As the dark lord Sauron launches his final, overwhelming assault on the realm of Gondor, the fractured Fellowship must rally the scattered forces of men for one last, desperate stand at the city of Minas Tirith. Meanwhile, carrying the unbearable physical and psychological weight of the One Ring, Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee must rely on the treacherous Gollum to guide them through the perilous heart of Mordor to the fires of Mount Doom, where the fate of all Middle-earth will ultimately be decided.
Information |
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|---|---|
Language |
English |
Country |
United States New Zealand |
Premiere date |
December 17, 2003 |
Running time |
201 minutes |
Genre |
Action Adventure Drama Fantasy |
Budget |
$94,000,000 |
Box Office |
$1,156,598,523 |
Crew |
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Directed by |
Peter Jackson |
Produced by |
Barrie M. Osborne Peter Jackson Fran Walsh |
Written by |
Fran Walsh Philippa Boyens Peter Jackson |
Music by |
Howard Shore |
Cinematography |
Andrew Lesnie |
Edited by |
Jamie Selkirk |
Production Co. |
New Line Cinema WingNut Films |
Distributed by |
New Line Cinema |
Official Trailer
The Plot
A Dark Birthday on the River Anduin
The tale resumes long before the present darkness, tracing back to a tranquil day on the river Anduin. Two hobbit-like creatures, cousins named Sméagol and Déagol, are spending a quiet afternoon fishing. Suddenly, a large, powerful fish pulls Déagol deep into the murky waters. As he struggles to find his bearings beneath the surface, his eyes catch the glimmer of something buried in the riverbed—the One Ring. Dragging himself to the grassy shore, Déagol inspects his golden prize, but Sméagol is instantly captivated by its unnatural allure. Sméagol demands that Déagol surrender the Ring, claiming it is his birthday present. When Déagol steadfastly refuses, the Ring's dark malice takes immediate hold. A vicious struggle ensues, ending with Sméagol violently strangling his own cousin to death. Stripping the One Ring from Déagol's lifeless fingers, Sméagol is driven into exile. He escapes into the dark, echoing depths of the Misty Mountains, where the Ring's sinister magic slowly mutates his mind and body, twisting him into the wretched, coughing creature known as Gollum. The shadows of the past slowly fade, giving way to the grim present: Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, and Gollum are steadily approaching the treacherous mountains of Mordor, with the fiery peak of Mount Doom looming on the horizon. Gollum scurries ahead as their guide, but Sam continues to harbor deep, unsettling feelings about the creature's true intentions. Frodo, however, worn down by the burden he carries, maintains full trust in their guide.
The Flooded Ruins of Isengard
Far away from the borders of Mordor, a victorious company—comprising Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, King Théoden, Gamling, and Éomer—rides through a dense forest until they reach the ruined stronghold of Isengard. The once-mighty industrial war machine has been completely flooded by the nearby Isen river. Amidst the watery wreckage, they are delighted to find the Hobbits Merry and Pippin casually sitting upon a ruined wall, smoking pipe-weed, eating, and treating the devastated fortress as a hard-won "field of victory." The massive Ent, Treebeard, wades over to greet the newcomers, proudly declaring that Isengard has been reclaimed by the Ents and that the treacherous wizard Saruman is now securely imprisoned inside the dark, looming Tower of Orthanc.
The Traitor's Demise at Orthanc
The company rides to the foot of Orthanc to confront the fallen wizard, who stands imperiously atop his high balcony. Saruman gazes down and attempts to manipulate King Théoden, suggesting that they could easily be allies once more. Théoden angrily rejects the offer, declaring that there will only be peace when Rohan has avenged every single person slaughtered at the Westfold and Helm's Deep, promising that Saruman belongs on a gibbet. Saruman sneers, warning Gandalf that Frodo is marching toward immediate doom and maliciously taunting Aragorn, claiming he will never be crowned King of Gondor. Reaching into his robes, Saruman reveals a palantír, a dark seeing-stone he kept in secret, boasting that he knows all the ways of the enemy and that Sauron is already readying his forces for a devastating final strike. Hoping to end the conflict, Gandalf graciously offers Saruman a chance to come down from his tower and be spared. In response, the corrupted wizard conjures a blazing ball of fire and hurls it at Gandalf. Unfazed, the White Wizard survives the blast effortlessly and uses his own power to violently shatter Saruman's staff, stripping him of his power and officially casting him out of the order of wizards. Just then, the pale, sniveling Gríma Wormtongue appears beside Saruman. Théoden calls up to him, declaring that Gríma is finally free of Saruman's control and inviting him to surrender and live as a Man of Rohan once more. Gríma, touched by the mercy, happily bows to Théoden. But Saruman furiously insults the Rohirrim, sneering that Gríma will never be free, and viciously slaps him to the stone floor. Consumed by years of accumulated anger and humiliation, Wormtongue draws a hidden dagger, lunges at Saruman, and fatally stabs him in the back. Below, Legolas swiftly draws his bow and fires a fatal arrow into Gríma, but it is too late to save Saruman. The wizard’s lifeless body plummets from the dizzying height of Orthanc, crashing down to be gruesomely impaled on the spiked wheel of a churning watermill.
The Palantír in the Water
As the company watches the grim spectacle, Treebeard solemnly informs them that the Ents will remain to let the waters fill Isengard as it once was. Below them, the watermill's wheel slowly spins, submerging Saruman's corpse beneath the murky surface. As his body rolls, the heavy, glowing palantír slips from his wide sleeve and splashes into the water. Pippin's sharp eyes catch the dark sphere glowing beneath the ripples, and he impulsively jumps down from Aragorn's horse to retrieve it. He holds the mesmerizing object for only a moment before Gandalf issues a stern command to hand it over. Pippin reluctantly surrenders the stone. Gandalf quickly covers it beneath his cloak, his eyes betraying a deep, creeping suspicion that the inquisitive Hobbit might be up to something.
Celebration at the Golden Hall
The victorious company rides back to the city of Edoras to celebrate their triumph at Helm's Deep. Night falls, and the Golden Hall is ablaze with warmth, firelight, and laughter. During a post-battle feast, King Théoden is presented with the ornate Cup of Kings by his beautiful niece, Éowyn. He stands before the people of Rohan, including Aragorn, and raises his voice in honor of the brave men who died defending the gates of Helm’s Deep and saving their country from ruin. The hall erupts into a massive, joyous feast. In high spirits, Éomer volunteers Gimli and Legolas for a fierce drinking competition. After downing countless ales, Gimli heavily passes out, leaving the unnaturally sober Legolas the undisputed victor. Éowyn approaches Aragorn, offering him the Cup of Kings, and Théoden joins them. The King expresses his genuine happiness for his niece and openly praises Aragorn as a truly honorable man. Théoden humbly admits that it was not he who led their people to victory, but quickly changes the subject when Éowyn presses him. Across the hall, Merry and Pippin are thoroughly drunk, dancing atop a table and loudly singing cheerful songs of the Green Dragon Inn to a large, roaring crowd of entertained Rohirrim men. Mid-song, Pippin pauses, noticing Gandalf watching him intently from the shadows, but Merry quickly pulls him back into their lively jig, and the pair continues to revel. Elsewhere, Aragorn privately consults with Gandalf regarding Frodo and Sam's agonizing quest to destroy the One Ring. Gandalf admits he has received no news of Frodo, while Aragorn nervously notes that every passing day moves the Ringbearer closer to the heart of Mordor. Gandalf quietly responds that, despite the silence, his heart confirms Frodo is still alive.
Whispers in the Dark and Visions of Doom
Far away, near the jagged peaks of the Mountains of Shadow, Frodo and Sam lie fast asleep in the cold dirt. Gollum secretly slinks away from their camp and crouches by a dark, still pool. Looking at his own fractured reflection, Gollum and his suppressed persona, Sméagol, engage in a vicious, hissing argument over whether they should murder the Hobbits and take the Ring right then. Gollum ultimately decides against a direct attack; instead, he schemes to lead Frodo and Sam up a treacherous, hidden stairway where "she" will kill them. Once the monstrous entity has finished with the Hobbits, Gollum and Sméagol plan to casually pick the Ring from their remains. Suddenly, Sam, having feigned sleep and overheard every venomous word of the plot, violently tackles Gollum. He begins to beat the treacherous creature, but Frodo desperately drags Sam away. Blinded by the Ring's influence, Frodo refuses to believe that Gollum is a villain and leads him away to safety. Over Frodo's shoulder, Gollum shoots Sam a wicked, knowing grin. Back at Edoras, the feast has ended, and the Golden Hall is draped in silent slumber. Aragorn walks softly into the main hall and finds Éowyn sleeping peacefully. As he gently approaches to pull a thick quilt over her shoulders, Éowyn awakens in a frantic start. She breathes heavily, telling Aragorn of a terrifying dream: a "Great Wave" climbing over green lands and hills, flooding a great city, leaving only destruction and an endless, suffocating darkness. Aragorn listens patiently, comforting her until she finally falls back to sleep.
The Eye of Sauron and the Seeing Stone
Unable to sleep, Aragorn steps outside into the cool night air and joins Legolas, who stands looking out over the vast plains, knowing in his heart that the great Eye of Sauron is actively moving to lock onto its next target. Inside the quiet hall, Pippin's obsession with the seeing stone reaches a boiling point. Fascinated and unable to resist, he quietly sneaks over to where Gandalf lies sleeping. Ignoring Merry’s hushed, desperate urgings to leave it alone, Pippin carefully slides the palantír from the wizard's grasp. The moment his bare fingers touch the crystal ball, it flares to life with a raging, fiery inner light. Pippin is instantly paralyzed, psychically spied upon and violently interrogated by the Eye of Sauron. He screams in agonizing pain as the Dark Lord attempts to break him into submission. Awakened by the commotion, Gandalf and Aragorn rush forward and desperately wrestle the burning stone from Pippin's tortured, rigid fingers. Pippin collapses, deeply shaken and gasping for breath, but miraculously alive. Gandalf panics, frantically asking the shivering Hobbit if he revealed anything about Frodo and the Ring to the enemy. Pippin weakly confirms that he kept the secret of the Ring safe, but reveals that Sauron forced a vision into his mind: he saw a dead, white tree standing in a courtyard of stone, with the magnificent city around it engulfed in raging flames.
The Parting of the Fellowship
The following morning, an urgent council is held in the great hall. Gandalf, Aragorn, Théoden, Legolas, Gimli, Merry, and Pippin gather to decipher the information Pippin gleaned from the enemy. Gandalf is absolutely certain that Sauron will come hunting for Pippin, foolishly believing the Hobbit holds the One Ring. More importantly, Pippin's horrifying vision has confirmed that Sauron's primary plan is to launch a devastating attack on Minas Tirith, the grand capital city of Gondor. Having suffered a crushing defeat at Helm's Deep, Sauron now realizes that the race of Men might pose a legitimate threat, and he is determined to strike before the Free Peoples of Middle-earth can fully unite against him. Gandalf urges Théoden to prepare Rohan for war should the warning beacons of Gondor be lit. However, still nursing deep-seated bitterness, Théoden insists that because Gondor never came to their aid during the desperate Battle of the Hornburg, Rohan owes them nothing. Aragorn bravely volunteers to ride to Gondor's aid, but Gandalf enigmatically stops him, urging Aragorn to instead travel south and use the terrifying "Black Ships" to come to Minas Tirith's defense. The wizard then declares that things have been set in motion that cannot be undone; he will ride for Minas Tirith immediately, and he will not be going alone—Pippin must travel with him. Leaving the Golden Hall, Gandalf mutters that of all inquisitive Hobbits, Pippin is by far the worst. Merry is absolutely furious with his cousin, scolding Pippin that he is always the one causing terrible trouble. Because the enemy now believes Pippin has the Ring, they must get him out of Rohan immediately for his own safety. When a heartbroken Pippin asks if Merry is coming with him, Merry says nothing, looking away in pain. Later, in the stables, Pippin asks Gandalf how far the ride to Minas Tirith will be. Gandalf replies grimly that it is a three-day journey "as the Nazgûl flies." In a tender farewell, Merry approaches and quietly gives Pippin his remaining stash of Longbottom leaf. Gandalf then hoists Pippin onto the back of the magnificent steed Shadowfax, and they make a speedy, dust-kicking departure for Gondor, leaving a sorrowful Merry behind. Merry stands beside Aragorn, watching his closest friend disappear over the horizon. He tells Aragorn that he has always been there for Pippin, and now he is gone, just like Frodo and Sam. Aragorn places a comforting hand on Merry's shoulder, softly stating that if there is one thing he has learned from Hobbits, it is that they are very stout folk.
Arwen's Choice and the Broken Blade Remade
Meanwhile, the beautiful Elf Arwen is traveling through the golden woods with a somber company of Elves, including an escort named Figwit, making their final, mournful journey toward the Grey Havens to leave Middle-earth forever. As they travel, Arwen is suddenly struck by a powerful, heart-wrenching vision. She sees a young boy—Eldarion, her future son by Aragorn. The vision pierces her soul, convincing her that her destiny lies not across the sea, but here in Middle-earth. Without hesitation, she turns her horse around and gallops back to Rivendell. Bursting into her father's chambers, she fiercely urges Elrond to reforge Narsil, the ancient, shattered sword of Elendil, so that it may be given to Aragorn to reclaim his rightful throne. Elrond initially resists, heartbroken as he realizes the truth: Arwen's grace is fading; she is becoming mortal. She stands firm, telling her father that this is her absolute choice and that there is no ship that can take her away now. Overcome with sorrow but respecting her immense sacrifice, Elrond watches sadly as the legendary shards of Narsil are expertly reforged in the roaring fires by the master Elf smiths.
The White City of Minas Tirith
Gandalf and Pippin thunder across the sweeping plains on Shadowfax, finally riding up a steep hill bank to gaze upon the breathtaking majesty of the huge and mighty White City of Minas Tirith, the legendary City of Kings. Shadowfax carries them swiftly through the city's massive gates, galloping up the winding streets that connect every tier, from the bustling First level all the way up to the prestigious Seventh. They finally arrive at the High Court, a serene plaza situated thousands of feet above the sweeping Pelennor plain, right at the tip of a massive, protruding rock prow. Before entering the imposing Throne Hall, Pippin stops to marvel at the dead, skeletal White Tree—the exact tree from his fiery vision—solemnly guarded by an armored Fountain Guard. Gandalf explains the deep-rooted belief of the Gondorians: that one day the White Tree will miraculously flower again, but only when the true King finally returns to the throne. Before pushing open the heavy doors, Gandalf issues a sharp warning to Pippin: he is not to say a single word to the current Steward of Gondor, Denethor, about the tragic death of his beloved son, Boromir, nor is he to mention Aragorn, or indeed, say anything at all.
The Madness of Denethor
They enter the cavernous, echoing great hall and approach Lord Denethor, who sits hunched and brooding on the Steward’s lesser chair at the base of the empty throne. They quickly discover a man who has been nearly driven mad by overwhelming grief. Denethor clutches the shattered Horn of Gondor and is stubbornly unwilling to ask Théoden and the Riders of Rohan for help in the impending defense of the city. He paranoia runs deep, believing that Gandalf merely intends to use Gondor's forces as pawns to defeat the armies of Mordor, only to cast him aside and replace him with Aragorn. Ignoring Gandalf's warnings, Pippin steps forward and drops to one knee. In profound gratitude for Boromir's heroic efforts to save Merry and him at Amon Hen, the Hobbit pledges his absolute service and loyalty to Denethor. Unmoved by the Hobbit's bravery, Denethor turns his cold gaze to Gandalf, stating that he knows all about Aragorn and will never bow to him, fiercely declaring that the rule of Gondor is his and his alone. Gandalf is furious that the Steward refuses to call for Rohan’s aid, choosing instead to wallow in grief while Mordor actively prepares its monstrous armies to crush Minas Tirith. Gandalf storms out of the hall with Pippin hurrying to keep pace. Walking briskly across the high citadel, Gandalf vents his frustration regarding the Steward’s cowardly actions. He tells Pippin the sad history of the failing line of Kings in Gondor, explaining how the rule was handed over to lesser men, causing the White Tree to wither. Looking out toward the dark horizon, Gandalf gravely notes that Sauron’s forces will soon unleash a large, unnatural block of toxic fumes to completely cover Gondor’s sky, blotting out the sun and allowing the nocturnal Orcs to safely pass onto the fields and conquer the city.
The Darkening Sky and the Defaced King
Far away, creeping through the dense, overgrown woods near the borders of Gondor, Frodo, Sam, and Gollum continue their grueling trek. Sam casts a worried glance upward, noticing that the sky is growing noticeably darker with every passing day—a grim foreshadowing of the terrifying, foreboding events that are about to occur. As they pick their way through the ruins, Frodo suddenly spots an ancient, moss-covered statue of a great Gondorian King. It is a depressing sight; the King’s noble head has been toppled from its shoulders, and a crude, ugly head carved by Orcs has been mockingly placed on the stump. But just then, a sudden, bright shaft of light breaks through the canopy from the setting sun, illuminating the King’s original head resting in the dirt. Miraculously, a beautiful crown of wild white flowers has grown around its stone brow. Sam's face lights up with sudden hope, and he points it out to Frodo, whispering, "Look, the King’s got a crown again!" But the hope is painfully brief. The sun dips behind the thick trees, and the original head of the statue plunges back into dark shadow once more. With heavy hearts, Frodo and Sam follow Gollum as he continues to lead them deeper into the gloom.
The Green Pillar of Minas Morgul
That night, in the high quarters of Minas Tirith, Pippin is quietly preparing his new Gondorian armor. Out on the sweeping balcony, Gandalf stands solemnly overlooking the distant, jagged peaks of Mordor. The wizard turns to Pippin and explains the terrifying intensity of the time that has finally come. Sauron has gathered all his vile strength for his final, apocalyptic war. It is not just an army of Orcs, but a juggernaut force comprising fierce Haradrim soldiers, great beasts, monsters from the deep south, and even ruthless human mercenaries from the sea. Gandalf plainly states that, one way or another, the end of Gondor as they know it has arrived. If the Orcs manage to take the ruined river city of Osgiliath, it will eliminate the last physical defense between Minas Tirith and the endless armies of Mordor. Pippin tries to be optimistic, bravely asserting that they have the White Wizard on their side. But Gandalf is far less hopeful, his face etched with worry. He explains that Sauron has sent his most deadly and greatest servant to lead the forces of Mordor into war—a being assumed to be completely immortal against any living man: the Witch-king of Angmar. Gandalf reveals that this is the very same Nazgûl who mercilessly struck Frodo down on Weathertop. He is the terrifying leader of the Ringwraiths, the most powerful of the nine, and the dread city of Minas Morgul is his foul lair. At that exact moment, Frodo, Sam, and Gollum are stealthily moving toward that very evil city. Gollum leads them to a set of steep, treacherous stairs carved directly into a huge cliff face in the Mountains of Shadow. Suddenly, the dark, pulsating power of Minas Morgul reaches out, drawing the Ring irresistibly close to it. Frodo, hypnotized, begins to drift toward the glowing green city. Gollum and Sam frantically grab him and pull him back from the edge. Just as they yank him to safety, a massive, deafening rumble shakes the earth, and a blinding pillar of sickly green fire erupts from Minas Morgul, shooting violently up into the night sky.
The March of the Witch-king and the Warning Fire
Miles away, at the high balconies of Minas Tirith, Gandalf, Pippin, and the terrified Gondorian guards witness the horrific green signal illuminating the distant horizon. Back at Minas Morgul, the sheer force of the energy causes Frodo to collapse to his knees, and a sudden, deathly silence falls over the glowing city. Then, the Witch-king of Angmar swoops menacingly out of Minas Morgul on the back of his massive, leathery Fellbeast, letting out a terrible, piercing screech that echoes off the canyon walls. The horrifying sound stuns Frodo, causing his old wound from the wraith's blade to burn with phantom pain. The Witch-king’s winged steed screeches again, sounding the call to war, and the huge, sprawling army of Sauron begins to march out of the gates of Minas Morgul, an endless tide of metal and malice heading straight toward Gondor, led by the Witch-king who swoops out in front of them. Recovering, Frodo, Sam, and Gollum begin to climb the steep, jagged stairs toward the high pass of Cirith Ungol. As they ascend, Sam's suspicion boils over. He suddenly grabs Gollum by the throat, roughly pinning him against the rock face, and fiercely warns him not to try anything treacherous with Frodo, promising that if he does, Gollum will be gone for good. Sam releases him and continues to climb diligently behind Frodo, while Gollum stays back for a moment, looking up at Sam with a deeply evil, plotting grin. Back at Minas Tirith, Gandalf watches the distant movement and realizes with absolute certainty that the Mordor army is on the march. Knowing Denethor will not act, Gandalf quickly commands Pippin to sneak past the guards, climb up to the massive signal beacon located high above the city, and light it.
The Surprise Assault on Osgiliath
Down at the ruined, river-straddling city of Osgiliath, the brave Rangers of Gondor, led by the young captain Faramir, quietly prepare their weaponry. Faramir is informed by a lieutenant that the Orcs seem to be lying low across the dark river. Scouts had been dispatched earlier to Cair Andros to provide early warning in case the Orcs attempted an attack from the north. However, under the cover of thick fog and darkness, the Orcs are secretly making their deadly move directly across the river on large, flat-bottomed rafts. Standing imposing among them is a hideously deformed Orc named Gothmog, who is in immediate command of the assault. Gothmog viciously orders his Orc troops to remain absolutely quiet as they approach Osgiliath, aiming for a devastating surprise attack on the unsuspecting garrison. As the wooden rafts draw closer to the ruined stone banks, a lone Gondorian soldier catches a glimpse of the approaching shadows. Gothmog spots the sentry and quickly orders his demise. A skilled Orc archer silently draws his bow and shoots the soldier dead before he can raise the alarm. Hearing the body fall, Faramir is urgently called to the scene. He peers into the fog and instantly realizes that they are about to be attacked head-on; the Orcs are not coming from the north. Faramir quickly barks orders, leading a heroic, desperate defense of the city. He has all his available men guard every conceivable entry point along the riverbank. But the Orcs draw inexorably closer, and Gothmog barks a harsh command for his troops to draw their jagged swords and prepare to invade. Faramir waits tensely, his sword drawn and gleaming in the moonlight, as the heavy Orc rafts smash into the shore. The Orcs pour out of the rafts and scramble into the ruins of Osgiliath. Faramir nods to his men that the time is right, and with a fierce battle cry, he charges headlong into the invading Orcs, his Rangers and the men of the garrison following bravely behind him. A huge, bloody battle ensues amidst the crumbling stone walls. The Orcs mercilessly lower a heavy wooden ramp onto the bridge and begin to swarm into the city in staggering numbers. The Gondorian garrison experiences a very early, hard-fought success, holding the line with desperate bravery, but as more and more rafts hit the bank, they are soon completely overwhelmed and overrun by the endless tide of Orcs.
The Lighting of the Beacons
While blood spills in Osgiliath, Pippin completes his stealthy climb up to the very pinnacle of Minas Tirith. Reaching the massive pile of oil-soaked wood, he quietly sets the signal beacon alight and quickly sneaks away into the shadows. The Gondorian soldiers stationed there stand up in utter confusion as the beacon erupts into a massive, roaring ball of flames. Down on one of the lower city walls, Gandalf looks out with immense relief as he watches the fire catch. In the distance, peak by peak, he views the other beacons rapidly lighting up in a brilliant chain across the White Mountains. Inside the Throne Hall, Denethor stares unhappily at the blazing fires through his grand window, furious at the insubordination. But Gandalf smiles, knowing that hope has finally come to Gondor. The signal passes swiftly along Gondor's ancient chain of beacons, traversing the majestic White Mountains until it reaches the golden halls of Edoras. Spotting the distant fire, Aragorn bursts through the doors and quickly runs to tell King Théoden the news, shouting, "Gondor calls for aid!" After a brief, agonizing moment of thought, wrestling with his past grievances, Théoden’s honor wins out. He loudly declares that Rohan will answer. He immediately orders his commanders to muster the Rohirrim at the high camp of Dunharrow—they will ride for Gondor, and to war. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli hastily prepare their weapons and armor. As Aragorn straps on his gear, he notices Éowyn donning armor, clearly intending to ride with them. She tells Aragorn that the men have found him as their captain; they will follow him into battle, and even to death, because he has given them hope. Nearby, Gimli gruffly remarks to Legolas that horsemen are not nearly as good in a chaotic battle as an army of Dwarves—fully armed and filthy. Legolas, however, looks troubled, replying that his kinsmen have no need to ride to this war, for he fears war is already marching upon their own northern lands. Merry, deeply inspired by the courage around him, approaches Théoden and bravely pledges his sword to the King. The King of Rohan proudly accepts the Hobbit’s oath, officially naming him Meriadoc, esquire of Rohan. Now proudly in the King’s service, Merry happily dons a small suit of Rohan armor and prepares to ride with the Rohirrim to Dunharrow. As the vast army of Rohirrim gathers outside the city, Théoden takes one last, melancholic look up at the horse-crested banner of Rohan fluttering in the wind, knowing deep in his heart that this will be the very last battle he shall ever ride to. Gathering his commanders, Éomer passionately bids the men of Rohan to fulfill the sacred oaths they had taken and ride for their Lord and their land. With a thunderous clatter of hooves, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Théoden, Éowyn, Éomer, and little Merry leave Edoras behind and ride for Dunharrow.
The Retreat from Osgiliath
Back at Osgiliath, the situation has devolved into a total massacre. The Orcs completely overrun the city, viciously slaughtering everything in their path and utterly defeating the garrison. As his brave men die violently around him, Faramir barely escapes a brutal attack by Orc soldiers, saved only when a group of fellow Rangers fire a small, desperate volley of arrows at the pocket of Orcs pursuing him. Catching his breath, Faramir looks around the burning ruins and soon realizes that all hope of holding the city is entirely lost; the Orcs have won. He loudly calls for a full retreat, ordering the survivors to ride for Minas Tirith. The panicked men quickly flee onto their waiting horses and race frantically out of the burning city. During the chaotic retreat, Faramir’s loyal lieutenant, Madril, is savagely attacked by an Orc, his leg slashed, leaving him severely wounded and unable to stand. He lies bleeding on the cobblestones and is quickly discovered by Gothmog. The deformed Orc leader looks down at the helpless man, raises a cruel spear, and mercilessly finishes him off. Wiping the blood away, Gothmog boldly states to his cheering troops that the Age of Men is finally over, and that the time of the Orc has come. As Faramir and his ragged band of men retreat across the open Pelennor fields toward Minas Tirith, the sky above them splits with terrifying screeches. They are suddenly attacked from above by Nazgûl swooping down on their winged steeds. The Wraiths snatch men from their horses, dropping them to their deaths, and many brave soldiers die across the field. Watching the slaughter from the high walls of Minas Tirith, Gandalf commands Pippin to hold on tight and rides out of the city gates on Shadowfax. The men of Minas Tirith watch in awe as the retreating Rangers are miraculously saved by Gandalf. The White Wizard charges headlong toward the Nazgûl, raising his staff and projecting a blinding beam of pure white light that burns the shadows and drives the shrieking Wraiths back toward Mordor. Safely inside the city walls, an exhausted and battered Faramir tells Gandalf the grim news: the Orcs have completely overtaken Osgiliath and are now actively crossing the river.
A Father's Disdain and a Hobbit's Deceit
As Faramir speaks with Gandalf, he suddenly catches sight of Pippin standing nearby. His shock is palpable, and his reaction to seeing a Hobbit reveals a critical secret: he has recently seen two other Hobbits, Frodo and Sam. Gandalf is deeply alarmed to hear this, but his worry turns to absolute terror when Faramir reveals they are heading toward the cursed pass of Cirith Ungol. Gandalf frantically asks Faramir to tell him everything he knows. However, Lord Denethor overhears the conversation and immediately summons his younger son to the throne room for a brutal confrontation. Denethor is intensely ashamed of Faramir's loss of Osgiliath, but his true fury lies in the fact that Faramir willingly gave the One Ring back to a Hobbit and let him carry it straight into Mordor. Denethor screams that the Ring should have been brought back to the Citadel, to be kept safe, hidden, and secret deep in the dark vaults, not to be used until the exact time was right. He bitterly states that Boromir would have loyally brought him the Ring. Faramir, standing his ground, sadly replies that Boromir would not have done this; the Ring would have corrupted him, he would have taken it for himself, and he would have fallen. As Denethor rises from his throne, trembling with anger, Faramir presses on, saying that Boromir would have kept the Ring for his own power, and when he finally returned, Denethor would never again know him as a son. Denethor violently leaps up in a rage, screaming that Boromir was fiercely loyal to him, and not a weak "Wizard's Pupil" like Faramir. The outburst takes its toll, and Denethor suddenly collapses to the floor in overwhelming grief. It is tragically revealed that he misses Boromir so intensely that he no longer even sees Faramir as a trustworthy or worthy son. In his blinding grief, he cruelly asks Faramir to leave his sight forever, a command which Faramir sadly, quietly obeys. Meanwhile, far away on the steep, jagged steps leading up to the Pass of Cirith Ungol, Frodo, Sam, and Gollum continue to climb the perilous cliff face. During a particularly difficult stretch, Gollum is the first to scramble up onto a narrow ledge. He leans over and urges Frodo to continue climbing, offering a hand. But as Frodo stretches upward, the Ring dangles out from his shirt on its silver chain. Gollum's eyes lock onto it, his hand instinctively reaching for the precious jewel. Seeing this, Sam immediately draws his sword, ready to strike. Realizing he is caught, Gollum quickly changes his demeanor, seemingly going to just grab Frodo’s hand and pull him up to safety. But the damage is done. As Sam climbs up after them, panting and angry, Gollum begins his psychological assault. He creeps close to Frodo and starts to pour false, venomous accusations into his ear about Sam, whispering that soon, the "fat hobbit" will ask him for the Ring and eventually take it for his own.
A Suicide Mission for Osgiliath
Back at Osgiliath, the massive forces of Mordor continue to prepare their endless army. High above the ruins, the Witch-king hovers and orders Gothmog to send forth absolutely all legions, commanding him not to halt the attack until Minas Tirith is fully taken, and ordering the Orcs to violently slay every single person in the city. Gothmog gleefully asks of Gandalf's fate, and the Witch-king chillingly replies that he shall personally break the wizard. Inside Minas Tirith, the Gondorian soldiers are deeply worried. They anxiously ask Gandalf if Rohan will actually come to aid them. Gandalf, trying to inspire them, simply says that courage is their absolute best defense. In the dimly lit Throne Hall, Pippin is now dressed in the very armor Faramir wore as a child. Faramir smiles softly at the Hobbit, telling him that when he was younger, he never used to do his studying; instead, he used to waste his days running around pretending to slay dragons. He melancholically adds that Denethor personally had the armor made for him, but notes that his father has always seen Boromir as the stronger, better child. Pippin looks up earnestly and reminds him that Faramir has immense strength, but of a different, quieter kind, and assures him that one day, Denethor shall absolutely see that in him too and actually come to value Faramir. Deeply moved, Pippin officially enters Lord Denethor's service, swearing his absolute service and loyalty to him. However, Pippin is soon thoroughly shocked and horrified when he hears Denethor explicitly command Faramir to ride out and retake Osgiliath. On hearing this impossible command, Faramir realizes the devastating truth: his own father actively wants him to die in battle, a twisted sacrifice to make up for Boromir, who died in his place. Dutifully obeying this fatal order, Faramir solemnly states that he shall execute this command in Boromir's stead. But before turning to leave, he asks that when he returns, he wants Denethor to finally think better of him. Denethor coldly replies that such a thing will depend entirely on the manner of his return. Heartbroken, Faramir sadly leaves the hall to gather his men and try to retake Osgiliath, knowing deep in his soul that this desperate act will certainly claim his own life.
The Missing Lembas Bread
High up at the terrifying pass of Cirith Ungol, the Hobbits collapse in exhaustion and sleep on a precarious ledge suspended hundreds of feet above the glowing green glow of Minas Morgul. In secret, while the Hobbits slumber, Gollum gets up to enact his ultimate deception. He quietly sneaks over to their packs, takes the Elven Lembas bread, and crumbles it, casually dropping the crumbs over Sam's cloak before tossing the remaining bread down the dark cliff into the abyss. Awakening shortly after, Sam rummages through his pack and discovers what has happened. He instantly and furiously blames Gollum. The shouting awakens Frodo, and Gollum immediately starts stirring up events, playing the victim and outright lying to Frodo that Sam ate and stole the precious Lembas bread. Enraged by the blatant lie and the crumbs on his cloak, an infuriated Sam loses his temper entirely and starts viciously beating Gollum up until Frodo forcefully pulls him off and commands him to stop. Sweating and desperate to alleviate Frodo's obvious suffering, Sam suddenly asks Frodo if he can carry the Ring for a while, genuinely only wanting to help his exhausted master. But the Ring’s dark influence instantly twists Sam's words in Frodo’s mind. Remembering Gollum's whispered warnings, Frodo’s mind completely goes against his best friend. He suddenly pushes Sam away in a fit of absolute anger. Over Frodo's shoulder, Gollum grins wickedly; his masterful plan is working perfectly. Sam desperately tries to convince Frodo that it is all Gollum's fault, but he is left utterly horrified and heartbroken when Frodo completely falls for Gollum's deception. Coldly, Frodo tells Sam to leave and go home. Sam begs, but Frodo turns his back. Weeping bitterly, saddened and reluctant, Sam slowly begins the long climb back down the stairs. Left alone with his betrayer, Frodo continues to climb higher into the dark pass, with Gollum slinking victoriously behind him.
The Massacre of the Cavalry
Morning breaks over Minas Tirith, but it brings no hope. Faramir's cavalry rides proudly out of the city gates. Gandalf runs to the front line, desperately trying to convince Faramir that his father is quite mad, but still truly loves him underneath it all. Faramir sadly explains that he would gladly do anything to defend Minas Tirith, but he knows with absolute certainty that he will die today at his father's will. The gates open, and Faramir's detachment charges out onto the open, grassy plains, heading directly towards Osgiliath. Across the river, the thousands of Orcs which have thoroughly overtaken the city watch the approaching horsemen with glee, methodically preparing their deadly black bows. Back in Minas Tirith, inside the grand hall, Denethor feasts casually. He commands Pippin to sing for him, completely indifferent to the fact that his son and all his men are actively riding to a doomed fate. Reluctantly, with tears in his eyes, Pippin begins to sing a mournful Hobbit tune: "Home is behind, the world ahead, and there are many paths to tread, through shadow to the edge of night, until the stars are all alight..." As the cavalry approaches the ruins of Osgiliath, Faramir boldly holds his sword out to the enemy. But the vast horde of Orcs there draw their strings back tight and prepare to fire. In Minas Tirith, as Denethor obscenely pigs out on meat and tomatoes, Pippin's song reaches its tragic end: "...Mist and shadow, cloud and shade, all shall fade, all shall fade." At Osgiliath, Gothmog barks the final command. The Orcs let their bowstrings loose, firing a massive, unyielding volley of black arrows directly upon the advancing horsemen. The arrows rain down in a dark cloud, absolutely massacring Faramir's cavalry before they can even strike a blow. High up in the city, a despondent Gandalf sits alone in silent lament, while inside the hall, Pippin weeps openly at Denethor's cold indifference to sending his only remaining son to his death.
The Mustering at Dunharrow and the Elven Blade
Far from the bloodshed in Gondor, the Rohirrim gather at the high, rocky camp of Dunharrow, located just outside a huge, ominous cliff face. The men are busy preparing their horses and weaponry for the coming war. King Théoden asks his commanders about the expected reinforcements, but is grimly told that several key alliances have not yet shown up. Soon after, standing on top of a large campsite situated on the edge of the cliff, King Théoden and Aragorn look out over the vast sea of tents. Théoden states proudly that there are six thousand fully armed men ready to ride. Aragorn, however, shakes his head, stating that six thousand is simply not enough to break the endless lines of Mordor. Théoden insists that more men will eventually come, but Aragorn urgently explains to him that every single hour lost only hastens Gondor's ultimate defeat—they have until dawn before they must ride, ready or not. Around the camp, Aragorn notices that the men, along with their horses, are deeply terrified of a dark, fog-choked road that leads directly into the mountains behind Dunharrow. Legolas and Gimli are exploring the area, viewing the ominous road, when Éomer walks up and explains that the horses instinctively grow nervous at the dark shadow of the mountain. He tells the Elf and Dwarf that anyone who ever journeyed down that specific road never returned, and that the mountain itself is deeply evil. Curious and unsettled, Aragorn goes alone to view the entrance of the road. He is especially frightened when he peers into the gloom and sees what appears to be a ghostly, spectral figure staring directly back at him. Suddenly, Gimli loudly distracts him from behind, and when Aragorn quickly looks back to the darkness, the terrifying figure is entirely gone. That night in the camp, Éowyn is busy preparing Merry for the upcoming battle. She examines his gear and gently notes that his small sword isn't even sharp. Éowyn tells the eager Hobbit that he won't kill very many Orcs with a completely blunt blade and then takes his hand to lead him to the camp's smithy. However, as they walk, Éomer intercepts them and bluntly tells Éowyn that Merry is simply not ready for war. Éowyn fiercely asks why Merry cannot be allowed to fight for those he loves, but Éomer shuts her down, telling her that both she and Merry know very little about actual war. He coldly states that war is strictly the province of Men, and predicts that Merry will inevitably fall to the paralyzing fear of battle and flee when he finally comes face-to-face with the terrifying enemy. Meanwhile, asleep in his tent, Aragorn is tortured by a horrific nightmare about Arwen dying due to Sauron's growing power, culminating in a vision of the Evenstar necklace violently shattering. He awakens in a sudden gasp of fear and anger. A guard calls him to Théoden’s tent, where, to his immense shock, he meets Lord Elrond of Rivendell. Elrond confirms Aragorn's worst fears: Arwen is indeed dying—as Sauron's dark power exponentially grows, her mortal lifespan rapidly degenerates. Elrond then gives Aragorn a brutal tactical assessment, explaining that Minas Tirith is essentially already lost because, completely unbeknownst to them, a massive fleet of Corsair ships is currently sailing up the river from the south to flank the city. They are hopelessly outnumbered, Elrond explains, and they desperately need more men if they are to have any chance to win this fight. Aragorn frustratedly says that there are no more men available. But Elrond looks toward the dark pass and explains that there are those men that dwell inside the mountain. Aragorn is disgusted, stating that those who linger in the mountain are nothing but murderers and traitors; they don't believe in anything, and they answer to absolutely no one. Elrond counters powerfully, stating that they will answer to the true King of Gondor. Reaching beneath his cloak, Elrond officially presents Aragorn with Andúril, the legendary, newly reforged shards of Narsil. Elrond tells him that with this specific blade, Aragorn can summon up an ancient army that even Sauron cannot withstand. Elrond firmly states to Aragorn that it is finally time to put aside the wandering Ranger, and that it is time to become who he was truly born to be. Staring at the glowing metal, Aragorn finally accepts his grand destiny to be King. Preparing to leave Dunharrow immediately, Aragorn is suddenly confronted by Éowyn. Heartbroken, she begs Aragorn not to go into the cursed mountain, pleading that the men desperately need him here. Overcome with emotion, she openly confirms her deep love for Aragorn. But Aragorn, with a heavy heart, gently refuses her, telling Éowyn that he does not love her in return, though he deeply wishes her nothing but happiness.
The Paths of the Dead
Accompanied by his unfailing companions, Legolas and Gimli, Aragorn leaves the camp and takes the dreaded Paths of the Dead into the dark mountains behind Dunharrow. The soldiers of Rohan watch in stunned silence as Aragorn departs. One of the veteran soldiers, Gamling, mutters in despair that Aragorn leaves because there is absolutely no hope left. However, King Théoden rides among his men and firmly tells them that Aragorn leaves because he simply must, and proudly declares that even though their numbers are far too few against the massive Armies of Mordor, they shall bravely meet them in battle regardless. Later that evening, Éowyn sadly views the dark mountains ahead. She is accompanied by Théoden, who gently tells her that he has officially left the decree for Éowyn to stay behind and lead the people of Rohan if anything tragic happens to him. Éowyn bitterly asks if he wants to give her another order to stay, but Théoden smiles softly, saying that he doesn’t, but adds that he would very much have his beautiful niece smiling when future times of peace arrive. Meanwhile, the three companions—Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli—move slowly down the silent, mist-choked road that leads directly to the Paths of the Dead. Legolas recounts the dark history, telling them of the terrible curse Isildur laid upon the mountain men for cowardly refusing to fight in the War of the Last Alliance—they were cursed never to rest in peace until they have finally fulfilled their broken pledge of allegiance to Gondor. After a brief, tense ride through the narrow rocky passes, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli approach the ominous Dark Door. Suddenly, a chilling burst of evil wind blows from the cave, violently scaring the companions’ horses away. Aragorn, however, stands firm, boldly stating that he does not fear death. He steps bravely into the pitch-black door, with Legolas right behind him, and a very reluctant, trembling Gimli soon to follow. Inside the Dead Mountain, they navigate the claustrophobic tunnels and cavernous halls of the dead. Legolas looks around uneasily, telling them of seeing many ghostly images of dead men and spectral horses lingering in the gloom. Carefully avoiding the chilling ghostly mists that actively lurk along the paths, Aragorn and his companions find themselves horribly walking upon a carpet of thousands of skulls and dry bones of the many dead souls who perished there. Finally, the companions enter a massive, echoing cavern and arrive at the lair of the King of the Dead. There, they find the legendary, glowing green ghost army that eternally dwells in the immense caves. Aragorn, completely unafraid, confronts the spectral monarch directly, loudly declaring that he can finally fulfill their ancient oath. But the King of the Dead sneers, his ghostly voice echoing, saying that none but the true King of Gondor may command him. Aragorn swiftly draws Andúril. As the King of the Dead lunges forward to attack, Aragorn easily parries his spectral strike. The King of the Dead snarls in shock, "That line was broken!" In fierce response, Aragorn physically seizes the ghost by the throat, holds the gleaming edge of Andúril to the King's neck, and fiercely replies that the blade—and the royal bloodline it represents—has been remade. He then forcefully pushes the ghostly King back. Now holding the absolute attention of the massive ghost army, Aragorn orders them, as their rightful master, to join him on the chaotic battlefield at Minas Tirith; he promises that once they have destroyed the enemy there, he will hold their ancient oath fully fulfilled. He loudly asks them for their say. Gimli nervously warns him that he is totally wasting his time, muttering that these men had no honor in life and certainly have none now in death. Aragorn stands tall, yelling that he is Isildur's true heir and that he will fulfill their oath. However, the ghosts simply refuse to answer and slowly begin to fade and disappear into the rock. Aragorn frantically calls out to them one last time, but they vanish completely. Gimli furiously yells that they are all nothing but traitors. Suddenly, the walls of the cavern begin to shake violently. Moments later, the entire cave begins to collapse around them, and an avalanche of thousands of ancient skulls cascades down upon them. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli desperately run and are violently driven from the collapsing caves by the massive cascade of skulls, barely escaping with their lives. Coughing on the ancient dust, they exit the caves and immediately arrive at the banks of the Anduin River. There, to their utter horror, they see a massive armada of Corsair Black Ships sailing confidently up the river. As they watch the ships sail past a burning Gondorian port city, Aragorn falls heavily to his knees in despair, truly believing all hope for Gondor to be lost and that they have completely failed. But suddenly, the King of the Dead phases through the rock face of the mountain behind them. He looks down at Aragorn and formally agrees to join him in battle.
The Ride of the Rohirrim
Back at Dunharrow, dawn approaches and the Rohirrim eagerly climb up onto their horses, preparing to make the massive ride for Minas Tirith. King Théoden and Éomer ride up and down the lines, organizing the army. Théoden loudly addresses his men, warning them that it is a very long road ahead and that both man and beast must ensure they reach the end of the march with the strength to fight. Meanwhile, Merry is desperately trying to prepare a small horse to ride to Gondor, but is intercepted by Théoden. The King gently but firmly tells the Hobbit that his journey here has come to its end. He explains that it is a grueling three-day ride to Minas Tirith, and none of his riders can afford to have the Hobbit as a physical burden. Despite Merry’s passionate urgings and pleas to ride to war, Théoden simply dismisses him and rides away. As all hope of riding with his friends seems completely lost, Merry is suddenly and forcefully lifted up by an unknown, fully armored rider and scooped onto the back of a horse. The rider pulls back their helm to reveal it is no man—but Éowyn, disguised as a soldier. She grins and tells Merry that he will ride with her. Merry gladly and gratefully accepts this. Éomer and Théoden blow their horns, officially mustering the men, and the massive Rohan army of six thousand horsemen all gallop thunderously out of Dunharrow, riding away to absolute war with Mordor.
The Siege of Minas Tirith Begins
At Gondor, the horrific siege of Minas Tirith officially begins when the massive, endless Orc army of two hundred thousand troops launches its devastating assault. They bring forward massive, troll-driven siege towers and line up rows of huge, terrifying catapults. Before the bombardment begins, Faramir's horse slowly trots up to the city gates. Faramir's lifeless, arrow-riddled form is being dragged back-first across the dirt by his stirrup. The horrified guards of the city quickly rush out, take hold of Faramir's battered body, and carry it frantically up to the Citadel. Down on the blood-soaked fields, the Orcs begin to prepare their heavy catapults, while Gothmog observes the vast army by proudly riding through their lines on the back of a massive, snarling Warg. Inside Minas Tirith, the guards bring Faramir’s limp body directly to his father. Denethor is entirely heart-broken to find his only surviving son seemingly killed in combat. A bloodied soldier informs the Steward that they were hopelessly outnumbered at Osgiliath, reporting that almost none survived. Outside the walls, Gothmog, who is in full command of the Mordor army, can practically feel the sheer terror raging inside the city. Smiling wickedly, he sarcastically orders his captains to "ease their pain" by having his underlings "release the prisoners." The Orcs comply, cruelly loading the severed heads of the dead Gondorian soldiers from Osgiliath into the catapults. With a terrifying thud, they fire the gruesome payload directly over the high walls, causing the heads to rain down upon the streets, sparking sheer panic, utter disgust, and widespread terror among the civilian population of the city.
The Madness of the Steward and the Catapult Duel
High up in the High Court, the terrifying bombardment breaks Denethor's mind completely. He loudly proclaims to the heavens that his noble lineage has totally ended, lamenting that he has spent the lives of both his sons for nothing. Pippin quickly rushes to Faramir's side and inspects the arrow wounds. He urgently tries to tell Denethor that Faramir is actually still alive, his chest rising faintly. Completely ignoring Pippin’s desperate pleas, Denethor formally and loudly declares that the Stewardship of the city has officially ended. Mad with despair, Denethor walks out to the balcony to view the huge, terrifying army of Mordor massed outside the city as they actively commence the main assault upon his white walls. Down on the field, Gothmog evilly laughs as his troops unleash a barrage of massive, flaming boulders upon Minas Tirith. The rocks shatter many of the city's ancient buildings, while the terrified Gondorian soldiers on the walls just stand paralyzed and watch. Now in a total, manic panic, Denethor mutters to himself that all hope is lost, entirely convinced that Rohan has deserted him and that he has been completely betrayed by King Théoden. As more heavy boulders violently hit his walls, Denethor cowardly instructs the soldiers to completely abandon their posts and flee from the mounting onslaught. Hearing this treason, Denethor is suddenly and violently assaulted by Gandalf. Disgusted with Denethor's utter cowardice, the wizard physically hits him several times with his heavy wooden staff, brutally knocking the Steward out cold on the marble floor. Without missing a beat, Gandalf officially takes command of the city's forces and loudly orders the city to prepare for immediate battle. The Wizard quickly mounts his horse, Shadowfax, and rides out into the lower city, fiercely calling for the retreating soldiers to instantly return to their posts. Roused by his bravery, the army of Gondor quickly stands tall upon the city walls. Gandalf rides along the parapet to view the roaring Orc army below. He raises his staff and forcefully calls for the Gondorians to send these foul creatures straight back to the abyss. At Gandalf’s roaring orders, the Gondorians finally respond by launching their own massive catapult attack using heavy trebuchets. They ingeniously use huge chunks of debris and heavy rubble from the damaged walls and demolished city structures as deadly ammunition. The rocks hurl through the air, crushing hundreds of Orcs and violently destroying several mobile siege towers and enemy catapults. The massive rocks fall down between the Orc lines; the Orcs look at them in sheer fear, but Gothmog aggressively barks at them to stay exactly where they are. A brutal, ground-shaking catapult duel ensues between the Gondorian armies and the Orcs, violently crushing troops on both sides. During the exchange, one large catapult, fired accurately by the Gondorians, sends a massive boulder hurling directly towards Gothmog. But the Orc commander casually and quickly steps out of the way. As it crashes behind him, he casually spits at the boulder in pure disgust. Suddenly, high above the chaotic siege, the Witch-king and the rest of the Nazgûl dive-bomb the city upon their winged steeds. They swoop down, violently grabbing and killing many men, and inflict heavy, strategic damage by tearing apart and destroying the Gondorian catapults, effectively rendering the wall defenders defenseless against the bombardment. Their ear-piercing screeches send the Gondorian soldiers into a maddened, dropping panic. Pippin is one of the many caught in the crushing fear, covering his ears. As the Nazgûl swoop overhead again, Gandalf shouts over the din, ordering the men not to give into fear and demanding they stand to their posts nevertheless the immense danger.
The Breaching of the Great Gate
The Nazgûl's massive steeds physically smash into many stone buildings, tearing off roofs. As Pippin runs frantically through the burning city to find safety, he is forcefully knocked down by many terrified people desperately trying to run away from the overwhelming chaos. During these terrifying events, the massive mountain trolls begin slowly pushing forth the huge wooden siege towers, which are filled to the brim with many war-hungry Orcs. Seeing them approach the walls, Gandalf orders the archers to specifically aim for the exposed trolls pushing the structures and not the thick wood of the towers themselves. The soldiers obey, raining deadly arrows down upon the beasts. Despite the volley, soon, one massive siege tower violently hits the wall. Its heavy ramp drops, and Orcs immediately pile out, viciously attacking the Gondorians in bloody hand-to-hand combat. Shortly after that, many more towers securely land against the stone, unleashing hundreds more Orcs onto the parapets. Meanwhile, on the ground level, a large contingent of Orcs, utterly determined to break through Minas Tirith's massive Great Gate, charge forward holding a heavy battering ram. As this happens, Pippin bravely runs up onto the walls, where Gandalf is already busy fighting off the invading Orcs with his sword and staff. Gandalf shouts for Pippin to immediately return to the citadel, but Pippin fiercely replies that he was officially called out to fight for his lord. However, as more bloodthirsty Orcs attack, two single out Pippin and charge at him, fully intent on killing the small Hobbit. Gandalf intervenes just in time to save the Hobbit's life, abruptly telling him that the brutal battlefield is absolutely no place for a Hobbit. Just then, as more siege towers hit the walls and Orcs are let loose in a frenzy, one screaming Orc charges directly towards Gandalf's blind side. But Pippin reacts instantly, quickly stabbing the foul creature through the chest with his small sword, killing him instantly. Gandalf turns to Pippin in surprise, warmly saying that the Hobbit is a true Guard of the Citadel indeed, but then quickly and firmly hurries him back up the long stairs to the top tier of the city where he can be relatively safe. Down at the mighty gates, the Orcs continue to rhythmically slam their battering ram against the reinforced wood. But the Gondorian archers positioned up above relentlessly fire arrows down upon the Orcs, killing many and significantly slowing down the ram's momentum. The great gate proves completely impregnable to the basic ram. Gothmog angrily yells at his troops to return to the battering ram and smash the gate down, but an Orc captain runs up and informs him that the gate is simply too strong and nothing ordinary can breach it. Seeing his troops dying one by one beneath the arrows, Gothmog smirks and orders the Orcs to bring forward their ultimate weapon: Grond, a giant, terrifyingly heavy battering ram shaped like the snarling head of a wolf. Soon after, Grond, heavily suspended on massive chains and driven by giant horned beasts, slowly advances upon the gates. Gandalf looks out over the burning walls to see Grond approaching. As the monstrous ram draws closer, the entire sea of Orcs begins to rhythmically chant its name—"Grond! Grond! Grond!"—as it prepares to breach the gates. As absolute chaos engulfs Gondor, miles away at the port, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas confidently step out to confront the arriving Black Ships and the ruthless Corsairs of Umbar. Aragorn loudly warns the pirates not to attempt to enter Gondor, but the arrogant Corsair captain laughs, shouting from his deck that he cannot deny that passage. Aragorn casually tells Legolas to fire a warning shot directly past the Corsair captain’s ear. Legolas draws and aims, but just as he releases the string, Gimli deliberately bumps Legolas's bow with his axe. The sudden jolt causes the arrow to miss its mark and hit another Corsair squarely in the chest, killing him instantly. Gimli chuckles and yells that the Corsairs should surrender immediately. When the enraged pirates completely refuse and draw their weapons, Aragorn simply smiles and gives the order, having the swirling, terrifying Army of the Dead sweep over the water and completely obliterate the entire Corsair fleet in seconds.
The Lair of Shelob
Far away, in the pitch-black catacombs near Cirith Ungol, Gollum leads an exhausted Frodo towards the entrance of Shelob's Lair. Gollum insists that Frodo must enter the dark tunnel, claiming that there is absolutely no other way forward—either he goes in, or he goes back. Frodo, heavily burdened by the Ring, softly says that he can't go back now. With a trembling breath, Frodo cautiously enters the caves. The air is foul, and the walls are thick with sticky, ancient webs and littered with the gruesome remains of dead Orcs and other unknown creatures. Deep in the darkness, Frodo turns around to find he has been completely abandoned by Gollum and left utterly stranded in the dark, gloomy caves. Panic sets in as he finally realizes Gollum has actively betrayed him, and that Sam was absolutely right about the creature all along. An overwhelming wave of guilt washes over him for not believing Sam and for cruelly pushing his best friend away. Meanwhile, far below the caves, Sam is slowly climbing back down the endless rocky pass, deeply saddened and crying. Suddenly, his foot slips on the loose stone, and he falls hard, tumbling down to land on a narrow ledge near the bottom of the steps. As he catches his breath, he looks down and spots something familiar in the dirt—the discarded crumbs and the crushed Elven Lembas bread which Gollum had cast down into the ravine. Seeing the untouched bread, Sam instantly puts the pieces together. Now burning with intense anger at the way Gollum deliberately deceived Frodo into thinking Sam wanted to steal the Ring, Sam realizes with total clarity that he must go back and rescue Frodo. He grips his sword and begins the arduous climb back up the cliff. Deep inside the caves, Frodo is in a total, blind panic. After running nervously and blindly through the twisting tunnels, Frodo suddenly encounters the true horror of the cave—the great, ancient spider, Shelob. Her massive, clicking form emerges from the darkness. Frodo luckily remembers his gifts and manages to temporarily keep Shelob at bay by shining the blindingly bright Phial of Galadriel directly into her many eyes. Blinded, the spider recoils, and Frodo flees desperately from her down the echoing tunnels. Suddenly, he runs headlong into a massive web, becoming hopelessly caught in its sticky threads. He realizes in terror that since Gollum clearly won't save him, this is a deliberate, orchestrated trap. Fueled by sheer anger and the will to survive, Frodo furiously cuts himself loose from the thick web with Sting just as Shelob's massive bulk draws terrifyingly closer to him. He bursts out of the webbing and finally flees the cave into the open air of the pass. But as he emerges, he is violently attacked from above by a screeching Gollum. The two tumble across the rocky ground. Enraged by the betrayal, Frodo fiercely fights back, pinning Gollum down and angrily pushing him away, preparing to violently strangle him. However, when a gasping Gollum spitefully hisses that the One Ring is the only reason why he tried to kill him, a sudden wave of pity hits Frodo. He slowly lets the creature go, sadly stating that he must destroy it for both their sakes. Turning his back, Frodo walks away from the wretched creature, completely not realizing Gollum is preparing to blindly attack him again. As Gollum lunges at his back, Frodo spins around and forcefully pushes Gollum back, sending the creature tumbling screaming down a steep, rocky cliff. Now completely alone and exhausted, Frodo continues to move through the jagged passes. The weight of the Ring and the venom of the environment take their toll; at one point, Frodo completely faints from exhaustion. Lying in the dirt, he gives up, weakly whispering a desperate "sorry" to Sam. But in his delirium, a radiant vision of Lady Galadriel appears before him. She warmly encourages him to go on and successfully continue the final quest. Strengthened by her magic, Frodo weakly gets up and resumes his lonely march up the road.
The Courage of the Rohirrim and the Pyre of Denethor
Miles away, near the borders of Gondor, the Rohirrim have made a temporary camp. Éomer rides hastily into the center of the tents to inform King Théoden of the grim reality ahead: the massive Mordor army is actively attacking the very walls of Minas Tirith, and the entire first level is already completely engulfed in flames. Among the nervously preparing soldiers, Merry sits quietly. He looks down at his sword, sadly telling Éowyn that he knows he could never be a mighty knight of Rohan, capable of grand, heroic deeds, because he is, after all, just a small Hobbit. He tells her earnestly that he doesn't care about glory; he just wants to save his friends, Frodo, Sam, and Pippin. Touched by his bravery, Éowyn nods. Now fully ready, the commanders of the Rohirrim loudly sound the war horns, signaling the army to mount up and prepare to ride the final stretch to Minas Tirith. Éowyn and Merry proudly place their heavy Rohan helmets on their heads. Night has fully fallen over Minas Tirith, and the Orcs are relentlessly assaulting the walls with flaming, molten boulders, their entire endless army marching directly up towards the great gates. Inside the chaos of the city, Gandalf bravely charges the retreating men of Gondor back down to the burning first level of the city as the massive wolf's head of Grond thunders terrifyingly against the main gates, splintering the ancient wood. As this desperate defense happens, high above the fiery events, Denethor reaches his absolute most extreme moment of madness. He solemnly retreats to the cold, silent Tomb of the Stewards, fully intending to burn himself to death upon a pyre, completely along with the still-living, unconscious body of his son, Faramir. His grim procession moves out of the White Tower of Ecthelion and past the dead White Tree of Gondor—where, completely unnoticed by the madman, one single white flower has miraculously bloomed upon a dead branch. Pippin, highly suspecting something disastrous is going to happen, secretly follows the grim funeral parlor through the shadows to the Tomb in the hallows of the city, where he watches in horror as Denethor quietly requests for his guards to build a massive wooden pyre. Down at the gates, Grond is pulled back for a final strike, preparing to utterly break them open, as massive fireballs continuously fall upon the city's crumbling buildings. Gandalf, standing boldly in front of the deeply frightened men of Gondor, loudly declares that no matter what horrors come through those gates, they must fiercely stand their ground. It is then that Grond smashes forward with deafening force, completely breaking the ancient gates apart in a shower of massive splinters. Giant, armored mountain trolls are the very first to suddenly enter the city, immediately followed by hundreds of screeching Orcs and the heavily armored Easterlings of Rhûn. They charge blindly into the narrow streets, viciously attacking Gandalf and the terrified soldiers. The endless forces of Mordor rapidly pour into the city, gleefully burning the beautiful first level to the ground, as Gandalf desperately continues to lead the brave Gondor forces against them in a brutal, street-by-street battle.
The Choices of Master Samwise
Meanwhile, high up in the dark pass, as Frodo desperately makes his way towards the towering fortress of Cirith Ungol, disaster strikes. From the shadows of the rocks above, Shelob sneakily drops down behind him. Before he can react, she violently stings Frodo in the neck with her massive stinger, instantly paralyzing him, and begins to rapidly wrap his still body in thick, suffocating webbing. At that exact, terrifying moment, Sam finally arrives on the scene, panting and furious. He holds the blinding Light of Eärendil aloft directly at Shelob, bravely yelling at the massive monster to back away from Frodo. He has retrieved Frodo's fallen sword, Sting, and charges forward. Sam fights Shelob with absolutely immense courage as the huge, clicking spider viciously attacks him with her razor-sharp claws and dripping fangs. Eventually, after a brief, terrifying fight where he is nearly crushed, Sam manages to strike true. He severely wounds Shelob, driving Sting deep into her underbelly, leaving her oozing, partially blind, and bleeding horribly. Screeching in pain, she crawls rapidly away from Sam, retreating deep back into her dark cave forever. Sam quickly drops his weapons and rushes frantically to Frodo's webbed side. He tears the webbing away, only to find Frodo completely still, cold, and utterly lifeless. Devastated, Sam truly believes his best friend to be dead. He collapses, crying bitterly, absolutely convinced that the Quest is now totally over, and he cradles Frodo’s seemingly lifeless body tightly in his arms. But while Sam deeply mourns over Frodo's apparent death, the blade of Sting lying on the rocks suddenly glows a bright, warning blue, which heralds a small company of Orcs rapidly approaching down the path. Sam quickly scrambles and hides out of sight nearby. From his hiding spot, Sam listens intently and overhears one of the Orc captains, a vicious creature named Gorbag, inspecting the webbed body and casually mentioning that the "little rat" is actually still alive. Sam's heart stops as he overhears the Orcs explaining that Shelob only ever stings her victims just enough to completely knock them out, as the monster greatly prefers her prey to be alive when she eats them. In a flash of horrific realization, Sam realizes that he has made a massive, terrible mistake by leaving Frodo's side. The Orcs roughly pick up Frodo's paralyzed body and carry him directly to the imposing Tower of Cirith Ungol, ultimately imprisoning him in the highest, most secure room of the fortress. Gripping Sting tightly, Sam knows he must rescue him alone.
The Fall of the Steward and the Broken Staff
At Minas Tirith, the situation inside the hallows of the city has reached a boiling point. Pippin quietly steps out of the shadows and directly approaches the Tomb of the Stewards, where he finally realizes exactly what Denethor is about to do with the oil and wood. He urgently tries to physically intervene and stop the guards, but the mad Denethor angrily overpowers him, violently throws the Hobbit out onto the stone steps, formally releases him from his sworn service, and heavily bars the heavy tomb's doors shut from the inside. Pippin quickly scrambles to his feet and runs frantically through the heavily burning city streets to find and tell Gandalf. But the streets are a nightmare; there is simply too much chaotic carnage as hundreds of injured, bleeding Gondorians pour past him in full retreat. Fiery boulders are relentlessly hitting the city, and the civilian people run frantically for their lives, screaming in terror, as thousands of invading Orcs run through the avenues butchering them. Gandalf desperately orders the remaining soldiers to pull back immediately to the second level and commands them to get as many women and children up to safety as physically possible. Out on the bloodied Pelennor field, the vast Orc forces receive clear orders from Gothmog to flood the breached city and kill absolutely all in their path. Inside the burning first level, Gandalf fights long and incredibly hard with sword and staff to keep the surging Orcs, snapping wargs, and roaring trolls back, but the brave people of the city are being mercilessly slaughtered as the exhausted soldiers fight off completely unmanageable numbers of invading enemies. Gandalf loudly exhorts his men to stand firm and fight to the very last man. Amidst the intense, bloody fighting, Pippin finally finds Gandalf on horseback and desperately tells him of Denethor's horrific madness inside the tomb. Gandalf realizes the urgency, quickly reaches down, and pulls Pippin up onto the back of Shadowfax, rapidly racing up the winding ramps towards the tomb to stop the obscene, murderous funeral pyre. However, along the steep way, Gandalf is suddenly confronted by the massive Witch-king, who blocks the path on his fellbeast. Undaunted, Gandalf strictly warns the Witch-king to return to the dark abyss that awaits him and his evil master. But the evil wraith simply snarls back at the wizard, raising his sword. He uses his immense, dark magical powers to violently shatter Gandalf's wooden staff into splinters, the concussive force blowing the wizard violently off the back of Shadowfax onto the hard stone. Pippin draws his small sword and bravely lunges at the Witch-king to protect his friend, but is instantly frozen in paralyzing fear by the deafening, unearthly screech of the wraith's steed. Gandalf lies half beaten on the ground, completely weaponless, and is just about to be killed by the Witch-king, who coldly boasts that the wizard has completely failed and that the world of men will finally fall. But right at that very moment of doom, the deep, resonant sound of massive war horns suddenly echoes from far outside the city walls, instantly drawing their attention. Furious at the interruption, the Witch-king lets out a piercing shriek of rage as he actively directs his winged steed away from the fallen wizard, flying off into the dawn to personally confront this massive new threat.
The Battle of Pelennor Fields and Denethor's End
Down on the trampled field, Gothmog is casually preparing his massive Orc forces for a devastating second assault on the city walls when he suddenly notices a huge, orderly army arriving in the distance over the rise. It is the mighty Rohirrim, six thousand strong, boldly led by King Théoden, arriving right at the edge of the Pelennor Fields as the sun begins to rise. The mounted Rohirrim look over the ridge and are met with the sight of the absolutely huge, sprawling Orc army massing directly outside the city walls. Sitting atop her horse, Éowyn looks out at the endless sea of enemies, and she gently tells Merry that true courage is needed now if they are to have any chance to save their friends inside. In the Orc lines, Gothmog quickly realizes the severe tactical risks to his ground army and frantically shouts orders, having the heavily armed pikemen run to the absolute front lines and brace their spears, with hundreds of archers lining up right behind them. As this defensive maneuver happens, King Théoden boldly refuses to take the massive Orcs as an insurmountable threat. He confidently rides his horse back and forth directly past the front lines of his gathered army, giving his final, roaring commands. He shouts that spears shall be shaken, and shields shall be splintered, boldly declaring that today is a sword day, and a red day—"Ere the Sun Rises!" As both massive armies intensely prepare for the absolute conflict, Théoden rides rapidly past the very front lines of his men, aggressively tapping their raised spears with the flat of his own sword. He screams gloriously that they ride now—to ruin, and the world's ending! The men of Rohan all raise their weapons and yell their deafening war cry, "Death!" With a final blast of the horns, Théoden heroically leads the thunderous charge. The six thousand Rohirrim all charge rapidly down the grassy field directly towards their braced opponents. Desperate, the Orcs, at Gothmog's frantic command, fire their black arrows upon the charging horsemen, but it is of no use. The heavy momentum of the charge is too great. The Orc lines entirely panic as the Rohirrim draw terrifyingly closer, and Gothmog finally realizes that it is far too late to hold the line. The Rohirrim violently crash directly into the braced Orc pikemen and effortlessly charge right through their front lines. The brittle Orcs cannot withstand the immense cavalry charge, as thousands of them are brutally crushed and trampled completely beneath the thundering hooves. Meanwhile, inside the silent Tomb of the Stewards, Denethor is actively preparing to burn himself and his unconscious son, Faramir, entirely alive. He pours the oil, but the horrific act is quickly and violently stopped as Gandalf speeds into the stone room, bursting through the doors and fiercely urging the Steward to stop this sheer madness. However, Denethor absolutely refuses to listen, wildly asserting that "against the power that has risen in the East, there is no victory," and he grabs a torch, setting the soaked pyre completely alight. As Gandalf physically fights off Denethor's loyal guards with his sword, Pippin heroically jumps directly onto the burning pyre and desperately manages to push Faramir's body off the wood, rolling him safely out of the flames just as Faramir slowly regains consciousness. Looking down, Denethor finally realizes at that exact moment that his son is, in fact, still alive. But by then, the flames have caught his oil-soaked robes, and he is far too late to stop himself from burning. Engulfed entirely in raging flames, Denethor screams in agony and runs wildly out from the tomb into the courtyard. Gandalf simply lowers his head and says, "So passes Denethor, son of Ecthelion." The blazing Denethor runs screaming all the way across the High Court and completely falls from the high prow of the city, plummeting thousands of feet to his fiery death.
The March of the Mûmakil
Down on the blood-soaked field, the Rohirrim continue to inflict incredibly heavy damage on the scattered Orc ranks. After minutes of vicious, chaotic fighting, the surviving Orcs finally turn their backs to flee, and Éomer loudly commands the Rohirrim to actively drive the routing Orcs directly towards the deep river. As total victory seemingly comes and the Orcs flee in terror, Théoden proudly states in pure glee that the great city is finally safe. But his smile vanishes instantly; he is horribly wrong, as to the hazy east, a much greater, more terrifying threat has just arrived on the field. The Rohirrim pull back their reins, absolutely horrified when they see a massive, imposing row of gigantic, armored Oliphaunts (Mûmakil) heavily marching straight towards them. Undeterred by the impossible odds, King Théoden bravely rallies up his scattered army once again, shouting orders, and charges them head-on at the massive Oliphaunts. The charge is disastrous; many brave Rohirrim riders are quickly and brutally trampled into the dirt by the massive, sweeping feet and tusks of the Oliphaunts. High up above them on the wooden platforms strapped to the beasts, thousands of painted Haradrim archers fire a deadly rain of arrows down onto the vulnerable horses below. The Rohirrim desperately charge in large groups at the towering Mûmakil, but many are instantly killed in the sheer chaos of the clash. As the Rohirrim, including the veteran Gamling, frantically fire small arrows up into the Oliphaunts' thick stomachs, Éomer spots an opening. He rides out swiftly in front of one of the massive Mûmakil, winds back his arm, and manages to hurl a spear with incredible force, cleanly killing its Haradrim captain. The captain's lifeless body falls from the high platform and violently dangles down, swinging heavily against the Oliphaunt's sensitive ear. The irritation causes the massive Oliphaunt to go completely un-controlled, violently trumpeting and completely crashing sideways into another marching Oliphaunt. Tangled together, both gigantic beasts fall heavily to the bloody ground on top of each other, crushing everyone beneath them. Meanwhile, amidst the absolute chaos, Éowyn and Merry ride bravely through the thick of the battle. Working perfectly together, Éowyn and Merry manage to bring one of the massive elephant-like beasts down completely by furiously cutting at its thick legs with their blades. The Rohirrim, meanwhile, focus their combined efforts on one of the largest Oliphaunts on the field, highly distressing the beast by relentlessly shooting volleys of arrows directly at its head. Noticing its vulnerability, King Théoden quickly orders several of his best archers to take it down completely before it can recover. Éowyn quickly spurs her horse to go aid them, riding close and sending one final, deep spear directly into the creature's weakened legs, successfully bringing it completely down. However, as the dead Mûmakil violently collapses, the shockwave throws both Merry and Éowyn completely from their horse into the dirt. Dazed and separated from their mounts, the two are left entirely stranded on foot amidst the absolutely huge, swirling battle. Not far away, as King Théoden fiercely fights off numerous attacking Orcs from horseback, Éowyn bravely joins the ground fray, expertly cutting down several Orcs with her sharp blade. Moving through the carnage, she suddenly engages the Orc commander Gothmog in brutal, close-quarters combat. After a furious exchange, she brilliantly ends up punching his deformed face with her shield and deeply wounding him with a slash before moving on. Elsewhere on the field, little Merry finally emerges covered in dirt from beneath the massive corpse of one of the fallen Mûmakil. Drawing his small sword, he bravely fends himself off from several charging Orcs and Haradrim warriors.
Waiting for the End
High up in Minas Tirith, the situation is completely dire. The endless wave of Orcs have brutally overrun all the lower levels of the city and pushed all the way up to half of the prestigious fourth level. There, a weary Gandalf, a terrified Pippin, and the ragged remaining Gondorian army prepare desperately for another brutal attack as fearsome, armored Mountain Trolls begin to aggressively hammer at the thick wooden gates of the tier. Outside the gate, the Witch-king can be heard goading the monsters on, as the terrifying Ringwraith occasionally flies past overhead. With the heavy thud of the troll hammers echoing in the courtyard, Gandalf looks softly down at Pippin. He gently says to the trembling Hobbit that this is not yet the true end, explaining that death is really just another path that they must all one day take. Staring into the distance, he poetically tells Pippin of the old grey rain-curtain of this world finally sliding back, revealing a bright, beautiful sunlight and endless white shores filling a green land. Hearing the wizard's comforting words, Pippin happily listens, his breathing slowing, and bravely decides that dying is not so bad after all, to which Gandalf softly agrees. The massive troll continues to hammer relentlessly at the cracking gate, and all that Gandalf and Pippin can do is quietly wait with drawn swords for the final assault.
The Death of Kings
Down on the chaotic battlefield, things turn from bad to worse. More brave Rohirrim riders are actively being torn apart and tossed into the air by the huge, thrashing Mûmakil beasts. Théoden urgently rides forward to loudly rally up his scattered men, but a massive shadow suddenly falls over him. He is violently and suddenly thrown from his horse as Snowmane is viciously attacked by the Witch-king's sweeping, screeching winged steed. Théoden's slain horse falls heavily upon the King, viciously crushing him and severely injuring him, pinning him entirely down to the bloody ground, unable to move. Seeing her uncle fall, Éowyn rushes forward and suddenly comes face-to-face with the towering Witch-king, who has landed his beast and is poised to completely finish off the helpless Théoden. The Wraith slowly turns his dark, faceless attention directly to her. Standing her absolute ground, she raises her sword and fiercely slays his monstrous winged steed by cleanly beheading the vile creature with one massive, sweeping strike. Stepping over the twitching corpse, she confronts the towering wraith himself. The Witch-king laughs chillingly and violently attacks her, swinging a absolutely huge, deadly, spiked Morgul flail. After a brief, incredibly intense duel of dodging the massive, crater-making strikes, Éowyn raises her arm to block. Her wooden shield takes a direct, devastating hit from the Witch-king's heavy flail, completely shattering it into splinters instantly and brutally breaking her arm. The sheer force throws Éowyn violently to the ground, heavily injured and gasping in pain. To the far south of the battle, near the riverbanks of Minas Tirith, the dreaded Black Fleet of the Corsairs finally arrives and docks at the Harlond. A massive contingent of Orcs gather eagerly outside the ships on the docks, fully expecting fresh reinforcements to finish the battle. However, as the ramps drop, instead of pirates, Aragorn suddenly leaps aggressively off the lead ship, instantly followed by Legolas and Gimli. Gimli grips his axe, loudly joking that there is plenty of Orcs for the both of them and shouting to let the best Dwarf win. Then, with a terrifying, rushing sound, the absolutely huge, swirling Army of the Dead charges out of the ships and directly onto the battlefield, instantly and effortlessly slaying the screaming Orcs. Aragorn fearlessly leads the spectral charge with his glowing blade, with Legolas and Gimli fighting fiercely right behind him. Back across the battlefield, the Witch-king moves in to execute the fallen Éowyn, arrogantly lifting his mace and telling her coldly that his dark power prevents any living man from ever killing him. But entirely unnoticed in the chaos, little Merry suddenly sneaks up directly behind the wraith. With a desperate cry, Merry viciously stabs the Wraith directly in the back of the knee with his ancient, enchanted sword from Rohan, terribly wounding himself with the dark magic backlash in the process. As the Witch-king shrieks in sudden, impossible pain and shrinks from the magical blow, Éowyn slowly forces herself up and approaches the kneeling monster with her own sword drawn. Angrily removing her dented helmet, letting her golden hair fall free, Éowyn defiantly stares into the black void of his hood and counters boldly, "I am no man." With a fierce battle cry, she brutally stabs her sword straight through his empty, invisible face. The dark magic holding him together violently implodes inward with a deafening screech, and the Witch-king is completely and utterly destroyed, leaving nothing but empty robes and armor clattering to the ground.
The Tide Turns and the End of the Battle
The arrival of the ghost army completely changes the tide of the war. Aragorn fiercely charges directly through the panicked Orc lines, effortlessly killing many with sweeps of Andúril. Nearby, Gimli and Legolas playfully but fiercely continue their ongoing competition in battle, diving into the fray and engaging the Orcs, cutting them down one by one with axe and arrow. During the swirling battle, a heavily wounded Gothmog slowly gets up from the dirt. Absolutely furious for revenge, he spots the injured Éowyn. Grabbing an axe for support, he limps quietly towards her. Exhausted and in pain, Éowyn sees him approaching and desperately tries to crawl away across the dirt. She frantically tries to lift the dropped sword of the unconscious Merry lying nearby, but it heavily slips from her weakened grip. Gothmog drops the axe, violently picks up a heavy iron mace, and prepares to completely finish off Éowyn. However, just in the nick of time, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli come running rapidly through the crowded battlefield. They spot Gothmog raising his weapon. Aragorn, not even fully knowing whose life he is actively saving, charges in and swiftly chops the right arm of Gothmog cleanly off with his sword. Instantly, Gimli follows up by viciously slicing the deformed Orc's stomach open with his heavy axe, and Aragorn finishes the sequence by brutally stabbing Gothmog directly in the back, finally killing the cruel commander once and for all. As the remaining thousands of Orcs are completely slaughtered by the swirling ghosts, Legolas spots an opportunity to vastly increase his count. He tries to show Gimli that he can easily gain a much higher score, gracefully running up the side of a beast and skillfully managing to single-handedly kill one of the crazed, towering Mûmakil and all its Haradrim riders. He casually slides down its trunk as the massive beast violently collapses to the dirt. Gimli watches, completely unimpressed, and says, angry and jealous towards the showboating Elf, that it "still counts as one." Aragorn and his trusted companions then systematically take out the remaining pockets of Orcs on the field as the massive, sweeping Dead Army begins to actively swarm over the walls of Minas Tirith, flowing like a green tide and completely destroying all the Orc enemies remaining inside the city tiers. The massive battle officially ends when the very remnants of the vast Orc and Haradrim army are completely and utterly annihilated by the Ghost army, with those few not overwhelmed fleeing terrified into the horizon. Amidst the sudden, eerie silence of the battlefield, a heavily wounded Éowyn painfully crawls over the dirt to the side of her dying uncle. Théoden looks up at her, smiling weakly, and quietly tells her just how deeply proud he is of her incredible effort today. He softly says that there is absolutely nothing else she can do, for his body is totally broken. Éowyn weeps, desperately saying that she will save him. But after several quiet moments, Théoden slowly closes his eyes and peacefully dies right in Éowyn's arms. The massive, bloodied battlefield falls entirely silent. As the morning sun fully rises over the horrific aftermath, the weary survivors of the battle stand and quietly survey the endless carnage. Gathering just outside the breached gates of Minas Tirith, the massive, floating Army of the Dead completely surrounds Aragorn and his companions. The Ghost King steps forward, heavily urging for Aragorn to finally release them from their ancient curse. After several tense seconds of thought, Aragorn honors his word. He officially releases the Dead Army from their eternal bondage, completely ignoring the desperate urgings from Gimli to actively keep such a powerful force. The ghosts turn to mist and blow away in the wind, finally at peace. Gandalf approaches and formally bows low to Aragorn, and Aragorn smiles back in deep relief with their massive success. While they celebrate, Pippin frantically runs onto the field to actively search the endless bodies for Merry. Elsewhere, Éomer walks through the dead and suddenly discovers his sister Éowyn lying motionless. He falls to his knees, violently screaming in pure horror, truly believing her to be dead. Aragorn rushes over and, finding a pulse, helps Éomer quickly take her into Minas Tirith for urgent medical care.
The Houses of Healing
Inside the quiet walls of Minas Tirith, the heavily injured are carefully tended to in the serene Houses of Healing. Among them, Éowyn is personally treated of her dark, festering Morgul wound by Aragorn himself, using the ancient healing herb kingsfoil, with a deeply nervous Éomer watching closely over them. Later that day, the fever breaks, and Éowyn slowly awakens in a soft, clean bed. As she turns her head, she sights Faramir, who is also quietly healing in the bed beside her. They exchange a soft, understanding look. Back out on the massive, silent battlefield, walking among the absolute thousands of dead bodies and destroyed war machines, Pippin continues to search the battlefield frantically for any sign of Merry. After hours of searching, luckily, Pippin finally spots a small, familiar cloak. He finds his cousin lying wounded and exhausted near the massive, rotting corpse of a dead Oliphaunt. Merry looks up, smiling weakly, and says that he just knew Pippin would eventually find him. The injured Hobbit nervously asks if Pippin is going to leave him there. However, Pippin kneels down, tears in his eyes, and firmly says that he won’t ever leave him; instead, he promises that he will carefully look after him. The two battered cousins are joyfully, tearfully reunited.
The Tower of Cirith Ungol
While the lords of Men gather in Minas Tirith, far away at the dark Tower of Cirith Ungol, Frodo is still a helpless prisoner in the rough hands of the Orcs. They have stripped him of his gear and are greedily searching through his belongings in the high chamber. Two of the commanding Orcs, a large Black Uruk called Shagrat and the smaller Orc Gorbag, discover the shimmering, priceless mithril shirt. They immediately begin viciously fighting over who gets to claim it. After a brief, violent brawl, the larger Shagrat easily overpowers Gorbag, forcing him down through a heavy wooden trapdoor and straight into a large, waiting group of aggressive Black Uruks on the floor below. Shagrat loudly commands the Uruks to kill Gorbag instantly, but Gorbag's loyal Orcs draw their weapons to defend him. A completely huge, chaotic fight breaks out between the rival factions of Orcs and the Uruks. In the ensuing bloodbath, nearly all the Orcs and Uruks in the entire tower brutally slaughter one another in a huge, chaotic Orc-to-Orc fight. Outside the base of the tower, Sam finally arrives, Sting in hand, and cautiously enters, only to find the whole place completely filled with the dead, bleeding bodies of the slain Orcs and Uruks. Realizing his luck, Sam then goes up the spiraling stairs to actively search for Frodo. Whenever he encounters the few surviving, injured Orcs, he quickly and efficiently kills them in a moment of intense, protective courage. However, completely unknown to Sam, the wounded Shagrat quietly makes his escape out a side door, clutching the stolen mithril vest tightly in his bloody hands. At the very top of the tower, Frodo finally wakes up. He desperately tries to pull himself free from his tight bonds, but is suddenly confronted by a heavily bleeding Gorbag, who survived the riot. Gorbag snarls, raising a jagged knife, and explicitly says that he is going to slowly kill Frodo. However, right before the blade can fall, Sam bursts into the room and immediately stabs Gorbag cleanly through his torso from behind. Letting the dead, heavy Orc fall heavily to the stone floor, Sam then tearfully greets Frodo. Frodo embraces him, deeply apologizing for foolishly sending Sam away, but immediately becomes frantic and distressed because he realizes he has lost the Ring. Sam smiles gently and says that he hasn't lost it. He reaches in and produces the glowing Ring from his pocket, explaining that he'd taken it from Frodo's unconscious body purely so the Orcs wouldn't find it when they took him. Sam slowly begins to hand it back to Frodo by the chain, but he momentarily pauses, his eyes going wide, having been suddenly mesmerized by the dark Ring's pulsing power. Frodo quickly snatches it back, bringing Sam back from the Ring's hypnotic spell. Frodo sadly explains that the immense dark power of the Ring would quickly and entirely destroy Sam’s good, pure soul. Shaking his head clear, Sam agrees and firmly says that they must leave this foul place instantly and completely finish the Quest. Finding discarded gear, the two Hobbits successfully disguise themselves by donning small suits of spiked Orc armor. They slip out of the tower and finally take the harsh, winding road leading directly down to the sprawling, ashen Plateau of Gorgoroth.
The Decoy Plan
Inside the grand halls of Minas Tirith, Aragorn and his victorious allies hold a solemn council. They decide that the final time has come to make their move. Aragorn states clearly that if Frodo and Sam are to have any chance to succeed with their Quest, they must cross the massive, exposed Plains of Gorgoroth; however, he points out that there are currently ten thousand fully armed Orcs occupying those very plains. A weary Gandalf lowers his head, stating his belief that he has effectively sent Frodo to his absolute death. But Aragorn stands tall and says that there is actually still hope for him. He proposes a desperate, suicidal plan: they could actively draw Sauron's entire army entirely out of Mordor by marching directly to the Black Gate. Aragorn explains that this brazen challenge will completely empty the plains of Gorgoroth of Sauron's army and finally allow Frodo and Sam the precious chance they so desperately need to reach Mount Doom undetected. Gandalf is skeptical, warning that Sauron will absolutely suspect a trap; the Dark Lord will not simply take the bait. Aragorn, however, firmly states that Sauron will take the bait if *he* is the one offering it. Sitting nearby, Gimli listens to the terrifying plan and ironically, cheerfully remarks, "Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?" Later that quiet night, Aragorn goes alone to a high chamber and actively uses the retrieved palantír to actively tempt Sauron. Staring into the fiery eye, Aragorn boldly states that long has the Dark Lord haunted him, and long has he cowardly eluded him, but no more. Aragorn then dramatically goes to reveal to Sauron the glowing, reforged blade of Elendil—Andúril. Sauron, enraged, strikes back mentally, showing Aragorn a terrifying, hyper-realistic vision of Arwen lying completely dead. Aragorn, in his sudden, overwhelming grief, drops the heavy seeing stone, which rolls away, actively smashing his Evenstar pendant on the floor. Luckily, the desperate ploy works perfectly. The massive, endless fields of Mordor quickly begin to empty. Ironically, Sauron—the master deceiver—is himself completely deceived. Upon clearly seeing the exact sword which had vanquished him centuries before, now actively held by a direct descendent of Elendil, Sauron leaps to the completely erroneous conclusion that Aragorn has been fully seduced by his own pride and power. Sauron truly believes Aragorn is planning to use the One Ring against him and will use its massive power to arrogantly attack Mordor; thus, Sauron aggressively sends his entire massive Orc and Goblin army marching out to the Battle of the Morannon to crush the upstart King. In the morning, Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli, Éomer, and the Hobbits Merry and Pippin proudly make their way completely out of the city towards Mordor, accompanied by the heavily battered but proud remaining armies of Gondor and Rohan. They march with heads held high, heading straight to confront Sauron's endless army. Back in Minas Tirith, watching the small army leave, Éowyn believes that all hope is completely lost. But she is gently comforted by Faramir standing beside her. He looks at the clearing sky and softly says that it is just the damp of the first spring rain, reassuring her that absolutely no darkness will forever endure. The two find peace in each other and happily embrace on the balcony.
The Plains of Gorgoroth
Meanwhile, deep inside enemy lines, Sam and Frodo, fully disguised in their jagged Orc armor, make their incredibly slow, painful way into the dark land of shadow: Mordor. As they try to sneak across the plains, they are suddenly found by a completely large, heavily armed detachment of marching Orcs. Before they can slip away, they are violently forced by a harsh Orc captain to fall in line and actively march with the Orcs towards the Black Gate. Exhausted, they march for miles in the suffocating heat. Suddenly, a halt is called. A brutal inspection of the marching Mordor army is initiated, and a large, very bulgy, terrifying Orc with absolutely no nose begins to closely inspect the ranks of the Orcs, sniffing the air suspiciously. Realizing that their human scent will certainly be found out, Sam acts quickly. He aggressively starts a loud, fake physical fight with Frodo right in the ranks. The surrounding Orcs eagerly join in the brawl, and in the ensuing chaotic, dusty fight, the two Hobbits manage to quietly escape the column, slipping away entirely unnoticed onto the empty Plains of Gorgoroth as the vast Orcs continue their relentless, oblivious march to the Black Gate. Finally free but exhausted, they continue their absolutely grueling, seemingly endless trek to the foot of Mount Doom. The intense heat becomes unbearable, forcing them to completely discard their heavy, suffocating Orc armor on the rocks. The Hobbits slowly begin to physically climb up the steep, jagged, ashen slopes of the volcano, with the terrifying, fiery Eye of Sauron looming massively and oppressively right behind them. They eventually go to rest for a brief moment behind a large, jagged rock. Looking up into the smog, Sam suddenly notices a single, incredibly bright white star shining brilliantly through a small gap in the thick, ashen skies. Touched by the beauty and the reminder of hope, he quickly goes to eagerly remind Frodo of the light, but turns to find that the completely exhausted Hobbit has already fallen fast asleep beside him in the dirt. Meanwhile, Aragorn's determined army finishes their long march and finally arrives at the towering, terrifying Black Gate of Mordor.
The Black Gate Opens
Once arrived at the desolate stretch before the Black Gate, Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli, Éomer, Merry, and Pippin all bravely ride their horses forward, leaving the front of their army to approach right up to the massive iron doors. There, the gates creak open slightly, and a twisted, corrupted Black Númenórean, horribly known only as the Mouth of Sauron, rides out to meet them on a grotesque horse. He smiles a horrific, toothy grin and mockingly says that his great master bids them welcome. Gandalf fiercely tells him that the time of Sauron has absolutely come. This clearly angers the dark emissary, but he simply smiles his foul smile again. Reaching into his robes, he casually throws Frodo's shimmering mithril vest directly at Gandalf. He then cruelly details exactly how much Frodo supposedly suffered in torture before finally dying in the dark tower. The lie hits hard; it lets a single, painful tear fall out of Gandalf's eye. The Black Númenórean smiles broadly at their despair, but Aragorn’s face hardens. He spurs his horse and rides aggressively directly towards the emissary. The Mouth sneers, stating that it takes far more than just a broken Elvish blade to truly make a king. In a flash of steel, Aragorn suddenly draws Andúril and, with one swift strike, completely beheads the foul creature. The headless body slumps from the horse. Gimli watches from his saddle and dryly, humorously says that it appears to officially conclude negotiations. Aragorn turns back to his friends and fiercely says that he will never, ever believe that Frodo is dead. Deep in Mordor, Frodo and Sam walk agonizingly across the incredibly hot, steaming, ashen slopes near the peak of Mount Doom. Eventually, as they painfully draw closer to their ultimate goal, the massive Eye of Sauron continues to sweep and actively search the vast plains, until its burning gaze is terrifyingly within sight of the two struggling Hobbits. Sam quickly ducks down flat against the rock, successfully avoiding Sauron's burning gaze, but Frodo is caught in the open and instantly collapses, the sheer, crushing power of the One Ring violently beating against his chest like a physical weight. Back at the Morannon, the massive iron gates begin to loudly re-open, signaling that the final, apocalyptic battle between Gondor's small army and Mordor's endless horde officially begins. The heavy iron gates swing open all the way, and the completely massive, shrieking Orc army of ten thousand heavily armed troops marches aggressively out onto the ash, with the terrifying, fiery Eye of Sauron actively watching the event in the dark background.
The Final Stand
Aragorn rides his horse back and forth directly in front of the highly nervous forces of Rohan and Gondor, raising his sword high and firmly telling them to stand their absolute ground. He looks at their terrified faces and loudly says that he sees the same deep fear in their eyes, acknowledging that it is the exact same terrifying fear that would rightfully take the heart of him. But he raises his voice to a roar, declaring, "But not this day!" He shouts that today, the age of men won't fall, because today—they fight! He passionately bids the Men of the West to stand incredibly firm in this final, impossible battle, knowing fully that they will likely not win it, but absolutely knowing that it will give Frodo the crucial, precious time he needs to save Middle-earth. Inspired by their true King, the men draw their swords. Aragorn calmly turns his horse to finally face the roaring, endless hordes of Mordor.
The Path up Orodruin
While physically climbing up the final, incredibly steep slopes of the Mountain of Fire, the intense heat and exhaustion become completely too much; Frodo entirely collapses into the ash, unable to move his legs. Sam crawls to his side and gently comforts him. He desperately tries to keep Frodo grounded by reminding him of the beautiful, green Shire, talking softly about the sweet strawberries that will soon be growing there in the cool spring, and the happy birds that nest high in the green trees. Frodo, however, stares blankly ahead and tragically says that he can't taste any food, nor can he even see the light or hear the water—he whispers that he is entirely naked in the dark, with absolutely no light or comfort remaining between him and the endless darkness. Sam's heart breaks, but his resolve hardens. Sam loudly declares that they shall be totally rid of the evil ring—once and for all. Then, with tears streaming down his dirt-stained face, Sam fiercely declares that while he can't carry the Ring for Frodo, he absolutely can carry him. With a final, massive burst of sheer, adrenaline-fueled strength, Sam reaches down, lifts Frodo entirely upon his back, and carries him painfully, step by excruciating step, directly up the final rocky slope to the entrance of Mount Doom. Finally standing on the lip of Mount Doom, the exhausted Hobbits approach the dark, glowing door leading directly into the Cracks of Doom. But from the shadows, a desperate, shrieking Gollum suddenly violently attacks them, intensely lusting for his Precious Ring. He leaps through the air, completely grabs Frodo by the throat, pins him down, and immediately begins to viciously strangle him. Luckily, before Frodo can be entirely strangled to death, Sam scrambles to his feet, picks up a heavy, jagged rock, and throws it directly at Gollum's head, striking him hard and violently knocking the creature off Frodo. As the brutal battle actively rages on at the distant Black Gate, Gimli fiercely fights hard with his axe against the endless rushing forces of Sauron, and Legolas, too, gracefully and deadly fights off many attackers with his dual knives. But the odds worsen when, high up above the clashing armies, the remaining winged Nazgûl terrifyingly descend upon the chaotic battle, bringing despair.
The Cracks of Doom
At the mouth of Mount Doom, while Sam physically struggles to keep the thrashing Gollum pinned outside, Frodo slips quietly away from the fight and runs directly inside the sweltering, glowing Chamber of Fire, arriving at the very precipice of the Cracks of Doom. Outside, Sam manages to overpower his opponent, physically throwing Gollum entirely down the steep mountainside and violently slicing the creature's thin torso with a sweep of his sword. Believing the creature dealt with, Sam then quickly turns and follows Frodo inside the volcano. Miles away at the Black Gate, Gandalf violently fights off Orcs and looks up, watching in total horror as the screaming Nazgûl actively prepare to dive-bomb and attack the surrounded men. But suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Gandalf sights a small, incredibly familiar Moth fluttering towards him—the very same moth from when he was hopelessly imprisoned on the pinnacle of the Tower of Orthanc years ago. Gandalf smiles deeply, instantly knowing it will finally bring true hope. A moment later, the sky darkens with massive wings as the Nazgûl are suddenly and violently engaged in intense midair combat by the arrival of the massive Great Eagles of the Misty Mountains. Down on the ground, Pippin looks up from the bloodied dirt, sees the massive birds, and loudly cheers as the majestic Eagles ferociously attack and tear at the dark fellbeasts. Inside the suffocating heat of the Cracks of Doom, Frodo is completely standing on the very edge of the stone bridge, directly overlooking a absolutely huge, churning pool of boiling magma below. Sam runs in, panting, and desperately pleads with his friend to simply drop the Ring into the raging fire below and finally destroy it. However, Frodo completely pauses for several agonizing seconds. The sheer, overwhelming dark power of the Ring actively taunts at his deeply scarred heart. Slowly, a dark, corrupted look crosses his face. Turning around to face a horrified Sam, Frodo boldly and loudly declares that the Ring is entirely his. He aggressively pulls it off its silver chain, completely taking it in his fingers and raising it towards his hand. Eventually, as a heartbroken Sam looks on in sheer disbelief, Frodo deliberately places the dark gold band upon his finger, instantly disappearing from sight. Sam screams in absolute, devastating horror. The moment the Ring touches his finger, a massive shockwave ripples across Middle-earth. Sauron instantly feels the claim, violently turning his entire, burning attention directly towards Mount Doom, and instantly commands the surviving Ringwraiths to abandon the battle and immediately swoop back at top speed toward Mordor. At the desperate battle at the gates, Aragorn bravely encounters a massive, heavily armored Olog-hai troll and intensely duels the beast. He is ultimately overpowered, wounded, and sent falling heavily to the ground, his sword knocked away. Legolas desperately tries to fight his way across the field to reach his fallen friend, but he is completely stopped by the incredibly thick battle raging on all around them. Inside the sweltering Cracks of Doom, the supposedly defeated Gollum suddenly leaps back into the chamber and violently attacks again. In the confusion, he viciously strikes Sam, violently knocking the brave Hobbit completely unconscious with a heavy rock to the head. Turning around, Gollum clearly sees that Frodo has completely disappeared. However, this absolutely won't stop him, as Gollum quickly and instinctively determines the invisible Frodo's exact location by the footprints in the ash. He wildly leaps entirely upon the invisible Hobbit, tackling him to the edge of the abyss and desperately trying to physically wrestle the Ring back with all his remaining, desperate strength.
The Destruction of the One Ring
As the invisible struggle rages on the precipice, Sam slowly tries to crawl and reach Frodo to help, but he is still barely conscious from the severe blow to the head. Grappling blindly, Gollum finally finds Frodo's hand. He angrily and violently bites completely down on Frodo's index finger, severing it entirely. The excruciating, bloody injury causes the screaming Hobbit to both instantly re-appear and heavily drop to the stone ground in sheer agony. Gollum spits out the severed finger, taking the bloodied Ring in his hands. Holding it aloft, Gollum is completely joyful, weeping tears of twisted happiness that his precious One Ring is finally his at long last. As he leaps and dances about joyfully on the very edge of the precipice at being reunited with his prized possession, Frodo, completely enraged and maddened by the pain and the loss of the Ring, violently charges at him. Frodo fiercely fights Gollum, aggressively tackling him right at the brink. The result of this brief, absolutely vicious brawl is Frodo and Gollum physically pushing each other completely over the steep edge of the cliff. Gollum screams in shock as he completely falls thousands of feet directly into the raging pool of lava below, clutching the Ring tightly to his chest. He hits the magma and quickly sinks into the fiery depths, but the One Ring miraculously stays suspended for a moment, gently floating completely intact on a small, dark crust of semi-hardened lava. Above the pool, Frodo did not fall all the way; he is left desperately hanging by only one bloody hand onto the absolute edge of the crumbling cliff. Sam finally regains his feet, completely rushes over to the edge, and desperately reaches down. He tearfully and firmly convinces the exhausted Frodo not to let go, firmly grabbing his master's bloody wrist and, with all his remaining might, safely pulls him entirely up over the jagged edge onto the solid bridge. Below them in the inferno, the indestructible One Ring finally becomes super-heated by the fires of its creation. The ancient, fiery Elvish inscription glows brightly, briefly visible one last time before the gold completely and utterly melts into the boiling lava, destroying the dark relic and all its evil power forever. The absolute destruction of the Ring instantly causes a massive shockwave. Miles away, Aragorn, who is pinned to the dirt and is just about to be crushed and killed by the roaring troll, is miraculously saved. The towering beast, along with the entire vast army of Mordor, suddenly stops entirely, completely distracted and paralyzed by the sudden, overwhelming destruction of their master's life force.
The Fall of Sauron and the Eruption of Mount Doom
As sheer, panicked chaos abruptly erupts among the broken forces of Mordor, the massive, terrifying dark tower of Barad-dûr—built and sustained entirely with the dark power of the Ring—violently shudders and begins to totally collapse upon itself. High atop its crumbling peaks, the massive, fiery Eye of Sauron wildly darts about, screeching as it actively starts to rapidly die out. Then, after several silent moments of absolute amazement and awe from the exhausted men at the Black Gate, the giant Eye of Sauron violently and massively explodes, completely dispersing its dark energy into the sky and taking the entire top half of the dark tower with it in a massive fireball. Sauron is finally and completely defeated, his dark, evil spirit of malice permanently fleeing into the void. Seeing the explosion, Merry, Gimli, Aragorn, Gandalf, Pippin, and absolutely all the other surviving companions entirely cheer in overwhelming, exhausted happiness. As the magic entirely fades, the massive dark towers and the great iron gate of Morannon all violently collapse into absolute ruin, and with them, the very earth itself massively opens up, creating huge, terrifying chasms that completely swallow up absolutely all of Mordor's terrified, wildly fleeing Orc army. At the Black Gate, Frodo's closest friends react with immense, tearful joy to his ultimate success, but their profound happiness almost instantly turns to absolute, crushing grief as they look to the horizon and clearly see Mount Doom violently erupt in a totally gigantic, earth-shattering geyser of raging lava and thick black smoke. They realize with heavy hearts that Frodo and Sam must certainly be doomed in the apocalyptic blast. High above the chaos, the surviving Nazgûl desperately attempt to fly toward the erupting Mount Doom, but they are instantly caught in the blast and completely destroyed by massive, flaming fireballs violently ejecting from the exploding volcano. Inside the completely exploding, collapsing chamber of the Cracks of Doom, rocks fall rapidly around them. A heroic Sam entirely carries his heavily wounded, bleeding master rapidly out of the crumbling Mount Doom and directly onto a small, exposed rock outcropping situated on the slopes of the mountain. There, the two completely exhausted Hobbits are totally surrounded by an endless river of violently flowing lava. Lying on his back, covered in ash and blood, Frodo, now completely and permanently freed from the heavy, suffocating dark power of the Ring, softly expresses his absolute, profound relief that the heavy Ring is finally gone, along with the terrible Quest being totally finished at long last. As the lava inches closer, he peacefully imagines the beautiful light of the world and all its pure goodness, whilst Sam softly cries, sadly saying that the beautiful Rosie Cotton would have happily been his wife had they returned. Frodo places his hand on Sam's shoulder, smiling peacefully, and softly comforts Sam, whispering that he is glad to be with him "here at the end of all things." But, as the heat overtakes them and they finally pass out, all is not truly lost. Sometime later, the entirely unconscious Frodo and Sam are miraculously and gently rescued from the melting rock by the arrival of three massive Great Eagles—specifically named Gwaihir, Landroval, and Meneldor. Gandalf is safely riding upon the back of Gwaihir, directing the rescue. They swoop swiftly down, gently grasp the Hobbits in their massive talons, and safely carry them entirely away from the raging inferno. For a brief, hazy second, Frodo just weakly awakens, barely managing to see the incredible sight of him being gently taken high into the clouds by the large, majestic eagle before falling deeply back into an exhausted, healing sleep.
The Return of the King
The very next morning, Frodo slowly and peacefully awakens in a soft, clean bed situated in the bright Houses of Healing in Gondor. He turns his head and is absolutely overjoyed to see Gandalf standing by the window, the wizard whom he had completely thought to be long dead since the mines of Moria. The two share a look of profound relief and openly laugh together in pure, unbridled delight. One by one, the other six surviving members of the Fellowship of the Ring joyfully enter the sunlit room. Merry and Pippin jump onto the bed, Legolas and Gimli smile warmly, and Aragorn nods in deep respect to greet and profusely thank Frodo. Finally, Sam enters the room last, and the two best friends share a deep, incredibly emotional, silent gaze of pure love and shared survival. Later that beautiful day, the rebuilt, clean streets of Minas Tirith are entirely filled with cheering crowds. High up on the grand courtyard located entirely outside the majestic Throne Hall, Aragorn stands proudly before the people. He is officially and beautifully crowned as the true King of Gondor by Gandalf himself, the wizard placing the ancient, winged silver crown upon his brow right in front of his massive, loudly cheering subjects. Gandalf loudly and proudly declares, "Now come the days of the King!" During the beautiful ceremony, Aragorn walks through the crowd and warmly greets the newly recovered Lady Éowyn, who is standing happily beside the new Steward, Lord Faramir. He then respectfully nods to the newly crowned King Éomer of Rohan, acknowledging their unbreakable alliance. Moving further, Aragorn approaches a formal delegation of elegant Elves. He happily greets Legolas standing with them, and then bows to Lord Elrond. Suddenly, the most beautiful sight of all appears as Arwen elegantly emerges from directly behind a tall Elven banner, carrying the repaired Evenstar pendant. Aragorn slowly moves the heavy banner aside and, overwhelmed with pure love and relief, actively kisses her incredibly passionately. The massive crowds all loudly congratulate and wildly celebrate him entirely happily, as Aragorn—now officially crowned as King Elessar—is finally, wonderfully reunited with his absolute, one true love. Then, Aragorn and his beautiful new queen walk together through the crowd and completely stop before the four small Hobbits. As the Hobbits awkwardly attempt to bow to the King, Aragorn stops them, telling them that they bow to no one. In a deeply moving gesture, Aragorn, Arwen, and absolutely all of the massive, gathered people of Middle-earth physically drop to their knees and deeply, respectfully pay homage, absolutely bowing directly to Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin in pure gratitude. The grand Third Age of Middle-earth officially and peacefully comes to an end.
The End of All Things
Eventually, the grand celebrations end, and the four brave Hobbits finally make the long, quiet journey to return back home to the green, peaceful hills of the Shire. Upon returning to their quiet village, they sit at a table in the familiar tavern and quietly realize that absolutely no one else in their entire home will ever truly understand the massive, world-altering things they have successfully done. That very night, sitting comfortably in the crowded Green Dragon Inn, the four hobbits, now completely back together after all their incredibly great quests, all settle down to enjoy a quiet, well-deserved drink. Across the room, Sam finally finds his courage. He puts his mug down, walks directly over to the bar, and confidently goes to ask for the hand of the beautiful Rosie Cotton to actively marry her. His bravery works perfectly, and soon both Sam and Rosie have a completely beautiful, outdoor marriage ceremony. Absolutely all the hobbits happily applaud and cheer as they dance, but the joy peaks when soon Rosie actively throws her wedding bouquet directly to a random hobbit in the crowd, actively making all of the attending hobbits erupt in a loud, joyous laugh. However, over time, while his friends heal and move on, Frodo slowly begins to deeply feel that he will be completely unable to ever truly continue his old, simple life. Frodo spends his quiet days sitting at his desk, actively continuing his old uncle Bilbo's written memoir in the red book, specifically calling his large, new section of it "The Lord of the Rings," but he deliberately leaves several blank pages totally empty at the very end of the massive Red Book of Westmarch. Sam arrives one day to check on him, and Frodo sadly clutches his shoulder, softly saying that it has been exactly four years to the very day when they were brutally attacked on Weathertop, revealing tragically that his deep, dark magical wound has never, ever fully healed. That cool evening, Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, and Gandalf gently pack a cart and accompany the now incredibly frail, aged Bilbo Baggins on a long ride entirely out to the coastal docks of the Grey Havens, where the very last, beautiful white Elven ship is patiently waiting to depart Middle-earth forever. There on the docks, they find Lord Elrond, Lady Galadriel, and Lord Celeborn also standing quietly, waiting to board the beautiful ship. The Hobbits are deeply surprised to finally learn that Gandalf himself will actually actively sail away with Bilbo and the Elves. But they are entirely, devastatingly shocked when Frodo turns to them and gently reveals that he is also permanently sailing away with them to find peace. Frodo reaches into his pack and officially gives the heavy Red Book of Westmarch completely to a weeping Sam, asking him to finish the last few pages. He then bids a deeply sad, tearful farewell to his three best friends, hugging Merry and Pippin tightly. He approaches Sam last, embracing him, and gently, lovingly kisses him right on his forehead. Then, carrying nothing but his clothes, he completely boards the white ship to sail far away into the peaceful, magical Undying Lands located entirely west of the sea. Standing on the deck, Frodo actively turns back one last time to give his weeping friends one incredibly genuine, final, peaceful smile. He stands at the prow, completely boarding the ship as it slowly, beautifully sails entirely away into the bright, setting sun. Later, with a heavy but healing heart, Sam finally returns quietly home to his round door at Bagshot Row, happily greeted by his loving wife, Rosie, and his two beautiful young children. He scoops his daughter up in his arms, walks entirely inside his warm home, shuts the round green door, and gently says entirely to himself, "Well, I'm back," exactly as the very last line at the end of the great book states, perfectly and completely closing the epic trilogy.
Top Cast
- Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins
- Ian McKellen as Gandalf
- Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn
- Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee
- Andy Serkis as Gollum / Sméagol
- Orlando Bloom as Legolas
- John Rhys-Davies as Gimli
- Billy Boyd as Pippin
- Dominic Monaghan as Merry
- Miranda Otto as Éowyn
Movie Collection
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
- The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum (2027)
