Two Watchers

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The Two Watchers were the guards of the Tower of Cirith Ungol in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Return of the King. They are described as two statues that sat on either side of the archway leading into the tower.

The description in the Book is as follows:

"They were like great figures seated upon thrones. Each had three joined bodies, and three heads facing outward, and in inward, and across the gateway. The heads had vulture faces, and on their great knees were laid clawlike hands. They seemed to be carved out of huge blocks of stone, immovable, and yet they were aware: some dreadful spirit of vigilance abode in them. They knew an enemy. Visible or invisible, none could pass unheeded."

They thus had a kind of "psychic barrier" that barred the gate. Sam Gamgee had to overcome this obstacle while searching for his master Frodo Baggins. Sam did so by using the phial of Galadriel, which overcame their will and allowed him to pass. As soon as he was through, however, they sounded an alarm.

Once Frodo was rescued, the two hobbits had to get back out. This time the Watchers had redoubled their will, but it was again broken and the great archway crumbled as Frodo and Sam fled the gates.

It is not known if the Watchers were built by men of Gondor, as was the Tower itself, or if it had been added later by Sauron. Certainly, the spirit that dwell within them must have come later, as it was clearly idenitfied as being evil.

The Peter Jackson's film rendition, the Two Watchers can indeed be seen as Sam passes into the tower, but they are nothing more than statues and do not bar his way. On the commentary track for the Extended Edition, Jackson explains that the scene was cut for pacing reasons but jokingly says that he may put it in for a 25th anniversary edition some day.