The Arrival of the Eagles

The Arrival of the Eagles marks the decisive turning point in the Battle of the Black Gate, the last military engagement of the War of the Ring. As the Captains of the West stood beleaguered on the Slag-hills, surrounded by the overwhelming hosts of Mordor and overshadowed by the Nazgûl, a sudden intervention from the sky shattered the enemy's momentum and announced the fulfillment of the Ring-bearer's quest.

The Desperate Hour

By the time the Eagles appeared, the army of the West—fewer than six thousand men—had been drawn into Sauron's trap. The Black Gate had opened, and from it poured a vast host of Easterlings, Orcs, and hill-trolls, while the Nazgûl circled above, their cold voices crying words of death. The Captains had made their stand on two hills of blasted stone, with the banner of the Tree and Stars raised on one and the banners of Rohan and Dol Amroth on the other. All hope seemed quenched. Pippin, crushed under a fallen troll, felt his mind winging away into forgetfulness, believing his tale ended.

The Eagles Descend

At that moment, Gandalf stirred. He had been standing white and cold upon the hill-top, no shadow falling on him, when suddenly, as if some vision had been granted to his eyes, he turned and looked back north where the skies were pale and clear. He lifted up his hands and cried in a loud voice ringing above the din: "The Eagles are coming!" Many voices answered, crying: "The Eagles are coming! The Eagles are coming!" The hosts of Mordor looked up and wondered what this sign might mean.

Gwaihir the Windlord came, and Landroval his brother, greatest of all the Eagles of the North, mightiest of the descendants of old Thorondor, who built his eyries in the inaccessible peaks of the Encircling Mountains when Middle-earth was young. Behind them in long swift lines came all their vassals from the northern mountains, speeding on a gathering wind. Straight down upon the Nazgûl they bore, stooping suddenly out of the high airs, and the rush of their wide wings as they passed over was like a gale.

The Rout of Mordor

The Nazgûl turned and fled, vanishing into Mordor's shadows, hearing a sudden terrible call out of the Dark Tower. At that same moment, all the hosts of Mordor trembled. Doubt clutched their hearts, their laughter failed, their hands shook and their limbs were loosed. The Power that drove them on and filled them with hate and fury was wavering; its will was removed from them. Looking into the eyes of their enemies, they saw a deadly light and were afraid.

Then all the Captains of the West cried aloud, for their hearts were filled with a new hope in the midst of darkness. Out from the beleaguered hills, knights of Gondor, Riders of Rohan, and Dúnedain of the North drove against their wavering foes, piercing the press with the thrust of bitter spears. But Gandalf lifted up his arms and called once more in a clear voice: "Stand, Men of the West! Stand and wait! This is the hour of doom."

The Fall of Sauron

Even as he spoke, the earth rocked beneath their feet. Rising swiftly up, far above the Towers of the Black Gate, high above the mountains, a vast soaring darkness sprang into the sky, flickering with fire. The earth groaned and quaked. The Towers of the Teeth swayed, tottered, and fell down; the mighty rampart crumbled; the Black Gate was hurled in ruin. From far away came a drumming rumble, a roar, a long echoing roll of ruinous noise.

"The realm of Sauron is ended!" said Gandalf. "The Ring-bearer has fulfilled his Quest." As the Captains gazed south to the Land of Mordor, it seemed to them that, black against the pall of cloud, there rose a huge shape of shadow, impenetrable, lightning-crowned, filling all the sky. Enormous it reared above the world, and stretched out towards them a vast threatening hand, terrible but impotent—for even as it leaned over them, a great wind took it, and it was all blown away, and passed. Then a hush fell.

The Aftermath

The Captains bowed their heads. When they looked up again, their enemies were flying and the power of Mordor was scattering like dust in the wind. The creatures of Sauron—orc, troll, or beast spell-enslaved—ran hither and thither mindless; some slew themselves, some cast themselves in pits, some fled wailing back to hide in holes and dark lightless places far from hope. The Men of Rhûn and of Harad, Easterling and Southron, saw the ruin of their war and the great majesty and glory of the Captains of the West. The most part fled eastward as they could; some cast their weapons down and sued for mercy.

Then Gandalf, leaving all such matters of battle and command to Aragorn and the other lords, stood upon the hill-top and called. Down to him came the great eagle Gwaihir the Windlord and stood before him. "Twice you have borne me, Gwaihir my friend," said Gandalf. "Thrice shall pay for all, if you are willing. You will not find me a burden much greater than when you bore me from Zirakzigil, where my old life burned away." Gwaihir answered: "I would bear you, whither you will, even were you made of stone." Then Gandalf bade him and his brother Landroval and the swift young eagle Meneldor come with him, for they had need of speed greater than any wind, outmatching the wings of the Nazgûl. Gwaihir lifted up Gandalf and sped away south, and with him went Landroval and Meneldor, passing over Udûn and Gorgoroth, seeing all the land in ruin and tumult beneath them, and before them Mount Doom blazing, pouring out its fire.

The Rescue of the Ring-bearers

It was Gwaihir who, with his keen far-seeing eyes, saw Frodo and Sam as they lay upon a low ashen hill at the Mountain's foot, hand in hand, worn out and surrounded by rivers of fire. Down he swooped, and down came Landroval and Meneldor the swift. In a dream, not knowing what fate had befallen them, the wanderers were lifted up and borne far away out of the darkness and the fire, to the land of Ithilien and the keeping of the King.