Two Watchers: Difference between revisions

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(→‎History: Addded the comment of the orc Snaga that the feat of getting past the Watchers was "tark's" work)
(→‎History: Added a reference for the statement why it is probable that he meant that the feat of getting past the watchers is tark's work, because Christopher Tolkien assumes this meaning and it is implied by earlier manuscrips)
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== History ==
== History ==
On [[14 March]] {{TA|3019}},<ref>{{App|Great}}, entry 14 March 3019, p. 1093</ref> [[Sam]] the Two Watchers blocked his initial attempt to pass through the gate. However, Sam was able to overcome the will of the Two Watchers with the help of the [[Phial of Galadriel]] and was able to pass through the gate into the court of the Tower of Cirith Ungol in a second attempt. When he passed the gate, the Two Watchers uttered a high shrill cry, which was answered by a single clang of a bell high up in The Tower of Cirith Ungol.<ref name=Tower/>{{rp|902-903}} After hearing the bell the orc [[Snaga (orc of Mordor)|Snaga]] said to the orc [[Shagrat]] that a great fighter, an Elf or a Man of Gondor ("[[tark]]") got past the Watchers, and that's ''tark'''s work.<ref name=Tower/>{{rp|906}} It is probable that he meant that the feat of getting past the Watchers was the work of a Man of Gondor.  
On [[14 March]] {{TA|3019}},<ref>{{App|Great}}, entry 14 March 3019, p. 1093</ref> [[Sam]] the Two Watchers blocked his initial attempt to pass through the gate. However, Sam was able to overcome the will of the Two Watchers with the help of the [[Phial of Galadriel]] and was able to pass through the gate into the court of the Tower of Cirith Ungol in a second attempt. When he passed the gate, the Two Watchers uttered a high shrill cry, which was answered by a single clang of a bell high up in The Tower of Cirith Ungol.<ref name=Tower/>{{rp|902-903}} After hearing the bell the orc [[Snaga (orc of Mordor)|Snaga]] said to the orc [[Shagrat]] that a great fighter, an Elf or a Man of Gondor ("[[tark]]") got past the Watchers, and that's ''tark'''s work.<ref name=Tower/>{{rp|906}} It is probable that he meant that the feat of getting past the Watchers was the work of a Man of Gondor.<ref name=Kirith>{{SD|Kirith}}</ref>{{rp|26}}


Later that day, in order to leave the Tower, Frodo and Sam held up again the Phial while invoking [[Eärendil]] and [[Elbereth]], which broke the will of the Two Watchers so that they were able to pass through the gate to the outside. The keystone of the arch and the wall above the gate crumbled into ruin after they passed, but the Two Watchers uttered a high and dreadful wail.<ref name=Tower/>{{rp|915}}
Later that day, in order to leave the Tower, Frodo and Sam held up again the Phial while invoking [[Eärendil]] and [[Elbereth]], which broke the will of the Two Watchers so that they were able to pass through the gate to the outside. The keystone of the arch and the wall above the gate crumbled into ruin after they passed, but the Two Watchers uttered a high and dreadful wail.<ref name=Tower/>{{rp|915}}

Revision as of 12:49, 17 May 2022

Two Watchers
Spirits
The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King - Two Watchers.jpg
The Two Watchers from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Biographical Information
Other namesWatchers (of Cirith Ungol)
LocationTower of Cirith Ungol
AffiliationSauron
Physical Description
RaceSpirits
GalleryImages of the Two Watchers

The Two Watchers were two carved figures that guarded the arched gateway through the outer wall that led to the courtyard of the Tower of Cirith Ungol.

Description

The Two Watchers were great two figures that were sitting on thrones on both sides of the gateway. Their figures were formed of three bodies with heads with the faces of vultures with eyes of black stone. One head looked outward, one head looked inward and the third head stared across the gateway itself. They were inhabited by "some dreadful spirit of evil vigilance". Not a visible or invisible creature was unnoticed by them. They had the power to identify enemies and to block them from entering or from exiting through the gate with the force of their will alone, and were able to send up a shrill alarm call if their guard was breached.[1]:902

History

On 14 March T.A. 3019,[2] Sam the Two Watchers blocked his initial attempt to pass through the gate. However, Sam was able to overcome the will of the Two Watchers with the help of the Phial of Galadriel and was able to pass through the gate into the court of the Tower of Cirith Ungol in a second attempt. When he passed the gate, the Two Watchers uttered a high shrill cry, which was answered by a single clang of a bell high up in The Tower of Cirith Ungol.[1]:902-903 After hearing the bell the orc Snaga said to the orc Shagrat that a great fighter, an Elf or a Man of Gondor ("tark") got past the Watchers, and that's tark's work.[1]:906 It is probable that he meant that the feat of getting past the Watchers was the work of a Man of Gondor.[3]:26

Later that day, in order to leave the Tower, Frodo and Sam held up again the Phial while invoking Eärendil and Elbereth, which broke the will of the Two Watchers so that they were able to pass through the gate to the outside. The keystone of the arch and the wall above the gate crumbled into ruin after they passed, but the Two Watchers uttered a high and dreadful wail.[1]:915

Portrayal in adaptations

1980: The Return of the King (1980 film):

Samwise Gamgee encounters the Watchers while attempting to enter the tower to rescue Frodo Baggins. He sets off the alarm, but gets by them by using the Phial of Galadriel. When he and Frodo encounter them once again when trying to leave the tower, they put up more of a resistance to the Phial, but give in when Frodo helps Sam use it.

1982-97: Middle-earth Role Playing:

The Two Watchers that guard the Tower of Cirith Ungol are referred to as the Silent Watchers. They are described to be a type of Pûkel-creatures, animated stone monsters that are magically instilled with enchanted spirits, that were produced by Sauron.[4] The Watchers-in-Stone of Moria are enchanted statues, inhabited by magical Spirits said to resemble the "spell-sewn Power that inhabits the 'Two Watchers'".[5]

2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King:

The Watchers are seen in the film, but never come into play, nor are they ever even acknowledged.

2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game):

The Watchers appear during the opening cutscene of the "Cirith Ungol" level, where their eyes glow red when Sam tries to enter the tower, and briefly obstruct him with an invisible wall.

2007-: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Watching Stones resemble common statues, but "hold the trapped spirit of malice within". These vigilant statues were created by Sauron and many guard the lands of Angmar.[6]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Tower of Cirith Ungol"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry 14 March 3019, p. 1093
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Sauron Defeated, "Part One: The End of the Third Age: II. The Tower of Kirith Ungol"
  4. Ruth Sochard Pitt, Jeff O'Hare, Peter C. Fenlon, Jr. (1994), Creatures of Middle-earth (2nd edition) (#2012), pp. 121-2
  5. Peter C. Fenlon, Jr. (1994), Moria (2nd edition) (#2011)
  6. Bestiary: Watching Stone at The Lord of the Rings Online Vault (accessed 5 March 2011)