Of all the heroes in the Fellowship of the Ring, none seem so perfectly tuned to become beloved than Aragorn. He's dark and gritty. He's the chosen hero, born to a critical dynasty. He's a superhuman fighter and a portrait of healthy masculinity. Before he joined the quest to destroy the ring, he was a leader of the Rangers of the North, a secretive organization that remains one of the most engaging groups in Middle-earth.
Lord of the Rings operates on many levels. It delves deep into the interior lives of its heroes, explores the historical context of its nations, and occasionally checks in with the mystical deities above it all. The story can't be everywhere at once, so some quadrants of Tolkien's universe don't get a fair share of the spotlight.
How did the Rangers form?
There are two main branches of Rangers, those of the North and those of the South. Rangers arose from the scattered citizens of devastated homes who took to the woods to hunt. The Rangers of the North are the last remnants of the Dúnedain of Arnor. The once-great kingdom of Arnor was split into three smaller nations, each of which was destroyed in war with the Witch-king of Angmar. Aranarth, the final surviving member of the line of Isildur, claimed the title of Chieftain of the Dúnedain. He decreed that each new member of his bloodline would be secretly fostered in Rivendell. Aranarth and the remaining members of the Dúnedain disappeared into the lowlands around Eriador.
The Rangers of the South are less well-known. They're also known as the Rangers of Ithilien. They were considered the distant cousins to the Rangers of the North. As their name suggests, they hailed from Ithilien. The land was once beautiful and prosperous. Unfortunately, the region had the poor fortune to border Mordor, which left it open to attack. The Rangers of the North and South cloaked themselves in green or black hoods. They were masters of stealth and the best archers of humankind. Rangers spent their time skulking through the woods and hunting down any threat that could emerge. Sometimes this meant carefully controlling the population of errant wolves. Other times it entailed the execution of wayward Orcs. Rangers lived quiet, grim lives, giving up their comfort for the security of others. Their mysterious motives caused the people of the Shire to distrust them.
Where were the Rangers during Lord of the Rings?
The Rangers of the South appeared shortly before the War of the Ring broke out. They spent most of the conflict plotting ambushes against raiding parties of Orcs and men who served Sauron. They guarded the old road between the captured fortress Minas Morgul and the capital of Gondor. In The Two Towers, they captured Sam and Frodo for a brief moment. After getting the drop on a marching army of men, the Rangers of Ithilien brought the Hobbits in for questioning at their home base. They let them go shortly thereafter. They fought in the Siege of Gondor and the Battle of Pelennor Fields. During the advance on the Black Gate, the Rangers of the South foiled an ambush and saved the lives of the Army of the West. They were an instrumental part of the effort against Sauron.
The Rangers of the North were less helpful. Without Aragorn to lead them, they fell prey to an attack by the Nazgûl. They were scattered, and their numbers were diminished. Thanks to Aragorn's friend Halbarad, a group of 30 Rangers arrived to offer their assistance in the Battle of Pelennor Fields. Their numbers were small, but they remained mighty. If anyone is taking score, most of the Rangers' points were put up by their unquestionable ringer, Aragorn.
What happened to the Rangers after Sauron fell?
With the Dark Lord dead, both Ranger bands returned to their homes. Aragorn took the throne of the Reunited Kingdom, reclaiming that which the Witch-king and Sauron took from them. This allowed the scattered Dúnedain to come together once again and give up the grim life of the Ranger. Faramir was the leader of the Rangers of Ithilien. After the war ended, Aragorn handed Ithilien to Faramir and his father, Denethor II. Faramir would marry the White Lady of Rohan Éowyn. His line ruled Ithilien for generations. Though it took many difficult years, the Rangers earned the peace they worked to secure.
The Rangers are a simple group who do the hard work no one else wants to do. They lost their homes, so they learned to live among nature. They carried nothing but their names into the wilderness to protect people they didn't know. It's a cruel undertaking for only the most skilled warriors. They were a part of the massive coalition that came together to defeat Sauron, even though most of their work would never be appreciated. The rest of Middle-earth might not sing their praises, but the fans certainly can.