Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

[Gandalf and Elrond watch Frodo and Sam from the balcony in Elrond's study.]

Elrond: "His strength returns."

Gandalf: "That wound will never fully heal. He will carry it the rest of his life."

Elrond: "And yet to have come so far, still bearing the Ring, the hobbit has shown extraordinary resilience to its evil."

Gandalf: "It is a burden he should never have had to bear. We can ask no more of Frodo."

Elrond: "Gandalf, the enemy is moving. Sauron's forces are massing in the east — his eye is fixed on Rivendell. And Saruman you tell me has betrayed us. Our list of allies grows thin."

Gandalf: "His treachery runs deeper than you know. By foul craft Saruman has crossed Orcs with goblin-men, he's breeding an army in the caverns of Isengard. An army that can move in sunlight and cover great distance at speed. Saruman is coming for the Ring."

Elrond: "This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves. We do not have the strength to fight both Mordor and Isengard!"

[Gandalf moves away, deep in thought.]

Elrond: "Gandalf, the Ring cannot stay here."

[Gandalf stands at Elrond's window, looks out and sees a group of new arrivals in the garden.]

[A man, an Elf and companions, and a party of Dwarves all dismount and stare around in wonder.]

Elrond: "This peril belongs to all Middle-Earth. They must decide now how to end it."

Elrond: "The time of the Elves is over — my people are leaving these shores. Who will you look to when we've gone? The Dwarves? They hide in their mountains seeking riches — they care nothing for the troubles of others."

Gandalf: "It is in Men that we must place our hope."

Elrond: "Men? Men are weak."

[Elrond wanders through his house as Gandalf follows. It is a beautiful house, full of wooden paneling and ancient statues and artifacts.]

Elrond: "The race of Men is failing. The blood of Númenor is all but spent, its pride and dignity forgotten. It is because of Men the Ring survives. I was there Gandalf. I was there three thousand years ago…"

[Flashback to Isildur slicing the Ring off Sauron's hand and holding up the Ring.]

Elrond: "… when Isildur took the Ring. I was there the day the strength of Men failed."

[Elrond and Isildur stand on the slopes of Mount Doom. The volcano roars and gushes fire above them.]

Elrond: "Isildur — hurry. Follow me."

Elrond (voiceover): "I led Isildur into the heart of Mount Doom, where the Ring was forged, the one place it could be destroyed."

[Elrond stands near the cracks of Doom, on the same spot where Sauron first held up the One Ring in triumph.]

Elrond: "Cast it into the fire!"

[Isildur looks at the Ring in his hand. The Ring whispers to him.]

Elrond: "Destroy it!"

Isildur: "No."

[Isildur walks away.]

Elrond: "Isildur!"

Elrond (voiceover): "It should've ended that day, but evil was allowed to endure."

Elrond: "Isildur kept the Ring. The line of kings is broken. There is no strength left in the world of Men. They're scattered, divided, leaderless."

Gandalf: "There is one who could unite them, one who could reclaim the throne of Gondor."

Elrond: "He turned from that path long time ago. He has chosen exile."


[Evening has fallen. Strider is seated on the terrace reading a book.]

[Footsteps echo on the stone floor. The man who arrived earlier enters and pauses in front of a battle-piece of Isildur, with broken sword raised against Sauron. He regards the painting intently, then, conscious of another presence, turns and sees Strider.]

Boromir: "You are no Elf!"

Strider: "The Men of the South are welcome here."

Boromir: "Who are you?"

Strider: "I am a friend to Gandalf the Grey."

Boromir: "Then we are here on a common purpose…" (smiles) "friend."

[The Man seems puzzled by Strider's reluctance to reveal his identity, but smiles again good-naturedly and turns to the Lady's shrine opposite the wall painting. He sees the broken sword lying there. He picks up the haft, shifting it in his hand, testing its weight and feel as a warrior would, and stares at the blade.]

Boromir: "The shards of Narsil! The blade that cut the ring from Sauron's hand!"

[He runs his finger up the blade and cuts himself.]

Boromir: "It's still sharp!"

[Turns to look at Strider who is watching him.]

Boromir: "But no more than a broken heirloom!"

[He returns the sword carelessly and it clatters to the ground. He hesitates, then walks away. Strider gets up and walks to the shrine. He picks up the dropped haft and carefully sets it in place with the other shards.]

[He takes a step back and touches his right hand to his heart, as he looks at the statue of the Lady. Arwen walks in behind him.]

Arwen: "Why do you fear the past? You are Isildur's heir, not Isildur himself. You are not bound to his fate."

Strider: "The same blood flows in my veins. Same weakness."

Arwen: "Your time will come. You will face the same evil, and you will defeat it. A si i-Dhúath ú-orthor, Aragorn. Ú or le a ú or nin." (The Shadow does not hold sway yet, Aragorn. Not over you and not over me.)


[In the gardens of Rivendell, Arwen and Aragorn stand atop of a bridge. A love song plays softly in the background:

"O môr henion i dhû:
Ely siriar, êl síla.
Ai! Aníron Undómiel.
Tiro! Êl eria e môr.
I 'lîr en êl luitha 'úren.
Ai! Aníron…"

(From darkness I understand the night:
dreams flow, a star shines.
Ah! I desire Evenstar.
Look! A star rises out of the darkness.
The song of the star enchants my heart.
Ah! I desire…)]

Arwen: "Renech i lu i erui govannen?" (Do you remember when we first met?)

Aragorn: "Nauthannem i ned ol reniannen." (I thought I had strayed into a dream.)

Arwen: [tenderly touches Aragorn's cheek] "Gwenwin in enninath… U-arnech in naeth i si celich." (Long years have passed… You did not have the cares you carry now.)

Arwen: "Renech i beth i pennen?" (Do you remember what I told you?)

Aragorn: [his fingers run across the pendant on her breast] "You said you'd bind yourself to me. Forsaking the immortal life of your people."

Arwen: "And to that I hold. I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone." [Arwen gives Aragorn the pendant.]

Arwen: "I choose a mortal life."

Aragorn: "You cannot give me this!"

Arwen: "It is mine to give to whom I will… like my heart."

[They kiss.]