The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrimoffers audiences a fresh perspective onThe Two Towers. Though the recent animatedLord of the Ringsprequel isn’t as highly rated by critics as Peter Jackson’s beloved trilogy,Kenji Kamiyama’s movie is still a delightful return to Middle-earth painted through a gorgeous new lens. On theLord of the Ringstimeline,War of the Rohirrimis set about 260 years before The War of the Ring occurs, and it offers some insight into the noble people of Rohan.
In Amazon Prime Video’sThe Rings of Power, Rohan hasn’t been established as one of the main kingdoms in Middle-earth. Theline of Rohan’s kingsonly began late in the Third Age, about 500 years before the War of the Ring. That’s an immensely long time for a kingdom to exist, though compared to the likes of Gondor, or even more so, the elves, it’s a blip. With that being said, thewar between Helm Hammerhand and Wulf is a monumental event in their history, and it offers a fascinating reframing for Éowyn and her kin.
War Of The Rohirrim Connects To Many Moments In Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers
War Of The Rohirrim Sees A Siege At Helm’s Deep
Despite being set centuries prior,War of the Rohirrimfollows many of the same beats asThe Two Towers. TheRohirrim are forced to flee Edoras and take shelter in Helm’s Deep (called the Hornburg at the time). The Rohirrim face off against a faction of human invaders rather than Uruk-hai, though with Wulf’s superior numbers, they pose a similarly imposing threat. Without spoilingWar of the Rohirrim’sending, the movie takes many of the same beats fromThe Two Towersin how the battle plays out.
Though she doesn’t see battle untilThe Return of the King, Éowyn is every bit the hero Héra is
Importantly, Miranda Otto’sÉowyn narratesWar of the Rohirrim, and her admiration for Héra and the shieldmaidens adds to her character. Her determination to fight and die defending her people inThe Two Towerswas always admirable, but now audiences know the story she was likely inspired by, looking at Héra as a legendary woman she could aspire to be like. Though she doesn’t see battle untilThe Return of the King, Éowyn is every bit the hero Héra is, and the connection between the two embellishes both stories.
10 Ways War Of The Rohirrim Connects To Peter Jackson’s Lord Of The Rings Movies
Warner Bros.' new Tolkien adaptation The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim recalls the original LotR trilogy in multiple ways.
War Of The Rohirrim Makes The Two Towers A Better Lord Of The Rings Movie
Understanding Rohan’s Plight Adds To The Attachment To Them
The Two Towersis already a masterpiece and one of thebestLord of the Ringsmovies, but it’s even better with the history of Rohan in mind. The Battle of Helm’s Deep is an iconic movie set piece, and now it’s bolstered by another historic siege to demonstrate the emotion attached to that location. Helm’s Deep is where the people of Rohan resort to in order to feel safe in the most perilous times, and they’re also a people that look to their strong leaders, like Héra inWar of the RohirrimorThéoden inThe Two Towers.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
Set before the events of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is an animated action-adventure fantasy film that follows a King of Rohan named Helm Hammerhand. When his home comes under siege by Dunlendings, Hammerhand prepares himself and his allies to fight back against them, with the war leading to the eventual establishment of Helm’s Deep.
