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According to this answer :

Recall Gimli's and and Legolas's contest at Helm's Deep which Gimli won 42-41 (or 43-42 in the movie).

We all know that the books and movie differ in many places, but this particular instance seems especially pointless.

Is it ever explained why Peter Jackson increased the number of kills by 1 for each character?

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  • 26
    To adjust for inflation? ;)
    – Mac Cooper
    Apr 22, 2015 at 12:11
  • 6
    Oh if that were the only pointless deviation from the books...
    – DevSolar
    Apr 22, 2015 at 12:40
  • 3
    He had to account for the Mumakil.
    – Omegacron
    Apr 22, 2015 at 13:51
  • 2
    That's a completely different battle.
    – IG_42
    Apr 22, 2015 at 14:21
  • 2
    Because the films are nonsense.
    – Rand al'Thor ♦
    Jan 17, 2017 at 14:58

1 Answer 1

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16

If I remember rightly the statistic is never read out in the book. Legolas and Gimli are reunited after they get separated and Gimli says:

"Forty-two, Master Legolas!" he cried. "Alas! My axe is notched; the forty-second had an iron collar on his neck. How is it with you?"

"You have passed my score by one," answered Legolas. "But I do not grudge you the game, so glad am I to see you on your legs!"

When you're writing a script from notes in the book it's easier to imagine someone noting down the number 42, then a note "score passed by one" or something like that, but adding one instead of removing one.

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  • 3
    I didn't downvote this, but it's more of an opinion than an answer.
    – Daft
    Apr 22, 2015 at 12:41
  • 9
    It started as a comment but go too long including the quote, if someone comes up with any better explanation I'll delete it, but I thought it was worth mentioning
    – Mikey Mouse
    Apr 22, 2015 at 12:43
  • 4
    Perhaps the only reason the numbers were increased is that one of the scriptwriters thought 43-42 sounds better than 42-41.
    – maguirenumber6
    May 13, 2015 at 17:15
  • 3
    Interesting that script writing & computer programming have 2 things in common: off-by-one errors.
    – Detective Chimp
    Jan 17, 2017 at 15:47
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    "Why can't people just learn to live together in peace and harmony?" said Legolas. Gimli gave a loud, very hollow laugh. "Forty-two, Master Legolas!" he cried. "Alas! Doesn't work, never mind." --The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Shire
    – Jeroen Mostert
    Dec 23, 2017 at 13:00

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