The Fate of Orcs After the Downfall of Sauron in Lord of the Rings

The Orcs, while not the most fearsome followers of the Dark Lord Sauron, were undoubtedly his largest army. The Silmarillion tells of how the first Dark Lord, Morgoth, corrupted and deformed Elves in mockery, creating the first Orcs as his "vilest deed". These creatures were bred in their thousands to serve Morgoth and later, Sauron, forming the backbone of his army and fighting his battles in Middle-earth. Over time, even stronger breeds of Orcs emerged, such as the Uruk-hai and Black Uruks. However, with Sauron's defeat in the War of the Ring, the fate of this cruel and sadistic army remains unknown.

How Was Sauron Defeated?

Sauron, a Maia like Gandalf the Grey, was not capable of perishing like mortal beings in Middle-earth. Unlike Gandalf, he did not return as a new form after his final defeat, as his fate was bound to the One Ring. He continued to exist in some form or another as long as the Ring remained intact. This was evident during the Second Age when Sauron deceived the Elves into creating the Rings of Power while secretly forging the One Ring to rule them all. The Elves eventually learned of his deception and removed their rings, leading to the War of the Elves and Sauron. Though Sauron conquered much of Middle-earth, he ultimately faced defeat in the Battle of the Gwathló. After rebuilding his strength, he faced the Elves and Men united in the War of the Last Alliance, during which Isildur cut the Ring from Sauron's finger, reducing him to a non-corporeal state. Despite his weakened state, he still existed as Isildur kept the Ring instead of destroying it in Mount Doom. The Ring was eventually lost in the Gladden Fields for around 2000 years.

After spending a millennium in hiding, Sauron emerged in 2951 with a renewed determination to prepare for his ultimate battle. It was only later, thanks to Gollum, that he discovered the One Ring was in the possession of a certain Baggins. Meanwhile, Frodo Baggins, the current Ring-bearer, was struggling to find a way to reach Mount Doom undetected by Sauron. Gandalf's solution was to distract the Dark Lord by leading the Army of the West to the Black Gate, successfully allowing Frodo and Samwise Gamgee to make their way to the Cracks of Doom unnoticed. Sauron realized his mistake too late, and by the time he sent the Nazgûl to retrieve the Ring, it was already destroyed. With his physical form permanently lost and his spirit powerless, Sauron's reign of terror came to an end.

What Happened to the Orcs After the War of the One Ring?

After the fall of Barad-dûr and Sauron's defeat, the fate of the Orcs is left uncertain. The film depicts them fleeing or being swallowed up by the ground, but it is more likely that they scattered in terror across Middle-earth. Any remaining Orcs in Mordor were killed by Aragorn and his army, and it can be assumed that those in the Lonely Mountain also escaped. While J.R.R. Tolkien does not mention surviving Orcs in the Fourth Age, it is probable that they were hunted down by other species, particularly Men. Additionally, the absence of female Orcs raises questions about their ability to continue as a species.