thing that they represent which seems so crystal clear that it even escapes notice is … power. In the world of the ancients those who could command power, true power, whether the raw power of a massive beast, or the intellectual power of a genius mind, or the charismatic power of a Sovereign Lord, and dragons possess all three, of course, were inevitably considered beyond comprehension, beyond human and therefore legendary and mythical. Perhaps the first dragons of human experience, the oldest ones from the depths of myth, were in fact the first great kings, whose power manifested in such ways as to leave an indelible mark on the psyche of humanity. At any rate, Dragons have in common the attribute of Power … and their other aspects are symptomatic of that fact. Whether they embody greed, as did Fafnr, or wisdom, as did the Chinese Golden Dragons, it is Power that is at the root of their being.
You’re Canadian? Sorry the with accent I assumed… yeah you’ve probably heard that a million times To answer your last question: if I was a god of a pantheon I’d ironically be the god of sacrilege; a god that cannot be swayed by worship or sacrifice (in fact it would incur my wrath) but I could be invoked by those with the resolve to do good for the sake of good and not for pure ambition
Game of Thrones should learn stuff from this. The dragon brothers are awesome and total badasses there but they are just wild beasts, even though Daenerys says ”theyre not beasts, no matter how big or scary they get”. Smaug is extremely intelligent, he has a psychopathic and arrogant state of mind and therefore he is even more scary and dangerous. Also, in the original design Smaug was a traditional four-legged dragon. In the first movie you can clearly see some shots of his forepaws. But apparently someone chopped them off in the second movie, which is a shame. Smaug would have been 50% more awesome if he would’ve kept his forelegs.
I’d like to be a God Of pestilence one who controls disease, creates new one and decides what said disease can do… Mabey I can make the disease add an extra temporary arm to my body that is under my control, or maybe I would grow a second head and brain… Mabey I would make my followers pick to have one of these new diseases I create and have them take it as a gift or my blessing… Really a single vires could make thousands of different strands and can be changed in any number of ways… And who’s to say that vires wont evolve into a parasite and then evolve into a bigger animal and so forth… Wouldn’t I have dominion over those creatures as well as any infected by my “blessing”???
I know 2 years behind (holy crap) but if possible I’d be a two faced god. One side of me would be Order and Justice almost. Sort of keeping the balance of things, but then the other side would be rage and war or fire, a side of me that I can being sort of corrupting and hungry. Drawing some similarities in my real life experience and similarities in the fictional character Chu Cullain? (Most likely spelled that last part wrong) who was an Irish warrior who was named after a guard dog he killed and most notable for his ferocity or anger.
I would be a god of balance. My domain, the spaces between belief and science. Between good and evil. Between life and death. Not separate of them, but the beautiful harmony and reconciliation of each. Ever changing and adapting to reach the most efficient and progressive result. The path, the journey and the destination…Buddha, I’d basically be Buddha 🤓
I would be the God of Gravity. I would be able to warp reality to my will, affecting things on a quantum level and able to turn anything I want into something else by simply rearranging the atoms’s protons, neutrons, and electrons to form the materials I want. I could turn air into a giant mountain of gold, though it would take A LOT of air. I could create wormholes that tear through time and space to take me wherever I wished. I could defeat armies by selectively sucking their soldiers into a black hole I created out of nothing but my will alone. Defeating a god of gravity is next to impossible, and even then possibly only by another god of gravity.
Can you by anychance do a article of dragons and..that if any.. What type or how can you can created a dragon… Like something similarly to the softcore to hardcore magic system…. I love dragons and like tolkien before I even knew tolkien its the true pinicale of fantasy.. I have found a staying or i made a quote if you will… (Not sure which came first felt like I read something but what Im typing is my own.) be a long while but.. The quote is… “A man tames a horse can rule a country and the world for a time. But if a man can tame and rule over a dragon then their power is endless as long as their hold on the dragon is strong like a horse rider… For either beast will know the second you loosen your grip and lower your guard or fear of the world and if to when that happens. Ruin will come.”- Matthieu Garza (Lol shame on me for that self promotion )
I would problely be a god of chaos and progretion, all against stagnation. My form would be like a cheetah, with Great tidal like wings, and a face like a great dragon. As i flew through clouds, it would turn to water, Then hale, Then rise as steam. Within my presance, inventions and ideas would sprawl, be them good or Evil.
idk why people dislike the hobbit that much…I read the book, and although its by no means entirely true to it, I enjoyed the trilogy a good amount. I’m not even mad they added Legolas and Tauriel. I actually enjoyed that. it showed Legolas very different, clearly racist towards dwarves but by the end he respects thorin, and his eyes get opened by Tauriel, that changed his mentality similar to his father. instead of just saying ” fuck fighting for others that aint our problem” he realizes that the evil of Sauron won’t stop there with just the world of men, he’ll eventually get to the western lands too.
wait, you’re from Canada? O.O mind blown also, in terms of the gods question… I’d probably be either a god of diplomacy or madness, since one of my favorite things about perusal tv shows and movies is pointing out how the characters could be more tactful, but I’m also of the belief that our perceptions of fantasy and reality are more along the lines of constructs that society builds to fit individuals in to, and sanity/insanity is less a state of mind than a degree of how well one fits that construct… or something…
I actually wrote up an outer god partially on the idea of what I would be the goddess of. She was meant to be deity of ruin and the one who remembers dead civilizations, sometimes she arrives early and her presence signal a great calamity that can not be stopped. Lately, she has taken on more feral aspects as I contrast her to the King In Yellow, now she represents cataclysmic ruin and is a goddess of storms and war. A lot like Ishtar really.
I would be the Valor of Dragon Fire. All dragons would be my children and our seat would be the burning clouds of dawn and dusk. Volacanoes would sing our tales to storms and scatter the glory of my people over the world. All things forged would owe us a debt. The ash of our enacted doom would carry the lightning-seed and our souls would be a flaming mealstrum. Elves and Men would quail at our lamtenting songs, sung at the passing hour of Ancalagon, for vengeance would sail above them on wings of iron suade.
What kind of god I’d be? Well, if possible, I wouldn’t mind being a god of Trials and Change. Too complacent, bored, or evil, I could change the person or their world in such a way to give them a challenge, and of course, as a trial, a reward at the end of it. No deaths, a person doesn’t learn if they are dead.
I would be a god of fear, nightmares, and progress. Not to be evil, but to show that these things are a necessary part of life. Fears, for the most part, keep a race alive because it often prevent stupid things from happening. However, part of my domain would encompass those that let fear consume them. To let fear consume you is to stagnate and accomplish nothing. Only by overcoming that fear and understanding that it does not define you, will you be able to move forward with a happy life.
Tolkien would also have been aware that in Catholic tradition, a dragon represents the serpent of Eden, the liar and deceiver who leads men to their doom by clouding their minds with his words. All of Tolkien’s dragons display this ability. It is a sign of Bilbo’s mental stability that Smaug is not able to cow him this way.
I’d want to be the goddess of subversive thinking. Drinking the blood of a unicorn curses you because you have slain something pure? What happens if you don’t kill the unicorn to get the blood? I’d love getting all the other god and goddesses a hard time to keep their followers in line. PS. My favourite dragon is Draco from Dragonheart.
I would love to be a physic God of dreams and influence. Mind reading and the gathering of knowledge from others. To allow me to do anything as well as one I was able to infiltrate the mind of. To add the talents and techniques of others to my own mind, and body. To influence and speak in ways that gave me subtle control of all around me. I would draw my power from the powerful, and make them my pawns through themselves.
I don’t know why so many fans have a problem with the hobbit movie … I thought it was absolutely fine, so many people winge and wine because they didn’t get to depict or show certain parts from the book … but everything ran smoothly and people forget that you can’t fit everything from the book into a 3 hour movie even if it is split, I also had no problem with Tauriel I thought it was a good place in considering the hobbit is a massive sausage fest and also it added a small tasteful love interest that didn’t break the lore whatsoever.
I would like to be a deity of truth, of freedom from lies, of knowledge and lack of pretenses. I would like my followers to be philosophers and humanists, to consistently stand against fascism and casual dishonesty alike. I would like my temples to serve as safe places for all sorts of knowledge others might forbid, as a place where people are encouraged to free themselves from irrational fears and harmful traditions that deny reality. I would smite those who would dare pollute vulnerable minds and I would bless those who are curious with answers to their questions, whatever they may be.
The artist who made the thumbnail image is sugarpoultry on Deviantart –> deviantart.com/sugarpoultry/art/You-have-nice-manners-for-a-thief-403206982 (Idk if this is mentioned in the article but it wasn’t in the description. I didn’t feel like perusal this article but I recognized the art and want it to be properly credited; it’s one of my favorite renderings of film-Smaug.)
The goddess of learning, knowledge and teaching. Eternally learning, and granting knowledge those who bring me something I do not know. Growing in knowledge over the millenia untill I must seek it on amother world, soaring the cosmos finding more and more things to learn and teach. Probably eventually being slayed in the story of some hero, to symbolize some bs.
If I was a god, I’d want to be a god of strength, not just of power or might though I would have and wield them, they but being a shade of whom I would be. but strength of character, of mind, of will, determination and self discipline, every time a man stands where it be against persecution, for his family, for his freedom or the freedom of others, or because he must as to not would have him slide into the melancholy of depression and self loathing, I would be the hand at his back, a pillar to allow each man to be his better self, where it though might, insight, knowledge or the every day strength to face the day and do it smiling, I would be strength, hope and freedom to any man who refuses to let the world bend him or any man whos is driven to do or be more. I would raise up the hurt and the broken and support them so that might stand on their own again.
Be a God of helping others. Someone lost their car keys, give them a flash of intuition. Some one is being bullied, introduce them to someone who will give them comfort and guidance. People are starving, teach them how to feed themselves or grow some food or give a favor to a neighbor who has plenty.
The perfect stranger, a nomadic being of discovery driven by intense curiosity, and a desire to lend assistance to whomever crosses my path, be it as a watchful guardian on those long trips down winding unknown paths, or a guide through places of which I have not treaded, and yet know by heart. He who protects the honest with sword in one hand and with lantern in the other sheds the light of truth and discovery unto the inky darkness of lies falsehoods and the unknown. He who defies and cuts low the will of gods demons and prophets, and guards the lives and freedoms of mankind.
I’m actually creating my own fictional world and pantheon where my role is a god of war, strategy and intelligence. However the twist is that as I don’t like the idea of hurting anything the god representing me uses fear tactics and strategy to force peaceful solutions, only when he has an anger outburst does he hurt things, which the people have misunderstood as his normal behaviour and they go to war all the time in his name.
I would be the God of Heroism. True heroism. The essence of a hero is self sacrifice and a real hero will always find a a way for justice to prevail. If you know where that line is from then you know what my mortal forn would be. And I would uplift all true heros to the hall of heros wich would be its own seperate afterlife.
Am… I the only nerd in the world that thinks lord of the rings is overrated and tolkien spent too heavy a hand on unimportant details and too little on actually getting to the damned point with too much weight given to secondary sources such as ‘unfinished tales’ and correspondences only later published by his bastard son and his lawsuit happy estate?
I have created a female dragon named Zaire. Zaire’s father is the dragon’s god off dead, and her mother is the god of the living. Zaire herself ended up as god to darkness, but in contrast to many other dragon gods, Zaire is among the living, to great fear of almost every living being. Zaire, however, is not as bad as people fear her to be, she only kills if it is threatening her 3 kids or if it threatens her pack or her own existence
I would pick to be the god of death or king of the underworld, or both if I have the option. If not I would go with whichever is considered higher ranking, Thanatos was the god of death yet he was considered beneath Hades who is the king of the underworld. But if the pantheon considers the god of death higher than the king of the underworld then I would go with God of Death instead.