Dragons! They always seem quite important to Morgoth's victories and the protection of his claimed lands. Plus what were they doing during and after Smaug too?
Alternate end question: What if Smaug and Sauron went to war with each other and how would this be accomplished? Perhaps Saruman would play both sides pretending to be loyal to Sauron but secretly "warning" Smaug that Sauron seeks to remove any rivals to him, therefore spurring Smaug into action.
It was my understanding that the dragons were under "Melkors" control and his beings he created. Therefore when he "died" (for lack of better words but lost his physical form for as far as we know permanently), the ones left would be similar to an A.I. that can think for itself and gain its own desires receiving no new orders. some dragons did die. The ones alive like smaug who if memory serves was the last one alive at that time; as well as the Balrog in Moria would have followed similar rules, would answer to themselves as they were "Melkors to command" and Melkor was not there to command them. They were stronger than Sauron, especially without the ring. With the ring, a solo dragon would probably lose. Sauron was a master Smith so he had the ability to make at least fire resistant enchants. Sauron was Melkors chief LT and took up the cause of Melkor but was no match for the powers in the undying lands like Melkor so he took to middle earth where he had more power compared to the field. Destroying numenor was the first strike in this effort and what led us to the events of the first war where elendil died. Numenor was his biggest threat. In all of saurons victories or defeats, I don't recall mention of a Balrog, dragon, or any of the being sauron didn't himself raise/create. And I think he was a necromancer and smither, not having the ability to "create" as the Ainur did. He was a mid level power maiar originally with the name Mairon before Melkor changed his name.
If smaug and sauron went to war it would depend on who initiated. If sauron initiated he would prefer cunning, subterfuge, things like that before open war with an opponent he feared. I believe he would live his deceiver nickname down. If smaug started it, I still think sauron wins only because he has the benefit of defense and must be done in mordor at that point in barad dur, with impenetrable walls that were enchanted and sauron could I'm pretty sure Smith fire resistant enchants for his armor. I think they were already. Giving him an edge. Also if sauron didn't have the ring it would be very interesting. If nothing else smaug could hold siege there for a very very long time. Saruman I think you nailed. He could contend with neither and would wait for his best opportunity to play the victor
I’m so happy I refound these creators. I hadn’t watched in a while when History Of The Ages was still around, so when they deleted the channel I couldn’t remember the old name and I thought they were gone. Glad I came across this video and rediscovered them! No matter what the haters say, they will always have my support.
DRAGONS Also, perhaps my favorite part of Smaug is how politely he speaks to Bilbo in the books. He is utterly evil but somehow also seems like the kind of guy that's be fun to hang out with.
He was a Ginormous winged dragon that was slain by a half elf/half man carrying a silmaril in a flying boat. They fought for 3 days. When Ancalagon was slain he broke all 3 peaks of Thangorrodrim. That's about all we know
DRAGONS! "Do you think flattery will save your life thief?".."No" says Bilbo. "No indeed..." Keep up the great work Mellon. Love love love the content every week
Interesting how the dragon's share the same greed, brutality and lust for special jewels crafted by others same as their creator (Morgoth/Melkor). It really does show that his power is still in play and bubbling up until the last battle.
I think Weta Digital and Peter Jackson nailed Smaugs size, he looked fantastic and installed fear and awe. It'll be interesting to see what they do if they ever portray the larger Dragons like Ancalagon and Glaurung.
There is a literary element that must never be over looked as to the size of Smaug. To paraphrase Gandalf, "A dragon is never too large, not is he too small. A dragon is exactly the size it needs to be."
Alternate end question: What if Smaug and Sauron went to war with each other and how would this be accomplished? Perhaps Saruman would play both sides pretending to be loyal to Sauron but secretly "warning" Smaug that Sauron seeks to remove any rivals to him, therefore spurring Smaug into action.
Too bad Saruman of Many Colors was too much of a selfish puss to try to interact with a dragon even through any minions. Unlike Gandalf using minions like great pawn plays. Gandalf the Black Hearted.
Sauron would not want or need smaug. That's how sauron thinks anyway. As far as sauron is concerned smaug being asleep in the mountain is a good thing. Besides once sauron reclaimed the one ring even smaug would not be a challenge to him. Smaug although proud and arrogant would probably be very open to an alliance with sauron though. If sauron is ti be lord of the earth than why not be in his favor? Why not be a king under sauron? There is no downside for smaug aligning with sauron. I'm pretty sure sauron couldn't corrupt or manipulate smaug. Smaug was very intelligent, just as evil as sauron, what I'm saying is I feel very much so if sauron himself went to smaug that smaug would definitely agree to an alliance.
I think that would make a great what if video! What if Smaug had eaten Bilbo and gotten the ring of power stuck over a tooth, affording the dragon unimaginable power that Sauron desires to the point of war with the dragon?
I don't think the ring would actually affect Smaug, or dragons in general, this is just my personal opinion, but Dragons in Tolkiens work don't seem to be easily dominated by others wills. I mean take Glaurung for example, he was a half grown dragon, he defied Morgoths orders and showed himself to the elves, some 200 years before he was meant too. This angered Morgoth but it also means that Morgoth couldn't dominate him with his will, like he could with almost everything else except probably Sauron himself. It seems that dragons are just over powered as hell in this universe, i mean Smaug was killed by sheer luck and even then, the person with the luck needed to be insanely skilled with a bow, which Bard clearly was.
Just got this video in my recommendations, just subscribed and gotta say the channel looks FANTASTIC, this is new to me and I’m glad I found this channel, very well made and informative video! ✌️
Dragons! I think an alliance between Smaug and Sauron might have been disastrous. If Gandalf happened to meet Thorin just as he was pondering how to prevent such an alliance, this meeting could have been more than coincidence. After all, it is suggested by Gandalf himself at the end of The Hobbit that there might have been some sort of fate/providence or something to that effect involved in Bilbo's adventures, and more allusions to prophesies and suchlike are part of LoTR. If that be the case, then the meeting of Thorin and Gandalf and the subsequent destruction of Smaug might have happened so that Smaug and Sauron would not team up and destroy the forces of good.
I had the same thought. And there is the possibility that with the Ring, Sauron could have made both Smaug and the Balrog his servants. Sauron, Smaug, Balrog, Witch-king of Angmar, six additional Ringwraiths, Gothmog, and the Mouth of Saroun makes for a truly terrifying contemplation of the possible upper echelons of Sauron's counsels and might, especially if he wields the ring.
@@jayt9608 its never stated that sauron could make them is servants, more like allies, generals, but never taking away their will. Smaug and the balrog would still have their own wills and desires unlike the nazgul. How could sauron corrupt smaug or the balrog? The balrog was the same as sauron, both Maier. And smaug was something completely different but its never stated that dragons weren't just corrupted Maier as well. Considering Maier and take on whatever form they choose. Just saying I don't think sauron could make them be his servants. I think that they would however willing let sauron be the top dog and reap all the rewards for being saurons top dogs.
the fact that the armies of dwarfs,elvces,men and even saurons orc/troll forces led by the ring wraiths didn't make any moves on the mountain of gold until news of smaugs death spread shows you just how much fear he put into all sides just by existing on that mountain of gold, every one wanted it but no one was willing to even attempt to fight and if sauron had managed to form a alliance with smaug (likely by offering him more treasure and also healing/restoring his missing scale) the bad guys would have most likely won since smaug could wipe out whole armies on his own or atleast cause enough chaos to disrupt there forces that the orcs/trolls could/would come/go in and shred through the disrupted armies on the good guys side.
Dragons!! Thanks for the research, amazing how intricately detailed and deep the great Tolkiens creativity ran. No doubt he probably only revealed a portion of it to the world, too cool.
Dragons! I remember seeing this one book that explored what was basically a Tolkien/Middle Earth version of the "What If. . . ?" series. One of the stories was "What if Sauron knew about the dragons of the north, and recruited Smaug into his forces, either before the events of The Hobbit, or before the events of Lord of the Rings? In it, Sauron basically struck a deal with Smaug where he implied that each major kingdom had its own store of gold, treasure, and other material wealth, especially the elven kingdoms. So, if he were to help him take over Middle Earth by fighting alongside his armies of orcs, he could have all the treasure of all the kingdoms of elves men, and the remaining dwarf kingdoms. But that's not all. As orcs in Sauron's army often would have armor plating not only worn on them, but even imbedded into the very flesh of their bodies, Sauron had Smaug outfitted with similar protection for battle. Sauron had Smaug outfitted with dragon armor, (which was mostly a large breastplate to cover Smaug's hole from the missing scale on his left breast). It didn't have a full "alternate ending" story about what would have happened to Middle Earth if Sauron had Smaug on his side. Instead, it just posed this hypothetical of Sauron offering to Smaug the treasure of any kingdom he could help him conquer, and giving him armor to cover his one weakness, then leaving the rest to the imagination of the readers.
Great video! But slight correction at 13:30 - the thrush overheard Bilbo talking to the DWARVES about Smaug’s armor, the thrush did NOT hear the conversation directly with Smaug (indeed, the dragon was unaware of the flaw in his armor meaning he could not have discussed it with Bilbo) Thanks for the content!
"I kill where I wish and none dare resist. I laid low the warriors of old and their like is not in the world today. Then I was but young and tender. Now I am old and strong, strong strong, Their in the shadows!" -- Smaug to Bilbo.
One can wonder if Smaug consumed one of the dwarven rings of power. Its stated by Gandalf that no living dragon since Smaug was powerful enough to do this and not many other candidates emerge.
"My armor is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!" -Smaug, 'The Hobbit'.
Maybe Sauron would craft some plates of mitril armor to cover Smaug's weak spot, making him nigh invincible again. Maybe he would even go "Hey Smaug, if you bring down the gates of Minas Tirith you can keep all the treasure we plunder from it". In my eyes Gandalf made the right call there.
It could've been very bad had Sauron persuaded Smaug to join him during the war of the ring. But then it may have turned into one of those situations where after they were successful, Smaug might've turned on Sauron like Ungoliant did to Morgoth after they stole the silmarils and destroyed the two trees.
I think Nerd of the Rings did a video on if Smaug and Sauron had formed an alliance. With Smaug, Sauron took over all of northern Middle Earth very quickly, leaving only Gondor to stand against Sauron. But Gondor by itself was not strong enough to face Sauron, and so Sauron easily conquered Gondor, and now all of Middle Earth was under his domination.
If Smaug survived till the alliance was made.. I feel like Sauron would strategically use Sauron via persuasion of "more treasure hoards".. so because of this I don't reckon Bard would be the one to slay Smaug.. I think it'll be Legolas or someone else that's proficient with the bow. (ofcourse.. they need the black arrow)
I’ve always wondered why the ring didn’t reveal itself to Smaug/Smaug didn’t sense it. With the watcher in the water wasn’t it drawn to the presence of the ring? And as Smaug is such a powerful and evil being wouldn’t the ring benefit from just slipping of of Bilbos hand?
Well, I imagine the ring didn’t want to come into Smaug’s possession. It’s main goal is always to return to Sauron but if a being like Smaug came into possession of the ring not even Sauron would have the might to get it back.
@Pilum gave a good answer inside the Legendarium. Now, an answer bound to reality: The Hobbit was never intended to be part of The Legendarium. At first it was just a bedtime story for kids. And in it, the ring was a mere magical ring that could turn its wearer invisible. Since Tolkien never fully rewrote The Hobbit to fit in the lore properly, ee will never have a real answer to this question
@@pilum3705 I'm not so sure on how much agency the Ring has to n wanting to return to Sauron, otherwise I don't think Tolkien would've described a The One bearing Gandalf, Saruman, Galadriel or Elessar as credible threats to Sauron, plus Smeagol spent centuries living near Sauron in both Dol Guldur and Mordor without being detected. I think The One Ring is a much more independent thing than people give it credit, probably due to Peter Jackson's insistence that the ring is Sauron's and Sauron's alone.
If Smaug were to have had teamed up with Sauron then for sure the outcome would have been quite different. First of all, his desire for revenge and protectiveness of his gold would have something greater to rival it. It is his egocentrism that inevitably leads him to take a risk that he did not even realize was a risk. Sauron would have been able to put another voice in his mind so that Smaug would not act purely on emotional drive in that instance (and other potential instances that could arise in the future). Sauron would also most likely be more cunning in realizing their own weaknesses and how they could be exploited, something again which Smaug failed to take into full account. So in short, yes I do indeed believe that if they were to have teamed up together, they would have sealed the fate of middle-earth. No doubt in my mind. Even the fact that Smaug got killed is still a pure chance and string of coincidences, and nobody would have been able to oppose them in time, nor have the might to repel either one through sheer physical power alone. Smaug would also have the ability to mobilize immediate and devastating assaults at a moment's notice, anywhere within the gaze of Sauron. Nobody would be able to prepare and withstand any assault that the two would undertake together. No army of 10s of thousands of soldiers from any race could ever oppose them, as numbers mean little when faced with the wrath of a Dragon and a grander being as Sauron himself.
Having only the information in this video to go on, (as i haven't read the book recently enough to remember), it appears as though the thrush that told Bard the bowman about Smaug's weakness, overheard Bilbo's *INTERNAL THOUGHTS*. It's stated that the thrush overheard the conversation, but the weakness wasn't mention in the conversation, only internally.
I think it unlikely the Smaug would wish to ally with Sauron.. the dragons of Tolkiens legendarium are unconcerned about most things going on in middle earth, they tend to only be interested in hoards of treasure. Maybe if Sauron offered Smaug much treasure he might have agreed to an alliance but where would Sauron obtain such treasure? The rings would be of little interest to any dragon even if Sauron would part with them again, and the orcs of Moria did not answer to Sauron so he could not have got anything from there.
I love the fact that (excluding Smaug) there is little information to anything happening in the first age or the creatures created by Melkor. Here a sentence, there a reference but thats mostly it. We dont even know how many Balrogs existed. It could be thousands or only 7 ... Tolkien was so vague in his explanations ... but in the 21st century, suddenly an army of youtube-Tolkien experts make 20 minute videos on creatures that prior existed only in a sentence or two xD
I reckon Smaug and Sauron would have made a formidable force, until the Ring came into the picture, the dragon would have been corrupted pretty quickly by it. Then the story would really begin!
What use do dragons get from treasure? They never buy anything...they just like shiny stuff, or derive some kind of energy/power from it? Mind you...I do love cool dragons!
Yea I think the lore in the books is that gold makes a comfy bed for them, with the added side effect: the metal gets embedded in their soft underbellies.
I think Smaug and Sauron would have been an undefeatable alliance ... for like 5 minutes. Then they would have quarreled over power and with a little bit of luck the west could have watched them killing each others assets of until one is defeated and the other in ruins. And then Boromir would have easily walked into Mordor and finished of the rest.
I've never understood what, exactly, Gandalf's plan for actually defeating Smaug was. It seems a lot like his plan is "You guys go up to his mountain and piss him off until he flies back home."
Presumably Gandalf the Grey knew Bard, i.e the dragon had a weakness and a man could slay him if he exposed himself. Shoots him dead. It seems a mere chance but then he is a wizard
Could Sauron and Smaug have teamed up? Yes and no. Smaug had his own mind (twisted as that may have been) but he didn't need Sauron - Sauron needed him. Smaug already had a great treasure hoard (probably the biggest known in Middle Earth), what could Sauron tempt him with, there were no more great treasure hoards out there to "con" him with and no doubt that Smaug would have already be aware of this as he was equally as cunning and mistrustful as Sauron. Of course that doesn't mean that Sauron wouldn't have tried, as having a dragon at his disposal would have enhanced his army and caused TERROR among his enemies. However, I think the Balrog would have been a different matter indeed and would have most likely been more ready to join him. The Balrog and Smaug.....now that might have swayed it in favour of Sauron in the end.... Interesting thought.
Dragons! Love me some dragons. If Sauron or someone under his control could bolster Smaug's defense or abilities I think that would be quite dangerous for Middle Earth. Seems as it is he could be brought down, even if at a cost.
i think that if smaug and sauron would have an alliance that then smaug wouldnt get dead because he would be able to resist all arrows and spears and sauron would probbably give him an armor
Dragons! I think smaug dying should have been the climax of the second film instead of the third film, but Peter Jackson did an incredible job depicting smaug the great and terrible.
I am fire… I am DEATH!
Do you think Peter Jackson did a good or bad job with his depiction of Smaug in the movies?
His grand presence and high thoughts of himself were quite well done. His attacks could have been better depicted.
Woonderful
Great job and Benedict did an amazing job giving him life! Watching him do the mocap is super cool
i think he did a great job
In terms of cinematic presence: rather good
In terms of book compliance: not good, not tragic however
DRAGONS! My favourite mythological creatures, would love to learn more about them, especially the ones from Middle Earth!
learn how to spell
I'm a bit late to it but CONGRATULATIONS on 100K! that's fantastic. Love the quality you put out. Great research and presenation. A winner is you! 💚
Steve! What Bar is Smaug?!
Thank you! Love your channel by the way!
Dragons! They always seem quite important to Morgoth's victories and the protection of his claimed lands. Plus what were they doing during and after Smaug too?
I think... they all died, no? 😳
No stories tell
Alternate end question: What if Smaug and Sauron went to war with each other and how would this be accomplished?
Perhaps Saruman would play both sides pretending to be loyal to Sauron but secretly "warning" Smaug that Sauron seeks to remove any rivals to him, therefore spurring Smaug into action.
It was my understanding that the dragons were under "Melkors" control and his beings he created. Therefore when he "died" (for lack of better words but lost his physical form for as far as we know permanently), the ones left would be similar to an A.I. that can think for itself and gain its own desires receiving no new orders. some dragons did die. The ones alive like smaug who if memory serves was the last one alive at that time; as well as the Balrog in Moria would have followed similar rules, would answer to themselves as they were "Melkors to command" and Melkor was not there to command them. They were stronger than Sauron, especially without the ring. With the ring, a solo dragon would probably lose. Sauron was a master Smith so he had the ability to make at least fire resistant enchants.
Sauron was Melkors chief LT and took up the cause of Melkor but was no match for the powers in the undying lands like Melkor so he took to middle earth where he had more power compared to the field. Destroying numenor was the first strike in this effort and what led us to the events of the first war where elendil died. Numenor was his biggest threat.
In all of saurons victories or defeats, I don't recall mention of a Balrog, dragon, or any of the being sauron didn't himself raise/create. And I think he was a necromancer and smither, not having the ability to "create" as the Ainur did. He was a mid level power maiar originally with the name Mairon before Melkor changed his name.
If smaug and sauron went to war it would depend on who initiated. If sauron initiated he would prefer cunning, subterfuge, things like that before open war with an opponent he feared. I believe he would live his deceiver nickname down.
If smaug started it, I still think sauron wins only because he has the benefit of defense and must be done in mordor at that point in barad dur, with impenetrable walls that were enchanted and sauron could I'm pretty sure Smith fire resistant enchants for his armor. I think they were already. Giving him an edge. Also if sauron didn't have the ring it would be very interesting. If nothing else smaug could hold siege there for a very very long time.
Saruman I think you nailed. He could contend with neither and would wait for his best opportunity to play the victor
Super excited to catch a new video right at release! Let's do this!!! Oh... and also... DRAGONS!
Dragons! I’d like to see more about dragons! (Didn’t know you were Welsh, that’s neat.)
Red dragon cheese
I’m so happy I refound these creators. I hadn’t watched in a while when History Of The Ages was still around, so when they deleted the channel I couldn’t remember the old name and I thought they were gone. Glad I came across this video and rediscovered them! No matter what the haters say, they will always have my support.
one of the most interesting dragons in fiction this shall be a treat
DRAGONS
Also, perhaps my favorite part of Smaug is how politely he speaks to Bilbo in the books. He is utterly evil but somehow also seems like the kind of guy that's be fun to hang out with.
I would LOVE to know more about Ancalagon the Black!
He was a Ginormous winged dragon that was slain by a half elf/half man carrying a silmaril in a flying boat. They fought for 3 days. When Ancalagon was slain he broke all 3 peaks of Thangorrodrim. That's about all we know
DRAGONS! "Do you think flattery will save your life thief?".."No" says Bilbo. "No indeed..."
Keep up the great work Mellon. Love love love the content every week
Interesting how the dragon's share the same greed, brutality and lust for special jewels crafted by others same as their creator (Morgoth/Melkor). It really does show that his power is still in play and bubbling up until the last battle.
Honestly, the people at WETA nailed Smaug in size and design. It's canon as far as I'm concerned
Agreed 💯
I think Weta Digital and Peter Jackson nailed Smaugs size, he looked fantastic and installed fear and awe.
It'll be interesting to see what they do if they ever portray the larger Dragons like Ancalagon and Glaurung.
There is a literary element that must never be over looked as to the size of Smaug. To paraphrase Gandalf, "A dragon is never too large, not is he too small. A dragon is exactly the size it needs to be."
Dragons! I can never be bored of dragons and I'm interested to see more videos about Tolkien's dragons, especially Scatha and Glaurung.
Alternate end question: What if Smaug and Sauron went to war with each other and how would this be accomplished?
Perhaps Saruman would play both sides pretending to be loyal to Sauron but secretly "warning" Smaug that Sauron seeks to remove any rivals to him, therefore spurring Smaug into action.
Too bad Saruman of Many Colors was too much of a selfish puss to try to interact with a dragon even through any minions. Unlike Gandalf using minions like great pawn plays. Gandalf the Black Hearted.
Its as valid as an alliance and im not sure what Smaug would see in an alliance, Sauron minions work too hard.
Sauron would not want or need smaug. That's how sauron thinks anyway. As far as sauron is concerned smaug being asleep in the mountain is a good thing.
Besides once sauron reclaimed the one ring even smaug would not be a challenge to him.
Smaug although proud and arrogant would probably be very open to an alliance with sauron though. If sauron is ti be lord of the earth than why not be in his favor? Why not be a king under sauron? There is no downside for smaug aligning with sauron. I'm pretty sure sauron couldn't corrupt or manipulate smaug. Smaug was very intelligent, just as evil as sauron, what I'm saying is I feel very much so if sauron himself went to smaug that smaug would definitely agree to an alliance.
I think that would make a great what if video! What if Smaug had eaten Bilbo and gotten the ring of power stuck over a tooth, affording the dragon unimaginable power that Sauron desires to the point of war with the dragon?
I don't think the ring would actually affect Smaug, or dragons in general, this is just my personal opinion, but Dragons in Tolkiens work don't seem to be easily dominated by others wills.
I mean take Glaurung for example, he was a half grown dragon, he defied Morgoths orders and showed himself to the elves, some 200 years before he was meant too.
This angered Morgoth but it also means that Morgoth couldn't dominate him with his will, like he could with almost everything else except probably Sauron himself.
It seems that dragons are just over powered as hell in this universe, i mean Smaug was killed by sheer luck and even then, the person with the luck needed to be insanely skilled with a bow, which Bard clearly was.
This times PERFECTLY with my hobbit reread o.o I just stopped at Bilbo stealing the cup last night!!
Just got this video in my recommendations, just subscribed and gotta say the channel looks FANTASTIC, this is new to me and I’m glad I found this channel, very well made and informative video! ✌️
Dragons!
I think an alliance between Smaug and Sauron might have been disastrous. If Gandalf happened to meet Thorin just as he was pondering how to prevent such an alliance, this meeting could have been more than coincidence. After all, it is suggested by Gandalf himself at the end of The Hobbit that there might have been some sort of fate/providence or something to that effect involved in Bilbo's adventures, and more allusions to prophesies and suchlike are part of LoTR. If that be the case, then the meeting of Thorin and Gandalf and the subsequent destruction of Smaug might have happened so that Smaug and Sauron would not team up and destroy the forces of good.
I truly believe Peter Jackson did awesome in Smaug
I truly believe Benedict Cumberbatch was responsible for that.
I felt they could’ve taken the famed boast speech and done it more like in the animated hobbit. That performance truly put a chill in my spine.
Imagine a Axis-style alliance between Sauron, Smaug and the Balrog....yoiks!
I had the same thought. And there is the possibility that with the Ring, Sauron could have made both Smaug and the Balrog his servants.
Sauron, Smaug, Balrog, Witch-king of Angmar, six additional Ringwraiths, Gothmog, and the Mouth of Saroun makes for a truly terrifying contemplation of the possible upper echelons of Sauron's counsels and might, especially if he wields the ring.
@@jayt9608 its never stated that sauron could make them is servants, more like allies, generals, but never taking away their will. Smaug and the balrog would still have their own wills and desires unlike the nazgul.
How could sauron corrupt smaug or the balrog? The balrog was the same as sauron, both Maier.
And smaug was something completely different but its never stated that dragons weren't just corrupted Maier as well. Considering Maier and take on whatever form they choose. Just saying I don't think sauron could make them be his servants. I think that they would however willing let sauron be the top dog and reap all the rewards for being saurons top dogs.
Smaugs ego wouldnt allow him to take orders from anyone very long.
the fact that the armies of dwarfs,elvces,men and even saurons orc/troll forces led by the ring wraiths didn't make any moves on the mountain of gold until news of smaugs death spread shows you just how much fear he put into all sides just by existing on that mountain of gold, every one wanted it but no one was willing to even attempt to fight and if sauron had managed to form a alliance with smaug (likely by offering him more treasure and also healing/restoring his missing scale) the bad guys would have most likely won since smaug could wipe out whole armies on his own or atleast cause enough chaos to disrupt there forces that the orcs/trolls could/would come/go in and shred through the disrupted armies on the good guys side.
Those drawings/paintings are incredible!
Dragons!!
Thanks for the research, amazing how intricately detailed and deep the great Tolkiens creativity ran. No doubt he probably only revealed a portion of it to the world, too cool.
Dragons!
I remember seeing this one book that explored what was basically a Tolkien/Middle Earth version of the "What If. . . ?" series. One of the stories was "What if Sauron knew about the dragons of the north, and recruited Smaug into his forces, either before the events of The Hobbit, or before the events of Lord of the Rings?
In it, Sauron basically struck a deal with Smaug where he implied that each major kingdom had its own store of gold, treasure, and other material wealth, especially the elven kingdoms. So, if he were to help him take over Middle Earth by fighting alongside his armies of orcs, he could have all the treasure of all the kingdoms of elves men, and the remaining dwarf kingdoms.
But that's not all. As orcs in Sauron's army often would have armor plating not only worn on them, but even imbedded into the very flesh of their bodies, Sauron had Smaug outfitted with similar protection for battle. Sauron had Smaug outfitted with dragon armor, (which was mostly a large breastplate to cover Smaug's hole from the missing scale on his left breast).
It didn't have a full "alternate ending" story about what would have happened to Middle Earth if Sauron had Smaug on his side. Instead, it just posed this hypothetical of Sauron offering to Smaug the treasure of any kingdom he could help him conquer, and giving him armor to cover his one weakness, then leaving the rest to the imagination of the readers.
I always thought it somewhat insane that the Dwarves set out without any real idea of HOW to deal with Smaug at all.
Not much one can do if you think about it 😂
Great video! But slight correction at 13:30 - the thrush overheard Bilbo talking to the DWARVES about Smaug’s armor, the thrush did NOT hear the conversation directly with Smaug (indeed, the dragon was unaware of the flaw in his armor meaning he could not have discussed it with Bilbo)
Thanks for the content!
"I kill where I wish and none dare resist. I laid low the warriors of old and their like is not in the world today. Then I was but young and tender. Now I am old and strong, strong strong, Their in the shadows!" -- Smaug to Bilbo.
One can wonder if Smaug consumed one of the dwarven rings of power. Its stated by Gandalf that no living dragon since Smaug was powerful enough to do this and not many other candidates emerge.
Dragons! Dragons! Tolkien really left that area of his universe far too unexplored for my tastes.
Yes more dragons please, If they teamed up together I think that it would be a lot harder to destroy the ring .
"My armor is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!"
-Smaug, 'The Hobbit'.
first time on this page.. really enjoyed it. thank you
Thanks for watching 😊
Dragons!! Yes, more Dragons please!. Smaug was great. Dragons are awesome. 😃
Maybe Sauron would craft some plates of mitril armor to cover Smaug's weak spot, making him nigh invincible again. Maybe he would even go "Hey Smaug, if you bring down the gates of Minas Tirith you can keep all the treasure we plunder from it". In my eyes Gandalf made the right call there.
It could've been very bad had Sauron persuaded Smaug to join him during the war of the ring. But then it may have turned into one of those situations where after they were successful, Smaug might've turned on Sauron like Ungoliant did to Morgoth after they stole the silmarils and destroyed the two trees.
I think Nerd of the Rings did a video on if Smaug and Sauron had formed an alliance. With Smaug, Sauron took over all of northern Middle Earth very quickly, leaving only Gondor to stand against Sauron. But Gondor by itself was not strong enough to face Sauron, and so Sauron easily conquered Gondor, and now all of Middle Earth was under his domination.
Dragons!
Thank you for doing this and I enjoy the lore very much.
Love all these lotr lore channels
If Smaug survived till the alliance was made.. I feel like Sauron would strategically use Sauron via persuasion of "more treasure hoards".. so because of this I don't reckon Bard would be the one to slay Smaug.. I think it'll be Legolas or someone else that's proficient with the bow. (ofcourse.. they need the black arrow)
I love Smaug. He's my favorite character of all time
I’ve always wondered why the ring didn’t reveal itself to Smaug/Smaug didn’t sense it. With the watcher in the water wasn’t it drawn to the presence of the ring? And as Smaug is such a powerful and evil being wouldn’t the ring benefit from just slipping of of Bilbos hand?
Well, I imagine the ring didn’t want to come into Smaug’s possession. It’s main goal is always to return to Sauron but if a being like Smaug came into possession of the ring not even Sauron would have the might to get it back.
@@pilum3705 Smaug could not use the ring. Sauron was far more powerful than Smaug.
@@pilum3705 I’d figure Smaug just cares about gold and Sauron could just give him everything but I also see your argument
@Pilum gave a good answer inside the Legendarium.
Now, an answer bound to reality: The Hobbit was never intended to be part of The Legendarium. At first it was just a bedtime story for kids. And in it, the ring was a mere magical ring that could turn its wearer invisible.
Since Tolkien never fully rewrote The Hobbit to fit in the lore properly, ee will never have a real answer to this question
@@pilum3705 I'm not so sure on how much agency the Ring has to n wanting to return to Sauron, otherwise I don't think Tolkien would've described a The One bearing Gandalf, Saruman, Galadriel or Elessar as credible threats to Sauron, plus Smeagol spent centuries living near Sauron in both Dol Guldur and Mordor without being detected. I think The One Ring is a much more independent thing than people give it credit, probably due to Peter Jackson's insistence that the ring is Sauron's and Sauron's alone.
Yes , more Dragons please.
Can you imagine amount of luxury goods Dragons would buy with all the gold they would hoard?
Yes please talk about MORE DRAGONS! WE LOVE EM!!!! Without Dragons, Fantasy would suck!
I've been waiting on DRAGONS for months now!
DRAGONS!!
Would love to learn more about the other dragons. .
Dragons! Dragons! More Dragons! (Really, any of the amazing creatures of Middle Earth!)
I agree! More dragons please!
"You carry something gold...something PRECIOUS"
If Smaug were to have had teamed up with Sauron then for sure the outcome would have been quite different. First of all, his desire for revenge and protectiveness of his gold would have something greater to rival it. It is his egocentrism that inevitably leads him to take a risk that he did not even realize was a risk. Sauron would have been able to put another voice in his mind so that Smaug would not act purely on emotional drive in that instance (and other potential instances that could arise in the future). Sauron would also most likely be more cunning in realizing their own weaknesses and how they could be exploited, something again which Smaug failed to take into full account.
So in short, yes I do indeed believe that if they were to have teamed up together, they would have sealed the fate of middle-earth. No doubt in my mind. Even the fact that Smaug got killed is still a pure chance and string of coincidences, and nobody would have been able to oppose them in time, nor have the might to repel either one through sheer physical power alone. Smaug would also have the ability to mobilize immediate and devastating assaults at a moment's notice, anywhere within the gaze of Sauron. Nobody would be able to prepare and withstand any assault that the two would undertake together. No army of 10s of thousands of soldiers from any race could ever oppose them, as numbers mean little when faced with the wrath of a Dragon and a grander being as Sauron himself.
Dragons!! I love dragons and dwarves so much, please more!
"I know the smell and taste of dwarves, no one better! It is the GOLD...they're drawn to treasure like FILES to dead flesh"
DRAGONS DRAGONS DRAGONS!!! It's fascinating how all of the Ancient civilizations knew what dragons are.
Dragons man I've always wanted to see a video about dragons.
Dragons!! I think it would have been more difficult to take down the power of the unblinking eye and Smaug.
A great video would be what happened to all that treasure after oakenshield was killed and dragon was killed ?
Dragons! I would love to see a video on Ancalagon!
Having only the information in this video to go on, (as i haven't read the book recently enough to remember), it appears as though the thrush that told Bard the bowman about Smaug's weakness, overheard Bilbo's *INTERNAL THOUGHTS*. It's stated that the thrush overheard the conversation, but the weakness wasn't mention in the conversation, only internally.
The drawings of him are so good
DRAGONS… keep those videos coming
DRAGONS! Always DRAGONS! More please!
Dragons! Really interesting topic 👏
DRAGONS!
I know I’m about 1 year late but please do more videos on Dragons please.
God I love this channel ! This topic was so unexpected, least of all Smaug. Thank you for the upload and keep up the good work !
Dragons !
I wish there was more to his story during the film, I thought he should’ve had more screen time in the third film.
Yes, please -- more on dragons!
Dragons! Especially on whatever is known about Ancalagon or Scatha, since they don't get as many passages dedicated to them as someone like Glaurung.
dragon cool vid James enjoyed it
I think it unlikely the Smaug would wish to ally with Sauron.. the dragons of Tolkiens legendarium are unconcerned about most things going on in middle earth, they tend to only be interested in hoards of treasure. Maybe if Sauron offered Smaug much treasure he might have agreed to an alliance but where would Sauron obtain such treasure? The rings would be of little interest to any dragon even if Sauron would part with them again, and the orcs of Moria did not answer to Sauron so he could not have got anything from there.
I would like to see more video discussions on Tolkien’s dragons please
Dragons! It definitely would have made things a lot more difficult for the fellowship if Smug and Sauron did join forces.
Now I understand why I love dragons so much! I have Welsh blood in my family ancestry!
I love the fact that (excluding Smaug) there is little information to anything happening in the first age or the creatures created by Melkor.
Here a sentence, there a reference but thats mostly it.
We dont even know how many Balrogs existed. It could be thousands or only 7 ... Tolkien was so vague in his explanations ... but in the 21st century, suddenly an army of youtube-Tolkien experts make 20 minute videos on creatures that prior existed only in a sentence or two xD
I reckon Smaug and Sauron would have made a formidable force, until the Ring came into the picture, the dragon would have been corrupted pretty quickly by it.
Then the story would really begin!
I dont know. Smaug is so arrogant, I cant see him bowing to anyone besides Morgoth.
What use do dragons get from treasure? They never buy anything...they just like shiny stuff, or derive some kind of energy/power from it?
Mind you...I do love cool dragons!
Yea I think the lore in the books is that gold makes a comfy bed for them, with the added side effect: the metal gets embedded in their soft underbellies.
Smaug is lucky that legolas wasn't around
I know this is off topic, but I'll be more worried of Sauron forming an alliance with Duruns Bain
I think Smaug and Sauron would have been an undefeatable alliance ... for like 5 minutes. Then they would have quarreled over power and with a little bit of luck the west could have watched them killing each others assets of until one is defeated and the other in ruins. And then Boromir would have easily walked into Mordor and finished of the rest.
Smaug and Sauron are teaming up, Is that... is that Tulcus's entry music!!!
Dragons! Dragons! And more Dragons! Lol one of my favorite mythical creatures
Great video!
Dragons!! I love this channel!!
I've never understood what, exactly, Gandalf's plan for actually defeating Smaug was. It seems a lot like his plan is "You guys go up to his mountain and piss him off until he flies back home."
Presumably Gandalf the Grey knew Bard, i.e the dragon had a weakness and a man could slay him if he exposed himself. Shoots him dead. It seems a mere chance but then he is a wizard
It's the trick with dragons in the tales. They're impossible to kill until they're not
Could Sauron and Smaug have teamed up?
Yes and no. Smaug had his own mind (twisted as that may have been) but he didn't need Sauron - Sauron needed him. Smaug already had a great treasure hoard (probably the biggest known in Middle Earth), what could Sauron tempt him with, there were no more great treasure hoards out there to "con" him with and no doubt that Smaug would have already be aware of this as he was equally as cunning and mistrustful as Sauron. Of course that doesn't mean that Sauron wouldn't have tried, as having a dragon at his disposal would have enhanced his army and caused TERROR among his enemies. However, I think the Balrog would have been a different matter indeed and would have most likely been more ready to join him. The Balrog and Smaug.....now that might have swayed it in favour of Sauron in the end....
Interesting thought.
Dragons!!!!!! Definitely dragon content
Dragons! Love me some dragons.
If Sauron or someone under his control could bolster Smaug's defense or abilities I think that would be quite dangerous for Middle Earth. Seems as it is he could be brought down, even if at a cost.
DRAGONS! Love your videos 😎
A good video would be one on the watcher in the water.
Love a history of the dragons
Do major dragons first and then hint at all others and where they reside! As well as where they may have ended up or slain!
i think that if smaug and sauron would have an alliance that then smaug wouldnt get dead because he would be able to resist all arrows and spears and sauron would probbably give him an armor
Dragons! Love your content!!
I'm a real sucker for dragons. So more dragons please
Yes please more dragon videos
My welsh friend from Llanfair PG speaks welsh and has been taking over my house with welsh flags so I sent him this video
Dragons I am new to the channel and I love the content
Dragons! I think smaug dying should have been the climax of the second film instead of the third film, but Peter Jackson did an incredible job depicting smaug the great and terrible.