Grishnákh

> "*Fine leadership! I hope the great Uglúk will lead us out again.*"
> ― Grishnákh mocking Uglúk, *The Two Towers*, "The Uruk-hai"
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**Grishnákh** was an Orc captain from Barad-dûr in the service of Sauron in the Third Age, who led a host of Mordor Orcs to join Saruman's Uruk-hai soldiers who were taking Merry and Pippin across the plain of Rohan to Isengard, in *The Two Towers*.

Grishnákh is described in the book as "*a short crook-legged creature, very broad and with long arms that hung almost to the ground*" and as having a voice that was soft but evil-sounding.

## History

> "*You're late! Our master has grown impatient. He wants the Shire rats now!*"
> ― Grishnákh to the Uruk-hai scouts, *The Two Towers* film
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Grishnákh's plans for the two captives, Merry and Pippin, were in conflict with Uglúk's orders to deliver them to Saruman unharmed. Grishnákh wanted to take them northward to the east-bank of the Great River where a Nazgûl atop a Fell beast would take them to Barad-dûr. After Uglúk refused his plan, Grishnákh slipped away while the Orcs and Uruk-hai argued amongst each other. Grishnákh soon returned with other Orcs like himself, Orcs with drooping arms and shields with the red eye painted on them.

Grishnákh was somehow aware of the existence of the One Ring (having been implied to have participated in the torture of Gollum), and suspected the two Hobbits of possessing it. When the Orcs holding the two Hobbits were attacked by the banished Éomer's Rohirrim, Grishnákh used the distraction to search the Hobbits for the Ring. Pippin tried to negotiate with Grishnákh, asking for himself and Merry to be freed in exchange for information about the Ring, but instead Grishnákh tried to carry them away. When it seemed a Rohirrim rider had discovered him, Grishnákh drew his sword to kill the Hobbits lest they be rescued or escape, but before he could act he was shot in the hand by a Rohirrim arrow and dropped the sword, at which point he tried to run but was ridden down and run through with a Rohirrim spear.

## Portrayal in adaptations

### Peter Jackson's The Two Towers

> "*What about their legs? They don't need those. Oh, they look tasty!*"
> ― Grishnákh about eating the hobbits - *The Two Towers* film
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In *The Two Towers*, Grishnákh is played by Stephen Ure and is an Orc captain sent by Lord Sauron to escort the Uruk-hai scouts with their captives to Isengard (Saruman is portrayed as a loyal servant to the Dark Lord instead of a threacherous ally).

He has more screen time in the Extended Edition, which shows Grishnákh and his Orc war-band meeting with the Uruk-hai. He and Uglúk briefly argue before Lugdush smells "Man-flesh". When the Uruk-hai and the Orcs soon begin arguing amongst themselves over lack of food to eat, Grishnákh is vexed by Uglúk's insistence that the captive Hobbits not be killed or maimed. While it unknown if he knew of Uglúk's mission, Grishnákh attempts to kill the captive Hobbits before he is hit by a Rohirrim rider's spear. Though he survives to chase Merry and Pippin into Fangorn Forest, Grishnákh is crushed to death by Treebeard stepping on him.

Though he and his group were sent by Sauron from Mordor in the book, they wear the same attire as Saruman's Warg riders.

### Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings

In Ralph Bakshi's *The Lord of the Rings,* all Orcs are from Moria and have been hunting the Fellowship of the Ring to avenge their dead chieftain.

Grishnákh was part of Uglúk's horde of Orcs that had captured Merry and Pippin at Amon Hen. He often quarreled with Uglúk about taking the hobbits to Mordor and not Isengard, for Sauron did not fully trust Saruman. He even fought with him for a draught. When the band is forced to battle the Men pursuing them at the eaves of Fangorn Forest, Uglúk leaves him in charge of guarding the captives. Grishnákh however takes them far from the fight and tries to find the One Ring so he can take it back to Sauron. When the hobbits mimick Gollum and try convince him to cut their bounds so they can give the object to him, he loses his patience and threatens to kill them if they do not reveal the Ring's whereabouts. Before he can even try to finish them off, a Rohirrim Rider shoots him with an arrow and the orc falls dead to the ground.

## Appearances

* *The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers*
* *The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers* (film)