The latest adaption of The Lord of the Rings will hit the small screen next year - and while not a lot is known about exactly what it will be about, fans know it is set long before the days of the best-known adaptation: Peter Jackson's LotR trilogy. These three films may be twenty years old, but they still loom large in the fantasy world: they are record-breaking, award-winning, and phenomenally well-received.
Over the past two decades, several scenes from the film have become a part of pop culture as a whole - not simply walking into Mordor, or how to cook potatoes are fixtures in memes, and some of the bigger dramatic moments and battle set-pieces are the standard for the genre. However, there are still some scenes that just don't get the appreciation that they deserve.
Bilbo's Birthday
The early scenes of the trilogy in Hobbiton are often dismissed as just a fun party scene taken directly from the source material (and introducing the One Ring). However, from the moment that Gandalf arrives in the wagon to Bilbo disappearing after his speech sets up many vital parts of the trilogy. They do an excellent job of connecting the audience to the characters, of course, showing Sam's place with Frodo, Merry and Pippin getting into trouble, and Gandalf's reputation. However, the scene does much more than that. In the rest of the film, Frodo and Sam refer repeatedly to the Shire, and use it to inspire them and keep them going. These scenes allow the audience to truly connect to that, and to the stark contrast between the Shire and the adventure the Hobbits are on.
The Appearance of Shadowfax
The moment that Gandalf calls Shadowfax when he returns from the "dead" is recognized as a beautiful one, and the cinematography and score are stunning. However, this is more than simply a pretty moment - it's one that deepens the lore of Middle Earth for the viewer, and that sets up the connections between Gandalf and the people of Rohan (something that is often missed by the audience). Shadowfax is also far more than simply a good horse, and while the films may not make enough of it, Shadowfax's speed and ability deserves more attention as instrumental to saving Middle Earth.
They Have A Cave Troll
Of the many battles in Lord of the Rings, this one in the Mines of Moria is often overlooked - it doesn't have the same sweeping scale of the later battles, or the drama of the battle of Helm's Deep, but it's still incredibly important. This is the first time that the Fellowship pulls together to fight, and the first real fighting set-piece in the film (as Weathertop isn't quite the same in terms of straight-up fighting, nor is fleeing from the Black Riders).
This gives the audience a taste of things to come, including moments of humor (as Boromir shows when he says 'they have a cave troll' in hilarious exasperation) and major character loss (as Gandalf doesn't make it out alive).
Aragorn At Weathertop
Aragorn has plenty of iconic moments in the trilogy - bursting through the hall doors when he is presumed dead, his moments with Arwen, his fighting skill... however, one that is often missed in terms of meaning is when he stands at Weathertop, looking out over the countryside. It's easy to assume that this is just Aragorn keeping watch as a skilled Ranger, but there is much more to it than that.
Something not often referenced in the films is Aragorn's age, and of course, his connection to his kingdom and how it has fallen over the ages. Weathertop, used in the past as a watchtower, is in ruins - and Aragorn is looking out at it and thinking of how the Kings of Old would have seen this same view (as mentioned in the books). It's a scene that says a lot about who Aragorn is, once it is truly understood.
Sam's One More Step
Samwise Gamgee is routinely recognized as one of the true heroes of Lord of the Rings, without whom Frodo would have failed utterly. However, amid all his iconic moments protecting Frodo, one of his earliest is forgotten; when he stops and tells Frodo that if he takes one more step, he will be the farthest from home he has ever been. This drives home two points - first, that Sam is a homebody, and has rarely traveled, and second, that he is nervous about taking even that step, in the safety of the Shire. This adds a new layer to his heroics later on, keeping in mind that for Sam at the start, even just being a little further through the fields is frightening.
Aragorn & The Boy At Helm's Deep
Another oft-overlooked moment of Aragorn's is when he is speaking to a young fighter before the battle of Helm's Deep, and reminds him that there is always hope. In this build up, his moment with Legolas, switching from Elvish to English to shout 'then I shall die as one of them' usually gets the spotlight instead.
However, his moment with the young boy is even more telling. It shows Aragorn as a true leader, and sets him up as a great King to come. He knows how to connect with people, how to inspire them, how to speak to them in the way they need to hear, and how to teach at the same time.
Gollum Vs Smeagol
The scene where Gollum and Smeagol battle it out, before Gollum is 'banished' is one that is often talked about - but only to turn it into a joke. It's become one of the most parodied scenes in the films, but it deserves more credit than it gets. Andy Serkis' incredible acting steals the scene, and it is a vital one to the plot. Seeing Smeagol still, after all this time, able to fight off the influence of the Ring is what prevents the loss of all hope when seeing Frodo start to succumb to it. It shows how good, and respect, can still triumph over the Ring's power, and that Frodo can still be saved.
The Rohan Flag Falling
In a poignant moment when Aragorn and his friends ride to Edoras, a flag of Rohan rips off the pole and flutters down to land at Aragorn's feet - an easy moment to overlook, especially with the high drama of Saruman being exorcised from Theoden almost immediately after. However, this moment is beautifully symbolic, as Rohan is falling (and will fall at the feet of Aragorn, in time) - but more than that, it was accidental. Behind the scenes, this has been revealed in the director's commentary as something that was not planned, but happened naturally with the winds during filming.
Aragorn Refuses The Ring
Usually, Boromir and Faramir are the most talked about when it comes to characters refusing the Ring - and both because they struggled with a desire to take it, in a way that speaks volumes about who they are. Other characters, too, struggle with a desire to take the Ring (or, in Gandalf's case, a deep fear of taking it, and a harsh refusal). Aragorn, however, stands out - and that's why this scene deserves more attention. Of all the ways that he proves himself to be truly a great man and King, here, he is able to turn down the temptation with gentleness, without the extremes of emotion, fear, and temptation that almost every other character experiences. It's something that sets Aragorn apart in a beautifully subtle way.
Merry Wanting To Help His Friends
Of the four Hobbits, Merry may be the most underrated; Frodo is (obviously) the hero, Sam is the one to save him, and Pippin is a fan-favorite for constantly getting into trouble. However, Merry has some phenomenal moments, and they usually show how he is truly kind and brave in his own way. When he stands up for the right to go to battle, to fight alongside his friends in the war for Middle Earth, it's an incredibly touching moment. He shows that he knows he may not be taken seriously, but he is able to speak out. He knows his worth, and he is not willing to be underestimated.