Berserkers Printable version

Berserkers were huge, sturdy Orcs created from Isengard. They were the largest of the Orcs and also called Uruk Berserker. These massive Orcs were unique characters that appeared in the film Lord of the Rings: Two Towers. [1] However, books of Tolkien do not specifically differentiate the Berserker type in Orcs.

Description

Berserkers were a class of Orc more massive and frightful than the Uruk-hai. They have a height of six and a half feet and weigh approximately three hundred pounds. The blood of their foes fills their close-fitting helmets and seeps into their heads right before a fight. The smell triggers the Berserker’s thirst for blood and turns them into savage warriors, numb to any kind of pain. They fight fearlessly, with no protection other than their head armor. They ceaselessly attack and only stop upon their death. Their primary purpose is to create a foothold or accomplish an advantage from the enemy. Their size, power, and toughness are suitable for special missions and arduous tasks. Berserkers also function as Sappers. One memorable scene of a Berserker in the films is when he detonates bombs that the Uruk-hai buried, killing himself.

The Battle of Helm’s Deep

During the Battle of Helm’s Deep, the Berserkers led the ascent up on the Deeping Wall. They climbed the ladders, appearing well trained for the task. They blocked the defender’s attacks from the incessantly teeming orcs climbing behind them. In doing so, they provided more time and protection for the Orcs. There were only thirty Berserkers in the battle, yet they gravely imposed significant casualties and damages. They were awfully tough and required a great effort from their enemies to injure and eventually kill them. Still, the defenders destroyed all of them, of which Gimli defeated three. He struck two in their lower body and one he killed through the chest.

Battle Plan

There were three primary tasks of the Uruk Berserkers in the battle. First, they must climb the siege ladders mounted by Isengard’s Uruk Sappers. Second, upon reaching the top, they must slay all the enemies they could lay their hands on to give way for the Uruk-hai swarming up the ladders. Finally, using their torches, they must fire up Saruman’s pulverized explosives specifically prepared to blast the Deeping Wall into destruction. They have all accomplished their mission according to plan, even though all of them perished after the battle.

Weapons

Berserkers had a sole, characteristic weapon: a giant, five-foot long sword with two spikes at the tip. It is a cumbrous weapon spending an immense power to manipulate. But the handle is eighteen-inches and provides an advantage. It allows flexible control of the weapon’s movement by gripping it with two hands widely parted. The blade has a width of four inches with razor-sharp edges that could slice a body in two. The sword is not a refined or effective weapon with imminent faults such as the double spikes, which could accidentally be stuck in the middle of a fight. Yet the intense threat that the weapon displays make it an asset. The Berserkers also do not use body armor other than their concave helmet and a lower body garment. This grants them full strength and the ability to fight free from constraint. They were also rabid, ignoring any pain thus proving their capacity to fight without armor.

Sappers

In the movie and game versions, some Berserkers solely use the Fire of Orthanc bombs of Saruman instead of decimating the enemy lines with their forceful swords. During the film’s Battle of Helm’s Deep, the Orcs planted several explosives in a drainage along the Deeping Wall, the only weakness of the impervious stronghold. After this, a Berserker Sapper sprints to it with a flaming torch to ignite the bombs. Legolas fires with two arrows and hits the Orc, but still, it reached the explosives, thus setting off the blast. It destroyed much of the Deeping Wall, causing a breach. Isengard’s army seizes the opening and charges through the walls. In the video games, the Uruk-hai carry Fire of Orthanc explosives. They execute sacrificing attacks by setting off the bombs they carry and blowing up everyone around them, both their enemies and allies. The bomb only detonates if they ignite it themselves or if someone kills them. Otherwise, arrows can kill them before they reach their aimed area. However, if they do, the blast would critically damage the target.

The Hobbit Film

In the film The Hobbit Battle of the Five Armies, [2] a new Uruk Berserker presents a vital part in the battle of Ravenhill. These Berserkers appear towering, brawny, with colorless skin and burning eyes. The Orc called Bolg reaches Gundabad and unleash the hordes along with the Berserkers. Then the Berserkers charge towards Ravenhill close to the Lonely Mountain. Eventually, their enemies efficiently decimated them despite their power.

Video Games

• LEGO’s The Lord of the Rings - One challenge is to find the Sapper’s middle wall target. This is easy to find as the wall is LEGO [3] while the entrance wall and the rest are not. Beneath the center wall of Helm’s Deep is where the explosives are stacked. As the Sapper blows up the explosives, the LEGO part of the walls would fall. LEGO also created their toy version of Orcs. The Uruk-hai are the red LEGO Orcs while the Lurtz and Berserkers are brown as they appear in the movies. In the gameplay of The Lord of the Rings Aragorn’s Quest, there are two encounters with Berserkers. The first is in Helm’s Deep. Aragorn overcomes the Berserker who was the army’s commander and referred to as the Uruk-hai Champion. Second, the Berserker appears in Pelennor Fields close to the wharf. This one has darker skin and no markings of White Hand, but otherwise the same appearance as the previous one.
• Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor - The Berserkers are the larger, sturdier Uruks found in Mordor. [4] They fight with multiple weapons such as clubs, maces, axes, and swords. They also inflict greater damages than the rest of the Orcs. Basic head-on attacks do not affect these Berserkers because they counter these hits and knock down the player. They could also wield two weapons simultaneously, just as a two-handed weapon. Marking a Berserker using a Wraith’s symbol transforms them into effective warriors in the game.

References

1. ^The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002).
2. ^The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014).
3. ^LEGO® The Lord of the Rings™.
4. ^Middle-earth™: Shadow of Mordor™.