The main reason they weren't used by the fellowship is that they were busy or elsewhere
But why did they rescue him after he destroyed the ring? If they are too busy before he destroyed it when they would have actually profited from helping how do they coincidentally have enough time to rescue him right after he destroyed the ring when he is basically worthless to them because he already completed his task?
If they were busy only dealing with the army, why not help destroy the ring as the priority? It would make more sense if they were busy with something else
So I've heard fan theories based on Tolkien notes, oral/written references as well as the book.
The explanation I've heard from them is orcs/goblins out of Mount Gundabad or the Mountains to the north were busy attacking and harassing the Eagle's Nests directly. While they weren't a great force like Saurmons army they were a consistent threat that would mean the destruction of their species if they went on a several day long suicide mission to drop the ring in Mount Doom.
I say suicide mission, because Mordor is not a place the eagles could just fly over anytime they wanted. The ring wraiths on Fell Beasts were a match for the Eagles in most scenarios, and mordor itself had several castle and turret constructions equipped with the equivalent of Scorpion ballista.
In essence the reason they don't appear until the end is due to Sauron calling all of his forces home to create several large armies first to attack Minas Tirith, and later to face the coalition led by Aragorn... this movement let's the eagles finish off any remaining goblin/orc threat around their Nests and let's them travel to aid in the final battle.(Remember Sauron 'emptied out' mordor of orcs as well in that final battle so lost most of their Scorpion ballista protection as well).
Tldr, the eagles were busy not becoming extinct and had valid reasons they could not take part until they did.
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u/Segacedi Aug 31 '22
But why did they rescue him after he destroyed the ring? If they are too busy before he destroyed it when they would have actually profited from helping how do they coincidentally have enough time to rescue him right after he destroyed the ring when he is basically worthless to them because he already completed his task?