We conclude our series of foundational episodes with a couple of, uh, shorter entries. First up, a deep dive into what we know of the history of the Harfoots (and other Hobbit folk) in Middle-earth, a people of much greater diversity than you might think. After that, a rundown of Tolkien’s changing views on the origins and nature of the Orcs, plus their history through the First and Second Ages before the big – in more ways than one – finale on Trolls and Balrogs! Hold the wings, please.

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