Ungoliant
Ungoliant is a spider who features in Middle-earth.
Contents |
Biography
Ungoliant (Sindarin IPA: [uŋˈɡoljant] - "Dark Spider") was a primeval spirit of night named Móru whose origins were not known except that the spider-like entity came from the Darkness itself where she lay about Arda. It was said that she was once an ally of Melkor when he looked upon the world with envy. During the Age of the Trees, it was said that she had disowned Melkor and lived independently in Avathar. When Melkor was defeated and imprisoned by the Lords of the West after the first Elves awoke in Cuiviénen, Ungoliant escaped the attacks of the Valar and the hunters of Oromë and fled to the southern part of Aman. There, in a ravine south of the mountain Hyarmentir, she established her dark abode and took the physical form of a monstrous spider, and craved and sucked up all light she could find. After each feeding, she spun dark webs of gloom that strangled all passing light. Later on, Melkor sought to sow discord amongst the Noldor and he came to flee Valinor as a result where he enlisted the aid of Ungoliant to help in an attack on the Two Trees of Valinor. The giant spider helped in infiltrating Valinor by shrouding herself and her ally in webs of pure darkness. Within Valinor, Ungoliant then began to drink the light rom the Two Trees after Morgoth came to wound them with his spear thus bringing about the darkening of Valinor. She also came to drain the Wells of Varda so that no Light of the Two Lamps was left except for the Silmarils of Fëanor. After achieving this act, both Ungoliant and Melkor came to flee to Middle-earth in order to escape the justice of the Valar. When they arrived in Lammoth in Middle-earth, Melkor, now known as Morgoth, hoped to escape to the ruins of Angband where the remnants of his forces awaited him. Suspecting that he intended to leave his promise to her unfulfilled, Ungoliant demanded the gems that Morgoth had stolen from Formenos before they could reach Angband. She devoured them, and grew to an even more monstrous size. She then demanded that Morgoth surrender to her the Silmarils. However, Morgoth refused, and she attacked him. Weaving her dark webs, she attempted to enmesh him in her nets and take the Silmarils by force. Morgoth gave out a terrible cry of pain as she attacked, which was heard by the Balrogs hibernating under the ruins of Angband. They awoke and immediately rushed to the aid of their Lord, tearing apart Ungoliant's webbing with their fiery whips and forcing her to break off her attack. She fled, and the Balrogs prepared to pursue and destroy her, but they were checked by Morgoth, who ordered them to return with him to Angband. Ungoliant's attack on Morgoth left an echoing scream ever after on the land, giving the area the name Lammoth, where it was said that any clamor would echo back from surrounding hills with his voice.
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, Ungoliant was a primordial being of darkness who took the form of a giant spider.
Among her children was the giant spider Shelob who came to inhabit Middle-earth.
Powers and abilities
Notes
- Ungoliant was created J. R. R. Tolkien where she appeared in The Silmarillion (1977) in the setting of Middle-earth.
In other media
Films
- In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Ungoliant was referenced in the setting of the 2012 live-action film adaptation. The wizard Radagast the Brown conjectured that the giant malevolent spiders attacking Mirkwood were the spawn of Ungoliant.
Video games
- In Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, Ungoliant was referenced in the setting of the 2014 video. Her name was referenced in a memory attached to the 'Crushed Ungol Egg' artifact where a servant of Sauron addressed Shelob as the 'last daughter of Ungoliant'. She was mentioned again during a conversation between Talion and the Wraith when they discussed the Ungol spiders that infested Mordor.
Appearances
- The Silmarillion: (1977)
External Links
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