How ‘War of the Rohirrim’ Sets Up a Key ‘Lord of the Rings’ Villain

The first new movie in ten years in Peter Jackson’s cherished fantasy series, ‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’, tells a brand-new Middle-earth tale. The animated film, which centres on the country of Rohan and the fabled King Helm Hammerhand, is set over two centuries before ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings’. When the Dunlendings threaten his realm, Helm leads his people into combat. When it is discovered that the leader of the Dunlendings is the last living member of a rival family and is attempting to topple Helm and his successors, the conflict takes on a more personal dimension.

Longtime fans will be thrilled by ‘The War of the Rohirrim’ introduction of important material, even though the film did poorly at the box office. The movie offers clues about what will happen in the future, even if the tale mostly separates from the greater ‘Lord of the Rings’ storyline. Ultimately, a significant cameo shows how a well-known ‘Lord of the Rings’ antagonist came to be in charge.

Image Courtesy: CBR

In a posthumous cameo, Sir Christopher Lee voices Saruman, who returns in ‘The War of the Rohirrim’. Saruman only makes an appearance at the very end, following Rohan’s triumph over Dunlendings. Outside the tower of Orthanc, the enemy soldiers had pitched tents as part of their camp in Isengard. Saruman, the new master of Orthanc, takes over as Isengard’s leader following their defeat. This is the moment when Saruman secures the authority he will need to fight alongside Sauron against the men of Middle-earth in the War of the Ring. 

In the end, Saruman would construct an army of Orcs for Sauron using the resources of Isengard. Ironically, Saruman loses because his army is decimated at the Battle of Helm’s Deep and Isengard collapses during the Last March of the Ents.

Image Courtesy: The Mary Sue

The relationship between Saruman and Rohan is further complicated by the War of the Rohirrim. As evidenced by Grima Wormtongue’s references to Saruman as a longtime acquaintance, ‘The Two Towers’ views Saruman as Rohan’s ally. Saruman pledges to back the new Rohan monarch in ‘The War of the Rohirrim’. This bond grows stronger over the following two centuries, but by the time of ‘The Lord of the Rings’, Saruman has turned against Rohan and joined Sauron. He uses a spell to control King Théoden, weakening Rohan before Gandalf the White defeats him. Middle-earth is saved as Théoden leads Rohan’s army to victory at Helm’s Deep.

More animated ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies, possibly starring Saruman, are made possible by the ‘War of the Rohirrim’. Future appearances would need to use old recordings or a recasting due to Christopher Lee’s death in 2015, however, animation might ease the transition. However, because of Lee’s renowned portrayal, recasting Saruman would be challenging if the character is explored in live-action.

–Farheen Ali 

loader