Rangers of The North - Portrayal in Adaptations

Portrayal in Adaptations

The Rangers of the North are virtually omitted in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, save for a few mentions in the extended cuts. Even "Arnor" is never mentioned, except for one line in the extended edition of The Two Towers when Aragorn explains to Éowyn that he is a "Dunedain Ranger" though there are not many of them left because "the North-kingdom was destroyed". Here they are called "Dúnedain Rangers", possibly to distinguish them from the Rangers of Ithilien. However, Tolkien calls both groups Dúnedain (men of the west).

The terminology and distinction made in Jackson's films have made its way into some of its merchandise, like the computer and video games by Electronic Arts. In one of these, The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age, there is an original Ranger character called Elegost. In another, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II, "Dúnedain Rangers" are playable units, but they are like the Ithilien Rangers. Halbarad is featured in The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game and, together with his fellow Rangers, in The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game.

The role of the Rangers of the North has been greatly expanded in The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, which includes numerous Dúnedain spread across the remnants of Arnor and features several prominent Rangers (including some created expressly for the game) as key characters in the first volume of its epic story. In the game, Dúnedain have at least two major permanent settlements: Esteldin near the ruins of Fornost and Tinnundir at the shores of the lake Evendim, near Annúminas. When the Grey Company sets out to ride south, it consists almost entirely of named Rangers with whom players have already interacted before (in the Book, Halbarad, Elladan and Elrohir are the only named members).