Elf hunters attack Amberle and Eretria on Shannara Chronicles 1×07, “Breakline.”

While watching the sneak peeks of the seventh episode of the Shannara Chronicles, we can’t help but wonder who, exactly, the elf hunters chasing Amberle and Eretria are.

The synopsis informs us that they’re vicious hunters out for blood, but it might be a little more complicated than that, when you take into account some other factors.

Episode 1×07, ‘Breakline’

“Amberle and Eretria run from bloodthirsty Elf Hunters who relish in cutting off elves’ ears for fun, while Wil searches for them with the help of an unexpected friend. At the palace, the King sends Ander and Arion to assassinate the Dagda Mor – with devastating consequences.”

Not only does Eretria know this hunter personally, she mentions that they collect elf ears for a living. Which frames the above synopsis a bit differently. Are they doing this all for fun? Or do they get some sort of practical return for the ears they take?

Zora seems excited that Amberle is royalty, and perhaps it’s this that makes her ears even more valuable. But just who are they bartering with and why would ears of all things be prizes to be collected?

The only mention of elf hunters in The Elfstones of Shannara paints a much different picture from what we see in the television show. In fact, in the book it’s actually Crispin who is connected to the group, “He was Captain of the Home Guard, the elite corps of Elven Hunters whose sole duty was the protection of the King. ”

So it’s very possible that the term ‘elf hunter’ is being used differently on the show than in the books. They more closely resemble Rovers if anything. Groups of humans, taking what they can just to survive…

Hopefully we find out more about this new group of hunters when The Shannara Chronicles episode 7 hits our screens.

The Shannara Chronicles 1×07, “Breakline,” airs February 9 at 10 p.m. on MTV.