Well, the Coronavirus pandemic is still raging, but for us who trust in Jesus, we know that God has us all in the palm of His hand. I continue to pray everyday over this situation, that God will weaken and eventually halt its spread, heal those who are afflicted with it, and comfort their loved ones. I encourage all of you to do the same, and of course continue to follow the various guidelines relating to staying safe and healthy in the meantime.
I also got a bit of good news recently even in the midst of our current times: After taking a hiatus from music for several years when she got married and started a family, Rebecca St. James (My favorite singer, who had been a major name in Contemporary Christian music in the 2000s) is finally working on a new album again, with its first single dropping next month!
Now then, speaking of returning to working for the Lord, the time has come for me to conclude my series looking at the 'Lord of the Rings' film trilogy.
Of course, this means I will be looking at the final film in the trilogy, 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.'
As with the previous film, this takes us on several different plotlines, following different characters.
Frodo Baggins, his friend Samwise "Sam" Gamgee, and their freaky guide Gollum (Whose unhappy backstory is revealed in the film's disturbing prologue) continue to make their way to Mount Doom. However, Gollum betrays the hobbits, manipulating them into turning against each other and leading them to a deadly encounter with the giant spider Shelob. After this and more, the hobbits finally arrive at Mount Doom. By the time they get there, it may be too late, as the Ring has begun seriously influencing Frodo's mind so he might not even want to give it up even though the fate of Middle Earth hangs in the balance.
Merry and Pippin are reunited with Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf, but not for long.
Eventually, Gandalf has to take Pippin to the kingdom of Gondor, where they discovered an attack is imminent. They meet Boromir's father Denethor, who has been driven half- mad with grief over Boromir and is unwilling to yield his position as the kingdom's steward to Aragorn (Its rightful king).
Denethor is furious at learning that his other son, Faramir, let Frodo and Sam go with the Ring, and expresses even more vicious contempt toward his younger son than ever for it, leading Faramir to be gravely wounded and near death in a fruitless military attack to try and gain his father's favor. Denethor loses what little sanity he had upon discovering this and tries to get his people to surrender as he prepares to burn himself and Faramir's still- living body on a funeral pyre, with Pippin and Gandalf having to rush to save Faramir from this awful fate.
Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Theoden come to prepare and aid in Gondor's defense, only to realize that they will be greatly outnumbered and in need of more help. The elf lord Elrond, father of Aragorn's true love Arwen, gives him his now- restored ancestral sword (Which his ancestor used to defeat Sauron the first time), and sends him, along with Legolas and Gimli, on a dangerous mission to try and gain the support of "The Dead Men of Dunharrow," an army of ghosts that in life did not honor a vow they made to Aragorn's ancestor but may redeem themselves by coming to Aragorn's aid now. This extra backup may provide the heroes with enough help to save Gondor from the invasion.
It all comes down to an ultimate showdown with the remaining forces of good marching on Mordor to try and distract Sauron's forces long enough for Frodo and Sam to at long last reach Mount Doom and destroy the Ring (And, with it, Sauron) once and for all.
The only real problem with this movie was the prevailing problem with all of the films: Its length. It is easily the longest film in the trilogy, and even after the Ring is destroyed, it takes another 40 minutes or so before we finally see "The End" appear on the screen.
Now that that's out of the way, 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' is truly a cinematic masterpiece. It completely swept the Oscars that year, taking home all eleven awards it was nominated for, including Best Picture (A still- standing record for the highest clean- sweep of the Oscars). It deserved every last one it got.
The film's action sequences are as top- notch as they have always been. Although the initial siege of Gondor is a little too similar to the Battle of Helm's Deep in the previous film, the land- battle that followed it (When Aragorn and co. enter the fray) was brilliant, with a lot of quite impressive visuals.
Another key action sequence is when Sam has an intense battle with the monstrous spider Shelob. You truly will be on the edge of your seat all throughout that scene.
All the characters are as wonderful as ever. We feel how the quest has been really taking its toll on everyone, especially Frodo, yet see them still endure. Frodo has been carrying the Ring for such a long period that he can barely function or even remember his old life in the Shire (Which, we find out from the prologue, is similar to what happened to Gollum as the Ring warped his mind). Then afterwards, when his quest is done, we see him attempting to settle back into normal life and find peace after all he went through.
A character who really shines in this is Sam. We feel his despair as he and Frodo have their brief falling- out, his courage and loyalty as he faces Shelob single- handedly, and his general kindness and devotion all throughout the film right up to his well- deserved happy ending as he returns to the Shire, marries his crush (Shooting down that stupid and baseless "Frodo and Sam= Gay lovers" fan theory), and starts a family with her.
Gollum is taken in a somewhat different direction than he was in the previous film. While the previous film gave him loads of comedic moments and showcased how torn he was between his two personalities, this one gives him many more serious moments and has him becoming pretty much completely evil. In particular, the way that he turns Frodo against Sam (First by getting Frodo to believe that Sam might try to take the Ring from him, then by framing Sam for stealing their rations) is so reprehensible and cruel, it really shows how longing for the Ring can strip people of all the good they once had and make them complete fiends.
Aragorn we see truly becoming who he was always meant to be. From the ragtag ranger he was in the first film, to a leader of armies, and ultimately a king. We see his struggles, relating to his love of Arwen and if her father will accept it, how to redeem his family name, and ultimately how to save all of Middle Earth. The speech he gives to his army right before the battle at the gates of Mordor is truly unforgettable.
Gimli, my favorite character, gets plenty of good play in it, too. He has a lot of funny moments (i.e. a scene early on when he and Legolas have a drinking contest, and later when ghostly hands form towards him out of the mist and he nervously attempts to dispel them by blowing them off with his breath), and yet also some nice serious moments. One that sticks out is a brief but poignant exchange he and Legolas have as the final battle at the gates of Mordor is about to begin: Gimli looks at Legolas and says "I never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an elf." Legolas then asks him, "How about side by side with a friend?" Gimli responds, "Aye. I could do that."
Probably even more than the other two films in the trilogy, this is one in which watching the "Extended Edition" is an absolute must, for a lot of reasons. First, it includes scenes showing the final fates of the evil wizard Saruman and his lackey Wormtongue, who were both completely cut from the theatrical version of the film. Saruman's actor, Christopher Lee, was understandably quite offended over that fact, and refused to attend the film's premiere for that reason. Second, on a related note, it includes the death scene of the foul and sadistic orc general Gothmog. We see him doing so many vile, savage things (One that sticks out is when he, to demoralize the people of Gondor before the siege, has catapults launch the severed heads of many of Gondor's slain warriors over the walls into the city), deeply wish to see him get killed for that, and yet he seems to evade death several times; It's only in the Extended Edition that we see him finally taken down for good by Aragorn and Gimli together double- teaming him. Lastly, the Extended Edition also includes a very funny cameo from the film's director, Peter Jackson, in which he appears as a rather unlucky pirate.
This movie also has truly remarkable and diverse set designs. From the impressive white buildings of Gondor, to the imposing cliffs of Mount Doom, to the dark and creepy environments of Shelob's lair and the kingdom of the Dead Men of Dunharrow, and back to the beautiful hills of the Shire, this movie truly is an incredible feat in production design. It's no wonder that one of the film's many Oscars was for Best Art Direction.
A scene that sticks out as probably the most memorable for me in the film is in the end, when Aragorn is crowned king. We see him accepting the crown, see how he even has some of his friends assist him in it (i.e. Gimli presents him with the crown, and Gandalf kind of presides over the coronation ceremony, like a minister at a wedding), and walks along the courtyard, acknowledging the other friends and allies that helped lead him to this victorious moment. He is finally reunited in person with Arwen, and they passionately kiss. Then (And this is what makes this scene so unforgettable), the crowds part as we see Aragorn and Arwen approach the four heroic hobbits standing in the back of the crowd. The hobbits bow respectfully to the new king, but Aragorn stops them. "My friends," he says, "You bow to no one." Then he, Arwen, and all the rest of the crowd kneel to the hobbits who went through so much to save their world, as the beautiful theme music for the Shire plays loudly in the background. All the performances in this scene are great, ESPECIALLY Viggo Mortensen, and that final scene with the hobbits served as a wonderful reminder that the physically smallest ones among them were the ones who proved to be the greatest heroes. If I remember right, it was this very scene that was used for its "Nominee preview clip" when it ultimately won the Oscar for Best Picture.
Like the previous two films in the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, 'The Return of the King' has a multitude of Scriptural messages and themes.
One example is the the message that we should be wary of false counselors. Gollum, as part of his scheme to reclaim the Ring, tries to turn Frodo and Sam against each other. He deliberately sows mistrust and paranoia in Frodo's heart (Which is already becoming strongly influenced by the Ring), by telling him that Sam wants to take the Ring for himself. We likewise need to be very careful of those who might lead us astray with bad advice. All the way back in the Garden of Eden, it was listening to the serpent's bad advice that drove Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit and allow sin to enter the world. Proverbs 25:19 tells us that "Trusting in a treacherous man in a time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips." We indeed need to make sure that people are trustworthy and seek God's discernment before we blindly put our trust in them and their advice.
A second important Scriptural lesson to be taken from 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' concerns the accepting of one's destiny, as seen mainly through Aragorn finally accepting his destiny to become king of Gondor. The key moment in this regard is when Elrond, who had previously expressed reservations about Aragorn, both in terms of Aragorn's destiny as king and in terms of his love for Arwen, accepts this and convinces Aragorn to do the same by having Aragorn's ancestral sword Narsil reforged and presenting it to him. He tells Aragorn to "Put aside the Ranger: Become who you were born to be."
This can tie into us as Christians due to the concept of the callings that God puts on all of us. Both in Biblical times and today, God calls people to do incredible things, if they will trust in Him and seek His will. Romans 8:28- 29 says that "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn of his brothers and sisters." It's essentially saying that if we love and trust in God, He will make things work together well for us (Even if we can't see it at the time, such as these trying times we're currently going through). This is because He knew us before we were even born and destined us to become more like Him through following the example of Christ and go on to do great things for His Kingdom. It's just a matter of stepping out in faith and trusting Him to accomplish the incredible things He intended for us.
Another lesson is regarding loyalty, especially when it comes to helping others through trials. When Aragorn is initially planning on seeking out the aid of the Dead Men of Dunharrow alone, Legolas and especially Gimli will have none of it, and insist on accompanying him. Even though they know how unbelievably dangerous this mission is (When we first see the spooky mountain path leading to the Dead Men's lair, we are told that none who go down that path have ever returned), they not only didn't hesitate to join Aragorn on it, they made it clear there was no way he'd be going on it without them. However, the best example of this kind of loyalty in the film is definitely Sam. He sticks by Frodo in all of it. Even when they have a brief falling out due to Gollum's machinations, Sam before long comes back to Frodo. Finally, in the last stage of their climb up Mount Doom, Frodo has become so weak from exhaustion and carrying the Ring for so long that he feels he cannot move another step. Sam tells him, "I can't carry (The Ring) for you, but I CAN CARRY YOU!" He then lifts Frodo up onto his shoulders, and physically carries him up the mountain.
Keeping loyalty to those we care about, even when it gets tough as it was for the heroes in those scenes, is an important part of being a Christian. Proverbs 3:3 instructs us to "Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart."Also, Galatians 6:2 tells us to "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." It's one thing to stay true to your friends when the going is easy, but when it gets a lot harder to do so (i.e. When we are going through the stresses associated with this pandemic), that's a sign of real, Godly loyalty. It's what Gimli and Legolas showed to Aragorn, what Sam showed to Frodo, and what we should show to those around us.
A final theme is on the exultation of the meek and seemingly unimpressive. Much like the previous lesson, there are several characters who demonstrate this. First concerns a brief exchange between Pippin and Faramir; The latter of the two is expressing sadness and regret over the fact that his father looks down on him so much compared to Boromir, and acknowledges that he will never have the strength that Boromir had. Pippin responds to this by saying, "I think you have strength, of a different kind." That indeed is true of Faramir. While he may not be as mighty or accomplished of a warrior as Boromir was, he demonstrated an amazing inner strength of will in the previous film when he refused the temptation to take the Ring for himself, a strength that Boromir had proved to be lacking. For the second example of this, an interesting pairing of sorts that develops in this movie is between the hobbit Merry, and Theoden's brave niece Eowyn. In the battle for Gondor, they both want to serve and help in the battle, but both are turned down because of who they are (Eowyn because she's a woman, Merry because he's a hobbit). Nevertheless, the two disguise themselves to blend in with the rest of the army, and both fight bravely in the Battle of Gondor. In fact, Eowyn single- handedly takes down one of Sauron's deadliest generals, the Witch- King. Lastly, there's the previously- mentioned coronation ceremony scene, in which everyone, even the newly- crowned king Aragorn, kneels to the four humble hobbits in gratitude for their heroism.
This idea of even the seemingly weakest and least impressive of people and things being used to accomplish great things is very much a Godly principle. 1 Corinthians 1:26 has Paul telling the people in the church of Corinth, "Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; Not many were powerful; Not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of this world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast in His presence." Then, 2 Corinthians 12:9 has him saying that "(God) said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." God loves using people and things that the world sees as weak or foolish or unimpressive to help do His will on Earth. Moses had a speech impediment, David was the youngest and smallest of his brothers, and Jesus's disciples included uneducated fishermen, corrupt tax collectors, political extremists (I can't even imagine the arguments that must have gone on between Matthew and Simon the Zealot behind the scenes), and others not looked on highly by society. In this blog, I've often looked at movies, shows, etc., that some in the world might see as foolish or useless, yet God, through me, has used those same movies, shows, etc., to help teach His Word in a relatable way. Indeed, it is through people and things that the world looks down on and sees as having no value that God's glory can shine the most brightly.
There you have 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,' a marvelous ending to an unforgettable film trilogy which teaches a lot of timeless lessons to us as Christians.
I hope you all have enjoyed this journey we've been on together through Middle Earth these last few weeks, the great stories it's produced, the wonderful characters we've met, and the incredible lessons we've learned on how to better walk with Jesus.
That's all for this edition of the Nightcrawler Experience. I already am well into the next series of entries I'll be doing for this blog, the next one should debut in less than a week, so keep your eyes oen for it. Until then, stay safe and healthy, and may God bless you all!
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