Among all of the instances where theLord of the Ringsfilms bring moments from the books to life, some of the most impressive moments happen in battle. That being said, some of those attacks outrank others when considering the circumstances and the grandness of the attack. It is nearly impossible to examine a story centered around a journey, without examining the moments where conflict makes an appearance in the adventure, often coming in the form of combat.
It is difficult to put them in an order because they all possess a different significance, so it makes more sense tosimply acknowledge these attacksas having particular importance. Some attacks stand out for the physical choreography that make them up but many are impressive for what they reveal about the character, internally. That being said, they will simply be listed in chronological order.
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To begin, in theFellowship of the Ring, Gandalf casts the Balrog into the shadows. When it seems that all hope is lost in escaping the Balrog, Gandalf stays back on the bridge to prevent the Balrog from pursuing the others in his classic “You shall not pass!” scene.
He stands on the bridge andcasts the creature outwith his words and the light of his power, slamming his staff down on the bridge. As a result, when the Balrog takes its next step, the bridge goes crumbling down, taking the Balrog with it. The scene ends with the devastating moment where the Balrog’s whip entangles Gandalf’s leg and he is pulled down to his death. Fortunately for the hearts of fans, he is later revived.
Next, is the fellowship protecting Frodo from the Cave Troll in Balin’sTomb. This one is a bit of a group effort, though it is Legolas that finally makes the precise kill shot.When Frodo is being attacked, Aragorn steps in with his blade to confront the troll but is brushed aside. Merry and Pippin then serve as distractions while Legolas lines up the perfect shot and shoots the troll in its head, bringing it down. It was a difficult fight for even multiple characters to take down the massive creature but they were ultimately successful because of how well they functioned as a team and had each other’s backs.
Lastly, toward the end of the first film, Boromir takes on the Uruk Hai on his own to protect the Hobbits. In this moment, Boromir realizes thathe has made a serious mistakewith Frodo and his guilt drives him to make up for it however he must– even if it means risking his life. Boromir plows through the Uruk Hai, alone, impressively fighting them off. Even when the leader of the Uruk Hai, Lurtz, begins shooting him, Boromir does not fall. He fights until his final moment, helping to ward off the enemies.
In theTwo Towers, the most notable attack is the last march of the Ents. Another group effort, it was reflective of the spirit ofEnts as a people. It defied the common tropes of trees staying planted where they root by having them literally fight back for the sake of nature in this war.
Though it did take them a while to be convinced to join, their involvement seemed to turn the battle around. They march out, moving like the forest was an ocean, and attack by throwing rocks or ripping things apart, displaying their underestimated strength. They finally break the dam to the river which wipes away the remainder of Uruk Hai.
The remainder of the significant attacks take place in theReturn of the King. First,Sam saves Frodo from Shelobat Minas Morgul. After being turned against Sam and convinced to take a “short cut” through Shelob’s lair by a conniving Gollum, Frodo finds himself in the demon Spider’s den.
Frodo calls Gollum out on his attempt, to which Gollum pounces on him. Frodo falls and is separated from Gollum only to run into Shelob, where he is paralyzed by her and wrapped in her web. Samwise, being the loyal friend he is, had followed Frodo and now jumps in to save his friend. He usesthe phial of light from Galadrieland the elvish blade, Sting, to send the spider crawling back into the darkness.
Next, Eowyn defends King Theoden from the Witch King of Angmar with woman power. As Theoden is wounded by the Nazgul’s leader, Eowyn jumps in, disguised as a male warrior, and fights off the creature. She beheads his Fell beast and, with a little back up from Merry who she carried into battle with her, she stabs him directly in the face while uttering her iconic line.
Lastly, when Frodo fights back against Gollum and the darkness of the ring. In the final moments ofhis perilous journey with the ring, Frodo is worn down by the ring’s power and is tempted to keep it. Before he can rationalize his decision Gollum attacks him, biting off Frodo’s finger to claim the ring but Frodo then attacks Gollum in response, plunging at him. They both fall off the ledge toward the fiery pit below them. Frodo is able to catch the ledge while Gollum sinks toward his demise, the oblivious look of success covering his face. This is Frodo’s final attack and the final attack made in the name of the ring.
These moments in the three films are not onlyintensely suspenseful and entertaining to watch, but they all reveal something about who the characters involved really are. In other words, these moments in the films show the true colors of many of these characters. They test the characters and, in most cases, the characters pass the test and teach the audience a lesson in the process. Battle scenes in theLord of the Ringstrilogy are not simply for action-packed entertainment, but they represent the external and internal battles of all people and leave viewers feeling inspired.
