Instead of a tree beard, you'd have a tree goatee! Not dark but bushy and covered in little field mice! Stronger than the foundations of the roots! All shall love his poetry and despair.
I think he would turn into a massive Giant Sequoia Tree-sized ent and be REALLY big. Or kinda like that massive Life Tree in Elden Ring, you know? He’d be a MASSIVE ent. You know?
Finally, now we're asking the big questions! I expect the next theory to be about if Merry and Pippin got the one ring, and how Second breakfast would come to dominate the lands
Would the ring not tempt him with the power to find the Entwives? Maybe even try to mislead him into believing he’s realized they’re being held captive somewhere in hopes that this would stir a hasty action of righteous anger that would get Sauron’s attention?
The easiest thing would be for the Ring to convince Treebeard that Sauron held the Entwives prisoner. Instant head-on attack on Mordor, direct delivery of the Ring to Sauron
@@stigmaoftheroseif he marshalled all of them? Maybe, maybe not. But if he was convinced that they didn't need such strength because their own powers were sufficient, he might go with too small of a force. Or he might go with quite the army...and then pledge it to Sauron's cause after being promised the freedom of the entwives if he collaborated and their final destruction if he refused. Or, he might go traveling to muster such an army, and the ring slip off his finger in a convenient location along the way. If he succumbed to the ring's urgings, it would not end well for Treebeard, one way or another.
Using all the ancillary perspectives and conversations to essentially decipher Treebeard's character was brilliant. He has that honest, earnest quality with being very protective and honourable. Oddly enough that's the personality type of many protagonists/heroes, albeit; Treebeard's motives are spanned across centuries and not seconds, so it's hard to see him in such a light. Just my 2p, he's similar to Ned Stark and all those honourable like him; they are very easy to manipulate once you've sensed them out. With all your points and difference in perception notwithstanding; I concur that the One Ring would eventually make Treebeard turn a dark leaf.
Honestly, it would probably fall from his finger where a man would find it, likely forgotten at a logging camp to be found by the surviving workers who come to bury their friends.
On the one hand, Treebeard has a lot of stuff he desperately wants. The Entwives, the safety of his forest, for his people to not fall asleep and turn into trees. But on the other hand, he's so slow and prone to misplacing things, it would probably take the ring a century to corrupt him to the point of taking action.
I really enjoy when lore enjoyers delve into what-if scenarios like this. It shows a good understanding of the setting and the themes within it, as well as an understanding of the characters' peculiarities. I doubt Treebeard getting the Ring would end well for him and the Ents, but as stated, it could just simply sit in Fangorn for the centuries until it had the chance to move on. This time, not by Bilbo's hands, but another's...
"it may need a bit of suspension of disbelief" In a video about if a walking, talking, tree-man found a gold band made by a dark lord to subdue the world, I think we're already there lol
Never really realised how much I relate to Treebeard before this video. Value all living things. Believe everything and everyone deserves second/third/and more chances. Don't like things happening quickly. Don't like being on fire. Gave up searching for my wife. Looking after lesser creatures in place of ever having my own offspring. Very relatable.
Very interesting premise. I like how you focused on Treebeard's hatred of creatures being kept; this is certainly a possible outcome. However, I think Treebeard would have relentlessly searched for the missing Entwives.
I think that the best insight we might have into Treebeard's thoughts would be in Old Man Willow, where we're given perspective on how the trees of the Old Forest felt, "a malice for all things walking free on two legs". Old Man Willow was said to have been rotten to his core, but that his songs were mighty (we was able to sing songs of enchantment, bewilderment and sleepfulness on the Hobbits, after drawing them down into Withywindle Valley). I think also its worth considering Treebeards words when saying 'above all he *hates* the caging of free things'. That word hatred is very important, I think, as it speaks to Treebeard's emotions, which Saruman manipulated to his benefit so the Ring definitely could do the same. If you marry Treebeard's hatred for caging free things, and Old Man Willow's malice for all things walking free, I can easily imagine an interpretation where "all those walking free on two legs" were "caging" all those bound root and stem to the earth. A mighty resentment that Elves, Dwarves and Humans (and even Hobbits) could walk free but trees were caged to the ground (to say nothing of how trees are consumate victims of the fires of the Free Peoples) could drive Treebeard, the Ents and their Huorns, on a dark crusade to liberate themselves by the eradication of all non-plant life. Initially, this would be seen by Treebeard as an act of self-defence but would quickly turn into preemptive conquest against all future threats.
thank you, I agree to this. I think ents could do much more harm with the ring, than we think, they are patient... but will work towards make the woods stretch from coast to coast. None plant life would be accepted, as long as they don't hurt the trees, and live as part of natural life ..
You know what, Geeker? I clicked on your video thinking, "What a ridiculous topic," but you actually convinced me that this was a legitimate subject for speculation and that one can actually learn something about the legendarium in doing so. Very good job.
I asked myself this several times more jokingly, and no one would ever care to reply. Great to see that finally someone tackles this slightly ridiculous question in a video!
That's easy though. Sauron wins - He had an overpowering force, and only moved early because he feared Aragorn had the ring. He would have just ground down all resistance in Gondor over time and then no nation would be able to withstand it.
While I agree with the general idea, "What if the armies of Mordor moved regardless of The Ring but the West isn't moved to action by the moving of The Ring" I think we already know the answer...Nothing much happens until The Ring is brought into play. Sauron was waiting for The Ring to be made rumor of or some kind, any kind, of hint was made about its whereabouts. The story doesn't happen until The Ring is found because the world has been operating that way for centuries. Skirmishes and wars are fought, politics are played, and everything just keeps going, waiting for the next thing to happen. It would be cool and epic in its own right, but "THE STORY" has to happen eventually, even if that story now is years later, with different characters (sans Gandolf and the like of course)
The irony is that if the One had indeed been flushed down the Anduin, like Saruman claimed to buy time to find it himself, Sauron's only weakness would've been out of reach of the Free Peoples. He would've won.
I would think he would try to use the power to find the entwives. If it whispered to him, that it knew their location, I think he would go to great lengths to get there.
Honestly, thanks a lot for all these videos. It must be hard to find new subjects after all these years of regular new discussions, and your videos are always among the ones I listen to with the most care out of all the ones I listen to/watch. So, yeah, thanks from across the channel, I did find this video quite amusing, at least for how non-standard the subject was
One thing unaddressed was alliances. He would probably get a lot of wild animals to join his army, so it's not just the trees against the world. Birds, wolves, spiders, their overpopulation could surely create useful armies. Perhaps in time even the Druédain and Hobbits would join. Elves and dwarves might accept an alliance with the ents against orcs and goblins. The Beornings and wild goblins/trolls might obey Treebeard. And once it's strong enough, the Dunlendings might also join the ranks. All hail Yavanna.
This was a fun one - I have one for you... Remember how Tom Bombadil took some jewelry from the Barrow Downs for Goldberry? WHAT IF... Tom Bombadil gave The One Ring to Goldberry as a gift, a pretty ring he found or the Council of Elrond gave it to him and he forgot what it was and thought she might like it...
As a flight of fancy, I think there could be a quite interesting story as to how Treebeard could have found the ring and secrets it away. Especially if it was able to convince him that it was precious quickly enough to cause him not to just forget it. I imagine that it wouldn't be used in any of the ways that we have seen, but rather as a twisting of the natural facets of the world. When the hobbits were attacked directly by a tree, being healed and made immobile, trapped against their will, and being their power would be the hint as to the nature of how an angry forest would assert itself. Imagine the centuries that Gollum possessed the ring now being replaced by a malignant intent injected into a forest already known for its treachery. I imagine that over the years, rather than becoming a viable force of war, the first, under the direction of a corrupted tree herder, begins to expand. By the time the power of Sauron becomes strong enough to challenge the world of men, the battles would play out in much the same way, up until Saruman's treachery at Isengard. This would them become the spark that ignites the righteous rage of a festering forest to take action. This spark, however, would not abate at the re-taking of Isengard, but rather start the Ents towards conquest of all those who have consistently assailed their kind. The larger question, the dependency upon which all this relies, is if Sauron and his ring would realize this potential from this scenario. I think a case could be made about this especially if the story plays it with Treebeard becoming rooted, and growing unnaturally at the center of his domain. The new great tree from which dominance reigns across the land, the dark echo of the light of the two trees from the past. Anyway, as mentioned, a flight of fancy that I thought might make a fun perspective. Thank you for always providing these videos, full of lore and perspective.
A point of note. Green wood is incredibly difficult to ignite. Especially if coverd in mud. So I can envision an army of ents, digging miles of canals to carry water from diverted rivers and streams to keep themselves hydrated and covered in wet mud, then donning additional protective wooden armor and brandishing giant ironwood staves and clubs. It would be an army of comic book Groots and could decimate even the fiercest of enemy armies. I imagine they would even defeat Sauron and his dark riders. In such an alternate middle earth, I imagine the eagles and many other magical beasts would join the ents in hunting down and vanquishing evil.
2:50 -- I'm sorry, but the idea of The One Ring having a "default setting" for conquest made me laugh. Imagine Sauron finally getting his hands on it and having to perform a factory reset once it had gone through so many fingers.
And to browbeat the other species into serving as caretakers for the worldwide forest he wants to build... before it betrays him and ends up in Sauron's hands, Gandalf's hands, or destroyed.
Excellent stuff. Being deep in the geek zone re Middle Earth for many winters this "what if" I had not considered. Treebeard a great and powerful Old Man Willow in the deep dark fastness of Fangorn.
We don't know the full powers of Treebeard when he's wearing the One Ring. For all we know, he could re-grow all the Ents and Entwives who ever lived, he could make the forests grow rapidly. Maybe he could grow to such an enormous size that he could crush any army beneath his trunks.
Aside from giving non-spiritual beings the ability to walk on the spirit side of the world (making them invisible to non-spiritual side and more visible on the spirit side) and stretching out life spans, the ring isn't shown to grant any powers. The characters that would be the most dangerous with it (like Gandalf and Galadriel) already have the powers that would make them dangerous. The One Ring is dangerous because of how it changes one's thoughts and actions, not because it provides some crazy powers. Gollum had it for a long time and never gained anything remarkable from it.
That depends, I guess. If he came across the ring soon after Isildur lost it, or maybe later, around the time it was found by Smeagól, the ring would have had time to gnaw at Fangorn and turn it from a watchful wood that was reminiscent of the Old Forest next to Buckland into a wood far more like the Old Forest, but instead of Old Man Willow who is immobile, you would have Ring-Lord Fangorn, walking the woods and bringing the weight or the One Ring with him.
I think he's like Tom Bombdil, not so much in that he would be resistant, but that he would probably misplace it. He lost the entwives, so he has a track record of losing things.
@@StonedHunter Lol, are you crazy?? 😜 Don't be silly.... If someone insulted the wife of Tom, a being who witnessed _all_ of time from even before such a thing existed, it would have seemed to him like an ant trying to steal a breadcrumb from your plate - utterly inconsequential, if somewhat amusing perhaps, for a brief moment, until you moved on living your life ;)
I know its so out there that Tolkien probably never even had a single fleeting thought about it, but its still a fun thought experiment because Treebeard is like the polar opposite to what Sauron/Mordor represented for Tolkien (i.e the destructive industry of the world wars vs the preservation of nature).
Tolkien did explain that there were two possibilities for the One Ring when other people tried to wield it: -Either they end up being broken by it, abandoned by it, or by some other means the One Ring ends up in Sauron's hands. -Or Gandalf takes the One Ring and become the new dark ruler.
Realistically, Sauron would get it back after a time. But running with the idea like Weird Al runs with scissors; Sam eventually wouldn't be happy with JUST Mordor. He'd want to make the whole world nothing but gardens of different types. Perfect valleys, manicures mountains, caves of controlled tunneling and even rerouting water to make perfect stalactites, all managed by the people's of Middle Earth, who'd have to maintain the gardens for him, or else.
Plausible alternate timeline: The Uruk-hai catch Frodo instead of Merry and Pippen. Just like regular timeline, they head back towards Orthanc, get whacked by Eomer and friends, Frodo escapes into Fanghorn, runs into Treebeard, and gives him the ring.
I expect that Fangorn would become darker, more fetid and swamp-like. More focused on decay and rot over greenery and life. Those who enter seldom come back out while the boundaries of the forest slowly grow - a creeping, all consuming thing that reaches out with thorn covered vines to dig in and pull itself along, shambling forward in search of more things to compost.
i think that everyone gets Sam wrong, you described the ring tempting Sam but Sam was not tempted by it, and in the movie everyone thinks that Sam is tempted by it when he hesitates to give it back to frodo. I believe he was hesitant because of what it was doing to frodo not that he wanted it for himself
Fine, the ring “tempts” Sam, but his character is on solid foundations, he is never “tempTED.” The ring offers “temptations” like Jesus was tempted in the desert.
In the movie it suggests that Sam would perhaps prefer to keep it. Whether that is for his own benefit, or to protect Frodo, is irrelevant - cuz that is precisely how the Ring taps into your weaknesses.... It corrupts that which would've been good, if left unmarred. Also, I think you completely miss the point of temptation, like someone else also noted. Sam did have visions in the book, and he hesitated in the film. That's feeling the temptation.... If he was not tempted at all, he'd have been like Tom Bombadil, who'd have lost the ring for he cared naught. If anything, what made Sam remarkable was that he was tempted, but never gave in! He is not pure in the sense of Tom, but in the sense of being the only creature ever to have worn the ring yet voluntarily returned it - a feat much more impressive than even ancient Tom could've ever managed!
@@MrNicoJac that’s the point, you can tempt me and i can imagine all i want to about if i took it but if i have literally no struggle on if to actually give in then there is no temptation
Oh man, if we're doing this angle, I want to hear about the sheer horror that is Shelob (book version) getting the ring. Heck, there was even an opportunity for it.
Ha ha! Would never have thought of this one. I see Treebeard turning in on himself though. He in his forest like Gollum in his mountain. Maybe while reinforcing and protecting Fangorn forest around him like Galadriel did Lothlorien, but in a negative way. Maybe turning the Huorns into Old Man Willow's. Looking forward to your video about what Lobelia Sackville-Baggins would do with the one ring. No silver cutlery would be safe anywhere in Middle Earth I assume.
0:44 It "requires a suspension of disbelief" that the ring would be found by Treebeard? Because that's far less believable than a talking tree or an enchanted ring in the first place?
Treebeard spends the majority of his life sleeping and rooted in one place in one forest next to Isengard. the chances of the ring finding him are marginal
I love your channel and content I’m a MASSIVE Tolkien fan and you do a fantastic job telling his stories and breaking them down making it easier, in my opinion,understand Tolkien’s Legendairm! Thank you ❤
Have you heard the tragedy of Arthas of Lordaeron? It's not a tale the mages of Dalaran would tell you. Arthas was a paladin of great promise, destined to inherit the throne and protect his people. But in his zeal to save his kingdom from a terrible plague, he was led down a dark path. Seeking power to defeat the undead scourge, Arthas claimed a cursed runeblade, believing it would grant him the strength to save his people. In his quest to protect Lordaeron, he became the very thing he sought to destroy. The blade consumed his soul, transforming him into a champion of the undead. In the end, Arthas brought ruin to his kingdom, slaying his own father and leading the undead armies against the living. Ironic, Arthas sought to defeat death, only to become its greatest servant.
I think one thing he’d use the ring for is to search for the entwives. Sure, they are likely forever lost, but I think treebeard would want to search anyway. It did not seem to me that he had lost hope of finding them.
Very interesting question! What would happen if Treebeard acquired the ring? Knowing how peaceful Ents are, I think you're right, not a whole lot would happen. Maybe he would create more beauty in Middle Earth.
I recently subscribed to this channel and I'm a LOTR noobie (I've watched all the movies and I've read the Hobbit. Currently reading fellowship for the first time). I'm not sure if you already made these videos, but I have 2 content ideas that I would absolutely watch because I want to know more about them: 1. Why are the ages what they are? What makes the 1st age the first age and how long did these ages last? 2. When did Suraman get corrupted and how?
He would have stopped telling sappy stories, turned over a new leaf, forgotten his roots and killed all those that felled forests to make crops. Total farmergeddon
I believe Tree Beard and his kind would be like the Dwarfs unphased by the overall domination of the ring but I agree they would be affected even if the effects are nothing more then turning His Fangorn forest into an Impenetrable Fortress!!! 🤠👍
I feel like the One Ring would prey upon the Ents desire to find the Entwives, driving them to do more and more acts with the justification that they wanted to reunite with them and bring new Ents and Ent gardens into being. If they ever found out that the Entwives were no more, it would likely bring forth great fury.
@@hariman7727 it’s a nice theory, but I don’t see any weight in it at all. Huorns are the only thing I remember being referenced in that area, meanwhile it’s mentioned that the gardens of the Entwives were laid to waste and became the Brownlands. I personally think the evil of Sauron eradicated them. If the Entwives resided that close to the Ents, they would have for sure reunited.
The Dark Ent Lord Treebeard martches with an army of trees and ents to the black gate. Treebeard: Let the lord of the black land comeforth and kneel to his new lord! The ring bends to MY will...AND NO OTHER! Sauron: Uh huh. Bob. Mouth of Sauron: "Huh? Oh right." Walks up to the edge of the wall and looks down at treebeard. "Sauron bids thee..." Lights a match. "...Welcome 'Lord' of the Rings!" drops the match right onto treebeard. Whole forest burns to the ground.
If you like fantasy this much youd more than likely love the cosmere universe. Worth a look into. I suggest starting with the first mistborn trilogy then moving on to the first 3 stormlight archive books
Next: What if Shadowfax got the Ring? He already had ambitions, being the Lord of all horses. Perhaps he would've gone for Lord of all Middle Earth? The Ring could expand to go over his head and he could wear it around his neck...
I think the one ring would bolster his own "hastiness" but also his ability to stir such hastiness in others, prolonging the lives of other ents who would have turned into regular trees without other stimulation. I think your right that treebeards intentions would mostly be to protect nature and see fangorn flourish but also eventually if he did become hasty enough renew his search for the entwives
Dark Tree-Lord / Treant for sure. 😮 AND he would have been IMMUNE TO FIRE 🔥🔥, but his brothers would not... All these thought-experiments are a really interesting way of looking at all the lore. 👍🌟 Thank you! 👏 M 🦘🏏😎
After Treebeard's had the one ring for thousands of years- "Anyone notice anything odd about Treebeard? He seems a bit hasty lately."
Treebeard gets the One-Ring:
Fifty years later: "Hmm. I wonder if the Entwives all went to Mordor? Maybe I should go check."
@jackcrawford6078 Oh thank you for this comment 😂😂😂, it’s made my day 😂
"He doesn't look a day older than he did 3,000 years ago!"
His evil monologues would take WEEKS
Haha 😂
And what of the Entwives?
😂
Brilliant
No exaggeration detected.
Brilliant
Still waiting on what if the Innkeeper at the Prancing Pony got the One Ring.
Nah, what if the fox that encountered the hobbits in Woody End got the One Ring comes next.
What if the watcher of the water got the one ring
@@thefirstofthelast1181 Watcher did aim for Frodo indeed.
What if Farmer Maggot got the ring?
What if Rosie got the ring?
If the One Ring taps into deeply held desires, then perhaps it could've tempted Treebeard with the possibility of finding the Ent-wives...
The power of a Tree-bang.
@@dissuede6949 Got wood?
only to put him on a wild goosechase to mordor and to sauron?🤔
( if we think from the one ring's perspective💍)
@@sebastianthomsen2225 On the upside, you can't find a hotter hole than Mt. Doom to put your wood in.
@@Yugemosoh god😭
Instead of a tree beard, you'd have a tree goatee! Not dark but bushy and covered in little field mice! Stronger than the foundations of the roots! All shall love his poetry and despair.
And all shall wither ere his poem is told in full.
@@imqqmi Well, that's just normal treebeard. =')
I think he would turn into a massive Giant Sequoia Tree-sized ent and be REALLY big. Or kinda like that massive Life Tree in Elden Ring, you know? He’d be a MASSIVE ent. You know?
Hoom! Hoom! Hoom! 🤓😎✌🏻
I'm dying over here mate
Tree beard is very, very old. So he should already have a whole lot of Tree Rings…
Good one😂
GOD DAMN YOU!!! I wanted to make that joke!! >:(
Outstanding
This is a truly terrible pun, and I regret that I can only click "like" once! 😉
R/angryupvote 😅
Finally, now we're asking the big questions!
I expect the next theory to be about if Merry and Pippin got the one ring, and how Second breakfast would come to dominate the lands
What about elevensies?!
Luncheon?!
Afternoon tea?!
Dinner?!
Supper?!
@@MarcusHalverstram
That's all part of the master plan, to be implemented later down the line.
The dinner line, if you will
@@MarcusHalverstram One meal to rule them all!
We can't forget about the all important matter of ensuring the rise of the all important pint!
@@thing_under_the_stairs it comes in pints!?
Would the ring not tempt him with the power to find the Entwives? Maybe even try to mislead him into believing he’s realized they’re being held captive somewhere in hopes that this would stir a hasty action of righteous anger that would get Sauron’s attention?
The easiest thing would be for the Ring to convince Treebeard that Sauron held the Entwives prisoner. Instant head-on attack on Mordor, direct delivery of the Ring to Sauron
Would mordor withstand the assault of all the trees in middle earth?
Perhaps satisfying only his lust and not his love. Let me just say I would not want to be one of the Uruk hai retreating.
Treebeard gets the One-Ring: "Hmm. I wonder if the Entwives all went to Mordor? Maybe I should go check."
@@stigmaoftheroseif he marshalled all of them? Maybe, maybe not. But if he was convinced that they didn't need such strength because their own powers were sufficient, he might go with too small of a force. Or he might go with quite the army...and then pledge it to Sauron's cause after being promised the freedom of the entwives if he collaborated and their final destruction if he refused.
Or, he might go traveling to muster such an army, and the ring slip off his finger in a convenient location along the way.
If he succumbed to the ring's urgings, it would not end well for Treebeard, one way or another.
Dude this is just plain old fun. Thanks for doin’ these videos.
Using all the ancillary perspectives and conversations to essentially decipher Treebeard's character was brilliant. He has that honest, earnest quality with being very protective and honourable. Oddly enough that's the personality type of many protagonists/heroes, albeit; Treebeard's motives are spanned across centuries and not seconds, so it's hard to see him in such a light. Just my 2p, he's similar to Ned Stark and all those honourable like him; they are very easy to manipulate once you've sensed them out. With all your points and difference in perception notwithstanding; I concur that the One Ring would eventually make Treebeard turn a dark leaf.
Imagining the Ring trying to convince Treebeard to do things and it takes so long that even the immortal ring is like, "GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!!!"
"Yes, get on with it!"
@@theharper1 Someone gets it lol
@Tyranidus7 if it was another platform, I'd post a gif of Arthur and his kin-niggits. 😅
Tree beard would save all of nature. The ring would be so happy it would get a Morgoth blessing making trrbeard unstoppable.
Honestly, it would probably fall from his finger where a man would find it, likely forgotten at a logging camp to be found by the surviving workers who come to bury their friends.
On the one hand, Treebeard has a lot of stuff he desperately wants. The Entwives, the safety of his forest, for his people to not fall asleep and turn into trees. But on the other hand, he's so slow and prone to misplacing things, it would probably take the ring a century to corrupt him to the point of taking action.
The One Ring of Power would become The One Screaming Ring of Impatience.
Old Man Willow is head wraith
the Birch King of Angmar
An Ent version of a ring wraith would be terrifying.
@@KlaxontheImpailrAgreed. But now I want to see it lol
Instead of the dark lord, you would have a TREEEE
all the squirrels would look upon me and rejoice! Behold my mighty nuts!
"One Branch to grow them all one branch to find them, and in the earth bind them" 🌳💍
lol that is so funny
❤❤❤❤
I really enjoy when lore enjoyers delve into what-if scenarios like this. It shows a good understanding of the setting and the themes within it, as well as an understanding of the characters' peculiarities. I doubt Treebeard getting the Ring would end well for him and the Ents, but as stated, it could just simply sit in Fangorn for the centuries until it had the chance to move on. This time, not by Bilbo's hands, but another's...
"Its a bit nerdy and speculative, but that's what we do on this channel." Sh*t yeah, I'm here for it.
subscribing to this channel once wasn't enough. I've unsubscribed and subscribed again.
The premise for this is outlandish even for this channel, and I’m FINE with that!
Next video : What if Doctor Who got the one ring?
@@jovetj What if Tommen Lannister's cat Ser Pounce got the One Ring?
"it may need a bit of suspension of disbelief"
In a video about if a walking, talking, tree-man found a gold band made by a dark lord to subdue the world, I think we're already there lol
He would utter a terrible curse against Saruman, but being in Entish, it would never end
Never really realised how much I relate to Treebeard before this video.
Value all living things. Believe everything and everyone deserves second/third/and more chances.
Don't like things happening quickly.
Don't like being on fire.
Gave up searching for my wife.
Looking after lesser creatures in place of ever having my own offspring.
Very relatable.
Very interesting premise. I like how you focused on Treebeard's hatred of creatures being kept; this is certainly a possible outcome. However, I think Treebeard would have relentlessly searched for the missing Entwives.
I think that the best insight we might have into Treebeard's thoughts would be in Old Man Willow, where we're given perspective on how the trees of the Old Forest felt, "a malice for all things walking free on two legs". Old Man Willow was said to have been rotten to his core, but that his songs were mighty (we was able to sing songs of enchantment, bewilderment and sleepfulness on the Hobbits, after drawing them down into Withywindle Valley). I think also its worth considering Treebeards words when saying 'above all he *hates* the caging of free things'. That word hatred is very important, I think, as it speaks to Treebeard's emotions, which Saruman manipulated to his benefit so the Ring definitely could do the same. If you marry Treebeard's hatred for caging free things, and Old Man Willow's malice for all things walking free, I can easily imagine an interpretation where "all those walking free on two legs" were "caging" all those bound root and stem to the earth. A mighty resentment that Elves, Dwarves and Humans (and even Hobbits) could walk free but trees were caged to the ground (to say nothing of how trees are consumate victims of the fires of the Free Peoples) could drive Treebeard, the Ents and their Huorns, on a dark crusade to liberate themselves by the eradication of all non-plant life. Initially, this would be seen by Treebeard as an act of self-defence but would quickly turn into preemptive conquest against all future threats.
Your name made me laugh. I needed that. Thank you!
thank you, I agree to this. I think ents could do much more harm with the ring, than we think, they are patient... but will work towards make the woods stretch from coast to coast. None plant life would be accepted, as long as they don't hurt the trees, and live as part of natural life ..
You had me at nerdy and speculative!
You know what, Geeker? I clicked on your video thinking, "What a ridiculous topic," but you actually convinced me that this was a legitimate subject for speculation and that one can actually learn something about the legendarium in doing so. Very good job.
I asked myself this several times more jokingly, and no one would ever care to reply. Great to see that finally someone tackles this slightly ridiculous question in a video!
I'd be more worried if I asked myself something, and someone _did_ reply! 😅
@@grantwinney Contrary to popular belief (yep, I'm a psychologist), hearing voices in itself is not worrying, and self-conversations even less 🙂
Thank you
A question that could be fun for you to work out. "What if the One Ring was never found by ether side? IE if the ring was not in the story."
That's easy though. Sauron wins - He had an overpowering force, and only moved early because he feared Aragorn had the ring. He would have just ground down all resistance in Gondor over time and then no nation would be able to withstand it.
While I agree with the general idea, "What if the armies of Mordor moved regardless of The Ring but the West isn't moved to action by the moving of The Ring" I think we already know the answer...Nothing much happens until The Ring is brought into play. Sauron was waiting for The Ring to be made rumor of or some kind, any kind, of hint was made about its whereabouts. The story doesn't happen until The Ring is found because the world has been operating that way for centuries. Skirmishes and wars are fought, politics are played, and everything just keeps going, waiting for the next thing to happen. It would be cool and epic in its own right, but "THE STORY" has to happen eventually, even if that story now is years later, with different characters (sans Gandolf and the like of course)
Who would attack first and where? Or does one side just collapse?
Sauron wins. The destruction of the ring was the only way to claim victory.
The irony is that if the One had indeed been flushed down the Anduin, like Saruman claimed to buy time to find it himself, Sauron's only weakness would've been out of reach of the Free Peoples.
He would've won.
I would think he would try to use the power to find the entwives. If it whispered to him, that it knew their location, I think he would go to great lengths to get there.
One hellova morning wood
LOL
I have no idea why but I really love Tree Beard
Based
@@gahnsemtex thank you
right and proper based
@@captainmaim thank you
This is brilliant. Exactly why I subscribe to this channel. Thank you, Robert!
Honestly, thanks a lot for all these videos. It must be hard to find new subjects after all these years of regular new discussions, and your videos are always among the ones I listen to with the most care out of all the ones I listen to/watch. So, yeah, thanks from across the channel, I did find this video quite amusing, at least for how non-standard the subject was
Now this is the kind of information we need! Haha i think this is my favorite video so far
One thing unaddressed was alliances. He would probably get a lot of wild animals to join his army, so it's not just the trees against the world.
Birds, wolves, spiders, their overpopulation could surely create useful armies.
Perhaps in time even the Druédain and Hobbits would join. Elves and dwarves might accept an alliance with the ents against orcs and goblins. The Beornings and wild goblins/trolls might obey Treebeard. And once it's strong enough, the Dunlendings might also join the ranks. All hail Yavanna.
I'm a fan of the more out there theories like this. I think it's fun to think about because the world and characters are so well developed.
This was a fun one - I have one for you... Remember how Tom Bombadil took some jewelry from the Barrow Downs for Goldberry? WHAT IF... Tom Bombadil gave The One Ring to Goldberry as a gift, a pretty ring he found or the Council of Elrond gave it to him and he forgot what it was and thought she might like it...
As a flight of fancy, I think there could be a quite interesting story as to how Treebeard could have found the ring and secrets it away. Especially if it was able to convince him that it was precious quickly enough to cause him not to just forget it. I imagine that it wouldn't be used in any of the ways that we have seen, but rather as a twisting of the natural facets of the world. When the hobbits were attacked directly by a tree, being healed and made immobile, trapped against their will, and being their power would be the hint as to the nature of how an angry forest would assert itself. Imagine the centuries that Gollum possessed the ring now being replaced by a malignant intent injected into a forest already known for its treachery. I imagine that over the years, rather than becoming a viable force of war, the first, under the direction of a corrupted tree herder, begins to expand. By the time the power of Sauron becomes strong enough to challenge the world of men, the battles would play out in much the same way, up until Saruman's treachery at Isengard. This would them become the spark that ignites the righteous rage of a festering forest to take action. This spark, however, would not abate at the re-taking of Isengard, but rather start the Ents towards conquest of all those who have consistently assailed their kind.
The larger question, the dependency upon which all this relies, is if Sauron and his ring would realize this potential from this scenario. I think a case could be made about this especially if the story plays it with Treebeard becoming rooted, and growing unnaturally at the center of his domain. The new great tree from which dominance reigns across the land, the dark echo of the light of the two trees from the past. Anyway, as mentioned, a flight of fancy that I thought might make a fun perspective.
Thank you for always providing these videos, full of lore and perspective.
That last image is great.
I adore these "What If...? videos so much I was inspired to answer a question regarding "What if Smaug got the One Ring?" on Quora.
A point of note. Green wood is incredibly difficult to ignite. Especially if coverd in mud. So I can envision an army of ents, digging miles of canals to carry water from diverted rivers and streams to keep themselves hydrated and covered in wet mud, then donning additional protective wooden armor and brandishing giant ironwood staves and clubs. It would be an army of comic book Groots and could decimate even the fiercest of enemy armies.
I imagine they would even defeat Sauron and his dark riders.
In such an alternate middle earth, I imagine the eagles and many other magical beasts would join the ents in hunting down and vanquishing evil.
Hey Treebeard, the Entwives are in Mordor. They are slowly migrating toward a very large colony of beavers. We better go save them!
2:50 -- I'm sorry, but the idea of The One Ring having a "default setting" for conquest made me laugh. Imagine Sauron finally getting his hands on it and having to perform a factory reset once it had gone through so many fingers.
It seems to me he would use it in attempts to find the Entwives. That seemed to be the one great desire of Ents.
And to browbeat the other species into serving as caretakers for the worldwide forest he wants to build... before it betrays him and ends up in Sauron's hands, Gandalf's hands, or destroyed.
“We wouldn’t see much change in him right away”
Except for being invisible.
The price of firewood would go through the roof.
"Go destroy Gondor, they cut down trees."
1. Gondor kills him, Denethor claims the ring, Mordor Laughs.
2. Treebeard destroys Gondor, Mordor attacks, Mordor laughs.
He’d probably talk about it for 3,000 years and say about 9 sentences in total.
"Throw it into the fire!"
"Don't be hasty"
@DR-rs6ou well said.
Just logged in to see this.. what acorny idea.
Excellent stuff. Being deep in the geek zone re Middle Earth for many winters this "what if" I had not considered. Treebeard a great and powerful Old Man Willow in the deep dark fastness of Fangorn.
We don't know the full powers of Treebeard when he's wearing the One Ring. For all we know, he could re-grow all the Ents and Entwives who ever lived, he could make the forests grow rapidly. Maybe he could grow to such an enormous size that he could crush any army beneath his trunks.
Aside from giving non-spiritual beings the ability to walk on the spirit side of the world (making them invisible to non-spiritual side and more visible on the spirit side) and stretching out life spans, the ring isn't shown to grant any powers. The characters that would be the most dangerous with it (like Gandalf and Galadriel) already have the powers that would make them dangerous.
The One Ring is dangerous because of how it changes one's thoughts and actions, not because it provides some crazy powers. Gollum had it for a long time and never gained anything remarkable from it.
My first thought was, by the time he did anything with it, the war would be over.
That depends, I guess. If he came across the ring soon after Isildur lost it, or maybe later, around the time it was found by Smeagól, the ring would have had time to gnaw at Fangorn and turn it from a watchful wood that was reminiscent of the Old Forest next to Buckland into a wood far more like the Old Forest, but instead of Old Man Willow who is immobile, you would have Ring-Lord Fangorn, walking the woods and bringing the weight or the One Ring with him.
robert finally getting back to the real topics like aragorns tax policies and what if tree beard got the ring. love it!
Her: he is probably thinking about other women
Me: what if Treebeard got the One Ring?
I think he's like Tom Bombdil, not so much in that he would be resistant, but that he would probably misplace it. He lost the entwives, so he has a track record of losing things.
how is treebeard like tom bombadil whatsoever? treebeard literally went to war which is essentially anti-bombadil
@@StoneDeceiver Maybe you should read everything in the comment that comes AFTER "like Tom Bombadil".
@StoneDeceiver you're telling me tom wouldn't go to war if someone insulted his wife?
@@StonedHunter Nah, he'd laugh at them, then shrug and say "to each his own."
@@StonedHunter
Lol, are you crazy?? 😜
Don't be silly....
If someone insulted the wife of Tom, a being who witnessed _all_ of time from even before such a thing existed, it would have seemed to him like an ant trying to steal a breadcrumb from your plate - utterly inconsequential, if somewhat amusing perhaps, for a brief moment, until you moved on living your life ;)
I know its so out there that Tolkien probably never even had a single fleeting thought about it, but its still a fun thought experiment because Treebeard is like the polar opposite to what Sauron/Mordor represented for Tolkien (i.e the destructive industry of the world wars vs the preservation of nature).
Tolkien did explain that there were two possibilities for the One Ring when other people tried to wield it:
-Either they end up being broken by it, abandoned by it, or by some other means the One Ring ends up in Sauron's hands.
-Or Gandalf takes the One Ring and become the new dark ruler.
Your next video should be "What if Samwise got the One Ring and used it to turn Mordor into a garden"
Realistically, Sauron would get it back after a time.
But running with the idea like Weird Al runs with scissors;
Sam eventually wouldn't be happy with JUST Mordor. He'd want to make the whole world nothing but gardens of different types. Perfect valleys, manicures mountains, caves of controlled tunneling and even rerouting water to make perfect stalactites, all managed by the people's of Middle Earth, who'd have to maintain the gardens for him, or else.
Hi Robert, this is Martin. Thank you for this amazing channel ❤
Geez louise! Yall have never been more nerdy and speculative. Luvin it!!
Plausible alternate timeline: The Uruk-hai catch Frodo instead of Merry and Pippen. Just like regular timeline, they head back towards Orthanc, get whacked by Eomer and friends, Frodo escapes into Fanghorn, runs into Treebeard, and gives him the ring.
I expect that Fangorn would become darker, more fetid and swamp-like. More focused on decay and rot over greenery and life. Those who enter seldom come back out while the boundaries of the forest slowly grow - a creeping, all consuming thing that reaches out with thorn covered vines to dig in and pull itself along, shambling forward in search of more things to compost.
This feels like one of those "I'm running out of ideas" -type videos. I ain't complaining tho, these are always gold
i think that everyone gets Sam wrong, you described the ring tempting Sam but Sam was not tempted by it, and in the movie everyone thinks that Sam is tempted by it when he hesitates to give it back to frodo. I believe he was hesitant because of what it was doing to frodo not that he wanted it for himself
Fine, the ring “tempts” Sam, but his character is on solid foundations, he is never “tempTED.” The ring offers “temptations” like Jesus was tempted in the desert.
I like your line of thinking. He was always looking out for Frodo
Sure.
In the movie it suggests that Sam would perhaps prefer to keep it.
Whether that is for his own benefit, or to protect Frodo, is irrelevant - cuz that is precisely how the Ring taps into your weaknesses....
It corrupts that which would've been good, if left unmarred.
Also, I think you completely miss the point of temptation, like someone else also noted.
Sam did have visions in the book, and he hesitated in the film.
That's feeling the temptation....
If he was not tempted at all, he'd have been like Tom Bombadil, who'd have lost the ring for he cared naught.
If anything, what made Sam remarkable was that he was tempted, but never gave in!
He is not pure in the sense of Tom, but in the sense of being the only creature ever to have worn the ring yet voluntarily returned it - a feat much more impressive than even ancient Tom could've ever managed!
@@MrNicoJac that’s the point, you can tempt me and i can imagine all i want to about if i took it but if i have literally no struggle on if to actually give in then there is no temptation
Robert, answering the questions we didn't know we had.
@1:51 i petition to have all entwives be called entities
I love love love that dark ent painting, whoever did it.
"It's a bit nerdy and far fetched..." I would hope so!
The time of men is over the time of wood is now. Doom boom.
Oh man, if we're doing this angle, I want to hear about the sheer horror that is Shelob (book version) getting the ring. Heck, there was even an opportunity for it.
Would it have called to her? Or was Gollum's guess right and she'd overlook it, granting him the opportunity to slink off with precious again?
I have watched ALL your videos regarding LoTR and I think this is one of your best takes yet! Jolly good show ol' chap lol
Ha ha! Would never have thought of this one.
I see Treebeard turning in on himself though. He in his forest like Gollum in his mountain. Maybe while reinforcing and protecting Fangorn forest around him like Galadriel did Lothlorien, but in a negative way. Maybe turning the Huorns into Old Man Willow's.
Looking forward to your video about what Lobelia Sackville-Baggins would do with the one ring. No silver cutlery would be safe anywhere in Middle Earth I assume.
I absolutely adore your videos! My favourite channel to consistently watch whilst eating at the moment thank you
0:44 It "requires a suspension of disbelief" that the ring would be found by Treebeard? Because that's far less believable than a talking tree or an enchanted ring in the first place?
Treebeard spends the majority of his life sleeping and rooted in one place in one forest next to Isengard. the chances of the ring finding him are marginal
I love your channel and content I’m a MASSIVE Tolkien fan and you do a fantastic job telling his stories and breaking them down making it easier, in my opinion,understand Tolkien’s Legendairm! Thank you ❤
I always want to see what would happen if Boromir had taken the ring.
I suspect the Ringwraiths would find him soon enough, kill him (wandering by himself invisible in Emyn Muil) and get it to Sauron
@@niels1142 likely!
@@niels1142 Also, Saruman would've taken out Rohan, the Ents would never have gotten involved and Minis Tirith would have fallen.
Have you heard the tragedy of Arthas of Lordaeron? It's not a tale the mages of Dalaran would tell you.
Arthas was a paladin of great promise, destined to inherit the throne and protect his people. But in his zeal to save his kingdom from a terrible plague, he was led down a dark path.
Seeking power to defeat the undead scourge, Arthas claimed a cursed runeblade, believing it would grant him the strength to save his people. In his quest to protect Lordaeron, he became the very thing he sought to destroy. The blade consumed his soul, transforming him into a champion of the undead.
In the end, Arthas brought ruin to his kingdom, slaying his own father and leading the undead armies against the living. Ironic, Arthas sought to defeat death, only to become its greatest servant.
@@prosiescoteau2152
"What are you doing?!"
"Succeeding you..."
I think one thing he’d use the ring for is to search for the entwives. Sure, they are likely forever lost, but I think treebeard would want to search anyway. It did not seem to me that he had lost hope of finding them.
Love it! exactly what we wanted!!
Very interesting question! What would happen if Treebeard acquired the ring? Knowing how peaceful Ents are, I think you're right, not a whole lot would happen. Maybe he would create more beauty in Middle Earth.
But at what cost?
I recently subscribed to this channel and I'm a LOTR noobie (I've watched all the movies and I've read the Hobbit. Currently reading fellowship for the first time). I'm not sure if you already made these videos, but I have 2 content ideas that I would absolutely watch because I want to know more about them: 1. Why are the ages what they are? What makes the 1st age the first age and how long did these ages last? 2. When did Suraman get corrupted and how?
Bro, I show my wife these video titles and she just rolls her eyes lmao. : love your channel.
The ring might tempt him into some drastic action to find the Entwives again.
Just the right kind of nerdy content I needed while drinking my morning coffee, thanks.
He would have stopped telling sappy stories, turned over a new leaf, forgotten his roots and killed all those that felled forests to make crops. Total farmergeddon
8:33, I have never guffawed so loudly in my life😂!!!
Thank You! Robert
A very interesting "What if..."
More of these unique "What if..." videos.
I believe Tree Beard and his kind would be like the Dwarfs unphased by the overall domination of the ring but I agree they would be affected even if the effects are nothing more then turning His Fangorn forest into an Impenetrable Fortress!!! 🤠👍
I feel like the One Ring would prey upon the Ents desire to find the Entwives, driving them to do more and more acts with the justification that they wanted to reunite with them and bring new Ents and Ent gardens into being. If they ever found out that the Entwives were no more, it would likely bring forth great fury.
The Entwives are with Tom Bombadil, as the trees there are more intelligent than usual, but addressed more as ladies than anything else.
@@hariman7727 it’s a nice theory, but I don’t see any weight in it at all. Huorns are the only thing I remember being referenced in that area, meanwhile it’s mentioned that the gardens of the Entwives were laid to waste and became the Brownlands. I personally think the evil of Sauron eradicated them.
If the Entwives resided that close to the Ents, they would have for sure reunited.
Enjoyed this! Thanks.
I have never thought to ask this question but I'm so here for it 😸
"and I'll see you again soon" is such a warm, storyteller sign off.
great video and humour as always
The Dark Ent Lord Treebeard martches with an army of trees and ents to the black gate.
Treebeard: Let the lord of the black land comeforth and kneel to his new lord! The ring bends to MY will...AND NO OTHER!
Sauron: Uh huh. Bob.
Mouth of Sauron: "Huh? Oh right." Walks up to the edge of the wall and looks down at treebeard. "Sauron bids thee..." Lights a match. "...Welcome 'Lord' of the Rings!" drops the match right onto treebeard. Whole forest burns to the ground.
I'm just amazed that you already have over 38,000 views in just 6 hours!
If you like fantasy this much youd more than likely love the cosmere universe. Worth a look into. I suggest starting with the first mistborn trilogy then moving on to the first 3 stormlight archive books
What a cool episode!
If Treebeard started to speak and move a little quicker, then I’d be suspicious
Wild idea, never crossed my mind.
Next: What if Shadowfax got the Ring? He already had ambitions, being the Lord of all horses. Perhaps he would've gone for Lord of all Middle Earth? The Ring could expand to go over his head and he could wear it around his neck...
I love such videos going into every detail, geeat!
What would Rosie Cotton do with the one ring?
I think the one ring would bolster his own "hastiness" but also his ability to stir such hastiness in others, prolonging the lives of other ents who would have turned into regular trees without other stimulation. I think your right that treebeards intentions would mostly be to protect nature and see fangorn flourish but also eventually if he did become hasty enough renew his search for the entwives
Dark Tree-Lord / Treant for sure. 😮 AND he would have been IMMUNE TO FIRE 🔥🔥, but his brothers would not...
All these thought-experiments are a really interesting way of looking at all the lore. 👍🌟 Thank you! 👏
M 🦘🏏😎