In J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, Ents are the tree-like beings who march against Isengard.
The Ents are shepherds of trees, and their leader Treebeard is one of the oldest living beings in Tolkien’s mythology. They gather at an Entmoot before deciding to attack Saruman’s stronghold because Saruman’s armies have destroyed trees in Fangorn Forest.
Their march and assault appear in The Two Towers, the second volume of The Lord of the Rings. The event is one of the story’s major reversals: creatures who seem slow and ancient become an organized military force.
Ents are sometimes confused with Huorns, another mysterious tree-associated group. Tolkien presents Huorns as more shadowy and less fully explained, while Ents speak, deliberate, and have distinct personalities.