Quote Originally Posted by Turkish Delight View Post
And yet, everyone in LotR treats orcs as essentially irredeemable.
To be fair, Tolkien's take on corruption is that it can't be undone without major sacrifice, be it with orcs, humans, or any other species.

That's arguably one of the main themes of Lord of the Rings, as highlighted by a certain dramatic situation close to the ending.

See also how relutant Gandalf is

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to wear the One Ring when it is offered to him. He doesn't trust his own ability to find his way back from the temptation of power.