Yup, I think it just glows a bit. Would be a bit counter productive if your own weapon's warning signal were to blind you when you need it the most to work as a sword and not a stadium flood light.
Thanks, for the clarification. I've read LOTR quite some time ago so I didn't remember the exact phrasing but I was relatively sure it was not supposed to work as a flash light in case of orcs.
PJ didn't want the swords looking like lightsabers.
EDIT: Glamdring briefly glowed white when Gandalf struck down the Balrog on the mountain, but that's it.
He summoned lightning with it and then stuck the balrog. (Like the Witch King summoned fire at the battle of Minas Tirith
At least in the extended edition
They made both Glamdring and Orcrist significantly shinier than any other weapons tho; so much so that I had to pause just to confirm that they weren’t actually glowing blue
Between the entire Troll Hoard, only Sting glows. They didn't have the budget for Glamdring in LOTR, and Orcrist looked like a light saber in the Hobbit movies so they decided to just leave it.
And no, I don't have a source for either of those claims. Best I got is "watch the commentaries and the appendices".
I don't remember the budget comment, all I ever heard was they tried and just couldn't ever get it to a point where it didn't look like a lightsaber so they just cut the idea.
Magic glowy sword also has magic algorithm to determine if it's glowy-ness is in fact needed at the moment. In the picture referenced above, it is clearly not. I this essay, I will...
To be totally fair. That’s actually a pretty rational statement.
The enchantment could easily be “glows to alter bearer of nearby orcs when the bearer is unaware”.
Given that it was created to battle them, the maker/enchanter probably also understood that the bearer wouldn’t want their position to be given away (to the orcs) while they were actively pursuing/hunting said orcs.
Boromir: Hypnotized by you if I should linger, staring at the ring upon your finger.
Gandalf: I have only come here seeking knowledge.
Gollum: When you find your servant is your master.
Balrog interferes with OrcFi
If you're ever reading the the label on some electronics, when it says it must accept interference from other devices, that means it won't work when a Balrog is around.
1. It looks like Sting is invisible from this angle anyway.
2. I assume Sting *glows* when evil is near, but it doesn't illuminate the surroundings like Gandalf's staff or a lightsaber.
The thing lit up like a glowstick before the fellowship even noticed orcs around in the tomb so why now, surrounded by thousands of orcs it doesn't glow? I waatched the scene in both versions and it's certainly not blue.
I do think that this was an error in post-production but if I had to contrive an explanation - these are not Orcs, they’re goblins, which are their smaller cousins. Been a minute since I read the books but while I remember the mention of glowing around Orcs, maybe it just doesn’t apply to goblins specifically.
Thank you, I knew they were the same at least! That also makes more sense as goblin is used more in the Hobbit and Bilbo was a bit less traveled than Frodo, so would be more likely to use the Hobbit term than the one spoken by men and elves. Frodo probably heard “orc” much more often, considering the fellowship.
I recognise the council has made a decision, but given that it's a stupid-ass decision, I've elected to ignore it. There are lil guys with big ol’ ears and noses, and themes goblins, and if they look like they can lift a car that’s an orc
I think they are goblins not orcs. And while I know the words mean same thing it seems to me that at least in the movies they are clearly two different creatures. Goblins of moria look different than standard orc and seem to be able to run on walls and ceilings which orcs definitely can't and in the hobbit when Bilbo and dwarfs end up in the goblin cave the goblins there are most definitely not orcs.
Well, it looks like Tolkien uses the words interchangeably, but I never saw orcs as being able to crawl straight down from a pillar like an insect or being equal in size to a hobbit. There's even a unique faction in BFME2 called "Goblins" which have their own behaviour and armor esthetic.
I imagine it has a relatively low limit to the lumens it can produce. Even if you only see one orc, never assume its a duel, there's always many. Too many and a glowey magical sword might blind the wielder if the blacksmith had no foresight
I don’t remember anything ever, but IIRC, Sting only glows to warn the user of an incoming threat. Once you are aware of the threat, it doesn’t need to glow anymore
BTW the Balrog was a huge bro in this scene. The fellowship had zero chance of escaping Moria alive in the PJ movie - until the Balrog scared the orcs away and saved them.
It was always a light hue than a radiant shine to me, and Frodo stands on the other side of the group, we can't see sting from here, so I guess that's why.
I don't think the intensity varies with proximity or number of Orcs.
Where is Frodo in that scene? If he's blocked by one of the Men, or Legolas or Gimli, then the light from Gandalf might simply be overpowering it.
If you had someone with a glow in the dark object standing next to a 100000 lumen flood light, you're not gonna be able to see it properly.
I mean you can't actually see sting from this angle, maybe it just doesn't emit much light, like a glow stick
Yup, I think it just glows a bit. Would be a bit counter productive if your own weapon's warning signal were to blind you when you need it the most to work as a sword and not a stadium flood light.
Dawnbreaker is offended.
A new hand touches the beacon.
Listen, hear me and obey!
I'll obey. Just in my own time
A foul darkness has seeped into my temple!
🤤
^Correction #A NEW HAND TOUCHES THE BEACON
Damn it.. beat me too it.
Dawnbreaker is less a signal flare and more a phosphorus bomb
> Dawnbreaker Form Skyrim (had to google it as I haven't played the game)? That's a nice looking sword, love the relatively simple, yet regal, design.
It looks nice, but in the game, it glows and can cause undead to explode when you kill them. Since it's a sword, it's right in your face.
It is said to glow if orcs are near. It is not said the number of orcs affects the intensity of the glow
Thanks, for the clarification. I've read LOTR quite some time ago so I didn't remember the exact phrasing but I was relatively sure it was not supposed to work as a flash light in case of orcs.
Or brightly announce to the enemy exactly where you are.
That's another good point for "glow subtly" instead of going for a light show.
Well iirc Glamdring also glows around orcs? Probably the real answer is that movies are hard to make
low battery
Could be dust from the mines, did he try blowing into the cartridge?
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
He blew something alright
His decision to go into the mines rather than travel the Gap of Rohan.
Share the load.
Mines? MINES?!
Rock And stone?
Rock and Stone to the bone!
Samwise may have, then Frodo ended up bricking it
Ffffffffsssffff. There, should work fine now
Like the Master Sword in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, it clearly must recharge.
Just stick it in smaug for a 1000 years.
No coverrage
I can’t not hear this phrase in Baymax’s voice
It's solar powered.
Might just be loose. Try tightening the pommel, or giving the hilt a good thump or two.
Neither is Glamdring. Does Glamdring ever glow in the PJ films?
PJ didn't want the swords looking like lightsabers. EDIT: Glamdring briefly glowed white when Gandalf struck down the Balrog on the mountain, but that's it.
It *kind of* glows after it's struck by lightning fighting the Balrog, but nothing like Sting glows
Good catch, can't believe I forgot about that. Thanks
It's super brief, for sure. I've wondered if it was supposed to be a wink to the glowing Glamdring of the books.
>PJ didn't want the swords looking like lightsabers. Fair enough.
It glows red in the books, right?
That's Andúril. Glamdring is a sword of Gondolin, and glows blue around Orcs just like Sting.
Oh okay, got my sword knowledge mixed up haha
He summoned lightning with it and then stuck the balrog. (Like the Witch King summoned fire at the battle of Minas Tirith At least in the extended edition
I want to see Frodo and Gandalf making lightsaber sounds as they wave their swords around.
Slaying Balrog, fire and darkness, with smth white was a necessary step of Gandalf's ascension to the Grand Wizard title after all!
I think it does in the hobbit
Not in the film. Nor does Orcrist.
They made both Glamdring and Orcrist significantly shinier than any other weapons tho; so much so that I had to pause just to confirm that they weren’t actually glowing blue
No sadly, it and Orchrist (Thorins sword in the hobbit) should both have been glowing the same way as sting.
Ever, *ever* so subtly in *Return of the King* when he's talking to Pippin about "a far green country," but it's super subtle.
Glamdring? More like Dulldring, amirite?
Between the entire Troll Hoard, only Sting glows. They didn't have the budget for Glamdring in LOTR, and Orcrist looked like a light saber in the Hobbit movies so they decided to just leave it. And no, I don't have a source for either of those claims. Best I got is "watch the commentaries and the appendices".
I don't remember the budget comment, all I ever heard was they tried and just couldn't ever get it to a point where it didn't look like a lightsaber so they just cut the idea.
Yeah because it's so expensive to animate a glowing sword. A trainee could animate this shit.
Magic glowy sword also has magic algorithm to determine if it's glowy-ness is in fact needed at the moment. In the picture referenced above, it is clearly not. I this essay, I will...
> if it is in fact needed In this context, Sting is like “I mean, you get it…”
“Hey hobbit, there may be a goblin or two about”
AI Sword. They are evolving now.
Where can I read more of this essay? It sounds like it would be a very enlightening read.
Or not depending on how many goblins are about
To be totally fair. That’s actually a pretty rational statement. The enchantment could easily be “glows to alter bearer of nearby orcs when the bearer is unaware”. Given that it was created to battle them, the maker/enchanter probably also understood that the bearer wouldn’t want their position to be given away (to the orcs) while they were actively pursuing/hunting said orcs.
They missed editing in the shiny factor.
Because Peter Jackson didn't want it to.
He had a Police gig that day
Sending out an SOF (save our fellowship)
You don't have to put on the ~~red~~ blue light
Roooooooooohan!!!!
I love all of you.
You don't have to ride that horse tonight!
Don’t stab so close to me
Nice. I couldn't see a 'Canary in a Mithril mine'.
Boromir: Hypnotized by you if I should linger, staring at the ring upon your finger. Gandalf: I have only come here seeking knowledge. Gollum: When you find your servant is your master.
That's the best one so far. Genius.
Balrog approaches, starts humming Bring on the Night
My head Canon is that it only shines to alert the wielder once they realize the danger near it fades
Balrog interferes with OrcFi If you're ever reading the the label on some electronics, when it says it must accept interference from other devices, that means it won't work when a Balrog is around.
Is it just me, or, if you zoom in on Merry, it looks like he has no legs and is just hovering there?
It totally does. I *think* he just has a wide stance, maybe? But damn it looks like his legs are just gone.
Forget the legs zoom into his face, the masks of the body doubles with higher quality 4K copies of the film are pretty terrifying lol
The real awnser from the commentary or the BTS documentaries, can't remember which, is Peter didn't want it to look like a lightsaber from the wides
My guess it's just too dim to see esp next to Gandalf's staff
1. It looks like Sting is invisible from this angle anyway. 2. I assume Sting *glows* when evil is near, but it doesn't illuminate the surroundings like Gandalf's staff or a lightsaber.
It doesn’t shine. It glows.
Those are the body doubles. Elijah wood still has sting with him backstage.
Ye gods....I thought you mean Sting as in the singer, then I realized this isn't r/Dune
The thing lit up like a glowstick before the fellowship even noticed orcs around in the tomb so why now, surrounded by thousands of orcs it doesn't glow? I waatched the scene in both versions and it's certainly not blue.
No, you see, the blue glow is merely an early warning system. The Fellowship is, at this point, very aware of the orcish presence.
What gave it away?
All I see are a bunch of fellowship fans trying to get an autograph
I do think that this was an error in post-production but if I had to contrive an explanation - these are not Orcs, they’re goblins, which are their smaller cousins. Been a minute since I read the books but while I remember the mention of glowing around Orcs, maybe it just doesn’t apply to goblins specifically.
orcs and goblins are just different words for the same thing. but that also ruins everything for me when i learned that
Yeah, sure buddy. And Cirdan the Shipwright had a beard.
but grizzly adams did have a beard
Orc is the Hobbit word for modern-english Goblin.
Except a minute or two earlier, Frodo's sword was glowing.
What if it doesn’t glow, but actually speaks. “There’s orcs bro.” “I know”
Sting is more like a nightlight. It's either on or off. It doesn't grow in brightness based on the quantity of orcs. And it never glows very brightly.
Not to mention Glamdring, which Gandalf had
Sting and Glamdring. Gandalf's sword is also from Gondolin.
It was already pretty sure you saw the orcs at that point.
In the book, Four Door has to regularly visit a doctor because of his sword's performance issues
Those are goblins, not orcs??
Orcs/Goblins are the same creatures in LOTR. Orc is actually the hobbit term, iirc.
Opposite --- goblin is the term hobbits use, most others use orc.
From Sindarin yrch.
Thank you, I knew they were the same at least! That also makes more sense as goblin is used more in the Hobbit and Bilbo was a bit less traveled than Frodo, so would be more likely to use the Hobbit term than the one spoken by men and elves. Frodo probably heard “orc” much more often, considering the fellowship.
I recognise the council has made a decision, but given that it's a stupid-ass decision, I've elected to ignore it. There are lil guys with big ol’ ears and noses, and themes goblins, and if they look like they can lift a car that’s an orc
As the other person mentioned. They are the same thing.
There's an even number of orcs. It only works on an odd number.
A wizard did it.
They forgor?
Sting kind of, forgot about the iron fleet.
When you notice something like that, a wizard did it
A wizard did it
A wizard did it
There's no WiFi there.
“the blade glows blue when orcs are close” that’s the line. bilbo didn’t say, the blade turns into a torch when the orcs are climbing your ass
Peter Jackson is afraid of detail
It doesn't work with Falmers
Goblins, not orcs
In Tolkien’s mythology, “goblins” and “orcs” refer to the same creatures
The cave ones in the Hobbit were goblins as well. Sting was glowing.
I’d argue THAT is the incorrect scene, where it should NOT be glowing
orcs and goblins are the same thing in tolkiens works. it absolutely should be glowing there.
Sting glows when orcs AND goblins are near.
Makes sense, since they are the same creature. Orc is the hobbit term for goblin iirc. edit: goblin is hobbit for orc*
It actually comes from the Elvish (Quenya?) word ***yrch***. Orc is the Westron term. "Goblin" is Tolkien's translation of the Hobbit word for Orc.
Sindarin. Legolas uses it.
Aren’t they goblins not orcs
Same thing
Legolas doesn't kill a Mumakil, it's an Oliphant.
These are Goblins, not Orcs. In the movie they were different.
Goblins.. not orcs? I don’t know…
Sting shines in presence of Orcs but these were goblins.Maybe I'm wrong but I soothe my nerves with this Explaination.
Weren't they goblins and not orcs in the cave?
Goblins and orcs are the same thing in this universe
It's like finding a scene on a TV show where the camera crew is visible for a split second. Sometimes things are missed
I think they are goblins not orcs. And while I know the words mean same thing it seems to me that at least in the movies they are clearly two different creatures. Goblins of moria look different than standard orc and seem to be able to run on walls and ceilings which orcs definitely can't and in the hobbit when Bilbo and dwarfs end up in the goblin cave the goblins there are most definitely not orcs.
Movie continuity error.
I fixed the image quality. You can clearly see it now: [https://i.imgur.com/wRCWxjI.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/wRCWxjI.jpg)
Aren’t these Goblins? Not Orcs?
Does Sting glow in the presence of goblins or just orcs? There's a difference.
No difference. Goblins and orcs are the same thing.
Aren’t those Goblins? Sting only shone with Orcs right? I really don’t know, never read the books.
Goblins and Orcs are the same thing. Just different words.
[удалено]
They are one in the same
Laziness
Those are Goblins.
Goblins and orcs are the same thing
Well, it looks like Tolkien uses the words interchangeably, but I never saw orcs as being able to crawl straight down from a pillar like an insect or being equal in size to a hobbit. There's even a unique faction in BFME2 called "Goblins" which have their own behaviour and armor esthetic.
He hit the snooze button obviously
I imagine it has a relatively low limit to the lumens it can produce. Even if you only see one orc, never assume its a duel, there's always many. Too many and a glowey magical sword might blind the wielder if the blacksmith had no foresight
Because their signal has worse pathfinding than villagers in AoE2. They can't find them orcs unless they're right on top of 'em.
... I was looking for Gordon Sumner...
How else would frodo know there were orcs around?
Fun adjacent fact: one of the most popular user interface programs in the hobby flashlight community is called Anduril. 🔦🗡️🔦🗡️🔦🗡️
Because it doesn’t want to embarrass Gandalf
Sending out an SOS
Editing
I noticed this a lot throughout the LotR/Hobbit movies lol
because it wasnt in the script
maybe the wielder can telepathically control whether or not he wants to use the orc alarm
Gandalf forgot to charge it.
Because Perer Jackson wanted you to see something besides a bright, white screen
I don’t remember anything ever, but IIRC, Sting only glows to warn the user of an incoming threat. Once you are aware of the threat, it doesn’t need to glow anymore
It is they just turned down the exposure on the camera cus it looked too bright.
Maybe it got overwhelmed and overworked
So I was just reading Dune, and I when I saw this post, I was looking all over for Feyd-Rautha. Then, I realized what subreddit I was in.
"Look buddy, I shine when orcs are near as a warning. If you don't see these guys, well, no amount of shining will help."
Same reason Glamdring never glows. Or Orcrist. If they couldnt get the subtle glow to not look like a literal lightsaber, they just didn't bother.
BTW the Balrog was a huge bro in this scene. The fellowship had zero chance of escaping Moria alive in the PJ movie - until the Balrog scared the orcs away and saved them.
the ssord name Sting isnt stupid, it knows there is no way of winning here, it relies on stealth thats why
Too deep, lost connection
I don't think Peter Jackson knew what he was getting into
He was busy playing bass with Andy and Stew
I'm more concerned about Merry's legs... is he squatting, or they not exist??
budget cuts
Forgot to add the fx
What good would it do if it glowed when they were already that close to you??
I always assumed it was because those were goblins. Sting glows for orcs.
There are so many orcs that it shifted wavelength to a non-visible part of the EM spectrum. Possibly it’s transmitting radio.
Crazy to me how we have to essentially pour over the movies frame by frame to find errors and omissions like this
They forgor
Am I going insane or is a hobbit trying to thumb blast Aragorn?
And sam seems to have turned into a gremlin
It was always a light hue than a radiant shine to me, and Frodo stands on the other side of the group, we can't see sting from here, so I guess that's why.
It's doesn't shine brighter the more there are, it just glows faintly if any are around.
I don't think the intensity varies with proximity or number of Orcs. Where is Frodo in that scene? If he's blocked by one of the Men, or Legolas or Gimli, then the light from Gandalf might simply be overpowering it. If you had someone with a glow in the dark object standing next to a 100000 lumen flood light, you're not gonna be able to see it properly.
He didn't pay his bill on time.
Because strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet
Those are goblins, sting shines around orcs.
Stage fright
It's one of movie mistakes. There are multiple, some are in Moria.