After the War of One Ring: The Fate of Middle-earth's Forgotten Legends

As one of the oldest races in Middle-earth, the Ents have become almost a forgotten legend in The Lord of the Rings. They are introduced when Merry and Pippin, two hobbits, attempt to flee from the Orc Grishnákh by climbing up what they believe to be a tree. However, it is revealed to be Treebeard, “the oldest living thing that still walks beneath the Sun upon this Middle-earth”. It is said that J. R. R. Tolkien created the Ents as a response to his disappointment with “the shabby use made in Shakespeare of the coming of Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill”. He wanted to create a setting where “the trees might really march to war”.

Tolkien achieved just that: the Ents’ triumph over the Dark Lord Sauron is not only critical to the plot, but also a victory against the environmental disruption in Tolkien’s idealistic world. However, what fate befell these sentient beings?

Little is known about the history of the Ents except for their role as the protectors of trees. According to the “Music of the Ainur,” Yavanna, the “lover of all things that grow in the earth,” feared for the trees’ safety upon the creation of the Dwarves. She went to Manwë, “the lord of the realm of Arda,” and pleaded for the trees’ protection. Manwë granted her request, and thus, the Ents, the ‘Shepherds of the Trees,’ came into existence.

The Ents’ appearance varies depending on the trees they safeguard. Treebeard boasts to Merry and Pippin that the Ents are more powerful than Trolls, who were created by Morgoth to mimic them. The Ents’ strength allows them to crush rocks and stones with ease, as if they were mere bread crusts. They have protected the forests from all threats, notably the Dwarves during the Battle of Sarn Athrad at the end of the First Age. Their intelligence also grows over time, especially when taught how to speak by the Elves, “curing the Ents of their dumbness.” When making decisions or taking action, the Ents are patient and cautious.

The Entwives were originally devoted to Yavanna, while the male Ents were loyal to Oromë, the Lord of Forests. However, as time passed, the Entwives grew apart from their male counterparts, as they preferred to plant and have control over their gardens. On the other hand, the male Ents preferred to tend to larger forests and did not take any initiative themselves. The Entwives eventually moved away to the Brown Lands across the Great River Anduin, where they would still occasionally receive visits from the Ents.

During the Second Age, the Númenóreans cut down many of the dense forests, and many were also destroyed during the War of the Elves and Sauron. Unfortunately, it is believed that the Entwives’ gardens were also destroyed during this time, leading to their disappearance. The Ents searched for their lost counterparts, chanting their beautiful names, but to no avail.

In The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Treebeard asks the Hobbits to let him know if they “hear any news” about the Entwives “in your land”. J.R.R. Tolkien wrote in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien that “the Entwives have disappeared for good, being destroyed with their gardens in the War of the Last Alliance… some may have fled east, or even have become enslaved…”

Over time, the number of Ents dwindled, and by the end of the Third Age, the Forest of Fangorn was the only place where they could be found.

When Merry and Pippin sought the help of the Ents in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, they were initially met with reluctance as the Ents believed it was "not our war". However, Treebeard agreed to guide them towards the south. Upon reaching the edge of the forest, Treebeard witnessed the devastation caused by Saruman and the Orcs on the trees, which enraged him. He called for an Entmoot, which lasted for three days, and together they made the decision to retaliate against Isengard by destroying it. The Ents succeeded in demolishing the dams and flooding the place, and they also played a vital role in the Battle of Helm's Deep by ambushing an army of Orcs sent to take over Rohan.

After the war ended, King Aragorn promised the Ents that they could thrive again and continue their search for the Entwives. He also gifted them land in the Misty Mountains, which became known as the Watchwood and the Treegarth of Orthanc.

However, Treebeard's perspective is that the forests may continue to grow and spread, but the Ents themselves are likely to remain in the Forest of Fangorn until their numbers dwindle or they become more similar to trees: "Sheep become like their shepherds, and shepherds become like their sheep... But with trees and Ents, it happens more quickly and closely."

In Galadriel's farewell to Treebeard, she reveals that she will not see him again "in Middle-earth, nor until the lands that lie under the wave are lifted again. Then in the willow-meads of Nan-tathren, we may meet in the spring." This hints at the possibility of the Ents being revived once the lands of Beleriand are recovered from the depths of the sea.

What is the Significance of the Ents in LOTR?

The Lord of the Rings portrays the prevalent theme of environmental destruction, which was a consequence of industrialization during Tolkien's time. The ambitions of imperialist parties led to an increasing number of wastelands, and this is reflected in Tolkien's depiction of the polluted and deserted lands of Isengard and Mordor. In The Council of Elrond, Elrond mourns the loss of the environment's beauty, stating that "time was once when a squirrel could carry a nut from tree to tree from Rivendell to the Great Sea."

Like Tolkien, the Ents also suffered due to the changes brought about by war. Treebeard laments the destruction of the Forest of Fangorn, which was once a part of a much larger forest. The Orcs cut down the trees and leave them to rot, or they are hewn up and carried off to feed the fires of Orthanc. Smoke always rises from Isengard, and Treebeard is the only one who cares for the woods as he does.

The victory of the Ents over Saruman, the notorious destroyer of trees, and their deep connection with the natural world serve as a source of inspiration for those seeking to combat the destructive influence of industrialization. However, Treebeard's foreboding words upon being granted vast lands in exchange for their aid in the war suggest that the idyllic existence of the past, with its pristine and untainted landscapes, may never be fully restored.