Epic fantasy author John A. Douglas trashed the origin of Hera that Warner Bros. is using in The Lord of the Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim.
A still from The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024), Warner Bros. Pictures
A companion book for the film was released and provides an origin for Hera, an original character for the film who is also its main protagonist. The origin states, “At just 19 summers, Hera is the youngest of Helm Hammerhand’s three children, and the only girl. As the daughter of a noble line, she is a valuable pawn in the game of kingmaking and of building alliances, and seems destined for life as the wife of a Gondorian princeling, whose children will know nothing of Rohan’s ways.”
It continues, “Born under a harvest moon, her life was all too soon marked by tragedy when her mother died in childbirth. The princess was raised alongside her two brothers by a warrior king and could ride before she could walk, becoming one of the fastest riders in the kingdom. As a young girl she became friends with Wulf, the son of Lord Freca of the West-march; the two often played at fighting, teasing and laughing with each other. Hera is now a young woman and skilled with a sword.”
“Wild, adventurous and carefree, Hera knows her own mind and will not allow her life to be planned for her, whatever the reason. She is more likely to be found wearing riding clothes, though when summoned to attend her father’s councils in Meduseld she will be persuaded into a long gown with ribbons to tie back her unruly long red hair,” it concludes.
An image from The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Visual Companion (2024), William Morrow
Douglas, the author of The Black Crown, trashed the origin and description writing on X, “Some art for the War of the Rohirrim companion book got released and Yeesh! That might be the most cliched ‘She’s not like other girls’ origin I’ve ever read.”
He added, “Basic b****h girlboss romantasy lead character energy. Just bleeds Tolkien, doesn’t it? At least when he wrote Eowyn’s arc it was novel at the time.”
Some art for the War of the Rohirrim companion book got released and Yeesh!
That might be the most cliched “She’s not like other girls” origin I’ve ever read.
Basic bitch girlboss romantasy lead character energy. Just bleeds Tolkien, doesn’t it? At least when he wrote Eowyn’s… pic.twitter.com/O0ELyyVffF— John A. Douglas (@J0hnADouglas) November 1, 2024
As Douglas rhetorically notes, this description is nothing like what Tolkien would write and it certainly has nothing to do with what he actually wrote in the appendix for The Lord of the Rings.
This is what Tolkien wrote of Helm Hammerhand’s unnamed daughter, “To one of these councils Freca rode with many men, and he asked the hand of Helm’s daughter for his son Wulf.” That is it. She is not mentioned again.
While the unnamed daughter is never mentioned again, the request for marriage does play a central role in the overall story that leads to Wulf invading Rohan. Tolkien details that this invasion of Rohan is preceded by a confrontation between Helm Hammerhand and Freca. Freca asks for Helm’s daughter in marriage to his son Wulf. Hammerhand rejects it and calls him fat. Freca responds saying, “Old kings that refuse a proffered staff may fall on their knees.” The two then participate in a king’s council. However, after it is concluded Hammerhand confronts Freca, rebukes him for his words of rebellion, and kills him with a single punch. He then declares Freca’s son, Wulf, and his men enemies of the king.
Four years after this confrontation Rohan is invaded by Dunlendings led by Wulf. They were joined “by enemies of Gondor that landed in the mouths of Lefnui and Isen.”
A still from The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024), Warner Bros. Pictures
What do you make of Douglas’ trashing of this origin for Hera in The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim?
