The Mysteries Unveiled: The Dark Secrets Behind Mirkwood's Fate

Highlights

Mirkwood Forest, originally known as Greenwood the Great, was corrupted by Sauron's presence in the Third Age, making it dark and inviting to those who strayed from the light.

The forest teemed with spiders and its paths had disappeared, instilling fear in those unfamiliar with it. Nevertheless, in the Fourth Age, the Elves emerged to revive and reconstruct Mirkwood.

Following the War of the Ring, Galadriel purged Dol Guldur and rejuvenated the forest's lucidity, granting it a fresh name, Eryn Lasgalen. Legolas did not linger in Mirkwood for long, opting to assist Gimli and, in due course, the Elves departed from the forest.

Mirkwood Forest has been a part of Middle-earth since the earliest days of Arda, when the Valar were creating the world. During the Second Age, Oropher, the grandfather of Legolas, chose Mirkwood as the primary home for the woodland Elves. At that time, it was known as Greenwood the Great. However, in the Third Age, when Sauron found refuge within its depths and cast his shadow over it, Men started referring to it as Mirkwood. His presence twisted the forest, making it alluring to those who strayed from the light.

Even after Sauron retreated to Mordor, Mirkwood was forever changed. It became infested with spiders, and its roads disappeared, making outsiders fearful of entering. However, during the Fourth Age, after the War of the Ring, changes began to occur in Mirkwood. The free people reclaimed their lands, and a period of rebuilding and restoration took place. The Elves eagerly returned to their ancestral home and purged it of its dark influences. Even Elves who did not originally reside in Mirkwood joined in the efforts to restore its former glory. As a result, the forest was even bestowed with a new name.

Where is Mirkwood?

Mirkwood, also known as Mirkwood the Great, is a vast and magnificent forest, renowned for its status as the largest woodland in all of Middle Earth. Stretching over 600 miles in length and 250 miles in width, it offered few clear routes of passage, except for the Old Forest Road. However, the Mirkwood Elves possessed their own concealed pathways within the forest, unknown to outsiders. The dense and shadowy nature of the forest was attributed to the closely intertwined trees, creating an atmosphere of darkness. This darkness was further intensified during the reign of Sauron, when the colossal spiders that dwelled in the expansive woodland covered the canopy with their webs, effectively obstructing sunlight from penetrating the treetops.

In addition to this, the presence of Dol Guldur, an ancient Elven fortress, contributed to the perpetual darkness shrouding the forest. Sauron, disguised as the "Necromancer," seized control of the fortress and made it his abode for many years following the downfall of Numenor. This malevolent occupancy cast a veil of shadow over the great forest, rendering it susceptible to the offspring of Shelob and other sinister creatures who seized the opportunity to corrupt the woodland realm. It is not surprising that the Mirkwood Elves possess a more aggressive demeanor, given that they reside in close proximity to these menacing creatures.

The vast woodland lay to the east of the Misty Mountains within a region called Rhovanion that extended just beyond Lothlorien - the dwelling of Galadriel - and all the way northward to the Lonely Mountain. It may come as a surprise to avid movie enthusiasts that the southernmost point of the great forest was a mere stone's throw away from Lothlorien, on the opposite side of the Anduin River. This was the same river the Fellowship embarked on after Gandalf met his demise at the Bridge of Khazad Dum. If Legolas had chosen to abandon the War of the Ring, the journey to the forest would have been comparatively short. However, actually reaching his home would have required quite a challenging trek.

What Happened to Mirkwood after LOTR?

Despite Sauron's defeat, there remained a tremendous amount of work to be done in the aftermath of the war. The years following the War of the Ring were predominantly occupied by the efforts of the free people of Middle Earth to rebuild what had been lost. The destructive impact of the war extended not only to places like Minas Tirith, which were ravaged, but also to the various forests scattered across Middle-earth. Galadriel took it upon herself to eradicate the lingering darkness that shrouded Dol Guldur, restoring the forest to its former glory. As the forest bloomed anew, reclaiming its vibrant greenery, Thranduil took the liberty of renaming it "Eryn Lasgalen," a name meaning "Wood of Greenleaves."

Thranduil generously bestowed the southernmost part of Mirkwood upon Galadriel and Celeborn, who renamed it East Lorien. The middle section of the forest was given to the Beornings and Woodsmen, while Thranduil and his people retained control over the northern region. However, the issue of the spiders infesting Mirkwood remained unresolved. When Galadriel eradicated Dol Guldur, she also purged the forest of all its foulness using the radiance of her Elven ring, Nenya. It was this luminosity that revitalized the trees, resulting in the forest's new name, as well as acknowledging Thranduil's gift.

Even though Mirkwood served as Legolas's ancestral abode, he did not spend much time there in the aftermath of the war. He briefly returned to aid in the eradication of the woodland realm's monsters, but he always remained in close proximity to his newfound comrade, Gimli. Remarkably, Legolas accompanied Gimli to Helm's Deep and assisted in the construction of a new Dwarven outpost within the Glittering Caves. Eventually, as the Elves progressively migrated to the Undying Lands in the east, Mirkwood, along with the other forests, became devoid of any trace of Elven presence.