PG-564

2018

The Hobbit

The Gundabad Orc, also known as the Great Goblin of Mount Gundabad, is a formidable antagonist in J.R.R. Tolkien's *The Hobbit*. He commands a significant force of Orcs from the ancient stronghold of Gundabad, located in the northern Misty Mountains.

While not explicitly named in the book beyond "Gundabad Orc," his significance lies in representing the organized and threatening presence of Orc armies beyond Goblin Town. He is portrayed as a powerful war leader, commanding vast legions ready for battle. Gundabad Orc's power and army pose a serious threat to the free peoples of Middle-earth.

In Peter Jackson's *The Hobbit* film adaptations, a character identified as Azog the Defiler is heavily linked to Gundabad, leading the Orcs from that location. Though Azog is a character from the appendices of *The Lord of the Rings* rather than *The Hobbit* itself, this adaptation conflates the two, giving the Gundabad Orcs a clearer figurehead.

Ultimately, the Gundabad Orc represents a persistent and dangerous foe, embodying the threat posed by the dark forces gathering in the North, foreshadowing larger conflicts to come.