One of the races of Middle-earth that aren't explored enough is the Orcs. They're usually just seen as the mindless enemies of the good guys, simply there to be mowed down in the pursuit of saving the world from Sauron's evil. While the Orcs aren't super complex and do often serve that role in the story, Tolkien was dedicated enough to expanding the lore of Middle-earth as much as possible that he even had some backstory for the Orcs.
There was a history to the Orcs, that had them coming from different places and in some cases almost having a society of their own. The Gundabad Orcs, in particular, make an appearance in The Hobbit and are quite a central part of the story, intersecting with the journey of Bilbo, Thorin, and the rest of the Dwarves, and causing some problems along the way for them as well, of course. But what exactly were the Gundabad Orcs, and what made them different?
Who Are The Orcs Of Gundabad?
Mount Gundabad was an Orc mountain stronghold that was situated near the north end of the Misty Mountains. It was originally where the Dwarves awoke after the Awakening of the Elves, and it became a very sacred place to the Dwarves after this. Unfortunately, Orcs invaded the mountain in the middle of the Second Age and took it over as their own stronghold. They stayed there for a long time, not being cleared out until the very end of the Second Age, likely after Sauron's first defeat.
However, in the Third Age, the Orcs managed to claim it again. This was one of the many reasons the Dwarves had a special vendetta against the Orcs. It remained as an Orc stronghold until the War of the Dwarves and Orcs, which ended in victory for the Dwarves and resulted in Mount Gundabad once again being cleansed of Orcs. Unfortunately, this couldn't keep them away for long, as Orcs began to trickle back to the mountain and fortify it again before the events of The Hobbit, where they finally intersect with Middle-earth's most well-known stories.
Who Is The Strongest Gundabad Orc?
The Orcs of Gundabad are usually labeled as stronger and more menacing than most other Orcs found in Middle-earth. It's not as though this mountain necessarily produced stronger Orcs, but it's likely that since Gundabad was essentially the capital for Orcs in the North, the strongest Orcs among their ranks gravitated to Gundabad. The mountain was an ancient stronghold, and it had remnants of the dark magic from Sauron and the Witch King still floating around it, which might have aided the process of creating and attracting the strongest Orcs.
As for individual Orcs, Azog is often cited as one of the strongest to come out of Gundabad. Azog was imposing and powerful and was responsible for the murder of one of the great Dwarven leaders. King Thrór had returned to Khazad-dûm to restore it for the Dwarves once again, but Azog found him there and - wanting to keep Moria as an Orc stronghold - brutally beheaded Thrór and carved his name into his head. Of course, this enraged the Dwarves, and Thrór's son Thráin II put together an army of Dwarves seeking revenge on Azog. It took them many years, but this is what started the War of the Dwarves and Orcs, which resulted in Azog's eventual defeat, where he was beheaded by the Dwarves.
What Happened To Gundabad?
During the events of The Hobbit, Bilbo and the Dwarves enter the Misty Mountains and end up killing the Goblin King. This angered the Orcs, and they gathered at Mount Gundabad under the command of Bolg (the son of Azog) to seek revenge. When they heard that the dragon Smaug had been slain, they advanced on the Lonely Mountain and took part in the Battle of the Five Armies. Unfortunately for them, the Orcs lost the battle and a significant portion of their army. By the end of the Third Age, Orcs were still living in Gundabad, but in a very reduced state to what their numbers had originally been in the previous ages. Though it started as a special place for the Dwarves, Gundabad remained as a central hub for Orcs for many years, and the Dwarves were never quite able to gain it back.