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February 17, 2025
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | Summary, Recap, & Review
Relive the final story in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King. We've got a detailed summary, movie review, book and movie differences, and a FAQ.
9
Breathtaking
The third and final Lord of the Rings movie is just as enthralling as the other two. It's action-packed but the amount of CGI needed takes away from the quality.
Pros
Great soundtrack and intense beginning
Epic battle sequences
Gandalf and Pippin duo
Cons
Green screens and some CGI are noticeable
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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkien, is the third and final film directed by Peter Jackson. The story follows Frodo, who is being influenced by the ring’s power, and his journey to destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. His allies fight Sauron’s forces and their last hope of winning lies in Frodo. In this article, we’re covering a detailed plot summary, a categorized movie review, book and movie differences, and answering frequently asked questions.
The Return of the King | Summary & Recap
Smeagol’s Origin
The film begins with Gollum’s backstory, at a time when he was known as Smeagol. Smeagol’s friend, Deagol, is pulled into the water when trying to capture a big fish and he ends up finding the ring at the bottom of the lake. When Smeagol sees the ring, he attacks his friend and they fight for it. He ends up killing his friend for the ring.
Smeagol is shunned and runs to the caves, where his body transforms over time into the creature Gollum. Now, he travels with Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee to Mordor to destroy the ring but plans on leading them to their death so he can take the ring back.
The Palantir
Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli reach Isengaurd and are surprised to find the Ents, Merry, and Pippin. The two Hobbits feast and smoke like kings on the rubble of their enemy. Saruman and Grima are killed. Pippin finds the Palantir, the orb Saruman was using to communicate with Sauron, in the water. Gandalf hides it away.
They all return to Edoras to celebrate their victory with the people of Rohan. That night, out of curiosity, Pippin steals the orb from Gandalf to take a look at it. Sauron sees him, invading Pippin’s mind. He manages to resist and not give up any information. Instead, he sees the Dark Lord’s next target, Minas Tirith.
The City of Minas Tirith
With this knowledge, Gandalf asks King Theoden to answer Gondor’s call for aid when he sees the beacons. The wizard takes Pippin to Minas Tirith to keep him safe from Sauron, who now believes he has the ring. When he arrives, the Steward of Gondor, Denethor, the father of Boromir and Faramir, refuses to do anything about the war. Pippin accidentally swears his service to Denethor when he apologizes for Boromir’s death.
A Vision and a Sword
Arwen is traveling with the group going to the Undying Lands when she sees a faded vision of Aragorn with their son. She quickly returns to her father, Elrond, to confront him. He has seen visions of her death, but he failed to tell her about the visions of her son.
As darkness grows, Arwen is dying since she has given up her immortality for Aragorn. She asks Elrond to mend Isildur’s broken sword, the blade used to defeat Sauron in the last war, and give it to Aragorn.
The Beginning of the End
Sam overhears Gollum talking to himself about killing them. He attacks the creature but Frodo stops him because they need a guide. Unfortunately, without Gollum, they would be lost. They continue on and arrive at Minas Morgul, which is full of Sauron’s forces. The ring begins to draw Frodo towards the fortress and the others have to pull him back. A green light from the tower shoots into the air and the Nazgul and Sauron’s army begin their march.
From Minas Tirith, Gandalf and Pippin can see the light. The war for Middle-Earth has begun.
A Call for Aid
Gandalf gives Pippin a very important task: sneak by guards and light the beacon that the steward refuses to light. He succeeds, starting the chain that eventually leads to the beacon in Rohan. Aragorn sees it and rushes to the king, informing him that Gondor calls for aid. The king agrees to answer the call.
In Osgiliath, Faramir and his men hold off the enemy as they invade from the shore. They’re overwhelmed and, by morning, are forced to retreat to Minas Tirith. As they flee across the flatland between the cities, Nazgul on flying creatures attack and pick them off one by one. Gandalf and Pippin ride out. The wizard uses his light to repel the Ringwraiths and save the few remaining soldiers.
A Promise Broken
Aragorn is preparing for battle with the rest of Rohan when Elrond arrives with the sword. He informs Aragorn of Arwen’s fate should he fail. The Elf knows they are outnumbered and that more of Sauron’s forces are arriving by boat. He tells Aragorn about the men in the mountain who once swore an oath to Isildur and that they will come to the King of Gondor’s aid.
Aragorn tries to leave on his own, but Gimli and Legolas follow him into the mountain. The rest of Rohan set off for battle. Aragorn finds the restless spirits of the men who broke their promise to Isildur and he gives them the chance to fight once again and fulfill their promise.
The Battle Begins
Disappointed in his son’s failure, Denethor tells Faramir to ride out and retake Osgiliath. He obeys, but his entire group is slaughtered. Faramir survives, gravely wounded. Broken at the sight of his unconscious son, the Steward of Gondor tells his soldiers to retreat. Furious, Gandalf knocks Denethor out and takes command of the armies, preparing them for battle as Sauron’s forces launch their assault.
During the battle, Denethor prepares to have Faramir burned. He believes he is dead and Pippin tries to stop him. The Hobbit runs to find Gandalf as they build a pier and douse it with oil. They return just in time, but the steward is determined. He sets the pile of wood on fire with both him and Faramir on it. Pippin saves Faramir and Gandalf knocks Denethor into the fire when he attacks Pippin. Denethor, with his clothes aflame, runs for the edge of the building and jumps to his death.
The Spider’s Lair
Gollum starts trying to convince Frodo that Sam is after the ring, going so far as to frame Sam for eating the last of their food. Sam and Gollum fight, but Frodo takes Gollum’s side and dismisses Sam, telling him to go home. Frodo follows Gollum to a tunnel where a giant spider dwells and convinces him to enter. Frodo becomes lost and it’s only then that he realizes that Gollum betrayed him.
Frodo comes face to face with a giant spider and must flee for his life. He barely makes it out, but Gollum attacks him. He throws Gollum over a cliff. He musters the courage to continue on but the spider sneaks up on him, stabs him with her stinger, and wraps him up in her web.
Taken by the Enemy
Sam turns around to go after Frodo and finds him wrapped up by the spider. He attacks the spider and, with great difficulty, manages to defeat it. He removes the webs from Frodo’s face and believes him to be dead. Sam hears Orcs approaching and hides, but he overhears their conversation and learns that Frodo is not dead, but paralyzed. They take Frodo. Sam has no choice but to follow and save him.
Rohan and Gondor
The knights of Rohan arrive to help Gondor, with Eowyn and Merry hiding in their ranks. They charge into battle, taking down the foot soldiers with ease. Unfortunately, more enemies arrive. The Haradrim, human soldiers, ride atop Oliphaunts that crush any and everyone beneath them.
The strongest Nazgul, known as the Witch King, attacks King Theoden. Eowyn comes to his rescue, defeating the Witch-King. But King Theoden is gravely injured and he dies in Eowyn’s arms.
Army of the Dead
The Orcs wait for Sauron’s forces to arrive by boat, but they’re met with an unpleasant surprise. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli arrive with the dead army and cut them down easily. The dead army overwhelms Sauron’s forces in Minas Tirith, turning the tide of the war. The battle is won and Aragorn holds true to his promise, letting them rest at last.
The Brave Hobbit
Frodo wakes up, half-naked and tied up. The Orcs have taken his clothing, including his Mithril coat. Frodo panics when he realizes the ring is gone. The Orcs begin to fight over it, starting a chain reaction of smaller fights. By the time Sam arrives, most of the Orcs have killed each other. Mustering up the courage, he charges ahead and takes down the few that remain in his path.
He finds Frodo and reveals that he took the ring when he thought Frodo was dead. He goes to give it back to him but hesitates. He overcomes whatever temptation he feels and returns the ring. The two Hobbits leave the fortress and finally make it to Mordor. Now, the only thing that stands between them and Mount Doom is another army and the Eye of Sauron.
The Last Stand
Gandalf knows Frodo has finally reached Mordor, beyond his sight. Aragorn suggests that they go to the Black Gate and distract the enemy so Frodo and Sam can finish their mission. It’s not a battle they can win, but they must make the sacrifice in order for Frodo to succeed. They march to the Black Gate. They’re quickly surrounded by enemies on all sides, but it distracts Sauron and gives Frodo the opening he needs. The two Hobbits reach the base of Mount Doom, the last of their energy giving out as they begin the climb.
The Ring’s Destruction
Frodo and Sam are nearly at the door that leads inside the volcano when Gollum attacks them. Sam fights him and Frodo desperately continues to the top. Sam catches up just in time to see Frodo standing at the edge of the walkway and holding the ring over the edge. Frodo decides that he will keep the ring for himself and puts it on. Gollum attacks him again and bites off Frodo’s finger to get the ring. The two fight and roll off the edge. Gollum falls into the lava with the ring and Sam pulls Frodo back to safety.
The tower that holds the Eye of Sauron begins to collapse and his army flees. The fellowship and their army celebrate Frodo’s victory, but that quickly turns to despair when they see Mount Doom erupt.
The King’s Return
Gandalf, riding on the back of a giant eagle, finds Sam and Frodo still alive on a rock. He saves them. Frodo wakes up, surprised to see Gandalf alive. He is reunited with the Fellowship. Aragorn is crowned King of Gondor and reunited with Arwen. The Hobbits return to the Shire, but they’re forever changed. Sam marries Rosie and gets his happy ending.
Four years pass and Frodo is still haunted by his past. He writes his own book, alongside Bilbo’s. He travels to see his aged uncle, promising one last adventure. Bilbo joins the Elves and Gandalf as they journey for the Undying Lands. Frodo reveals to Sam, Merry, and Pippin that he too will be going and they say their heartfelt goodbyes. He gives the book to Sam, who returns home to his family.
The Return of the King | Review
CGI and Visuals | 7/10
For the epic finale, it seemed to me that they chose quantity over quality and, with so much that still needed to be told, this was unavoidable. To me, the CGI was worse compared to the first two films. Too many times to count, I could tell that the background was a green screen, while this only happened a few times with the older movies.
Of course, they had so much to CGI and a budget can only go so far, so this is forgivable. The movie was still very enjoyable, but as the finale, it’s expected to be visually better than its predecessors.
Storyline and Plot Development | 8/10
The entire movie was action-packed, leading up to the climactic end. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Aragorn and Gandalf’s story, like Aragorn enlisting the Dead Army and Gandalf taking control of the army in Minas Tirith. Frodo’s story felt rather repetitive since it is still similar to the same events of the last two movies, but the stakes were higher.
Character Development | 9/10
Each character reaches their peak development. Frodo is nearly taken over by the power of the ring, despite being so resistant to it before. He kept trying to give the ring to everyone in the first movie but now he cannot bear to part with it. If it weren’t for Gollum attacking him, Frodo might have never destroyed the ring.
The others develop too, but I think Pippin’s is the best. For the first time, he and Merry are separated so there’s no one to keep him in check. He helps light the beacons, calling for allies, and risks his own life to save Faramir.
Sound and Music | 10/10
The sound and music are perfect. The same Lord of the Rings theme plays, but it feels sinister. The moment that stood out most to me was the beginning when Smeagol was strangling Deagol. The sound of a racing heartbeat that gradually slows as Deagol dies made my own adrenaline rise at that moment, which is a wonderful way to quickly draw your audience in.
I also really enjoyed Pippin singing a solemn song while Faramir and his men marched into battle. It was hauntingly beautiful.
Reception and Impact | 10/10
The audience reception is pretty much equal to that of the last two movies. They enjoyed the way the finale played out. There were some people disappointed that certain scenes were cut out, like Saruman’s death, but those are in the Extended Edition.
Final Score | 9/10
The Return of the King | Book and Movie Differences
Saruman’s Death
His death is only shown in the extended cut. If you watched the standard one, it seems like he is still in Isengard being guarded by Treebeard. In the extended cut, Saruman speaks to Gandalf and Theoden from atop his tower. He strikes Grima, who turns around and stabs Saruman in the back. Legolas shoots Grima in an attempt to save the wizard, but it is too late. Saruman falls from the tower and is impaled by one of his machines.
In the books, after Sauron has been destroyed, the Hobbits find Saruman in the Shire, leading the greedy Hobbits and bandits. Frodo offers to let him live, but Grima turns on Saruman, after he insults him, and cuts his throat.
The Shire
In the movies, the Shire is never touched by the evil of Sauron except when the Ringwraiths come looking for Frodo in Fellowship of the Ring. When the Hobbits return, the others in the Shire act as if nothing bad ever happened and our heroes feel like outcasts amongst their people.
In the book, the Shire has been touched by evil and greedy Hobbits and bandits have taken advantage of this. Saruman then comes in and uses the corrupted Hobbits. After Sauron’s defeat, the Hobbits have to return home and continue to work to rebuild their home. This chapter, which was left out, is known as the Scouring of the Shire.
Aragorn and the Dead Army
In the movie, Elrond arrives with Aragorn’s ancestral sword and tells him about the Dead Men of Dunharrow whose spirits have not rested because they broke their promise to aid Isildur. Aragorn travels the Path of the Dead with Legolas and Gimli. When he finds inside a cave, they don’t want to join and Aragorn has to convince them.
In the book, a Ranger named Halbarad and Elrond’s sons, Elladen and Elrohir, arrive with the message. These three characters, who are never introduced in the movie, travel with Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli to the Stone of Erech, where Aragorn summons the dead and they’re willing to help.
Anduril
In the movie series, Aragorn does not get his ancestral sword, Anduril, until the third movie. Elrond has the sword reforged at the eve of the greatest battle and then delivers it to Aragorn. In the books, Aragorn has the sword reforged before leaving Rivendell in the Fellowship of the Ring. This change was most likely made because Aragorn’s character in the movies struggles to accept his role as king, but Aragorn in the books does not.
Sam’s Departure
At a pivotal moment in the movie, Gollum manages to successfully turn Frodo against Sam. The audience and Sam know that Gollum is leading Frodo into a trap, but he refuses to listen. He takes Gollum’s side and tells Sam to go home. Hurt, Sam leaves Frodo.
In the book, this never happens. Frodo never leaves Sam and, even if he did say that, Sam was so loyal to Frodo that he’d never leave.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Frodo leave at the end of The Return of the King?
+What happens to Legolas after LOTR?
+What happens to Gimli after LOTR?
+What happens to Merry and Pippin after LOTR?
+Who is the main cast of LOTR?
+Why does Gandalf go to the Undying Lands?
+How long is The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King?
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