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"The White Rider"
2022
There suddenly upon a ridge appeared a rider, clad in white, shining in the rising sun.
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers", by J.R.R. Tolkien
My favorite moment from a great but otherwise slightly overrated battle. And one of the most enduring moments of hope in the whole of Lord of the Rings.
"The Last March of the Ents"
2022
'Round and round the rock of Orthanc the Ents went striding and storming like a howling gale...'
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers", by J.R.R. Tolkien
One of the most cathartic moments in the whole of Lord of the Rings, if one happens to be a nature lover like me: the shepherds of the forest using the awesome forces of wood, water, rock and stone to destroy Saruman's war industry. This scene drives home better than any other Tolkien's environmental messages, and it's perhaps more relevant today than when it was first written. A reminder that in the confrontation between human industry and nature, nature will always win; it may dwindle and suffer irreparable loss, but it will, in the end, still win. It's only a matter if we will stand with it or against it.
"Samwise the Brave"
2022
'...Frodo wouldn't have got far without Sam...'
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers", by J.R.R. Tolkien
Last but not least in my countdown of favorite Two Towers scenes is Sam's speech to Frodo in Osgiliath. A scene that isn't really in the books, but that embodies and enhances the spirit of Tolkien beautifully. It's a perfect, comforting resolution to Frodo's moment of complete despair earlier, and accompanies perfectly the simultaneous moments of triumph at Isengard and at Helm's Deep. And I'm sure I'm not alone in saying this, but it's also a scene I turn to when I find myself sad and despondent at the state of the world. A true testament to Sam's role as a support and a rock, not just for Frodo, but for the readers and viewers as well.
"The Return of the King"
2023
Thus came Aragorn son of Arathorn, Elessar, Isildur's heir, out of the Path's of the Dead, borne upon a wind from the Sea to the Kingdom of Gondor...
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien
2021 was the year of Fellowship of the Ring. 2022 was the year of Two Towers. And 2023 was the year of Return of the King. The final installment of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and not only my favorite of the three, but also my favorite film of all time. It features some of the most amazing, cathartic, emotional scenes of the whole saga, the grandest battle ever put to screen (Helm's Deep who?), and also my favorite villain (arguably also my favorite character) of the whole of Tolkien's legendarium in all his terrifying majesty. Happily Return of the King is also not only the most awarded of the three films, but one of the most awarded films in history ever. I well remember watching that Oscar ceremony as a kid and how surreal it was to have the presenters open the envelope and read aloud "Lord of the Rings" again and again. T'was a good night.
"Saruman's Downfall"
2023
There was a crack, and the staff split asunder in Saruman's hand, and the head of it fell down at Gandalf's feet.
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers", by J.R.R. Tolkien
There are a lot of scenes in the Extended Edition of Return of the King that by rights should have been included in the theatrical release; Saruman's final fate ranks among the top of those. And I know this may be a controversial take, but I much prefer him being killed in this scene, fresh after his defeat by the Ents and at Helm's Deep, than at the very anticlimactic Scouring of the Shire business in the books.
"The Palantír"
2023
'Then he came. He did not speak so that I could hear words. He just looked, and I understood.'
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers", by J.R.R. Tolkien
It is strange to realize that Pippin, of all people, is among the few main characters to have met or interacted with Sauron himself (albeit indirectly, via the Orthanc-stone). The youngest, most carefree member of the Fellowship, coming face to face (or eye to eye, lol) with evil incarnate; one can't help but feel bad for Pippin when seeing this scene, and then admire him and his hobbit-strength for not breaking, and resisting Sauron for as long as he did.
"Mordor's Call"
2023
And Minas Morgul answered. There was a flare of livid lightnings: forks of blue flame springing up from the tower and from the encircling hills into the sullen clouds. The earth groaned; and out of the city there came a cry.
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers", by J.R.R. Tolkien
Behold! Mordor's own war beacon of sorts; immense, sorcerous, and terrible.
I really like how in the film the signal from Minas Morgul is discernible all the way from Minas Tirith, striking fear and anxiety in its inhabitants about the attack they know its coming. Notably this is also the scene in which my man the Witch-king makes his spectacular entrance, so what's not to love? When I first watched the film in cinemas almost twenty years ago, the volume was turned way up for every Nazgûl scene, so when Frodo and Sam cover their ears when the Witch-king screeches...yeah, I felt that too. And I know I wasn't the only one, because I've seen people commenting about it online.
Minas Morgul also holds the distinction of being my favorite of all the evil places of Middle-earth. Not only because it is the abode of my beloved Nazgûl, but also because the aesthetic of the place is just amazing, in a creepy sort of way. It's not barren like the plains around Barad-dûr and Mount Doom, for it has a river and meadows of flowers; but the water of the river is undrinkable, and the flowers are terrible to behold, and give up foul vapors. If ever a place can be described as neither living nor dead, it is the Valley of Morgul... just like its lords are.
"Hope is Kindled"
2023
'See! The beacons of Gondor are alight, calling for aid. War is kindled. See, there is the fire on Amon Dîn, and flame on Eilenach; and there they go speeding west: Nardol, Erelas, Min-Rimmon, Calenhad, and the Halifirien on the borders of Rohan.'
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien
One of the most gorgeously iconic scenes in Return of the King, and a perfect showcase of the beautiful cinematography and soundtrack in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I like the contrast between this scene and the earlier one at Minas Morgul, where the war beacon from Mordor was a single, great sorcerous beam, discernible from miles around; here, Gondor's beacons are but tiny specs of flame in the mountains, insignificant by comparison, but put together they have the power to change the tides of destiny.
"Smaug the Golden"
2023
This December marked 10 years since Desolation of Smaug was released; 10 years since the greatest dragon to be ever put to screen first delighted our senses. Whatever may be said about the Hobbit Trilogy, Smaug was and will forever be its crowning achievement.
"The Siege of Gondor"
2023
The Nazgûl came again, and as their Dark Lord now grew and put forth his strength, so their voices, which uttered only his will and his malice, were filled with evil and horror.
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien
We come to it at last! The Great Battle for Middle-earth!
The Siege of Gondor and subsequent Battle of Pelennor Fields comprise in my opinion not only THE Lord of the Rings battle, but also the greatest battle scene ever put to screen. It is so epic, so grand, so long, that counting this one, four of my top Return of the King moments happen while it rages on. And what better moment to start than one of my favorite sequences in the whole trilogy: the Nazgûl, all nine gathered together, swooping down upon Minas Tirith, accompanied as ever by an amazing, hellish chorus. It really gives the feeling that all hell has been set loose on the White City, last bastion of freedom and hope in Middle-earth.
"The Shadow of Despair"
2023
In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl. A great black shape against the fires beyond he loomed up, grown to a vast menace of despair. In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl, under the archway that no enemy ever yet had passed, and all fled before his face.
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien
Behold! The Witch-king's moment of (near) triumph!
A notoriously, and unnecessarily, controversial scene. A lot of people don't like to see Gandalf the White being trounced by the Lord of the Nazgûl. Yet the reason why I say unnecessarily controversial is because we know from the texts that the Witch-king was vastly grown in strength at this point, and that Gandalf himself wasn't sure wether he could beat him. Thematically this represents a point of near defeat, where all the defences of Minas Tirith have been broken, and with the commander of the city, a character that in so many ways represents hope, about to fall to the enemy captain, a character that is the embodiment of despair. It therefore makes the subsequent arrival of the Rohirrim that much more powerful. So, and the detractors will have to forgive me, this scene works however you want to put it, and by rights should have been included in the theatrical release.
It's always a treat for me to see two opposing heavyweights of any fantasy story meet in battle. Granted, this was more of a brief clash than a battle; and the Witch-king isn't really the Big-bad from Lord of the Rings. But given that Sauron never comes forth from his tower, this is as good as we get; his second in command, there to enforce his Master's power and will on the battlefield. Gandalf and the Witch-king are also my two favorite LotR characters (and my favorites of any work of fiction, ever) so of course this scene was always going to be a favorite of mine.
"The Ride of the Rohirrim"
2023
And straightaway all the horns in the host were lifted up in music, and the blowing of the horns of Rohan in that hour was like a storm upon the plain and a thunder in the mountains.
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien
Not much that I can say about this scene that hasn't been said already. One of the most powerful, enduring moments of hope not just in Lord of the Rings, but in the whole of cinema history, made all the more so by the fact that it's not coming from a magical, supernatural source, but from Men showing up for other Men. An epic, beautiful, cathartic scene.
I remember seeing the film for the first time, I was so immersed in this battle I had quite forgotten that help was on its way. The horns blew, and I didn't know what that meant; the silhouettes appeared in the horizon, and I still didn't know what was going on. Only when the iconic, beautiful Rohan soundtrack started to slowly roll in, I finally realized what was happening, and felt my heart swelling to twice its size. It still does to this day.
"No Living Man"
2023
Out of the wreck rose the Black Rider, tall and threatening, towering above her. With a cry of hatred that stung the very ears like venom he let fall his mace.
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien
Tolkien's stories are teaming with examples of heroic characters who, against all odds, manage to triumph against foes far greater than they are: you see it in Bard and Smaug, in Sam and Shelob, and also in Éowyn and the Witch-king. Her immense courage in facing down an enemy that is terror and despair personified cannot be overstated; and it was her bravery, her love and devotion for Théoden, her bond with Merry, and a wee bit of help from prophecy that carried the day.
I much prefer the timing of the fall of the Witch-king in the movies than in the books. In the novel, the Witch-king is destroyed shortly after the arrival of the Rohirrim, with a lot more battle left to fight. Here he is destroyed almost at battle's end, at the very same moment that Aragorn's reinforcements arrive to turn the tide. Despair is vanquished at the very same moment that hope is restored.
"I Can Carry You"
2023
...and so Sam struggled on as best he could, having no guidance but the will to climb as high as might be before his strength gave out and his will broke.
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien
A scene that probably is a favorite for many; one that epitomizes more than any other the power of friendship; and in my opinion, Sam's most heroic moment.
It brings me back to the first film, when Saruman mocked Gandalf for thinking hobbits could ever contend with the will of Sauron. This scene proves that Gandalf was right, and Saruman wrong: in their own way, the willpower of hobbits IS strong enough to shake the foundations of evil itself.
"For Frodo"
2023
The Men of the West were trapped, and soon, all about the grey mounds where they stood, forces ten times and more than ten times their match would ring them in a sea of enemies. Sauron had taken the proffered bait in jaws of steel.
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien
There are two great, epic battle charges in Return of the King: the Ride of the Rohirrim is the first one, and this is the second. The Fellowship of the Ring, gathered with what little remains of their forces, making one last, defiant stand in what can only be described as the gates of Hell itself. Not for themselves, but for Frodo and his Quest at the heart of the Enemy's land.
I have seen some book purists complain that Mount Doom and Barad-dûr should not be discernible from the Black Gate, but I for one love this change. It makes it more daunting to have the Dark Tower loom high above Aragorn and his army, with the Eye of Sauron staring right at them. Subsequently, it makes their charge right towards it all the more brave, and epic, and badass.
"Sauron Defeated"
2023
Towers fell and mountains slid; walls crumbled and melted, crashing down; vast spires of smoke and spouting steams went billowing up, up, until they toppled like an overwhelming wave, and its wild crest curled and came foaming down upon the land.
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien
The realm of Sauron is ended!
The climax of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy may well be my favorite scene in the whole saga. And that is in part, with apologies to Professor Tolkien and the purists, because it is so much better done in the film than in the book.
The novel gives the impression that the destruction of the Ring happened by mere accident, with Gollum tripping and falling into the fiery chasm; further writings by Tolkien explain that it was actually divine intervention that destroyed it, which, narratively speaking, isn't much better. In the film however, the Ring effectively destroys itself. At the very moment when it looks like the Ring has won, having finally overpowered Frodo and with Sauron within moments of retrieving it, its power turns on itself: it inadvertently makes Frodo and Gollum fight over it (mirroring the very first scene of the film with Sméagol and Déagol), and they both fall off the cliff. And it doesn't stop there. For a few moments the Ring floats in the lava, as if enticing Frodo, hanging over the edge, to follow it in its ruin. Only at the very moment where Frodo reaches out and grabs hold of Sam does the Ring, its final act of malice foiled, melt into the lava.
What follows is the stunning, beautiful, cathartic collapse of Barad-dûr, and the end of Sauron's power in Middle-earth. And here too it's good that the geography is changed somewhat in the films, because our heroes at the Black Gate get to watch the Dark Tower fall with their own eyes. There's nothing quite like the sight of the mighty Dark Lord watching powerlessly as all his works crumble beneath him, even as he himself is reduced to oblivion.
All in all, it's a brilliantly paced, magnificently executed scene, and has become for me an encouraging and comforting reminder that all tyrants, all empires, do indeed fall.
"The Grey Havens"
2023
... the grey rain-curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back, and he beheld white shores and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise.
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien
My tribute to the Lord of the Rings Film Trilogy ends, fittingly, at the shores of the sea. The Grey Havens scene has become the epitome of bittersweet endings everywhere; it's breathtakingly sad, but also wholesome, tender, and comforting in its sadness. And it is elevated by one of the most beautiful yet underrated musical themes in the films, which is also melancholic but carrying within it a powerful sentiment of hope. And I don't know how, but Howard Shore made this tune sound like the sea, if that makes any sense.
This scene also notably contains one of my very favorite LotR quotes ever, uttered by none other than Gandalf himself: "I will not say 'do not weep', for not all tears are an evil."
"Morgul Lord"
2024
This way and that turned the dark head helmed and crowned with fear, sweeping the shadows with its unseen eyes.
-"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers", by J.R.R. Tolkien
The evil, greenish, foreboding light of Minas Morgul really suits the Witch-king beautifully.
Done for Day 2 of Allan Whincup's Tolkien Art Challenge on Instagram.
"Shadowfax"
2024
Shadowfax is my favorite Middle-earth horse. Majestic, clever, loyal, and brave, he was the only free horse of the world that could endure the terror of the Nazgûl, and did so many times. One of my favorite little details from the (extended edition) films is how he tries to protect Gandalf from the Witch-king and his fell beast. And they sure did pick a breathtakingly beautiful horse to play him.
Done for Day 9 of the Tolkien Art Challenge by Allan Whincup.
some quick lotr studies :]
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