 | |
| People | |
| Uruk-hai | |
|---|---|
| General Information | |
| Other names | (Black) Uruks, Great Orcs, Goblin-soldiers |
| Origins | Originally bred in Mordor in the late Third Age[1][2] Possibly later 'refined' by Saruman in Isengard |
| Locations | Mordor, the Hitheglir and Moria, Isengard and the Northern Rohan, possibly Dol Guldur |
| Affiliation | Sauron (in Mordor) Saruman (in Isengard) |
| Rivalries | Free Peoples |
| Languages | Corrupted Westron and various dialects of the Orkish with some elements of the Black Speech |
| Members | Uglúk, Mauhúr, Shagrat |
| Physical Description | |
| Distinctions | Stronger, smarter, and of greater stature than lesser Orcs (Uruks of Mordor) Also resistant to sunlight (Uruks of Isengard) |
| Average Height | Shorter than Men |
| Skin | Swart |
| Weaponry | Orkish scimitars, spears, shields, knives (in Mordor) Short broad-bladed swords, yew bows, shields, knives (in Isengard) |
| Gallery | Images of Uruk-hai |
We are the Uruk-hai: we do not stop the fight for night or day, for fair weather or for storm. We come to kill, by sun or moon. What of the dawn?
Uruk-hai is a Black Speech term meaning "Orc-folk."[3][4] The word "Uruk" can refer generically to any Orc, but there are certain larger, stronger breeds of Orc that are specifically referred to as "Uruks."[5][6] The term "Uruk-hai" was most notably used by the Uruks of Saruman's army to describe themselves during the War of the Ring.[7][8]
Characteristics
Four dead Uruk-hai in the employ of Orthanc that lay near Boromir had a greater stature than the surrounding dead Orcs. They were swart, slant-eyed, and had thick legs and large hands. An "S" elf-rune was wrought in white metal on the front of their iron helms. Aragorn guessed that this "S" stood for Saruman, as their shields were emblazoned with a small White Hand in the centre of a black field. This stood out in contrast to the Orcs in the service of Barad-dûr, the folk of Mordor, who used the symbol of the Red Eye of Sauron. Aragorn commented that the four dead Uruk-hai's gear "is not after the manner of Orcs at all." Instead of curved scimitars that were usually used by Orcs, they had short, broad-bladed swords. Their bows were made of yew wood, in length and shape as those of Men.[9]
History
Origins of Uruks
...It is a long tale...
The race of Uruks, described as 'black orcs of great strength', first appeared out of Mordor in the last years of the Stewardship of Denethor I, possibly being secretly bred in Mordor by the Morgul-lords at the behest of their master Sauron.[1] In T.A. 2475, these creatures conquered Ithilien and destroyed the ancient city of Osgiliath, but they were eventually defeated and repelled by Boromir, the son of Denethor I.[2]. After about five years (c. T.A. 2480) since their first appearance, Sauron started to populate Moria with his creatures and Orcs built secret strongholds in the Misty Mountains to block all the passes into Eriador.[10] In T.A. 2901 most of the remaining inhabitants deserted Ithilien, because of attacks by Uruks of Mordor.[11]
The Uruks in the service of Barad-dûr, the folk of Mordor, used the symbol of the Red Eye of Sauron on their livery.[12][13]
War of the Ring
Around T.A. 2990, the corrupted Wizard Saruman began to use and possibly breed Orcs in Isengard. As the Shadow of the Enemy fell over Rohan, Uruk-hai out of Isengard joined raiding parties of Orcs of the Misty Mountains against the Rohirrim.[14]
The Uruk-hai (Uruks) of Isengard made up the core of a ten-thousand strong army, mustered by the Wizard Saruman both in service to and in tacit competition with his Lord Sauron. On 25 February T.A. 3019, joined by Dunlendings and the common Orcs of Isengard, they fought against the Rohirrim in the First Battle of the fords of Isen, in which Prince Théodred was slain by a great orc-man.[15] It is possible that this "great orc-man" was one of the Orcs who referred to themselves as the Uruk-hai,[16] but it is also possible that he was a Half-orc.
On 26 February T.A. 3019, Saruman went behind Sauron's back and sent a smaller troop to capture the Ring-bearer for his own ends. Led by Uglúk, these Uruk-hai ambushed the Fellowship of the Ring at Amon Hen, slaying Boromir and capturing Merry and Pippin.[17] Though quarreling with Orcs from the north and Grishnákh's Mordor-orcs who had joined them, the Uruk-hai imposed Isengard as the destination for the captive Hobbits. Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas would follow the Uruk-hai troop and the other two Orc warbands until the Orcs and Uruk-hai were slain to the last on the eaves of Fangorn by Third Marshal of the Riddermark Éomer and his riders on 27 February T.A. 3019.[18]
On 29 February T.A. 3019[19], Treebeard was likely referring to the Uruk-hai when he said to Merry and Pippin that Saruman had done something dangerous to the Orcs and that the Orcs of Saruman were more like wicked Men, because they could tolerate sunlight although they hated it. He openly wondered if they were Men that Saruman had "ruined" or if he had "blended" Orcs and Men, an act which he considered to be "a black evil."[20]
The Uruk-hai fought the Rohirrim again on 2 March T.A. 3019 at Second Battle of the Fords of Isen, where they defeated and scattered the Rohirrim who were under the command of Grimbold. The fortunes of the Uruk-hai would turn for the worst when their army was then sent against King Théoden and his people at Helm's Deep, where they faced utter defeat in the Battle of the Hornburg on 3-4 March T.A. 3019.[21]
On 15 March T.A. 3019 Frodo and Sam escaped Cirith Ungol and narrowly avoided two Orcs of Mordor who were searching for them. The Orcs speculated on exactly what it was they were searching for, with one of them saying that he had been told that it "must be a pack of rebel Uruk-hai".[13]
Etymology
Uruk-hai is a name in the Black Speech, which means "Orc-folk".[3][4] It is a combination of the elements Uruk ("orc")[22] and hai ("folk")[3][4].
Uruks is the anglicized form of Uruk-hai.[23] J.R.R. Tolkien himself used these forms interchangeably.[24]
Usage of the word Uruk-hai among Orcs
Uglúk, the commander of a group of Orcs of Isengard, referred to the Orcs under his command as "the fighting Uruk-hai" when he argued with Grishnákh, an Orc of Mordor, about the fate of the captive Hobbits, Merry and Pippin[7]. He also used the phrase "fighting Uruk-hai" when he ordered a group of Orcs from the north to leave the two Hobbits with him when the northern Orcs wished to flee from the riders of the Rohirrim[25]. He later referred to the Orcs under his command as "the Uruk-hai of Isengard" when he talked to Grishnákh after Grishnákh's group had returned[26]. Later, during the Battle of the Hornburg, the Orcs of Isengard gathered before the great gates of the Hornburg and referred to themselves twice as "the fighting Uruk-hai" and once simply as "the Uruk-hai" when Aragorn spoke to them from above the gates.[8]
A large soldier Orc of Mordor bearing the token of the Eye told a small tracker Orc from Mordor that those "Higher Up" had eventually said that it must be "a pack of rebel Uruk-hai" whose scent they were following when they were tracking Frodo and Sam after their escape from the Tower of Cirith Ungol.[13]
Portrayal in adaptations
1988: J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth:
- The Uruk-hai are portrayed as figures with purple armor and a shield.
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2001-03: The Lord of the Rings (film series):
- Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy makes a more explicit distinction between Uruk-hai and lesser Orcs and Goblins. Uruk-hai are described as a crossbreed between "Orcs and Goblin-men;" referencing the creatures mentioned by Gamling in the novel that blend the traits of Orcs and Men.[27] In a scene in Isengard, they are shown as being released from a kind of membrane in the mud deep under Isengard. Special commentary on the DVD edition explained that they were trying to base the scene on an early description[28] of Tolkien's that Orcs "worm their way out of the ground like maggots." During The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, these Uruk-hai are sent after the Fellowship and are led by their captain Lurtz, a movie-only character.
- In The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Uruk-hai forces included Pikemen (who carry long pikes) Swordsmen (who carry single-edged, hook-tipped swords), Archers (who carry crossbows), and Berserkers. They also use bladed shields as seen in Amon Hen during Aragorn's fight against Lurtz. During the Battle of the Hornburg, all Uruk-hai (save for Berserkers) are equipped with heavy armor that covers everything other than their elbows and knees. The foot-soldiers' helmets bear crests that spread laterally across the top of helmet. Uruk-hai in the films are also depicted using siege equipment to great effect at Helm's Deep.
2002: EA's The Two Towers:
- Uruk-hai appear as enemies in the "Battle of Helm's Deep" and "Fangorn Forest" missions, retaining the movie appearance.
2004: The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring:
- Uruk-hai become available after a storyline mission in which Saruman manages to perfect his creation.
2004: The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth:
- Uruk-hai compose most of the units of Isengard faction: swordsmen, pikemen, crossbowmen, in addition to Uruk-hai operating siege engines are available, following the movie appearance.
2006: The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II:
- Uruk-hai units from the first game return with little if any changes in behavior.
2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:
- Uruk-hai are found in the Marton Farmlands and the surrounding plains in the Westfold in West Rohan.
2009: The Lord of the Rings: Conquest:
- Uruk-hai appear as enemies during the Battle of Helm's Deep.
2014: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor:
- Uruk-hai are mentioned in a Coded Journal entry.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VII. The Heirs of Elendil", pp. 204-5
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion", "The Stewards", entry for Steward Denethor I, p. 1053
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), entry B Urukhai, p. 136
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), entry B krimp-, pp. 11
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix F, "The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age", "Of Other Races", p. 1131
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Four. Quendi and Eldar: Appendix C. Elvish names for the Orcs", p. 390
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Uruk-hai", p. 446
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Helm's Deep", pp. 539-40
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Departure of Boromir", pp. 415-16
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year c. 2480, p. 1087
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 2901, p. 1088
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Tower of Cirith Ungol", p. 903
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Land of Shadow", p. 924-5
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The House of Eorl", "The Kings of the Mark", Third Line, p. 1070
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Battles of the Fords of Isen"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, Index, entry Orcs Passim
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Departure of Boromir", p. 415
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Uruk-hai", p. 459-60
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3019, February 29, p. 1092
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Treebeard", p. 473
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Helm's Deep", pp. 531-42
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), entry B uruk, p. 47
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, Index, entry Uruks
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien; Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 78, (dated 12 August 1944)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Uruk-hai", p. 451
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Uruk-hai", p. 452
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Helm's Deep," p. 536
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "III. The Fall of Gondolin", p. 159