The Rangers of Ithilien, or Rangers of the South, much like their distant cousins in the North, were a military group whose purpose was to defend Ithilien, east of the Anduin river, to prevent Haradrim and Orcs from entering Gondor and from gaining full control of the lost province.
History
Rangers of Ithilien in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Rangers were selected from the descendants of the people who had dwelt in Ithilien before it fell from Gondor's control in TA 2901, at which time the refuge of Henneth Annûn, which became a primary base for the Rangers, was constructed.[1]
Faramir was the Captain of the Rangers during the War of the Ring
By the time of the War of the Ring, the Rangers often conducted ambushes against the Haradrim, attacked Orc scouts, and watched the old road from Minas Morgul to Osgiliath. Their Captain at the time of the War of the Ring was Faramir, son of Denethor, and among those who served under Faramir were Mablung, Damrod, and Anborn.[2][1]
The Rangers ambush a force of Haradrim under the cover of bushes
The Rangers of Ithilien capture Frodo and Sam after their travelling through Ithilien
The Haradrim frequently marched through Ithilien to reach Mordor under Sauron's summons, but were always attacked by the Rangers residing there
Easterlings from Rhun were prevented from ambushing the Men of the West by the actions of the Rangers
The Haradrim were prevented from ambushing the Army of the West marching on the Black Gate by the Rangers
After successfully ambushing a force of Haradrim marching toward the Black Gate, the Rangers captured Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee and they were brought before Faramir for questioning then taken to Henneth Annûn. After parting ways the Rangers crossed the Anduin at Cair Andros, Faramir and some companions rode to Minas Tirith, whilst the remainder marched to Osgiliath to reinforce the garrison. The Rangers then participated in the Siege of Gondor and Battle of the Pelennor Fields and in the advance on the Black Gate were instrumental in foiling an ambush on the army of the west.
Description
They were camouflaged in green and brown cloaks, and fought chiefly by stealth. They often crossed the Anduin in secret to harass forces of the Enemy in Gondor's old domain. They were known for their proficiency with the bow, and agility and stealth were said to be on par with the Elves, whom they had only heard of in stories.
Portrayal in adaptations
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movie trilogy has an original Ranger of Ithilien named Madril, played by John Bach. He serves as Faramir's lieutenant. He helps defend Osgiliath, but is fatally injured and is eventually killed by Gothmog with a spear-thrust. New Zealand actor Alistair Browning played Damrod.
Video games
Ithilien Ranger portrait in BFME 2
Ithilien Rangers are elite archer units of the Men of the West faction in Electronic Arts' The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II.
Translations
| Foreign Language | Translated name |
|---|---|
| Chinese (Hong Kong) | 伊西利安遊俠 |
| Czech | Hraničáři |
| Danish | Stifinderer af Ithilien |
| Italian | Raminghi dell'Ithilien |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, Book Four, Ch. IV: "Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit"
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, Book Four, Ch. V: "The Window on the West"