One of the most integral themes underlying Lord of the Rings is the potential of small, unassuming, underestimated figures. No one would have picked Frodo Baggins as the hero destined to drop the Ring into Mount Doom, but he shocks the world and himself by getting the job done. Middle-earth is full of characters that defy expectations and do the impossible. Huan may appear to be a typical massive wolfhound, but he also once fought Sauron and won.
The Silmarillion remains a point of contention for many fantasy fans. Lord of the Rings has countless fans, many of whom started their journey with Peter Jackson’s excellent film adaptations. When those fans want to dive deeper into Tolkien’s legendarium, they often hit a wall. While The Silmarillion won’t be most people’s favorite Tolkien novel, it has several compelling stories buried within its endless detail.
Who is Huan?
Huan was a massive wolfdog. His appearance varies based on who is depicting him. Some see him as an Irish Wolfhound with the appropriate floppy ears and rough fur. Others picture a more traditional wolf. Either way, Huan is roughly the size of a horse. He was born in Valinor, the Undying Lands of the Valar, where Elves frolic forever after their traditional life in Middle-earth. Oromë, the mighty Valar hunter, took Huan as his hound. Oromë taught his people and animals the art of tracking and eliminating evil beasts. He named Huan, translated to “great dog, hound,” and hunted alongside him. After unknown years, Oromë gave Huan as a gift to Celegorm the Fair. Celegorm was the third son of Fëanor, High King of the Ñoldor. He and his brothers dedicated themselves to retrieving and protecting the SIlmarils after Morgoth stole them. Tragically, the oath they swore led to untold evil across Middle-earth.
Celegorm and Huan initially devoted themselves to their cause, making righteous war against Morgoth’s forces. Unfortunately, they suffered tremendous losses after Morgoth led a surprise strike called the Battle of the Sudden Flame. The Elves and their leaders traveled south, settling in an underground fortress called Nargothrond. Celegorm became obsessed with drawing power through any means, eventually deciding a strategic marriage would strengthen his hand. He selected the Elf maiden Lúthien, Princess of Doriath. Lúthien was already in love with a mortal man named Beren. Huan found Lúthien on a hunt while the maiden traveled to save her love. He captured her and dragged her before Celegorm, who imprisoned her in Nargothrond. Huan felt regret for his actions and pity for Lúthien. For the first time, Huan spoke. He guided Lúthien to a secret exit and left Celegorm’s service to stay by her side. He grew from a burgeoning tyrant’s hunting dog to a player in one of Middle-earth’s greatest love stories.
What happened to Huan?
Huan guided Lúthien to Tol-in-Gaurhoth, where they found Beren in Sauron’s custody. Huan led the attack to free Beren. Empowered by Lúthien’s magic, Huan attacked Sauron’s werewolves. Despite the name, Sauron’s werewolves weren’t lycanthropes, only large, dangerous wolves. Huan slaughtered the Dark Lord’s werewolves, eventually drawing the attention of Sauron himself. Sauron used his dark magic to take the form of a heinous hound, far larger and more deadly than Huan. Despite his form, Huan defeated and incapacitated Sauron. Humiliated and facing the fangs at his throat, Sauron transformed again, using a bat’s wings to fly away. Huan briefly returned to Celegorm, but when his former master tried to kill Lúthien, he attacked him and let his new friends escape. Huan then spoke for the second time, saying:
You can turn from your fate and lead her into exile, seeking peace in vain while your life lasts. But if you will not deny your doom, then either Lúthien, being forsaken, must assuredly die alone, or she must with you challenge the fate that lies before you- hopeless, yet not certain…
With that philosophical advice, Huan also unpacked his plan to infiltrate Sauron’s base. He took the skin of two of Sauron’s underlings, allowing Beren and Lúthien to sneak into Angband. Huan remained in the woods, hunting evil creatures. Beren and Lúthien succeeded, stealing a Silmaril from the Dark Lord so that Beren could marry Lúthien with her father’s blessing. Beren lost a hand in the battle, leading him to recruit Huan to hunt down the werewolf who stole it. Huan and Beren slayed the werewolf, but Huan suffered a mortal wound. He spoke for the third and final time to wish Lúthien farewell before he passed on.
The story of Huan is important to a narrative that has nothing to do with the main War for the Ring. He’s a side character in a love story the Fellowship members might share around the fire. Though his tale is short, it’s an epic quest buried in deep lore. Huan was the wolfdog that helped the Elven princess marry her mortal love and the canine that defeated Sauron. Don’t expect him to get his own movie, as excellent as that idea would be.
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