Gwaihir

Gwaihir by Roger Thomasson.

Gwaihir was the Lord of the Eagles of Middle-earth at the time of the War of the Ring. He rescued Gandalf from the pinnacle of Orthanc, and from the peak of Zirakzigil, and he and his kind brought Frodo and Sam out of Mordor after the destruction of the One Ring.

In The Hobbit, Gwaihir and some other Eagles rescued Thorin and Company from Orcs and Wargs.

Age

The Grey Annals published in History of Middle Earth also mentions he and Landroval alongside Thorondor rescuing Beren and Lúthien from Angband as they escaped Carcharoth. If this was to be considered canon then Gwaihir would be exceptionally old by the time of his actions in the War of the Ring; at least 6000 years old.

Etymology

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Gwaihir comes from the Sindarin gwaew "wind" + hîr "lord". His name translated into English would be, therefor, "Windlord".

Portrayal in Adaptations

2001: Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring: Gwaihir is shown rescuing Gandalf from the Tower of Isengard ("Iron Fortress", Angrenost in Sindarin), and carrying him to safety.

2003: Peter Jackson's The Return of the King: Gwaihir is shown coming to aid at the Battle of the Morannon along with a number of other eagles, they are shown attacking the Nazgul and their Fellbeasts. After the battle is won and the One Ring destroyed, Gwaihir along with Gandalf and a second eagle rescue Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee from the rocks of Mount Doom.

Gwaihir is portrayed as he is in the novels, with no notable changes in his appearance.

See Also

• Images of Gwaihir