Orc question- contains spoilers

[gcribbs]

Ok the disfigured Orcs that assisted the Witch King in getting ready for battle- what were they?

One of them was a leader of the Orcs during the attacks.

I think that they were what remained of the original Elves that were tortured and corrupted by Sauron long ago.

Since they originally were Elves they would have long life. They were Elf skin colored also.

The odds are that only a few would have survived this long ;however, it would make sense they would be leaders since they might retain some elf qualities which would explain the one Orc being braver and more composed in battle.

[Astro]

You're probably reading too much into it. I think they are just normal orcs. The leaders of the army were just orcs with more skill than the others, as would be the case in a normal army.

The first orcs were made by Melkor, back when the elves first appeared in Middle-Earth. This was before the First Age even... I'm guessing 15,000 years before the events in Lord of the Rings. I seriously doubt any of those orcs are alive at the time of LotR, judging purely by their nature. I'm not sure if any elves that stayed in Middle-Earth are even that old. Sauron was an underling to Melkor, btw.

[gcribbs]

Originally posted by Astro
You're probably reading too much into it. I think they are just normal orcs. The leaders of the army were just orcs with more skill than the others, as would be the case in a normal army.

The first orcs were made by Melkor, back when the elves first appeared in Middle-Earth. This was before the First Age even... I'm guessing 15,000 years before the events in Lord of the Rings. I seriously doubt any of those orcs are alive at the time of LotR, judging purely by their nature. I'm not sure if any elves that stayed in Middle-Earth are even that old. Sauron was an underling to Melkor, btw.



I might be Although i found it odd that they looked so different form all the other orcs. I figured Peter Jackson might have decided that some of those original Corrupted Elves might be around just like Elrond, Celeborn and Galadriel are still around from the first age.

[Goldberg74]

I guess we'll have to wait for the commentary... ;)