Peter Jackson's version of The Return of the King differed from Tolkien's in several important ways.Omissions
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Théoden meets Merry and Pippin and calls them holbytlan, suggesting that the word hobbit is derived from Rohirric; Pippin comments that the King of Rohan is "A fine old fellow. Very polite." Merry promises to tell him more about pipe-weed; the relationships of Merry and Pippin with Théoden and Denethor are more significant in the books.
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Just adds a scene where Merry pledges his allegiance to Théoden.
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The Rohirrim bypass the main road to Gondor by negotiating with the Wild Men of Drúadan Forest for passage through their woods.
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There is no mention of the Wild Men or of Drúadan Forest; the Rohirrim just ride all night.
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Aragorn cures Éowyn, Faramir, and Merry in the House of Healing.
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His healing of Faramir and Merry is not included, although the healing of Faramir was reportedly filmed. In the Extended DVD Cut Eowyn is shown to be healed by Aragorn, but Merry is found and treated by Pippin.
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Sam must use the Phial of Galadriel to get past the Silent Watchers of Cirith Ungol.
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Although the Silent Watchers briefly appear on screen, Sam's confrontation with them, which was reportedly filmed, is not shown.
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The Nazgûl on their flying steeds fly above Minas Tirith, but too high to get attacked.
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The Nazgûl fly low and swoop on the people in the city.
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The spirit of Sauron rises like a black cloud from the ruin of Barad-dûr before being blown away by the West wind.
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Not included. In both versions of the film the destruction of the Ring causes the Eye of Sauron to erupt in flame and then explode as Barad-dûr collapses.
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After the coronation, Gandalf counsels King Elessar and shows him where to find a seedling of the White Tree.
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Not included. In the extended cut Gandalf tells Pippin that the dead White Tree remains in the courtyard in the apparently forlorn hope that it will blossom again; in a later scene the tree is seen bearing a single white flower. During Aragorn's coronation the courtyard is covered by the blossoms, and the tree is seen in the background in full bloom.
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The company of Rangers of the North, who along with the two sons of Elrond join Aragorn after Saruman is defeated, do not appear at all in the film, in which Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli take the Paths of the Dead alone. One of them also presents Aragorn with a banner woven by Arwen. |
Elrond's appearance; in which he presents Aragorn with Anduril; and the previous film's Elvish army at the Hornburg; partially substitute.
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Gondor's formal request for aid is sent to Rohan by a courier carrying the Red Arrow (although Rohan was already mustering to Gondor's defence, in part at Gandalf's urging).
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There is no courier, and the Riders are spurred to help Gondor by the beacons (above).
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There is a very rare sequence of lighthearted comedy in the Houses of Healing, where a Gondor doctor repeatedly recites herbal lores to a very frustrated Aragorn, who wants the herb but has no interest in hearing the bumbling healer's endless rhymes about them.
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Omitted
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Following the destruction of the One Ring, most of the second book of The Return of the King involves tying up loose ends (although Tolkien considered the "Scouring of the Shire" to be one of the most important chapters of the trilogy, it is completely omitted from the film). These dénouements are only briefly summarized in the films, where we get a hint of Frodo's periodic bouts of illness following his return to the Shire, we see Sam getting married to Rosie, and we follow Gandalf's and the Ring-bearers' departure from the Grey Havens.Additions
- In the film, the burning Denethor runs along the "prow" of Minas Tirith and falls like a meteor. In the book, Denethor lights his pyre and lies down upon it to burn, clasping the palantír. (In fact the "prow" of Minas Tirith, located on the Seventh Level, is on the opposite side of the city from the burial chambers where the pyre is, located on the fifth level. While on fire, Denethor would have had to run across the entire city to fall like that. In his commentary on the extended DVD Peter Jackson admits that he was aware of the distance issue but included the scene for dramatic effect.)
- Book: Aragorn reveals himself and his reforged sword to Sauron using the palantír recovered at Isengard.
Movie: Included with alteration. Takes place following the Last Debate; Sauron retaliates by showing Aragorn a vision of Arwen apparently dying, which is not in the book.
- In the film, Gollum tricks Frodo into mistrusting Sam and sending him away, so that Frodo enters Shelob's Lair alone. In the book, Frodo and Sam have no break in their trust, except for a brief instant upon Frodo's rescue from the orc tower where he demands that Sam return the Ring.
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