Sharku

From Tolkien Gateway
This article is about the Orc from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. For the Orkish word, see sharkû.
"Sharku" is a concept which has only appeared in an adaptation of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Sharku
Orc
The Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy - Sharku.jpg
"Sharku" in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Biographical Information
PositionLeader of the Warg-riders of Isengard
LocationIsengard, Rohan
AffiliationWhite Hand
LanguageWestron
DeathT.A. 3019
Rohan
Physical Description
GenderMale
SteedWarg
GalleryImages of Sharku

Sharku was the leader of the Orc Warg-riders of Isengard. Sharku was invented by Warner Bros. for The Lord of the Rings film series, where he was portrayed by Jed Brophy.

History[edit | edit source]

Sharku was the veteran chief of a group of marauding Warg-riders who ranged deep into the realms of Gondor and Rohan, sowing panic and fear among Saruman's enemies.

By the time of the War of the Ring, he had thrown his support behind the corrupted Wizard, Saruman. He was tasked by him with ambushing the column of Rohirrim women and children retreating from Edoras to the safety of Helm's Deep. Théoden and his guard, with the help of Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, fended off the attack. However, during the battle, Aragorn got tangled up in the harness of Sharku's Warg and both the beast and the ranger fell over a cliff. Sharku, mortally wounded, survived just long enough to gloat about Aragorn's apparent death to Legolas and Gimli.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Sharkû is the Black Speech word meaning "Old Man",[1], most likely referring to Sharkey, the name Saruman used when he controlled The Shire.[2]

Portrayal in adaptations[edit | edit source]

References

The Lord of the Rings film series
Source material: The Hobbit · The Lord of the Rings
Films The Fellowship of the Ring (extended editionThe Two Towers (extended edition) · The Return of the King (extended edition)
Music The Fellowship of the Ring (The Complete Recordings) · The Two Towers (The Complete Recordings) · The Return of the King (The Complete Recordings) · "May It Be" · "Gollum's Song" · "Into the West"
Tie-in books Official Movie Guide · The Making of the Movie Trilogy · Complete Visual Companion · Gollum: How We Made Movie Magic · There and Back Again: An Actor's Tale · Weapons and Warfare · The Art of The Lord of the Rings · Sketchbook
The Fellowship of the Ring Visual Companion · The Art of The Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers Visual Companion · Photo Guide · The Art of The Two Towers
The Return of the King Visual Companion · The Art of The Return of the King
Video games The Two Towers · The Return of the King · The Third Age · Tactics · Conquest · Aragorn's Quest · Lego The Lord of the Rings
Characters Frodo · Bilbo · Gandalf · Sam · Merry · Pippin · Gandalf · Aragorn · Boromir · Legolas · Gimli · Elrond · Galadriel · Théoden · Éomer · Éowyn · Saruman · Sauron · Witch-king · Denethor · Faramir · Gollum · Gríma · Treebeard · Celeborn · Haldir · Lurtz · Sharku · Grishnákh