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Contents 1 Rohan 1.1 Geography 1.1.1 Divisions 1.1.2 Borders 1.1.3 Settlements 1.2 Omissions 1.3 Additions 1.4 Other Alterations 1.5 Notable unaltered scenes

[edit] Rohan

[edit] Geography

The countryside of Rohan is described as a land of pastures and lush tall grassland which is frequently windswept. It is similar to the Central Asian steppe, the North American Great Plains or the Argentine Pampas. The lands of Rohan are frequently described as appearing like "seas of grass." At the time of the War of the Ring, Rohan was roughly a third the size of Gondor, whose borders had slowly been shrinking for centuries.

Its warm-continental climate generally brings hot summers and brisk but short winters, marking a midpoint between the harsh winters of Rhovanion and the long, subtropical summers of southern Gondor. Being near the "center" of Middle-earth, the winds and air masses can come from almost any direction and the weather is highly variable in any season.

[edit] Divisions

Rohan was divided into the Eastfold and Westfold. (The following copied from http://www.annalsofarda.dk )

The Westfold was the South-Western region of Rohan. From the Gap of Rohan and the Fords of Isen in the West to river Snowbourne and Eastfold in the East. Though all the land in Western Rohan with some good will could be called Westfold the name strictly only applies to the area along the Great West Road and the valleys and clefts in Ered Nimrais. But this was also the most populated area of Rohan. The West and East-Emnet and the huge plains North to Fangorn Forest and North-East up to the downs of the Wold and river Limlight were scacely if at all inhabited save by horses. In Westfold or in the most western Eastfold were Edoras, Dunharrow and Starkhorn. Helms Deep, Aglarond and Thrihyrne were clearly in Westfold.

The Eastfold was the area most south of Calenardhon, in the west bounded by river Snowbourne in north by river Entwash and in east by the Mering stream before entering Anórien. In the south is raised the mountains of Ered Nimrais.

On the western side of the Mering Stream is the Fenmarch and in the south-east corner is found a smaller part of Firien Wood. In the south-west close to Westfold the city Edoras and behind that city lies between two mountain-ridges Dunharrow in Harrowdale and the sharp cliffs of Starkhorn and Dwimorberg.

Through Eastfold from the east to the west ran the Great West Road.

[edit] Borders

The borders of Rohan are: The rivers Isen and Adorn in the west, where Rohan borders Isengard and the land of the Dunlendings; the White Mountains and the Mering Stream, which separate it from Gondor, in the south; the mouths of Entwash in the east; and the river Limlight in the north.

[edit] Settlements

• Edoras

The capital of Rohan is the hill fort of Edoras which lies close to the slopes of the White Mountains.

The city of Edoras was built on a hill in a valley of the White Mountains by Rohan's second King, Brego son of Eorl the Young. Before Edoras was completed, Rohan's capital was at Aldburg in the Folde. The Golden Hall was described as having a golden thatch, and the stables were constructed at the top of the hill by Meduseld itself.

In Edoras is located Meduseld, the great Golden Hall and residence of the King. Its construction was started by the second king of Rohan, Brego son of Eorl. Meduseld was a large hall with a straw roof, which made it appear as if made of gold when seen from far off. The walls were richly decorated with tapestries depicting the history and legends of the Rohirrim, and it served as a house for the King and his kin, a meeting hall for the King and his advisors, and a gathering hall. The word Maeduselde, in the Anglo-Saxon language, means mead hall. In many ways Meduseld is inspired by Anglo-Saxon poetry, particularly Beowulf, which contains the mead-hall Heorot. The description of "the light of it shines far across the land" is one of the lines from this poem. It is in Meduseld that Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and Gandalf meet with King Théoden in the account of the early stages of the War of the Ring.

Edoras is built at the end of the valley of Harrowdale, which lies under the great mountain Starkhorn. The river Snowbourn flows past the city on its way west towards the Entwash. The city was protected only by a high wall of timber, and a one-way road allowed access to the city. Just before the gates, two sets of mounds lined the road, which were the graves of the former Kings of Rohan.

The inhabitants of Edoras and the rest of the Rohirrim were often called to war, to defend both Gondor and Rohan. They wore green capes, carried green shields emblazoned with a golden sun and were armed with spears and long swords that were set with green gems.

"Edoras" is Old English for "the Courts", which Tolkien held to be a translation of an unknown Rohirric name of the same meaning. "Meduseld", a modernized form of the Old English Maeduselde, is similarly meant to be a translation of an unknown Rohirric name meaning "mead hall".

• Aldburg

Aldburg was also a large city, the capital of the Eastfold and the original seat of Eorl the Young. It is in the region called the Folde, whose name comes from Old English, with the approximate meaning 'bosom of the Earth'.

• Snowbourne

A third notable city is Snowbourne, named after the river which runs nearby it.

• Dunharrow

Dunharrow is a refuge in the White Mountains fortified against attack. Dunharrow had been used as a refuge by the Middle Men of the White Mountains during the Second Age — several centuries before Rohan formally existed. It was a clifftop overlooking Harrowdale, the valley of the river Snowbourn. In order to reach the refuge, a winding path had to be used, known as the Stair of the Hold. This path was lined with statues known as the "Púkel-men" — statues originally carved by the Men of the White Mountains, in the likeness of the Drúedain. After the stair was the "Firienfeld", a large grassy area for the encampment of soldiers and refuge-seekers. Large carved stones marked the entrance to the Dimholt, a natural amphitheater, which led into the Paths of the Dead.

• Helm's Deep

Helm's Deep is a valley in the northwest White Mountains, blocked over its entire width by a natural series of hills called Helm's Dike. Behind the valley lay the permanently manned fortress of Aglarond, later called Hornburg, and the Glittering Caves. Originally the valley was home to a small Gondorian regiment, but after Calenardhon became Rohan it became an encampment of the Rohirrim, where the guards of the Fords of Isen lived. During the war with the Dunlendings under Wulf, the Rohirrim under King Helm Hammerhand and many of his people sought refuge in the keep, where they held out during the winter of T.A. 2758–2759.

• Hornburg

A long causeway wound up to the great gate of the Hornburg fortress itself. Inside the keep there were stables and an armoury, as well as a great hall in the rear which was dug out of the mountainside. There also was a great tower, the top of which consisted of the great horn of Helm Hammerhand. The Deep which stood next to the fortress was barred by the long Deeping Wall, which consisted of solid rock except for a small culvert which allowed water from the Deeping Stream to enter; this rendered a fresh supply in sieges of great length. The deeping wall itself stood 20 feet tall; it was wide enough for four men to stand side by side. Access to the fortress from within the Deep was made possible by a long stair which led to the Hornburg's rear gate.

• Aglarond

Aglarond and Angrenost (later Isengard) were the two fortresses built by Gondor guarding the Fords of Isen. Like Angrenost to the north it was initially well guarded, but as the population of Calenardhon (the later Rohan) dwindled it was not maintained and, losing importance, was left to a hereditary small guard who intermarried with Dunlendings. When Cirion, Steward of Gondor, gave Calenardhon to the Éothéod, Aglarond was transferred into Rohirrim care, who named it Súthburg (southern burg in their language). The Gondorian guard was merged with that of Angrenost to the north, which remained in the keep of Gondor. Guard duty of the Fords was initially shared between Gondor and Rohan, but later maintained only by the Rohirrim. During the reign of Helm Hammerhand, Rohan was attacked by Dunlendings from across the river Isen. Edoras was taken, and Helm and many of his people retreated to Súthburg. Because Helm always blew a great horn before riding out to fight the beleaguering Dunlendings, the keep was renamed Hornburg. During the War of the Ring, the Hornburg was the refuge of the Rohirrim as they defended Helm's Deep. After the war, Gimli the Dwarf, who fought in that battle, established a colony of Durin's folk there. Aglarond lay in front of a huge and very beautiful cave system, which proved irresistible to him. Gimli become known as 'the Lord of the Glittering Caves', although this new realm was presumably under the overlordship of Thorin Stonehelm, his kinsman and heir of the lordship of all Durin's Folk. The dwarves of Aglarond restored the Hornburg following the War of the Ring, and it became a fortress they shared with the Rohirrim.

Peter Jackson's version of The Return of the King differed from J. R. R. Tolkien's in several important ways.

[edit] Omissions

Omitted Omitted

Book	Movie
Théoden meets Merry and Pippin and calls them holbytlan, suggesting that the word hobbit is derived from Rohirric; Pippin comments that the King of Rohan is "A fine old fellow. Very polite." Merry promises to tell him more about pipe-weed; the relationships of Merry and Pippin with Théoden and Denethor are more significant in the books.	Just adds a scene where Merry pledges his allegiance to Théoden.
The Rohirrim bypass the main road to Gondor by negotiating with the Wild Men of Drúadan Forest for passage through their woods.	There is no mention of the Wild Men or of Drúadan Forest; the Rohirrim just ride all night.
Aragorn cures Éowyn, Faramir, and Merry in the House of Healing.	His healing of Faramir and Merry is not included, although the healing of Faramir was reportedly filmed. In the Extended DVD Cut Éowyn is shown to be healed by Aragorn, but Merry is found and treated by Pippin.
Sam must use the Phial of Galadriel to get past the Silent Watchers of Cirith Ungol.	Although the Silent Watchers briefly appear on screen, Sam's confrontation with them, which was reportedly filmed, is not shown.
The Nazgûl on their flying steeds fly above Minas Tirith, but too high to get attacked.	The Nazgûl fly low and swoop on the people in the city.
The spirit of Sauron rises like a black cloud from the ruin of Barad-dûr before being blown away by the West wind.	Not included. In both versions of the film the destruction of the Ring causes the Eye of Sauron to erupt in flame and then explode as Barad-dûr collapses.
After the coronation, Gandalf counsels King Elessar and shows him where to find a seedling of the White Tree.	Not included. In the extended cut Gandalf tells Pippin that the dead White Tree remains in the courtyard in the apparently forlorn hope that it will blossom again; in a later scene the tree is seen bearing a single white flower. During Aragorn's coronation the courtyard is covered by the blossoms, and the tree is seen in the background in full bloom.
The company of Rangers of the North, who along with the two sons of Elrond join Aragorn after Saruman is defeated, do not appear at all in the film, in which Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli take the Paths of the Dead alone. One of them, Halbarad, also presents Aragorn with a banner woven by Arwen.	Elrond's appearance; in which he presents Aragorn with Andúril; and the previous film's Elven army at the Hornburg; partially substitute.
Gondor's formal request for aid is sent to Rohan by a courier carrying the Red Arrow (although Rohan was already mustering to Gondor's defence, in part at Gandalf's urging).	There is no courier, and the Riders are spurred to help Gondor by the beacons (above).
There is a very rare sequence of lighthearted comedy in the Houses of Healing, where a Gondor doctor repeatedly recites herbal lores to a very frustrated Aragorn, who wants the herb but has no interest in hearing the bumbling healer's endless rhymes about them.	Omitted
After Pippin and Gandalf arrive at Minas Tirith and meet Denethor, Pippin is given a tour of the city by Beregond and his son. Afterwards, it is Beregond who partially helps to save Faramir from being burned on Denethor's pyre.	Omitted
Gondor's defence during the Battle of Pelennor Fields is partly led, and afterwards Minas Tirith is governed, by Prince Imrahil, a Gondorian prince from Dol Amroth. Given the death of Boromir, the madness of Denethor, and the pre-battle injuries to Faramir, Imrahil represents the traditional leaders of Gondor in their most favourable light, and comes to support Aragorn as King.

Following the destruction of the One Ring, most of the second book of The Return of the King involves tying up loose ends (although Tolkien considered the "Scouring of the Shire" to be one of the most important chapters of the book, it is completely omitted from the film). These dénouements are only briefly summarized in the films, where we get a hint of Frodo's periodic bouts of illness following his return to the Shire, we see Sam getting married to Rosie, and we follow Gandalf's and the Ring-bearers' departure from the Grey Havens.

[edit] Additions

• In the film, the burning Denethor runs along the "prow" of Minas Tirith and falls like a meteor. In the book, Denethor lights his pyre and lies down upon it to burn, clasping the palantír. (In fact the "prow" of Minas Tirith, located on the Seventh Level, is on the opposite side of the city from the burial chambers where the pyre is, located on the fifth level. While on fire, Denethor would have had to run across the entire city to fall like that. In his commentary on the extended DVD Peter Jackson admits that he was aware of the distance issue but included the scene for dramatic effect.)
• Book: Aragorn reveals himself and his reforged sword to Sauron using the palantír recovered at Isengard.
  Movie: Included with alteration. Takes place following the Last Debate; Sauron retaliates by showing Aragorn a vision of Arwen apparently dying, which is not in the book.
• In the film, Gollum tricks Frodo into mistrusting Sam and sending him away, so that Frodo enters Shelob's Lair alone. In the book, Frodo and Sam stay together until the encounter with Shelob and have no break in their trust, except for a brief instant upon Frodo's rescue from the orc tower where he demands that Sam return the Ring.

[edit] Other Alterations

• Book: The women and children of Minas Tirith had been evacuated to countryside of Gondor, save for some of the boys like Bergil son of Beregond and women healers in the Houses of Healing. In fact, the last of them were leaving as Gandalf and Pippin were arriving at the Rammas Enchor.
  Movie: The city of Minas Tirith was brimming with women and children during the Siege of Gondor.
• Book: During the Siege of Gondor and Battle of the Pelennor there is a growing feeling among the Gondorian soldiers that they will lose the battle, and then they are even more dismayed to see the black sails of the Corsairs sailing up the Anduin. When the orcs see the ships, they cheer with excitement thinking the arrival of their allies will assure complete victory. Then, as the lead ship comes to the shore (and most of the battle is watching), the banner of Gondor is raised and out steps Aragorn with the Elendilmir jewel upon his brow, looking every bit like the lost King of Gondor (and Arnor).
  Movie: There is no mention of how the soldiers think they will lose for sure and no shot of them dismaying when they see the ships of the corsairs. Also, the orcs don't seem to care very much (one of them even mocks the ships for arriving late at the battle), and it is made to look like the ships have come at the back of the battle and few have noticed their arrival. Then Aragorn jumps off, but does not wear any jewels (the filmmakers have replaced the Elendilmir and the Elfstone from the book with "the Evenstar", a gift from Arwen) and does not raise the Standard of Gondor or anything like it. He does not resemble the line of Elendil in any way and the orcs never fear him, only the ghost army that follows him. To this date there has been no explanation from the filmmakers on why 'Strider' and not 'King Elessar' came out of the ship, for it would not have conflicted with any time or budget constraints.
• Book: The Witch-king enters Minas Tirith when its gate is breached and challenges Gandalf to fight, but as a cock crows the horns of the Rohirrim announce their arrival and the Witch-king is forced to return to meet their assault. In the book this takes place at the gate of Minas Tirith.
  Movie: When the gate is breached trolls and easterlings enter the city. Shortly afterwards, the Witch-king, riding his Fell Beast, intercepts Gandalf and Pippin, on Shadowfax, who are racing from the gate to the Citadel (at the summit of the city) to save Faramir from being burned alive by Denethor. The Witch-king holds up his sword, which erupts into flame; Gandalf is then thrown off his horse as his staff breaks, presumably because of the Witch-king's power. The arrival of the Rohirrim is announced by their horns, but there is no sound of a cock crowing first (despite the fact that Tolkien described this as one of his favourite images).
• Book: The Rohirrim begin to chant "Death! Death!" when being led by Éomer after the fall of Théoden and Éowyn.
  Movie: The chant "Death! Death!" is part of the initial charge of the Rohirrim, led by Théoden.
• Book: In the Pyre of Denethor scene it is revealed that Denethor has a palantír, usually kept in a secret room at the top of the White Tower of Ecthelion, which he has been using to obtain strategic information for the defence of Gondor. But Sauron has infiltrated the palantír and used it to show Denethor a vision of the Black Ships. The vision is true as far as it goes, but Denethor does not realise the ships have been taken over by Aragorn's army.
  Movie: Not included, but there is a scene after the Battle of Pelennor Fields, where Aragorn finds a palantír in Denethor's cloak in the throne room and reveals himself to Sauron (see below). The implication that this is the cause of Denethor's madness is left to viewers with knowledge of the book. Denethor, in the theatrical cut, does cryptically say that "the eyes of the White Tower are not blind", and he implies that he has a Seeing-stone, which someone who read the book might understand but would be lost on a movie-only audience. It is also possible, however, that the palantír Aragorn used was the stone of Orthanc, and Denethor's seeing-stone was completely cut out of the films.
• Book: Faramir and Éowyn meet and fall in love in the Houses of Healing.
  Movie: Referred to in a brief scene in which they begin to bond.
• Book: Incognito in Orc armour, Sam and Frodo are forced to march with a band of Orcs who are heading for the Black Gate.
  Movie: Included. The scene ends with Frodo and Sam pretending to fight, causing the other orcs to join in, and slipping away while they are distracted - a simplification of the original scene.
• Book: The Outer Walls of Minas Tirith are virtually impregnable, thus during the Battle of Pelennor Fields the attacking Orcs in the army of Mordor shoot bows and arrows on the defenders, along with burning missiles thrown by catapults to set the wooden buildings ablaze. The armies of Gondor shoot bows & arrows down at the attackers.
  Movie: The Walls of Minas Tirith crumble whenever they're struck by massive rocks hurled by the Orcish army and their catapults. The defenders of Gondor retaliate by launching catapults of their own, which rain down huge blocks of masonry on the Orcs and their siege towers.
• Book: The Mouth of Sauron taunts Gandalf at the Black Gate and presents evidence that Frodo had been captured (which was true, although Frodo was rescued by Sam before he could be interrogated).
  Movie: Included with alterations. The Mouth torments the Fellowship by claiming that Frodo has been horribly tortured and killed. He then taunts Aragorn over his broken sword and Aragorn decapitates him with the reforged Andúril. In the book he is allowed to live until the battle.
• Book: Éowyn disguises herself as "Dernhelm," and smuggles Merry along with her, allowing them both to take place in the Battle of Pelennor Fields.
  Movie: Included with alteration. Éowyn does stow away with the Rohirrim, and does take Merry with her. However, at no point does she use the guise of Dernhelm. Her face is never completely concealed, thus the audience is always aware of who she is. While some have argued this takes away the surprise later, when Dernhelm reveals herself to be a woman when told that no man can kill the Witch-king, it has been counter-argued that having the audience know who she is maintains their emotional investment in her character.
• In the film, shards of Narsil are re-forged by Elrond at Arwen's urging, and Elrond travels to Rohan where he presents the reforged sword to Aragorn and orders him to take the Paths of the Dead. In the book, Narsil was reforged when Aragorn first brought the hobbits to Rivendell (following a prophecy that the reforging could only take place after "Isildur's Bane", the Ring, was found).
• In the book, Aragorn leads the combined armies of Gondor and Rohan, among others, to the Black Gate. They divide into two circles as they fight the armies of Sauron. In the movie they form into a single circle.
• In the book, the Rangers of the North, Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn ride through the mountain path to summon the Dead, then ride through the Morthond valley to the stone of Erech, where the Dead agree to serve. Aragorn then leads the dead and members of his group to Pelargir to attack the Corsairs. After the Dead defeat the corsairs, they disappear, and the ships carry Aragorn, the rangers, Legolas, Gimli, and some forces from southern Gondor to the battle of Pelennor fields. In the movie, Aragorn gets the dead to serve in an underground cave, exits the underground path at Pelagir to see the corsairs. The Dead then sail on the ships to Pelennor fields. No Rangers of the North or southern Gondorians are in the movie. The book version makes more sense when considering the maps, as Pelargir is a long way from Edoras or Minas Tirith, and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli run for a short time considering the distance.
• In the book, the beacons of Gondor are lit before Gandalf and Pippin arrive, as a part of Denethor's careful mustering of Minas Tirith's defences. In the film, Denethor refuses to light the beacon of Minas Tirith, or indeed to organize any defence of the city, so Gandalf persuades Pippin to sneak past the guards and light it, causing the rest of the beacons to be lit in response.
• Éomer's inheritance of the throne of Rohan after Théoden's death was never confirmed in the movie-indeed, it is implied in the film that the throne will pass to his sister.
• Unlike the book, Merry is not taken to the Houses of Healing to recuperate from his encounter with the Witch-king (with the aid of Aragorn's knowledge of the healing herb athelas, which he also uses to heal Faramir and Éowyn), but instead rides out to the Last Battle alongside Aragorn and Gandalf.
• In the book, Gollum slips accidentally into the Crack of Doom while dancing in triumph after biting the Ring off Frodo's right hand third finger. In the film, Gollum bites the ring off Frodo's index finger, and an enraged Frodo charges and jumps on him one last time, causing them both to fall; it is subsequently revealed that Frodo was able to catch himself on the rock below the precipice, from which Sam pulls him back (after a brief hesitation by an apparently suicidal Frodo).
• In the film, it is not revealed that Frodo is to sail to the west with Bilbo, Gandalf, Elrond, Galadriel, and Celeborn until after most of them have boarded the ship. In the book, Frodo and Sam join with Bilbo and the elves in the woods while travelling to the harbour. In the books Celeborn also takes a later ship.
• In the book it is revealed to Sam that he, as a ring bearer, will in the future sail into the West, in the movie Frodo implies that Sam will remain in Middle-earth for the rest of his life.
• The film's closing scene shows Sam returning from saying farewell at the Grey Havens and coming back to the Shire and his home and family (returning at night in the book, during the day in the film). In addition, Sam's home is a modest hobbit hole, presumably on Bagshot Row, rather than having moved into Bag End as in the book.

[edit] Notable unaltered scenes

• Book: On the way to the Morgul Vale, Frodo, Sam and Gollum pass through the Crossroads, where there is a giant statue of a seated king with his head laying on the ground nearby, "crowned" anew with flowers that have grown there, an image of hope amidst destruction.
  Movie: Included without alteration.
• Book: Éomer grieves over the deaths of Éowyn and Théoden after the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
  Movie: We see Éomer's shock at his sister's apparent death, and his attempts to nurse her back to health with the aid of Aragorn.
• The film remains faithful to the book in quoting the last lines spoken by Gandalf ("I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil", although Gandalf has some minor dialogue following this in the movie) and by Sam ("Well, I'm back.").