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Return of the King, Book IV, Chapter I: The Tower of Cirith Ungol:
As he gazed at it suddenly Sam understood, almost with a shock, that this stronghold had been built not to keep enemies out of Mordor, but to keep them in. It was indeed one of the works of Gondor long ago, an eastern outpost of the defences of Ithilien, made when, after the Last Alliance, ...
answered Nov 17 '16 at 18:00
Victim of Circumstance
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106
Yes, he lost his finger
In the film, Frodo loses the top part of his left index finger. The first image in your question proves this, and we can see Gollum discard it in another shot:
This is notably in contrast to the text, where Frodo loses the ring finger of his right hand (emphasis mine):
[Sam] sat up and then he saw that Frodo was lying beside him, ...
101
It didn't
Gimli is only saying poetically that he prefers Galadriel to Arwen. Arwen is never referred to as "the Morningstar". You may be confused by the dialogue between Gimli and Éomer:
‘But first I will plead this excuse,’ said Éomer. ‘Had I seen [Galadriel] in other company, I would have said all that you could wish. But now I will put Queen ...
87
The Ring protected itself. Each person who saw the Ring was drawn to it, sometimes quite out of character.
Isildur took the Ring from Sauron's hand and, even though he knew what it was and what harm it had done and with Elrond counselling him to destroy it, could not bear to destroy it which, physically, would have been easy, since they were already on the ...
81
It was Sauron's power, intimately connected to that of the Ring, which fuelled them.
Here's the actual text of the book describing what happens to the host at the Black Gate during the events at Orodruin:
But the Nazgûl turned and fled, and vanished into Mordor’s shadows, hearing a sudden terrible call out of the Dark Tower; and even at that moment all the ...
74
They were likely built by Sauron's servants to quickly go from Minas Morgul to the Tower of Cirith Ungol
But there's not much to go on. It would appear that the Tower was built at the beginning of the Third Age, but that the pass is much older, probably a natural feature of the mountain range. It seems likely to me that the Witch-king had the stairs built ...
71
Gollum knows what's common knowledge among the servants of Sauron
In the book The Two Towers, Sam asks Gollum more or less the same question as you're asking, in a typically suspicious manner:
‘No, no indeed,’ said Gollum. ‘Hobbits must see, must try to understand. He does not expect attack that way. His Eye is all round, but it attends more to some places ...
70
Based purely on conjecture, I believe it's because the scene where the ent draught is taken, only appears in the extended release.
While it still happens, for the cinema release it wasn't there, so, it would have been rather strange for the audience to have Merry and Pippin be suddenly and inexplicably taller.
Of course, perhaps they should have changed ...
69
Simply put: He was in despair because of the loss of his kingdom, the loss of his sons, and the (probable) loss of his right to rule.
He didn't want to become Sauron's slave
He didn't want to serve Aragorn
He didn't want his body preserved
He didn't have any of his sons left
His House had effectively ended
His Kingdom was coming to an end
Denethor knew of ...
67
The complete quote from the book is:
'Yes,' said Frodo. 'But do you remember Gandalf's words: Even Gollum may have something yet to do? But for him, Sam, I could not have destroyed the Ring. The Quest would have been in vain, even at the bitter end. So let us forgive him! For the Quest is achieved, and now all is over. I am glad you are here with me. Here ...
67
Sauron could not fathom that a stronger person being in the company of the ring wouldn't wrest it from the halfling. So while he knew up until Amon-Hen it was on the finger of the halfling, Aragorn showed himself to Sauron and in doing so dragged his attention away from the Morgul Vale and onto himself, Minas Tirith and the Host of the West.
Now Sauron ...
50
In this scene, Elrond shows why:
In text, the relevant conversation is as follows:
Elrond: "The time of the Elves is over, my people are leaving these shores. Who will you look to when we've gone? The Dwarves? They hide in their mountains seeking riches, they care nothing for the troubles of others."
Gandalf: "...
50
You are comparing the Uruk-Hai to humans or elves, which isn't a very relevant comparison. Instead, compare them to the other breeds of orcs that serve Sauron, which the Uruk-Hai were bred as a replacement for.
Here is a confrontation between the Uruk-Hai and some northern Orcs. Uglúk is the Uruk-Hai, Grishnákh is the northern Orc. Emphases are mine. (Book ...
answered Apr 26 '17 at 17:30
Avner Shahar-Kashtan
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50
Gandalf was indeed a steward of Middle-earth
The mission the Istari were sent on was to guide the free people's of Middle-earth against Sauron. As such, the five members of the order can be considered stewards of Middle-earth, however where 4 failed Gandalf succeeded. Gandalf states this quite clearly before saying the line you quote in your question.
The ...
45
The white gem given to him by Arwen
Arwen, in the chapter "Many Partings" had given Frodo a white gem to help him with his hurts and pains. It is this gem that Frodo continues to wear and that is seen above. This is one of the very few mentions of the gem, most of which give no more description than below:
But the Queen Arwen said: ‘A gift I will ...
45
This is covered in the same source you quote, in the essay titled "The Istari"
At the time of this Tale, however, we find Gandalf always called Mithrandir in Gondor (by men of rank or Númenórean origin, as Denethor, Faramir, etc.). This is Sindarin, and given as the name used by the Elves; but men of rank in Gondor knew and used this language. The ...
44
He was speaking figuratively.
Obviously he didn't plan to keep his sword actually unsheathed, for reasons of safety on several different levels, for the many days it would obviously take until he reached the last battle.
I've wondered about this exact same thing (hey, I'm a pedant too!) and satisfied myself with the following version, which captures the ...
44
It's very likely that Sauron was actively searching for the Hobbits within Mordor, but the only perspective that we get is that of Frodo and Sam, so any search efforts would be happening off-screen or off-page. But, assuming that a search was happening, Sauron had one big problem. He had just recently committed most of his forces, including the Nazgul, to ...
41
It doesn't need to be activated by the words. It's activated when a person of strong spirit (and hope) wields it.
Seen in the case of Frodo when he first remembers of the Phial:
'The star-glass?' muttered Frodo, as one answering out of sleep.... 'Why yes! Why had I forgotten it? A light when all other lights go out! And now indeed light alone can help us.'
...
41
Yes and no.
Yes, because Gimli was a stubborn dwarf and devoted to Galadriel and had Eomer insisted, he would have fought.
But no, not really, because as the tone of the quoted passage shows (and is supported by the personalities they show in the book which are of intelligent warriors) they approached each other knowing full well what the other would say. ...
40
For comparison, Pippin remains in the city in the corresponding section of the book.
...Pippin got up and peered out. At that moment he caught a flash of white and silver coming from the North, like a small star down on the dusky fields. It moved with the speed of an arrow and grew as it came, converging swiftly towards the Gate...
But now the dark ...
37
"The hands of the King are the hands of a healer"
Then an old wife, Ioreth, the eldest of the women who served in that house, looking on the fair face of Faramir, wept, for all the people loved him. And she said: ‘Alas! if he should die. Would that there were kings in Gondor, as there were once upon a time, they say! For it is said in old lore: ...
36
Gandalf couldn't heal those people himself
Gandalf didn't forget about Aragorn or his healing skills, he's waiting for the battle to end. During that time, he does what he can, but he is no healer.
Waiting for Aragorn
Gandalf seems to be waiting for the "red sunset". He knows the battle will be over at that time and that Aragorn will be available.
[......
36
As with any accident investigation you need to identify the 'actual and proximate' causes of the incident.
The primary cause of the destruction of the Barad-Dur complex (and the ground surrounding Mordor) seems to have been the destruction of the Ring of Power and the loss of the magic that Sauron used to support his tower, despite it being probably being ...
35
It's not especially clear in the book since we don't actually see his death. He's obviously delighted to have the ring back, but he doesn't seem happy about falling, nor the fact that he's landed in painful lava.
But Gollum, dancing like a mad thing, held aloft the ring, a finger still thrust within its circle. It shone now as if verily it was wrought of ...
35
This is confirmed in Tolkiens Unfinished Index to be the
"Dungeons of Torment under Barad-Dûr".
905 (III: 182). the Black Pits - 'Dungeons of torment under Barad-dur'
"Unfinished index for The Lord of the Rings", in The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 603
Given that Shagrat and the orcs of Cirith Ungol were soldiers of ...
35
Queen Arwen had "a white gem like a star that lay upon her breast hanging upon a silver chain". Before Frodo returned home, she gave Frodo a white gem -- probably that same one:
But the Queen Arwen said: ‘A gift I will give you. For I am the daughter of Elrond. I shall not go with him now when he departs to the Havens: for mine is a choice of ...
33
It's not big. When Galadriel gives it to Sam, she says:
'For you little gardener and lover of trees,' she said to Sam, 'I have only a small gift.' She put into his hand a little box of plain grey wood, unadorned save for a single silver rune upon the lid. 'Here is set G for Galadriel,' she said; 'but also it may stand for garden in your tongue. In this ...
32
The primary clues lie in the description of Faramir's healing.
Now Aragorn knelt beside Faramir, and held a hand upon his brow. And those that watched felt that some great struggle was going on. For Aragorn's face grew grey with weariness; and ever and anon he called the name of Faramir, but each time more faintly to their hearing, as if Aragorn himself ...
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