As the first movie in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring introduces the vibrant, gorgeous, and versatile Middle Earth and its many inhabitants. The extended version is nearly four hours long and it's full of scenes that live rent-free in every fan's head. Not only that, many have since become memes that are well-known even outside the trilogy's fanbase.
The most unforgettable scenes are the ones that combine the movie's heavenly music and the bravery of the main characters while highlighting the importance of the Fellowship's quest. Many scenes pull on the heartstrings of the audience, but there are also many other humorous and entertaining scenes scattered in the story as well. These are some of the most unforgettable.
Enter Lothlórien, The Heart Of Elvendom On Earth
The Fellowship of the Ring introduces the Lord of the Rings movie universe, which means there are a lot of shots dedicated to the scenery and the inhabitants of several parts of Middle Earth.
Among the most breath-taking shots is the scene in which the Fellowship enters "the heart of Elvendom on earth", as Haldir put it, a beautiful realm built in the trees and filled with mysterious wonder.
Elrond Names The Fellowship Of The Ring
The Fellowship of the Ring was pronounced by Elrond at the meeting in Rivendell. First, Boromir's unforgettable speech kicks off with the quote that has since become a meme: "One does not simply walk into Mordor." He laid out the many obstacles between them and Mount Doom. In his opinion, the mission was impossible. After Boromir was done talking, everyone began to argue. The ring was already doing its wicked magic. The fighting was halted only by Frodo volunteering to take the ring to Mordor himself.
In one of the most touching scenes of the entire movie, Aragorn promised him his sword, Legolas his bow, and Gimli his axe, forging one of the most famous teams of heroes ever.
Frodo Welcomes Gandalf To The Shire
As soon as the plot thickens and he becomes the ring-bearer, things for Frodo started getting worse and worse. The scene in which he greeted Gandalf was one of the very few times the audience got to see Frodo care-free and truly happy.
Thie first meeting is a heartwarming greeting full of laughter and good spirits, with some of the movie's most memorable lines. It's almost a shame that the peaceful quiet can't last.
The Hobbits Run Into The Nazgûl
Not long after the hobbits left the Shire, The Nazgûl found out where they were and tracked them down. Luckily for them, Sauron as the boss of the evil forces didn't equip the Nazgûl with great eye-sight. One prevented Frodo from putting on a ring, while another threw something in the forest to distract the malicious ringwraith.
When night fell, they had another encounter with the dreaded black rider. The increasingly suspenseful scene was resolved when they finally got away from him by using a boat but it's an unforgettably close call.
Two Wizards Collide
A concerned Gandalf went to Isengard to pay a visit to his friend and fellow wizard Saruman, but he didn't know yet that Saruman was working for Sauron. It looked like he was one of the good guys; dressed all in white as they strolled through a beautiful green park by his residence.
When the conversation led to the ring and Sauron, Saruman urged Gandalf to join Sauron's cause. What followed was an epic battle between the two. It was hard to tell which one was stronger, though. While Gandalf lost that particular battle, he won in the long run but the betrayal is still impactful even when fans know it's coming.
The Opening Scene
The Fellowship of the Ring has one of the greatest opening movie scenes of all time. If the scene was a bit longer, the Battle of Dagorlad would have easily made it to the list of the best battles in the entire trilogy.
It perfectly captured just how formidable Sauron was - it looked as if he was impossible to defeat. With a single blow, he would send several men flying and left the rest so afraid they stood frozen in his presence.
Aragorn & Arwen
Arwen and Aragorn's love story was never at the forefront of the trilogy, but the tender scene they share in The Fellowship of the Ring is nonetheless considered one of the fan-favorites. Their love was pure, unwavering, and gentle. "I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone," she told Aragorn as she gave him the Evenstar.
Many fans consider the scene one of the most romantic movie scenes of all time. It has everything a great romantic scene should have: the moonlight, the music, and the pure emotion in the eyes of both characters.
Boromir's Death
Boromir's death was one of the most heartbreaking deaths in the entire trilogy. After all, he was an honorable, kind man everybody could rely on. He was tempted by the ring, but he sacrificed his life to save Merry and Pippin from the Uruk-hai.
Before dying, he had an emotional exchange with Aragorn who had in those very moments stepped up to his destiny as the leader of all men. Boromir's dying words are among his fines as they reflect his loyalty. "I would have followed you, my brother... my captain... my king."
Frodo & Sam On A Boat
The ever-so-loyal Sam refused to let Frodo go to Mordor alone after the fellowship went their separate ways. When the blue-eyed ring bearer decided to leave on a boat without him, Sam kept on walking in the water, even though he didn't know how to swim.
Once he started drowning, Frodo turned the boat around and saved him. It's easily one of the most beautiful scenes in the movie, but far from the only one in which Sam showed just what an amazing friend he was.
You Shall Not Pass!
In the Mines of Moria, the Fellowship ran into a fiery monster, called the Balrog. Gandalf faced it one-on-one and protected others by successfully knocking it into the depth of the mines.
"You shall not pass!" is the line he famously yells before defeating it. Unfortunately, the Balrog drags Gandalf down also in the process. It's one of the memorable moments of the entire trilogy for its incredible mixture of triumph and heartbreak.