“I always said you're an optimist. Know what that is, mate? It's about sizing up a situation that's bloody impossible and saying "yeah, alright -- I'll have a go!" I'm exactly the same way.”
— Brûz during his prime, moments before quickly overpowering and killing a Savage Uruk ChallengerBrûz, also known as Brûz the Chopper, is a major character encountered and is the main antagonist in his own storyline in Middle-earth: Shadow of War. Brûz was also a member of the Olog-Hai, or war trolls.
In-game description
A real battler
"It's time to separate the weak... from their heads." --Brûz
Brûz's love of fighting is matched only by his knack for it, and even among Mordor's Ologs, Brûz's name elicits fear and respect. He is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield and a tremendous asset in a siege, and enemies and allies alike know to keep their distance when he's on a rampage. His favorite kind of combat is the deadly contests that take place in Mordor's fight pits. It is rumored that Brûz has never lost a fight, a rumor Brûz does everything in his power to fuel, including tearing the head off anyone who claims to know otherwise.
Brûz has made a great number of enemies in his time in Mordor, not so much vanquished opponents -- who rarely survive the encounter with him -- but captains and Warchiefs who have seen their ranks depleted by Brûz's victories. As for the many death threats placed on him by these enemies, Brûz dismissed them as "just good for a giggle."
Whether Brûz decided to betray Talion over time or had always intended this, will never be known, but ultimately he saw an opportunity and couldn't resist taking it. While Brûz's plot failed, he was able to escape and remain a thorn in Talion's side.
Brûz's treachery cost him dearly when Talion dominated and deranged him, leaving him a shell of his fearsome former self -- and a warning to others who might contemplate crossing the Bright Lord.
History
Brûz was one of Talion and Celebrimbor's first recruits that were dominated by their army after receiving the Ring of Power back from Shelob. With Brûz's aid and advice, the duo built up an army large enough to conquer the fortress in Nurn, which they found to be controlled by Ratbag and his Olog companion, Ranger. Brûz initially wanted to be named overlord by Talion, and also argued with Ratbag and Ranger, but was passed over by Talion. Eventually, when Nurnen was besieged by Sauron's forces, the desire to rule as overlord got the better of him and he broke free of Talion and Celebrimbor's influence, killing them and enslaving their followers. They also led an uprising against the ranger, causing him to question if the new Ring of Power was so successful in being able to dominate the orcs. Eventually, with aid from his rescued war chiefs, Talion put Brûz's uprising down and defeated him. Brûz escaped, vowed revenge and eventually captured Ranger the Olog-Hai, using him to draw Talion out. Talion eventually rescued Ranger for Ratbag and eventually defeated and shamed Brûz as an example to enemies and allies alike, breaking him and causing the troll to lose his mind.
Trivia
- It is possible to re-dominate him after Shaming him, doing so will allow him to be made Warchief or Overlord. However, it is impossible for him to be sent to the Garrison or another fort. If assigned as a Bodyguard for Talion, he can die.
- After you shame Brûz he will become deranged. After you've shamed him, the only words that he will cry out that the fort belongs to Talion and will be the only thing he will say for the rest of the playthrough until he has been slain.
- After shaming Brûz, in an unspecified time, two of his blood brothers named Baz and Gaz ambush Talion to avenge Brûz, themselves later followed by the last of the four, Daz the Ripper.
- Brûz is one of the few characters if not the only one of two uruks that will remain the entirely same generated enemy for every new playthrough in the game, being generated as a Warmonger Tank.
- His name is a play on the name 'Bruce', to match his Australian accent.