Torech Ungol

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Shelob fights Sam Gamgee in Peter Jackson's film adaptation of The Return of the King.

In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Torech Ungol or Shelob's Lair was the home of the giant spider Shelob. It was located below Cirith Ungol, a pass into Mordor. The orcs were generally afraid of Shelob but had built extensive tunnels into the lair for their own purposes^[1]. When some of them were unruly or Shelob needed to be appeased, the orcs would throw some of their own kind into the lair without much concern for them^[2].

[edit] During the War of the Ring

After passing Minas Morgul, Gollum tricked Frodo and Sam into entering the lair in an attempt to get the One Ring for himself. The lair was smelly and dark with stagnant air. It was also somewhat maze-like, with many tunnels branching out from the main one in many directions.^[3] After some time, Frodo and Sam became trapped at a dead end by Shelob, but Frodo scared her away using the Phial of Galadriel. They ran outside but were blocked by a very strong web woven by Shelob. Frodo cut through it and ran recklessly outside. Shelob pounced on him and poisoned him without killing him, intending to eat him.

When Sam returned, intending to find the kidnapped Frodo, he went to the place where he and Frodo had scared away Shelob. He eavesdropped on the conversation of the orc commanders and followed them down a long tunnel. At the end, the commanders reached two large iron doors and passed through. After they close, Sam banged his head on the doors and passed out. When he woke up, he ran out of the lair to the Tower of Cirith Ungol^[4].

[edit] Film adaptations

In Peter Jackson's film adaptations to the books, the entire sequence in Shelob's Lair was moved to The Return of the King. Because The Two Towers needed a new climax, a new sub-plot was created in which Faramir took Frodo to Osgiliath^[5]. This drew much criticism from purists. The reason given for removing the scene from The Two Towers and inserting it into The Return of the King was one concerning the timeline of events given in the books. Although the episode with Shelob occurred in the Two Towers book, it was chronologically simultaneous with events in other parts of Middle Earth that took place during the Return of the King. For example, even in the books, Frodo's capture at Shelob's Lair happened as Gandalf and Pippin were engaged in battle at the besieged Minas Tirith, not at Helm's Deep or even Isengard.^[6]^[7]