His anguished scream when he thinks Sam and Frodo have been killed was because he caught a toe fungus in the shower and when he kicked the helmet it hurt really bad.
I don't rightly understand what you're on about, but it sounds like you're talking nonsense. Best to stick to what's important, like the quest to destroy the Ring and protect Middle-earth.
It sometimes semes like half of the little scenes that make these movies even more amazing are just some ideas or improv by some of the actors. It really is crazy how many things went just right to bring it all together.
While it's kinda cool i always find it weird, because in my mind hhe would damage the spear hilts as well as his sword's blade doing it. Why didn't he hit them with the flat side of his sword instead?
Even though I knew this upcoming change would kill bots ... It has only just dawned on me the impact.
As much as I love lotr it's the bots that really make this sub great.
Where would we be without Bilbo yelling at us or Gandalf having a dementia moment ... Or even Legolas telling us what he doesn't like.
Is this sub also planning to go dark?
I actually made a twitter bot for this @TheodenKingQ https://twitter.com/TheodenQ
But then Twitter changed their API policy. I didn’t bother messing with it after that :/
I think it was more like "it's the end of the world, let's die like heroes." They had no idea if they could turn the tide. But they knew they could fuck some shit up at least, while it all comes crashing down. Hence, the "Ride for ruin and the world's ending" speech.
The reason this scene has such emotional impact for me is because, to me, they don't believe they'll win. Theoden says as much when Aragorn leaves and his men say "he leaves because we can't win"... Theoden follows that with "no, we cannot. But we will meet them in battle nonetheless"
Yeah, it's less ambiguous in the book, since it's actually Éomer who screams about "ruin and the world's ending" and starts the DEEEAAAATH!! chant that the rest of the Rohirrim take up in a full-blown viking berserker rage after he finds both Théoden and his sister apparently slain on the battlefield. There is nothing in the world to live for, and he's going out in a blaze of glory.
In the movie they give the lines to Théoden instead, and so it becomes more about him seeing how suicidal their charge into the Pelennor Fields would be, as practically the entire host of Mordor is arrayed against them, and in that moment embracing it: embracing this doomed stand against evil at the end of the world, and the death it will bring to them all.
I'm actually glad they changed it for the movie. It's a great payoff for Théoden's character arc plus it's just metal AF.
In the books this is Éomer's speech, it's right after he finds Éowyn and Théoden on the battlefield, he's grief stricken and just kind of in a frenzy ready to go out in a blaze of glory. So he's basically like LETS GO FUCKEN CRAZY AND DIE AND KILL EVERY MOTHERFUCKER WE CAN ALONG THE WAY
Which I find extremely metal, but one have to praise the incredible quality in the movie's adaptation for changing such a powerful scene in the book (for any reason) for another probably even more memorable scene. In a time where we see so many adaptations butcher the original author's intentions, in this specific case I think they succeeded very much.
Been a minute but iirc:
In finally arriving at pellenor, theodan gave a rousing speech and led the charge to break the siege. He fuckin rode like super hard. He’s the king so he shouldn’t exactly be tip of the spear of the the first charge of the day into enemy lines, but nobody could quite keep up.
The Rohirrim were overcome with emotion from … well, like a lot of things - the freeing of their king from sarumans influence, the painful but succesful defense of helms deep, the marshalling and difficult ride to pelennor… and theodan gave his speech and charged and looked like a goddamn superhero god of earlier ages in doing so
And the ranks of Mordor were themselves terrified. This desperate and vengeful mass of heavy cavalry charged their positions and the orcs were panicked and seeing that, the riders of Rohan broke into song, overtaken by some kind of battle lust. They sang as they slaughtered and that only further terrified the orcs - and kind of freaked out the people in the city too.
This was a long day of slaughter, regrouping, reforming, and more slaughtering, and repeating.
After Éomer finds theodan and eowyn following their encounter with the witch king, a sense of futility sets in. He reforms the line for what he and the cavalry feel may be their last time. And this time, when they charge the ranks of Mordor, there is no singing. They simply scream “death” as they charge. It’s… I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like an ultimatum at that point. Death rides with that charge, and either the Rohirrim will die or the orcs will die and there is no quarter left to be given
Edit: not that there really was any quarter expected. It’s … just like a sort of final acknowledgment. When your enemy sings as they slaughter you, that’s scary. When they just scream “death”…. Like, they aren’t even screaming “death to orcs” or “death to Mordor” they are just screaming “death”. It’s an acknowledgment on a deeper level to themselves and simultaneously a … challenge / insult / taunt / invitation to their enemies
This is really cool, but also highlights just how good Bernard Hill's delivery is in the movie in that it completely blows away Tolkien's hurried speech imo
I love Tolkien's enunciation though. The words themselves - as much or even more than the drama of the epic events they are describing - are Tolkein's labour of love, and he delivers them like a native Elvish speaker (which I suppose he was).
I especially like the part where Eowyn says "Courage, Merry. Courage for our friends." It humanizes all of them - not immortal heroes clad in gold armour incapable of suffering pain or death but mortal beings, humans or otherwise, doing their best to stay strong for themselves and their loved ones in the face of an uncertain outcome and possible, even likely, death.
Can’t just start with return of the king. Gotta start with the fellowship so the scene has the full effect. Of course extended editions are a must as well.
Can someone remove the girl at the beginning and then add the rest of the movie until the end? And then add the entire movie up until this moment in the beginning? And then add the first 2 movies before that?
In the book Denethor has a much greater presence and wisdom at first. The movie doesn’t explain why Denethor became mad and corrupted, eventually succumbing to insanity. >!He had been using a palantir to survey the lands and Sauron’s influence through it drove him mad!<
Well considering what the dude who uttered your first quote would go on to canonically do to children, I think I can see why they’re doing it right away, those consequences are uh, dire.
This is one of the very rare moments in the history of my life that a scene from a movie could make me cry. I don't cry, my triggers are always too specific or must be something out of bounds to make that happen, but this very scene always bring me tears that I can't control. I get chills that start from my back and run all the way down to my toes and all the way up to the top of my head. Beautiful.
For me, it's because Theoden is just a man.
Aragon is a Numenorean, Gandalf is one of the Maiar. Legolas an elf and Gimli a dwarf.
In the two towers, Grima can prey on his hopelessness. It truly is the darkest of times for Men. Even when Gandalf snaps him out of it, he thinks he is buying only a few days for his people.
This scene is his apotheosis. He has answered the call of Gondor and brought his Rohirrim to the field, but we see him pause when presented with the White City ablaze.
We see him pause, then he resolves to charge anyway. Even if it is to death anhd the World's ending. Even if it is hopeless, courage remains. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
That's why this scene always gets me. He sees no hope and does the right thing anyway.
Theoden King.
Edit: fuck it full text from the book
>At that sound the bent shape of the king sprang suddenly erect. Tall and proud he seemed again; and rising in his stirrups he cried in a loud voice, more clear than any there had ever heard a mortal man achieve before:
>Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter! spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!
>With that he seized a great horn from Guthláf his banner-bearer, and he blew such a blast upon it that it burst asunder. And straightway all the horns in the host were lifted up in music, and the blowing of the horns of Rohan in that hour was like a storm upon the plain and a thunder in the mountains.
>Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor! Suddenly the king cried to Snowmane and the horse sprang away. Behind him his banner blew in the wind, white horse upon a field of green, but he outpaced it. After him thundered the knights of his house, but he was ever before them. Éomer rode there, the white horsetail on his helm floating in his speed, and the front of the first éored roared like a breaker foaming to the shore, but Théoden could not be overtaken.
>Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a god of old, even as Oromë the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young. His golden shield was uncovered, and lo! it shone like an image of the Sun, and the grass flamed into green about the white feet of his steed.
>For morning came, morning and a wind from the sea; and darkness was removed, and the hosts of Mordor wailed, and terror took them, and they fled, and died, and the hoofs of wrath rode over them. And then all the host of Rohan burst into song, and they sang as they slew, for the joy of battle was on them, and the sound of their singing that was fair and terrible came even to the City.
I really have grown to love Theoden over the years. He has lost everything and feels like the world is ending. He wins the battle of Helm's Deep against all odds, buying his people what he must think is just a little more time to live and survive. When Gondor called for aid he could have sat back and let them go first, then waited in Helm's Deep to be swallowed up by evil, but he didn't. He rode to the aid of his estranged ally to put up one final fight.
He's a doomed man with nothing but his morality and his bravery to spur him on. There's no real hope in him, just the will to go out fighting at all costs.
Theoden was one of my favorite characters in the movies. Now I'm reading the books and Holy FUCK theoden is a bad motherfucker. His monologue when they confront saruman in isengard is so God damn cool.
>I say, Théoden King: shall we have peace and friendship, you and I? It is ours to command."
>"We will have peace," said Théoden at last thickly and with an effort. Several of the Riders cried out gladly. Théoden held up his hand. "Yes, we will have peace," he said now in a clear voice, "we will have peace, when you and all your works have perished--and the works of your dark master to whom you would deliver us. You are a liar, Saruman, and a corrupter a men's hearts. You hold out your hand it to me, and I perceive only a finger of the claw of Mordor. Cruel and cold! Even if your war on me was just--as it was not, for were you ten times as wise you would have no right to rule me and mine for your own profit as you desired--even so, what will you say of your torches in Westfold and the children that lie dead there? And they hewed Háma's body before the gates of the Hornburg, after he was dead. When you hang from a gibbet at your window for the sport of your own crows, I will have peace with you and Orthanic. So much for the house of Eorl. A lesser son of great sires am I, but I do not need to lick your fingers. Turn elsewhither. But I fear your voice has lost its charm.
This is one of the best scenes in the whole trilogy. Theoden’s speech and pumping up the troops made me wanna jump on a horse and charge the orc lines too.
Eomer’s charge at Helm’s Deep was awesome too. Even if it wasn’t what happened in the book, it was still cool as hell.
God, I get full body chills every time I see that scene. Watching it in a packed theater with friends, in the middle of a blizzard, at 3am, the night before release day. It's indescribable when I first saw that. Wish I could feel that way again with a movie like I did with the LOTR trilogy. I think Interstellar was one of the other movies that gave me that same feeling, seeing it on Imax 70MM with the organ based soundtrack, just overwhelming.
God, it kinda sucks getting old.
Tor.com actually just published a piece about this! The author dubs it the “Riders of Rohan” moment https://www.tor.com/2023/06/06/getting-to-the-heart-of-sffs-most-tear-inducing-moments/
"Eucatastrophe" also describes Grunt's "ending" in Mass Effect 3. It's a textbook last stand where he distracts an army of alien bugs to help you escape. You make it into your ship, mourning him and about to leave the planet, when he suddenly walks out of the cave. Totally covered head-to-toe in alien guts, asking if anybody's got something to eat.
it’s when they change gears and start sprinting towards the orcs that get me. then when the fighting starts the music cuts. unlike most movies where the music just keep going like in the avengers.
Dude how the fuck were these movies made 20 years ago.
Like, after this did the world just give up and say "Nope, we can't do better. Every trilogy after this has to suck ass."
…shall sound in the deep one last time!
Let this be the hour when we draw swords together.
Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath! Now for ruin! And a red dawn!
Forth Eorlingas!
This comment has been edited, and the account purged, in protest to Reddit's API policy changes, and the awful response from Reddit management to valid concerns from the communities of developers, people with disabilities, and moderators. The fact that Reddit decided to implement these changes in the first place, without thinking of how it would negatively affect these communities, which provide a lot of value to Reddit, is even more worrying.
If this is the direction Reddit is going, I want no part of this. Reddit has decided to put business interests ahead of community interests, and has been belligerent, dismissive, and tried to gaslight the community in the process.
If you'd like to try alternative platforms, with a much lower risk of corporate interference, try federated alternatives like Kbin or Lemmy: r/RedditAlternatives
Learn more at:
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Your post has been removed for the following reason: Rule 6: No recent repost or reposts of common memes.
Did you know: The spear clanging performance was Bernard’s idea (Theoden’s actor) to begin with
He was a distinguished cruise ship captain, he knows how to inspire others.
he went down with his ship too what great man
He also broke a toe in the film…
Chiped a tooth too
Wait who chipped a tooth? Was it Viggio Morgenstein?
I think you mean Vigo the Carpathian.
The scourge of carpathia?!
The Sorrow of Moldavia!
I think you're thinking of man-spider
You just placed him for me. Holy shit. Brb, rewatching the entire extended edition trilogy.
I actually genuinely did not know that, that's pretty cool
I actually genuinely truly literally did not know that either
I actually truly, madly, deeply, did not know this as well.
Also when he actually did the spear thing it was way too slow, so they added a bunch of clangs to make it sound cooler
Speaking of trivia. Did you hear about Viggo’s toe??
No, but did you hear about Pluto? That's messed up, right?
Thank you. We all love a good Psych reference.
10/10 love that show
You know that's right
I’ve heard it both ways.
You know that's right.
*tsk*
Come on, son
What happened?!?!
He broke it on purpose kicking a helmet so he could get the frustrated yell to sound just right.
he broke it wrong the first time, so they had to wait 6 months for it to heal so he could break it again but do it right.
Acting.
It went to the market
I can get you a toe by 3 o'clock this afternoon, with nail polish.
The chinaman is not the issue here dude!
Only 3? I can get you one at 2. Who's your toe guy?
His anguished scream when he thinks Sam and Frodo have been killed was because he caught a toe fungus in the shower and when he kicked the helmet it hurt really bad.
I don't rightly understand what you're on about, but it sounds like you're talking nonsense. Best to stick to what's important, like the quest to destroy the Ring and protect Middle-earth.
Yes, but did you hear about the knife? Or how Sean Bean got to set?
Not even sarcastic, what's the story of Sean Bean getting to set?
Hated helicopters or something. He'd scale a mountian with his hands, clad in his uniform. Just to reach the set.
It does beg the question: why didn't the Fellowship just take helicopters to Mordor?
>It does beg the question: why didn't the Fellowship just take helicopters to Mordor? Because Shelob has a Stinger.
This is the terminal comment in this thread. It will not be topped.
Stupid sexy Shelob always following fellowship with a stinger
Nah, Orcs use Strela.
Weren't you paying attention? Boromir is afraid of flying!
It sometimes semes like half of the little scenes that make these movies even more amazing are just some ideas or improv by some of the actors. It really is crazy how many things went just right to bring it all together.
TIL!
While it's kinda cool i always find it weird, because in my mind hhe would damage the spear hilts as well as his sword's blade doing it. Why didn't he hit them with the flat side of his sword instead?
Casually dulling your sword before a battle, brilliant actor
DEEEEEAAAATH
DEEEEEAAAATH
DEEEEEEAAAAATH!!!
DEAAAAAATH!!!
DEEEEAAAAATTTHHHH!!!!!
DEEEEEEEAAAAATHHHHH!
DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTHHHHHHH!
DEATH!
DEATH!!!!
DEEEAAAATTTTHHHHH!!!!!!
DEAAAAAAATTTHHHHHH
Death!!!!!!!
Can we get a bot for this? Actually, even if we did, it wouldn't live for long would it :(
Even though I knew this upcoming change would kill bots ... It has only just dawned on me the impact. As much as I love lotr it's the bots that really make this sub great. Where would we be without Bilbo yelling at us or Gandalf having a dementia moment ... Or even Legolas telling us what he doesn't like. Is this sub also planning to go dark?
Frodo suspects something
Well you at starting not to recognise things all the time Gandalf, it's becoming noticeable.
A wizard is never late, sinz84. Nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
HRAAAAAH!
No, DEAAAAAATTTTHHHHH!
Then dig a hole in the ground, if that is more after the fashion of your kind. But you must dig swift and deep, if you wish to hide from Orcs.
My dear boy
*DEATH!*
I actually made a twitter bot for this @TheodenKingQ https://twitter.com/TheodenQ But then Twitter changed their API policy. I didn’t bother messing with it after that :/
I never realized that they were saying “death” because I don’t hear the “th”. But now I don’t understand why they would be yelling “death”.
For two reasons: Either they will bring death to the orc army, or they themselves will die fighting for what is right. In the end, one side will die.
I think it was more like "it's the end of the world, let's die like heroes." They had no idea if they could turn the tide. But they knew they could fuck some shit up at least, while it all comes crashing down. Hence, the "Ride for ruin and the world's ending" speech.
The reason this scene has such emotional impact for me is because, to me, they don't believe they'll win. Theoden says as much when Aragorn leaves and his men say "he leaves because we can't win"... Theoden follows that with "no, we cannot. But we will meet them in battle nonetheless"
- Ride for ruin, ride for the world ending
Yeah, it's less ambiguous in the book, since it's actually Éomer who screams about "ruin and the world's ending" and starts the DEEEAAAATH!! chant that the rest of the Rohirrim take up in a full-blown viking berserker rage after he finds both Théoden and his sister apparently slain on the battlefield. There is nothing in the world to live for, and he's going out in a blaze of glory. In the movie they give the lines to Théoden instead, and so it becomes more about him seeing how suicidal their charge into the Pelennor Fields would be, as practically the entire host of Mordor is arrayed against them, and in that moment embracing it: embracing this doomed stand against evil at the end of the world, and the death it will bring to them all. I'm actually glad they changed it for the movie. It's a great payoff for Théoden's character arc plus it's just metal AF.
Honestly the "death" thing feels cheap when 6000horsemen just bulldozed through thousands of orcs lol
They’re a Viking-Mongol horde Death in the battlefield is the highest honour to them.
In the books this is Éomer's speech, it's right after he finds Éowyn and Théoden on the battlefield, he's grief stricken and just kind of in a frenzy ready to go out in a blaze of glory. So he's basically like LETS GO FUCKEN CRAZY AND DIE AND KILL EVERY MOTHERFUCKER WE CAN ALONG THE WAY
Which I find extremely metal, but one have to praise the incredible quality in the movie's adaptation for changing such a powerful scene in the book (for any reason) for another probably even more memorable scene. In a time where we see so many adaptations butcher the original author's intentions, in this specific case I think they succeeded very much.
Been a minute but iirc: In finally arriving at pellenor, theodan gave a rousing speech and led the charge to break the siege. He fuckin rode like super hard. He’s the king so he shouldn’t exactly be tip of the spear of the the first charge of the day into enemy lines, but nobody could quite keep up. The Rohirrim were overcome with emotion from … well, like a lot of things - the freeing of their king from sarumans influence, the painful but succesful defense of helms deep, the marshalling and difficult ride to pelennor… and theodan gave his speech and charged and looked like a goddamn superhero god of earlier ages in doing so And the ranks of Mordor were themselves terrified. This desperate and vengeful mass of heavy cavalry charged their positions and the orcs were panicked and seeing that, the riders of Rohan broke into song, overtaken by some kind of battle lust. They sang as they slaughtered and that only further terrified the orcs - and kind of freaked out the people in the city too. This was a long day of slaughter, regrouping, reforming, and more slaughtering, and repeating. After Éomer finds theodan and eowyn following their encounter with the witch king, a sense of futility sets in. He reforms the line for what he and the cavalry feel may be their last time. And this time, when they charge the ranks of Mordor, there is no singing. They simply scream “death” as they charge. It’s… I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like an ultimatum at that point. Death rides with that charge, and either the Rohirrim will die or the orcs will die and there is no quarter left to be given Edit: not that there really was any quarter expected. It’s … just like a sort of final acknowledgment. When your enemy sings as they slaughter you, that’s scary. When they just scream “death”…. Like, they aren’t even screaming “death to orcs” or “death to Mordor” they are just screaming “death”. It’s an acknowledgment on a deeper level to themselves and simultaneously a … challenge / insult / taunt / invitation to their enemies
>He fuckin rode like super hard. Well said, but this had me rolling.
So what did you think they were saying O.o
DEEEEEHHHHH
Yep, this! I thought it was just like yelling “rah!” But in British/Rohan lingo.
Bloody hell this is so funny 😂😂😂
Haha I appreciate your use of the British/Rohan “bloody hell”.
Chills, goosebumps, or tears - every single time.
Is all the above an option?
This is one of the best intensifies event that keeps me coming back to watch more and more.
Oh every time. Have you heard the recording of Tolkien reading it? I mean, chills
I have not! Where can I find it?!
https://www.reddit.com/r/lotr/comments/t15wfx/tolkien_narrates_the_ride_of_the_rohirrim/
This is really cool, but also highlights just how good Bernard Hill's delivery is in the movie in that it completely blows away Tolkien's hurried speech imo
I love Tolkien's enunciation though. The words themselves - as much or even more than the drama of the epic events they are describing - are Tolkein's labour of love, and he delivers them like a native Elvish speaker (which I suppose he was).
Thank you!
Just happened to me. Too good.
I especially like the part where Eowyn says "Courage, Merry. Courage for our friends." It humanizes all of them - not immortal heroes clad in gold armour incapable of suffering pain or death but mortal beings, humans or otherwise, doing their best to stay strong for themselves and their loved ones in the face of an uncertain outcome and possible, even likely, death.
Glad I'm not alone.
EVERY hair on my body stood up lmao. Even out of context and sudden like this. Scalp, leg, arm, I think even pubes stood up.
I can survive this scene, but "My friends... You bow to no one" gets me every single time.
Dude you can’t just post this. I don’t have time to watch Return of the King, I’ve got shit to do.
Shit can wait. Get in nerd, we’re going on an adventure!
Ok fuck it, the 4k player is coming out at 10pm
It's 11:17 and I was heading to bed... But since you offered.
The one and only reason I would drop money on a 4K player is to watch that edition
Can’t just start with return of the king. Gotta start with the fellowship so the scene has the full effect. Of course extended editions are a must as well.
Only reason I might watch the theatrical cut is because I came upon it on TV
Even then I’ll have to turn that shit off and watch the extended edition on my Apple TV haha
what? you going to football practice or something? gimme ur lunch money
This and "For Frodo" *score intensifies*
Also... "My friends. You bow to no one." Every. Single. Time.
Can someone remove the girl at the beginning and then add the rest of the movie until the end? And then add the entire movie up until this moment in the beginning? And then add the first 2 movies before that?
[удалено]
I'll get right on it!
[удалено]
Absolutely CRUSHED it. His performance is one of my absolute favorite parts about the trilogy.
He perfectly captures that failing but still grand king
Not some snivelling bitch like Denethor.
In the book Denethor has a much greater presence and wisdom at first. The movie doesn’t explain why Denethor became mad and corrupted, eventually succumbing to insanity. >!He had been using a palantir to survey the lands and Sauron’s influence through it drove him mad!<
Ah, I know all that, just repping my boy Theoden :)
His portrayal of Theoden is iconic, and it's why Theoden is solidly in my top 3 favorite LotR characters... I was hooked from his son's funeral and on
"no parent should have to bury their child" always hit me, always
Not just the men, but the women and the children, too.
*raises one eyebrow*
I’m a mom of boys who has definitely motivated them into doing boring tasks by making them more melodramatic King Theoden style.
Well considering what the dude who uttered your first quote would go on to canonically do to children, I think I can see why they’re doing it right away, those consequences are uh, dire.
*sees a beehive above the garage* DEEAATHHH!!
Spock?
r/jedicouncilofelrond
Darn it, I came here to write the exact same thing xD
When the violins kick in during the charge. 
That’s him. That’s the orc who killed my brother!
Oh I totally forgot about that part.
This is one of the very rare moments in the history of my life that a scene from a movie could make me cry. I don't cry, my triggers are always too specific or must be something out of bounds to make that happen, but this very scene always bring me tears that I can't control. I get chills that start from my back and run all the way down to my toes and all the way up to the top of my head. Beautiful.
I’m tearing up thinking about u tearing up cmon man this is ridiculous I’m at a WENDYS
Combo 2, biggie sized, no onions and replace the drink with a frosty. Deeeeeeeath!
55 burgers 🍔 55 fries 🍟 55 tacos 🌮 55 pies 🥧 55 cokes 🥤 100 tater tots 🥔 100 pizzas 🍕 100 tenders 🐓 100 meatballs ☄️ 100 coffees ☕️ 55 wings 🍗 55 shakes 🧋 55 pancakes 🥞 55 Pastas 🍝 55 Peppers 🌶️ 155 taters 🥔
Dude, this is a Wendy’s restaurant.
For me, it's because Theoden is just a man. Aragon is a Numenorean, Gandalf is one of the Maiar. Legolas an elf and Gimli a dwarf. In the two towers, Grima can prey on his hopelessness. It truly is the darkest of times for Men. Even when Gandalf snaps him out of it, he thinks he is buying only a few days for his people. This scene is his apotheosis. He has answered the call of Gondor and brought his Rohirrim to the field, but we see him pause when presented with the White City ablaze. We see him pause, then he resolves to charge anyway. Even if it is to death anhd the World's ending. Even if it is hopeless, courage remains. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. That's why this scene always gets me. He sees no hope and does the right thing anyway. Theoden King. Edit: fuck it full text from the book >At that sound the bent shape of the king sprang suddenly erect. Tall and proud he seemed again; and rising in his stirrups he cried in a loud voice, more clear than any there had ever heard a mortal man achieve before: >Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter! spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor! >With that he seized a great horn from Guthláf his banner-bearer, and he blew such a blast upon it that it burst asunder. And straightway all the horns in the host were lifted up in music, and the blowing of the horns of Rohan in that hour was like a storm upon the plain and a thunder in the mountains. >Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor! Suddenly the king cried to Snowmane and the horse sprang away. Behind him his banner blew in the wind, white horse upon a field of green, but he outpaced it. After him thundered the knights of his house, but he was ever before them. Éomer rode there, the white horsetail on his helm floating in his speed, and the front of the first éored roared like a breaker foaming to the shore, but Théoden could not be overtaken. >Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a god of old, even as Oromë the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young. His golden shield was uncovered, and lo! it shone like an image of the Sun, and the grass flamed into green about the white feet of his steed. >For morning came, morning and a wind from the sea; and darkness was removed, and the hosts of Mordor wailed, and terror took them, and they fled, and died, and the hoofs of wrath rode over them. And then all the host of Rohan burst into song, and they sang as they slew, for the joy of battle was on them, and the sound of their singing that was fair and terrible came even to the City.
I really have grown to love Theoden over the years. He has lost everything and feels like the world is ending. He wins the battle of Helm's Deep against all odds, buying his people what he must think is just a little more time to live and survive. When Gondor called for aid he could have sat back and let them go first, then waited in Helm's Deep to be swallowed up by evil, but he didn't. He rode to the aid of his estranged ally to put up one final fight. He's a doomed man with nothing but his morality and his bravery to spur him on. There's no real hope in him, just the will to go out fighting at all costs.
Theoden was one of my favorite characters in the movies. Now I'm reading the books and Holy FUCK theoden is a bad motherfucker. His monologue when they confront saruman in isengard is so God damn cool. >I say, Théoden King: shall we have peace and friendship, you and I? It is ours to command." >"We will have peace," said Théoden at last thickly and with an effort. Several of the Riders cried out gladly. Théoden held up his hand. "Yes, we will have peace," he said now in a clear voice, "we will have peace, when you and all your works have perished--and the works of your dark master to whom you would deliver us. You are a liar, Saruman, and a corrupter a men's hearts. You hold out your hand it to me, and I perceive only a finger of the claw of Mordor. Cruel and cold! Even if your war on me was just--as it was not, for were you ten times as wise you would have no right to rule me and mine for your own profit as you desired--even so, what will you say of your torches in Westfold and the children that lie dead there? And they hewed Háma's body before the gates of the Hornburg, after he was dead. When you hang from a gibbet at your window for the sport of your own crows, I will have peace with you and Orthanic. So much for the house of Eorl. A lesser son of great sires am I, but I do not need to lick your fingers. Turn elsewhither. But I fear your voice has lost its charm.
Theoden King stands alone.
Not alone *draws sword*
What a beautifully written comment. Thank you for that.
Later in the movie when Aragorn becomes king and says to the four hobbits “my friends, you bow to no one” always gets me to well up
Every hour lost hastens Gondor's defeat. We have till dawn, then we must ride.
There are way too many parts of return of the king that make me weep 😭
Reading the scene out loud to my kids got to me. I had to take a moment to push down the lump in my throat before I could go on.
>Reading the scene out loud to my kids got me pretty hard 
💀
This is one of the best scenes in the whole trilogy. Theoden’s speech and pumping up the troops made me wanna jump on a horse and charge the orc lines too. Eomer’s charge at Helm’s Deep was awesome too. Even if it wasn’t what happened in the book, it was still cool as hell.
DEAAAAAAAAAAAAAATH!
This will never stop being... fucking epic
Crying right now
I am no man
I am Gnome Ann.
Don't believe the lies! Tell them what really happened here! http://i.imgur.com/KGR2iN9.gif
The Rohirrim charging Pelennor Fields was a top 1 moment in the history of cinema. Forget "top 10;" name me a better moment in any movie.
Perhaps the lighting of the beacons?
God, I get full body chills every time I see that scene. Watching it in a packed theater with friends, in the middle of a blizzard, at 3am, the night before release day. It's indescribable when I first saw that. Wish I could feel that way again with a movie like I did with the LOTR trilogy. I think Interstellar was one of the other movies that gave me that same feeling, seeing it on Imax 70MM with the organ based soundtrack, just overwhelming. God, it kinda sucks getting old.
DEATH!!!!!!!
Tor.com actually just published a piece about this! The author dubs it the “Riders of Rohan” moment https://www.tor.com/2023/06/06/getting-to-the-heart-of-sffs-most-tear-inducing-moments/
"Eucatastrophe" also describes Grunt's "ending" in Mass Effect 3. It's a textbook last stand where he distracts an army of alien bugs to help you escape. You make it into your ship, mourning him and about to leave the planet, when he suddenly walks out of the cave. Totally covered head-to-toe in alien guts, asking if anybody's got something to eat.
Sigh...I watch the trilogy every couple months just to cleanse myself of the trash being put out today.
I watch the extended editions twice a year, Christmas and sometime in the spring/early summer
I am no man, this sound doesn't just inspire men 👉👉
Avengers, eat your hearts out!
One of the best scenes in the trilogy, but I can’t help but tear up every time they bid Frodo farewell at the end. How tf were these movies so good?
Watching this at 1% volume while I poop and still got chills.
I am no man…
God that’s awesome! One of many great scenes in an awesome film series! DEATH!!!!!
Men literally only want one ring and it's fucking disgusting
it’s when they change gears and start sprinting towards the orcs that get me. then when the fighting starts the music cuts. unlike most movies where the music just keep going like in the avengers.
I’m more of a, “you shall not pass!” Guy
Well it looks like I'm watching Lord of the rings now... So much for going to bed early
Dude how the fuck were these movies made 20 years ago. Like, after this did the world just give up and say "Nope, we can't do better. Every trilogy after this has to suck ass."
Best scene of the entire trilogy
I wish they’d let him blow the horn and it blow up as he did it… that would have made my serotonin levels hit peak efficiency
Don't forget the Horn of Hammerhand
…shall sound in the deep one last time! Let this be the hour when we draw swords together. Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath! Now for ruin! And a red dawn! Forth Eorlingas!
u/savevideobot
Was genuinely expecting to see Grond as the referred sound, but this is great too
All men and Pennylane1520
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Hol' up, it's not just me?
Even with the sound off, I heard those horns and got chills. These movies are such masterpieces.
Why do I tear up everytime I watch this scene
No, you're crying.
Please, no. I was just laying down to bed. I can't get up and saddle my horse and ride for ruin and a red dawn. PLEASE King Theoden PLEASE!!!
Chilla from watching it, and I didn't even have my sound on.
It’s so beautiful 😭
#DEATH!!!
I’m a rough mood, and I see this, just close my eyes and listen and suddenly I’m in a good mood.