lotr: Return of the King

intro

Hi! Today’s post is on the last movie of the Lord of the Rings series – Return of the King! This post is going to be pretty brief for how broad and long this could actually go, haha.

Instead of having a part one and part two I think I’m just gonna do one big post not really a character analysis but a focus in on one of my favorite parts in Return of the King.

context + my thoughts

Alrighttttt. Wow, I don’t even know where to start! I’ll just write about a few things and honestly go watch it, haha.

So, we’ve got lots going on in these two movies. Examples are the following:

• Frodo and Sam finally make it to Mordor (after facing MANY difficulties)
• Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli recruit an army of like dead people that are like wispy green things hehe
• Pippin and Gandalf go on a field trip lol (just kidding – they go to Gondor to help for the battle)
• Legolas defeats an entire elephant with a pack of orcs on it
• Eowyn defeats Sauron who has become the evil dark guy (yes, he gets killed by a woman)

So, a lot happens. I really wanted to just focus in on Pippin and Gandalf because I love what happens between them. But I guess I should fill you in on what happens with everyone else.

Frodo + Sam

So, Frodo and Sam are sorta having a rough time of it. Each day Frodo is lured more and more by the ring, slowly caving into its darkness. Gollum who we thought might’ve turned better, now plots to end Frodo and Sam. He plans to kill them in a tunnel or something. He’s driven mad by the ring or his “PrECioUssSsSsS” in the way he says it.

But Gollum is very sneaky and he acts like he is becoming good. Frodo trusts him – Sam does not. Poor Samwise. He is the most loyal friend you’d ever have. Sam is suspicious of Gollum’s brightening mood as they get closer and closer to where Gollum is leading them to die.

Finally, Gollum (being crafty as he is) figures out a way to blame Sam for eating all the food (when Gollum really poured it over the edge).

It’s Sam – being compassionate and wanting to help and not wanting Frodo to struggle alone – saying “I could help you carry the load,” that pushes Frodo over the edge. Frodo, definitely not in his right mind, abandons Samwise and follows Gollum to his near death.

Long story short, Gollum tries to kill Frodo in a sickly spider web infested cave but the spider almost gets the prize. Frodo ends up throwing Gollum of the cliff where he should’ve died. But the spider isn’t done. It injects poison into Frodo; Sam, having trying to warn Frodo about Gollum, rushes to the rescue. Sam wins the battle over the giant spider, but thinks Frodo is dead. Sam, in hiding, watches as orcs take Frodo to their place, realizing he’s not dead. Sam goes off to save Frodo – again.

We will come back to them in a bit.

The Others

So, while all this is happening, the others (Aragorn, Merry, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf) are having their own troubles. See, Pippin gets this interest in this evil orb that they find.

He nearly dies because of it but thankfully, Gandalf saves him just like he always does for everyone. It’s eventually decided Gandalf will take Pippin with him along to Gondor where they will help for battle preparations and try to convince the sad excuse of it’s king to help.

Gondor’s king is Faramir’s dad – remember him? Faramir is one of the best and… I won’t get side tracked. To make things easier I’ll tell you his name, Denethor.

So Denethor is SO ANNOYING AND IS BASICALLY THE WORST CHARACTER EVER. He’s mean and totally unfair to Faramir, sort of rude to Pippin (insulting both of 2 of my favorite characters, I will personally fight him), and does BASICALLY NOTHING about the war! So, I’ll just tell you now, he dies by lighting himself on fire. He’s insane.

But anyways, Pippin and Gandalf go off on their expedition. In the beginning of everything going on with Pippin, Gandalf is not exactly stoked on having the little Took Hobbit with him. But Pippin slowly grows on him – *cough *cough how could he not?!

One of my favorite parts of the movie is when Pippin and Gandalf are on the balcony of Gondor’s palace and they’re talking.

“End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it…white shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.”

-Gandalf

Pippin and Gandalf’s relationship is one of my favorite things. I’m pretty sure in that same conversation, Gandalf says, “There was never much hope. Just a fool’s hope,” or something. Or maybe that’s not related. Anyways, Pippin and Gandalf are fun.

But Pippin and Faramir are also super fun! There is this one scene of them talking and it’s on of my favorite’s ever. It goes like this:

(Faramir and Pippin talking about the battle clothing Pippin is wearing)

Pippin: “I didn’t think they would find me any livery that would fit me.”

Faramir: “It once belonged to a young boy of the city. A very foolish one who wasted many hours slaying dragons instead of attending his studies.”

Pippin: “This was yours?”

Faramir: “Yes, it was mine. My father had it made for me.”

Pippin: “Well, I’m taller then you were then. Though I’m not likely to grow anymore…except sideways.”

Farmir: “Never fitted me either. Boromir was always the soldier. They were so alike, he and my father…”

And then my favorite part.

Pippin:

“I think you have a strength of a different kind. And one day your father will see it.”

I love that so much. Because Pippin was totally right. Although Faramir maybe didn’t have exactly the skill of Boromir, he is more tender and kind hearted. Love those two!

The Trio

Ahhhh, the little buddies. Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn. They had been traveling with the Rohan kingdom, getting ready for the war, but Aragorn is feeling like he needs to go on a side journey. Basically, the three go on their own little expedition and that’s when they summon the dead and Aragorn makes a promise to free them if they fight for them. They agree, and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli face a battle of orcs with their new help.

Pippin and Merry are also reunited. As soon as Gandalf and Pippin had joined the fight, and everything was over – battle defeated – Pippin went in search for Merry. Merry had been greatly injured by Sauron, but was still alive. The two best friends were glad to see each other.

(Pippin finds Merry hurt and alone on the battlefield)

Pippin: “Merry…it’s me. It’s Pippin.”

Merry: “I knew you’d find me. Are you going to leave me?”

Pippin: “No, Merry. I’m going to look after you.”

AGHHHH THEY’RE SO AWESOME!!! I love themmmmmm! Meanwhile though…

Frodo + Sam make it to Mordor…

Finally, after Sam manages to save Frodo and awaken him, they start their journey up the steep volcano to the fires of Mordor. During all this hardship, Samwise never gives up on Frodo.

“I can’t carry the burden for you, but I can carry you,” he insists, and proceeds to carry Frodo practically to the entire time up into the volcano.

Sam is relieved as Frodo goes to drop the ring in the lava, “Finally we made it” he’s probably thinking, when Frodo is hesitating. Sam is still sane, and is just like, “WHY AREN’T YOU DROPPING IT IN?” when Frodo gets all weird and is like, “THIS IS MINE. I DON’T WANT TO GIVE IT UPPP,”

The look on Sam’s face had mirrored my perspective. It was like, “OHHH no. No, no, no, no. We’ve made it alllllll this way – NOT so you can keep this ring. NO WAY.” That’s what I was feeling haha.

But anyways, out of nowhere, Gollum attacks Frodo and gets ahold of the ring and they fight. Sam is unable to help this time! Suddenly, they both go down. The ring and Gollum into the fires while Sam comes to the rescue AGAIN, and saves Frodo’s life.

Finally, the ring is destroyed. Finally, the grueling journey is over. Well… sort of.

When all hope seems gone, because the volcano was erupting and lava spread everywhere, giant eagles come and rescue Frodo and Sam.

Back to Normal (kinda)

Aragorn becomes king, by the way, and Arwen come sees him, too. Bonus! She’s a queen – literally, haha.

Everything seems to go back to normal when the hobbits return to the Shire – but none of them will forget their great journey. A few things happen: Sam gets married, and Frodo is leaving off with his uncle.

The movie ends with Sam heading inside his hobbit home.

conclusion

Well, that was a really long post but also I hope it was very good.

I highly recommend all the lotr movies. They all reflect beauty and tribulations intertwined. Very humorous and very fun. The characters are likeable and the plots are very good.

The movies get you crying, laughing, and gets your heart pumping. There are good quotes hidden among scenes and valuable life lessons

Well, I hope you enjoyed this post and the more to come!

Thanks for reading