The Lord of the Ringsfranchise is filled with memorable characters of all shapes and sizes, from mighty wizards of ancient origin to simple Hobbits content in the Shire. Many of these characters play a major role in the events of the War of the Ring, which determined the very fate of Middle-earth. Although Peter Jackson and the other filmmakers behind the original Lord of the Rings trilogy did their best to include as many of these important characters as possible to be faithful to J.R.R. Tolkien’s original books, they couldn’t feature everyone. Certain characters like Tom Bombadil and Fatty Bolger were famously absent from the live-action adaptations of Tolkien’s work, either cut for time or to streamline the overall story.

However, even J.R.R. Tolkien left some holes in his original story, seemingly forgetting about some characters in the course of the trilogy. One glaring absence stems from the Lord of the Rings prequel, The Hobbit, which includes a skin-changer named Beorn who has the power to transform himself into a mighty bear. This character, who indeed appears in Peter Jackson’s live-action adaptation, is completely absent during the events of Lord of the Rings, leaving many fans to wonder where he might have gone in the interim. While this might initially seem like an oversight, there is a good answer for Beorn’s disappearance, though it opens up a whole new series of questions.

Who Is Beorn In The Hobbit?

There are many terrifying creatures in Middle-earth, though some have a much kinder demeanor than their appearance might betray. Beorn is one such creature. He hails from an ancient race of northern skin-changers who can transform into mighty bears, including all of the animal’s abilities. However, despite their powerful stature and vicious fighting skills, skin-changers like Beorn were actually quite tender under the right circumstances. The sub-race of men were largely vegetarian, refusing to hunt and kill other living creatures for food. Beorn himself kept hives of bees, whose honey he collected as a staple of his diet.

Beorn, who appears in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, is the best-known member of the skin-changer species, leading many to label his race as the Beornings. Beorn lived toward the end of the Third Age, encountering Thorin’s company of Dwarves as they made their way to the Lonely Mountain. Though he was wary of Dwarves, Beorn showed Thorin and his friends great hospitality while they were under his roof, proving himself to be an upright and honorable man. He sends them on their way well-stocked and well-fed, with a warning of the perils in the surrounding land. Later, he fights in the Battle of the Five Armies, witnessing the final fight between Thorin and the Orc leader Azog the Defiler.

What Happened To Beorn After The Events Of The Hobbit?

After the Battle of the Five Armies, Beorn accompanied Gandalf and Bilbo on their journey back to the Shire. He even granted his two companions shelter in his home over the winter before sending them on their way for the final leg of their journey.

Little else is known specifically about Beorn’s life after the events of The Hobbit. As far as any history records, the skin-changer never had as profound an impact on the larger scale of Middle-earth for the rest of his life, but continued to aid his own people nonetheless. History tells of Beorn becoming a chieftain among the other skin-changers, leading the species to become known by the label of Beornings. Though little is known of the specifics of the species, skin-changers are believed to have similar lifespans to other men. As such, Beorn died sometime in the sixty years between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Where Were Beorn’s Descendants During The Lord Of The Rings?

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Film
Year
IMDb Rating
Streaming

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2001
8.9

Max

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
2002
8.8

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2003
9

Many races of Middle-earth are largely absent from the events of The Lord of the Rings, including the Dwarves. The Beornings are yet another group whose whereabouts during the War for the Ring are largely unknown. At some point before his death, Beorn sired a son named Grimbeorn, who took over as chieftain after him. Also known as Grimbeorn the Old, Beorn’s son contributed to the war effort, though he is absent from the Lord of the Rings books and movies.

Grimbeorn is mentioned in The Fellowship of the Ring during the Council of Elrond. During this conversation, it is revealed that the chieftain of the Beornings had continued his father’s legacy in fighting for the side of good. The skin-changer patrolled certain key locations, including the Ford of Carrock on the river Anduin and the High Pass over the Misty Mountains. Grimbeorn the Old kept these locations free of Orc armies, providing a key strategic advantage to the forces of Men. Nevertheless, he did not allow just anyone to pass through these areas for free, charging a high toll to anyone who would cross through his territory, especially Dwarves.

The descendants of Beorn the skin-changer may not have fought in the key battles of the War of the Ring, but they were involved in the conflict nonetheless. The Beornings played an important strategic role in the battle against Sauron’s forces, bringing honor to their ancestor.