Éomer

"Now is the hour! Riders of Rohan! Oaths you have taken, now fulfill them all, to lord and land!"

- Éomer to his troops King Éomer is the son of Éomund and Théodwyn and the older brother of Éowyn. After the death of his cousin, Théodred, Éomer was the heir to his uncle Théoden. Participating in the way of the Ring, he served as Théoden's second-in-command before taking over the armies after Théoden's death at the hands of the Witch-king of Angmar. Éomer officially became King of Rohan after the Battle of the Black Gate and was Rohan's eighteenth King.

Early Life
Éomer was born TA 2974 to Éomund and Théodwyn. He had one dining, a younger sister named Éowyn. When they were children, Éomer and his sister were orphaned after Éomund was slain in battle and their mother died of an illness, heavily implied to be that of a broken heart. Their Uncle, Théoden, the King of Rohan, adopted them and raised them alongside his son, Théodred. Growing up, the cousins loved each other like brothers.

War of the Ring
As the war of the Ring began, Éomer fought in many battles. However, at the time, the mind of his uncle had been poisoned by Saruman's magic and Gríma Wormtongue's influence. Seeing Wormtongue lust Éowyn, Éomer kept his eye on the servant of Saruman-

Théodred
When Théodred and his men had not returned from a skirmish with Orcs at the fords of Isen, Éomer went with a company of men to find his cousin, Théodred, who had fallen in battle between their men and the Orcs of Isengard at the Fords of Isen. As one of the men blame Mordor, Éomer sees the white hand of Saruman on one of the Orc soldiers' helmets, signifying the Orcs came from Isengard. After looking through all of the dead bodies, one of Éomer is relieved when one of his men finds his cousin Théodred, who is barely alive.

Returning with Théodred, Éomer finds a fatal wound at Theodred's lower abdomen. As his sister rushes into the room, he gestures down to the wound not on his head but where Éomer found the fatal wound. Both Éomer and Eowyn are distressed by their cousin’s grievous wounds.

Banishment
Éomer and Éowyn informed their uncle of his son's wound, and the terror, blood and war being spread upon by Saruman's Orcs. King Théoden’s confidante, Gríma Wormtongue, contradicted Éomer’s claims. Further infuriated when Wormtongue claimed, “Can you not see? Your uncle is wearied by your malcontent......your warmongering,” Éomer angrily confronted him and threw him up against the wall, demanding what Saruman has offered Wormtongue when the world of men has fallen.

During the conversation, Éomer realizes that Wormtongue is lusting after his sister, Éowyn, who temporarily watches the confrontation before storming off in a frown. Éomer realizes that his sister is what Saruman promised to give Wormtongue and attempts to protect her by sneering that Wormtongue has lusted for her for too long.

Realizing Éomer knows too much, Wormtongue reveals that Éomer has banished from Rohan and all its domains, with a death sentence should he ever return.

Éomer's resistance
Due to being banished from Rohan, a troop of Rohan's finest soldiers, those who were loyal to Théoden and resisted Gríma something, joined Éomer in his resistance. It resulted in them being automatically banished as well. Éomer and his men began fighting in the name of their King.

One night, Éomer and his men come across a travelling band of Orcs and Uruk-Hai, who are holding two hobbits hostage. Though they slaughtered all their enemies, Éomer and his men did not notice the hobbits Meriadoc Brandybuck or Peregrin Took were there, as they both managed to slip out of the house.

After they killed the Orcs and Uruk-Hai, they burned all their corpses into a giant pyre.

The three Hunters
The following morning, Éomer and his men come across the Three Hunters, a man, an elf, and a dwarf and demands to know who they are and what business they have in this part of the country. Insulted, the dwarf proclaims that they'll tell him their names if Éomer gives them his. A fight nearly ensues between the two parties when the elf threatens Éomer (who said he would behead the dwarf if it was an inch taller) with an arrow and the Rohirrim point their Spears. However, the man intervenes and reveals their names: the man introduced himself as Aragorn, the elf as Legolas of the woodland realm, and the dwarf, Gimli, son of Glóin and assures that they are friends of their king, Théoden. However, Éomer reveals that their King cannot tell friends from foes, not even his own family, revealing he is a kinsman of the King  and orders his men to stand down.

Éomer proceeds to inform the trio that Saruman has poisoned the mind of his uncle and has taken control over Rohan and reveals that he and his company are still loyal to Rohan, thus making them all banished. He warns them the cunningness of the wizard and has heard rumors that he wanders the world as an old man, hooded and cloaked and suspects them to be spies. However, Aragorn reveals that he and his companions are not spies, and are actually looking for their companions, Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took, who had been kidnapped by Uruk-hai westward across the plain.

Éomer, having not seen them, solemnly tells them that he and his men had come across the Uruks and had slaughtered them in the night. However, the trio are adamant that two hobbits were with the party, and Aragorn answers that they would only look like children in their eyes. Nonetheless, Éomer insists that they had left none alive and that their carcasses were burnt, and sends his condolences to the shocked company. The Rohirric prince gives Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli two horses, Hasufel and Arod, whose riders were killed during battle and wished them to have fortune, unlike the horses' previous masters. He wishes them luck in looking for their friends, but tells them not to hope, as there is none left in their lands. The Rohirrim leave the trio and ride north.

Recruited by Gandalf
Éomer and his men remain unaware that Gríma Wormtongue has been pushed out of Rohan and that his uncle has been healed by Gandalf the White. However, they still ride under loyalty to Rohan and to the king. At least a couple of days after Théodred's funeral, Éomer and his men encounter a newly resurrected Gandalf and informs them that Théoden is in need of assistance with the Uruks at Helm's Deep. The Rohirrim join Gandalf at the battlefield.

Battle at Helms' Deep
Gandalf who returns after five days, notes that Théoden and all of Rohan now stand alone, when Éomer appears and proclaims his uncle is no longer alone. Mustering the rest of the Rohirrim, Éomer and his men help Théoden, Aragorn, Gandalf and their remaining forces defeat Saruman's men. Their plan of attack causes the Orcs to retreat into Fangorn Forest, Éomer warns his men to stay clear of the forest while the Ents awaken and defeat Saruman's survivors.

Small Victory
Following the victory at Helm's Deep, Éomer went with his uncle, the three men Éomer encountered and Gandalf to Isengard, where they found Merry and Pippin. After they confronted Saruman, Éomer allowed Merry to ride with him to Rohan.

During the celebration, a contest between Legolas and Gimli, surprised at Gimli's mannerisms.

Gondorians' Call for aid
After Pippin lights the beacons on Gandalf's orders to alert their allies of the Battle, Éomer lead the troops into a new camp site, as instructed by Théoden.

On the eve of battle, Éomer warned his sister that Merry will not survive in battle and knows she is planning on going into it as well.

Battle at Pelennor Fields
Éomer participated in the Battle of Pelennor Fields, where he took out the leader of the Easterlings.

After the siege is over, Éomer found Éowyn and believes her to be dead. However, Aragorn heals her.

The last Debate
Since his uncle's death, Éomer becomes the King of Rohan and was present at the last Debate when the leaders of the free people.

The Battle of the Black Gate
Éomer joined Aragorn during the last stand against Sauron and was with the company during a parley with the Mouth of Sauron.

Éomer fought during the Battle of the Black Gate. He also witnessed Sauron's downfall after the Ring was destroyed in the fires if Mount Doom.

Aragorn's Coronation
After the war was finally over, Éomer was one of the attendees at Aragorn's Coronation, where both kings acknowledged one another.

Later Life
Sometime after the war with Sauron, Éomer meets Lothíriel, the cousin of his brother-in-law, Faramir. They fall in love with each other and marry one another. Thus, Lothíriel becomes Queen of Rohan, becoming its first queen in forty years since the death of Eomer's aunt, Elfhild.

She and Éomer have at least one a child, a son named Elfwine.

Personality and traits
Éomer was a wise, brave and noble ruler but felt a heavy burden being the heir to his uncle's throne after Théodred's death. He once discourage his sister from supporting Merry, whom Éomer doubted would survive the battle. However, he did give Merry permission to fight in the Battle of the Black Gate and later knighted the Hobbit for his brave deeds in battle.

Éomer was very protective of his sister, Éowyn, especicially being kept wary of Gríma Wormtongue after realizing the servant of Saruman lusted for her. He was immediately distraught when he saw her unconscious in the battlefield at Pelennor Fields, especially crying in agony when he found her and held Éowyn closely. Due to being raised by Théoden, whom Éomer lived one a father, he was extremely close with his cousin, Théodred. They were said to love each other like brothers. After finding his cousin on the battlefield, Wonder expressed concern that his cousin was still alive, but became rather solemn when he saw how deep Théodred's wound was.

Equipment and skills
Éomer wore a set of armor each time he went to battle that was usually dark red. He also owned a helmet and a sword. Éomer was highly skilled in combat, and also a perfect marksman, being able to use a spear and take out the leader of the Haradrim in one blow.

Behind the scenes

 * Éomer was portayed by Karl Urban in the film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King