The One Wiki to Rule Them All
Don't have an account?
Register
Register
The One Wiki to Rule Them All
The Lord of the Rings Wiki
6,661
pages
in: Sindarin names & words, Swords, Dwarven objects
English

Changes: Orcrist

Back to page
Sign in to edit
No edit summary
m (Changes, replaced: Portrayal in adaptations == → In adaptations ==)
 
(149 intermediate revisions by 86 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
  +
{{Object infobox
⚫
[[File:Orcrist.jpg|thumb|110px|Orcrist, as seen in ''The Hobbit'' trilogy]]
  
  +
|othername= Biter, Goblin-cleaver<ref name=overhill/>
  +
|image= Orcrist 1.JPG
  +
|manufacturer= Elves of Gondolin
  +
|made=
  +
|usage=
  +
|used_by= [[Thorin II Oakenshield]] and [[Legolas]]
  +
|owners= Possibly [[Ecthelion of the Fountain]]; later [[Thorin II Oakenshield]]
  +
|books=
  +
|films=
  +
}}'''Orcrist''' (also called the '''Goblin-cleaver''') was an [[Elves|Elven]] sword from [[Gondolin]], the mate of [[Glamdring]], and was possibly first owned by [[Ecthelion of the Fountain]]. Thousands of years later, it became the sword of [[Thorin II Oakenshield]] during [[The Quest of Erebor]].
   
−
'''Orcrist''' (also called the goblin cleaver)was the weapon acquired by the [[Dwarf]] Lord [[Thorin Oakenshield]] from the [[Trolls]]' lair in ''The Hobbit.''<ref name="mutton">''[[The Hobbit]]'', Chapter II: "[[Roast Mutton]]"</ref> The Orcs (Goblins) called it '''Biter'''.<ref name="gobs">''[[The Hobbit]],'' Chapter IV: "[[Over Hill And Under Hill|Over Hill and Under Hill]]"</ref>
 +
It was used by Thorin in ''[[The Hobbit]]'', and was feared and called '''Biter''' by the Goblins.<ref name="overhill">''[[The Hobbit]]'', Chapter IV: "[[Over Hill and Under Hill]]"</ref>
   
  +
== Description ==
−
The Elves of Gondolin had named it ''Orcrist'' <ref>Many of the famed weapons in [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien's]] stories had names, such as [[Glamdring]], [[Narsil]], and [[Sting]].</ref> and it had killed hundreds of orcs in its time.<ref name="gobs" /> It was crafted by the [[Elves|Elves of Gondolin]], which not only made it a valuable weapon, but a feared one as well, particularly amongst Orcs who, like other evil creatures of [[Middle-earth]], were traditional enemies of the Elves. Presumably Orcrist was like Glamdring and Sting in that "being the work of Elvish smiths in the Elder Days these swords shone with a cold light, if any Orcs were near at hand."<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Fellowship of the Ring (novel)|The Fellowship of the Ring]],'' Book Two, Chapter IV: "A Journey in the Dark". Only Sting was definitively described as glowing blue, or glittering with blue flame at its edges. Glamdring was "bright as blue flame" in the midst of a goblin (orc) horde, but the color of its light was always described as white, and Orcrist, being the same type of blade, was probably similar in this as well.</ref>
  
   
  +
Made by the Elven-smiths of old, Orcrist had a beautiful scabbard and jeweled hilt.<ref name=roast>''[[The Hobbit]]'', Chapter II: "[[Roast Mutton]]"</ref> There were runes on the sword which bore its name.<ref name=short>''[[The Hobbit]]'', Chapter III: "[[A Short Rest]]"</ref> At first glance, Gandalf identified the sword as a "good blade."<ref name=roast/> Like Glamdring and Sting, Orcrist glowed whenever [[Orcs]] were near.
−
==Origins==
  
−
As the "mate" to King [[Turgon]]'s sword [[Glamdring]], Orcrist was likely borne by a high ranking lord in the King's entourage. The Great Goblin's referred to it as "the blade that sliced a thousand necks." Possible wielders include [[Ecthelion of the Fountain|Ecthelion]], "Lord of the Fountain Court," who killed countless orcs during the Fall of Gondolin. How it came in contact with Glamdring is another mystery. Turgon the High King, bearer of Glamdring, perished with the fall of his tower.
  
   
  +
== History ==
−
Somehow Orcrist and [[Glamdring]] were taken out of [[Beleriand]] in the 43 years after Gondolin's fall and before the end of the [[First Age]], and in the intervening years must been used in combat against Orcs, which would explain how and why the Orcs would know of and fear of Biter and Beater (as demonstrated by their reactions when they captured [[Thorin and Company]]). Later, the wielders of the swords may have been waylaid by trolls in the [[Ettenmoors]]. Thus may the swords have ultimately fallen into the hands of the trolls [[Tom, Bert, and William]] by the time of the events of ''[[The Hobbit]]''.
  
  +
During the [[First Age]], Orcrist was forged alongside its "mate", Glamdring by Elf smiths, and might have been used by one of the Lords of the [[Gondolindrim]] in the Goblin Wars, becoming lost during the [[Fall of Gondolin]].<ref name="overhill" /> It was described to have "killed hundreds of goblins in its time, when the fair Elves of Gondolin hunted them in the hills or did battle before their walls". The most likely wielder of the blade would have been [[Ecthelion of the Fountain]], whose [[House of the Fountain]] slew more Orcs during Gondolin's fall than in every Orcish conflict combined.
   
−
==History==
 +
=== Third Age ===
⚫
[[File:Thorin_2.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Thorin wields Orcrist]]
  
   
  +
Orcrist was discovered with Glamdring centuries later. [[Thorin and Company]] made the discovery in the [[Tom, Bert, and William's cave|trolls' cave]], with [[Gandalf]] observing the high quality of the blades. Once in [[Rivendell]], [[Elrond]] recognized Orcrist as one from Gondolin, and Thorin promised to honor the sword.<ref name=short/>
−
In ''The Hobbit'', [[Thorin and Company]] found Orcrist in the cave of the three trolls and Thorin claimed it as his own, while [[Gandalf]] claimed Glamdring.<ref name="mutton" /> Thorin bore Orcrist throughout most of The [[Quest of Erebor]]. It and Glamdring were used against the goblins of the [[Misty Mountains]] when they captured the group, renewing the Orcs' hatred of the Elvish weapons. Orcrist was taken from Thorin during his captivity in the [[Woodland Realm]] by [[Thranduil]] the Elvenking. It was returned to Thorin only after his death at the [[Battle of the Five Armies]]. We are told in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' that [[Thranduil]] placed Orcrist upon Thorin's tomb, so that thereafter it "is said in songs that it gleamed ever in the dark if foes approached, and the fortress of the dwarves could not be taken by surprise.<ref>''[[The Hobbit]],'' Chapter XVIII: "[[The Return Journey]]"</ref> That may not have been literally true, however, because in ''The Lord of the Rings'' Tolkien tells us that by the time the [[Fellowship of the Ring|Fellowship]] took the [[One Ring]] south from [[Rivendell]], Orcrist "lay now upon the breast of [[Thorin II Oakenshield|Thorin]] under the [[Lonely Mountain]], <ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Fellowship of the Ring (novel)|The Fellowship of the Ring]],'' Book Two, Chapter III: "The Ring Goes South"</ref> indicating that the sword was buried with him. However, ''on his breast'' could also mean upon his sarcophagus. 
  
   
  +
Thorin used Orcrist throughout the rest of the Quest of Erebor to slay [[goblins]] in the Goblin caves after the killing of the [[Great Goblin]], but he lost it when he was captured by the [[Silvan Elves|Wood-elves]] of [[Mirkwood]]. Orcrist was confiscated<ref name=flies>''[[The Hobbit]]'', Chapter VIII: "[[Flies and Spiders]]"</ref> and was not returned to him until after the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. Upon his death, [[Thranduil]] returned the blade and Orcrist was placed upon Thorin's tomb under the [[Lonely Mountain]], and it "gleamed ever in the dark if foes approached".<ref>''[[The Hobbit]]'', Chapter XVIII: "[[The Return Journey]]"</ref>
−
==Names==
  
−
'''Orcrist''' is [[Sindarin]] for "goblin-cleaver". The term might have been related to the [[Quenya]]n ''rista-'' ("to cut").
  
   
  +
==Etymology==
−
Goblins refer to Orcrist as '''Biter'''.
  
   
  +
'''''Orcrist''''' means "Goblin-cleaver", from "Orc" and the [[Sindarin]] ''ris'' ("to cut").<ref>''[[Parma Eldalamberon]]'', Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in ''The Lord of the Rings'' by J.R.R. Tolkien</ref> It was called '''Biter''' by Orcs of the [[Misty Mountains]].
⚫
==Portrayal in adaptations==
  
⚫
===The Hobbit film trilogy===
  
−
[[File:Orcrist-Runes2.jpg|thumb|265px|Orcrist Runes]]
  
⚫
In the [[Peter Jackson]] film ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'' (2012), Orcrist appears more similar in shape to [[Sting]]. Its appearance - a single-edged weapon with a somewhat curved pommel - is also somewhat reminiscent of [[Hadhafang]], the blade wielded by both [[Arwen Undómiel|Arwen]] and [[Elrond]] in [[Lord of the Rings film trilogy|''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy]]. The main difference is that Hadhafang has a curved blade, whereas Orcrist's is straighter. It is also shown to be very powerful as it is able to knock back a vicious swing from the Goblin King with ease.
  
   
  +
In [[Quenya]], ''Orchrist'' was a variation of Orcrist, from ''risto'' ("slash, rip").<ref>''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'', Vol. V: ''[[The Lost Road and Other Writings]]'', Part Three: "The Etymologies"</ref>
⚫
In the film ''[[The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug]]'', Orcrist is taken by [[Legolas]] when he and a group of elves capture Thorin's company, and it is subsequently shown being wielded by Legolas when he fights [[Bolg]] and other Orcs in defence of Lake-town.
  
   
  ⚫
== In adaptations ==
−
Thorin will somehow retrieve Orcrist during the events of ''[[The Hobbit: There and Back Again]]'', as it will be buried with him.
  
  ⚫
=== ''The Hobbit'' film trilogy ===
  ⚫
[[File:Legolas with Orcrist.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Legolas wields Orcrist]]
   
  ⚫
In the ''[[The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug]]'', Orcrist is taken by [[Legolas]] when he and a group of Elves capture Thorin's company, and it is subsequently shown being wielded by Legolas when he fights [[Bolg]] and other Orcs in defense of [[Lake-town]].
⚫
While it is an Elvish sword, it does not appear to glow blue (or glow at all, for that matter) when Thorin is in the presence of orcs in the films.
  
   
  +
In ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]'', Legolas uses Orcrist to stay his father Thranduil's blade when intervening in a conflict between he and [[Tauriel]], in [[Dale]]. He then draws Orcrist to battle Bolg once more, but ultimately sacrifices Orcrist to save Thorin's life, throwing it from afar, into the chest of the Orc who nearly killed Thorin, high up on the frozen waterfall. Thorin then retrieved the sword from the dead Orc's chest as it fell over the edge and used it in the climactic battle with [[Azog]] on the [[River Running|Celduin]] near [[Ravenhill]]. Orcrist easily held up to Azog's much larger mace as well as his sword. Thorin dealt the mortal blow to Azog, by allowing Azog to pierce his chest, bringing Azog close enough to impale his heart. With Azog on his back, Thorin presses Orcrist deep enough that it splits the ice beneath Azog's body. As in the novel, Orcrist is shown in the extended edition of the film to be buried with Thorin.
−
===Make===
  
  +
[[File:IMG 0531.JPG|thumb|220x220px]]
  ⚫
While it is an Elvish sword, it does not appear to glow blue (or glow at all, for that matter) when Thorin is in the presence of Orcs in the film. This reflects the fact that Glamdring did not glow in the films as well.
   
  +
==== The design and make ====
−
[[File:Orcrist-MasterReplica.jpg|thumb|Master Swordsmith Collection of Orcrist]]
  
  ⚫
[[File:Orcrist-Runes2.jpg|thumb|265px|Orcrist's runes]]
   
  ⚫
In [[Peter Jackson|Peter Jackson's]] ''[[The Hobbit film trilogy|The Hobbit]]'' films, Orcrist appears more similar in shape to [[Sting]]. Its appearance - a single-edged weapon with a somewhat curved pommel - is also somewhat reminiscent of [[Hadhafang]], the blade wielded by both [[Arwen Undómiel|Arwen]] and [[Elrond]] in [[Lord of the Rings film trilogy|''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy]]. The main difference is that Hadhafang has a curved blade, whereas Orcrist's is straighter. It is also shown to be very powerful as it is able to knock back a vicious swing from the Great Goblin with ease.
⚫
The grip is made of a large tooth capped in a metal pommel.  The pommel also displays Ecthelion's heraldry symbol, giving speculation that Orcrist was his sword. The runes running along the blade have been translated to be NAGOL E-LŶG or 'Tooth of-Snake [or Dragon]'. In the movie ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'' The sword's designers went with a single-edged blade due to its name ''Goblin Cleaver''.
  
   
  ⚫
The grip is made of a large tooth capped in a metal pommel. The pommel also displays Ecthelion's herald giving speculation that Orcrist was his sword. The runes running along the blade have been translated to be NAGOL E-LŶG or "Tooth of-Snake [or Dragon]".<ref>[[Jude Fisher]], ''The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Visual Companion''</ref> In the movie ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'', the sword's designers went with a single-edged blade due to its name ''Goblin Cleaver''. However, an early scene of old [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]] shows replicas of Orcrist and Glamdring in the background, where the Orcrist replica does have a curve on the flat edge.
−
Orcrist's spine was kept fairly straight, meaning it should also function well as a thrusting weapon. With this in mind, movie version Orcrist is surprisingly versatile, and well-suited to a dwarf.  One may presume that a stout dwarf could wield it with the force needed to cut through nearly any orc-made armor.
  
   
  +
Orcrist's spine was ultimately kept fairly straight, meaning it should function well as a thrusting weapon. Its blade is convex towards the point akin to an Hellenic [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makhaira makhaira] - making it forward-heavy and putting much more momentum into slashing attacks, as befits a ''Goblin Cleaver'', and indeed giving it reminiscent of a war axe. Thus, ironically, the movie version Orcrist is a versatile weapon well-suited to Dwarven tastes despite its Elven origin.
⚫
==References==
  
⚫
<references/>
  
   
  +
== Trivia ==
−
{{Meweapons}}
  
  +
{{Trivia}}
  +
*As a mighty sword from Gondolin, it is widely speculated that King [[Turgon]] or one of the Lords of the Gondolindrim was the wielder of Orcrist. Some possibilities are [[Egalmoth of the Heavenly Arch|Egalmoth]] (who survived the Fall of Gondolin and may have taken his sword with him) and [[Ecthelion of the Fountain]] (who died after slaying [[Gothmog (Balrog)|Gothmog]]). According to [[The Fall of Gondolin (chapter)|''The Fall of Gondolin'']], Ecthelion led a charge and killed countless Orcs with his sword,<ref>''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'', Vol. II: ''[[The Book of Lost Tales 2|The Book of Lost Tales Part Two]]'', chapter III: "[[The Fall of Gondolin (chapter)|The Fall of Gondolin]]"</ref> which may be attributed to the fact that the Orcs of Misty Mountains feared Orcrist.
  +
*Richard Armitage, who plays Thorin in "The Hobbit" trilogy, revealed that he kept the prop for Orcrist after filming ended.[[File:Orcrist-MasterReplica.jpg|thumb|Master Swordsmith collectible of Orcrist|270x270px]]
   
−
==External links==
 +
==Translations==
  +
<!--<div style="overflow:auto; height:200px;">-->
  +
{|class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" data-expandtext="Show" data-collapsetext="Hide" style="border: 1px solid #a6a6a6; width:100%; margin: 1em auto 1em auto;"
  +
| width="300" |'''Foreign Language'''
  +
| width="300" |'''Translated name'''
  +
|-
  +
|Amharic
  +
|ዖርችሪስት
  +
|-
  +
|Arabic
  +
|أوركريست
  +
|-
  +
|Belarusian Cyrillic
  +
|Орцріст
  +
|-
  +
|Bengali
  +
|ওর্চ্রিস্ত
  +
|-
  +
|Bulgarian Cyrillic
  +
|Оркист
  +
|-
  +
|Burmese
  +
|ဪရ္စ္ရိသ္တ္
  +
|-
  +
|Chinese (Hong Kong)
  +
|獸咬
  +
|-
  +
|Chinese (Mandarin)
  +
|奥克锐斯特
  +
|-
  +
|Finnish
  +
|Hiidensurma
  +
|-
  +
|Georgian
  +
|ორკრისტი
  +
|-
  +
|Greek
  +
|Όρκριστ
  +
|-
  +
|Gujarati
  +
|ઑર્ચ્રિસ્ત
  +
|-
  +
|Hebrew
  +
|אורקריסט
  +
|-
  +
|Hindi
  +
|ॐर्च्रिस्त
  +
|-
  +
|Japanese
  +
|オルクリスト
  +
|-
  +
|Kannada
  +
|ಒರ್ಕ್ರಿಸ್ತ್
  +
|-
  +
|Kazakh
  +
|Орцріст (Cyrillic) Orcrist (Latin)
  +
|-
  +
|Korean
  +
|오르크리스트
  +
|-
  +
|Kyrgyz Cyrillic
  +
|Орцрист ?
  +
|-
  +
|Macedonian Cyrillic
  +
|Орцрист
  +
|-
  +
|Marathi
  +
|ओर्च्रिस्त
  +
|-
  +
|Mongolian Cyrillic
  +
|Орцрист
  +
|-
  +
|Nepalese
  +
|ॐर्च्रिस्त
  +
|-
  +
|Pashto
  +
|ورچریست ?
  +
|-
  +
|Persian
  +
|ورچریست
  +
|-
  +
|Punjabi
  +
|ਓਰcਰਿਸ੍ਤ
  +
|-
  +
|Sanskrit
  +
|ॐर्च्रिस्त्
  +
|-
  +
|Serbian
  +
|Орцрист (Cyrillic) Orcrist (Latin)
  +
|-
  +
|Sinhalese
  +
|ඕර්ච්‍රිස්ත්
  +
|-
  +
|Slovenian
  +
|Orcrist - ''Britva''
  +
|-
  +
|Russian
  +
|Оркрист
  +
|-
  +
|Tajik Cyrillic
  +
|Орчрист
  +
|-
  +
|Tamil
  +
|ஓர்ச்ரிஸ்த்
  +
|-
  +
|Telugu
  +
|ఒర్క్రిస్ట్
  +
|-
  +
|Ukrainian Cyrillic
  +
|Орцріст
  +
|-
  +
|Urdu
  +
|اورکراسٹ
  +
|-
  +
|Uzbek
  +
|Орчрист (Cyrillic) Orchrist (Latin)
  +
|-
  +
|Vietnamese
  +
|Bổ Đôi Yêu Tinh
  +
|-
  +
|Yiddish
  +
|אָרקריסט
  +
|}
   
−
*{{TGlink|Orcrist}}
 +
{{Clear}}
  +
  +
{{Middle-earth Weapons}}
  +
  ⚫
== References ==
  ⚫
<references />
  +
  +
==External links==
 
*http://thorinoakenshield.net/2012/04/10/orcrist-the-sword-of-thorin/
  
*http://thorinoakenshield.net/2012/04/10/orcrist-the-sword-of-thorin/
   
 
[[de:Orcrist]]
  
[[de:Orcrist]]
  +
[[es:Orcrist]]
  +
[[fr:Orcrist]]
  +
[[it:Orcrist]]
 
[[pl:Orcrist]]
  
[[pl:Orcrist]]
 
[[ru:Оркрист]]
  
[[ru:Оркрист]]
  +
[[sk:Orcrist]]
  +
[[zh:獸咬劍 (Orcrist)]]
  +
  +
[[Category:Sindarin names & words]]
 
[[Category:Swords]]
  
[[Category:Swords]]
  +
[[Category:Dwarven objects]]

Latest revision as of 02:59, 26 March 2024

Orcrist (also called the Goblin-cleaver) was an Elven sword from Gondolin, the mate of Glamdring, and was possibly first owned by Ecthelion of the Fountain. Thousands of years later, it became the sword of Thorin II Oakenshield during The Quest of Erebor.

It was used by Thorin in The Hobbit, and was feared and called Biter by the Goblins.[1]

Description

Made by the Elven-smiths of old, Orcrist had a beautiful scabbard and jeweled hilt.[2] There were runes on the sword which bore its name.[3] At first glance, Gandalf identified the sword as a "good blade."[2] Like Glamdring and Sting, Orcrist glowed whenever Orcs were near.

History

During the First Age, Orcrist was forged alongside its "mate", Glamdring by Elf smiths, and might have been used by one of the Lords of the Gondolindrim in the Goblin Wars, becoming lost during the Fall of Gondolin.[1] It was described to have "killed hundreds of goblins in its time, when the fair Elves of Gondolin hunted them in the hills or did battle before their walls". The most likely wielder of the blade would have been Ecthelion of the Fountain, whose House of the Fountain slew more Orcs during Gondolin's fall than in every Orcish conflict combined.

Third Age

Orcrist was discovered with Glamdring centuries later. Thorin and Company made the discovery in the trolls' cave, with Gandalf observing the high quality of the blades. Once in Rivendell, Elrond recognized Orcrist as one from Gondolin, and Thorin promised to honor the sword.[3]

Thorin used Orcrist throughout the rest of the Quest of Erebor to slay goblins in the Goblin caves after the killing of the Great Goblin, but he lost it when he was captured by the Wood-elves of Mirkwood. Orcrist was confiscated[4] and was not returned to him until after the Battle of Five Armies. Upon his death, Thranduil returned the blade and Orcrist was placed upon Thorin's tomb under the Lonely Mountain, and it "gleamed ever in the dark if foes approached".[5]

Etymology

Orcrist means "Goblin-cleaver", from "Orc" and the Sindarin ris ("to cut").[6] It was called Biter by Orcs of the Misty Mountains.

In Quenya, Orchrist was a variation of Orcrist, from risto ("slash, rip").[7]

In adaptations

The Hobbit film trilogy

Legolas with Orcrist

Legolas wields Orcrist

In the The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Orcrist is taken by Legolas when he and a group of Elves capture Thorin's company, and it is subsequently shown being wielded by Legolas when he fights Bolg and other Orcs in defense of Lake-town.

In The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Legolas uses Orcrist to stay his father Thranduil's blade when intervening in a conflict between he and Tauriel, in Dale. He then draws Orcrist to battle Bolg once more, but ultimately sacrifices Orcrist to save Thorin's life, throwing it from afar, into the chest of the Orc who nearly killed Thorin, high up on the frozen waterfall. Thorin then retrieved the sword from the dead Orc's chest as it fell over the edge and used it in the climactic battle with Azog on the Celduin near Ravenhill. Orcrist easily held up to Azog's much larger mace as well as his sword. Thorin dealt the mortal blow to Azog, by allowing Azog to pierce his chest, bringing Azog close enough to impale his heart. With Azog on his back, Thorin presses Orcrist deep enough that it splits the ice beneath Azog's body. As in the novel, Orcrist is shown in the extended edition of the film to be buried with Thorin.

IMG 0531

While it is an Elvish sword, it does not appear to glow blue (or glow at all, for that matter) when Thorin is in the presence of Orcs in the film. This reflects the fact that Glamdring did not glow in the films as well.

The design and make

Orcrist-Runes2

Orcrist's runes

In Peter Jackson's The Hobbit films, Orcrist appears more similar in shape to Sting. Its appearance - a single-edged weapon with a somewhat curved pommel - is also somewhat reminiscent of Hadhafang, the blade wielded by both Arwen and Elrond in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. The main difference is that Hadhafang has a curved blade, whereas Orcrist's is straighter. It is also shown to be very powerful as it is able to knock back a vicious swing from the Great Goblin with ease.

The grip is made of a large tooth capped in a metal pommel. The pommel also displays Ecthelion's herald giving speculation that Orcrist was his sword. The runes running along the blade have been translated to be NAGOL E-LŶG or "Tooth of-Snake [or Dragon]".[8] In the movie The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the sword's designers went with a single-edged blade due to its name Goblin Cleaver. However, an early scene of old Bilbo shows replicas of Orcrist and Glamdring in the background, where the Orcrist replica does have a curve on the flat edge.

Orcrist's spine was ultimately kept fairly straight, meaning it should function well as a thrusting weapon. Its blade is convex towards the point akin to an Hellenic makhaira - making it forward-heavy and putting much more momentum into slashing attacks, as befits a Goblin Cleaver, and indeed giving it reminiscent of a war axe. Thus, ironically, the movie version Orcrist is a versatile weapon well-suited to Dwarven tastes despite its Elven origin.

Trivia

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles.
  • As a mighty sword from Gondolin, it is widely speculated that King Turgon or one of the Lords of the Gondolindrim was the wielder of Orcrist. Some possibilities are Egalmoth (who survived the Fall of Gondolin and may have taken his sword with him) and Ecthelion of the Fountain (who died after slaying Gothmog). According to The Fall of Gondolin, Ecthelion led a charge and killed countless Orcs with his sword,[9] which may be attributed to the fact that the Orcs of Misty Mountains feared Orcrist.
  • Richard Armitage, who plays Thorin in "The Hobbit" trilogy, revealed that he kept the prop for Orcrist after filming ended.
    Orcrist-MasterReplica

    Master Swordsmith collectible of Orcrist

Translations

Foreign Language Translated name
Amharic ዖርችሪስት
Arabic أوركريست
Belarusian Cyrillic Орцріст
Bengali ওর্চ্রিস্ত
Bulgarian Cyrillic Оркист
Burmese ဪရ္စ္ရိသ္တ္
Chinese (Hong Kong) 獸咬
Chinese (Mandarin) 奥克锐斯特
Finnish Hiidensurma
Georgian ორკრისტი
Greek Όρκριστ
Gujarati ઑર્ચ્રિસ્ત
Hebrew אורקריסט
Hindi ॐर्च्रिस्त
Japanese オルクリスト
Kannada ಒರ್ಕ್ರಿಸ್ತ್
Kazakh Орцріст (Cyrillic) Orcrist (Latin)
Korean 오르크리스트
Kyrgyz Cyrillic Орцрист ?
Macedonian Cyrillic Орцрист
Marathi ओर्च्रिस्त
Mongolian Cyrillic Орцрист
Nepalese ॐर्च्रिस्त
Pashto ورچریست ?
Persian ورچریست
Punjabi ਓਰcਰਿਸ੍ਤ
Sanskrit ॐर्च्रिस्त्
Serbian Орцрист (Cyrillic) Orcrist (Latin)
Sinhalese ඕර්ච්‍රිස්ත්
Slovenian Orcrist - Britva
Russian Оркрист
Tajik Cyrillic Орчрист
Tamil ஓர்ச்ரிஸ்த்
Telugu ఒర్క్రిస్ట్
Ukrainian Cyrillic Орцріст
Urdu اورکراسٹ
Uzbek Орчрист (Cyrillic) Orchrist (Latin)
Vietnamese Bổ Đôi Yêu Tinh
Yiddish אָרקריסט


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Hobbit, Chapter IV: "Over Hill and Under Hill"
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Hobbit, Chapter II: "Roast Mutton"
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Hobbit, Chapter III: "A Short Rest"
  4. ↑ The Hobbit, Chapter VIII: "Flies and Spiders"
  5. ↑ The Hobbit, Chapter XVIII: "The Return Journey"
  6. ↑ Parma Eldalamberon, Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
  7. ↑ The History of Middle-earth, Vol. V: The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies"
  8. ↑ Jude Fisher, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Visual Companion
  9. ↑ The History of Middle-earth, Vol. II: The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, chapter III: "The Fall of Gondolin"

External links

Deutsch Español Français Italiano Polski Русский Slovenčina 中文
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
More Fandoms