Summary
The additional scenes in the extended edition ofThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kingserve the story well by wrapping up character arcs that are otherwise left as loose threads and broadening the characterizations of other Middle Earth heroes. Since Peter Jackson’sLord of the Ringstrilogy debuted in theaters, the extended editions have become the default versions to watch for the most dedicated fans.Many will find after watching the extendedLord of the Ringsmovies that the theatrical versions are lacking,with the absence of certain impactful scenes painfully standing out.
The additional scenes of the extendedReturn of the Kingadd almost an hour to the movie’s runtime, but it is well worth it. Some of these scenes finish storylines that people who have only watched the movies might have wondered about, such as what happened to Saruman (Christopher Lee).TheLord of the Ringsbooks are incredibly detailed and extremely difficult to adaptwithin a reasonable movie runtime. Yet themost important new scenes in the extendedLord of the Ringsmovieschange the story in vital ways, making it seem like the only way to do justice to the story.
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13The Voice Of Saruman
Saruman speaks with Gandalf and is killed by Grima.
Without this additional scene,Saruman’s fate in theLord of the Ringsmoviesis a mystery. In the book, he takes refuge in the Shire following his defeat at Helm’s Deep, leading to a battle with the Hobbits when the main characters return home. In the newReturn of the Kingscene,Gandalf (Ian McKellen) offers Saruman one last chance to return to the side of good,while King Théoden (Bernard Hill) offers his former advisor Grima Wormtongue (Brad Dourif) the chance to redeem himself as well. In a display of their villainy, both refuse and Grima kills Saruman.
12The Decline Of Gondor
Gandalf sheds light on the history of Gondor.
The entire movie builds up to the titular"return of the king,“as well as the fall of Sauron. Gandalf offers some vital and interesting information about the circumstances surrounding this when he explains the decline of Gondor since the disappearance of its true king to Pippin (Billy Boyd).Gondor is an example in fiction of a kingdom dependent upon a certain lineage of kings,and Denethor’s (John Noble) corrupt rule has been the norm for many generations. Even his sons, Boromir (Sean Bean) and Faramir (David Wenham) are both relatively noble characters but are shown to have the potential to be corrupted by dark forces.
11The Wizard’s Pupil
Faramir reports back to his father.
In “The Wizard’s Pupil,” Faramir tells Denethor that he allowed Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) to leave with the One Ring. Denethor is furious and says that Boromir would have brought him the Ring, while Faramir asserts that the Ring is too dangerous to be used under any circumstances and that even Boromir would have fallen. Denethor then has a brief hallucination of Boromir, before snapping at Faramir to leave. This scene highlights more of the dynamics among this family, Denethor’s greed, and howFaramir is becoming a wiser man and coming to terms with his brother’s mistakes.
10Peregrin Of The Tower Guard
Faramir welcomes Pippin to the city’s tower guard.
The Hobbits' courage makes them worthy comrades in arms of even the most highly trained warriors.
After telling Denethor that he will serve him loyally, Pippin is musing over the foolishness of his choice, wondering what he even has to offer. Faramir then appears and assures him that it was a noble thing to do, and tells Pippin that the armor they brought him was actually his when he was a child.This scene is ultimately another example of the kinship and respect forming between the Hobbits and the rest of Middle Earth,reinforced by how the Hobbits' courage makes them worthy comrades in arms of even the most highly trained warriors.
9The Corsairs Of Umbar
Jackson cut an earlier scene of Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) leveraging the power of their new ghost allies in favor of the perhaps more effective entrance of them all arriving at the battlefield. However,the addition of Aragorn’s confrontation with a privateer crew who is obliterated by the Dead King’s army is still interesting,showcasing more interactions among the main characters and how Aragorn might approach a conflict if he is feeling a little more dramatic. Additionally, the scene showcases how average men who have been recruited to Sauron’s forces in the form of the Corsairs of Umbar.
8Merry’s Simple Courage
Merry reassures Éowyn before the battle.
While Pippin is forming a friendship with Faramir andFrodo and Samcontinue their journey into Mordor, Merry (Dominic Monaghan) will become Éowyn’s (Miranda Otto) fellow soldier when they both join the final battle without anyone knowing. Once again, the Hobbits save the day in unexpected ways. Despite her eagerness to fight,Éowyn is harshly realistic about their odds and does not expect to come through the battle.However, Merry offers her a glimmer of hope by telling her that she has much to live for and that he is hoping for the best outcome despite their terrible odds.
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7The Tomb Of The Stewards
Denethor prepares to die.
Seeing that Gondor is doomed, Denethor decides to burn himself alive along with Faramir, who Denethor is acting as though he believes is dead. He also says that they will not rest in the Tomb of the Stewards with the members of their line.This scene shows perhaps a more sympathetic side of Denethor;he is truly devastated by the loss of Boromir, less so by Faramir, the fall of his city, and is losing his sense of judgment. He ultimately does not have the strength to keep fighting the battle as the other characters do despite the impending defeat.
6The Witch King’s Hour
Gandalf fights the Witch King and loses.
A recentstunning cosplay captures Gandalf’s brief fight with the Witch King,an underrated moment in the extended edition ofReturn of the King. During this confrontation, Gandalf’s staff is broken in a symbolically devastating moment. The fact that Gandalf cannot defeat the Witch King is the biggest demonstration of the latter’s threatening nature and how he is one of themost powerful villains inLord of the Rings.This scene makes Éowyn and Merry’s defeat of the Witch King later more triumphant,and they are arguably characters who need the opportunity to prove their worth, more so than Gandalf.
5The Houses Of Healing
Éomer finds Éowyn and brings her to be healed.
“The Houses of Healing” showcases a kind of cathartic peace that comes after the battle.
“The Houses of Healing” showcases a kind of cathartic peace that comes after the battle. Éomer finds his sister unconscious and severely injured on the battlefield; more of Aragorn’s skill is proven by him healing her of her magical wounds.Éowyn wakes up to find herself wondering what to do next after a battle she did not expect to survive,one in which her uncle perished. The scene contains the first hints ofFaramir and Éowyn’s relationship, emphasizing the theme of them both finding peace and happiness after being physically and emotionally ravaged by the war.
4Aragorn Masters The Palantír
Aragorn directly confronts Sauron.
Sauron is such an insubstantial villain that there will be no epic sword fights between him and Aragorn, the King of Gondor who is his greatest enemy. However, the scene whereAragorn masters the Palantír to directly confront and threaten Sauronis possibly more satisfying. It has been established that the Palantír is another dangerous conduit of Sauron’s power. Aragorn never has any scenes where must resist the One Ring, but he manages to use the Palantír for his own purposes and proves his inner strength, even if he is shaken when Sauron shows him visions of Arwen (Liv Tyler).
