Shadowfax and the Mearas | Tolkien Explained

Today, we cover Shadowfax, Lord of Horses and the amazing creatures of his kind - the Mearas. Believed to have descended from Oromë's own steed, Nahar, these horses had extraordinary intelligence and speed.

Hit subscribe and the bell for great Tolkien content every week!

To purchase artist work, check out these amazing artists!

Felarof - Anna Kulisz
The House of Eorl - Eorl the Young - Lída Holubová
Gandalf facing Witch-king - Angus McBride
Orome - Ralph Damiani
The White Rider - Ralph Damiani
Aurochs
Valar - Orome - Anna Kulisz
feanor and the silmarils - Bella Bergolts
Orome - Steamey
The Riders of Rohan - Peter Xavier Price
Orome - Anna Kulisz
Nahar and his master - Catherine Chmiel
Eowyn with Horse - Anke Eissmann
Orome and Nahar - Kimberly
Asfaloth - Jenny Dolfen
horse - Jonathan guzi
Shadowfax - Kimberly
Shadowfax - John Howe
the house of eorl, frea - aegeri
Felarof and Leod - Catherine Chmiel
white horse - Lida Klavina
Tapestry of Léod and Felaróf - WETA
Eomer - John Howe
Eomer - Catherine Karina Chmiel
Eomer - John Howe
Shadowfax - John Howe
Fingolfin vs Morgoth Triptych - Anna Kulisz
song of the rohirrim - merlkir
Eorl the Young - Anke Eissmann
Shadowfax - Catherine Karina Chmiel
Rochallor - Jenny Dolfen
Gandalf, Minas Tirith - John Howe
The Oathtaking of Cirion and Eorl - Ted Nasmith
Eorl the Young at Celebrant - Jan Pospisil
The Black Serpent founders - Anke Eißmann
Edoras - Alan Lee
Forth Eorlingas - Jenny_Dolfen
The Death of Theoden - JG Jones
Shadowfax and Gandalf Reunited - Peter Xavier Price
Shadowfax - Catherine Chmiel
Gwaihir_the_Windlord_Bears_Gandalf_From_Isengard – Ted Nasmith
Theoden Corrupted - Steve Airola
Edoras_2 - Alan_Lee
Gandalf and Shadowfax - Anke Eissmann
Gandalf_and_Shadowfax – Ted Nasmith
The_White_Rider - Anna_Kulisz
Gandalf and the Witch King Ride - Kip Rasmussen
Fire_on_Weathertop – Ted Nasmith
Gimli Eomer Aragorn - Elrodimus Flash
Theoden sick - Elrodimus Flash
Shadowfax - Kinko White
The_Stranger_in_the_Forest – Ted Nasmith
Friendship_between_peoples - Marya_Filatova
Legolas2 - Kinko White
Gandalf the White - Steve Airola
Gandalf the White - Andrea Piparo
Approaching_Edoras – Ted Nasmith
gandalf_and_theoden - tolmancotton
Éomer_2 - Soni_Alcorn-Hender
Theoden Renewed - Elrodimus Flash
Gandalf_Rides_to_Minas_Tirith - Ted Nasmith
Errand-riders_in_the_Night - Peter_Xavier_Price
Visiting Shadowfax - Anke Eissmann
Nazgul_at_the_Walls - Ted Nasmith
Ride of Theoden - Daniel Dougherty
Theoden and Snowmane - magdalena-katanska
Battle of Pelennor Fields - magdalena-katanska
Witch King2 - John Howe
Grond - RalphDamiani
Gandalf_and_the_Witch_King - Ted Nasmith
The_Witch_King_02 - John_Howe
In_Rode_the_Lord_of_the_Nazgul - Anna_Kulisz
Rohirrim in Battle of Pelennor Fields - Ivan Cavini
king_theoden - tulikoura
The_Fell_Beast_of_Mordor - Matěj_Čadil
The Death of Theoden - JG Jones
Theoden_s_Bane - John_Howe
Minas Tirith - Aronja Art
The_Last_Debate - Alan_Lee
Rivendell - alan-lee
At_the_Sign_of_the_Prancing_Pony - Ted Nasmith
Tom_Bombadil - Anke_Eißmann
The Grey Havens - Aronja Art
Departure_at_the_Grey_Havens - Ted Nasmith
Grey_Havens - Alan_Lee

#shadowfax #lordoftherings #tolkien

[NerdoftheRings]

Next week, we will have an interview with Gino Acevedo, Creative Art Director at WETA FX! Hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss it!

[DuchessofEarlGrey]

6:12 "You have five wraiths behind you. Where the other four are, I do not know."
~Arwen

[drinksanddice]

Ok now do "What if Shadowfax claimed the one ring"

[angryman]

I don't know why, but the respect and love that horse and rider are shown to have for one another in Tolkien's work always brings a tear to my eye.

[a.m.]

In the Epilogue to the Lord of the Rings, published in Sauron Defeated, Samwise confirms that Shadowfax sailed into the West with Gandalf, saying that he observed it himself.

[emily-crawford-soprano]

So funfact about horse people “grey” is the description for white horses, because their skin is a dark grey with white hairs. Therefore, we are not sure if Tolkien meant to imply he was the color gray as we normally think of it or if Shadowfax was “a grey”. Great work as always thanks so much for making these videos!

[beatles]

I read the title "Shadowfax and the M..." and my brain confidently auto-completed with "Shadowfax and the Meaning of Haste"

[thethgraypist]

Love all your videos. But a special thank you for this one. As it entertained my 1 year old all the way through with the images of horses. And right towards the end, put him to sleep for the night.

[primal]

Shadowfax is an amazing horse. Thanks for covering him!

[biglawngnome]

I didn't know I needed this, but for some reason understanding Shadowfax and Gandalf's whistle to call him in the films makes the whole timeline come together in my head. He has been my companion for many a journey

[luudest]

0:16 „His ancestry traced back to the very horses of the Valar“.
A typical Tolkien idea. He was very much into ancestry.

[oHaiKuu]

Gandalf and Shadowfax's reunion in Two Towers hit's so much harder knowing this history. Great video as always.

[ondris]

In the film trilogy as Gandalf presents Shadowfax to the Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, you can see that after naming him "Lord of all horses", Legolas and Gimli bows their heads before the great horse.

[pipsqueex]

that portrait of king theoden with his horse snowmane is stunning. and when gandalf said "far let us ride now together and part not in this world again" my heart melted. just so sweet.

[froggirl]

i love the horses in tolkien's works, it's so fun being able to relate to the special relationship between the horses and their riders as someone who has two of my own ❤

[dunmatta]

I loved Shadowfax. Love the lore for these majestic beasts

[valentinkambushev]

Someone: Who the Hell would write about a horse's family tree!?
Tolkien: "chuckles while smoking his pipe."

[AndrewCarlisleB]

Really cool seeing this video and the tribute to Snowmane. I like Shadowfax's backstory and the reference that one does not ride him but he carries them. Being as fast as the wing beasts is impressive too.

[FairbrookWingates]

When I rode at a local stables in my early teens, I rode a horse who was small but agile, calm and sweet. She bore me true without shy or stumble, in clear sky or storm cast view.
When the bully of the stable yard rode her one day, she dumped him in a pond!

[deanzaZZR]

I have never studied German (or Old English) but some words such as weregild sound very fitting and cool. Forth Erolingas!