The significance of chanting "Death" is that Sauron's armies use the fear of death as a tool against their enemies. The Rohirim took it as their own battle cry. They aren't cheering for the enemy's death, they are cheering for their own death. They took the fear of the enemy and used it as a rallying cry against them.
Not to mention it’s double badass because death isn’t a bad thing in lotr for men. It’s literally called their gift. Sauron and Morgoth corrupted death to make men fear it as much as possible, that’s how they did so much damage originally. So them chanting it is basically saying “you can try all you want Sauron, but you will never corrupt everyone, we defy you and cheer for the fate we know will be beautiful, for even if we lose in body we still know we defeated you in spirit. So fuck you you big glowing eye piece of shit.”
Man if I were here on this battlefield and got to personally witness theoden deliver that war speech, I would have been so cool with dying. They went in as the underdog knowing they were gonna lose and die, and it caused them to over perform.
What makes this scene even more badass is that if you read the Silmarillion, you know that the greatest gifts the Valar gave Middle-Earth was the moon and the sun. Light was the greatest foe of the forces of Morgoth and Sauron. Sauron had pushed clouds over his forces as they attacked Gondor. But when the Riders of Rohan appear, the sun peeks out and shines on their backs as they charge. The Valar had NOT forgotten Middle-Earth.
He was the greatest king in Lord of the Rings. Just such a landmark performance. Everyone in this series brought their very best and its why Lord of the Rings will be a timeless classic. Im glad he can be immortalized by this movie.
I feel like they scream death not as a war cry but as an acknowledgement that the odds are heavily against them but they still ride to their death with no fear. I feel that’s more terrifying.
*Meanwhile all the way into the back.* - "Can you hear what he's saying?" - "No idea, I just hope its not one of those that goes down is history." - "Yea, would hate that miss that one." - "So how're the kids?" - "Oh you know, they're grea- Oh wait here we go! DEAAAAAAAAAAAAAATHHH!" - "DEAAAAAAAAAAAAATTHH"
You're comment was fucking funny sir. These speeches were more for the vanguard anyways, as they are the ones with the most courage to face enemy lines head on and inspire the rest.
Idk if this is true but I remember reading somewhere that Theoden was so loud on the battlefield that day, that litrally every soldier heard his speech
This scene is so god damn powerful man. Theoden had an inferiority complex, feeling inadequate compared to his ancestors. He’s human, and has fears and doubts. But in the end, he shows strength and courage in the face of death, despite all the fear. He lives up to the expectations he’s put on himself, and in the end, dies a hero. I love his last words. “I go now to my fathers, in whose mighty company I will not now feel ashamed.”
Plus, in the books, he is seemingly blessed by the valar for his last hour. As he shouts his speech, his voice achieves a clarity like no man ever before, and when he blows his horn it bursts apart from the force. As he rides, he is in the front, no one overtaking him, and he shines brightly as the light reflects from his shield and the sunrise follows his very footsteps. As he rides, the grass about his steed's hooves shines in the light of dawn. This is the one time where all the cinematic effects you could possibly use are actually accurate to the books. As he charges, he literally resembles a god.
@@runtergerutscht4401 The dead grass also explodes into green everywhere his horse's hooves touch as he's charging and it's implied that he's taking on a kind of sacred aspect of his ancestors as his family's banner is a horse on a green field beneath a resplendent sun.
The way that Theoden rides as he gives his battle speech, and clatters his sword against his men's spears shows the bondage between them, not as kings and soldiers but as comrades. The scene alone deserved an award.
sdlfjlsdkf I know you've written this comment a year ago, but just compare Theoden with Gothmog. Gothmog calls his soldiers maggots, showing disdain and thinking his soldiers are replaceable. Theoden on the other hand calls to his generals by name, and giving them encouragement. "Fear no darkness".
Sure but the speech in its self is a change compared to the book. Its a great speech and fist well to movie Theoden and is Tolkenian you can say. its a great example how you can repurpose material that would be otherwise cut ... use it to enhance something when you put the effort in to try and understand the material and the changes you already made ...
The speech is shorter in the book. _Spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered! A sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now, ride to Gondor_
“Go forth and fear no darkness” (goosebumps) it was completely dark for a long ass time and that too weighed on their spirits. Then the sun came and they went OFF😭 I love this scene on so many levels.
Rest in peace, Bernard Hill. No one. No one could have touched your performance as Theoden. “I go to my father’s. And even in their mighty company I shall not be ashamed.”
The thing that gets me about this scene is not just Théoden's delivery here, but the actual words he is saying, and what they imply. The Rohirrim are outnumbered. They do not have the strength to defeat the armies of Mordor, and they know it. They also know that, if the free people fail in their struggle, the enemy will conquer the world. They are facing both their own deaths, and the end of the world. Théoden does not mince words about this. He tells them to ride, not for glory, but for ruin. To ride for the world's ending. It's a fatalistic philosophy from a people who live lives of hardship and toil. These people face death every day, and live their lives to the fullest. Now, faced with "such reckless hate" they have two choices; collapse in despair, or fight. He drives them to fight, even though it will likely mean their deaths. That's why they shout "death". They are ready to die, to give their lives to push back the darkness even just a little. And as they charge, the orcs, who have strength, but no courage, form up ranks and prepare to destroy these pathetic humans that have somehow dared to try to challenge them. So the orcs fire their bows, believing that their fellows falling will break the spirit of the Rohirrim. But what actually happens? As their fellows fall, the riders SPEED UP AND RIDE HARDER. They aren't afraid at all, and cause the orcs to break and run through sheer force of will and courage. Amazing scene.
@@arawn1061 I'm not American and I loved Independence Day. Stop making assumptions or stereotyping. You could learn a thing or two. Sounds like you don't get out much mate
@@fernsynergy8261 huh all i wrote was "for an American". It was just an observation and making clear the fact that there are plenty of more inspiring scenes and speeches. Although who decides it is inspiring depends on who is watching.
I think the most beautiful part about this scene is that Theoden expected defeat...but if he and his men, along with all men, were to die, he'd have it no other way.
***** Tolkien based them on both scandinavians and anglo saxons as portrayed in their own poetry, Only in that they were cavalry do they deviate from that historical view.
I think he meant in terms bravery on the battlefield, despite impossible odds, as the Spartan and Viking stories often tell of such bravery. This is probably coated with sugar, but there has to be some truth to it.
This scene gives me chills everytime. The Theme of Rohan playing solemnly, the King's speech of glory and death, the cries to battle as the charge is made. This is what made Return of the King amazing, in a movie full of amazing scenes. That moment as the sun breaks the haze and din of war, and on the hill a forest of spears and gleaming helms, the tramp of warhorses and all eyes turn to face it in bewilderment. Love. This. Scene.
I attended a LotR marathon at the movie theatre recently, and everyone were silent for the majority of the screening. But you goddamn better believe almost everyone joined to holler "DEATH!". Truly spectacular
@@TanThighsYum That has absolutely no basis in anything Tolkien wrote. Elves are shown numerous times to be just as emotional and complex as Men. A big side plot in The Hobbit was about exactly that. King Thranduil was a hardened and jaded veteran, who had seen so many horrors in his life time that he turned to complete isolation to protect his people, something which has happened in the real world. For example, France after WW1, was so horrified by the war that they just stuck their heads in the sand for the next 20 years, refusing to acknowledge what was happening just a little bit further east, ignoring the constant warnings from the British, telling them exactly what would happen and even with a pretty accurate timeline of when it would happen, until the Germans were already on top of them
@@filmandfirearms Thats an interesting thought, the elves do have the possibility of being very complex but generally speaking they seem to have a deeper conection to the earth and nature and the "spiritual world" (since they are bound to Arda till the end), also being immortal is going to change many the approach to rationality and thinking, and I would suppose that since they are different races the have more different natural differences between them, as we saw in The Silmarillion elves are much harder to corrupt and pervert than men, who are corrupted all the time by Morgoth and Sauron.
17 years later I still get misty eyed when Theoden yells the word “death!” during this scene. I mean not only yells it, proclaims it! And how his men follow him in saying it. Like the Spartans, embracing death as they ride into battle. It hits deep…
True...but I think that it's unfair to actually compare the 2 together...both are at masterpieces in their own right... Kind of like Ronaldo and Messi...
@@FirstnameLastname-cp9lr Also it was after all a TV show with a (Huge but still undeniably) TV budget. The books have some truly spectacular battles that would have been impossible to depict as is in the show
A big difference with GOT is the way the books are written. I think George Martin has a pretty cynical view on humanity that it affects how he wrote GOT books. It's just like how Tolkien's Catholic faith affected how he wrote Lord of the Rings and his fictional universe. And that's why they're so different: in Tolkien's stories, there are lots of forgiveness, repentance, salvation, self-sacrifice, fellowship, loyalty, healing, prudence, free will, modesty, willpower, etc. On the other hand, Martin's stories have disloyalty, betrayals, self-righteousness, haughtiness, self-serving, selfishness, blind obedience, ruthlessness, indecisiveness, inconsideration, low empathy, etc.
In light of Theoden's story within LoTR this is truly a marvelous masterpiece of a scene. He always compared himself to his ancestors and thought of himself as a lesser man. Within all of his doubts he got corrupted by Saruman, who played into his weakness of character and fed this emotion. When freed of the corruption and seeing what the world has come to, his true nature kicked in and we get to see the true leader of the Rohirim. This day he was no lesser king, this day he showed them the spirit of his people, this day he inspired many and saved the spirit of mankind. #1 With all of this Background - Best Battle Speech I have ever witnessed - I get goosebumps even to this day.
"My body is broken. I go to my fathers. And even in their mighty company I shall not now be ashamed. I felled the black serpent. A grim morn, and a glad day, and a golden sunset" -Theoden's last words
I can't be the only one who prefers this over Aragorn's speech, right? EDIT: Wow, I return to this scene from time to time but didn't expect to have so many people agreeing with me 5 years later. Glad I'm not alone. :)
He didn't just fought... to quote the profesor himself "But Theoden could not be overtaken. Fey he seemed or the battle fury of his fathers ran like new fire in His veins and he was borne up on Snowmane like a God of old, even as Orome the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young"
As a young girl, this scene inspired me, especially seeing Eowyn’s courage and desire to go into battle with not only her brother and uncle but with a lot of her fellow men who I’m sure she knew and grew up around. For me, she was the epitome and prime example of feminism and women empowerment in the books and movies.
a much better example of female empowerment than the modern politically correct crap. this girl had character, personality, character development, flaws and kicked ass in a believable way.
I agree. It angers me that many view her as no longer being strong or empowered simply because she gets a husband and decides to not fight in awful wars anymore, when Tolkien always portrayed war itself as a horrible thing to experience, for good reason.
Bernard Hill's performance as Theoden was amongst the greatest in Peter Jackson's LoTR. His delivery of Theoden's speeches, some of the most powerful and profound of any character in Tolkien's legendarium, was masterful. Also, and perhaps alone amongst all the actors in Jackson's films, he managed, successfully, to actually add nuance and complexity to his character arc beyond that contained in the books. A truly great performance that will never be forgotten. RIP Bernard Hill
Bernard Hill is etched into history. This scene will be remembered for far longer than one any movie star, pop star etc This scene and this moment are eternal. Go to the West, King.
Every damn time my depression tries to overcome, I try to breath and watch this video. I imagine myself as a Rohan soldier, and the orcs are my insecurity, anxiety and sorrow, and I charge against them, fearless as this scene shows, screaming "deeeeeaaath!!", crushing into their shields and shit; and after that I say to myself "not today". May be a silly thing, but helps me to relax and not to lose my focus :)
The humanity of Theoden's character is incredible, I love how you can still see his struggle with doubt and hopelessness at 0:55 , but he looks back on his people and is strong for them! My favorite scene of all time.
My father talked about this scene a lot before he past... I miss talking about good films with him, but reading that y'all feel as good as Me watching this makes me wanna cry. True masterpiece
I'm sorry for your loss. I imagine your father talked about the scene with as much passion as all the comments. It's bold of me to assume as much so I hope this comment isn't upsetting. But I imagine you read the comments and you can almost hear them on your fathers voice. ❤ I watch this scene atleast every two months and end up tearing up every time.
The best bit about this scene is the way Theoden is looking ahead at the Orcs mulling what he is up against. A sea of evil that roars at him. Theoden takes it in, snarls and turns to rally his troops without a shed of fear. ‘Bring me death’
Yes, a great touch. Bernard Hill's performance is wonderful; through this role, he's been immortalised, as I believe these films will be preserved as long as the human species is capable of doing so.
You are so right. I think it's my favorite scene in the entire trilogy. A man seeing the colossal evil, knowing it will do him in, and meeting it headfirst regardless. Showing backbone and true leadership. He's one of my favorite characters.
There is also another reading into this. Theoden scans the battlefield. Then quickly and calmly he gives simple instructions to his generals. He knows he has to be quick, both to leave no time for the enemy to assemble and to keep his troops morale high, and not getting lost into the sea of orcs that stand ahead.
I had to rewatch this for the 1000th time in honor of the incredible Bernard Hill. I always have tears in my eyes during this scene, but today they’re pouring. Thank you for one of the most incredible and heartfelt performances in history, Sir!
What i find amazing that the speech King Theoden gave wasn't about honour or sacrifice or anything of the sorts. It's just a man telling you that it'll be hard, you'll get hurt and ultimately die, and he's aware of that and he's with you going in.
It's interesting to imagine what that situation would do to a soldier. It's something no human has ever experienced. Imagine, knowing _for a fact_ that you were participating in the apocalypse. God's and devil are real, and if you don't win, all of existence is done for. He is literally correct when he says "Ride for ruin, and the worlds ending." I feel like you could be braver than ever, because you can't lose. Soldiers on the losing side can still survive a real war, but in this situation even if you survive the battle, if you don't win, you and all you know and love will die.
Bluemilk92 there is nothing more dangerous than a person with nothing to loose. They have no boundaries, no limitations. They will do everything and anything to destroy you, because they cannot loose, they either win or die.
@@redsoulheart5040 Exactly! These soldiers have given up the idea of survival because they know if they don't kill all the orcs and drive them to extinction all they will achieve is dying to them at a later date
Benjamin Dunne you see that a lot in real life wars to. The most famous example are the Japanese in WW2, they were 100% devoted to the cause to the point where the US would of had to kill every man woman and child in order to win, they used the Nukes because if they didn’t they would of lost thousands if not millions of soldiers to gorilla warfare and battle. There are other examples of this throughout history.
@@redsoulheart5040 is right. Think of Constantinople's siege: they knew their whole civilization would be erased by the Ottomans (as it was) and they gave the fight of their life for it. This was basicly the same in Albania, Malta and Vienna again vs the Ottomans. But there are other examples in history.
@Whiterun Guard It's more the idea that, if you knew you were fighting in the apocalypse, the actual world literally on the brink of collapse, couldn't that awaken something greater in you? And if you were fighting for a king you would already die for, wouldn't that make you the bravest soldier in history? That sort of romanticism.
3:09 GOD, I love this. Gothmog orders two volley of arrows, thinking they would disperse or even route the army. Instead they keep charging right trough, at which he orders to "fire at will". But they aren't slowing down, and they aren't gonna. The look of horror and realization is perfect even trough the prosthetics. Absolute masterpiece!
The speech itself is pretty good. But the music, oh God the music is so legendary. This has to be my favourite piece of the entire trilogy, it works so perfect that I still get tears in my eyes when hearing it.
The might of Rohan becomes infinitely more impressive when you take into consideration the fact that THEY are coming from a battle where THEY were nearly destroyed. They took a beating at Helm's Deep, and they took MULTIPLE beating even BEFORE Helm's Deep when Theoden was still in his controlled state, while Rohan was being attacked by raiders, and things of that nature. And as if that wasn't enough, Theoden was DISAPPOINTED by the fact that so few answered the call to come help Gondor. If I can recall correctly.... this is less than half of what Theoden had expected to have at his back, even WITH all the losses they took at Helm's Deep and while he was being controlled. Imagine a Rohan that wasn't weakened vastly. That would be one MASSIVE cavalry army.
Rohan's full army, the Éohére, should be around 12000 riders during Theoden's reign, according to the books. In the books, Rohan loses the battles at the Fords of the Isen, but more than half of the troops there escape to join either Theoden or Gandalf. After Helm's Deep, Rohan has around 10k riders, but Theoden himself says that he can't bring more than 6000 (his northern border was attacked at the same time, by orcs crossing the Anduin)
@@kenobi6257 The books emphasize so much more how the war was fought on so many more fronts than just Minas Tirith. Pretty much all of Middle-Earth was at war. Easterlings in the East were fighting the decendants of the Men of Dale and the Dwarves of the Lonely and Iron Mountains, Mirkwood was under siege from Dol Amroth, Rohan was still under attack from remnants of Saruman's armies and growing threats from the Misty Mountains, Gondor was fighting a losing battle in the south vs the Haradrim and Corsairs. So much more was going on.
@@Maletizer I know, I just talked about it influencing Rohan not having its full strength at the Pelennor. Also the ones fighting at Erebor were the Men of Dale and the Dwarves, not their descendants (?). And the armies attacking Rohan didn't belong to Isengard, they crossed from the northeast
@@gogos1003 "Where was my cousin (who lives 50 km away) while my neighbour kicked my bike?" Well, he was 50 km away dude, you have to warn him first if you want help
Rohan went from a nation on the brink of death to an "impossible" charge to save their allies. Hands down one of the most inspiring scenes in movie history. Incredible arch and writing. Going all the way back to jrr tolkein
I know this is a huge call, but having watched 1000s of movies, this is the best scene I've ever seen in a film. It made me tear up, and it's not even sad. Theoden's speech is epic. The willingness to sacrifice themselves for their fellow man, even though the Gondorians didn't help Rohan during their own crisis (for which Theoden holds a grudge). They don't care. They will honour the alliance, even when it wasn't honoured for them. It reminds me of how the French and English fought side by side in WW1 and WW2, despite being bitter, bitter foes for most of human history. I wonder if Tolkein was inspired by that at all, given he fought in WW1.
Dezso tbh this scene would be perfect without his daughter and the hobbit being poorly put in with bad cg. Everything else was perfect, pippen looked like a little child on his moms lap. So awkward. And it didnt even happen in the books like that.
I swear that every time I see this utterly magnificent moment and hear that unparalleled, great battle call, I SO want to follow Theoden King into battle and hack off a million f*cking orc heads just for him.
Yes. I've never experienced a moment of such intense awe, thrill and true elation as I did when I first watched this magnificent scene. I cried tears of joy, and I think I'm far from alone in that. Also my favourite scene in any film I've watched. It's transcendent, and I'm of the opinion these films will still be watched in hundreds of years' time.
One reason why i look up to fictional kings like Theoden... is that he chose to ride in front, never staying at the back while his men get slaughtered; he's actually right there with them. He's showing his men the courage and valor he expects of his men, rallying them all with a brave heart in the face of adversity. (... at least i hope that wasn't too cheesy 😅)
There are examples of our greatest leaders doing the same. Alexander the great and Julius Ceasar were both renowned for taking charge of a situation personally in the heat of battle and turning the tides multiple times. Often to the detriment of their armies, like Richard the Lionheart getting too close to a castle and getting shot by a xbow. I think if you look at history you will see there is a good reason why men who lived hundreds or thousands of years ago are not and will not ever be forgotten to time. Just like Theoden will not be in middle-earth Commanders are usually recklessly courageous when they have so many men looking up to them. Like in the Falklands war the English lost many battlefield commanders to reckless acts of bravery trying to lead their men that it became a problem that had to be dealt with. or Lt. Spiers running right through a Nazi controlled town to talk to his rear flanking element, then running back through it again to co-ordinate his troops. A scene you can find on youtube from the 'Band of Brothers' series.
@@UmbraFulgur by that time I think generals had no reason to be on the front lines. Did Napoleon ever fight on a battlefield as a general or an emperor?
@@oddursigurdsson9637, both. as a general and as an emperor. In the first line, of course. he also ate the same food as his soldiers and rested in an regular military tent. that's why he was so loved by his army. he never asked a soldier for anything different from what he did.
@@UmbraFulgur legendary commander. I remember Patton also driving a car to the front lines in Sicily because his troops couldn't find a way across terrain then finding it himself and leading them through. Unfortunately his and Montgomery's tenacity in that campaign fucked each other up and allowed 2x German regiments to escape from Messina to fight them in Italy.
I have never seen another scene that conveys the sheer power and terror of a massed cavalry charge. The Riders shattered the Ork lines with the pure force of their charge, weapons come later. And the speech gives me chills. This is a leader who knows that he and his warriors face death, and challenges them to embrace it.
Exactly. A truly awe-inspiring scene. It's so overwhelming I cried tears of joy from the intensity of emotion when watching it for the first time. Just a magnificent scene, performance from Bernard Hill, and music from Howard Shore.
I recommend watching the battle of the bastards from Game of Thrones. They the the visceral feeling of the initial impact of the lines and dialed it up. They can't in my opinion equal the rest, but that initial impact and first minute of pure mayham and shock they absolutely nail.
@G E T R E K T Neither do you, as the last cavalry charge of any size was in 1944 on the Eastern Front. However, I study history and have read first-hand accounts of just how powerful and disruptive a mass change can be. For several centuries, starting in around the 6th Century CE, the usual battle tactic was to try to turn the enemy line, or open a hole, so the cavalry could pour in at high speed and utterly destroy what was before it.
I love how solid they make Theoden's acceptance of death in contrast with the orcs. The orcs fire at first (3:16) with glee counting on Theoden's ranks falling apart or turning out of fear of death via arrows or spear impalement. They can't conceive that Theoden's battlecry is genuine, they only see it as a showboating bluff to be called out. But they soon begin to realize there's nothing fake about it (3:27), having the tables turn and their own fears of death on full display.
Yes, yes, I know I'm replying to a year old comment but you really nailed it. Orcs love battle and killing...if they are winning. But deep down, they are cowards who will quit the field if they aren't just slaughtering the enemy, or if their fear if their masters is worse than the fear of their enemy.
it should, that line is taken from one of the oldest eddas , one of the oldest written epics of western civilization, when we hear this we are not just hearing old tolkien's words, but those of our ancestors.
Rest in peace, Bernard Hill. Your portrayal of Théoden will forever resonate in the hearts of fans around the world. Your voice brought to life of the most inspiring speech in cinema, stirring courage and hope in us all. You will be deeply missed but never forgotten. Farewell, King of Rohan.
This is arguably one of the best scenes in movie history. King Theoden's riders brutally outnumbered manage to overcome the fear of complete annihilation and charge an overwhelming force. You can see the fear in there eyes when they see the massive army of darkness below. Yet they mustered the strength necessary to avoid the extinction of all humanity. They weren't just fighting for there own survival.
Well, they have horses the size of which has never been recorded in real life, a warhorse breed in times of war and chaos for that specific reason. Infantry has no real defense except exhaustion.
What a powerful scene, just beautiful. And actually heavily inspired by Nordic verse. In the poetic Edda (Our main source of Norse Mythology, written 120 years after the christening of Scandinavia, to preserve Norse Religion) there is a poem called Voluspå, where a seer recounts to Odin what she saw when she beheld the final fight to end the world (Ragnarok) Skeggǫld, skálmǫld, Axe-time, sword-time, skildir ro klofnir. shields are splintered. Vindǫld, vargǫld, Wind-time, wolf-time, áðr verǫld steypiz ere the world falls.
Honestly no one delivered a speech in these films like Bernard Hill. The speech Aragorn gave at the gates of Mordor just couldn't capture the same charisma Hill had. Hill felt like a king on screen.
HAIL THE VICTORIOUS DEAD! Thank you for everything Mr. Hill. “There Thèoden fell, Thengling mighty, to his golden halls, and green pastures in the Northern Fields never returning, high lord of the host.”
‘forth, and fear no darkness...spears shall be shaken. shields shall be splintered. a sword day! a red day! ere the sun rises!’ my depression needed this.
"Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! spear shall be shaken, shield shall be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now, ride! Ride for ruin and the world's ending! DEEEEEEAAAAAAAATH! DEEEEEEAAAAAAAATH! DEEEEEEAAAAAAAATH!" - Théoden (R.I.P Bernard Hill)
Had to come see this after seeing the news about Bernard Hall, "I go to my fathers in whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed." Rest in peace you glorious and impactful man.
@Sam How does it feel to be in extreme minority? For good reason too, endgame is 5% of Lotr. Endgame is a cheap Americanized con of this and that’s being generous
Spihk heart bust!? Can you use Bozeman Hotmail Recipient's Roomies Ghnavel Feces to spihk heartbust all all time mates internet friends for people in Planet of the Apes movies with Bozeman Hotmail Recipient and Patriots Server Janice Lahai!?
"My body is broken. You have to let me go. I go to my fathers, in whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed." -Théoden, son of Thengel, King of Rohan (Rest in peace)
"I go to my fathers. And even in their mighty company I shall not now be ashamed."
RIP Bernard Hill
Man I just heard the news! Rip to the king
The King is dead. Long live the King.
Hail the victorious dead.
Here for the same reason. Will never forget how epic this was in the theatre the first time. That speech. 😢
He was and forever will be the King of Rohan
The significance of chanting "Death" is that Sauron's armies use the fear of death as a tool against their enemies. The Rohirim took it as their own battle cry. They aren't cheering for the enemy's death, they are cheering for their own death. They took the fear of the enemy and used it as a rallying cry against them.
Not to mention it’s double badass because death isn’t a bad thing in lotr for men. It’s literally called their gift. Sauron and Morgoth corrupted death to make men fear it as much as possible, that’s how they did so much damage originally. So them chanting it is basically saying “you can try all you want Sauron, but you will never corrupt everyone, we defy you and cheer for the fate we know will be beautiful, for even if we lose in body we still know we defeated you in spirit. So fuck you you big glowing eye piece of shit.”
I love this
it's also pretty powerful to see the monstruous orcs cower in fear as the humans march fearlessly toward their doom
When I see this scene I think of a young Tolkein sitting in the Trenches of WW1 France, being encouraged to charge to his own death
Man if I were here on this battlefield and got to personally witness theoden deliver that war speech, I would have been so cool with dying. They went in as the underdog knowing they were gonna lose and die, and it caused them to over perform.
Thank you Bernard Hill. Your Theoden was regal, noble, a brave warrior, a leader. You will be remembered for a long time.
Forth, and fear no darkness 😭
He will be missed
I got this tatted last summer. I'm glad I can honor him always.
A true king,
a king you would gladly ride into battle with to the death......... a glorious one.
And most of all. He was human.
What makes this scene even more badass is that if you read the Silmarillion, you know that the greatest gifts the Valar gave Middle-Earth was the moon and the sun. Light was the greatest foe of the forces of Morgoth and Sauron. Sauron had pushed clouds over his forces as they attacked Gondor. But when the Riders of Rohan appear, the sun peeks out and shines on their backs as they charge. The Valar had NOT forgotten Middle-Earth.
The Valar themselves would have joined the mortals in this epic charge following Théoden king's speech.
And the book says Théoden appeared like Oromë, the huntsman of the Valar, as he led this charge.
☀️
Solar Warriors
I’m not crying. You’re crying.
Can't believe this was filmed almost 15 years ago. The best fantasy trilogy to be ever made. What a Masterpiece.
sdlfjlsdkf the best Trilogy in any movie genre to this day.
sdlfjlsdkf the books and the previous movies helped
@@DrFoXGuian Avengers: Endgame beats this by far
ツM0nTr0city lol
ツM0nTr0city nonse
Came when I heard the news. A man dies only when he is forgotten, and we sure won't forget Bernard Hill. Long live the king!
Wait did he die? I haven’t heard anything about this noooooo
@@Rocco049 sadly Bernard Hill passed away last week
@@Rocco049yes, thankfully he is finally at peace and found salvation. Go forth and fear no darkness for all shall follow.
LONG LIVE THE KING!!!!!
When Oda quotes intersect with Tolkien quotes. Greatness will be achieved.
Theoden buffs the frontline with Blessing of Kings. increases total stats by %10.
That was the worst back in the old days. Had to re-apply it every 10 min to 40 people. What a nightmare.
@@danbsj it buffs permanently all the army during the combat.... xD
@@sralvez5150 it didn't back in the day lad.
i miss playing ragnarok
10% dude? After listenning to him, I feel like I can fly high, dive in a suicide rage e take dozens with me!
No exaggeration - I have seen this scene maybe 400-500 times in my life. Still can’t watch it without crying
Heck yeah!!!
Me too.
I cried to especially when im older
If you can watch this without crying, you're already dead because there's no way the living can see this without crying
soo dammn true
"I go to my fathers in whose mighty company, I shall not now feel ashamed". Rest in peace, king.
He was the greatest king in Lord of the Rings. Just such a landmark performance. Everyone in this series brought their very best and its why Lord of the Rings will be a timeless classic. Im glad he can be immortalized by this movie.
For Death and Glory
There's nothing more scary and frightening than the ennemy calling for death before charging.
Jerome Guay well in real life that would be scary. One suicide bomber can kill us all.
How about an enemy calling for rape? I'd wager that'd be scarier.
@@dyndu2074 RAAAAPE! RAAAAAAAAPE!
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPE!
Yeah, this actually would be unbelieveably horrific, especilly to our age.
I feel like they scream death not as a war cry but as an acknowledgement that the odds are heavily against them but they still ride to their death with no fear. I feel that’s more terrifying.
The enemy who got nothing to lose is the most dangerous one.
*Meanwhile all the way into the back.*
- "Can you hear what he's saying?"
- "No idea, I just hope its not one of those that goes down is history."
- "Yea, would hate that miss that one."
- "So how're the kids?"
- "Oh you know, they're grea- Oh wait here we go! DEAAAAAAAAAAAAAATHHH!"
- "DEAAAAAAAAAAAAATTHH"
You're comment was fucking funny sir. These speeches were more for the vanguard anyways, as they are the ones with the most courage to face enemy lines head on and inspire the rest.
Underrated comment, have a like
sir, plz pay for my drink, I spilled all my drink when I read your comment
They should've kept this in the movie, damn!!
Idk if this is true but I remember reading somewhere that Theoden was so loud on the battlefield that day, that litrally every soldier heard his speech
Here today after learning that Bernard Hill has passed.
RIP to a true legend of the screen.
"GO FORTH, AND FEAR NO DARKNESS!!!!"
the entirety of this trilogy hasn't aged a day.
And it never will
truly timeless the only effect that has aged somewhat poorly is the ghosts and even then it’s not bad
If anything, it ages like expensive whiskey
I understood that reference.
Uhhh not all the cgi aged well.
This scene is so god damn powerful man. Theoden had an inferiority complex, feeling inadequate compared to his ancestors. He’s human, and has fears and doubts. But in the end, he shows strength and courage in the face of death, despite all the fear. He lives up to the expectations he’s put on himself, and in the end, dies a hero. I love his last words. “I go now to my fathers, in whose mighty company I will not now feel ashamed.”
Strong respect for family. I think even if these battles and wars never happened Theoden could die a worthy king.
Plus, in the books, he is seemingly blessed by the valar for his last hour. As he shouts his speech, his voice achieves a clarity like no man ever before, and when he blows his horn it bursts apart from the force. As he rides, he is in the front, no one overtaking him, and he shines brightly as the light reflects from his shield and the sunrise follows his very footsteps. As he rides, the grass about his steed's hooves shines in the light of dawn.
This is the one time where all the cinematic effects you could possibly use are actually accurate to the books. As he charges, he literally resembles a god.
@@runtergerutscht4401 Ive never read the books, but that sounds amazing. Wish they would have portrayed that here.
@@runtergerutscht4401 The dead grass also explodes into green everywhere his horse's hooves touch as he's charging and it's implied that he's taking on a kind of sacred aspect of his ancestors as his family's banner is a horse on a green field beneath a resplendent sun.
@@runtergerutscht4401reading that part gives me chills every time. And it’s hard for me to get chills from a book.
And so passes Théoden, King of Rohan, Lord of the Riddermark, last of the second line of kings.
R.I.P
The way that Theoden rides as he gives his battle speech, and clatters his sword against his men's spears shows the bondage between them, not as kings and soldiers but as comrades. The scene alone deserved an award.
sdlfjlsdkf I know you've written this comment a year ago, but just compare Theoden with Gothmog. Gothmog calls his soldiers maggots, showing disdain and thinking his soldiers are replaceable. Theoden on the other hand calls to his generals by name, and giving them encouragement. "Fear no darkness".
sdlfjlsdkf yep and he leads by exampe! A true leader!
All topped off with Rohan's theme as they charge into battle. Shore killed it with his music.
And Theoden always thought that he was not good enough. That he was not a good King. Thats why I always like him. Because, he was a damn good King.
Samuel Aldrey "I go to my fathers, in whose mighty company, I shall not now feel ashamed." Always loved that scene
For those who have never read the books, the words of this speech are taken almost word for word from it.
Yes. Except that a large part of it is cried out by Éomer after he is struck by fury and madness witnessing the fallen bodies of Théoden and Éowyn.
Sure but the speech in its self is a change compared to the book.
Its a great speech and fist well to movie Theoden and is Tolkenian you can say.
its a great example how you can repurpose material that would be otherwise cut ... use it to enhance something when you put the effort in to try and understand the material and the changes you already made ...
The speech is shorter in the book. _Spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered! A sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now, ride to Gondor_
“Go forth and fear no darkness” (goosebumps) it was completely dark for a long ass time and that too weighed on their spirits.
Then the sun came and they went OFF😭 I love this scene on so many levels.
@@i.can.d hell yeh haha the sun is literally a weapon in LOTRs lore, there wasn't a sun until the war with Morgoth
Rest in peace, Bernard Hill. No one. No one could have touched your performance as Theoden. “I go to my father’s. And even in their mighty company I shall not be ashamed.”
ugh i cried when I heard the news. I cried even harder watching this scene. We lost a unicorn of a person. Never will be another one like him.
For Death and Glory
@@kylemundy8871 For Rohan.
The thing that gets me about this scene is not just Théoden's delivery here, but the actual words he is saying, and what they imply. The Rohirrim are outnumbered. They do not have the strength to defeat the armies of Mordor, and they know it. They also know that, if the free people fail in their struggle, the enemy will conquer the world. They are facing both their own deaths, and the end of the world.
Théoden does not mince words about this. He tells them to ride, not for glory, but for ruin. To ride for the world's ending. It's a fatalistic philosophy from a people who live lives of hardship and toil. These people face death every day, and live their lives to the fullest. Now, faced with "such reckless hate" they have two choices; collapse in despair, or fight. He drives them to fight, even though it will likely mean their deaths. That's why they shout "death". They are ready to die, to give their lives to push back the darkness even just a little.
And as they charge, the orcs, who have strength, but no courage, form up ranks and prepare to destroy these pathetic humans that have somehow dared to try to challenge them. So the orcs fire their bows, believing that their fellows falling will break the spirit of the Rohirrim. But what actually happens? As their fellows fall, the riders SPEED UP AND RIDE HARDER. They aren't afraid at all, and cause the orcs to break and run through sheer force of will and courage.
Amazing scene.
"A Man who does not Fear his Death, Has NO Fear!!"
This is a great overview and really touching. I thought it was really cool but didn't know the meaning of his speech or that they were chanting death
"Give me freedom or give me death".
You too would be scared if you hear 30k riders scream death and charge at you like a truck, with their KING leading the charge
Beautiful, beautiful words. Thank you for sharing this up.
This is THE most badass speech in any movie. Ever.
IDK the president's speech in Independence Day was pretty epic too
King Theodin's speech is one of my favorites. However, the Saint Crispin's Day Speech in Henry V is the best.
@surfitlive Lol.
@@arawn1061 I'm not American and I loved Independence Day. Stop making assumptions or stereotyping. You could learn a thing or two. Sounds like you don't get out much mate
@@fernsynergy8261 huh all i wrote was "for an American". It was just an observation and making clear the fact that there are plenty of more inspiring scenes and speeches. Although who decides it is inspiring depends on who is watching.
One of the most moving speeches I've ever seen.
R.I.P king Bernard 😔
I think the most beautiful part about this scene is that Theoden expected defeat...but if he and his men, along with all men, were to die, he'd have it no other way.
that's what i like about the Roherriem (i don't know if i spelled it right) they were like the Spartans and the Vikings
***** Tolkien based them on both scandinavians and anglo saxons as portrayed in their own poetry, Only in that they were cavalry do they deviate from that historical view.
I think he meant in terms bravery on the battlefield, despite impossible odds, as the Spartan and Viking stories often tell of such bravery. This is probably coated with sugar, but there has to be some truth to it.
Drew ''Milord, we cannot defeat the armies of Mordor with only these men! Theoden - No, but we shall meet them in battle nontheless!''
Then they won, until the elephants rocked up
This scene gives me chills everytime. The Theme of Rohan playing solemnly, the King's speech of glory and death, the cries to battle as the charge is made. This is what made Return of the King amazing, in a movie full of amazing scenes. That moment as the sun breaks the haze and din of war, and on the hill a forest of spears and gleaming helms, the tramp of warhorses and all eyes turn to face it in bewilderment. Love. This. Scene.
VikingFyre always come back to read this comment, beautifully worded
Dude that is deep
VikingFyre can’t believe people thought winterfell would top this
Kirb Smash I mean it could of if it was actually made well like it was anticipated to be but instead we were given that shite
@@ruairiwilkinson2129 yeah
RIP Bernard Hill (December 17, 1944 - May 5, 2024), aged 79
You will be remembered as a legend
A king that leads his charging men and fights alongside them...now that's a real king!!
Black Panther in Infinity War.
He dead
Like stannis
@@SilentDanDisney He got super powers and unbreakable armor that his soldiers don't have.
@@SilentDanDisney nah shit, He have a fucking titantium armor shit. Theoden just have a iron plating with cool design
I attended a LotR marathon at the movie theatre recently, and everyone were silent for the majority of the screening. But you goddamn better believe almost everyone joined to holler "DEATH!". Truly spectacular
Dope
Damn, I'm envious
I am damn jealous of you.
He goes now to his fathers, in whose mighty company he feels not ashamed
RIP Bernard Hill
1944-2024
“Forth, and fear no darkness!”
a simple, short, yet elegant and powerful line
It shall stay in my mind forever
Just got that quote tatted on me. In elvish too.
@@jadewilliams1034 Screw that! Elves do not feel what men feel. We are Men! Humans! And the Sun Rises!!!!
"Let's go." - old and tired
"Forth, a fear no darkness!" - new hotness
@@TanThighsYum That has absolutely no basis in anything Tolkien wrote. Elves are shown numerous times to be just as emotional and complex as Men. A big side plot in The Hobbit was about exactly that. King Thranduil was a hardened and jaded veteran, who had seen so many horrors in his life time that he turned to complete isolation to protect his people, something which has happened in the real world. For example, France after WW1, was so horrified by the war that they just stuck their heads in the sand for the next 20 years, refusing to acknowledge what was happening just a little bit further east, ignoring the constant warnings from the British, telling them exactly what would happen and even with a pretty accurate timeline of when it would happen, until the Germans were already on top of them
@@filmandfirearms Thats an interesting thought, the elves do have the possibility of being very complex but generally speaking they seem to have a deeper conection to the earth and nature and the "spiritual world" (since they are bound to Arda till the end), also being immortal is going to change many the approach to rationality and thinking, and I would suppose that since they are different races the have more different natural differences between them, as we saw in The Silmarillion elves are much harder to corrupt and pervert than men, who are corrupted all the time by Morgoth and Sauron.
17 years later I still get misty eyed when Theoden yells the word “death!” during this scene. I mean not only yells it, proclaims it! And how his men follow him in saying it. Like the Spartans, embracing death as they ride into battle. It hits deep…
Same. I watched this trilogy as a young teen and just finished watching again at 29 years old. This scene made me tear up.
same here! My neighbours hate me...because sometimes I catch myself yelling "DEATH"
Dude I cry to this day when i rewatch this scene lol. It's just so damn epic.
He is an actual warrior-king
I’m so glad that people are still talking about these movies
Easily one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history.
Just here to remind everyone that even with state of the art production and all that budget, Game of Thrones never looked this good.
True...but I think that it's unfair to actually compare the 2 together...both are at masterpieces in their own right...
Kind of like Ronaldo and Messi...
Game of thrones ain’t got shit on lotr 😅
@@FirstnameLastname-cp9lr Also it was after all a TV show with a (Huge but still undeniably) TV budget. The books have some truly spectacular battles that would have been impossible to depict as is in the show
A big difference with GOT is the way the books are written. I think George Martin has a pretty cynical view on humanity that it affects how he wrote GOT books. It's just like how Tolkien's Catholic faith affected how he wrote Lord of the Rings and his fictional universe. And that's why they're so different: in Tolkien's stories, there are lots of forgiveness, repentance, salvation, self-sacrifice, fellowship, loyalty, healing, prudence, free will, modesty, willpower, etc. On the other hand, Martin's stories have disloyalty, betrayals, self-righteousness, haughtiness, self-serving, selfishness, blind obedience, ruthlessness, indecisiveness, inconsideration, low empathy, etc.
Game of Thrones didn't have the full might of Howard Shore and the London Philharmonic backing the action.
In light of Theoden's story within LoTR this is truly a marvelous masterpiece of a scene. He always compared himself to his ancestors and thought of himself as a lesser man. Within all of his doubts he got corrupted by Saruman, who played into his weakness of character and fed this emotion. When freed of the corruption and seeing what the world has come to, his true nature kicked in and we get to see the true leader of the Rohirim. This day he was no lesser king, this day he showed them the spirit of his people, this day he inspired many and saved the spirit of mankind.
#1 With all of this Background - Best Battle Speech I have ever witnessed - I get goosebumps even to this day.
"My body is broken. I go to my fathers. And even in their mighty company I shall not now be ashamed. I felled the black serpent. A grim morn, and a glad day, and a golden sunset" -Theoden's last words
He’s one of the best kings there ever lived
"I go to my fathers. And even in their mighty company I shall not now be ashamed."
Rest in peace, Bernard Hill. ❤️💮
That last few repetitions of "DEATH!" they yell as the horses start forward with that violin always gives me chills
They know most of them wont survive, they do this for their children and their children's children. Epic.
@@TheEthanEdge so brave
Gives me goosebumps every time I watch it
I can't be the only one who prefers this over Aragorn's speech, right?
EDIT: Wow, I return to this scene from time to time but didn't expect to have so many people agreeing with me 5 years later. Glad I'm not alone. :)
+SmearedBlackInk Ⓥ yep you are the only one
Kerem kunduracı Oh
SmearedBlackInk Ⓥ its still pretty badass tho + ''for frodo''
+Kerem kunduracı Aragorn's speach was lame
Bernard Hill has a better speech voice and he leads a glorious cavalry charge. And the Speech itself is better so no you're not the only one
"Imagine a king who fights his own battles. Wouldn't that be a sight."
Achilles would follow the hell out of Theoden.
He didn't just fought... to quote the profesor himself "But Theoden could not be overtaken. Fey he seemed or the battle fury of his fathers ran like new fire in His veins and he was borne up on Snowmane like a God of old, even as Orome the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young"
Shout out to the horses who carried their warriors with courage and valor.
check out "Cavalry" by Mandolon Orange, absolutely gorgeous song about war horses
And the one who continued on without his rider
This
And to the CIG specialists.
As a young girl, this scene inspired me, especially seeing Eowyn’s courage and desire to go into battle with not only her brother and uncle but with a lot of her fellow men who I’m sure she knew and grew up around. For me, she was the epitome and prime example of feminism and women empowerment in the books and movies.
Eowyn is a great character indeed. Thanks for sharing
a much better example of female empowerment than the modern politically correct crap. this girl had character, personality, character development, flaws and kicked ass in a believable way.
@@aztekenen1 and didn't put any excuses or blamed others, just went ahead and did what she thought was right.
You'll not see many better examples of courage than Eowyn in this scene.
I agree. It angers me that many view her as no longer being strong or empowered simply because she gets a husband and decides to not fight in awful wars anymore, when Tolkien always portrayed war itself as a horrible thing to experience, for good reason.
Bernard Hill's performance as Theoden was amongst the greatest in Peter Jackson's LoTR. His delivery of Theoden's speeches, some of the most powerful and profound of any character in Tolkien's legendarium, was masterful. Also, and perhaps alone amongst all the actors in Jackson's films, he managed, successfully, to actually add nuance and complexity to his character arc beyond that contained in the books. A truly great performance that will never be forgotten.
RIP Bernard Hill
This was the greatest scene I’ve experienced in cinema and it makes me cry till this day. Beautiful, heroic, epic and sends chills down my spine.
Same.
That 3rd “death” gets me every time
Better even than "Avengers Assemble."
Ride now! Ride for ruin and world's ending!
Deatttttthhhhh!!!!!!
DEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATH!!!!!
DEATH!!!!!!
Deaaaaaatttthhhh
Deeeeeaaaaaath!!!!
RIP Bernard Hill, you made my childhood epic, you formed a man who wanted to be like King Theoden. Thank you.
For me the chills came when merry started with the 'Death' shout. Bloody hell he is one violent Hobbit.
it shows the power of a good speech, they are fearful and timid at the beginning, and fearless with bravery after the speech.
You know you've gone and fucked up when there's a Hobbit galloping at you screaming "Death!"
@@KeepCalmNRockOn LOL i laughed so hard reading this
@@KeepCalmNRockOn or the fact a passive and peaceful people are so willing to die for their friends, but not before fucking you up!🤣🤣
he's got a vicious streak a mile wide
"Nobody can match Dothraki skill at fighting on a horseback."
"You are adorable."
Hail Erolangas!
Well, the Dothraki can do a backflip on horseback while shoting 4 arrows.
Wesley Martins yeah but we never saw those backflips when they fought the army of the dead so.
@@redsoulheart5040
The army of the dead was like the zombies from WWZ.
@@redsoulheart5040 Let's be real, we didn't see them do anything!
Bernard Hill is etched into history.
This scene will be remembered for far longer than one any movie star, pop star etc
This scene and this moment are eternal.
Go to the West, King.
Every damn time my depression tries to overcome, I try to breath and watch this video.
I imagine myself as a Rohan soldier, and the orcs are my insecurity, anxiety and sorrow, and I charge against them, fearless as this scene shows, screaming "deeeeeaaath!!", crushing into their shields and shit; and after that I say to myself "not today".
May be a silly thing, but helps me to relax and not to lose my focus :)
Fuck....yeah...
This deserves so many more likes.
Ride for your glory brother of Gondor! The Light shine for us all, you are already a winner! And fear no darkness!!! Tks for your comment!
Forth! And fear no darkness!
Me too.
The humanity of Theoden's character is incredible, I love how you can still see his struggle with doubt and hopelessness at 0:55 , but he looks back on his people and is strong for them! My favorite scene of all time.
Miles Beler I noticed that look too. Such a brave King.
RIP Bernard Hill 😢💔. Thank you for the strength and majesty of this performance.
My father talked about this scene a lot before he past... I miss talking about good films with him, but reading that y'all feel as good as Me watching this makes me wanna cry.
True masterpiece
I'm sorry for your loss. I imagine your father talked about the scene with as much passion as all the comments. It's bold of me to assume as much so I hope this comment isn't upsetting. But I imagine you read the comments and you can almost hear them on your fathers voice. ❤ I watch this scene atleast every two months and end up tearing up every time.
The best bit about this scene is the way Theoden is looking ahead at the Orcs mulling what he is up against. A sea of evil that roars at him. Theoden takes it in, snarls and turns to rally his troops without a shed of fear. ‘Bring me death’
Yes, a great touch. Bernard Hill's performance is wonderful; through this role, he's been immortalised, as I believe these films will be preserved as long as the human species is capable of doing so.
That snarl gets me eveytime
You are so right. I think it's my favorite scene in the entire trilogy. A man seeing the colossal evil, knowing it will do him in, and meeting it headfirst regardless. Showing backbone and true leadership. He's one of my favorite characters.
There is also another reading into this. Theoden scans the battlefield. Then quickly and calmly he gives simple instructions to his generals. He knows he has to be quick, both to leave no time for the enemy to assemble and to keep his troops morale high, and not getting lost into the sea of orcs that stand ahead.
I had to rewatch this for the 1000th time in honor of the incredible Bernard Hill. I always have tears in my eyes during this scene, but today they’re pouring. Thank you for one of the most incredible and heartfelt performances in history, Sir!
What i find amazing that the speech King Theoden gave wasn't about honour or sacrifice or anything of the sorts. It's just a man telling you that it'll be hard, you'll get hurt and ultimately die, and he's aware of that and he's with you going in.
It's interesting to imagine what that situation would do to a soldier. It's something no human has ever experienced. Imagine, knowing _for a fact_ that you were participating in the apocalypse. God's and devil are real, and if you don't win, all of existence is done for. He is literally correct when he says "Ride for ruin, and the worlds ending." I feel like you could be braver than ever, because you can't lose. Soldiers on the losing side can still survive a real war, but in this situation even if you survive the battle, if you don't win, you and all you know and love will die.
Bluemilk92 there is nothing more dangerous than a person with nothing to loose. They have no boundaries, no limitations. They will do everything and anything to destroy you, because they cannot loose, they either win or die.
@@redsoulheart5040 Exactly! These soldiers have given up the idea of survival because they know if they don't kill all the orcs and drive them to extinction all they will achieve is dying to them at a later date
Benjamin Dunne you see that a lot in real life wars to. The most famous example are the Japanese in WW2, they were 100% devoted to the cause to the point where the US would of had to kill every man woman and child in order to win, they used the Nukes because if they didn’t they would of lost thousands if not millions of soldiers to gorilla warfare and battle. There are other examples of this throughout history.
@@redsoulheart5040 is right. Think of Constantinople's siege: they knew their whole civilization would be erased by the Ottomans (as it was) and they gave the fight of their life for it. This was basicly the same in Albania, Malta and Vienna again vs the Ottomans. But there are other examples in history.
@Whiterun Guard It's more the idea that, if you knew you were fighting in the apocalypse, the actual world literally on the brink of collapse, couldn't that awaken something greater in you? And if you were fighting for a king you would already die for, wouldn't that make you the bravest soldier in history? That sort of romanticism.
Love how many came to see this awesome scene once again and pay respects to Bernard Hill rest in peace king Théoden
😢🙏
Every time i hear this speech sends chills down my back.
And tears down mah face hahaha
3:09 GOD, I love this. Gothmog orders two volley of arrows, thinking they would disperse or even route the army. Instead they keep charging right trough, at which he orders to "fire at will". But they aren't slowing down, and they aren't gonna. The look of horror and realization is perfect even trough the prosthetics. Absolute masterpiece!
I bet you do imagining all the aryans of Europe riding against the Immigrants.. sorry Orcs.. Lol jokes
@@Omega-wi6fl weak bait
@@eduj The Sense of Bait is Strong with this one!!
@Omega 78
Aryan theory is bullshit.
Cope
@@Omega-wi6fl Lmao where the fuck did this even come from?
RIP to the actor who gave the greatest war speech of all time in cinema
When the orcs get that first true glint of fear in their eyes... chills everytime.
The speech itself is pretty good.
But the music, oh God the music is so legendary.
This has to be my favourite piece of the entire trilogy, it works so perfect that I still get tears in my eyes when hearing it.
The music from the trilogy is still my favorite score of all time
God bless Mr. Bernard Hill 💔 Reast in peace... Thank you 🕯️
The might of Rohan becomes infinitely more impressive when you take into consideration the fact that THEY are coming from a battle where THEY were nearly destroyed.
They took a beating at Helm's Deep, and they took MULTIPLE beating even BEFORE Helm's Deep when Theoden was still in his controlled state, while Rohan was being attacked by raiders, and things of that nature.
And as if that wasn't enough, Theoden was DISAPPOINTED by the fact that so few answered the call to come help Gondor. If I can recall correctly.... this is less than half of what Theoden had expected to have at his back, even WITH all the losses they took at Helm's Deep and while he was being controlled.
Imagine a Rohan that wasn't weakened vastly. That would be one MASSIVE cavalry army.
Rohan's full army, the Éohére, should be around 12000 riders during Theoden's reign, according to the books. In the books, Rohan loses the battles at the Fords of the Isen, but more than half of the troops there escape to join either Theoden or Gandalf. After Helm's Deep, Rohan has around 10k riders, but Theoden himself says that he can't bring more than 6000 (his northern border was attacked at the same time, by orcs crossing the Anduin)
@@kenobi6257 The books emphasize so much more how the war was fought on so many more fronts than just Minas Tirith. Pretty much all of Middle-Earth was at war. Easterlings in the East were fighting the decendants of the Men of Dale and the Dwarves of the Lonely and Iron Mountains, Mirkwood was under siege from Dol Amroth, Rohan was still under attack from remnants of Saruman's armies and growing threats from the Misty Mountains, Gondor was fighting a losing battle in the south vs the Haradrim and Corsairs. So much more was going on.
@@Maletizer I know, I just talked about it influencing Rohan not having its full strength at the Pelennor. Also the ones fighting at Erebor were the Men of Dale and the Dwarves, not their descendants (?). And the armies attacking Rohan didn't belong to Isengard, they crossed from the northeast
@@kenobi6257 Where was Gondor at the battle for Fords!
@@gogos1003 "Where was my cousin (who lives 50 km away) while my neighbour kicked my bike?" Well, he was 50 km away dude, you have to warn him first if you want help
Rohan went from a nation on the brink of death to an "impossible" charge to save their allies. Hands down one of the most inspiring scenes in movie history. Incredible arch and writing. Going all the way back to jrr tolkein
Watching today in honor of Bernard Hill. Thank you for the stellar performance as King Theoden. Still holding strong as the best trilogy of all time.
I know this is a huge call, but having watched 1000s of movies, this is the best scene I've ever seen in a film. It made me tear up, and it's not even sad. Theoden's speech is epic. The willingness to sacrifice themselves for their fellow man, even though the Gondorians didn't help Rohan during their own crisis (for which Theoden holds a grudge). They don't care. They will honour the alliance, even when it wasn't honoured for them.
It reminds me of how the French and English fought side by side in WW1 and WW2, despite being bitter, bitter foes for most of human history. I wonder if Tolkein was inspired by that at all, given he fought in WW1.
"Gondor calls for aid!"
"And Rohan will answer!"
That was the moment, right there. Epic.
Dezso tbh this scene would be perfect without his daughter and the hobbit being poorly put in with bad cg. Everything else was perfect, pippen looked like a little child on his moms lap. So awkward. And it didnt even happen in the books like that.
Two years late but the entirety of the LotR trilogy is based around WW1
I swear that every time I see this utterly magnificent moment and hear that unparalleled, great battle call, I SO want to follow Theoden King into battle and hack off a million f*cking orc heads just for him.
Yes. I've never experienced a moment of such intense awe, thrill and true elation as I did when I first watched this magnificent scene. I cried tears of joy, and I think I'm far from alone in that. Also my favourite scene in any film I've watched. It's transcendent, and I'm of the opinion these films will still be watched in hundreds of years' time.
One reason why i look up to fictional kings like Theoden... is that he chose to ride in front, never staying at the back while his men get slaughtered; he's actually right there with them. He's showing his men the courage and valor he expects of his men, rallying them all with a brave heart in the face of adversity.
(... at least i hope that wasn't too cheesy 😅)
There are examples of our greatest leaders doing the same. Alexander the great and Julius Ceasar were both renowned for taking charge of a situation personally in the heat of battle and turning the tides multiple times. Often to the detriment of their armies, like Richard the Lionheart getting too close to a castle and getting shot by a xbow. I think if you look at history you will see there is a good reason why men who lived hundreds or thousands of years ago are not and will not ever be forgotten to time. Just like Theoden will not be in middle-earth
Commanders are usually recklessly courageous when they have so many men looking up to them. Like in the Falklands war the English lost many battlefield commanders to reckless acts of bravery trying to lead their men that it became a problem that had to be dealt with.
or Lt. Spiers running right through a Nazi controlled town to talk to his rear flanking element, then running back through it again to co-ordinate his troops. A scene you can find on youtube from the 'Band of Brothers' series.
@@oddursigurdsson9637, Napoleon ....
@@UmbraFulgur by that time I think generals had no reason to be on the front lines. Did Napoleon ever fight on a battlefield as a general or an emperor?
@@oddursigurdsson9637, both. as a general and as an emperor.
In the first line, of course. he also ate the same food as his soldiers and rested in an regular military tent. that's why he was so loved by his army. he never asked a soldier for anything different from what he did.
@@UmbraFulgur legendary commander. I remember Patton also driving a car to the front lines in Sicily because his troops couldn't find a way across terrain then finding it himself and leading them through.
Unfortunately his and Montgomery's tenacity in that campaign fucked each other up and allowed 2x German regiments to escape from Messina to fight them in Italy.
Rest in peace, Bernard Hill. Your life will never be forgotten. Long live the King!
I have never seen another scene that conveys the sheer power and terror of a massed cavalry charge. The Riders shattered the Ork lines with the pure force of their charge, weapons come later.
And the speech gives me chills. This is a leader who knows that he and his warriors face death, and challenges them to embrace it.
Exactly. A truly awe-inspiring scene. It's so overwhelming I cried tears of joy from the intensity of emotion when watching it for the first time. Just a magnificent scene, performance from Bernard Hill, and music from Howard Shore.
I recommend watching the battle of the bastards from Game of Thrones. They the the visceral feeling of the initial impact of the lines and dialed it up. They can't in my opinion equal the rest, but that initial impact and first minute of pure mayham and shock they absolutely nail.
Not quite the same, but the slo-mo charge of the Scots Greys in Waterloo is absolutely incredible
@G E T R E K T 3,000 years of human warfare proves you wrong on this.
@G E T R E K T Neither do you, as the last cavalry charge of any size was in 1944 on the Eastern Front.
However, I study history and have read first-hand accounts of just how powerful and disruptive a mass change can be. For several centuries, starting in around the 6th Century CE, the usual battle tactic was to try to turn the enemy line, or open a hole, so the cavalry could pour in at high speed and utterly destroy what was before it.
I love how solid they make Theoden's acceptance of death in contrast with the orcs.
The orcs fire at first (3:16) with glee counting on Theoden's ranks falling apart or turning out of fear of death via arrows or spear impalement. They can't conceive that Theoden's battlecry is genuine, they only see it as a showboating bluff to be called out. But they soon begin to realize there's nothing fake about it (3:27), having the tables turn and their own fears of death on full display.
Yes, yes, I know I'm replying to a year old comment but you really nailed it. Orcs love battle and killing...if they are winning. But deep down, they are cowards who will quit the field if they aren't just slaughtering the enemy, or if their fear if their masters is worse than the fear of their enemy.
I took it as more of a yeah we clattered that Gondorian charge on us with arrows what do you think you are going to do...then they realised the error
@@cassuttustshirt4949 This is such a good comment. Cowardice vs courage. Acceptance vs running away. Thank you!
Today I am here to hear him again and to admire him for giving us this scene that stayed in my mind !!! Rest in Peace Bernard Hill...
It just makes you realize even further how utterly abominable Battle of the Five Armies is.
+CardSharkOfficial It would never top this. Even if it was good
+CardSharkOfficial It would never top this. Even if it was good
+CardSharkOfficial
I dont know. The dwarves Bhakan Bhakar!! chant was pretty good.
+Imladris18 I think you mean much worse. The Extended Edition only added to the catalogue of awfulness in that movie.
The extended edition is a further betrayal of the source material, if the thing is even possible, and a terribad movie on its own.
Chills, chills, chills. Every. Single. Time. I don’t cry during movies, but I have to fight it hard for this scene.
Amazing scene !
"Arise!! Arise, Riders of Théoden!
Forth, Eorlingas!"
Rest in peace, Bernard Hill.
A sword day, a red day. This gives me chills.
+herne777 sword....never knew they said sword. lol
+herne777 ERE THE SUN RISES!!!!
assault day*
REDACTED
it should, that line is taken from one of the oldest eddas , one of the oldest written epics of western civilization, when we hear this we are not just hearing old tolkien's words, but those of our ancestors.
Best scene ever, best speech ever, just one of those few things you see that give you chills every single time you see it!
i feel the same way, no matter how many times i watch it, i can feel chills everytime i hear this
every time I see this scene I have tears :
***** IDK Aragorn at the black gates speech is pretty epic too. Love em both.
Rest in peace, Bernard Hill. Your portrayal of Théoden will forever resonate in the hearts of fans around the world. Your voice brought to life of the most inspiring speech in cinema, stirring courage and hope in us all. You will be deeply missed but never forgotten. Farewell, King of Rohan.
This is arguably one of the best scenes in movie history. King Theoden's riders brutally outnumbered manage to overcome the fear of complete annihilation and charge an overwhelming force. You can see the fear in there eyes when they see the massive army of darkness below. Yet they mustered the strength necessary to avoid the extinction of all humanity. They weren't just fighting for there own survival.
Well, they have horses the size of which has never been recorded in real life, a warhorse breed in times of war and chaos for that specific reason. Infantry has no real defense except exhaustion.
Claude Vanlalhruaia big boy horsie do a steppy on tiny orcs.
What a powerful scene, just beautiful.
And actually heavily inspired by Nordic verse. In the poetic Edda (Our main source of Norse Mythology, written 120 years after the christening of Scandinavia, to preserve Norse Religion) there is a poem called Voluspå, where a seer recounts to Odin what she saw when she beheld the final fight to end the world (Ragnarok)
Skeggǫld, skálmǫld,
Axe-time, sword-time,
skildir ro klofnir.
shields are splintered.
Vindǫld, vargǫld,
Wind-time, wolf-time,
áðr verǫld steypiz ere the world falls.
Rest in peace, Bernard Hill, our King Théoden! He was strong in life, his spirit will find its way to the halls of his fathers......
Honestly no one delivered a speech in these films like Bernard Hill. The speech Aragorn gave at the gates of Mordor just couldn't capture the same charisma Hill had. Hill felt like a king on screen.
who of us wouldn't follow Hill to death at that point
100%
Theoden and the men of Rohan were the damn bravest and most courageous bastards. Such a badass scene, gives me chills every time
HAIL THE VICTORIOUS DEAD!
Thank you for everything Mr. Hill.
“There Thèoden fell, Thengling mighty, to his golden halls, and green pastures in the Northern Fields never returning, high lord of the host.”
‘forth, and fear no darkness...spears shall be shaken. shields shall be splintered. a sword day! a red day! ere the sun rises!’
my depression needed this.
Ride for ruin, and the world's end!
I'm with you.
This is ACTUALLY well done, not only nostalgia. The setting, the speech, soundtrack... a true masterpiece
Had to come back to watch after hearing of his passing. Hail!
Same. He will be missed.
Rip Theoden King and RIP Bernard Hill, that speech was the most epic ever
Best films ever made. Bernard Hill's Theoden was one of the best characters. What a performance. Rest In Peace.
RIP Théoden King! "Go now to your fathers, in whose mighty company you shall not now be ashamed".
"Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden!
spear shall be shaken, shield shall be splintered,
a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!
Ride now, ride now, ride! Ride for ruin and the world's ending!
DEEEEEEAAAAAAAATH! DEEEEEEAAAAAAAATH! DEEEEEEAAAAAAAATH!"
- Théoden (R.I.P Bernard Hill)
RIP Bernard Hill, truly a one of the greatest moments in cinema history
Had to come see this after seeing the news about Bernard Hall, "I go to my fathers in whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed."
Rest in peace you glorious and impactful man.
RIP, Bernard Hill. May you now ride off into the company of your fathers, in whose company you shall feel no shame.
I like the “Avengers Assemble” but that is nothing compared to this...
This is epic, truly epic...
Can't compare them
If it werent for this the avengers would have NEVER assembled
I just dont get why that was whispered. The most iconic phrase we have been waiting for for atleast a decade, and they made him whisper it.
I mean I love this scene but Endgame has it beat. We have never seen something of that magnitude.
@Sam
How does it feel to be in extreme minority? For good reason too, endgame is 5% of Lotr. Endgame is a cheap Americanized con of this and that’s being generous
An utterly phenomenal actor delivering an utterly phenomenal set of scenes.
Fear no darkness, Théoden-king.
R.I.P. Bernard Hill, King of Rohan. What a legendary performance for such a complex character. Hail the victorious dead!
That moment when he taps their spears with his sword gets me every time
Rest in Peace Bernard Hill ❤ Thank you for this great speech and an awesome presentation of the great King of Rohan 💪🏼
When you see Rohan arriving over the hill, you know shit is about to go down
Spihk heart bust!? Can you use Bozeman Hotmail Recipient's Roomies Ghnavel Feces to spihk heartbust all all time mates internet friends for people in Planet of the Apes movies with Bozeman Hotmail Recipient and Patriots Server Janice Lahai!?
RIP Bernard Hill. Had to come see this clip after learning of his death. RiP King of Rohan!
"My body is broken. You have to let me go. I go to my fathers, in whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed."
-Théoden, son of Thengel, King of Rohan (Rest in peace)
Thank You Bernard Hill, our KING, for most badass moment and most epic speech in conema history!