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The warriors of The Lord of the Rings wielded a wide variety of weapons, including swords, axes, and bows, but like in real-world history, spears were particularly prevalent on the battlefields of Middle-earth. Though J. R. R. Tolkien's novel and Peter Jackson's trilogy of film adaptations romanticized the knightly tradition of swords, the simplicity and superior reach of spears made them ideal for a variety of scenarios.
Across Middle-earth's long history, spears were wielded by Men, Elves, Orcs, and various other beings. By analyzing Tolkien's texts, a clear hierarchy of spearmen emerges, ranging from some of The Lord of the Rings' most popular characters to lesser-known figures in Middle-earth's earlier history.
Théoden Favored Spears in the Novel Version of The Lord of the Rings
The Rohirrim specialized in fighting on horseback, and as such, spears were usually their weapons of choice. This was even true of their Gondor-born ruler, King Théoden. Aside from a brief moment in the extended edition of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, the films' version of Théoden exclusively fought with a sword called Gúthwinë.
In the novel, however, he also wielded an unnamed spear in the Battle of Helm's Deep and the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. In the chapter "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields" from The Return of the King, Tolkien compared Théoden to Oromë, the godlike Huntsman of the Valar from early in Middle-earth's history. Théoden "threw down" the Haradrim's leader with his spear, causing the others to retreat.
Unfortunately, Théoden's spear broke during this confrontation, leaving him with just Gúthwinë to face off against the dreaded Witch-king of Angmar. Though the King of Rohan was a skilled swordsman, his prowess with a blade did not compare to his mastery of the spear.
Éomer Was a Perfect Spearman in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields
Théoden's nephew, Éomer, also favored a spear. Though Tolkien did not directly compare the two Rohirrim, Éomer seemed to be a superior fighter. Théoden was already 71 years old by the time of The Lord of the Rings, nearing the end of the typical Rohirrim lifespan, and he was still recovering from the sickness induced by Gríma Wormtongue and Saruman.
By contrast, Éomer was healthy and in the prime of his life. He also performed better than Théoden during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. According to the novel, Éomer was one of just three warriors who made it through the bloody conflict "unscathed," the others being Aragorn and Prince Imrahil, the novel-exclusive uncle of Boromir and Faramir.
Unlike Théoden, Éomer primarily fought with a spear in Jackson's trilogy. He showcased his strength and precision in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King by throwing his spear directly into the chest of a Haradrim captain, starting a chain reaction that toppled two of the giant mûmakil.
Gil-galad's Spear Was Unstoppable in the War of the Last Alliance
Gil-galad was the High King of the Noldor in the Second Age of Middle-earth. He made some brief appearances in the prologue of Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, but fans may know him better from Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
During the War of the Last Alliance, Gil-galad wielded a spear called Aeglos, meaning "Snow-point" in the Elvish language of Sindarin. In the chapter "The Council of Elrond" from The Fellowship of the Ring, Elrond claimed that "none could withstand" Aeglos, which Tolkien reiterated in The Silmarillion. Gil-galad even managed to wound the Dark Lord Sauron, a highly impressive feat despite his subsequent death at Sauron's fiery hands.
Morgoth Used a Spear to Cast the World Into Darkness Before The Lord of the Rings
Sauron's master, the Dark Lord Morgoth, most famously wielded a giant mace called Grond, but that was not the only weapon at his disposal. In the section "Of the Darkening of Valinor" from The Silmarillion, Morgoth -- who was known as Melkor at the time -- used a spear to destroy the Two Trees of Valinor, one of his most atrocious acts.
Tolkien wrote, "With his black spear he smote each Tree to its core, wounded them deep, and their sap poured forth as it were their blood, and was spilled upon the ground." This alone did not kill the Two Trees, but Shelob's mother, Ungoliant, then flooded the spear wounds with her vile venom.
Morgoth was one of the strongest entities in Tolkien's lore, second only to the all-powerful Eru Ilúvatar. Even when not using his preferred weapon, there were few warriors who could stand against the Dark Lord, yet that did not make him Middle-earth's best spearman.
Oromë's Spear Skills Were Unmatched in J. R. R. Tolkien's Lore
The mightiest spearman in The Lord of the Rings was the very being to whom Tolkien compared Théoden in The Return of the King. Oromë was one of the Valar, the same race of divine spirits to which Morgoth belonged. Oromë frequently ventured into the untamed wilderness of Middle-earth to slay Morgoth's ferocious monsters.
Though Morgoth was more powerful than Oromë overall, he was not superior in every regard. In the section "Valaquenta" from The Silmarillion, Tolkien described Oromë as "a mighty lord" and the most "dreadful in anger" of all the Valar. While Morgoth only occasionally used a spear, Oromë specialized in the weapon, so his skill surely surpassed that of the Dark Lord.
The Rohirrim revered Oromë, whom they called Béma. According to their folklore, Mearas such as Shadowfax were direct descendants of Oromë's horse, Nahar. It is fitting that the most prominent spear-wielding culture in The Lord of the Rings drew a connection to the greatest spearman in Middle-earth's history.
