J. R. R. Tolkien’sLord of the Ringsfranchise offers a seemingly endless world of stories to explore. The central War of the Ring provided three epic classic films. The quest before that provided another trilogy. The big studios are reaching toward the extra material to keep Middle-earth on the screen. Their next project will focus on a lesser-known figure named Helm Hammerhand.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrimis an upcoming animated prequel to the beloved franchise. It’s a Western project, but it’ll be directed by Kenji Kamiyama ofEden of the EastandGhost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complexfame. The series will be heavily inspired by anime and partially animated by Sola Digital Arts ofShenmue: The Animationfame. The plot is set to depict elements of the story that haven’t been seen elsewhere.
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Who was Helm Hammerhand?
Helm Hammerhand was the 9th King ofRohan and the lastof the original line of succession. The Kingdom of Rohan was established by Hammerhand’s direct ancestor, Eorl the Young. Eorl inherited leadership of a land of horse people called the Éothéod. In TA 2509, Eorl was contacted by a man named Cirion. Cirion was the Steward of Gondor, a position that would usually entail advising the King but, at that time, demanded leadership of the nation. Cirion begged Eorl to help him fend off an invasion of men in service to Sauron. Against all odds, Eorl agreed. He marshaled 7000 Éothéod cavalrymen and saved the armies of Gondor at the last moment. Cirion was so grateful that he gave the land, Calenardhon, to Eorl, making him thefirst King of Rohan.
Helm Hammerhand was born over 180 years later during the reign of his great-grandfather King Goldwine. Goldwine’s long anduneventful term as Kingconcluded with his peaceful death when Helm was eight. Unfortunately, the next monarch, King Déor, ruled over an era of war. When Cirion handed Calenardhon to Eorl, he offended the people living there. The Dunlendings were a wild and fierce culture of men, driven over the mountains by the Rohirrim. When Helm was 19, the Dunlendings captured the then-unused fortress of Isengard. The wild men would use the Gondorian barracks as a base to attack Rohan for generations. Isolated raids escalated to open warfare during the reign of Helm’s father, King Gram. At the age of 50 and amid active war with the Dunlendings, Helm Hammerhand became the ninth King of Rohan.
King Helm was an intimidating, mighty, wrathful man who seemed to spend more time on the battlefield than in the throne room. In TA 2754, he was accosted by a quarrelsome landowner named Freca. Freca claimed to be a descendent of the fifth King of Rohan, but many said he more closely resembled the Dunlendings. Freca marched a small army to the castle to demand Helm marry off his daughter to Freca’s son Wulf. Helm made fun of Freca, leading the landowner to threaten the King’s life. Helm killed Freca with a single punch. Wulf gathered a force of Dunlendings and other warriors to lay siege to Rohan. Wulf’s army was briefly successful, forcing Helm to retreat. Helm was celebrated for holding off a long siege at a stronghold called the Hornburg. Helm slayed countless men with his bare hands, believing that ifhe carried no weapon, none could pierce him. Helm and his sons died in the war, partially thanks to the all-consuming blizzards of the Long Winter.
What was Helm Hammerhand’s legacy?
With Helm and his sons dead, the original line of succession was over. Helm’s nephew, Fréaláf Hildeson, led the force that drove back the Dunlendings and personally killed Wulf. Fréaláf took the throne, beginning the second line of succession. Hammerhand’s death spawned a legend that lasted far beyond his life. Helm was not killed in battle. He froze to death during a blizzard. His body was found frozen solid, standing upright with his eyes wide open. This led the Rohirrim to believe that Helm’swraith still wandered Rohan, too angry to fade away. Beyond that, the fortified gorge Helm Hammerhand held against Wulf became known as Helm’s Deep. It would later be the site of the first major battle of the War of the Ring.
Who will portray Helm Hammerhand?
In his upcoming feature film debut, Helm Hammerhand will be portrayed by Brian Cox. Cox is currently most famous for his award-winning performance asLogan Roy inSuccession. Cox has been in the industry for almost 60 years. He’s a legend on the stage and screen, but he’s also a talented voice actor. Hammerhand was previously portrayed inMiddle Earth: Shadow of Warby veteran voice actor Fred Tatasciore. Cox will portray Helm Hammerhand, the lead character in the upcomingWar of the Rohirrimanimated film.
Helm Hammerhand is a unique and engaging character in Tolkien’s hidden histories.He’s a mighty king, but he’s also a swaggering super soldier fighting off armies of invaders with his bare hands. If fans weren’t excited forWar of the Rohirrim, they should wait and see how powerful they make Helm Hammerhand.
