Shea Ohmsford is one of the main characters in The Sword of Shannara. He and his brother Flick Ohmsford go on many adventures in the struggle to defeat the Warlock Lord.
Biography
Shea is half-Elf, the adopted son of the Ohmsfords. His father was an Elf and his mother was human, a distant cousin of the Ohmsfords who left him with them in the village of Shady Vale before she died. He was born in a small Westland community, but has few memories of it.
When the Druid Allanon comes to Shady Vale for Shea, he reveals that Shea is the last surviving descendant of Jerle Shannara, the Elven King who defeated the Warlock Lord centuries ago. As such, Shea is the only one alive who can wield the Sword of Shannara, the magical talisman that can destroy the Warlock Lord forever.
Even though Shea is much smaller than his brother and the rest of the party traveling to the Druids' Keep at Paranor, he has the most courage of them all, as he is the only one left who can wield the great Sword. He is joined on his quest by his friend the Highlander Menion Leah, the Dwarf Tracker Hendel, the Borderman Balinor Buckhannah, and the Elven princes Durin and Dayel Elessedil. Later, when he is separated from his party, he is helped by the thief Panamon Creel and the Troll Keltset.
Physical Appearance
Shea is described in The Sword of Shannara as having tousled blond hair and penetrating blue eyes.
Changes made for the TV Adaptation
Shea Ohmsford is not a character in The Shannara Chronicles TV adaptation. However, certain aspects of his story were modified:
- In the TV series, Shea is Wil Ohmsford's father, not his grandfather. As Wil is portrayed as being half-Elf in Chronicles, this would make Shea a full-blooded Elf.
- In the TV series, Shea becomes a drunk and dies an early death, living the rest of his life after his adventures in obscurity away from his family. In The Elfstones of Shannara, Shea is living a peaceful old age in Shady Vale a full fifty years after he defeated the Warlock Lord.
- In the TV series, Shea passed the Elfstones to his wife, who then passes them to Wil. In Elfstones Wil received them directly from his grandfather Shea.
Gallery
Panamon and Keltset look on in wonder and Orl Fane cowers on the ground as the Sword of Shannara comes to life in Shea's hand. Painted by the Brothers Hildebrandt for the original edition of The Sword of Shannara.