Joxer

First off, I have not read the books, so if the answer to any of my questions is explaned in the books, just say that. Also, if something here will possibly be explained in the next movie, just say that rather than answering the question.

1. In FOTR, why was there Elvish magic protecting a Dwarven mine/home? (Meaning the "Mines of Moria")

2. TTT, Back in FOTR Arwen said she chose a mortal life, yet Elrond said that she would live forever. My thinking is, is that Elrond didn't know Arwen gave her necklace to Aragorn, thus he didn't know she had become mortal.

3. In TTT, the trees destroy the dam, causing Isengard(sp) to flood. However, in FOTR there was a flyby of Isengard, and there was no dam to be seen, it was all flat ground.

I think that is all for now. If I remember any others I will post them.

covenant

1. Back in the day, the Elves of Eregion (the land west of Moria) and the Dwarves worked together in harmony. Sauron destroyed those Elves in the second age.

2. Arwen indeed gave the necklace to Aragorn, but I believe they (Peter Jackson and company) are trying to be suspenseful concerning her final decision until the last movie. I'm not sure biologically when she loses her immortality, instantly upon her decision or if it drains away slowly.

3. In the book, The Ents diverted the flow of a river (the Entwash?) Which filled up all the mines around Orthanc. The movie is just different I suppose.

matrixrok9

What about Samwise saying to Farimir something like "you're bro died because he wanted to get the ring and it made him crazy." Wroooong, his bro died because he protected the Hobbits. Damn that Samwise, lying to Farimir!

The Bus

My question has to do with the Gondor city scenes where the Ringwraith looks for Frodo. Before the Ringwraith there's all this attacking and fighting going on and then suddenly after Frodo has the showdown on the wall, there's no more attacking. Say it with me, "Huh???"

Also, the flyby on the dam in the first picture was a bit closer -- the dam is quite aways away and obscured from view (esp. since it's dark). You can see in the first scene of Isengard that it is surrounded by mountains, although obviously at thayt point in the movie no dam was built.

Third question, probably in the book: Why did he cut down so many trees? Where they being used as fuel for the fires? I can't imagine he needed so many...

pagansoul

I see Frodo and the Wraith/Dragon scene as a slow-motion focus that simply made the background havoc go away. There was still fighting going on, it just wasn't important.


The part about the trees being cut down, yes they were used to fuel the fires to make the weapons but also the Orc's and et al hate trees and would cut them all down given enough time.

buckee1

Stupid Fat Hobbit!!-Gollum

Inverse

covenent: In the books, the ents also destroy dams to flood Isengard.

The Bus: The orcs and Saruman cut down the trees for constructiion and fuel, yes, but they also cut them down for the sheer hell of it--they just don't care what happens to the forest. (Tolkien was something of an environmentalist.)

My question is: in the movie, how did Merry know they would find the trees cut down if they went south towards Isengard? He's never been there.

Josh H

Sam and Frodo had no way of knowing what happened to Boromir.

Frodo simply know he tried to take the ring from him and he escaped, and Sam would have known only what Frodo told him.

He was just saying what he assumed had happened. It's really true from a certain point of view. I mean if he hadn't tried to take the ring, the fellowship wouldn't have broken (at least not that soon) and they may have defeated or avoided the band of Uruk Hai chasing them, and Boromir might have lived.

Harlock415

When Arwen chooses a mortal life, she still will not grow old, but will have to endure the tragedy of watching her husband wither. There's more details in the Appendixes. But in general, Elves cannot die, less they are slain or die of grief.

RaMMaR

... clearing the forest around Isengard would also aid in preventing sneak attacks.
Wasn't it Pippin's idea to go to Isengard after Merry told him of the ultimate futility of returning to the serenity of The Shire? If i remember correctly, since Saruman's forces were preoccupied at Helms Deep, Pip's plan was to steal away to Isengard - to do what, i have no idea (i only read "The Hobbit" and TFOTR and been meaning to read the rest).

cdollaz

Faromir asked Frodo if he would be surprised that Boromir was dead. I guess without knowing he had been slain in battle, Frodo and Sam assume it had something to do with him trying to get the ring.

jim_cook87

The movie does not communicate this but a key fact is that Arwen is not a true elf she is half-elf, as is Elrond. (The lineage is that Beren, a human, married Luthien, together they had Dior, half-elf. All of Dior's descendant's would then be half-elves. Dior is Elrond's Grandfather.) As a half-elf they can choose the immortal life of an elf or the mortal life of man. Though rare a few half-elves did choose the mortal life.

The first King of Numenor, Elros, was a half-elf that chose the mortal life of men. Arwen also chooses the mortal life, she will pass in 121 of the Fourth Age. Though at the time of the discussion with Elrond, we can assume she has yet to make that decision and Elrond assumes she has chosen or will choose to be counted among the elves...

And it's not entirely true to say that elves are immortal. Tolkein, in some of his writings, made it clear that elves did age and weary, but that they were sufficiently long lived to be seen as immortal by Man. But, that's nit-picking, on my part (and Tolkein's.)

RichardW

I think he said something about it being the last place Saruman would look for them.

DeputyDave

On watching the movie again: when riding on the branches above TreeBeard's head they could see over the tree line and clearly see that Isengard was surounded by deforrested earth (this was when they saw the army leaving). Also when Tree Beard mentioned that there was always smoke rising from Isengard, the hobbits got this look as if they were getting an idea.

Inverse

Oops. Yes, it was Pippen who had the idea of going to Isengard, not Merry.

It made more sense to me after I saw the movie a second time. In addition to what DeputyDave said, Merry and Pippen also saw their kidnappers chop down trees at the start. So they know that Sauruman's orcs aren't fond of trees, and vice versa.

thunnus

Like many posters here, I did not care for the film's treatment of Faramir. Tolkien defines the greatness of his characters by their deeds, specificially in response to the temptation of the Ring. We acknowledge that Gandalf, Aragorn and Galadriel are great because they are able to resist that temptation. Faramir belongs in that group. It is doubly disappointing because Faramir's greatest quality is supposed to be wisdom.

Another gripe I have is Frodo. I, too, am sick of his endless whining and rolling around clutching at the ring. I know that this struggle is a key characteristic of his journey to Mordor but c'mon, give us some redeeming qualities too.

I really liked the first half of the movie. The actor playing Eomer was great. I wish they showed more of him.

thunnus

Oops sorry, wrong thread! This was supposed to go in the "Problems with TTT" thread.