Lord of the Rings on Film

Lesson 5: The Return of the King

The Paths of the Dead and the end of the quest

The Paths of the Dead

Legolas says that the dead, the Men of the Mountain, betrayed Isildur, last king of Gondor. Either this is a mistake in the script (there were several kings after Isildur), or Legolas means that Isildur was the last king to inherit the crown directly. Lack of suitable heirs meant that the Gondor kings dwindled and then disappeared.

The Men of the Mountain swore to fight alongside Isildur, but, when the time came, they broke their oath. Isildur cursed them, to remain as wraiths until they would fulfill their oath. As only the king of Gondor can call the obligation in, the Men of the Mountains have been enslaved by their treachery for thousands of years. Aragorn is the only person in Middle-earth who can demand aid from them.

When Aragorn enters the cavern, the dead mock him and try to attack him. But, as Aragorn is the heir and carrying Isildur’s reforged sword, his sword makes contact with the King of the Dead’s. They thus know that he is the heir of Gondor and that if they help him their curse will be broken.

Back at Dunharrow, Merry is told he cannot fight, but Eowyn says she will take him as she is going to battle disguised as a man. At Gondor, Faramir has been brought back, almost dead, and Denethor prepares a funeral pyre for him. He does not listen when Pippin says that Faramir is alive, so Pippin goes to find Gandalf. Gondor is now under attack and Gandalf is directing the defence, but he rides to the top of the Citadel with Pippin. In a rather overdone scene, they just manage to save Faramir, and Denethor is knocked onto the pyre by Gandalf, catches fire and runs off the Citadel parapet.

The attack on Minas Tirith is now in full swing. The armies of Sauron approach with Grond, a huge battering ram made years ago by Sauron and named after Melkor’s weapon in the First Age (listen in this scene to hear the orcs chanting "Grond! Grond!" This is a direct lift from the book).

On the Pelennor Fields, the Rohirrim have arrived and they charge the enemy, but Théoden is knocked off and crushed by his horse. The Witch-King approaches to kill him but Eowyn challenges him. He is arrogant as he cannot be killed by mortal man, but, as Eowyn reveals by taking off her helmet, she is a woman. She stabs the Witch-King after Merry stabs his leg, and the Witch-King withers into dust.

Meanwhile, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli have arrived, killing the orcs due to march on Gondor and joining the battle with the Dead. They help bring the battle to an end – Aragorn then releases the Dead.

They know that the hobbits have not yet succeeded in their quest, but that Sauron’s Eye must be drawn from Mordor. Aragorn proposes a march on the Black Gate to distract Sauron and his forces from anything happening inside his land. They muster again and ride to the Gate. Sauron’s forces come out to meet them, and the Nazgul arrive. During the battle, there is a huge explosion, and the tower of Barud-dur falls. The Black Gate and Mordor start to disintegrate, and the forces of Sauron are either destroyed or run away. The company knows that Frodo has succeeded in his quest.

  1  2  3  4  5  6