The universe of The Lord of the Rings is larger than one can guess from the films. Many creatures encountered on the screen are never shown, and among them are some mysterious and dangerous beings that even Gandalf knows almost nothing about.
What beings are we talking about? In the world of The Lord of the Rings, there are many creatures and entities about which almost nothing is known because they exist outside the known storyline and are sometimes even older than the oldest characters in the films. Among them is Tom Bombadil, who never appeared in the films.
Others, more malevolent creatures exist far in the dark depths of Moria. Little is known about these creatures, and even Gandalf refused to describe the Nameless Ones, although he likely encountered them.
Gandalf fled from the mysterious creatures
What are the Nameless Ones? The Nameless Ones are mysterious entities about which little is known. Some of them are said to exist in the depths of Moria, in a place with tunnels that were not built by the dwarves.
After Gandalf fell into the depths along with the Balrog, he fought relentlessly against the Balrog. Gandalf described the depths as a dark place away from light and knowledge
. The Balrog fled into the dark tunnels, where the Nameless Ones lived. Gandalf described the situation afterwards as follows: In this despair, my enemy was my only hope.
(via YouTube)
Gandalf did not want to describe how these Nameless Ones looked to the Fellowship upon his return. The sight seems to have been that dark. However, he explained that these beings were likely older than Sauron. It is unclear whether he meant that these beings existed at the creation of Arda, the world in The Lord of the Rings.
According to Gandalf, Sauron is also said to know nothing of these beings, who are not under his command. Even Gandalf knows very little about these dangerous creatures. It can be assumed that the guardian in the water is one of the Nameless Ones that managed to reach the surface, but this was never confirmed by Tolkien.
What inspired the Nameless Ones? There is no official information regarding this, as Tolkien did not speak about it. However, similarities can be seen with the stories of horror author H.P. Lovecraft. The entire Cthulhu mythos plays with the idea that there are dreadful beings that cannot be described by human words.
Cthulhu is often depicted as a large tentacle monster, and the entities from Lovecraft’s stories often existed longer than humanity and the earth itself. This also fits with Gandalf’s reluctance to describe what he saw.
Mythological creatures might also have been a source of inspiration. 3DJuegos mentions Jörmungandr from Norse mythology as an example. The giant serpent is an ancient being that has existed as long as the world and represents chaos and darkness. The serpent is said to live in the depths of the ocean. However, these are just speculations.
More information about the Nameless Ones will probably never emerge. The world of The Lord of the Rings is much larger than the films and series. Long before Sauron, there was a much more dangerous villain: The true villain in the “The Lord of the Rings” universe is much more powerful and dangerous than Sauron
