J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth is one of the most expansive and detailed fictional settings ever created. Through The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and other works, he builds a world steeped in culture, history, and yes, magic. Of course, many concepts in the books and subsequent films spark curiosity. Where do they come from? What's their story?

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Tolkien actually answers these questions in the appendices and additional works. Middle-earth has several events that shape its foundation and alter its history, and many of these events are ripe for expanding in visual form, be it film, television, or video games.

11 The Creation

Eru created Middle-earth and all of Arda before The Lord of the Rings

The origins of Arda and, by extension, Middle-earth are biblical in nature. Although Eru (Middle-earth's creator) delegates the overseeing of various lands and races to specific spirits, the accounts are vague on the details. The methods generally stem from holy songs and manifesting people from one's thoughts.

This stuff isn't quite as digestible as medieval battles and wizard duels. You might think a tale this abstract wouldn't fly in the gaming market. However, Team Ico and smaller/indie developers have flourished with artful projects like this, relying less on concrete narrative and more on fundamental themes and powerful feelings they evoke. A primordial Middle-earth seems right up their alley.

10 The Fall Of Moria (Second Time)

Gimli finds Balin's Moria tomb in The Lord of the Rings

This mountain city seemed doomed from the start. Even after losing it once, the Dwarves attempted to resettle in these underground caverns. It went swimmingly until they delved too deeply and were overrun by goblins (and a Balrog).

Considering the chilling account left behind, this dark chapter has all the drama and suspense of a horror story. What makes it juicier is that several Dwarves from The Hobbit were prominent figures in the Moria mission. Seeing familiar characters meet such grisly ends would hit longtime fans harder than a tale about a bunch of new guys.

9 The Capture And Conversion Of The Elves

The Elves were converted to Orcs before The Lord of the Rings

The immortal Elves of Tolkien's world are a striking people. They're fair, graceful, wise, and occasionally snobby. How Morgoth turned them into the repulsive Orcs is a nightmarish thought.

The physical and psychological torture they must have endured sparks some morbid curiosity, and it'd make for heartbreaking drama to see the remaining Elves forced to fight their former brethren. For a truly demented twist, the developers could let you experiment with different genomes and mutations to create custom creatures a la Jurassic World: Evolution.

8 Sauron's Betrayal of Númenor

Sauron's deception causes the downfall of Númenor before The Lord of the Rings

This tale has all the sweeping spectacle of a great myth and all the pathos of a tragedy. Sauron the Deceiver lives up to his name, persuading the king of Númenor to sail to the Undying Lands, a realm reserved for Elves and divine beings. Eru sinks Númenor beneath the ocean in retaliation. The survivors of this disaster later founded the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor.

It's a potent story about greed and the price of hubris, and it has the potential dramatic heft to trump the best story-driven games on the market. In addition, the fact that this epic odyssey culminates in something familiar would make it much more accessible than other Middle-earth events.

7 The Ballad of Bullroarer Took

Bullroarer Took, seen in The Hobbit, played golf with the goblin king's head

In possibly the funniest skirmish in Middle-earth history, Bullroarer Took made his name in a gloriously unconventional way. This ancestor of Bilbo Baggins was exceptionally tall for a hobbit, able to ride a real horse instead of a pony, and he used this to lead his people against the invading goblins. In the Battle of Greenfields, he decapitated the goblin king with a single club swing. The villain's head landed in a rabbit hole, thus inventing the game of golf.

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Too often, Lord of the Rings games have gone for the gloom-and-doom tone of the films. Middle-earth has seen plenty of more lighthearted events, and this particular one could signal a return to more fun fare like 2003's The Hobbit and the LEGO titles.

6 Gondor And Rohan Split

Rohan and Gondor are two separate kingdoms in The Lord of the Rings

In The Lord of the Rings, these two kingdoms of Men are so different in their aesthetics and attitudes that you'd never confuse them. What might surprise mainstream audiences is that they used to be part of the same kingdom. Even more surprising is that the split was perfectly amicable. The Steward of Gondor gifted Rohan to Eorl and his "Horse-lords" for their valiant service in battle.

Does this split carry any big changes? Playing as a member of either faction would be an immersive way to experience their cultural and tactical shifts. Fans would see firsthand how each kingdom evolves, both during and after the other's influence. You can't deny it'd be one of the deeper RPGs of recent years, offering several choices on par with Gollum.

5 The Rise Of Morgoth, The First Dark Lord

Morgoth terrorized Middle-earth long before Sauron did in The Lord of the Rings

The first Dark Lord of Middle-earth, Morgoth (formerly Melkor) was a terror beyond all others in his day. Even Sauron was subservient to him, and anyone whom the Lord of the Rings answers to is clearly a formidable foe.

On top of that, mainstream viewers are used to seeing Sauron ravage the kingdoms of Men. Morgoth, on the other hand, strikes at many of the more spiritual aspects of Middle-earth, such as destroying the Great Lamps. Many of his actions shaped Middle-earth as audiences know it. Fighting someone who strikes at the primordial foundations of the world would be a radical departure from more tangible threats seen in games thus far.

4 The Scouring Of The Shire

The Hobbits surround Saruman and Wormtongue in The Lord of the Rings

Although the One Ring's destruction ends Sauron's reign, some of his followers attempt to hold onto their power. Among these are Saruman and Wormtongue, who take over the Shire. In an epilogue chapter, Frodo and the other Halfling heroes must rally the hobbits to reclaim their home.

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Not only was this not shown in the films, but it's curiously omitted from the games as well. Portraying this little rebellion would let audiences see these peaceful people in an entirely new light, embodying the stalwart quality that other characters so often note. It demonstrates how much Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin have matured, and it hammers home that not even the Shire is safe from the war.

3 Ungoliant kills Valinor Trees

Ungoliant and Morgoth kill the Valinor Trees years before The Lord of the Rings

Arachnophobes, beware. This primordial being is the ancestor of Shelob and other great spiders, but she overshadows them all. Originally a pawn of Morgoth, Ungoliant helped the Dark Lord strike at the Valar by drinking the light from the Two Trees of Valinor. However, this only made her more colossal and ever hungrier. When they came to blows, Morgoth needed several Balrogs to defeat his former ally.

Sometimes, people want to play as the monster. A sadistic charm lies in absorbing enemies and adding their strength to your own, putting a dark twist on the usual progression. Titles like Kirby and Prototype benefit from this. An Ungoliant adventure would have the same appeal, standing as the most intense game of Pac-Man ever. Plus, it wouldn't feel desperate like Shelob the shapeshifter in Middle-Earth: Shadow of War.

2 Aragorn's Reign

Aragorn becomes the King of Gondor in The Lord of the Rings

The real journey of this exiled Ranger was learning to appreciate the strength in Men. It was renewed faith in his people that inspired Isildur's heir to become Gondor's king. Since Aragorn assumed the throne at the end of the story, readers/viewers never got to see how he ruled.

He implied that his reign would be one of unity and common ground, but how did he act on this? Did it help or hinder his campaigns against the Easterlings and remaining dark forces? Considering he lived to the ripe old age of 210, Aragorn has over a century of leadership that could make prime strategy game material.

1 The Ents Wake Up

The Ents go to war in The Lord of the Rings

This is the greatest love letter to the author. Tolkien loved nature and loathed its exploitation for industry and war. Yavanna, queen of the Valar, suggested the Ents as forest guardians. She knew that lesser beings, particularly Dwarves, would want to cut her trees as resources. Add some speech lessons from the Elves, and you've got an army of ardent shepherds prepared to defend the natural world.

How would a bunch of trees translate to gameplay? Well, there's the immediate thrill of swatting enemies like flies. However, this also offers the chance to expand and maintain a vast hub of plant life, protecting it from outside forces. Open-world and tower defense titles handle this with ease, and Minecraft practically built itself on such a concept. You'd get the best of both worlds to promote a noble crusade: preserving the environment. Everybody wins.

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