As The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episode 3 reached its conclusion, fans were left breathless thanks to the stunning fight scene between Arondir, and the beastly Warg who attacked on the command of the band of orcs who had captured him. The creature was a deadly one, killing some of those held captive and doing its best to also snap at the throat of Arondir. But what exactly are Wargs, and where in Middle-earth are they from?
What is a Warg in The Rings of Power?
As you might expect due to its appearance, a Warg is a breed of wolf, although in The Rings of Power episode 3, they seemed more hyena-like. Those who have read J. R. R. Tolkien’s original Lord of the Rings trilogy, or seen the three films, will know that the Orcs of Isengard and Mordor used them as weapons in the Third Age. So, to see that the Orcs building up towards an assault on the Southlands in the Second Age were also capturing and putting Wargs out for assault wasn’t too surprising.
Tolkien’s The Hobbit shows that whilst Wargs may appear unintelligent, they can communicate; at least with goblins. They have forged alliances with the northern species, planning raids on villages so they could expel Woodmen and take in some humans as slaves.
After Smaug’s death, Wargs and goblins would unite once more in the hopes of claiming the Lonely Mountain as their own. Fortunately, a union of Elves, Dwarves, Great Eagles, and Lake-Men came together, defeating them in the Battle of Five Armies.
Where do Wargs come from?
Wargs originally lived in the Misty Mountains, before moving out to locations such as Isengard, Mount Gundabad, and Mordor. The mountain range is one that runs 796 miles from the far north at Mount Gundabad, all the way to Methedras in the south. It passes between Eriador and the valley of the Anduin and Rhovanion, with major towns including the Dwarven kingdom of Khazad-dûm, commonly known as Moria.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power continues Fridays on Amazon’s Prime Video.
