"And thus did Melkor breed the hideous race of the Orcs in envy and mockery of the Elves, of whom they were afterwards the bitterest foes." -The Silmarillion, Chapter III (Of the coming of the Elves and the captivity of Melkor) "With them they brought Gelmir son of Guilin, that lord of Nargothrond whom they had captured in the Bragollach; and they had blinded him. Then the heralds of Angband showed him forth crying: 'We have many more such at home, but you must make haste if you would find them; for we shall deal with them all when we return even so.' And they hewed off Gelmir's hands and feet, and his head last, within sight of the Elves, and left him." - Of the Fifth Battle "For the Men of Brethil had waylaid at the Crossing of Teiglin the Orc-host that led the captives of Nargothrond, hoping to rescue them; but the orcs had at once cruelly slain their prisoners, and Finduilas (Orodreth's daughter) they pinned to a tree with a spear." - Of Turin Turambar "But at last Haldad was slain in a sortie against the orcs; and Haldar, who rushed out to save his father's body from their butchery, was hewn down beside him." - Of the coming of Men into the West The orcs are, in fact, rampaging monsters, and this attempt at subversion of the canon by the showrunners is particularly grotesque.