The King of the Dead

He was the living king of The Wild Men of the Mountains. He was the most powerful of the undead men in the Dwimorberg Mountains. Isildur cursed him along with his army for failing to fulfill their oath to him, and therefore, the King remained with the spirit of his kind in the Path of the Dead without rest. He was hailed as the King in all the Mountains.

The King of the Dead along with his army fought on the side of the people of Sauron toward the end of the Second Age, they were from his allies. After Gondor was established, Isildur, the son of High King Elendil called for the wild men of the mountains at the stone of Erech. King of the Mountains knew that Gondor would become great someday, therefore he swore an oath on the Stone of Erech that he and his army would fight alongside Gordon if Sauron returned. This encounter with Isildur, caused him to break his ties with Sauron.

When Sauron returned, the king became terrified, he left his oath unfulfilled as he and his army earned the curse of Isildur and remained without rest even in their death. A rest never to be found until the wrong was right. [1], Lord of the Paths of the Dead. In the Third Age, Aragorn, the heir to the throne of Gondor, along with his companions Gimli and Legolas, went to call upon the spirit of the King of the Dead and his Army for their oath at the Stone of Erech. When they trailed the path of the mountains of Dwimorberg and summoned his spirit.

The King of the Dead only knew Isildur, who was long dead, so he attacked Aragorn to kill him and then his companions. Aragorn fought him to his surprise before his army of the undead, and he soon knew that he was not fighting an ordinary Atani. Aragorn revealed his identity as the heir to the throne of Gondor. The King of the Mountains knew his chance to set himself and his army free from the curse of Isildur had come so he agreed. Aragorn, the king, and his army fought on the same side at Pelargir, and the Corsairs of Umbar fell before their eyes.

Following the victory at Pelargir, the King of the Dead demands freedom from the curse of Isildur at the hands of his heir. The King and his army became free by the will of Aragorn amidst the ruins of their enemy. The King of the Dead became relieved and faded as he bowed gradually with the winds along with his victorious army of the undead. There the King became forever gone to rest, never to be summoned again.

The Return of the King is a part of the trilogy for the film The Lord of the Rings. [2] Notable changes appeared from the content of the original book. In the film, Aragorn saw the King briefly as he faced the Dimholt road, and the King later appeared to Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas when in the Domain of King of the Mountains to seek his allegiance. The king knew that none other than the King of Gondor could resist him and moved to fight Aragorn. Aragorn resisted him and offered freedom as the price for allegiance. The king and army of the undead fought for Aragorn against the Corsairs and headed to Minas Tirith to defend it against the Witch King of Angmar, and his army of Trolls and Orcs. After the victory, the King demands freedom from Aragorn, and against the will of Gimli but to the pleasure of Gandalf. The King of the Undead and his army became free.

The King of the Dead in the video game of the Lord of the Rings was different from what is in the film and the book. Under the voice of the Artist Jairon Monroe, the king now has a giant sword and magical power to form a wind blast called the “Wind of the Mountain,” and cast spells when gathering his army. The army of the undead that now includes archers. Aragorn faces him alone without Gimli or Legolas.

1. ^Dead Men of Dunharrow.
2. ^The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003).