30 Lord of the Rings Memes That Were Forged in the Fires of Mount Doom

John Summers • Contributor

Jan 15, 2025 11:30 AM EST

Let's settle this once and for all: Why didn't they just take the eagles to Mordor? If you're smirking right now, thinking you've outsmarted Tolkien himself, you're about to unleash the wrath of every Lord of the Rings fan within a three-mile radius.

Here's the deal: they couldn't take the eagles because it wouldn't have worked. The whole point of the mission was stealth. The plan was to send the smallest, most unassuming creature in Middle-earth on a covert ops journey, one that would (hopefully) slip past Sauron's all-seeing eye. If they tried to fly into Mordor, Sauron would've unleashed the fell beasts to take them down faster than you can say "po-ta-toes"

And let's not forget the eagles themselves. They wouldn't take the ring for the same reason Gandalf and Galadriel refused it—it's too dangerous. The ring would corrupt them, and through their immense power, it could take over the world. So, no, the eagles weren't an option, and yes, it had to be Frodo.

Now that we've cleared that up, enjoy these 30 Lord of the Rings memes that remind us why this story is perfect just the way it is.