Awesome deaths!!!

[Elianna]

Maybe this is too morbid a topic....

Throughout the books (and even some in the movies) there are awesome deathes. Such as these:

"The helm of Anárion was crushed by the stone-cast from Barad-dûr that slew him." I just find that awesome for some reason.

"But Aragorn was only two years old when Arathorn went riding against the Orcs with the sons of Elrond, and he was slain by an Orc-arrow that pierced his eye." Yes, in your eye!

And Saruman! HA!! Kicks Wormtongue and stalks away, fearing nothing. Then Gríma snarls, jumps on his back, jerks back his head, and slices his throat!

Then there's Gil-galad. His death isn't told about much in the books, only that he was burnt by Sauron, but if you've seen the extras on FotR, you'll understand. They weren't able to put it in the movie, but Peter Jackson had planned on showing Gil-galad's death: He and Sauron would meet on the battlefield and stare at each other for a while. Then Sauron grabs Gil-galad by his neck, holds him up off his feet (which is a feat in itself), and suddenly, Gil-galad bursts into flame and is tossed aside. That's great! Spontaneous Elven Combustion!

(I'm sure you noticed that I'm delighting in the deathes of good guys mostly, but I assure you that's just a coinsidence.)

Are there other deathes in Tolkien's writtings that you guys like?

[Kuruharan]

Yes, this does seem like a fairly morbid topic, but here goes anyway.

Smaug and Glaurung. Very dramatic and killing dragons is better than killing Balrogs any day of the week!!!! (Long story, that... )

But seriously, you have to admire the way that Ecthelion went out.

[Thorongil]

Or the great flash when Fingons helm was cloven(or something like that). It sounds cool. And I laughed when I saw the movie, and Denethor fell flaming down from that place.

[Numenorean]

(I'm sure you noticed that I'm delighting in the deathes of good guys mostly, but I assure you that's just a coinsidence.)

Sure it is Eli
But yeah there are some seriously well deserved (and otherwise) deaths in Middle Earth. I do not find death itself (even Broddas) awesome at all, just the way JRRT describes such incidents within the broader context of his Legends. As such the sheer dramatic and literary impact of Broddas overdue comeuppance at the fell hands of the Blacksword, is something:

'Not first will I die here!' he cried. And seized Brodda, and with the strength of his great anguish and wrath he lifted him on high and shook him, as if he were a dog. 'Morwen of the thrall-folk, did you say? You dastards, thief, slave of slaves!' Thereupon he flung Brodda head foremost across his own table, full in the face of an Easterling that rose to assail Túrin.
In that fall Brodda's neck was broken; and Túrin leapt after his cast and slew three more...

Kuru

But seriously, you have to admire the way that Ecthelion went out.

Definately.

[Evisse the Blue]

(I'm sure you noticed that I'm delighting in the deathes of good guys mostly, but I assure you that's just a coinsidence.)

Whereas I seem to 'delight' in the death of good girls. Delight is not the word though; more of a quiet 'wow' and a shudder. For instance, from the deaths in Silm (of which you agree quite many are gory), I have been very impressed by the death of Finduilas, (which doesn't even take so much space), but I imagined her very clearly surrounded by orcs, impaled to that tree...and keep in mind the fact that she expected and hoped for help until the very last minute...Still Turin never came.
Another impressive demise is Nienor's leap into Cabed-en-Aras. This is so like a Greek tragedy - her death is foreshadowed and anticipated pages before and yet -or maybe even more because of it- it strikes you.

[Lalaith]

Thanks Numenorean for highlighting the death of Brodda. You're quite right, a very impressive passage - Turin in his wrath must have been quite something to see.

[Kransha]

Well, Gollum rather obviously (who wouldn't want to plummet into lava?)

Also, even though dragons were mentioned, no one said anything about Ancalagon. He was slain by Earendil the Mariner, and his bulk was so huge that when his limp form fell from the sky, it took the towers of Angband that he fell on with him (not entirely sure if it was Angband or another evil outpost. Wasn't Tol-in-Gaurhoth). All in all, he was a heavy fellow, who weighed a lot, and died. That's pretty awesome in itself (or not).

Hmm...let me think of some others. Was going to say Nienor, but that would be both obvious and repetetive. I guess you could say that the Witch-King of Angmar's death was very awesome, despite being done in by a lady and hobbit (nothing against either *nervous laughter*)

Now then...more...more...thinking....

[Kuruharan]

Eeeeeeewwwwwww!!!!!

Yes, this has been a fairly morbid thread.

[Garulf]

Don't forget Helm Hammerhand killing his rival (can't remember his name) with one blow of his fist. he must've been hella-strong!

[Elianna]

I was just reading that today, Garulf, and thinking we should add his name here: Freca.

[Olorin_TLA]

Which brings us to Helm's death! A cool death! *Olorin gets slapped by the Pun Fairy*

But I don't like Helm. That was just uncalled for, even if Freca was a slimy character.

[Orophin]

As I was reading through this thread I just remembered one of the best and most shocking deaths in the LOTR. The death of the Witch king. The leader of the Ring wraiths and the Leader of Sauron's forces. He was pretty much invincable to the people of middle earth and yet he was killed by a Hobbit and woman Meriadoc Brandybuck and Eowyn to be exact. First he gets stabbed behing the knee and then the final blow to the head from Eowyn. It brings a tear to my eye. Tlak about awsome. Most of the deaths have been of the memorable good guys who die honorably but we cannot forget the deaths of the evil villains, who make the good guys so good.