It’s been nearly two decades since the Lord of the Rings trilogy completed its cinematic run and claimed 11 Oscar wins. Yet, even today, it’s considered one of the best fantasy films of all time. Not to mention, it was a massive box office hit too, with the three films hauling in nearly $3 billion globally.
That said, there were some viewers who were not pleased with some of the movie’s plotlines, as they appear to have remained unresolved toward the end of the trilogy. Upon closer inspection, though, it seems that these supposed plot holes had a simple explanation this whole time.
The Rohan Army Taking Its Time To Join The Battle of the Pelennor Fields
In Return of the King, Theoden (Bernard Hill) and his army have traveled to Gondor to come to their aid. Later on, their arrival sets the stage for one of the best battle sequences in the franchise. However, some fans have questioned why Theoden and his men still had to announce their presence by horn and organize before getting into the fight.
For one thing, the horn was meant to alert Gondor, letting them know that reinforcements have arrived. Also, historical medieval battles—from which the series drew obvious inspiration—traditionally began with armies organizing themselves before charging at the enemy.
The Nazgul Retreats Too Quickly At Osgiliath
During the battle of Osgiliath, Frodo stands before a lone Nazgul while seemingly in a trance. He attempts to put the ring on, but Sam stops him. Meanwhile, seeing a clear shot, Faramir aims his arrow towards the Nazgul and shoots his dragon in the process. The Nazgul flees, and fans have questioned this move.
The Nazgul may need the ring, but, as former kings, they are also wise. That Nazgul simply knew he was outnumbered and that it was best to retreat and regroup. Interestingly, they are also reportedly blind during the day.
No One Is Guarding Mount Doom
In Return of the King, Sam and Frodo make it to Mordor and all the way up to Mount Doom. The hobbits faced no resistance, with the exception of a corrupted Gollum (Andy Serkis), and, over the years, fans have questioned why this was the case.
What one must recall, though, is that Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) devised a smart plan. He is aware that the hobbits need “time and safe passage.” As a result, the would-be king proposes that they "draw out Sauron’s armies. Empty his lands.” In the extended version of the film, Aragorn also lured Sauron by showing him the repaired sword of Elendil.
How The Orcs Went On With Daily Life During Aragorn’s Rule
After the defeat of Sauron in Return of the King, many of Mordor’s structures crumbled. As it collapsed and the ground opened up, many orcs also perished. However, some had managed to escape, and many wondered what had happened to them once Aragorn became king.
Although the movie doesn’t show this, it is reasonable to assume that the orcs fled and possibly moved to the mountains, just as they did after Sauron was defeated by Aragorn’s predecessor. Without a leader, these creatures aren’t capable of mounting a proper attack. Hence, they would live in hiding.
The Elves Were Absent In Some Battles
Elves are wiser and far more experienced in battles than men. That said, many questioned why elves did not take part in all the battles in the films, even if they had initially joined the quest that resulted in Frodo destroying the ring in Mordor.
One must remember that, around this time, the elves have started to sail to the Undying Lands. Hence, they didn’t have the numbers they used to. Elrond (Hugo Weaving) has also said that “the time of the elves is over,” which means men have to fight their own battles.
The Ring Wraiths Never Bothered To Keep Looking At The Prancing Pony
As Aragorn explains in the Fellowship of the Ring, the Nazgul or ringwraiths are in constant pursuit of the ring. Naturally, they followed Frodo at The Prancing Pony, thinking they could kill the hobbit and get the ring at last.
However, Aragorn managed to get to the hobbits before they arrived and hid them in another room. Some have questioned why they didn’t keep looking that night. It is believed the Nazgul thought Frodo had already left the area, so they tried to pick up his trail outside, instead.
Gandalf’s Transformation Into Gandalf The White
At the end of the Fellowship of the Ring, many may have assumed that Gandalf (Ian McKellen) had perished. In the second movie, however, fans learn of Gandalf’s fate. Not only is he still alive, but he had transformed into Gandalf the White, or “Saruman as he should have been.”
Gandalf talks about what happened after he defeated Balrog, saying “I felt life in me again.” It seems his transformation occurred with the help of a little magic, which makes sense since he is a wizard. He also explains, “I’ve been sent back until my task is done.”
Saruman Was Too Easy To Defeat In The End
When Saruman (Christopher Lee) amassed an army and decided to deploy his army in full force, it seems he left little forces to protect his kingdom. In a way, it was his own arrogance that failed him. What’s more, Saruman didn’t also expect the Ents to join the fight, which complicated matters for him.
Mainly, however, because of poor judgment, Saruman found himself overrun. In the extended version of Return of the King, Gandalf tries to get information from Saruman, who refuses to surrender to them. Before he could give the information, however, he is stabbed by Wormtongue (Brad Dourif)
Eowyn Managed To Keep Her Disguise Until They Reached The Battlefield
In Return of the King, Eowyn (Miranda Otto) makes the decision to disguise herself as a soldier so that she can join the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Some wondered how no one saw through her disguise during her time with Rohan’s army.
However, it was entirely possible for her to remain in disguise so long as she did not call attention to herself or stayed near the king or Eomer (Karl Urban). At the same time, Eowyn herself is a skilled fighter, so no one would think that she didn’t belong on the battlefield.
Why Didn’t The Eagles Just Fly Frodo And Sam To Mount Doom In The Beginning?
There is a debate going on that the eagles could have just flown Frodo and Sam into Mordor from the beginning. This way, they didn’t have to journey on foot the entire time, and they wouldn’t have encountered Faramir or Gollum. However, what one must keep in mind is that eagles don’t provide public transport around Middle Earth.
Moreover, Gandalf only summoned them to rescue the hobbits after Saruman has been defeated, suggesting that they wouldn’t have been able to fly safely into Mordor if Sauron’s army was still around.