Fans of the Lord of the Rings franchise have been blessed with a wide array of new material in the past several years, from Amazon Prime Video’s The Rings of Power prequel series, to the newly released anime outing The War of the Rohirrim. Though the new movie hasn’t received as much press as Peter Jackson’s incredible live-action film trilogy, fans far and wide have been flocking to the theater to see the emotional and violent feature film play out in stunning animation. Since the first trailers for The War of the Rohirrim released, Lord of the Rings lovers have been anxiously anticipating visionary director Kenji Kamiyama’s take on Middle-earth, which centers on legendary warrior Helm Hammerhand’s defense against the siege of his kingdom, Rohan, nearly 200 years before the events of the original Peter Jackson trilogy.
If you’re one of the lucky viewers who have already been to the theater to check this one out, you may need a bit of time to parse through the epic conclusion of The War of the Rohirrim‘s narrative. Luckily, we’ve got you covered, with a comprehensive summary, breakdown and analysis of the anime’s plot and ending. Those who haven’t yet seen the film should be advised that there will be full-blown spoilers ahead. Please feel free to bookmark this page and return at a later date if this is the case, since you definitely won’t want to have the thrilling conclusion of this Lord of the Rings tale ruined for you.
What Happens in ‘The War of the Rohirrim’?
The War of the Rohirrim opens with voiceover narration from Éowyn, who walks us through the origins of the blood feud between King Helm and the Dunlendings, who fought in a brutal war 183 years before the events of The Fellowship of the Ring. Apparently the feud began when Helm bested the Dunlendings’ lord Freca in a duel, following Freca’s request to merge houses by marrying his son Wulf and Helm’s daughter Héra. Needless to say, Wulf is incensed by the death of his father, as well as Héra’s refusal to marry him. He swears vengeance on the kingdom of Rohan as he departs, and immediately begins building an army from what little remains of his father’s loyalists. Years down the line, Rohan basks in a long period of peace, when an older Wulf returns with a massive army at his disposal.
With an initial surprise attack, Wulf’s forces kill both of Hammerhand’s sons, threatening to put an end to the king’s bloodline once and for all. Héra manages to successfully escape from the Dunlending invaders, just in time to help patch up her father, who also sustained some injuries in battle. Together, Helm, Héra, and some villagers are able to flee into the Hornsburg fortress, insulating themselves from immediate battle. Never one to sit back on the sidelines, the king quickly recovers and ventures back out into the plains, intent on wiping out as many of Wulf’s men as possible. For weeks, rumors and folklore spread among the Dunlending forces, hailing Helm as a ghost-like creature, seeking vengeance upon his invaders. Some men even become so scared of facing the ethereal threat that they abandon their post and return home.
Does Helm Eventually Die? Who Becomes King?
Despite Helm’s success in battle, Wulf is undeterred and even convinces some of his men that winning the war would bring endless riches. His tenacity and obsession cause a rift between Wulf and his lead general, Targg, though the former ultimately sees a major symbolic win when Helm dies in battle. As you can likely imagine, Helm didn’t die like any ordinary soldier, lending further credence to his status as a folklore icon to his constituents. Ultimately, King Helm froze to death at the bridge, protecting the gates of Rohan from the foreign invaders. After witnessing the death of her father from inside the castle walls, Héra employs the help of a giant eagle that she has befriended, by sending it to take Helm’s armor to her cousin Fréaláf, who lives outside of the kingdom.
When Fréaláf receives the armor, he knows exactly what it means. With his uncle dead, and no male heir left to reign, he has become the new king of Rohan, with the blessing of Héra herself. He readies his forces to ride for Rohan as Héra holds down the fort, all while Wulf’s men become emboldened by the death of their greatest foe. In a desperate bid to save her men, Héra uses herself as a distraction, appearing outside the gates in a sacred wedding dress, demanding to end the war with a one-on-one duel against Wulf. Meanwhile, civilian villagers begin pouring out of the city through a series of secret exits and tunnels.
The Duel and the End of the Siege
Wulf agrees to Héra’s terms and draws his sword for a duel. This is a deep and resonant moment for the pair, as the entire conflict was sparked by Wulf’s interest in marrying Héra many years earlier. Now, with both of their fathers dead, and the kingdom at risk, the childhood friends spar violently. Héra ultimately wins the duel, though she refuses to kill Wulf herself. Instead, she delegates the job to the honorable general Tragg, who agrees to end the war at once. In a shameless effort to continue the fight, Wulf kills Tragg and commands his men to raid the fortress with their full might.
Just when it seems as though the marauders have broken the gates, Fréaláf arrives with his army and overwhelms the Dunlending forces once and for all. During the commotion, Héra kills Wulf, even though doing so brings her pain due to their longstanding friendship. Eventually, Héra meets with her cousin, the newly-minted king, who recognizes her as the bravest warrior in the entire kingdom. With the siege finally over, Héra calls for the villagers to return, and begins launching a months-long effort to repair the realm with Fréaláf and his men.
How Does ‘The War of the Rohirrim’ End?
In the end, Fréaláf grants Héra’s request to become a shieldmaiden – the very same role that Éowyn, our narrator, will come to have centuries down the line. Under this banner, Héra departs from her kingdom and embarks upon a mission to meet with Gandalf. Apparently, Gandalf is busy studying the orcs who inhabit the caves of the Hornsburg, as he has heard rumblings about their intention to collect rings of great power. The entire final scene of The War of the Rohirrim offers clear nods and foreshadowing toward the tale of the One Ring, revealing that Héra was integral to Gandalf’s mission long before the wizard recruited Frodo and company for their iconic journey.
Meanwhile, Fréaláf begins his reign, and renames Hornsburg fortress under the title Helm’s Deep, in honor of his uncle’s incredible sacrifice. As any Lord of the Rings fan will surely recognize, Helm’s Deep serves as the setting for several significant developments in the original Peter Jackson films. At the end of the day, The War of the Rohirrim serves as an excellent companion piece to the growing live-action pantheon of the franchise, helping to round out the lore of the expanded Tolkien universe, while offering some new and exciting battles for fans around the world to enjoy. Héra’s tale is particularly prescient, as her honor, selflessness, and bravery become the basis for future adventures, leaving many fans hoping that Kenji Kamiyama and company will return for additional animated sequels.
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