October 9, 2003

More Trolls
Niphredil

Mr Underhill, there are in fact trolls that can endure sunlight. They are Olog-hai, a new-improved breed of troll, created by Sauron, “that can endure the sun so long as the will of Sauron held sway over them” (Appendix F RotK). Maybe you are right, the Cave-troll could have been one of these. After all, Hill-trolls attacked Aragorn and the Captains of the West outside the Black Gate during the day, and Mountain-trolls wielded the great battering-ram, Grond, at the Battle on the Pelennor Fields during the day as well. These guys must have been Olog-hai. I suppose there is no reason why Sauron did not create Olog-hai Cave-trolls as well. However, Mordor is a long way from Moria, I don’t know if Sauron’s will would have had much influence on him.

I guess another explanation for the Hill-trolls and Mountain-trolls daytime activities could be that Sauron’s Black Cloud blocks the sun enough to let ‘normal-trolls’ walk in the daylight. In that case, maybe my friends were right when they said that cloud cover could have stopped the Cave-troll from turning to stone (if he was a ‘regular’ troll).

Pip, it is interesting that you say this Cave-troll business has been listed as a movie mistake. I take it that these guys must think that the Cave-troll is definitely not Olog-hai.