Treebeard and his companions are Ents in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.
Ents are shepherds of trees, an ancient race created to protect and care for the forests. Treebeard, whose Elvish name is Fangorn, is the best-known Ent in The Lord of the Rings. He lives in Fangorn Forest and becomes involved in the conflict after meeting Merry and Pippin.
The Ents’ most important action in the story is their assault on Isengard. After learning about Saruman’s destruction of trees, the Ents and the Huorns march against the wizard’s stronghold and overthrow its defenses. Their long deliberation before acting reflects Tolkien’s portrayal of Ents as extremely patient and slow-moving, but also capable of immense strength.
Ents are not simply talking trees. They are a distinct sentient race with their own language, history, and society. Huorns are related tree-like beings, while the Entwives are the female Ents who disappeared from the narrative’s known history.