10 Most Well-Known Orcs in the Lord of the Rings Franchise, Ranked

By Jordan Iacobucci

Published Oct 15, 2024

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The Lord of the Rings is the most popular fantasy franchise of all time for its loving endeavor into the lives and cultures of many fantastical creatures, including Hobbits, Elves, and Dwarves. However, one of the races of Middle-earth that is pictured in a very different light is the Orcs, the fighting army that Sauron and Saruman use to spread darkness throughout the world.

Orcs are selfish and sadistic brutes created by Melkor (Morgoth) in the First Age by corrupting Elves into dark and twisted versions of their former selves. Ever since their creation, the Orcs have served whichever dark lord has arisen to take Morgoth’s place. During that time, several Orcs have risen in infamy.

10Glûg Pledged the Orcs’ Allegiance to Sauron

Glûg Murdered Adar at the Order of Sauron

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Glûg was a member of Adar’s band of Uruk-hai during the Second Age of Middle-earth. He was one of the most trusted commanders of the army but began doubting Adar’s command during the Siege of Eregion. Feeling betrayed by his leader’s relentless obsession with killing Sauron, Glûg betrayed Adar, stabbing him to death and pledging the Orcs’ fealty to the dark lord. Unfortunately for him, Sauron killed Glûg shortly thereafter, revealing that he would be a much harsher master than Adar.

Robert Strange plays Glûg in The Rings of Power.

Although history does not remember Glûg’s name, he had a profound effect on every Orc that came after him. It was Glûg who pledged the Orcs’ allegiance to Sauron, sealing their fate as the dark lord’s pawn for the wars to come. There is no telling whether the Orcs might have fared differently had they remained with Adar, but under Sauron, they were doomed from the very beginning.

9Shagrat Fought Fiercely During the War of the Ring

Shagrat Defended Cirith Ungol During the War of the Ring

Shagrat was one of the Uruk commanders who served Sauron during the War of the Ring. Stationed at the Tower of Cirith Ungol, he and one of his companions discovered Frodo after he had been poisoned by Shelob. He brought the Hobbit back to the tower to be interrogated and eventually brought Frodo’s possessions to Sauron at Barad-dûr, where he was killed by the dark lord.

Peter Tait played Shagrat in The Return of the King.

Despite his relatively small role in The Lord of the Rings, Shagrat could have changed the outcome of the war. Had he been more alert and less focused on obtaining a shiny mithril coat, he might have discovered Frodo’s companion, Samwise Gamgee, hiding out with the One Ring. Instead, he let the Hobbits slip through his fingers–and paid the price.

8Gorbag Was a Slippery Servant of the Nazgul

Gorbag Served at Cirith Ungol During the War of the Ring

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Gorbag was one of the Orcs left to defend the Tower of Cirith Ungol in the last days of the War of the Ring. As a servant of the Witch-king of Angmar, Gorbag led a faction of Orcs during the events of Return of the King. Together with Shagrat, Gorbag discovered the paralyzed Frodo Baggins and brought him back to their tower. In the films, he is killed by Samwise Gamgee during his rescue mission, though the books describe his death at the hands of his companion Shagrat.

Stephen Ure plays Gorbag in Return of the King.

Gorbag is yet another Orc who could have changed the entire course of the war had he done his duty more diligently. The Hobbits and the One Ring were in his grasp, yet he failed to stop them from slipping away. In the end, Sauron’s defeat and the near-extinction of the Orcs were at least in part on Gorbag’s shoulders.

7Guritz Was an Orc Created Specifically for the Movies

Guritz Participated in the Siege of Minas Tirith

Guritz was an Orc who fought under Gothmog during the Siege of Minas Tirith and later in the Battle of Pelennor Fields. Voiced by Craig Parker, who also played Haldir, Guritz was eventually trampled and killed when Aragorn led the army of ghostly Oath-breakers onto the field of battle.

Craig Parker voiced Guritz in Return of the King. Joel Tobeck provided the character’s physical appearance.

Guritz was distinctive for his strange headdress, which included a skull placed adopt his cranium. A unique-looking Orc, fans may remember his appearance more than his name. While he didn’t make any major moves during his scene, he does stand out as one of the more memorable Orcs in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

6Grishnákh Is Prominent in The Two Towers

Grishnákh Helped Usher Merry and Pippin Toward Isengard

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Grishnákh was an Orc who was tasked with ushering the Hobbits Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrine Took to Isengard. However, he grew distracted by the idea of eating them instead, allowing them to slip away while Grishnákh and the Orcs fought over them. When Grishnákh caught up to them, he was swiftly executed by the Ent known as Treebeard.

Stephen Ure played Grishnákh in The Two Towers.

Grishnákh is fondly remembered by Lord of the Rings fans for his small scenes in The Two Towers. In particular, he is immortalized as the Orc who declares that “meat’s back on the menu” as he decides to eat Merry and Pippin. He also happens to be one of the more grotesque Orcs in the franchise, searing his visage into viewer’s minds–whether they want it there or not.

5Bolg Was a Particularly Dangerous Lieutenant of Azog

Bolg Was a High-Ranking Commander During the Battle of the Five Armies

Bolg was a commander serving under Azog the Defiler in the Third Age of Middle-earth. Appearing in the events of the Hobbit trilogy, Bolg seemed to have a particular hatred for Dwarves. The Orc leads the armies from Gundabad during the Battle of the Five Armies but is killed by the Elf Legolas in the conflict.

Lawrence Makoare plays Bolg in The Hobbit.

Next to Azog, Bolg is the most distinctive Orc in The Hobbit. He has a particularly menacing look about him, aided greatly by the massive scar covering his face. He was also incredibly dangerous, cutting through his enemies like paper. Of course, he was no match for Legolas, who managed to defeat him after an admirable but ultimately one-sided fight.

4Lurtz Led a Squad of Uruk-hai Leading Up to the War of the Ring

Lurtz Murdered Boromir in The Fellowship of the Ring

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Lurtz was one of the first commanders of Saruman’s fighting Uruk-hai during the War of the Ring. Lurtz and his soldiers pursued the Fellowship of the Ring as they sailed down the Anduin, eventually catching up with them. During the ensuing battle, Boromir is mortally wounded and, as Lurtz prepares to deal the final blow, he is beheaded by Aragorn.

Lawrence Makoare played Lurtz in The Fellowship of the Ring.

Although Lurtz was not in J.R.R. Tolkien’s original books, he is one of the most infamous Orcs in the Lord of the Rings movies. Though he may not have landed the final blow, he is nonetheless responsible for the tragic death of Boromir. Because of Lurtz, the Fellowship of the Ring would never be fully united again, always missing one member who fell too soon.

3Azog the Defiler Was Infamous for His Cruelty

Azog Had a Blood Feud With Thorin Oakenshield

Azog the Defiler was a fearsome white Orc who fostered a fierce rivalry with Thorin Oakenshield after their first meeting during the Battle of Moria. Azog pursued Thorin’s Company as they set about their mission to the Lonely Mountain, eventually getting his rematch with the Dwarven king during the Battle of the Five Armies. Both Azog and Thorin were killed in their final battle, ending their rivalry for good.

Manu Bennett played Azog the Defiler in The Hobbit.

Azog is one of the most imposing Orcs in the entire franchise, as well as the most unique. Sporting pale white skin and missing an army, he is distinctive among his kind. Furthermore, he is one of the most physically terrifying enemies in the series, making him a truly great villain. His rivalry with Thorin proves to be a highlight of the Hobbit trilogy, ending in the destruction of the kingly line of Erebor.

Gothmog Was One of the Highest-Ranking Orc Generals

Gothmog Led the Siege Against Minas Tirith in Return of the King

Gothmog was an Orc general who led the Siege of Minas Tirith until the arrival of the Witch-king of Angmar. He held strong against what little defense the city put up but was still unable to conquer Minas Tirith for his master. Gothmog eventually perished when Aragorn and Gimli attacked him during the Battle of Pelennor Fields.

Lawrence Makoare provided the physical character of Gothmog. Craig Parker provided Gothmog’s voice in Return of the King​​​​.

Gothmog is the most recognizable Orc from Return of the King, particularly due to his deformed face, which is rumored among Lord of the Rings fans to be modeled after infamous New Line Cinema producer Harvey Weinstein. The character is the face of the Siege of Minas Tirith and nearly succeeded in bringing down the age of Men once and for all.

Adar Was Considered the Father of the Orcs

Adar Was One of the First Elves to Be Corrupted Into an Orc

Adar is considered to be the “father” of the Uruk during the Second Age of Middle-earth. One of the first Elves to have been corrupted by Melkor, Adar became the de facto leader of the Uruk, promising to look after them after the War of Wrath. However, he was betrayed and killed by his followers after the Siege of Eregion, leading the Orcs to pledge their allegiance to Sauron.

Joseph Mawle portrayed Adar in Season 1 of The Rings of Power but was recast with Sam Hazeldine for Season 2.

Though not canon in Tolkien’s legendarium, Adar is the most important Orc in the franchise. The character was surprisingly complex for a Uruk, genuinely caring for his people in a way that is rarely shown among Lord of the Rings villains. Nevertheless, he failed to preserve the future of his people, who would eventually perish after fighting for Sauron in the Third Age.