Gothmog

Gothmog is the name which two characters of the work of J.R.R. Tolkien carry.

The significance of this name is not clear: it could mean “voice of (Mor) goth”, or “Master of the Fear”, for example.

In Silmarillion

In the beginning, Gothmog, prince of Balrogs, were one of the Maiar which revolted against the Valar with Melkor. It was most powerful of the Balrog S and, with Sauron, was one of the principal lieutenants of Morgoth (it carried the title of captain of Angband). With the combat, it was accompanied by other Balrogs and an close guard of Trolls. Its weapon of predilection was a large black axe. It fought at the time of the majority of the battles of the First Age, killing Fëanor (the creator of the Silmaril S) at the time of the Dagor-nuin-Giliath and Fingon at the time of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. He died during the Fall of Gondolin (the hidden city of the elves) after a Homeric duel vis-a-vis Ecthelion, one of the lords of the city. The two combatants fell into the fountain from the king and drowned there.

In the Lord of the Rings

Gothmog de Morgul was second in command it (after the King-Wizard) of the armies of the Mordor at the time of the Bataille of the Fields of Pelennor. It is mentioned only once, and its nature is thus dubious: it seems probable that it is about a Nazgûl, but he could also be a Homme. In its films, Peter Jackson made a Orque of it (see below).

The vision of Peter Jackson can however join the preceding points of view. In a late text, J.R.R. Tolkien notes indeed that " those which were to direct the Orcs often took the shape of Orc, whereas they were more powerful and much more terrifying. This is why annals speak about Large Orcs or Orques captains who were not killed, and reappeared in battles much more distant in time than a life of homme." would allow it;

In the adaptations of the work of Tolkien

In the film adaptation of Peter Jackson, Gothmog is the commander orc of Sauron. Its aversion for the human ones is as large as its aptitude for the command. It second the Nazgûl in the catch of Osgiliath, then attack against Undermined Tirith and directly receives its orders of the King-Wizard of Angmar. It is responsible for the terrestrial attack of the orcs, the trolls and the weapons of seat on the city. It overlaps a Warg which enables him to move quickly but also to inspire terror in the rows, although the only presence of Nazgûl is already a mark of terror. It had the idea to send the heads of the prisoners decapitated found to Osgiliath using its catapults, which caused to demoralize enemy defense. Very fastidious on the organization, it does not tolerate any movement of its troops, had received a stone of Trébuchet. Ironically, Gothmog even shifted him to escape one from these stones. About to enter the city, Théoden and its Rohirrim charged and pourfendirent Gothmog and its army, which was among the first lines and prepared a pretense of resistance while placing the halberdiers in front of and the archers behind. By chance for him, it could survive and had to fight the only warlike woman: Éowyn. A blow of sword carried to its leg made it collapse. After the duel between the King-Wizard and Éowyn, Gothmog could be raised to take a mass left by an Orque corpse to kill Éowyn, but could not reach it since Aragorn arrived in time to slice the arm to him as Gimli to put it at ground without the two heroes not knowing that Éowyn was in full war.

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