Theoden a coward!?! He was not ever a coward, he was constantly fighting with his men. In the Warg Skirmish, getting speared at the gates of Helms Deep, then leading the charge through the keep, and finally leading the line in the charge of the Rohirrim. He was the very definition of a warrior king!
Agreed. Love the reaction vid but that was an L take. When Theoden said “in whose mighty company, I shall not now feel ashamed” I teared up when I first saw that. He was a great king and a great man who endured so much (let alone losing a child) but died with absolute honor to his bloodline.
Theoden was ashamed that it was Aragorn who kept the men's morale up at the end of Helm's Deep while Theoden was despairing. He felt he redeemed himself at Minis Tirith and therefore could stand proud amongst his ancestors when he died.
@@hewiex So were Aragon and Eomer, Sure technically they weren't at those battles but they were kings to be and they lead their men in battle many times. You can also add Thorin Oakenshield, Thorin Father Thain, and Grandfather Thror, as well as Dain Ironfoot to that list, although Thorin and Thain hadn't been crown kings they were would be kings as well who lead their men to battle. In addition you can also add Legolas father Thranduil and Gil-Galad and pretty much every Elven King/Ruler in Lord of the Rings as they all fought personally to defend their kingdoms. There is also other Rohirrim kings like the founder of Rohan Eorl, and the man himself Helm Hammerhand and his nephew Fréaláf who avenged his uncle Helm saved Rohan from the Dunlendings and Cosairs. And of course we cannot forget Elendil himself or his two sons Anárion and Isildur Each of these Kings or would-be kings were men who fought their own battles and personally lead their men into battle
Frodo left Middle-Earth because he had been touched by the Ring's corruption, and he couldn't find peace in a land that had also been touched by it. He and Bilbo left to live in a place just off the shores of the Undying Lands, a place untouched by the evil of Sauron and the Ring. They were able to live out their days in peace there. Sam followed them many years later (as a Ringbearer, even just for a few hours, he had that right) and was reunited with Frodo.
I believe he had a lot of guilt as well, knowing the real story behind the Ring’s destruction was basically an accident. I can’t imagine having everyone in the whole world thank you for saving them while knowing, deep down, you chose not to in the end, and the only reason they were saved is because a freak bit your finger off while you fought them for the Ring. He must have felt so unworthy, and I think Elijah Wood portrays that feeling so beautifully at the end of the coronation scene when the kingdom bows before he and his friends. That sense of self-doubt and guilt would be an awful thing to hold onto. 😢
@@NeverendingToriAll true, but Tolkien stressed that no one could willingly destroy the Ring. Esp. in the heart of its strength/creation. In the book it's a true accident. There's no real fight after Gollum bites off the finger and Ring. He just slips and falls, blinded and oblivious due to the addicted joy he experienced by having the Ring back. This also proves that Gandalf was right, Gollum still had a part to play. He deserved Bilbo's pity that stayed his hand when he could have killed Gollum and didn't. And of course all the times anyone else could have killed him (Sam esp.)
@@manuela1986 One of the few times Eru directly intervened, like the resurrection of Gandalf. When Gollum was dancing in ecstasy over his recovery of the Ring Eru's finger gave him just a little push over the edge.
Fun fact: Bernard Hill the actor who played Theoden did his speech part so well that the people riding with him in the scene all started chanting death after he said it it was not scripted. also all the riders were big fans of the book thats why during the scene some of them were very enthusiastic during the charge.
in fairness to Frodo, Tolkien himself confirmed that no one in middle earth would have the willpower to throw the ring into mt doom. The ring is at its strongest there, to me this just makes Gandalf's talk with Frodo in Moria about gollum more powerful as the ring would not have been destroyed if Gollums life hadnt been spared
It makes me feel so badly for Frodo as well. It looks that Frodo feels he failed at the last moment and almost let everyone down. He had already done so much, that he wasn't able to do the *literally impossible* isn't a failing. Unfortunately Frodo doesn't know this, and it clearly haunts him.
also Faramir Cursed Gollum when he cut them loose with the words "may death find you quickly if bring them to harm" i think is also a subtle part of Gollum's demise
@CancerMage reminds me of this book The Phantom Tollbooth where the main character in the story accomplished the impossible because no one had ever told him it was impossible 🤔
Sam goes on to be Mayor of Hobbiton multiple times, and he and Rosie have 13 beautiful Hobbit children together 🥰 One of their daughters later marries Pippin's son, whom he named Faramir
Frodo goes "Into the West" at the end. Basically, goes to heaven. The place where Gandalf is from, in this universe he is the equivalent of an angel. Frodo was too scarred from everything that happened to him and the ring. It was a poetic way for him to find peace. I really appreciate your love for Sam. He and the hobbits are the heart of this story and I am glad Pippen and Merry grew on you. Eowyn's "I am no man!" line is still the stuff of legends.
There was a prophecy that "Not by the hand of man shall he fall" or something like that, about the Witch King. At some point he heard about that prophecy and it went to his head. It was a real Macbeth kind of situation.
@@m_chupon5131 it was spoken by Glorfindel (who we don't even see in the films though he was ONE OF THE STRONGEST REINCARNATED ELVES ever ^^') during his 'first life' (where he alone remained behind to face a Balrog and killed it, and succumbed to the battle's injuries as other Elves fled): Glorfindel said to Earnur at the Battle of Fornost: "Do not pursue him, he will not return to this land. Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of man will he fall." The dagger that Merry had was also meaningful - it was forged in Arnor, a loooong time ago, to be used specifically against the Witch King of Angmar. The movie doesn't go into that, either, but the books do.
Congrats on getting the Merry part of the "no man can kill me" thing from the Witchking. Most people get that Eowyn can kill him because she's a woman but a lot of people miss that Merry could help because, as a Hobbit, he's also "no man."
Eowyn couldn't have killed him without the strike by Merry first. It's lost in the movie but that sword he had was created and spelled to affect nazgul, especially the witch king. He broke the spell over the witch king first, enabling Eowyn to kill him.
History guy here. The largest cavalry charge in history was at the Battle of Vienna, when the Polish-Lithuanian Winged Hussars arrived to help the city besieged by the Ottomans, much like Minas Tirith in the movie . 18,000 horsemen charged the invaders. The Winged Hussars had sweet wings on the back of their armor like angels, were called the angels of death by their enemies and they were not to be f'd with. Before modern warfare they were probably the pinnacle of horse warfare in all of history. No one really knows why they wore wings. Some think it's because it made a noise to frighten enemies, some say that it was to deafen their own horses to the enemy noises. Some speculate it could protect the backside of the soldier. Others say that it was just formal attire.
Myself I think it was for show. War is way too loud for feathers humming in the wind to be heard over pounding hoof beats and clattering armour. I go with the Angel of Death angle as visual intimidation along the lines of Blackbeard festooning his beard with smouldering cannon matches.
Then the Winged Hussars arrived! Comming down the mountain side! Comming down they turned the tide! We remember, in september When the Winged Hussars arrived!
Four fun similarities between the charge of the Rohirrim at Minas Tirith and the charge of the Hussars at Vienna: 1. The relief cavalry came from a northern neighbor; the invaders were from the east. 2. The charge happened at dawn. 3. In Vienna, particularly the old part that was around in 1683, practically all of the buildings are entirely made of a local white stone. 4. After the cavalry arrived, but when they hadn't charged yet, is one of few cases when history describes people's (p)reaction to what everybody knew was about to happen, before describing what happened, because everybody on both sides had that "Nothing's changed yet, but everything just changed" moment. When the Hussars started emerging from the forest, the Germans/Austrians cheered for them. This movie doesn't give us the people of Gondor cheering when they hear the horns, but it does give us a few reactions to the horns from both sides.
Battle of Poyang Lake in 1363 if we are going by the number of participants. There were a total of 850,000 combatants in that one. By length of the battle and casualties the siege of Stalingrad takes it.
Thank you for this reaction, I'm glad it got to you in the end honestly. This reaction turned into one of my favorits out of the many I've seen on youtube for LOTR
The spider is Shelob, a daughter of Ungoliant. Ungoliant is a spider-thing from before the universe was made and hid in the void, and woke up when the gods made the universe. Constantly hungry. At some point, Saurons Boss promised to feed her magical artifacts if she helped him on his evil shenanigans, but he ran out of stuff to feed her. She tried to eat Morgoth (Saurons boss) and would have managed it too if his screams of pain hadn't alerted the entire planet to his situation and summoned all the armies of evil to come bail him out. She ate the equivalent of the sun for that age of the earth, and finding it did nothing to sate her hunger, in a fit of fear and despair that the hunger had not been sated and realizing it never would be, she ate herself.
The power of the ring died with the ring. Frodo says (in the book) that he's been wounded with knife, sting, and tooth and can't find healing. BUT, that's added to what he went through, that only he knows, in carrying pure evil around his neck and in his mind for so long. It took it out of him. And I don't think he got over his 'failure' to destroy it in the end. Since you'll be watching the extended editions, pay attention to the look Frodo gives Sam when Sam enters the bedroom last of all. It's an amazing job of acting. First there's almost shame, then the knowledge that only they two can ever know what they went through, and finally, an understanding when Sam smiles. Again, when the people bow, Frodo looks as though he is totally uncomfortable with it, like he wishes they knew he was no hero. Of course, he was. Who else could have made it so far as he did? But we tend to be harder on ourselves than others. In the end it adds up to just what he said, "How do you go on when there's no going back?". He had withdrawn from the life of the Shire more and more over the years they'd been home. It wasn't home anymore. He wasn't the guy who left there anymore. It's unfortunately the state of most returning soldiers and for some it never gets better.
Peregrin "Pipin" Took. That's his name, not an insult. lol Yes, Smeagol was a type of hobbit. A Stoor. They were river-folk who loved boating and fishing. The Witch King and the Nazgul ride on a Fell Beasts. The only time we actually see dragons is in The Hobbit Trilogy and some in the prologue of Rings of Power. There's some very important backstory about Boromir, Faramir and their father, Denethor, in the extended versions. Gandalf does use a lot of magic because he's not allowed to use his full power in Middle Earth. His job is to advice and guide folks. yeah, that's "her", Shelob the spider. The largest battle in Middle Earth would have the be the War of Wrath (The Great Battle). In the First Age, Men, Elves and the Valar (the "gods") against Morgoth (Sauron's boss, the original Bad Guy). Denethor, the Stuart of Gondor, he's not being a jerk just to be a jerk, he's been corrupted by looking into his Palantir. He saw the end of the world, it showed him that there was not hope. Also, he's a terrible father. The Ghosts, The Army of the Dead backstory. They were a race of men that lived in the White Mountains. When Gondor was founded, they swore an oath to Isildur, the king of Gondor that they'd come to his aid when the time came. Well, the time came and the Men said, Nah bro. So Isildur cursed them to remain as ghosts in Middle Earth until they fulfill their oath to the King of Gondor (in this case, Aragorn). Ok, a little bit more... You were wondering about the ship and where they were going. The ship is headed to Valinor, the elves' Paradise. Bilbo and Frodo were granted passage because they were ring bearers and all the good they did. Also, Frodo's stab would would never hear in Middle Earth. The physical and emotional toll was too great. Gandalf left because his job was done. The elves are leaving because they're meant to leave. So.... Aragorn goes on to become a great king and rules for many years. Sam becomes the mayor of the Shire and has a bunch of kids. Merri and Pipin also have long happy lives. Eventually Sam and Gimli are also given passage to Valinor and they sail West with Legolas. It is not written if Sam met Frodo in Valinor... but I'd like to think Sam, Frodo, Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf met again.
Something not touched on in the movies is that Denethor had a Palantir (a Seeing-Stone like the one Pippin looks into). He had spent a long time with Sauron showing him visions of Gondor's fall and the world under the rule of the Dark Lord. Denethor has fallen into a deep depression because of this, with no hope of victory. Not even Gandalf could give him that hope.
Yeah, Denethor spent too much time doomscrolling on his Palantir. One of the big themes of Tolkien is the importance and power of hope, and Denethor is an example of someone who has fallen wholly to despair.
@@kR-qj7rw More like Satan's lieutenant. Morgoth was the big bad and Sauron was his second in command. Morgoth wanted to destroy Middle Earth but Sauron just wanted to rule it.
Re: your question of whether Denethor (The Steward of Gondor) was "stupid" or "evil" - the answer was actually neither: he was mentally ill. He was already halfway disconnected from reality, and so he genuinely couldn't understand that Faramir wasn't fully dead yet. So in his own broken brain, his attempt to burn himself with his son was actually an act of love and honor - a final way for him to show his son he loved him, after abusing him for so many years.
The films did Denethor dirty. He's much better written in the books. He'd been using the Palantir to spy on Sauron for years and Sauron had been using the Palantir connection to brainwash him into believing he was losing the war and had no hope.
@@robertmikicki6126 His wife died in childbirth when Faramir was born. It's a big part of the reason he can't love him the way he loves Boromir. Faramir is said to resemble her too. He also spent a lot of time with Gandalf who Denathor hates and distrusts.
Galadriel intentionally matched Arwen & Aragorn together while they were both visiting in Lothlorien! Arwen & Aragorn met in Rivendell, & that is where Aragorn fell in love with her, although it doesn’t sound like she felt the same at the time. Aragorn’s mother Gilraen warned him that he was aiming too high, and Elrond was not happy about it either, and Aragorn took heed of this and left Rivendell, to learn how to be a Ranger and to oppose Sauron’s forces. Many years later, he came to Lothlorien, seeking rest and shelter, and Galadriel allowed him to enter. We have this line in the Tale of Aragorn and Arwen: ‘But Aragorn was grown to full stature of body and mind, and Galadriel bade him cast aside his wayworn raiment, and she clothed him in silver and white, with a cloak of elven-grey and a bright gem on his brow. Then more than any kind of Men he appeared, and seemed rather an Elf-lord from the Isles of the West. And thus it was that Arwen first beheld him again after their long parting; and as he came walking towards her under the trees of Caras Galadhon laden with flowers of gold, her choice was made and her doom appointed.’ LOTR Appendices. To me, that makes it rather explicit that Galadriel wanted Aragorn to appear at his best. Why? Who could he possibly impress in Lothlorien, except for Galadriel’s grand-daughter? I think it is quite clear that she wanted them matched, and perhaps her foresight told her that they needed to be matched, as it was part of destiny, to begin the Dominion of Men (something Elrond probably also realised, but couldn’t willingly promote, since it would mean Arwen and Elrond would be parted forever). Plus there is the scene in Lorien, where Galadriel gives Aragorn the Elessar, which went from Galadriel to Celebrian to Arwen and then back to Galadriel in order that she give it as a gift to Aragorn. Again it speaks to me as a collaborative act, and part of Galadriel helping bring the two together: And Aragorn answered: “Lady, you know all my desire, and long held in keeping the only treasure that I seek. Yet it is not yours to give me, even if you would; and only through darkness shall I come to it.” “Yet maybe this will lighten your heart,' said Galadriel; for it was left in my care to be given to you, should you pass through this land.” Then she lifted from her lap a great stone of a clear green, set in a silver brooch that was wrought in the likeness of an eagle with outspread wings; and as she held it up the gem flashed like the sun shining through the leaves of spring. “This stone I gave to Celebrían my daughter, and she to hers; and now it comes to you as a token of hope. In this hour take the name that was foretold for you, Elessar, the Elfstone of the house of Elendil!” From LOTR FOTR BOOK
To think you started with fellowship not fully feeling it and by Return you were crying along with everyone at "you bow to no one". I really appreciate that you were honest about your feeling on the movies the whole through! Made for a really unique reaction
Cheers, The ending really hit me which is the sign of a great story with great characters. And you're right I did come into this with a degree of caution and the series still broke through and got me. I'm glad you enjoyed my character arc lol
I've never not found that scene really funny after I found out just how dang far he had to run while on fire and covered in oil to get there. It's like a half-mile from the catacombs to the end of that thing. Dude was *DETERMINED.*
Hey..love your reaction...you are having so much fun. Tolkien was a World War 1 Veteran...he saw some awful sights...and I often wonder if a lot of the scenes in this is based on his feelings of the things he himself saw...(think of the Swamp that Gollum takes Frodo and Sam through...the "dead faces in the water")
42:32 The Rohirrim cavalry charge here at the Pelennor Fields is comprised of 6000 horsemen. The largest cavalry charge in history was on the 12 September 1683 during the Battle of Vienna, when 18000 horsemen charged on the Ottomans. Just imagine that!
The scene where the rohirim actually charge is comprised of closer to 18000 models, as 6000 didn't look impressive enough, so that is what it might have looked like :)
Those beats at the end that got you.... that's why we love this trilogy. That's why even though some people call it boring, we will always want more. Because we know where it's going. Because we can't wait to see those moments and also can't bear for it to end.
It warms my heart whenever a character associates Aragorn with hope. He was raised in Rivendel and his elven name is Estel, which translates to Hope ❤😊
I actually love when people who are totally unfamiliar with LotR get things wrong! It's fun to see how their knowledge develops as they become more and more familiar with the story. Nobody starts out knowing everything! And when they show appreciation despite their lack of familiarity, it just goes to show how universally humanistic the story is. (But ngl, my favourite part is not just getting the character names wrong, but also the actors' 🤣 Ian McClellan?! lol) (Also, many of the siege engines used at the Battles of Helm's Deep and Minas Tirith are exaggerated but still historically informed; the "giant tower things" are siege towers and pretty identical to what was used in antiquity. And the Gondorians are using trebuchets, not catapults 😉) IIRC two of the beacons were real (the one Pippin lights in Minas Tirith, as well as one other); the others were real shots with the beacons added in post-production. P.S. "One does not simply walk into Mordor butt-ass naked" is now ALL I WILL THINK ABOUT every time I watch this series!!!
All those siege weapons were very much physically possible and historically used during sieges. The only one that was kind of unrealistic was Grond, but it was also cool so it gets a pass.
iirc, the daughter Sean Astin (Samwise) is holding in the end is his real life child, Alexandra. Kinda cool to grow up as that kid and be like "Look see, told you!" lol
Neat trivia: at the end by the boat one of the Elves is Cirdan the Shipwright. He is the oldest known Elf in Middle Earth. So old that he has a beard! Also, Galadriel and Galdalf are not merely travelling into the West but *returning* to it. Galdalf is a kind of holy immortal being who had been sent with others like him into mortal form to aid Middle Earth in fighting Sauron. Galadriel was born in the West, left thousands if years before the time of this story and is now returning. She was not permitted to return but by resisting the temptation of the ring and aiding the fellowship granted her the freedom to return. There is an absolute abyss of lore behind this story, its fantastic!
That scene where Sam's arm appears holding Sting is pure Jackson. Quite literally, since he decided to add it two weeks before the film's release. He was still editing the movie, and decided he wanted a bit of an Old West feel for that scene, like the gunslingers of old. So he got Andy Serkis (Smeagol) to film him in his (Jackson's) flat in London (Jackson had a copy of Sting), with just his arm entering the frame. He then sent it over the internet to New Zealand, where they incorporated it into the movie to become what we saw. One of my favourite bits of trivia for this movie is the dual role played by Lawrence Makoare, who played both the Witch King and Gothmog, the frankly deformed Orc that led Sauron's armies during the Seige of Gondor. This means that scene where Gothmog seeks orders from the Witch King is essentially, Lawrence talking to himself. :D In other behind-the-scenes news...The scenes of Sam and Frodo climbing the stairs was some of the earliest footage shot during the initial stages of filming. It was actually done in the community centre of a town near where the main shooting was taking place, so it could be used whenever Astin and Wood were available. eg, if rain prevented the filming of what was planned for the day, they would return to the stairs and continue with that. Unfortunately, it also meant that the town couldn't use their community centre for about 18 months, because as shooting progressed both actors were constantly needed elsewhere. Lastly, I suppose Minas Tirith (trans: Tower of the Guard) is beginning to look it's age, given its 3140 years old. :D
Peter Jackson's arm wasn't filmed in Serkis' flat, it was filmed during the pick-up shoot. (He still needed a piece of costume). It was the scene where Gollum reacts to Frodo telling him about destroying the Ring, which was filmed in PJs house when he invited Andy Serkis over. (As reference for the Animation Department.) Lawrence Maokare hasn't voiced Gothmog and the witchking. Both characters were synchronised by Craig Parker who also played Haldir. ;)
@@erikhamann I can see the misunderstanding, but I meant Andy filmed the scene in Peter's flat. I have corrected the original comment to avoid confusion, so thank you for pointing out the error. As for the rest, i was just going by what Jackson said in the behind the scenes commentary on the extended edition of the DVD, so if you believe the story inaccurate, he'd be the person to go after.
Minas Tirith was a fortress until the city in the middle of the river was destroyed. (The city where Faramir was fighting when Frodo almost killed Sam.) That was Osgiliath, the capitol of Gondor. Minas Tirith is built around a sharp peak jutting out at the end of the mountain. Each level has an arch blasted through it in alternate directions so one climbs upward on switchbacks. The Steward (Denethor) has one of the original seven Palantiri (the black ball Pippin looked into) in the tower and has looked into it to learn Sauron's plans. Except, of course, Sauron is much the stronger and has shown Denethor only what he wanted him to see and believe. It drove Denethor to despair and madness.
I guess you know by now that the end of Saruman is only in the Extended edition. The theathrical version was severely edited so theaters could show the movie three times a day instead of only twice.
I'd also argue that the cut Saruman scene doesn't feel as tight as the rest of the footage used in the movie, so it made sense to leave it out for the sake of a cohesive theatrical experience. Personally though, I would have liked them to have gone full book-version, and bring out ol'Sharky...
Including the Scourging of the Shire (as, also, the Old Forest/Tom Bombadil/BarrowWights scenes) would have turned the trilogy into at least 4 movies and were not essential for the storyline. Jackson was right to cut them. I can't support, however the massive changes made to the character and motivation of Denethor. It smacks of laziness and trying desperately to whip up a theatrical ending.@@Schmitty7546
@@Schmitty7546 The problem with that is we already have too many climaxes and endings. We had the Battle of Pellanor Field (Minas Tireth), then the Battle of the Black Gate and the destruction of the Ring. To then go on to try and build up again for the Scouring of the Shire, not to mention the extra time it would have taken would have been a slog. What works in a book doesn't necessarily work in a movie.
@@ronweber1402 oh yeah absolutely - the sensible part of me 100% agrees with that (in line with my comment above about valuing a tight final theatrical release). But, the nerdy fan part of me has other ideas ... That part of me imagines, that if the movie was made today, with modern trends, then there is a way that it might have worked... . Imagine if they had ended the movie at minis tirith, just after the coronation. They slightly extend that map/travel sequence showing the hobbits' way home into a kind of idealised 30-40 second dream, of the peaceful shire Frodo looks forward to returning to.... then fade to white, 'the end' . Roll credits... . But wait - there is an end credit scene, where the hobbits are joyfully reaching the final stretch of ther journey home, only to encounter a moment of shock as they come over a hilltop, or around a corner or something, and suddenly catch sight of orcs, here in their beloved shire! Cut to black.. . Finish with a line of text teasing 'the Lord of the Rings: Epilogue' . Then release a one hour special to tie it all up. Obviously they would never have done this at the time these movies were originally made. And I'm sure that in practise I would have painfully resented the marvelisation of these movies, if they had indeed been made more recently. But, it's an interesting idea to me nonetheless...
You are one of the few I’ve seen that has approached this in the most fulfilling way. Starting with the theatrical and returning with the extended. Well done. You get the original experience that the majority had, nothing is lost and you get the extra if you like it enough to rewatch. Thank you. 👍🏾
Plus, I’ve been commenting to reactors for years that they were missing the double bag. They were following the loud group telling them to do the extended version, not realizing that means people will pay to watch if it’s your 1st or 2nd viewing. 💰💰
Sam and Rosie have 13 children, and he becomes one of the most celebrated heroes of the Shire. He is elected mayor several times. When Rosie dies on a midsummer's eve, Sam gave the Red Book to his daughter, and is never seen again. The story is told in her family that Sam went to the Grey Havens and took ship, the last of the ring bearers to cross over the sea..
No watch through is complete without listening to Annie Lennox’s Into The West at the end. It explains the significance of the boats very well. Makes me cry every time.
That screaming noise you said bugs you is called the "Wilhelm Scream". That same sound clip of that same scream is in many many movies. Its a running joke among filmmakers to put that scream into movies.
"Middle-Earth Mulan" That is exactly what she is! Haha. In the book, they keep her identity secret for a while, though the reader could predict it. Merry senses something familiar, but isn't immediately made aware that it's her.
@@zoesumra9152 I did roll my eyes at her sitting there, during a break in the ride, with her helmet off talking to Merry. Yes it was a nice little scene, but really don't you think someone would have noticed her and went to Theoden? Even if they didn't recognize her as Theoden's niece (which most would have), they would have gone to him to ask "WTF is a women doing riding with us?"
@telynns8490 I do wonder if Tolkien ever met Milunka Savic. She first joined the Serbian army dressed as a man but by WWI was serving openly as a woman.
Right, so the boat and "everyone" leaving: That boat is taking the last Elves to Valinor, aka literal Heaven. - Gandalf, who is virtually an angel, "a product" of Valinor, has indeed completed his mission: Saving Middle Earth from the darkness of Morgoth (aka "Satan") via Sauron for Men to take dominion. - The Elves honor the ringbearers by allowing them passage to Elf Heaven, where they are free from their (both physical and mental) hurts forever. - Sam, who is also technically a ringbearer, and totally the MVP of this story, joins them in Valinor later, after he is widowed, years and years later, and having helped produce a baker's dozen of children. And as a note on "all the changes" from the books to the movies, that for the most part make perfect sense for an adaptation, it's really a nice touch that this movie ends exactly like the book does, by Sam sighing and saying he's back home. All-in-all, hands down the best film trilogy ever made, imho. It's sad to see what became of The Hobbit (the prequel story, made into another trilogy not too long ago by Peter Jackson - tho' I'm not blaming him, it was more of a money grab by the studio situation, but that is an essay for another time... Still not a _horrible_ film trilogy, but it definitely does not live up to this standard. Worth a watch if you're bored. Martin Freeman is an _excellent_ younger Bilbo!), not to mention the absolute shitshow that is the Rings of Power series over on Amazon... Cracking reactions, cheers!
The ship was going to the Undying Lands, a land of peace and tranquility ruled over by The Valar (gods of Middle Earth). Frodo and Bilbo were granted passage there for their good deeds and, in short cos the long answer is very long, Galadhriel and Elrond left by choice as the power of their Rings and Elven kind had diminished in Middle Earth. In time, Sam Legolas and Gimli were accorded the same priviledge as Frodo & Bilbo.
Your thirsty reaction to Shelob the spider (and Shadowfax the horse) was glorious. I'll never underestimate the horniness of an Australian ever again. "Let's show these guys what man-flesh is all about," indeed.
Your comparison of Frodo and Gollum to addicts is spot on. Even the actor who played Frodo said that he looked at the role from that perspective. And no one would have been strong enough to destroy the Ring. Remember that Gandalf told Frodo in the first movie that he felt that Gollum had a role to play. Gollum’s struggle for the Ring and subsequent fall into the volcano is what ultimately allowed the Ring to be destroyed. A good way to think about why Frodo had to leave in the end is to think of him as suffering from PTSD. Tolkien had fought in WWI and saw many members of his generation scarred for life, both physically and mentally. And I have to think that had a big influence on how he wrote the character of Frodo. He was too damaged to return to a regular life. “We set out to save the Shire. And we did. But not for me.” Traveling to the Undying Lands would allow Frodo to find peace. You picked up on that beautiful smile on his face when he turned back to look at his friends one final time. That was supposed to indicate that he would find the healing he needed in the Undying Lands. For reasons that are probably much more complicated than you want to get into, the Elves had been leaving Middle Earth, and traveling to the Undying Lands throughout this entire trilogy. In the end there would be only a couple of Elves remaining in Middle Earth, such as Arwen (Liv Tyler). I would recommend reading a few of the comments about Denathor. If I have one complaint about this movie, it is about how they told his story. It wasn’t that they necessarily told it wrong. But they left out some important pieces of information that would allow the audience to understand why he behaved the way he did. It was a lot more complicated than him being a terrible leader and father. Besides the extra scenes in the extended versions, I think you might enjoy watching the making of the movie videos that came out with the original Blu-ray set. You can find them on UA-cam.
They way Peter Jackson hints at what they gray havens mean is absolutely wonderful. There are three essential moments that the viewer has to connect by themselves: 1. The elves talking about going "into the west" and the white ships waiting for them to leave Middle Earth. As a new viewer who hasn't read the books, it just gets drowned out in the flood of new names and places you're trying to keep up with. You likely just take it as another continent. 2. Gandalf comforting Pippin during the siege in Minas Tirith by describing what it's like to die: How everything turns to silver glass, the white shores and the green lands beyond. And 3. The lyrics of "Into The West", the song in the credits that links the silver glass and the white ships going west. That's masterful worldbuilding and storytelling.
Frodo has to leave because the horrors of the Ring, the addiction to the Ring and his various wound especially the wound from the Morgul blade continue to hurt and Frodo can't find peace here. They're sailing to the Undying Lands. Gandalf is going there because his people are there. The Elves are going there because with the power of the three rings ended, they can no longer stave off the decay and diminshment that comes from being tied to the lane. In the Undying Lands, they can go on as they are.
At 1:01:45, the song Aragorn sings at his coronation are the words of his ancestor Elendil: "Et Earello Endorenna Utulien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta." "Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world." It was Viggo Mortensen's happy thought to have Aragorn sing the words.
One of my favourite parts in the book is the description of Theoden charging the orcs. His intensity and rage was so white hot that it was only matched by Orome, one of the Valar. Basically the orcs thought a demi god was coming to slay them. "Fey he seemed, or the battle fury of his fathers ran like new fire within his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a God of old, even as Oromë the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young. His golden shield was uncovered, and lo! it shown like an image of the sun, and the grass flamed into green about the white feet of his steed. For morning came, morning and a wind from the sea; and darkness was removed, and the hosts of Mordor wailed, and terror took them, and they fled, and died, and the hoofs of wrath overtook them"
Next Trilogy The Hobbit Extended Edition Of The Adventures Of Bilbo Baggin: (1) An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition (2) The Desolation Of Smaug Extended Edition (3) The Battle Five Armie Extended Edition
You did very well with this series! For not being a fantasy guy, you seemed to understand a lot of the tropes and key elements of the story. All the extra stuff you see in the comments is nice, but unnecessary to follow the plot. You did great! I love seeing these from a different set of eyes.
Thankyou for enjoying this reaction for what it was lol. Your encouragement that I didnt completely miss everything is very nice to hear :) This series is not finished on my channel. I have something very unique planned for my extended edition rewatch
Nope. Stalingrad was the side battle distracting the forces of Mordor...of Nazi Germany from Rzhev. Rzhev lasted nearly fifteen months and saw three million casualties, over two million of which were German.
I watched all of your reaction videos in one sitting, seeing you grow throughout your viewing of this marvelous work of art was wonderful. These movies are my favorite films of my lifetime. Glad you enjoyed them.
@@AdamfromFWCI took no offense during the Fellowship because I knew how the next two would sweep you up and get you all in the feels, again glad you enjoyed them and welcome to the Tolkien family!
Most of the largest battles in history were fought during WW2, mostly on the eastern front (Germany v Russia). Hundreds of thousands or even millions of soldiers involved. In the Siege of Stalingrad (now known as Volgograd), an estimated 1-3 million people died. If we are talking about pre-modern battles, then it's probably the Siege of Baghdad by the Mongols in the 1200s... the Mongols slaughtered the entire city and burnt all the great libraries and universities ... Baghdad was the greatest center of learning in the Medieval world.
You are right about him obsessing over the Ring. He never gave it up voluntarily and even though it was destroyed he still longed for it, as Bilbo did, as Gollum did. His wounds also did not completely heal, the stab wound from the Witch King and Shelob's sting still festered 4 years later. The Ring itself also wounded his soul and many think it is an analogy of PTSD, the hidden wounds of the psyche that soldiers bring home that never heal.The only way for Frodo to get healing and live out the rest of his life in peace was to sail into the West to be healed by the elves.
I was a Rohan rider in the movie. 15 years old and had to explain why I needed time off school leading up to my end of year exams! It was certainly an experience.
Sauron is basically the same kind of creature as Gandalf, it's just that in the movies it seems like he's and eyeball because he was not actually shown in them
I loved watching your reaction to all of these movies, it is great to see another persons point of view. I kind of knew you would tear up the end, and I'm glad I was right. These movies and the books are well served with multiple viewing and reading. Thank you for letting us watch you get acquainted with this story!
The 3 Elven Rings are not susceptible to “The One Ring” in any direct way.. They’re only tied by fate to lose their power if Sauron is defeated completely & absolutely. As they were made by the elves and as always they make things for a purpose and pour their literal spirit into things they create. So if Sauron is defeated then the three rings power will fade and basically become almost useless or diminished versions of their original design since by this era magic has bled from the world by a huge degree thanks to Morgoth’s poisoning the world itself with his very essence that he poured into it. Called The Long Defeat By The Elves and The Men Of The West. Firstly: All 16 rings were meant to go to the elves ( which lead to 300-500years of his infiltration & deception down the drain.) but Mairon of the Maiar(primordial angelic beings in simple terms as they are sort of beyond angels) disguised as a high elf named Annatar when he came to the elves pretending to be an emissary from Valinor on behalf of the Valar so it makes sense how alluring the ring is and how strong it’s pull on people is. (A bit too instant in the movies though) Galadriel soon saw right through him and especially when after speaking with him regarding not remembering him when in Valinor long ago where she learned from all the Valar thanks to being dominantly Vanyar/Teleri side over her Noldorin side where she gleaned from that encounter that she did not study under Aulë the Vala with any elf named Annatar ! But later named Sauron by the elves meaning deceiver! After all of this, The three elven rings were made in secret without Saurons touch upon them thanks to Kelebrimbor! Remember Gandalf before he became Gandalf was the same species of entity Sauron used to be!! Wow hey? The Rings in this case, would have lost their powers eventually due to the lack of the One Ring and possibly because they were designed to defeat evil, & evil in the form of Sauron had been defeated twice already in the past. The Three Elven Rings served their purpose for a long time. Two out of three of them had several different bearers Unlike the other Rings, the main purpose of the Three is to "heal and preserve", as when Galadriel used Nenya to preserve her realm of Lothlórien over long periods. The Elves made the Three Rings to try to halt the passage of time, or as Tolkien had Elrond say, "to preserve all things unstained". I can expand upon this based on any further statements & questions you have for me as a reply to this comment ! ❤ There is problem here with the Rings, the Three were supposed to be never touched by Sauron and that's why they were not corrupting…Sauron had not taken part in their making which made the Three more 'pure' unsullied by his dark power, unlike the Nine and Seven Rings! But Sauron in the show touched the very material they were made of!!! So technically he could have tainted them and corrupted! Even appendices of Lot tell us the order of making the rings, so they didn't even need the righs to more detailed writings in UT or Silmarillion: 1200 Sauron endeavours to seduce the Eldar. Gil-galad refuses to treat with him; but the smiths of Eregion are won over. The Númenoreans begin to make permanent havens. c. 1500 The Elven-smiths instructed by Sauron reach the height of their skill. They begin the forging of the Rings of Power. c. 1590 The Three Rings are completed in Eregion. c. 1600 Sauron forges the One Ring in Orodruin. He completes the Barad-dûr. Kelebrimbor perceives the designs of Sauron. 1693 War of the Elves & Sauron begins. The Three Rings are hidden." 'Did you not hear me, Gloin?' said Elrond. 'The Three were not made by Sauron, nor did he ever touch them. But of them it is not permitted to speak. So much only in this hour of doubt I may now say. They are not idle. But they were not made as weapons of war or conquest: that is not their power. Those who made them did not desire strength or domination or hoarded wealth, but understanding, making, and healing, to preserve all things unstained. These things the Elves of Middle-earth have in some measure gained, though with sorrow. But all that has been wrought by those who wield the Three will turn to their undoing, and their minds and hearts will become revealed to Sauron, if he regains the One."
42:30 That war cry actually has greater meaning than simply being a rallying war cry that it appears as in the movie, it explain better in the books, but basically this scene shows that the Riders of Rohan know that they are riding to their death, but have overcome their fear of death and the coming darkness and change their fear to courage and are prepared to ride with their King to battle and fight and die to halt the coming darkness 42:40 Well in terms of numbers the Largest battle would have to be Battle Stalingard, which lasted over 5 months, it began with the attacking Germans having 270,000 soldiers and the Russians having 187,000 soldiers. By the time the Russian began their counter offensive the German had 600,000 soldiers and the Russians had 1,143,000 men and by the end of the battle the Germans lost between 747,300-1,068,374 soldiers and the Russians lost 1,129,619 soldiers. Now if you are asking for the biggest non-siege singular battle, then The Battle of Leipzig would be you answer, it was one of Napoleon's few military defeats, where after his disaster campaign into Russia he faced off against a combine allied army of Russia, Britain, Prussia, Austria, Sweden and other Smaller kingdoms, which totaled 365,000 soldiers, while Napoleon had 195,000, most of which were made up of raw recruits who were rushed through their training, since Napoleon had lost most of his best men in his Campaigns into Russia and Spain. By the end of the battle Napoleon lost 60,000-79,000 soldiers and the allies lost 54,000-80,000 soldiers. Another battle I should mention is the battle or siege of Vienna, this was the battle that inspired Tolkien's battle/siege of Minas Tirth here, the battle involved the Ottoman Turks and several Christian Kingdoms that include the Holy Roman Empire, the Poland-Lithuania Commonwealth, Sweden and several other smaller Germans states/kingdoms. Like the Orcs the Ottomans besieged Vienna, where like with Minas Tirth if the Ottomans took Vienna it would have left Europe open to invasion by them. The Ottomans had a army of about 150,000 men with the Defeaters of Vienna having about 16,000. After two months the city was on the verge of falling until a relief Christian army of about 65,000 soldiers arrived from allied Christian nations/kingdoms. During the battle the allied Christian cavalry was able to form up on the extreme right of the Ottoman army and outflank them. The Cavalry was led by the King of the Poland-Lithuania Commonwealth Stanisław Jan Jabłonowski when the cavalry was in position King Jabłonowski led 3,000 of his elite Wing Hussars, (The Polish Winged Hussars were one of the best Cavalry forces to ever exist in Europe winning many battles with their devastating charges even when vastly outnumbered), along with 15,000 other allied Christian cavalry, making for a grand total of 18,000 horsemen and thus making it the largest cavalry charge in history to this day. It was this charge that completely destroyed the Ottoman army and sent them running and it is what inspired Tolkien to write the charge of the Rohirrim here. By the end of the battle the Ottomans lost between 50,0000-70,000 soldiers, while the allied Christians nations/kingdoms lost just over 16,000 soldiers.
It makes me really happy to stumble across these three reaction videos. I'm 56, I'm a lifelong fan of Tolkien and these movies. Your takes are fresh and funny and though I might go "NO THAT'S NOT WHAT THAT MEANS?!" it still makes me smile. Sam is the hero. Mr. Every-hobbit, saves the day. Elves who tire of living in the terrible world of men (so many wars! Ugh! SO DIRTY!) build boats and sail to Elvish Heaven (called Valinor - BTW, the little helicopter on Mars, the Ingenuity probe, stopped working and they named where it "died" the Valinor Hills). Because Sam was so hurt by the Ring, and being stabbed by a Nazgul, and stung by the spider (her name was Shelob, and she's a spider-shaped DEMON) - Arwen said, "I'm staying here with my husband, Aragorn, you can sail in my place and Valinor will give you peace from all that pain."
Théoden, son of Thengel was never a coward. He always did what he thought was best for his people. He was always first in line in a fight, leading, commanding and making hard decisions. He lost hope, but never his courage.
The largest recorded cavalry charge in history btw was the Charge of the Winged Hussars during the Siege of Vienna, where approximately 18,000 Holy League cavalrymen charged the Ottoman forces And Gandalf's three eagles were for them, Gollum/Smeagol included Some have also noticed that Frodo's wound that never healed was an allusion to PTSD, especially one that was borne by soldiers, considering Tolkien himself fought in WW1
Yes trebuchets (sling like weapon) and catapults (pull lever weapon) were real historic weapons that were used during sieges. The ladders (not as fantasticalsure) were also used to breach walls.
"Why couldn't he be a floating eyeball who does nice things?" Sauron was originally a craftsman angel, obsessed with beauty, order and tidiness, and was drawn to serve the first Dark Lord, Morgoth, in order to make everyone behave - Lawful Evil in D&D terms. If he'd stayed away from evil he could have created great things, but he couldn't bring himself to leave sentient creatures alone to do their own messy thing.
Considering your reaction to the Fellowship, I'm also surprised you got teary eyed 😅 However, the happy endings are so well deserved that it doesn't matter. Let's all get teary eyed together 😊
That scream that you said you didn't like when the guy fell off the elephant legolus was killing is called the wilhem scream . It's the most famous and most used scream sound effect used in movies. Used in starwars, Indiana Jones LOR and many may more. Once you notice it you will forever hear it in all movies.
Strawberry ice cream is perfection when made properly, and now I want some. Considering that not only are these films very complex, but that you're also not familiar with the genre in general, I thought you did very well with the story. I know that many others will have a lot to say about the background; I just hope that they're kind about it and don't spoil your enjoyment after the fact. It's relevant to note that some character or plot misunderstandings stem from the changes that Peter Jackson made to adapt the story to film, so you can't be expected to catch on to those when they've already been obscured. For example, Theoden's regret wasn't cowardice, it was weakness. He was deeply ashamed that he had fallen under Saruman's spell, nearly resulting in the destruction of his people. One of the choices that Jackson made was to exaggerate the weaknesses of the other human nobility around Aragorn so as to make Aragorn look better by contrast. Helm's Deep was the best possible place for Rohan to make their stand in that situation. At least Jackson did Theoden the courtesy of letting him keep the better part of his character, and not making him an idiot or a coward. Thank for sharing your journey! Under no circumstances should you allow anyone to talk you into reacting to Rings of Power. Watch it on your own if you want to, but don't waste your time recording and editing that dumpster fire.
So Sauron is actually a Maiar, sort of like a fallen angel. In the books he's never depicted as a literal eye. The "eye of Sauron" is just a metaphor for his awareness or will. Actually he's never given a physical description at all, except for some of the commentaries (e.g. the Silmarillion) which say he can take a fair form. Basically he looks however he wants you to perceive him. He can be beautiful or he can be scary, whatever best suits his purposes in the moment.
You did it! 😅 Hard to not get emotional at the end. Still gets me! Now I can’t unsee what some post said about the hobbits’ expressions in the “you bow to no one” scene. Three of them look surprised and in awe (Merry’s pretty pleased though lol), whereas Pippin’s reads “*finally* I’m getting the respect I deserve.” 😂 That question about the biggest battle…
In the orc tower where Same rescues Frodo: There are two different races of orcs. They hate each other. That is why they are so easy to coax into killing each other.
Military history buff and tour guide here - the largest battle in known history is the Battle of Stalingrad from WW2. Just under 2.5 million soldiers engaged and between soldiers and civilians - 1.5 million dead. Truly horrific.
Sauron was basically an angel type creature ... like Gandalf. They both came from Valinor (heaven). Sauron decided to be evil - in the movies, he lost his physical form when the ring got cut off his hand, and he was only able to manifest himself as an eye. Gandalf's mission was to help the free people against Sauron.
I'm pretty sure the fire alert system is partially CGI, as in they overlaid the fire tower onto the mountains, but the landscapes were filmed from helicopter. I made a DIY witch king helmet for halloween last year. This trilogy has the most beautiful and/or striking costumes
The Largest singular battle that ever took place in Middle Earth was the War of Wrath. The original Dark lord Morgoth and his army consisting of Millions of Orcs, evil creatures, Balrogs, and winged fire breathing dragons VS the Host of Valinor which are the literal gods of the tolkein universe and hundreds of thousands of men, elves, and dwarves along with the great eagles of middle earth. The final fight was between a valar enchanted flying ship and Ancalagon the Black which was a dragon the size of a literal mountain. The good side won in the end and Morgoth (suarons boss) and a dark god himself was cast into the endless void for eternity. The sheer scale of the battle makes everything in LOTR, GOT and Narnia combined look like a boring tuesday afternoon. And also left half of Middle earth so devastated with destruction that it sunk beneath the ocean.
Denethor (& Faramir) were done dirty: Denethor was way more noble & mighty in the books. Not to mention he contended wills with Sauron for decades nonstop & ontop of that even now he was never broken nor could Sauron alter what Denethor would see in the palantir even then he couldn’t control what Denethor had control of which was how he CHOSE to INTERPRET the visions given to him. Using it all to Gondor’s advantage! ❤ he also lit the beacons and got the women & children far away from the city longer ahead of time. So the movie butchered him as well as faramir but they didn’t butcher faramir as badly thankfully. He could have been shown to give Pippen his newest order to light the beacons so then it wouldn’t change the scene much at all as presented! The story here is Faramir’s birth ended up killing his mother Finduilas(named after an elvish princess from the era of Children Of Hùrin was set in);she was a Numenorean woman of the Faithful which her ancestors survived the Cataclysm of Númenor by the way! He was hurt deeply by her death and ontop of that Faramir had the likeness both in temperament as well as his appearance/bearing so he ways reminded of his wife over and over again by Faramir who was just like her, and all it took was a simple look or what-have-you to drive the knife in deeper into his heart about his wife. But also Aragorn when he went by the name gifted to him as Thorongil Denethor’s father basically overshadowing him from his own father so he is as psychology goes: treated Boromir the same way his father treated Aragorn/Thorongil. Note that Boromir and Faramir are half Númenorean which is a big thing as far as the legendarium goes! And it’s something to note that he treated Boromir like his father treated the clandestine Aragorn as Thorongil. Denethor actually did many things the movie shows him not doing or neglecting. He was VERY competent and mighty in many craft and (even a lore-master to a degree). He had quite alot of mental and “magical” might which is why he could contend with Sauron too without being harmed in there process in any way!
Binged your reactions to these tonight, glad to see you go from skeptical to really appreciating what these movies did, and how epic this story is. I saw these in the theaters as they came out, and what a ride that was. The extended cuts don't fill in blanks as much as they add to the plot that has been established as you've seen it. They are certainly worth a watch if you enjoyed this trilogy. The Hobbit movies less so. Better to just read the book for that one. That is Bilbo's story, 60 years prior to this one. It is one of my favorite books as well.
You mention, regarding Aragorn's pardoning of the ghosts 'He must have some pull with the Man upstairs' . And.. kinda. Not only is he a direct descendant of the guy who cursed them in the first place, but Aragorn's also descended from a literal angel-figure(Melian), who existed beside THE God. (Middle-Earth exists in the World(Reality, if you will..), which has a pantheon of gods/greater angels in charge, but outside and above that is the big big guy Himself). Aragorn is, to all intents and purposes, descended directly from the divine.
regarding CGI: There is barely any in these movies. It's almost all make-up, practical effects and real shots. CGI was mostly only used for Gollum, non-human-like creatures and to maximize troop sizes. And regarding the shots, keep in mind, this has been made before drones became a thing. They used helicopters to get those amazing overhead and overland shots. If you're interested, there is extended behind the scenes material. About 12 hours. It's well worth checking out.
One does not simply stay dry eyed at “You bow to no one”
yup you are right this time it got me again :) almost everytime ... :)
A perfect moment. 😭
Theoden a coward!?! He was not ever a coward, he was constantly fighting with his men. In the Warg Skirmish, getting speared at the gates of Helms Deep, then leading the charge through the keep, and finally leading the line in the charge of the Rohirrim. He was the very definition of a warrior king!
As Achilles say in Troy: "Imagine a king that fights his own battles" - Theoden was that king.
Theoden was also still recovering from years of mind control, lies and depression eating away at his confidence.
Agreed. Love the reaction vid but that was an L take. When Theoden said “in whose mighty company, I shall not now feel ashamed” I teared up when I first saw that. He was a great king and a great man who endured so much (let alone losing a child) but died with absolute honor to his bloodline.
Theoden was ashamed that it was Aragorn who kept the men's morale up at the end of Helm's Deep while Theoden was despairing. He felt he redeemed himself at Minis Tirith and therefore could stand proud amongst his ancestors when he died.
@@hewiex So were Aragon and Eomer, Sure technically they weren't at those battles but they were kings to be and they lead their men in battle many times.
You can also add Thorin Oakenshield, Thorin Father Thain, and Grandfather Thror, as well as Dain Ironfoot to that list, although Thorin and Thain hadn't been crown kings they were would be kings as well who lead their men to battle.
In addition you can also add Legolas father Thranduil and Gil-Galad and pretty much every Elven King/Ruler in Lord of the Rings as they all fought personally to defend their kingdoms.
There is also other Rohirrim kings like the founder of Rohan Eorl, and the man himself Helm Hammerhand and his nephew Fréaláf who avenged his uncle Helm saved Rohan from the Dunlendings and Cosairs.
And of course we cannot forget Elendil himself or his two sons Anárion and Isildur
Each of these Kings or would-be kings were men who fought their own battles and personally lead their men into battle
Peregrine Took is Pippin’s full name, so Gandalf is basically doing the mom thing, when she uses your full name when you are in trouble, lol.
Peregrin*
Frodo left Middle-Earth because he had been touched by the Ring's corruption, and he couldn't find peace in a land that had also been touched by it. He and Bilbo left to live in a place just off the shores of the Undying Lands, a place untouched by the evil of Sauron and the Ring. They were able to live out their days in peace there. Sam followed them many years later (as a Ringbearer, even just for a few hours, he had that right) and was reunited with Frodo.
It's also the way Tolkien wrote it because it's parallel to how when he was in the war and when it was over he still had ptsd that never left him.
I believe he had a lot of guilt as well, knowing the real story behind the Ring’s destruction was basically an accident.
I can’t imagine having everyone in the whole world thank you for saving them while knowing, deep down, you chose not to in the end, and the only reason they were saved is because a freak bit your finger off while you fought them for the Ring. He must have felt so unworthy, and I think Elijah Wood portrays that feeling so beautifully at the end of the coronation scene when the kingdom bows before he and his friends.
That sense of self-doubt and guilt would be an awful thing to hold onto. 😢
@@NeverendingToriAll true, but Tolkien stressed that no one could willingly destroy the Ring. Esp. in the heart of its strength/creation.
In the book it's a true accident. There's no real fight after Gollum bites off the finger and Ring. He just slips and falls, blinded and oblivious due to the addicted joy he experienced by having the Ring back.
This also proves that Gandalf was right, Gollum still had a part to play. He deserved Bilbo's pity that stayed his hand when he could have killed Gollum and didn't. And of course all the times anyone else could have killed him (Sam esp.)
@@clarkbarrett6274i read somewhere that basicaly Eru made Gollum slip and fall? But it could be just a fan theory, I am no Tolkien expert
@@manuela1986 One of the few times Eru directly intervened, like the resurrection of Gandalf. When Gollum was dancing in ecstasy over his recovery of the Ring Eru's finger gave him just a little push over the edge.
Fun fact: Bernard Hill the actor who played Theoden did his speech part so well that the people riding with him in the scene all started chanting death after he said it it was not scripted. also all the riders were big fans of the book thats why during the scene some of them were very enthusiastic during the charge.
I was one of those riders. That one scene took all day to film
in fairness to Frodo, Tolkien himself confirmed that no one in middle earth would have the willpower to throw the ring into mt doom. The ring is at its strongest there, to me this just makes Gandalf's talk with Frodo in Moria about gollum more powerful as the ring would not have been destroyed if Gollums life hadnt been spared
Also this makes the initial moment Gollum swore on the precious a key moment, as when he betrayed Frodo and finaly took it the ring itself was doomed.
@@Denasgurman Frodo: "The Ring will hold you to your word".
It makes me feel so badly for Frodo as well. It looks that Frodo feels he failed at the last moment and almost let everyone down. He had already done so much, that he wasn't able to do the *literally impossible* isn't a failing. Unfortunately Frodo doesn't know this, and it clearly haunts him.
also Faramir Cursed Gollum when he cut them loose with the words "may death find you quickly if bring them to harm" i think is also a subtle part of Gollum's demise
@CancerMage reminds me of this book The Phantom Tollbooth where the main character in the story accomplished the impossible because no one had ever told him it was impossible 🤔
Sam goes on to be Mayor of Hobbiton multiple times, and he and Rosie have 13 beautiful Hobbit children together 🥰 One of their daughters later marries Pippin's son, whom he named Faramir
And Sam eventually travels to the Undying Lands to see Frodo after Rosie dies. Same was a ringbearer for a short period afterall.
@@freeheeler00 Yes, the ship that Frodo sails on is not really the last ship to leave Middle-earth. That was a Peter Jackson change.
Really? That's nice. Love that Pippin honored his old Gondorian friend.
I've seen you comment this on other LOTR reaction videos.
It's my favorite happy factoid to share, considering most reactors will probably never read the books, much less the Appendices 🙂 @@Saranda4787
Frodo goes "Into the West" at the end. Basically, goes to heaven. The place where Gandalf is from, in this universe he is the equivalent of an angel. Frodo was too scarred from everything that happened to him and the ring. It was a poetic way for him to find peace.
I really appreciate your love for Sam. He and the hobbits are the heart of this story and I am glad Pippen and Merry grew on you.
Eowyn's "I am no man!" line is still the stuff of legends.
But, just to clarify for those who don't know, he will not become immortal just because he goes to Valinor.
There was a prophecy that "Not by the hand of man shall he fall" or something like that, about the Witch King. At some point he heard about that prophecy and it went to his head. It was a real Macbeth kind of situation.
@@resathe6760 In fact, neither Bilbo nor Frodo probably ever even entered Valinor itself.
@@otaku-sempai2197yeah, that's true
@@m_chupon5131 it was spoken by Glorfindel (who we don't even see in the films though he was ONE OF THE STRONGEST REINCARNATED ELVES ever ^^') during his 'first life' (where he alone remained behind to face a Balrog and killed it, and succumbed to the battle's injuries as other Elves fled):
Glorfindel said to Earnur at the Battle of Fornost: "Do not pursue him, he will not return to this land. Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of man will he fall." The dagger that Merry had was also meaningful - it was forged in Arnor, a loooong time ago, to be used specifically against the Witch King of Angmar. The movie doesn't go into that, either, but the books do.
Congrats on getting the Merry part of the "no man can kill me" thing from the Witchking. Most people get that Eowyn can kill him because she's a woman but a lot of people miss that Merry could help because, as a Hobbit, he's also "no man."
Eowyn couldn't have killed him without the strike by Merry first. It's lost in the movie but that sword he had was created and spelled to affect nazgul, especially the witch king. He broke the spell over the witch king first, enabling Eowyn to kill him.
History guy here. The largest cavalry charge in history was at the Battle of Vienna, when the Polish-Lithuanian Winged Hussars arrived to help the city besieged by the Ottomans, much like Minas Tirith in the movie . 18,000 horsemen charged the invaders. The Winged Hussars had sweet wings on the back of their armor like angels, were called the angels of death by their enemies and they were not to be f'd with. Before modern warfare they were probably the pinnacle of horse warfare in all of history. No one really knows why they wore wings. Some think it's because it made a noise to frighten enemies, some say that it was to deafen their own horses to the enemy noises. Some speculate it could protect the backside of the soldier. Others say that it was just formal attire.
Myself I think it was for show. War is way too loud for feathers humming in the wind to be heard over pounding hoof beats and clattering armour. I go with the Angel of Death angle as visual intimidation along the lines of Blackbeard festooning his beard with smouldering cannon matches.
*sings*
"And then the Winged Hussars arrived!"
With apologies to Joakim Broden and Sabaton.
Then the Winged Hussars arrived!
Comming down the mountain side!
Comming down they turned the tide!
We remember, in september
When the Winged Hussars arrived!
Four fun similarities between the charge of the Rohirrim at Minas Tirith and the charge of the Hussars at Vienna:
1. The relief cavalry came from a northern neighbor; the invaders were from the east.
2. The charge happened at dawn.
3. In Vienna, particularly the old part that was around in 1683, practically all of the buildings are entirely made of a local white stone.
4. After the cavalry arrived, but when they hadn't charged yet, is one of few cases when history describes people's (p)reaction to what everybody knew was about to happen, before describing what happened, because everybody on both sides had that "Nothing's changed yet, but everything just changed" moment. When the Hussars started emerging from the forest, the Germans/Austrians cheered for them. This movie doesn't give us the people of Gondor cheering when they hear the horns, but it does give us a few reactions to the horns from both sides.
Battle of Poyang Lake in 1363 if we are going by the number of participants. There were a total of 850,000 combatants in that one. By length of the battle and casualties the siege of Stalingrad takes it.
Thank you for this reaction, I'm glad it got to you in the end honestly.
This reaction turned into one of my favorits out of the many I've seen on youtube for LOTR
High praise, thankyou for the kind words
The spider is Shelob, a daughter of Ungoliant.
Ungoliant is a spider-thing from before the universe was made and hid in the void, and woke up when the gods made the universe. Constantly hungry. At some point, Saurons Boss promised to feed her magical artifacts if she helped him on his evil shenanigans, but he ran out of stuff to feed her. She tried to eat Morgoth (Saurons boss) and would have managed it too if his screams of pain hadn't alerted the entire planet to his situation and summoned all the armies of evil to come bail him out. She ate the equivalent of the sun for that age of the earth, and finding it did nothing to sate her hunger, in a fit of fear and despair that the hunger had not been sated and realizing it never would be, she ate herself.
The power of the ring died with the ring. Frodo says (in the book) that he's been wounded with knife, sting, and tooth and can't find healing. BUT, that's added to what he went through, that only he knows, in carrying pure evil around his neck and in his mind for so long. It took it out of him. And I don't think he got over his 'failure' to destroy it in the end. Since you'll be watching the extended editions, pay attention to the look Frodo gives Sam when Sam enters the bedroom last of all. It's an amazing job of acting. First there's almost shame, then the knowledge that only they two can ever know what they went through, and finally, an understanding when Sam smiles. Again, when the people bow, Frodo looks as though he is totally uncomfortable with it, like he wishes they knew he was no hero. Of course, he was. Who else could have made it so far as he did? But we tend to be harder on ourselves than others. In the end it adds up to just what he said, "How do you go on when there's no going back?". He had withdrawn from the life of the Shire more and more over the years they'd been home. It wasn't home anymore. He wasn't the guy who left there anymore. It's unfortunately the state of most returning soldiers and for some it never gets better.
Wonderful summary. Tragic what happened to Frodo really
Peregrin "Pipin" Took. That's his name, not an insult. lol
Yes, Smeagol was a type of hobbit. A Stoor. They were river-folk who loved boating and fishing.
The Witch King and the Nazgul ride on a Fell Beasts. The only time we actually see dragons is in The Hobbit Trilogy and some in the prologue of Rings of Power.
There's some very important backstory about Boromir, Faramir and their father, Denethor, in the extended versions.
Gandalf does use a lot of magic because he's not allowed to use his full power in Middle Earth. His job is to advice and guide folks.
yeah, that's "her", Shelob the spider.
The largest battle in Middle Earth would have the be the War of Wrath (The Great Battle). In the First Age, Men, Elves and the Valar (the "gods") against Morgoth (Sauron's boss, the original Bad Guy).
Denethor, the Stuart of Gondor, he's not being a jerk just to be a jerk, he's been corrupted by looking into his Palantir. He saw the end of the world, it showed him that there was not hope. Also, he's a terrible father.
The Ghosts, The Army of the Dead backstory. They were a race of men that lived in the White Mountains. When Gondor was founded, they swore an oath to Isildur, the king of Gondor that they'd come to his aid when the time came. Well, the time came and the Men said, Nah bro. So Isildur cursed them to remain as ghosts in Middle Earth until they fulfill their oath to the King of Gondor (in this case, Aragorn).
Ok, a little bit more...
You were wondering about the ship and where they were going. The ship is headed to Valinor, the elves' Paradise. Bilbo and Frodo were granted passage because they were ring bearers and all the good they did. Also, Frodo's stab would would never hear in Middle Earth. The physical and emotional toll was too great.
Gandalf left because his job was done. The elves are leaving because they're meant to leave.
So.... Aragorn goes on to become a great king and rules for many years. Sam becomes the mayor of the Shire and has a bunch of kids. Merri and Pipin also have long happy lives. Eventually Sam and Gimli are also given passage to Valinor and they sail West with Legolas.
It is not written if Sam met Frodo in Valinor... but I'd like to think Sam, Frodo, Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf met again.
Something not touched on in the movies is that Denethor had a Palantir (a Seeing-Stone like the one Pippin looks into). He had spent a long time with Sauron showing him visions of Gondor's fall and the world under the rule of the Dark Lord. Denethor has fallen into a deep depression because of this, with no hope of victory. Not even Gandalf could give him that hope.
He got doomectolled itis from Satan himself poor guy
Yeah, Denethor spent too much time doomscrolling on his Palantir.
One of the big themes of Tolkien is the importance and power of hope, and Denethor is an example of someone who has fallen wholly to despair.
@@kR-qj7rw More like Satan's lieutenant. Morgoth was the big bad and Sauron was his second in command. Morgoth wanted to destroy Middle Earth but Sauron just wanted to rule it.
Re: your question of whether Denethor (The Steward of Gondor) was "stupid" or "evil" - the answer was actually neither: he was mentally ill. He was already halfway disconnected from reality, and so he genuinely couldn't understand that Faramir wasn't fully dead yet. So in his own broken brain, his attempt to burn himself with his son was actually an act of love and honor - a final way for him to show his son he loved him, after abusing him for so many years.
The films did Denethor dirty. He's much better written in the books. He'd been using the Palantir to spy on Sauron for years and Sauron had been using the Palantir connection to brainwash him into believing he was losing the war and had no hope.
Plus he was eating on pewter plates. Probably had lead on it. Lead poisoning can make you loopy.
Most importantly he had a Palantir himself, had seen Saurons armies and lost all hope.
And he also lost the love of his life right?
@@robertmikicki6126 His wife died in childbirth when Faramir was born. It's a big part of the reason he can't love him the way he loves Boromir. Faramir is said to resemble her too. He also spent a lot of time with Gandalf who Denathor hates and distrusts.
Galadriel intentionally matched Arwen & Aragorn together while they were both visiting in Lothlorien!
Arwen & Aragorn met in Rivendell, & that is where Aragorn fell in love with her, although it doesn’t sound like she felt the same at the time. Aragorn’s mother Gilraen warned him that he was aiming too high, and Elrond was not happy about it either, and Aragorn took heed of this and left Rivendell, to learn how to be a Ranger and to oppose Sauron’s forces.
Many years later, he came to Lothlorien, seeking rest and shelter, and Galadriel allowed him to enter. We have this line in the Tale of Aragorn and Arwen:
‘But Aragorn was grown to full stature of body and mind, and Galadriel bade him cast aside his wayworn raiment, and she clothed him in silver and white, with a cloak of elven-grey and a bright gem on his brow. Then more than any kind of Men he appeared, and seemed rather an Elf-lord from the Isles of the West. And thus it was that Arwen first beheld him again after their long parting; and as he came walking towards her under the trees of Caras Galadhon laden with flowers of gold, her choice was made and her doom appointed.’ LOTR Appendices.
To me, that makes it rather explicit that Galadriel wanted Aragorn to appear at his best. Why? Who could he possibly impress in Lothlorien, except for Galadriel’s grand-daughter? I think it is quite clear that she wanted them matched, and perhaps her foresight told her that they needed to be matched, as it was part of destiny, to begin the Dominion of Men (something Elrond probably also realised, but couldn’t willingly promote, since it would mean Arwen and Elrond would be parted forever).
Plus there is the scene in Lorien, where Galadriel gives Aragorn the Elessar, which went from Galadriel to Celebrian to Arwen and then back to Galadriel in order that she give it as a gift to Aragorn. Again it speaks to me as a collaborative act, and part of Galadriel helping bring the two together:
And Aragorn answered: “Lady, you know all my desire, and long held in keeping the only treasure that I seek. Yet it is not yours to give me, even if you would; and only through darkness shall I come to it.”
“Yet maybe this will lighten your heart,' said Galadriel; for it was left in my care to be given to you, should you pass through this land.” Then she lifted from her lap a great stone of a clear green, set in a silver brooch that was wrought in the likeness of an eagle with outspread wings; and as she held it up the gem flashed like the sun shining through the leaves of spring.
“This stone I gave to Celebrían my daughter, and she to hers; and now it comes to you as a token of hope. In this hour take the name that was foretold for you, Elessar, the Elfstone of the house of Elendil!” From LOTR FOTR BOOK
To think you started with fellowship not fully feeling it and by Return you were crying along with everyone at "you bow to no one".
I really appreciate that you were honest about your feeling on the movies the whole through! Made for a really unique reaction
Cheers, The ending really hit me which is the sign of a great story with great characters.
And you're right I did come into this with a degree of caution and the series still broke through and got me. I'm glad you enjoyed my character arc lol
13:50 "woah, why is it like a runway on top of that?"
44:00 _Denethor answers_ 🤣
The timing of that comment was perfect lol
I've never not found that scene really funny after I found out just how dang far he had to run while on fire and covered in oil to get there. It's like a half-mile from the catacombs to the end of that thing.
Dude was *DETERMINED.*
Your intimacy with the spider shelob, caught me off guard icl xD... Lovely reaction and glad you enjoyed the triology. My favourite story of all time.
I have never laughed through that part before. He had me cracking up 🤣
I don't see you get choked up often, if ever actually. I'm so pleased that you felt the gravity of those final moments❤
Hey..love your reaction...you are having so much fun. Tolkien was a World War 1 Veteran...he saw some awful sights...and I often wonder if a lot of the scenes in this is based on his feelings of the things he himself saw...(think of the Swamp that Gollum takes Frodo and Sam through...the "dead faces in the water")
Sam discovering the bread: "...Wait a minute! I didn't eat the bread! Gollum lied!!"
Almost had me convinced I lost it someplace.
I love the movies, but that was one of the dumbest "not in the books"-addition in the history of movies
"Gandalf The White enters the chat"... I love you summarization of The Two Towers 😂😂
I'm going to do one more explaining ROTK and then upload them all together in one video
42:32 The Rohirrim cavalry charge here at the Pelennor Fields is comprised of 6000 horsemen. The largest cavalry charge in history was on the 12 September 1683 during the Battle of Vienna, when 18000 horsemen charged on the Ottomans. Just imagine that!
The scene where the rohirim actually charge is comprised of closer to 18000 models, as 6000 didn't look impressive enough, so that is what it might have looked like :)
Those beats at the end that got you.... that's why we love this trilogy. That's why even though some people call it boring, we will always want more. Because we know where it's going. Because we can't wait to see those moments and also can't bear for it to end.
I love how the ring doesn't melt instantly but only when frodo grabs sam's hand.
Yeah, seeing it this time had me thinking. So Frodo did defeat the ring in the end before it was destroyed.
It warms my heart whenever a character associates Aragorn with hope. He was raised in Rivendel and his elven name is Estel, which translates to Hope ❤😊
I actually love when people who are totally unfamiliar with LotR get things wrong! It's fun to see how their knowledge develops as they become more and more familiar with the story. Nobody starts out knowing everything! And when they show appreciation despite their lack of familiarity, it just goes to show how universally humanistic the story is.
(But ngl, my favourite part is not just getting the character names wrong, but also the actors' 🤣 Ian McClellan?! lol)
(Also, many of the siege engines used at the Battles of Helm's Deep and Minas Tirith are exaggerated but still historically informed; the "giant tower things" are siege towers and pretty identical to what was used in antiquity. And the Gondorians are using trebuchets, not catapults 😉)
IIRC two of the beacons were real (the one Pippin lights in Minas Tirith, as well as one other); the others were real shots with the beacons added in post-production.
P.S. "One does not simply walk into Mordor butt-ass naked" is now ALL I WILL THINK ABOUT every time I watch this series!!!
"You bow to no one." Instant goosebumps and tears, every time 😭❤
All those siege weapons were very much physically possible and historically used during sieges. The only one that was kind of unrealistic was Grond, but it was also cool so it gets a pass.
iirc, the daughter Sean Astin (Samwise) is holding in the end is his real life child, Alexandra. Kinda cool to grow up as that kid and be like "Look see, told you!" lol
Neat trivia: at the end by the boat one of the Elves is Cirdan the Shipwright. He is the oldest known Elf in Middle Earth. So old that he has a beard! Also, Galadriel and Galdalf are not merely travelling into the West but *returning* to it. Galdalf is a kind of holy immortal being who had been sent with others like him into mortal form to aid Middle Earth in fighting Sauron. Galadriel was born in the West, left thousands if years before the time of this story and is now returning. She was not permitted to return but by resisting the temptation of the ring and aiding the fellowship granted her the freedom to return.
There is an absolute abyss of lore behind this story, its fantastic!
His name is *Gandalf, not "Galdalf", and you even wrote it like that twice...
@@JarodMoonchild1975 I was typing it on my phone, heh
That scene where Sam's arm appears holding Sting is pure Jackson. Quite literally, since he decided to add it two weeks before the film's release. He was still editing the movie, and decided he wanted a bit of an Old West feel for that scene, like the gunslingers of old. So he got Andy Serkis (Smeagol) to film him in his (Jackson's) flat in London (Jackson had a copy of Sting), with just his arm entering the frame. He then sent it over the internet to New Zealand, where they incorporated it into the movie to become what we saw.
One of my favourite bits of trivia for this movie is the dual role played by Lawrence Makoare, who played both the Witch King and Gothmog, the frankly deformed Orc that led Sauron's armies during the Seige of Gondor. This means that scene where Gothmog seeks orders from the Witch King is essentially, Lawrence talking to himself. :D
In other behind-the-scenes news...The scenes of Sam and Frodo climbing the stairs was some of the earliest footage shot during the initial stages of filming. It was actually done in the community centre of a town near where the main shooting was taking place, so it could be used whenever Astin and Wood were available. eg, if rain prevented the filming of what was planned for the day, they would return to the stairs and continue with that. Unfortunately, it also meant that the town couldn't use their community centre for about 18 months, because as shooting progressed both actors were constantly needed elsewhere.
Lastly, I suppose Minas Tirith (trans: Tower of the Guard) is beginning to look it's age, given its 3140 years old. :D
Peter Jackson's arm wasn't filmed in Serkis' flat, it was filmed during the pick-up shoot. (He still needed a piece of costume). It was the scene where Gollum reacts to Frodo telling him about destroying the Ring, which was filmed in PJs house when he invited Andy Serkis over. (As reference for the Animation Department.)
Lawrence Maokare hasn't voiced Gothmog and the witchking. Both characters were synchronised by Craig Parker who also played Haldir.
;)
@@erikhamann I can see the misunderstanding, but I meant Andy filmed the scene in Peter's flat. I have corrected the original comment to avoid confusion, so thank you for pointing out the error. As for the rest, i was just going by what Jackson said in the behind the scenes commentary on the extended edition of the DVD, so if you believe the story inaccurate, he'd be the person to go after.
Minas Tirith was a fortress until the city in the middle of the river was destroyed. (The city where Faramir was fighting when Frodo almost killed Sam.) That was Osgiliath, the capitol of Gondor. Minas Tirith is built around a sharp peak jutting out at the end of the mountain. Each level has an arch blasted through it in alternate directions so one climbs upward on switchbacks. The Steward (Denethor) has one of the original seven Palantiri (the black ball Pippin looked into) in the tower and has looked into it to learn Sauron's plans. Except, of course, Sauron is much the stronger and has shown Denethor only what he wanted him to see and believe. It drove Denethor to despair and madness.
I guess you know by now that the end of Saruman is only in the Extended edition. The theathrical version was severely edited so theaters could show the movie three times a day instead of only twice.
I'd also argue that the cut Saruman scene doesn't feel as tight as the rest of the footage used in the movie, so it made sense to leave it out for the sake of a cohesive theatrical experience. Personally though, I would have liked them to have gone full book-version, and bring out ol'Sharky...
Including the Scourging of the Shire (as, also, the Old Forest/Tom Bombadil/BarrowWights scenes) would have turned the trilogy into at least 4 movies and were not essential for the storyline. Jackson was right to cut them. I can't support, however the massive changes made to the character and motivation of Denethor. It smacks of laziness and trying desperately to whip up a theatrical ending.@@Schmitty7546
And that doesn't even show what happened to Saruman in the books! the whole Sharkey arc
@@Schmitty7546 The problem with that is we already have too many climaxes and endings. We had the Battle of Pellanor Field (Minas Tireth), then the Battle of the Black Gate and the destruction of the Ring. To then go on to try and build up again for the Scouring of the Shire, not to mention the extra time it would have taken would have been a slog. What works in a book doesn't necessarily work in a movie.
@@ronweber1402 oh yeah absolutely - the sensible part of me 100% agrees with that (in line with my comment above about valuing a tight final theatrical release). But, the nerdy fan part of me has other ideas ...
That part of me imagines, that if the movie was made today, with modern trends, then there is a way that it might have worked... . Imagine if they had ended the movie at minis tirith, just after the coronation. They slightly extend that map/travel sequence showing the hobbits' way home into a kind of idealised 30-40 second dream, of the peaceful shire Frodo looks forward to returning to.... then fade to white, 'the end' . Roll credits... . But wait - there is an end credit scene, where the hobbits are joyfully reaching the final stretch of ther journey home, only to encounter a moment of shock as they come over a hilltop, or around a corner or something, and suddenly catch sight of orcs, here in their beloved shire! Cut to black.. . Finish with a line of text teasing 'the Lord of the Rings: Epilogue' . Then release a one hour special to tie it all up.
Obviously they would never have done this at the time these movies were originally made. And I'm sure that in practise I would have painfully resented the marvelisation of these movies, if they had indeed been made more recently. But, it's an interesting idea to me nonetheless...
16:53 - I’d be SO PISSED, you said STAIRS not freakin rock climbing 🧗
In the book the Stairs of Cirith Ungol were steep and dangerous, but they weren't vertical--they just went on for miles and miles.
@@johnwalters1341EXACTLY- I don’t mind dangerous, long, even a little steep. This is the only flaw I have an issue with in these films.
You are one of the few I’ve seen that has approached this in the most fulfilling way. Starting with the theatrical and returning with the extended. Well done. You get the original experience that the majority had, nothing is lost and you get the extra if you like it enough to rewatch.
Thank you. 👍🏾
Plus, I’ve been commenting to reactors for years that they were missing the double bag.
They were following the loud group telling them to do the extended version, not realizing that means people will pay to watch if it’s your 1st or 2nd viewing. 💰💰
Because you did the theatrical I will go back and watch your 1 and 2 videos.
Sam and Rosie have 13 children, and he becomes one of the most celebrated heroes of the Shire. He is elected mayor several times. When Rosie dies on a midsummer's eve, Sam gave the Red Book to his daughter, and is never seen again. The story is told in her family that Sam went to the Grey Havens and took ship, the last of the ring bearers to cross over the sea..
No watch through is complete without listening to Annie Lennox’s Into The West at the end. It explains the significance of the boats very well. Makes me cry every time.
That screaming noise you said bugs you is called the "Wilhelm Scream". That same sound clip of that same scream is in many many movies. Its a running joke among filmmakers to put that scream into movies.
Remember that Gollum hadn’t eaten prepared food in over 500 years. Since he got on that crack.
Did Gandalf get on the eagle and say Fly you fools!😅
"Middle-Earth Mulan"
That is exactly what she is! Haha. In the book, they keep her identity secret for a while, though the reader could predict it. Merry senses something familiar, but isn't immediately made aware that it's her.
Middle Earth Mulan - TOOK. ME. OUT. I love his reactions. They are gold.
Yeah - impossible to hide the actor for that long in a film, so Eowyn and Merry being in cahoots over her secret identity works well.
@@zoesumra9152 I did roll my eyes at her sitting there, during a break in the ride, with her helmet off talking to Merry. Yes it was a nice little scene, but really don't you think someone would have noticed her and went to Theoden? Even if they didn't recognize her as Theoden's niece (which most would have), they would have gone to him to ask "WTF is a women doing riding with us?"
@telynns8490 I do wonder if Tolkien ever met Milunka Savic. She first joined the Serbian army dressed as a man but by WWI was serving openly as a woman.
Right, so the boat and "everyone" leaving: That boat is taking the last Elves to Valinor, aka literal Heaven.
- Gandalf, who is virtually an angel, "a product" of Valinor, has indeed completed his mission: Saving Middle Earth from the darkness of Morgoth (aka "Satan") via Sauron for Men to take dominion.
- The Elves honor the ringbearers by allowing them passage to Elf Heaven, where they are free from their (both physical and mental) hurts forever.
- Sam, who is also technically a ringbearer, and totally the MVP of this story, joins them in Valinor later, after he is widowed, years and years later, and having helped produce a baker's dozen of children.
And as a note on "all the changes" from the books to the movies, that for the most part make perfect sense for an adaptation, it's really a nice touch that this movie ends exactly like the book does, by Sam sighing and saying he's back home.
All-in-all, hands down the best film trilogy ever made, imho. It's sad to see what became of The Hobbit (the prequel story, made into another trilogy not too long ago by Peter Jackson - tho' I'm not blaming him, it was more of a money grab by the studio situation, but that is an essay for another time... Still not a _horrible_ film trilogy, but it definitely does not live up to this standard. Worth a watch if you're bored. Martin Freeman is an _excellent_ younger Bilbo!), not to mention the absolute shitshow that is the Rings of Power series over on Amazon...
Cracking reactions, cheers!
"That noise", the stylised scream, its called the wilhelm scream. its in loads of films.
And yes, its really annoying.
Makes me think of Goledneye 007 on the n64
It's a running gag of the film industry, but yh it's been overdone at this point.
The ship was going to the Undying Lands, a land of peace and tranquility ruled over by The Valar (gods of Middle Earth). Frodo and Bilbo were granted passage there for their good deeds and, in short cos the long answer is very long, Galadhriel and Elrond left by choice as the power of their Rings and Elven kind had diminished in Middle Earth. In time, Sam Legolas and Gimli were accorded the same priviledge as Frodo & Bilbo.
Gandalf: "I better order up a third eagle for the search/rescue... just in case."
Well Gollum was with them too
Your thirsty reaction to Shelob the spider (and Shadowfax the horse) was glorious. I'll never underestimate the horniness of an Australian ever again. "Let's show these guys what man-flesh is all about," indeed.
I love watching the 'next generation' that hasn't known anything about these movies beyond the memes. Thank you for sharing.
Your comparison of Frodo and Gollum to addicts is spot on. Even the actor who played Frodo said that he looked at the role from that perspective. And no one would have been strong enough to destroy the Ring. Remember that Gandalf told Frodo in the first movie that he felt that Gollum had a role to play. Gollum’s struggle for the Ring and subsequent fall into the volcano is what ultimately allowed the Ring to be destroyed.
A good way to think about why Frodo had to leave in the end is to think of him as suffering from PTSD. Tolkien had fought in WWI and saw many members of his generation scarred for life, both physically and mentally. And I have to think that had a big influence on how he wrote the character of Frodo. He was too damaged to return to a regular life. “We set out to save the Shire. And we did. But not for me.” Traveling to the Undying Lands would allow Frodo to find peace. You picked up on that beautiful smile on his face when he turned back to look at his friends one final time. That was supposed to indicate that he would find the healing he needed in the Undying Lands. For reasons that are probably much more complicated than you want to get into, the Elves had been leaving Middle Earth, and traveling to the Undying Lands throughout this entire trilogy. In the end there would be only a couple of Elves remaining in Middle Earth, such as Arwen (Liv Tyler).
I would recommend reading a few of the comments about Denathor. If I have one complaint about this movie, it is about how they told his story. It wasn’t that they necessarily told it wrong. But they left out some important pieces of information that would allow the audience to understand why he behaved the way he did. It was a lot more complicated than him being a terrible leader and father. Besides the extra scenes in the extended versions, I think you might enjoy watching the making of the movie videos that came out with the original Blu-ray set. You can find them on UA-cam.
They way Peter Jackson hints at what they gray havens mean is absolutely wonderful. There are three essential moments that the viewer has to connect by themselves:
1. The elves talking about going "into the west" and the white ships waiting for them to leave Middle Earth. As a new viewer who hasn't read the books, it just gets drowned out in the flood of new names and places you're trying to keep up with. You likely just take it as another continent.
2. Gandalf comforting Pippin during the siege in Minas Tirith by describing what it's like to die: How everything turns to silver glass, the white shores and the green lands beyond.
And 3. The lyrics of "Into The West", the song in the credits that links the silver glass and the white ships going west.
That's masterful worldbuilding and storytelling.
"But I can carry you!" I tear up every. Damn. Time.
Frodo has to leave because the horrors of the Ring, the addiction to the Ring and his various wound especially the wound from the Morgul blade continue to hurt and Frodo can't find peace here.
They're sailing to the Undying Lands. Gandalf is going there because his people are there. The Elves are going there because with the power of the three rings ended, they can no longer stave off the decay and diminshment that comes from being tied to the lane. In the Undying Lands, they can go on as they are.
As ringbearers, Frodo and Bilbo are allowed to travel to Valinor (Middle Earth Heaven). Good news, Sam gets to go aswell much later!
At 1:01:45, the song Aragorn sings at his coronation are the words of his ancestor Elendil: "Et Earello Endorenna Utulien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta." "Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world." It was Viggo Mortensen's happy thought to have Aragorn sing the words.
One of my favourite parts in the book is the description of Theoden charging the orcs. His intensity and rage was so white hot that it was only matched by Orome, one of the Valar. Basically the orcs thought a demi god was coming to slay them.
"Fey he seemed, or the battle fury of his fathers ran like new fire within his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a God of old, even as Oromë the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young. His golden shield was uncovered, and lo! it shown like an image of the sun, and the grass flamed into green about the white feet of his steed.
For morning came, morning and a wind from the sea; and darkness was removed, and the hosts of Mordor wailed, and terror took them, and they fled, and died, and the hoofs of wrath overtook them"
Next Trilogy The Hobbit Extended Edition Of The Adventures Of Bilbo Baggin:
(1) An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition
(2) The Desolation Of Smaug Extended Edition
(3) The Battle Five Armie Extended Edition
absolute must watches
Uppp
Yes, yes.
I cry at the scene when he says, "My friends, you bow to no one!"
You did very well with this series! For not being a fantasy guy, you seemed to understand a lot of the tropes and key elements of the story. All the extra stuff you see in the comments is nice, but unnecessary to follow the plot. You did great! I love seeing these from a different set of eyes.
Thankyou for enjoying this reaction for what it was lol. Your encouragement that I didnt completely miss everything is very nice to hear :)
This series is not finished on my channel. I have something very unique planned for my extended edition rewatch
"...you bow to no one." Shreds me everytime. There have been A LOT of times.
The largest known land battle the world has seen was during WW2, in the USSR, the battle of Stalingrad, which had around 2.5 million casualties.
The battle of Stalingrad also lasted for 5 months... The battle of Minas Tirith only lasted a day or something.
Nope. Stalingrad was the side battle distracting the forces of Mordor...of Nazi Germany from Rzhev. Rzhev lasted nearly fifteen months and saw three million casualties, over two million of which were German.
I watched all of your reaction videos in one sitting, seeing you grow throughout your viewing of this marvelous work of art was wonderful. These movies are my favorite films of my lifetime. Glad you enjoyed them.
Thankyou for that comment. I know I was pretty obnoxious in part 1, but those tears at the end were legit lol, you got me Tolkien!
@@AdamfromFWCI took no offense during the Fellowship because I knew how the next two would sweep you up and get you all in the feels, again glad you enjoyed them and welcome to the Tolkien family!
Most of the largest battles in history were fought during WW2, mostly on the eastern front (Germany v Russia). Hundreds of thousands or even millions of soldiers involved. In the Siege of Stalingrad (now known as Volgograd), an estimated 1-3 million people died. If we are talking about pre-modern battles, then it's probably the Siege of Baghdad by the Mongols in the 1200s... the Mongols slaughtered the entire city and burnt all the great libraries and universities ... Baghdad was the greatest center of learning in the Medieval world.
You are right about him obsessing over the Ring. He never gave it up voluntarily and even though it was destroyed he still longed for it, as Bilbo did, as Gollum did. His wounds also did not completely heal, the stab wound from the Witch King and Shelob's sting still festered 4 years later. The Ring itself also wounded his soul and many think it is an analogy of PTSD, the hidden wounds of the psyche that soldiers bring home that never heal.The only way for Frodo to get healing and live out the rest of his life in peace was to sail into the West to be healed by the elves.
I’ve been waiting for your final LoTR reaction! ❤
I was a Rohan rider in the movie. 15 years old and had to explain why I needed time off school leading up to my end of year exams! It was certainly an experience.
The extended version has interesting scenes in Mordor, Saruman's scenes and the clash of Gandalf and the Witch King (main nazgul). And lot of more!
Sauron is basically the same kind of creature as Gandalf, it's just that in the movies it seems like he's and eyeball because he was not actually shown in them
I loved watching your reaction to all of these movies, it is great to see another persons point of view. I kind of knew you would tear up the end, and I'm glad I was right. These movies and the books are well served with multiple viewing and reading. Thank you for letting us watch you get acquainted with this story!
The 3 Elven Rings are not susceptible to “The One Ring” in any direct way.. They’re only tied by fate to lose their power if Sauron is defeated completely & absolutely. As they were made by the elves and as always they make things for a purpose and pour their literal spirit into things they create. So if Sauron is defeated then the three rings power will fade and basically become almost useless or diminished versions of their original design since by this era magic has bled from the world by a huge degree thanks to Morgoth’s poisoning the world itself with his very essence that he poured into it. Called The Long Defeat By The Elves and The Men Of The West.
Firstly: All 16 rings were meant to go to the elves ( which lead to 300-500years of his infiltration & deception down the drain.) but Mairon of the Maiar(primordial angelic beings in simple terms as they are sort of beyond angels) disguised as a high elf named Annatar when he came to the elves pretending to be an emissary from Valinor on behalf of the Valar so it makes sense how alluring the ring is and how strong it’s pull on people is. (A bit too instant in the movies though) Galadriel soon saw right through him and especially when after speaking with him regarding not remembering him when in Valinor long ago where she learned from all the Valar thanks to being dominantly Vanyar/Teleri side over her Noldorin side where she gleaned from that encounter that she did not study under Aulë the Vala with any elf named Annatar ! But later named Sauron by the elves meaning deceiver! After all of this, The three elven rings were made in secret without Saurons touch upon them thanks to Kelebrimbor! Remember Gandalf before he became Gandalf was the same species of entity Sauron used to be!! Wow hey?
The Rings in this case, would have lost their powers eventually due to the lack of the One Ring and possibly because they were designed to defeat evil, & evil in the form of Sauron had been defeated twice already in the past.
The Three Elven Rings served their purpose for a long time. Two out of three of them had several different bearers Unlike the other Rings, the main purpose of the Three is to "heal and preserve", as when Galadriel used Nenya to preserve her realm of Lothlórien over long periods. The Elves made the Three Rings to try to halt the passage of time, or as Tolkien had Elrond say, "to preserve all things unstained". I can expand upon this based on any further statements & questions you have for me as a reply to this comment ! ❤
There is problem here with the Rings, the Three were supposed to be never touched by Sauron and that's why they were not corrupting…Sauron had not taken part in their making which made the Three more 'pure' unsullied by his dark power, unlike the Nine and Seven Rings! But Sauron in the show touched the very material they were made of!!! So technically he could have tainted them and corrupted!
Even appendices of Lot tell us the order of making the rings, so they didn't even need the righs to more detailed writings in UT or Silmarillion:
1200
Sauron endeavours to seduce the Eldar. Gil-galad refuses to treat with him; but the smiths of Eregion are won over. The Númenoreans begin to make permanent havens.
c. 1500
The Elven-smiths instructed by
Sauron reach the height of their skill.
They begin the forging of the Rings of Power.
c. 1590
The Three Rings are completed in Eregion.
c. 1600
Sauron forges the One Ring in
Orodruin. He completes the Barad-dûr. Kelebrimbor perceives the designs of Sauron.
1693
War of the Elves & Sauron begins.
The Three Rings are hidden."
'Did you not hear me, Gloin?' said Elrond. 'The Three were not made by Sauron, nor did he ever touch them.
But of them it is not permitted to speak. So much only in this hour of doubt I may now say. They are not idle. But they were not made as weapons of war or conquest: that is not their power. Those who made them did not desire strength or domination or hoarded wealth, but understanding, making, and healing, to preserve all things unstained.
These things the Elves of Middle-earth have in some measure gained, though with sorrow. But all that has been wrought by those who wield the Three will turn to their undoing, and their minds and hearts will become revealed to Sauron, if he regains the One."
42:30 That war cry actually has greater meaning than simply being a rallying war cry that it appears as in the movie, it explain better in the books, but basically this scene shows that the Riders of Rohan know that they are riding to their death, but have overcome their fear of death and the coming darkness and change their fear to courage and are prepared to ride with their King to battle and fight and die to halt the coming darkness
42:40 Well in terms of numbers the Largest battle would have to be Battle Stalingard, which lasted over 5 months, it began with the attacking Germans having 270,000 soldiers and the Russians having 187,000 soldiers. By the time the Russian began their counter offensive the German had 600,000 soldiers and the Russians had 1,143,000 men and by the end of the battle the Germans lost between 747,300-1,068,374 soldiers and the Russians lost 1,129,619 soldiers.
Now if you are asking for the biggest non-siege singular battle, then The Battle of Leipzig would be you answer, it was one of Napoleon's few military defeats, where after his disaster campaign into Russia he faced off against a combine allied army of Russia, Britain, Prussia, Austria, Sweden and other Smaller kingdoms, which totaled 365,000 soldiers, while Napoleon had 195,000, most of which were made up of raw recruits who were rushed through their training, since Napoleon had lost most of his best men in his Campaigns into Russia and Spain. By the end of the battle Napoleon lost 60,000-79,000 soldiers and the allies lost 54,000-80,000 soldiers.
Another battle I should mention is the battle or siege of Vienna, this was the battle that inspired Tolkien's battle/siege of Minas Tirth here, the battle involved the Ottoman Turks and several Christian Kingdoms that include the Holy Roman Empire, the Poland-Lithuania Commonwealth, Sweden and several other smaller Germans states/kingdoms. Like the Orcs the Ottomans besieged Vienna, where like with Minas Tirth if the Ottomans took Vienna it would have left Europe open to invasion by them. The Ottomans had a army of about 150,000 men with the Defeaters of Vienna having about 16,000. After two months the city was on the verge of falling until a relief Christian army of about 65,000 soldiers arrived from allied Christian nations/kingdoms. During the battle the allied Christian cavalry was able to form up on the extreme right of the Ottoman army and outflank them. The Cavalry was led by the King of the Poland-Lithuania Commonwealth Stanisław Jan Jabłonowski when the cavalry was in position King Jabłonowski led 3,000 of his elite Wing Hussars, (The Polish Winged Hussars were one of the best Cavalry forces to ever exist in Europe winning many battles with their devastating charges even when vastly outnumbered), along with 15,000 other allied Christian cavalry, making for a grand total of 18,000 horsemen and thus making it the largest cavalry charge in history to this day. It was this charge that completely destroyed the Ottoman army and sent them running and it is what inspired Tolkien to write the charge of the Rohirrim here. By the end of the battle the Ottomans lost between 50,0000-70,000 soldiers, while the allied Christians nations/kingdoms lost just over 16,000 soldiers.
LOL he remembered Gimli but didnt say a word when legolas entered lmao
It makes me really happy to stumble across these three reaction videos. I'm 56, I'm a lifelong fan of Tolkien and these movies. Your takes are fresh and funny and though I might go "NO THAT'S NOT WHAT THAT MEANS?!" it still makes me smile. Sam is the hero. Mr. Every-hobbit, saves the day.
Elves who tire of living in the terrible world of men (so many wars! Ugh! SO DIRTY!) build boats and sail to Elvish Heaven (called Valinor - BTW, the little helicopter on Mars, the Ingenuity probe, stopped working and they named where it "died" the Valinor Hills). Because Sam was so hurt by the Ring, and being stabbed by a Nazgul, and stung by the spider (her name was Shelob, and she's a spider-shaped DEMON) - Arwen said, "I'm staying here with my husband, Aragorn, you can sail in my place and Valinor will give you peace from all that pain."
Théoden, son of Thengel was never a coward. He always did what he thought was best for his people. He was always first in line in a fight, leading, commanding and making hard decisions. He lost hope, but never his courage.
The largest recorded cavalry charge in history btw was the Charge of the Winged Hussars during the Siege of Vienna, where approximately 18,000 Holy League cavalrymen charged the Ottoman forces
And Gandalf's three eagles were for them, Gollum/Smeagol included
Some have also noticed that Frodo's wound that never healed was an allusion to PTSD, especially one that was borne by soldiers, considering Tolkien himself fought in WW1
Middle Earth Mulan is the best comparison ever!
Yes trebuchets (sling like weapon) and catapults (pull lever weapon) were real historic weapons that were used during sieges. The ladders (not as fantasticalsure) were also used to breach walls.
"Why couldn't he be a floating eyeball who does nice things?"
Sauron was originally a craftsman angel, obsessed with beauty, order and tidiness, and was drawn to serve the first Dark Lord, Morgoth, in order to make everyone behave - Lawful Evil in D&D terms. If he'd stayed away from evil he could have created great things, but he couldn't bring himself to leave sentient creatures alone to do their own messy thing.
Considering your reaction to the Fellowship, I'm also surprised you got teary eyed 😅 However, the happy endings are so well deserved that it doesn't matter. Let's all get teary eyed together 😊
In terms of area, the largest battle of all time was the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
Australia was quite active in that one.
That scream that you said you didn't like when the guy fell off the elephant legolus was killing is called the wilhem scream . It's the most famous and most used scream sound effect used in movies. Used in starwars, Indiana Jones LOR and many may more. Once you notice it you will forever hear it in all movies.
Strawberry ice cream is perfection when made properly, and now I want some.
Considering that not only are these films very complex, but that you're also not familiar with the genre in general, I thought you did very well with the story. I know that many others will have a lot to say about the background; I just hope that they're kind about it and don't spoil your enjoyment after the fact. It's relevant to note that some character or plot misunderstandings stem from the changes that Peter Jackson made to adapt the story to film, so you can't be expected to catch on to those when they've already been obscured.
For example, Theoden's regret wasn't cowardice, it was weakness. He was deeply ashamed that he had fallen under Saruman's spell, nearly resulting in the destruction of his people. One of the choices that Jackson made was to exaggerate the weaknesses of the other human nobility around Aragorn so as to make Aragorn look better by contrast. Helm's Deep was the best possible place for Rohan to make their stand in that situation. At least Jackson did Theoden the courtesy of letting him keep the better part of his character, and not making him an idiot or a coward.
Thank for sharing your journey! Under no circumstances should you allow anyone to talk you into reacting to Rings of Power. Watch it on your own if you want to, but don't waste your time recording and editing that dumpster fire.
So Sauron is actually a Maiar, sort of like a fallen angel. In the books he's never depicted as a literal eye. The "eye of Sauron" is just a metaphor for his awareness or will. Actually he's never given a physical description at all, except for some of the commentaries (e.g. the Silmarillion) which say he can take a fair form. Basically he looks however he wants you to perceive him. He can be beautiful or he can be scary, whatever best suits his purposes in the moment.
Fuck yes! Perfect way to wind down this friday, with the conclusion ive been waiting for to the Trilogy that got me into your channel lol
You did it! 😅 Hard to not get emotional at the end. Still gets me!
Now I can’t unsee what some post said about the hobbits’ expressions in the “you bow to no one” scene. Three of them look surprised and in awe (Merry’s pretty pleased though lol), whereas Pippin’s reads “*finally* I’m getting the respect I deserve.” 😂
That question about the biggest battle…
In the orc tower where Same rescues Frodo: There are two different races of orcs. They hate each other. That is why they are so easy to coax into killing each other.
“It’s a bold strategy cotton” the second time I’ve heard it said on UA-cam today lol I guess everyone has been showing dodgeball some love lol
Lol that's been in my vocabulary for years. That movie is deceptively awesome though
Military history buff and tour guide here - the largest battle in known history is the Battle of Stalingrad from WW2. Just under 2.5 million soldiers engaged and between soldiers and civilians - 1.5 million dead. Truly horrific.
Are you devoid of emotion or are you joking ha! Gandalfs speech to pippin about death is masterful dialogue! 😵
Never mind I can see you fighting back your tears! 😮💨🙏🏽
Sauron was basically an angel type creature ... like Gandalf. They both came from Valinor (heaven). Sauron decided to be evil - in the movies, he lost his physical form when the ring got cut off his hand, and he was only able to manifest himself as an eye. Gandalf's mission was to help the free people against Sauron.
Since you’re wearing a Beatles shirt, did you know the 4 wanted to play the 4 hobbits in an adaption. But they never managed to
I have been made aware of this lol. Amazing
I'm pretty sure the fire alert system is partially CGI, as in they overlaid the fire tower onto the mountains, but the landscapes were filmed from helicopter.
I made a DIY witch king helmet for halloween last year. This trilogy has the most beautiful and/or striking costumes
20 years later and that damn spider still creeps me out
Look up the rich history of the Wilhelm scream and it will bug you a lot less lol
The Largest singular battle that ever took place in Middle Earth was the War of Wrath. The original Dark lord Morgoth and his army consisting of Millions of Orcs, evil creatures, Balrogs, and winged fire breathing dragons VS the Host of Valinor which are the literal gods of the tolkein universe and hundreds of thousands of men, elves, and dwarves along with the great eagles of middle earth. The final fight was between a valar enchanted flying ship and Ancalagon the Black which was a dragon the size of a literal mountain. The good side won in the end and Morgoth (suarons boss) and a dark god himself was cast into the endless void for eternity. The sheer scale of the battle makes everything in LOTR, GOT and Narnia combined look like a boring tuesday afternoon. And also left half of Middle earth so devastated with destruction that it sunk beneath the ocean.
Denethor (& Faramir) were
done dirty: Denethor was way more noble & mighty in the books. Not to mention he contended wills with Sauron for decades nonstop & ontop of that even now he was never broken nor could Sauron alter what Denethor would see in the palantir even then he couldn’t control what Denethor had control of which was how he CHOSE to INTERPRET the visions given to him. Using it all to Gondor’s advantage! ❤ he also lit the beacons and got the women & children far away from the city longer ahead of time. So the movie butchered him as well as faramir but they didn’t butcher faramir as badly thankfully. He could have been shown to give Pippen his newest order to light the beacons so then it wouldn’t change the scene much at all as presented! The story here is Faramir’s birth ended up killing his mother Finduilas(named after an elvish princess from the era of Children Of Hùrin was set in);she was a Numenorean woman of the Faithful which her ancestors survived the Cataclysm of Númenor by the way! He was hurt deeply by her death and ontop of that Faramir had the likeness both in temperament as well as his appearance/bearing so he ways reminded of his wife over and over again by Faramir who was just like her, and all it took was a simple look or what-have-you to drive the knife in deeper into his heart about his wife. But also Aragorn when he went by the name gifted to him as Thorongil Denethor’s father basically overshadowing him from his own father so he is as psychology goes: treated Boromir the same way his father treated Aragorn/Thorongil. Note that Boromir and Faramir are half Númenorean which is a big thing as far as the legendarium goes! And it’s something to note that he treated Boromir like his father treated the clandestine Aragorn as Thorongil.
Denethor actually did many things the movie shows him not doing or neglecting. He was VERY competent and mighty in many craft and (even a lore-master to a degree). He had quite alot of mental and “magical” might which is why he could contend with Sauron too without being harmed in there process in any way!
Binged your reactions to these tonight, glad to see you go from skeptical to really appreciating what these movies did, and how epic this story is. I saw these in the theaters as they came out, and what a ride that was. The extended cuts don't fill in blanks as much as they add to the plot that has been established as you've seen it.
They are certainly worth a watch if you enjoyed this trilogy. The Hobbit movies less so. Better to just read the book for that one. That is Bilbo's story, 60 years prior to this one. It is one of my favorite books as well.
Thanks for noticing the genuine fandom that started to creep in
You mention, regarding Aragorn's pardoning of the ghosts 'He must have some pull with the Man upstairs' . And.. kinda. Not only is he a direct descendant of the guy who cursed them in the first place, but Aragorn's also descended from a literal angel-figure(Melian), who existed beside THE God. (Middle-Earth exists in the World(Reality, if you will..), which has a pantheon of gods/greater angels in charge, but outside and above that is the big big guy Himself).
Aragorn is, to all intents and purposes, descended directly from the divine.
regarding CGI: There is barely any in these movies. It's almost all make-up, practical effects and real shots. CGI was mostly only used for Gollum, non-human-like creatures and to maximize troop sizes. And regarding the shots, keep in mind, this has been made before drones became a thing. They used helicopters to get those amazing overhead and overland shots.
If you're interested, there is extended behind the scenes material. About 12 hours. It's well worth checking out.