Héra’s 10 Best Moments in LOTR: The War of the Rohirrim
J.R.R. Tolkien is heralded as one of the greatest fantasy writers of all time, and for good reason. In addition to writing some of the most beloved and inspiring stories of the twentieth century, he created an entire world with diverse populations with their own histories, languages, and cultures.
Although the tale of Helm Hammerhand, King of Rohan, is not explored at great length, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim delves deeper into the story. Its primary protagonist is Hèra, daughter of Helm Hammerhand. Her willpower, courage, and cleverness inspire both the people of Rohan and audiences alike. Here are our 10 favorite Hèra moments featured in The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.
10. Offering to the Fledgling
Audiences are first introduced to Hèra through a voiceover provided by Miranda Otto’s Éowyn. She describes Helm Hammerhand’s only daughter’s wild and bold spirit as both a source of struggle and pride for the King of Rohan. Hèra proves the representation by her distant kin true as she races across the plains on her beloved horse, following two young Great Eagles as they soar in the skies above. Perched atop the rocky terrain, she dismounts and offers the white fledgling food. Before Hèra speaks a single word, viewers recognize that the Princess of Rohan is daring and courageous.
9. Escaping Isengard
Hèra’s luck runs out in the Firien Wood when she is kidnapped by General Targg on Wulf’s orders. Her curiosity even while captured is a boon later when she recognizes Lord Thorne’s seal on a pledge. After pleading with Wulf to reconsider his plan to invade Edoras, she recognizes that the boy she grew up with is gone. With the help of her cousin Fréaláf, her brother Háma, and her guardian Olwyn, Hèra escapes capture to warn her father of Wulf’s plans.
8. Mûmakil Chase
As Héra, Fréaláf, Olwyn, and Háma ride through the plains of Rohan, they come across the corpse of an Easterling soldier. Noting the horn beside him, Hèra surmises that he was some kind of beast master in life. Her suspicions are confirmed when a rabid Mûmakil charges toward them. Fréaláf bravely charges against the beast but is not successful in taking him down. Hèra blows the horn she found on the Easterling soldier and leads the Mûmakil into the Firien Wood. Knowing she is outmatched in strength, she instead outwits the beast. She makes the daring decision to awaken an ancient, tentacled creature in the swamps at the heart of the woods. The watcher in the water prevails in the battle, ultimately saving Hèra and her loved ones.
7. Evacuating Edoras
Hèra and Olwyn stand outside of Meduseld and watch as the Rohirrim face Wulf’s invading army. Hèra feels that something does not seem right, as her brother notes Lord Thorne’s absence on the battlefield. When Lief drops the pledges from the Lords of Rohan, Hèra recognizes Lord Thorne’s seal from the pledges on Wulf’s desk. She quickly realizes that they have been betrayed, and begins the evacuation from Edoras. While her father was too stubborn to consider abandoning their capitol, Hèra recognizes that the people of Rohan are more important than buildings.
6. Defeating a Mûmakil and a Lord
As the people of Edoras escape the Dunlending invasion, Hèra does what she can to slow down the oncoming army. Hèra commands one of the gates to be ignited, knowing that the flames will slow down one of the oncoming Mûmakil. As the creature hesitates as the gates, Hèra fires a ballista at it, sending a bolt down its throat. She heads to the stables to mount her beloved horse, but the way is blocked by Lord Thorne himself. The former allies engage in combat. Hèra, with an assist from her loyal horse, comes out the victor when Lord Thorne is speared on the pitchfork Hèra wields.
5. Withstanding Great Loss
Hèra bravely faces many foes throughout War of the Rohirrim. The strength of her resolve is also demonstrated through her resilience in the face of loss. Hèra loses her her eldest brother during the attack on Edoras, her middle brother during the evacuation to the Hornburg, and her father during Wulf’s siege as he defended the causeway. She is reluctant to lead and has doubt in her ability to do so, even as her father used his last moments with her to express his total faith in her. Through the devastation of each loss, Hèra continues to hold hope and do what she can to save the people of Rohan.
4. Ascent to the Great Eagle
Hèra knows that Wulf will not call an end to the siege, even with Helm Hammerhand dead. Hèra knows that they will not be able to call for aid by sending anyone out on foot. Wearing climbing gear, Héra makes the harrowing ascent up the bluffs of the White Mountains, contending with perilous heights, blustering winds, and frigid cold. She finally reaches her destination and finds the white fledgling she had met years before all grown up. She beseeches him for aid, telling him that her people need help. Her efforts are rewarded when the Great Eagle soars away with the pack she prepared for it in tow.
3. The Power of Hope and Fear
Hèra understands the importance of a symbol, and knows that her father’s armor is a powerful one. She understands that such a symbol strikes fear in the hearts of foes as well as hope in the hearts of her people. By sending the armor of her father to her cousin Fréaláf, she knows that she will get both the aid the Rohirrim need to break the siege as well as the hope and fear they require to turn the tides of the war. As Fréaláf and his army are seen in the distance, Wulf’s army flees in terror, believing that Helm Hammerhand has returned. Seeing an army of Rohirrim riders on the horizon and the Dunlending army dispersing, the people of Rohan know that they are saved at last.
2. Facing Wulf
The War of the Rohirrim began with a rejected marriage proposal. Hèra knows that she has to buy the people of Rohan time to escape into the mountain pass and for Fréaláf to possibly arrive. She also understands that she will need to outsmart Wulf and emotionally trigger him to give them time. She dresses in a bridal gown and when the siege tower finally falls on the walls of the Hornburg, she rides down it to meet Wulf.
There, she challenges him to one-on-one combat, knowing that he is too proud to refuse. She faces him with his entire army at his back, unsure if he will honor their agreement and unsure of what her fate will be. She embodies everything it means to be a shieldmaiden of Rohan as she takes up arms to defend Rohan when all of the warriors in her family have fallen. Despite Wulf’s attempts to fight with dishonor, Hèra defeats him as Fréaláf’s army drives the Dunlending army away from Helm’s Deep.
1. Refusing the Crown
With Wulf and his army defeated, the people of Rohan return to the ruins of Edoras. There, they begin the process of rebuilding. With the deaths of Helm Hammerhand, along with his two sons Haleth and Háma, Hèra is the last remaining royal descendent of Rohan. Fréaláf, as nephew of the king, ultimately takes up the throne. As Hèra prepares to depart Edoras, he notes that it should have been her who took up her father’s place.
Hèra tells him that she never wanted a crown, but that she will always answer his call if he ever needs her. Hèra tells Olwyn that she intends to meet up with a wizard known as Gandalf, among many other names. Her greatest act of courage was to remain true to her wild and untamable nature. Viewers last see Hèra as she races across the plains atop her horse, away from the renown her family name would give her and toward adventure.
War of the Rohirrim builds upon Tolkien’s lore, expanding the history of Rohan while enriching and honoring the culture of its people. Hèra is only referred to as an unnamed daughter of Helm Hammerhand in Tolkien’s writings, and this is a fact that The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim does not gloss over.
In her voiceover, Éowyn acknowledges that you won’t find Hèra’s name in any songs or great tales. War of the Rohirrim gives audiences a chance to get to know a character that was just a footnote despite the signifanct hero she is. Hèra’s resolve and strength are on display at every turn and embody all that Rohan stands for and values.
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