The Fellowship of the Ring
On his 111th birthday Bilbo Baggins decides to use the magic Ring which renders its wearer invisible. Having bequeathed the Ring to his heir, Frodo Baggins, Bilbo vanishes before the very eyes of his friends, never to return.
Gandalf, the grey magician, is worried about the Ring because he suspects that it is the One Evil Ring made by the wicked lord Sauron long ago. Gandalf's worries are not unfounded, for Middle-Earth has fallen on dark times and ominous things are happening. The mighty forest once called Greenwood the Great is haunted by evil powers and now goes by the name of Mirkwood (Dark wood). Driven out of Mirkwood by the White Council of Elves, the forces of darkness assemble in eastern Mordor, their ancient home where Sauron once held sway.
Gandalf makes a test, which proves that this is indeed Sauron's Ring. Though Sauron was conquered very, very long ago, his spirit was revived in Mirkwood and has since returned to Mordor. The Ring passed into the hands of Gollum, from whom it was taken by Bilbo Baggins.
Gandalf tells Frodo the story of the Ring, adding that through Gollum the Dark Powers have learnt where the Ring is and that they are determined to get it back. The only way to avert the danger is to destroy the Ring in the hellish fire in which it was created.Frodo, accompanied by three younger Hobbits, Sam, Merry and Pippin, sets out on a dangerous journey carrying the Ring. They encounter the hostile Black Riders, meet with friendly Elves, and are rescued from grave danger by Tom Bombadil, the embodiment of goodness who is as old as the world. At an inn they meet Strider, the Ranger from the North, a mortal Man whose real name is Aragorn. He acts as their guide on the way to Rivendell, where the White Council is to assemble.
Escaping from another attack by Black Riders the four Hobbits arrive at Rivendell, where the Council discusses the problem of the Ring. Many delegates from the Elves and Dwarves are gathered there, and Frodo and his friends learn more about the history of Middle Earth and the Great War in which Sauron was defeated. Boromir, the son of Denethor, Steward of the country of Gondor, tells the council that Gondor is still holding out against the rising power of Mordor, but is badly in need of help. Surprisingly, Aragorn declares that he is the rightful King of Gondor and that the time has come for him to resume his place.
Gandalf, who is also present, reveals that Saruman the magician, Gandalf's chief, has turned traitor. The Ring must be destroyed as soon as possible; someone must found to carry it further to the Mountain of Doom where it was forged. Frodo is the only one to volunteer for his task, be it with heavy heart. Since it is impossible for him to go alone, a Fellowship is formed to accompany him: Gandalf, Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas the Elf, Gimli the Dwarf and the Hobbits Sam, Merry and Pippin.
The Fellowship meet with Wargs and Orcs and have to fight their way through these enemies. They find their escape route blocked by the most fearful opponent of all, a Balrog. Gandalf confronts the Balrog alone, and in the heroic battle between them they both fall down a deep abyss and vanish.
Aragorn now becomes the leader of the Fellowship. For a while they find shelter in Lothlorien, where the Elf Queen Galadriel gives them al vial containing magic water. With Gandalf gone, quarrels spring up in the Fellowship and mutual loyalty declines. Boromir challenges Aragorn's leadership, insisting that the Ring should first be taken to Gondor before it is destroyed. Boromir even tries to take the Ring from Frodo by force. Frodo, horrified by such treachery, flees and travels to the Land of Shadows accompanied only by Sam.
The other members of the Fellowship set forth in search of Frodo, but the unity among them is broken and they split up. The forces of Good and Evil are gathered for battle.
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The Two Towers
Boromir, repenting of his betrayal of the Fellowship, defends Merry and Pippin against a murderous band of Orcs and followers of Saruman, and is himself killed in the battle, thus heroically atoning for his sin. Since Merry and Pippin are carried of by the retreating Orcs, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas are now the only remaining members of the Fellowship. Following the trail of the Orcs they meet with a company of warriors of Rohan, who tell them that they have attacked and wiped out the survivors of the band of Orcs, but have not found Merry and Pippin with them.
Merry and Pippin have escaped from the Orcs and are now making their way to the ancient forest called Fangorn. Arriving there, they are kindly received by Treebeard, a member of the race of Ents, the Shepherds of the Trees. The wise, benevolent Treebeard tells the Hobbits that Saruman probably does not intend to support Sauron but is trying to usurp power himself. The Ents are very angry with Saruman, because he encroaches upon their territory, the forest of Fangorn, and brings Orcs into it. Led by Treebeard, the Ents march upon Saruman's citadel, determined to destroy it.
Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas also enter the forest of Fangorn. They come across a mysterious old man who turns out to be Gandalf, miraculously returned among the living. Purified and strengthened by his dreadful experience in the underworld, he is no longer Gandalf the Grey, but Gandalf the White, sent back to Middle Earth for a time until his task is completed. Together they travel to Rohan, where Gandalf delivers King Theoden from his false counsellor Grima Wormtongue, who acts as a spy for Saruman. Together with King Theoden and his warriors Gandalf and his comrades ride out to attack Saruman. On their way they have to beat off a band of Orcs. When they reach Saruman's citadel it turns out that the Ents have defeated the forces of Saruman who, together with Grima is being besieged in his stronghold.
Gandalf, who is now a magician of a higher rank, Saruman's superior, breaks Saruman's magic staff and expels him from the order of wizards. Grima, lying in ambush, throws a magic crystal stone at Gandalf, who is not hurt by it. This crystal is of great value because it used to be the means of communication between Saruman's tower called Orthanc and the Dark Tower of Baradur. Gandalf hurries on to Gondor, trying to be there before the Great Battle against Mordor is fought.
Meanwhile Frodo and Sam, travelling in the mountains along the borders of Mordor, come across Gollum, who is lonely and miserable. In spite of Sam's warnings and against his own better judgement, Frodo takes pity on Gollum and treats him kindly. Gollum responds gratefully to Frodo's kindness and acts as their guide. They try to reach Mordor through a long, dark tunnel in the mountains. In the tunnel they are attacked by Shelob, a giant spider. Frodo raises Galadriel's magic vial, and its blinding light drives the spider back. But she rallies and sets on them again. During the fight, Sam discovers to his horror that Frodo has been killed by Shelob, throws himself on the spider and beats it off. In despair, Sam realises that he is the only one left to complete the Quest of the Ring. He removes the Ring from Frodo's body and prepares to carry on alone. But before he can leave, Frodo's body is found by a party of Orcs, who carry it away to their fortress. Sam slips the Ring on his finger so that he becomes invisible. Creeping up on the Orcs he overhears the talk between them. He is overjoyed as well as horrified to learn that Frodo is not dead, only paralysed by the venomous sting of the spider.
Sam is torn between conflicting duties now. His loyalty to his friend Frodo urges him to stay and help him, but on the other hand he must take the Ring to its ultimate destination. As he stands deliberating within himself, the Orcs carry Frodo's body inside the fortress and shut the gates.
The Return of the King
Gandalf and Pippin arrive at the capital of Gondor where they are received by Denethor, who rules the country as Steward of the lost King. They face the difficult task to prevent Denethor from hearing in advance that Aragorn is coming to claim the kingship.
The skirmishes between Gondor and Mordor are about to burst out into full-scale war. Reinforcements are arriving at the capital of Gondor, but there are too few to resist the terrible might of Mordor. The fate of Gondor depends on the help of the men of Rohan. If they do not come in time, Gondor will be faced with ruin and destruction.
Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas are still near Orthanc where Saruman has been defeated. Presently they set out with King Theoden to rally his men, the warriors of Rohan. Aragorn's Rangers, bearing his royal standard, join them in preparation for the war. When Aragorn looks into Saruman's magic crystal he sees that war is about to break out in Gondor and decides that he must hurry. He cannot wait for the men of Rohan to get ready, and together with Gimli and Legolas he rides like wind to Gondor, taking a dangerous short cut through the Paths of the Dead.
In Gondor the war begins before Aragorn and his men have arrived. The paralysing magic of Sauron weakens the will of the defenders and sows division among them. Fearful onslaughts by the forces of Mordor are repulsed, but the men of Gondor suffer heavy losses and are in low spirits. Denethor, grieving over his son Faramir who has been wounded and at death's door, withdraws into himself. It is Gandalf who now commands Gondor's forces. Mordor breaks through the flaming walls of the city, and a huge battering ram bursts the gate. All seems lost. But then the men of Rohan appear on the scene and throw themselves into battle at last.
The tide of the battle turns, but not for long. King Theoden of Rohan dies a valiant death, and it seems that Mordor will carry the day after all. But at that moment the Rangers of the North under the command of Aragorn come to the rescue. The legions of Mordor are beaten back and Gondor enjoys another breathing spell.
Denethor has sunk into a deep depression from which nothing can rouse him. His son Faramir, who is supposed to be dead, is laid on a funeral pyre, but at the very last moment Gandalf leaps forward and pulls the young man out of the flames. Though dangerously ill, he is still alive. His crazed father throws himself into the flames and is burnt to death.
Gandalf finds out that Denethor had become insane through using a magic crystal like the one Saruman kept at Orthanc. By means of the crystals Sauron had worked his evil power on Denethor's mind. Young Faramir is cured by the King's Touch when Aragorn, the rightful heir to the throne of Gondor, lays his healing hand on him and treats him with herbs. The people of Gondor now know that their King has returned to them. They prepare for the decisive battle which is to come.
In the meantime Sam, wearing the Ring that makes him invisible, enters the Orcs fortress where Frodo is held captive. Frodo and Sam escape, and after an exhausting journey through a barren land they at last reach Mount Doom, the place where Sauron originally made the Ring.
Standing on the brink of the Crack of Doom, with the infernal flames raging below him, Frodo stands paralysed, unable to part with the Ring. Sam urges him to throw the Ring into the flames but Frodo says in a sharp, clear voice,"The Ring is mine." He cannot resist the sinister fascination of the Ring and is now in its power.
At that moment Gollum, who has followed Frodo and Sam, attacks Frodo and bites off the finger on which he is wearing the Ring. Dancing and shouting with joy, Gollum steps too far and topples into the depths. The one great Ring of Power, the mainstay of Sauron's might, is gone for ever.
Flames erupt from Mount Doom, thunder roars, and the earth trembles. The Dark Land of Mordor is shaking on its foundations and scattered to the winds. The Great War is over.
The two Hobbits are brought back to Gondor by Gandalf, who leads them to the court of King Aragorn. Here they are treated with the utmost respect by the King and his knights. After having recovered their strength they set out on the long journey home.
Returning to the Shire they find it changed out of all recognition. The country has fallen into the power of Saruman. Though deprived of his magic powers, Saruman still remains a crafty, formidable opponent. Nevertheless, he is no match for Frodo, who puts him to flight. In the end, Saruman is knifed in the back by his grovelling servant Grima Wormtongue, who is himself killed by the Hobbit’s arrows.
Now the Hobbits face the difficult task of restoring law and order, peace and prosperity to their demoralised countrymen. It takes them a long time to complete this difficult task, but in the end the Shire is again a green and pleasant land inhabited by happy, self-respecting people.
Only Frodo is not at all well. The long contact with the evil Ring has sapped his moral and physical strength, and he is sick in body and mind. He knows that he cannot be cured in Middle Earth but must go to the peaceful land of the Elves across the ocean. Therefore he travels to the Grey Havens, where the Elves embark for their own country, leaving the World of Men now that the Third Age has come to an end.
Gandalf, too, is leaving Middle Earth where his task is completed. With Gandalf, Frodo sails forth into the High Sea, on into the West, until he beholds white shores and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise.
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