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Meaning & History
Grishnákh was an Uruk. He led a group of orcs under Sauron's dominion that joined Uglúk's Uruk troop on the plains of Rohan. Since Saruman bred his own strain or breed of Uruk-hai, Grishnákh and Ugúlk looked different. Grishnákh's plans for the troops' captives, Merry and Pippin, were in conflict with Ugúlk's orders to deliver them to Saruman. Grishnákh was present at the torture and interrogation of Gollum so he not only knew about the Ring, but suspected Merry and Pippin might have it after hearing them imitate Gollum's trademark throat noise. Afterwards, he tried to steal the Hobbits away from the Uruk-hai, in order to take what they had for himself, eventually leading to his demise in Fangorn Forest.In Peter Jackson's movies, Grishnákh (played by Stephen Ure) is a common Orc and is killed by Treebeard, who steps on him. His name is never actually spoken in the movie.In Sierra Entertainment's War of the Ring real-time strategy game, he is a playable hero.Varg Vikernes of the Norwegian black metal band Burzum, whose music has borrowed heavily from both Tolkien's writings and Norse mythology, took the moniker "Count Grishnackh" for a period of time.