Army_of_the_Dead

 Army_of_the_Dead

"The Dead are following," said Legolas. "I see shapes of Men and of horses, and pale banners like shreds of cloud, and spears like winter-thickets on a misty night. The Dead are following."

 

    "Yes, the Dead ride behind. They have been summoned," said Elladan.

 

        - The Return of the King, "The Passing of the Grey Company"

 

also known as the Dead Men of Dunharrow or Oathbreakers, were Men of the White Mountains, cursed to remain in Middle-earth by Isildur after they abandoned their oath to aid him in the War of the Last Alliance. They haunted the caverns beneath the Dwimorberg, and the valley of Harrowdale that lay in its shadow, though they were said to appear in the valley only in times of trouble or death. They were led by the King of the Dead. Since the line of Isildur was thought to have ended, no one could call upon the Dead Army to aid them in their hours of need, as they would only answer to an Heir of Isildur. 

 

Inspiration

 

Northern European folklore tells of 'the restless dead' as fell riders bursting upon unwary travellers in lonely places. Horses, knights, hounds are among the restless spirits in the "Wild Hunt". Hans Sachs' poem, "Das wütend Heer der kleinen Dieb" (1539) describes the furious host in gruesome detail, accompanied by ravens who plucked out the eyes of the roving dead: "there came one behind, who had been hanged the same day, had still his eyes and saw me."

 

It is an indication of Aragorn's heroic nature and lineage that he dares summon the dead to fulfill their oath in this manner, and a sign that the rightful king has indeed returned.

 

In the Peter Jackson movie adaptation of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, the battle with the Corsairs occurrs off-screen (part of it is shown in the extended edition) and the Army of the Dead accompany Aragorn to Minas Tirith, replacing the Grey Company, to defeat Sauron's Orcs, after which Aragorn declares their curse lifted. Legolas correctly states that it was Isildur who cursed them, but incorrectly states that he was "the last king of Gondor". (Isildur was the last high king of Gondor and Arnor, after which the two kingdoms divided and would both eventually be left kingless until Aragorn took the throne.)

 

    "There are those who dwell in the mountain."

    "Murderers, traitors, you would call upon them to fight? They believe in nothing, they answer to no-one."

    "They will answer to the King of Gondor."

 

        - Elrond and Aragorn talking of the army of the dead.

 

The Lord of the Rings film trilogy

Also in the film, the dead army does not go to the Stone of Erech but instead Aragorn confronts them in front of what appears to be the city of the dead men. The men of the dead army appear as green and glowing, and are more reluctant to fulfill their oath, with the dead king even trying to attack Aragorn.

 

While the books make no mention of anything being able to harm the dead men, in the film the dead king appears to be able to be harmed by Aragorn’s sword Andúril (Narsil reforged).

 

According to a magazine article, Peter Jackson hated the Army of the Dead; he thought it was "too unbelievable". He kept it in the script, however, so as to not disappoint large fans of the books.