In ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’, Aragorn seeks the aid of the King of the Dead to assist Gondor against Sauron. The King, once a ruler of the mountain folk who pledged loyalty to Sauron, faces a curse for his betrayal. After centuries of waiting, Aragorn’s call fulfills their ancient oath, leading to redemption and peace for the undead. The story may be explored further in ‘The Rings of Power’, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
In the epic tale of ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’, King Théoden of Rohan (played by Bernard Hill) makes a courageous decision to ride to Gondor’s aid in their battle against Sauron’s dark forces. However, Aragorn (portrayed by Viggo Mortensen) has a secret strategy up his sleeve—he seeks the assistance of the enigmatic King of the Dead.
The King of the Dead resides with his ghostly army in the haunted realm of Dwimorberg, located at Dunharg, a region nestled at the base of the mountains between Rohan and Gondor. It is here that Aragorn, alongside Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), finally encounters these spectral warriors.
To rally the spirits to their cause, Aragorn invokes an ancient oath believed to have been sworn by the ghosts. Responding to his call, the spirits agree to join the fray and ultimately find redemption through Aragorn’s leadership. But who was the King of the Dead in his mortal life? Let’s uncover his story below.
The King of the Mountain Folk and His Allegiance to Sauron
During the Second Age of Middle-earth, over 3,000 years prior to ‘The Lord of the Rings’, the King of the Dead once ruled over the mountain folk in the majestic White Mountains. Like many of his kin, he pledged loyalty to Sauron.
However, when Sauron vanished following the cataclysmic downfall of Númenor, and Isildur (played by Harry Sinclair in the films, and Maxim Baldry in ‘The Rings of Power’) established the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor with his family, the king faced a pivotal decision: to remain hopeful for Sauron’s return or to forge an alliance with Isildur.
Given that Gondor was founded adjacent to the White Mountains, the threat posed by the mountain folk necessitated a cooperative relationship. As Sauron’s whereabouts became uncertain, the king and his people swore an oath to Gondor.
This agreement allowed the mountain kingdom to retain its sovereignty, but stipulated that they would answer Gondor’s call for aid in times of war.
The Return of Sauron and Gondor’s Betrayal
When Sauron returned and the climactic battle of the Last Alliance unfolded at the end of the Second Age (as depicted in the prologue of ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’), Isildur summoned the mountain folk of Dunharg to join him against their former master.
Yet, as loyal followers of Sauron, they were reluctant to oppose him and instead took refuge within their mountains. Before the battle commenced, Isildur cursed the king and his people, declaring they would find no peace in life or death until their oath was honored.
Aragorn: The Redeemer of the King of the Dead
Following the Last Alliance’s battle, Isildur meets his demise, and the mountain folk transform into the undead. With Gondor being governed by a steward rather than a royal lineage, the King of the Dead and his ghostly army languished for centuries, awaiting their redemption.
It isn’t until over 3,000 years later that Aragorn arrives and calls upon the King of the Dead to uphold his oath. The king complies, playing a crucial role in the defeat of Sauron. With the fulfillment of the oath, the undead finally achieve peace and can rest in death.
As for whether the story of the King of the Dead will be explored in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’, only time will tell. The series aims to cover the events from Númenor’s downfall to the Last Alliance’s battle, so there’s a good chance we may see this saga unfold.
For those eager to revisit the complete ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy, it is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Additionally, the platform features the prequel series ‘The Rings of Power’, with Season 3 currently in production.