Serpent Lord

Harad chieftain's standard, a black serpent on a scarlet field

"Serpent Lord" is an official term from Games Workshop's The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game used to refer to the unnamed leader of the Haradrim in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, so called because of his distinctive banner imagery. A similar term is the unofficial "Black Serpent" or the name created by Games Workshop, Suladan.

Literature

He is only briefly mentioned in two paragraphs in The Return of the King, but is nonetheless a key figure in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields:

"Southwards beyond the road lay the main force of the Haradrim, and there their horsemen were gathered about the standard of their chieftain."

He saw King Théoden, who was far ahead of most of his men, and rode out to meet him:

"Then he was filled with a red wrath and shouted aloud, and displaying his standard, black serpent upon scarlet, he came against the white horse and the green with great press of men; and the drawing of the scimitars of the Southrons was like a glitter of stars."

Théoden in turn rode to face him, but the Northmen, though fewer, proved the more skillful, and they "clove through the Southrons like a fire-bolt in a forest." The Harad chieftain and his standard-bearer were killed by Théoden, and his standard fell.

"Right through the press drove Théoden Thengel's son, and his spear was shivered as he threw down their chieftain. Out swept his sword and he spurred to the standard, hewed staff and bearer; and the black serpent foundered. Then all that was left unslain of their cavalry turned and fled away."

His surviving cavalry retreated, but the battle was far from over. The Witch-king of Angmar attacked Théoden in the midst of his triumph, and the Haradrim would return to the fray, fielding horsemen, footmen and mûmakil (Oliphaunts). Later, as Théoden lay dying, he said to Merry:

"Farewell, Master Holbytla! My body is broken. I go to my fathers. And even in their mighty company I shall not now be ashamed. I felled the black serpent. A grim morn, and a glad day, and a golden sunset!"

Interpretations

The first two occurrences of the term "black serpent" plainly refer to the Haradrim standard. Some fans leave it at that; for example, see the Encyclopedia of Arda article, though there it is capitalized.

The last occurrence ("I felled the black serpent"), while plainly referring to the standard, is sometimes understood by some fans to also refer to the leader of the Haradrim himself. Tolkien only calls the leader a "chieftain". Thus the title is not considered canonical by many fans.

This alternative interpretation may be justified because Théoden may not have been proud of having killed the banner-bearer so much as having killed the enemy leader himself. Another interpretation has Théoden speaking figuratively; by "felling the black serpent", he not only cut down the black serpent standard but defeated the horsemen of Harad, at least temporarily.

Strategy Battle Game

In Games Workshop's game, the figure is officially called the "Serpent Lord", a composite term based on both the reference to his heraldry and the important role he played as a leader at the battle. In addition, just as Iron Crown Enterprises' Middle-earth Role Playing game invented names for the Nazgûl, Games Workshop gives him the name Suladân, making him a character almost certainly based on Saladin, though his name can also be interpreted as "man of spirit" in Sindarin.^[1]

As with the extended usage of "Black Serpent", his name, title, and the supposed details of his life are not considered canonical by some.

See also

• Mahud

References

• J. R. R. Tolkien, The Return of the King, Chapter VI, The Battle of the Pelennor Fields
• The Battle of the Pelennor Fields Supplement, a Harad-themed expansion of the rules for The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game

Notes

External links

• Suladan on the Games Workshop Official Website