frodo's journey time

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How long was Frodo’s journey in ‘The Lord of the Rings’?

Over the course of three incredible movies, early 2000s audiences were given a glimpse into one of the best fantasy stories ever told.

In the years since their release, the Lord of the Rings films have only grown in popularity. They continue to maintain status as a shining example of everything a film should be, from their actors and direction to their setting, plot, and delivery. Each of the first three films are genuine work of art in the eyes of their fans, successfully carrying three incredible, historic books to a brand-new audience via the big screen.

The story in the trilogy follows an incredible cast of characters, helmed in part by Elijah Wood’s Frodo Baggins. The beloved character is the unassuming hero of the Lord of the Rings trilogy after he successfully carries an impossibly powerful ring from one end of Middle Earth to the next.

Frodo’s journey , alongside his stalwart and endlessly loyal companion Sam Gamgee — played by Sean Astin — takes place over the course of three films. While his journey is captivating throughout, it is technically true to state that, through most of the trilogy’s notably long runtime, all the little Hobbits really do is walk.

Their travels take Frodo and Sam far from their charming homeland, into lands rarely traversed by common folk, and eventually into the desolate land of Mordor. The passage of time is a bit hazy in the films, as is the precise distance of the hardy Hobbits’ journey, leaving many people to wonder how long Frodo and Sam traveled to reach Mount Doom.

How long was Frodo’s journey?

Frodo and Sam’s journey seemingly takes them from one side of the map to the other, and appears to take anywhere from a month to over a year to complete. The nebulous timeline in the films tends to leave viewers confused, as they wonder how long the events they just witnessed took to complete.

Thankfully, J.R.R. Tolkien’s original works are far less ill-defined. In the appendices of the Lord of the Rings books, readers can easily uncover the precise distance between the Shire and Mordor, as well as how long it took Frodo and Sam to make the journey.

Frodo’s departure from Bag End fell on Sep. 23 of TA 3018, just one day after he celebrated his 50th birthday. Within a few days, he and his party — which at this point consisted of Sam, Merry, and Pippin — were headed out of the Shire and into the wide world.

It takes the group around a month to reach Rivendell, where they meet up with Gandalf and participate in the Council of Elrond’s discussion of the ring. They remain in the city for several months — between late October and late December — before departing as the Fellowship of the Ring, several members stronger.

The Fellowship passed through the Mines of Moria a month later, in mid-January, and reached the Elven city of Lothlórien by mid-February. Frodo and Sam officially part ways with the Fellowship ten days later, as February comes to a close, and start their solo journey. From there, it takes them just over one month more to travel the remaining distance and reach Mount Doom. By the time March 25 of TA 3019 comes to a close, Sauron has been defeated and Middle Earth is free once more.

In total, the journey takes just over six months.

Why is this Lord of the Rings timeline surprising?

The startlingly short timespan — particularly once you cut out the two-month stint in Rivendell — is shocking to many viewers. The story in Lord of the Rings feels like it takes place over years, rather than months, and this feeling is only intensified by the films, which were released over a span of three years. Tolkien’s timeline is clear, however, and definitively states that Frodo and Sam technically only journey alone for a single month. They also don’t spend the entire six months walking, but rather about half of that, between several stops and layovers along the way.

The Lord of the Rings films never directly address the time that passes between the story’s start and its end, but it does nod to Tolkien’s established timeline in the final moments of Return of the King . As he’s penning his additions to Bilbo’s “There and Back Again,” Frodo notes that “it’s been four years to the day since Weathertop.”

This clearly places the story at four years since the Hobbits and Aragorn faced the Nazgûl atop Weathertop Hill. This indicates that, from start to finish, the movies take place over slightly more than four years in total.

What is the timeline in The Lord of the Rings book?

In the book, the timeline is slightly different. Frodo still feels the same pain — a token of his confrontation with the Witch King of Angmar — on the annual anniversary of the Weathertop battle, but it is noted over the passage of several years. In 3021, almost exactly three years to the day following his fateful departure from the Shire, Frodo boards a ship headed to the Undying Lands. He departs Middle Earth forever, leaving his friends — and hopefully some of his pain — behind.

In total, Frodo’s journey — from inheriting the ring to destroying it — takes right around 17 years. Things take quite a bit more time in Tolkien’s original version, but we can see how some of the time in between — particularly the years between Bilbo’s birthday and Frodo’s eventual journey — might be boring in film form.

How far was Frodo’s journey?

Though now we know how long it took, what about how far Frodo and Sam traveled in the course of their six-month journey?

According to TheOneRing.net , Frodo traverses approximately 1,800 miles throughout his journey. This is nearly twice the distance traveled by his uncle, who traveled a total of 950 miles on his quest to the Lonely Mountain. A breakdown indicates that Frodo and Sam traveled around 9.73 miles per day, but that doesn’t consider the long breaks in Rivendell and Lothlórien. With those in mind, it’s likely Frodo and Sam were forced to cover quite a bit more distance when they were up on their feet, covering close to 20 miles a day for weeks on end.

If you break it down all the way, this likely means that Frodo and Sam were physically walking — or at least traveling — approximately 20 miles a day for three full months, off and on. That is some serious cardio, particularly for a once-contented 50-year-old Hobbit and his portly, 38-year-old former gardener.

The Lord Of The Rings: How Long Did It Take For Frodo To Destroy The One Ring?

"The Lord of the Rings" is an epic tale and one that can feel really long. It doesn't matter if you're sitting down to watch a dozen hours of Peter Jackson's iconic trilogy or prepping to commit a much longer run to reading J.R.R. Tolkien's books. Either way, it's a long story to take in. But how long does it take, you know, in the story ? How long is Frodo on his perilous quest that stretches hundreds of miles across various Middle-earth perils? The quick answer? Less than a year. Closer to half a year, in fact.

That's right. Frodo gets the One Ring from one corner of Middle-earth to the other — and mostly on foot — in just six months and two days. While the timeline is a bit warped in Peter Jackson's adaptation, Tolkien makes most of the important dates very clear as he goes along. He even lists out most of these moments in a timeline in the appendices of "The Return of the King."

According to those records, Frodo starts on his journey on September 23 in the 3018th year of the Third Age . He reaches the Cracks of Doom and (indirectly) destroys the One Ring on March 25 of the following year — a date that subsequently becomes New Year's Day in Gondor. The total number of days traveled? 185, which translates to six months and two days.

Frodo doesn't even travel the whole time

Considering the number of events that happen along the way, half a year seems like lightning speed for Frodo to complete his quest. Fan site LOTR Project also estimates that Frodo travels around 1,800 miles to complete his journey, which is a seriously long stretch, averaging nearly 10 miles per day.

The even crazier thing is that the ring-bearer isn't on the move that entire time. After the first part of his journey, he reaches Rivendell, where he spends a long time recuperating. Frodo escapes from the Black Riders on the doorstep of the Last Homely House on October 20, less than a month after leaving home. After that, Frodo doesn't resume the journey until he sets out with the Fellowship of the Ring on December 25. That means he spends over two months resting. He also spends roughly a month in Lothlórien.

However, these delays are offset by a couple of speedier travel options that help Frodo along the way. The first is that when they leave the Shire, Frodo and his Halfling companions initially ride on ponies, which helps to speed things up for a bit. The second speedy travel element takes place when they leave Lothlórien and sail down the Great River Anduin for several days by boat.

It technically takes Frodo much longer than six months

If the question is phrased, "How long did it take Frodo to complete his journey from the Shire to Mount Doom," the correct answer is six months and two days. However, technically speaking, it takes Frodo nearly two decades to complete the quest if you consider the entire time that he has the One Ring in his possession.

Once again, this isn't made clear in Jackson's films. However, in the source material, when Frodo first receives the Ring, it's on his 33rd birthday. It isn't until his 50th birthday , 17 years later, that he sets out on his quest. (Yes, J.R.R. Tolkien loved working birthdays into his Hobbit storylines.) This means it takes him 17 years, six months, and two days to destroy the Ring.

But wait, you say, he doesn't know he had to destroy the Ring for a lot of that time. It isn't until Gandalf shows up again and tells him what it is that he realizes he needs to destroy it. Okay, then. "The Return of the King" appendices say Gandalf arrives at Bag End on April 12, 3018. The following morning, he tells Frodo what he has, and the two decide Frodo will, at the least, take it to Rivendell. He doesn't leave right away, though, sitting tight until his birthday in September before he finally gets a move on.

From the day he finds out about the Ring until the day it is destroyed, 347 days elapse, or 11 months, one week, and six days. Whether he accomplishes his quest in half a year, most of a year, or 17 and a half years, though, it doesn't change the fact that Frodo remains one of the greatest heroes ever penned.

Compare the time and distance travelled in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings

May 31st, 2014 by Demosthenes

I am very happy to reveal this interactive distance vs time chart of the journeys by Bilbo and Frodo in the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. It contains information about each day. I hope you will find it interesting.

Very cool stuff.

Over his entire journey from Bag End to Mt Doom, Frodo travels approximately 1,800 miles in 185 days. That’s an eminently achievable average of 9.73 miles each day. However, he does spend a great deal of time recuperating in both Rivendell and Lorien — and that drags that average down.

The 27-day stretch from Bag End to Rivendell is perhaps more representative of Frodo’s normal travelling speed via “shank’s pony”. There, he and his fellow hobbits average a much more brisk 16.9 miles each day. Not too shabby — and probably very, very tiring with a full pack!

Bilbo, on the other hand, travels a total of 950 miles in 172 days — an average of just 5.52 miles per day. And the Company makes the 397-mile trek from Bag End to Rivendell in 39 days at a more leisurely average of 10.17 miles per day.

Click the image below to check it all out for yourself.

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Quest of the Ring

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The Quest of the Ring was Frodo Baggins ' quest to destroy the One Ring , which led him from his home in the Shire to Mount Doom in Mordor , as described in The Lord of the Rings . It began in September TA 3018 when Frodo set out for Rivendell , which he finally reached on October 20 . From there it took five months until the One Ring and Sauron were finally destroyed on March 25 of TA 3019 . In total, it took 11 months, one week, and six days for the One Ring to be destroyed.

• 1.1 Journey to Bree
• 1.2 Meeting with Strider
• 1.3 Weathertop
• 1.4 Council of Elrond
• 1.5 The Mountains and Moria
• 1.6 Lothlórien
• 1.7 The Breaking of the Fellowship
• 1.8 Emyn Muil and the Dead Marshes
• 1.9 Ithilien
• 1.10 Shelob's Lair and Cirith Ungol
• 1.11 Mordor
• 1.12 Mount Doom
• 2 In adaptations
• 3 References

Overview [ ]

Bilbo Baggins , Frodo's uncle, left the Shire on September 22 , 3001 after a party marking his 111th birthday (and Frodo's 33rd). Frodo thus inherited Bag End along with Bilbo's magic ring. Following Gandalf 's advice, Frodo hid this ring in a safe place.

Sometime in the next 17 years, on a trip to Gondor , Gandalf researched what Bilbo's ring might be. After some study, and reading a scroll written by Isildur (High King of Gondor and Arnor after his father Elendil ), he concluded that the ring Bilbo had recovered from Gollum was probably the master ring which Isildur had cut from Sauron's hand, at the conclusion of the War of the Last Alliance , three millennia before.

On April 12th , 3018, Gandalf returned to Bag End to confirm his suspicion. After throwing the ring into a fire and then examining it, he and Frodo were could read the inscription upon it: Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, Ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul. Translated into the Common Speech that read, One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. Indeed, this was the One Ring.

Frodo leaving the Shire with Sam, by Aaron Long

Realizing that Sauron would be looking for the Ring, Gandalf advised Frodo to take it with him and secretly follow Bilbo's journey to Rivendell. Frodo therefore invented a story that he was moving to Buckland and sold Bag End to the Sackville-Baggins . On September 23 , 3018, Frodo left Bag End, taking Samwise Gamgee and Peregrin Took with him, heading for Crickhollow .

Journey to Bree [ ]

Frodo set out to Bree to meet Gandalf, but on the way he discovered a Nazgûl was searching for him. As the Hobbits arrived at Buckland, escorted by Farmer Maggot , a rider approached. They feared it might be a Black Rider, but it turned out to be Meriadoc Brandybuck , and together the four hobbits took the Bucklebury Ferry over to Buckland. There, Frodo found that Merry and Pippin already knew about Frodo's "secret" journey, and he was left with no choice but to bring the two with him. They cut through the Old Forest and the Barrow-downs , and lost the Black Riders. They met other troubles in those places though, and were almost killed by Old Man Willow and Barrow-wights , but were rescued twice by Tom Bombadil .

Aragorn at a table in the Prancing Pony, by Matthew Stewart

Meeting with Strider [ ]

In Bree, the Hobbits booked rooms at the inn of The Prancing Pony , and Frodo went by the name of Mr Underhill , attempting to raise as little suspicion as possible. At the inn bar, Frodo asked the innkeeper, Barliman Butterbur , about a cloaked man sitting in the shadows, and learned that he was a Ranger , going by the name Strider. This was Aragorn II .

Soon, Pippin was overly enjoying himself with the attention of an audience, speaking loudly about the Baggins family. Frodo tried to distract the crowd, singing and dancing on a table, but he jumped and fell, causing the Ring to slip onto his finger. Consequently, the Hobbit turned invisible. When he reappeared, Strider pulled him aside and warned him that he was drawing too much attention. That night, the Black Riders arrived in Bree and attacked the inn, having detected the use of the Ring, but Aragorn hid the Hobbits from them. When they awoke in the morning, they found all of their horses gone. With a pony named Bill that the Hobbits had acquired there, Strider led Frodo and his companions into the wild. He guided them toward Rivendell, going through the Midgewater Marshes to Weathertop .

Weathertop [ ]

At Weathertop, in October, five Nazgûl attacked their camp and pierced Frodo with a poisoned Morgul-knife , when Frodo had made the mistake of putting on the Ring. The Ringwraiths were driven away in fright by Aragorn with the use of fire. Aragorn despite his skill could not heal Frodo's wound; a fragment of the Ringwraith's blade remained in Frodo's flesh, where it continued to move towards his heart. Near death, Frodo was rescued by Glorfindel , an Elf -lord, who took the injured Hobbit upon his horse, Asfaloth . Continually pursued by the Nazgûl, Asfaloth carried Frodo to the Ford of Bruinen , at the entrance to the valley of Rivendell. They crossed the River Bruinen (Loudwater) and the Ringwraiths halted on the other side. They ordered Frodo to give up the Ring, but he refused. Subsequently, the Nazgûl were washed away in a flood from the river, called by Elrond . Glorfindel arrived in Rivendell and Elrond physically healed Frodo. The memory of the wound, however, remained for as long as Frodo lived in Middle-earth. On October twenty-fourth, Frodo awoke in Rivendell and was reunited with Bilbo, Gandalf, Aragorn, Sam, Merry, and Pippin.

Council of Elrond [ ]

After Frodo had made a partial recovery, Elrond organized a great Council , to which representatives of all the free peoples of Middle-earth attended. They discussed the history of the Rings of Power and decided that the One Ring needed to be destroyed by being cast into the fires of Mount Doom . As the ring was brought forth, fighting broke out, and Frodo volunteered to take the Ring to Mordor. A member of each of the Free Peoples offered to join Frodo in his quest, forming the Fellowship of the Ring . The Fellowship consisted of Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Aragorn, Gandalf, Boromir of Gondor , Legolas of the Woodland Realm , and Gimli of the Lonely Mountain . Before leaving Rivendell, Bilbo gave Frodo his Mithril mail shirt and his sword, Sting . On December 25 , the Fellowship of the Ring departed from Rivendell and headed south.

The Mountains and Moria [ ]

On January 12 , the Fellowship attempted to cross the Pass of Caradhras in the Misty Mountains , but were unable to due to a snowstorm. The snowstorm was dealt by an unknown force, of which Gimli seemed to have prior knowledge. He knew that the mountain would try to thwart them. Instead they traveled through the mines of Moria at the urging of Gimli. Moria was deserted a millennia before when the Dwarves uncovered a Balrog , known as Durin's Bane , beneath the city, and a subsequent colony had been overrun by legions of goblins .

In the Chamber of Mazarbul , Orcs and a Cave-troll attacked the Fellowship. An Orc stabbed Frodo, but his Mithril shirt saved him from the deadly blow. The Fellowship ran, but met Durin's Bane on their way. When they reached the Bridge of Khazad-dum , Gandalf turned to hold back the Balrog but was ensnared and fell into the chasm.

Lothlórien [ ]

Deeply grieved by their loss, the Fellowship journeyed to the Elven kingdom of Lothlórien , where they met Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn . Before the Fellowship departed from the forest, Galadriel gave each of them a unique gift . They were also provided with Lembas bread , Elven cloaks, and boats to voyage down the Anduin .

The Breaking of the Fellowship [ ]

The Fellowship continued their journey south to Amon Hen . They set up camp, and when Frodo was alone, Boromir tried to take the Ring from him, corrupted by its power, to bring it to Minas Tirith . Frodo put on the Ring and managed to escape.

While the rest of the company scattered looking for Frodo, he decided he must go to Mordor alone, lest the Ring corrupt the others too. He set off secretly, but was found by Sam, who insisted on coming along, as he had made a promise not to lose him. Thus, the two Hobbits continued towards Mordor alone. Meanwhile, Boromir, Merry, and Pippin were attacked by Uruk-hai ; Boromir was defending the Hobbits, but he was finally mortally wounded by arrows, and the Hobbits were captured, to be taken to Isengard . Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli found Boromir as he was dying, and after paying his last respects, Aragorn sent Boromir in a boat down the Anduin in the fashion of a funeral. The three then decided to track Merry and Pippin.

Emyn Muil and the Dead Marshes [ ]

Frodo and Sam were walking though the razor-sharp winding paths of the Emyn Muil , but were not making any progress. They later discovered that Gollum had been following them, wanting the Ring for himself, and had managed to capture him. Sam did not trust Gollum and wanted to kill him, but Frodo pitied him, and forced him to swear an oath of servitude to the master of the Ring. He then told Gollum to lead them to the Black Gate . Gollum led them out of the rocky maze and though a secret passage in the Dead Marshes so that Orcs did not see them.

Ithilien [ ]

Gollum led Frodo and Sam to the Black Gate, but as the Hobbits charged to go through the Gate, Gollum stopped them, saying it was too dangerous. He told them there was another way, which was more secret. Thus they headed south into Ithilien , but were there apprehended by a group of Rangers from Gondor, led by Faramir , brother of Boromir, and brought to Henneth Annûn . The Hobbits learned from Faramir of Boromir's death, and Sam accidentally gave away that Frodo had the One Ring. Consequently, Frodo revealed the plan to destroy the Ring, but Faramir wanted to take the Ring to Gondor, to prove his quality to his father. Frodo told him the importance of the quest, and Faramir proved his quality to the two Hobbits by letting them go free.

At night time, Gollum was captured diving into the Forbidden Pool of Henneth Annûn, the penalty for which was death. Frodo begged Faramir for Gollum's safety, and he was spared. The following morning, resupplied by Faramir with food and water, the three went on their way.

Sam encouraging a weary Frodo on the Stairs of Cirith Ungol , while they entered Mordor with Gollum , by Stephen Hickman

Shelob's Lair and Cirith Ungol [ ]

Gollum led the Hobbits past Minas Morgul , and up the long, steep stairs of the pass of Cirith Ungol . At the top, there was a tunnel. Gollum disappeared, and so the Hobbits entered the tunnel alone. They got to the end, but the web of the Giant Spider Shelob blocked the exit, and Shelob appeared as well. They managed to cut through the web and escape the spider, thinking they were safe. However, Shelob sneaked up on Frodo. Sam attempted to warn him, but was attacked by Gollum. Shelob stung Frodo in the back of the neck and he fell to the ground. Sam shook Gollum off, and the latter ran towards Shelob's tunnel. The spider attacked Sam, but Sam was able to drive her off using Sting and the Phial of Galadriel . Sam assumed that Frodo was dead and resolved to finish the quest himself, so he took the Ring.

Frodo in the caves of Shelob , separated from Sam

Soon, Orcs approached Frodo's body, and Sam hid himself. He overheard the Orcs talking, and learned that Frodo was merely paralysed, not dead. The Orcs took Frodo as a prisoner to the Tower of Cirith Ungol . Sam soon arrived, got past the Two Watchers and went into the tower to rescue Frodo. Frodo was awake, but the Orcs and Uruks , who had been fighting over it and killing many of their own in the process, had taken his mithril shirt.

Meanwhile, Gandalf, who had been brought back to life as "Gandalf the White", Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Merry, Pippin and a force of the armies of Rohan and Gondor (after having fought and won the Battle of the Pelennor Fields ) traveled to the Black Gate to draw out the hosts of Mordor with an assault, providing a distraction for Frodo so he may have a chance of reaching Mount Doom and destroying the Ring without being seen by the Eye of Sauron .

Frodo and Sam were forced to disguise themselves in Orcish armour and wandered through the barren wasteland of Mordor. They were overtaken by a company of Orcs heading to meet the forces of the West, but escaped. Gandalf and Aragorn's distraction plan had worked; Mordor was almost empty now.

The final destination of the Quest, Mount Doom , as depicted in the films

After a long and weary journey, Frodo and Sam finally reached Mount Doom and began climbing it. They went many days with hardly any food or water, and Frodo became progressively weaker as the Ring's power over him grew the closer they came to Mount Doom (Orodruin). Eventually Frodo could go no further, and Sam could not carry the Ring for him either, due to its strong hold over Frodo, so Sam lifted up Frodo and carried him up Sauron's Road . It was then that Gollum decided to reappear, and after a brief struggle, Sam cut Gollum in the stomach, and Frodo fled up the mountain, strengthened by the possibility that the Ring could be taken from him.

Mount Doom [ ]

Sam caught up to him, finding him standing still at the very edge of the Crack of Doom. Frodo succumbed to the Ring's power and refused to let it go, instead claiming it as his own; he put the Ring on his finger and disappeared. Just then, as the Eye of Sauron turned to the mountain, Gollum knocked Sam out and, tracking Frodo's footprints on the ground, leapt upon the Ring-bearer. After a wild struggle, Gollum bit off Frodo's finger with the Ring. He gloated over his precious, but in his happiness, ended up losing his balance and fell into the fires below, taking the Ring with him.

The Ring was destroyed, and Mordor collapsed. Frodo and Sam were rescued by the Great Eagles who carried them from Mount Doom. Upon Sauron's defeat, his armies at the Gate fled.

In adaptations [ ]

Between Peter Jackson 's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy and the book The Lord of the Rings , there are several differences in the telling of Frodo's journey to Bree.

In the films, Frodo seems to have owned the Ring for only a short while before Gandalf returns, as opposed to the seventeen years of the book. Frodo never sells Bag End, but sets out early next morning with Sam. Merry and Pippin run into the pair at the farm of Farmer Maggot and are pulled into the journey. The Hobbits are pursued by the Black Riders all the way to Bucklebury Ferry on the borders of Buckland. There the Black Riders are forced to run to the Brandywine Bridge while the Hobbits make for Bree. Fredegar Bolger and the stay in Crickhollow are not mentioned. The film trilogy skips several parts of the journey as well, including the High Elves, meeting Farmer Maggot, Buckland, the Old Forest, and the events at the Barrow-downs.

In Ithilien, Faramir decides to take Frodo and Sam captive and take them to Osgiliath . There the city is overflown by a Nazgûl and Frodo, overcome by the ring's power, attempts to surrender it. Sam pulls him down and the Nazgûl forced to retreat when its Fellbeast is shot by Faramir, who then releases them.

Later on the Stairs of Cirith Ungol , Frodo is manipulated by Gollum into sending Sam away and is then left to face Shelob alone. Frodo manages to escape at first, overcoming Gollum, but is then surprised and stung. Sam, having discovered the Lembas crumbs on the stair, returns to fight Shelob.

Lastly, when Gollum bites off Frodo's finger in Sammath Naur, Frodo gets back up and attacks Gollum and in struggling to regain the ring they both fall. Frodo is able to grab an outcropping and is pulled back up by Sam.

This Is How Long Frodo And Sam's Journey From The Shire To Mount Doom Took

Argued like a married couple on it, must have been ages..

Mark McGowan

Let's get straight to the point: Lord of the Rings is better than Harry Potter and Star Wars, and the majority of other films for that matter.

Despite its popularity, I reckon that very few people hold the main protagonist, Frodo, as their favourite character.

I've got quite a problem with Frodo. I mean, Samwise Gamgee was there every step of the way alongside Mr Baggins. He cooked for him, saved him on countless occasions, kept him sane, and even applied some wisdom here and there, but no one gave a shit.

At the Black Gate, right before Aragorn was about to lead the remaining men of Middle-Earth to their inevitable doom, he turns around, tear in his eye, and says: "For Frodo."

What about Sam, you thoughtless bastard?! While Gollum tries his best to kill the hobbits and take the ring, Frodo continuously forgives him. He thinks Sam eats a bit of bread and tells him to fuck off home. Why is he getting such a grim time?! He left Rosie Cotton and his steady gardening job in The Shire for all of this. Give him some credit.

Anyway, now we've got that out of the way, it's time we talk about Frodo and Sam's journey. Frodo (understandably) became a little bitch during the hike, given the ring's power slowly destroying him. But how long did the famed journey take?

According to LOTR Project , on T.A. 3018, September 23 , the two Shire folk left Hobbiton, heading towards the Prancing Pony, where they were supposed to meet Gandalf. Along the way they pick up Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, who gleefully join the journey.

Eventually they're taken under the wing of Aragorn, known then only as 'Strider', and he takes them to Rivendell. There, on T.A. 3018, December 18 , the Fellowship of the Ring is created.

It's a little known fact that on Christmas day the nine of them had to leave for Mordor. Christmas fucking Day. Anyway, it's fair to say that the Fellowship was pretty shit, because two months or so later, with very little achieved, they'd lost two members and the two most vulnerable and inexperienced travelers were left to finish the quest alone.

Somehow the two plucky hobbits manage it, acquiring the help of Smeagol, who acts as their guide.

Credit: LOTR Project

They pass through the Dead Marshes, reaching the Black Gate, but then choose another path before being captured by Faramir and taken to Henneth Annûn. Eventually, after holding back from the power of the ring, he lets the three of them take the Morgul-road to pass through Shelob's lair.

On T.A. 3019, March 15, Sam and Frodo officially enter Mordor having escaped the Tower of Cirith Ungol , after the ring bearer was stabbed by Shelob.

It then takes them 10 days to trek across the plains of Mordor, posing as Orcs, and finally reaching Mount Doom, according to LOTR Project .

On T.A. 3019, March 25, when Gollum bites off Frodo's finger, the ring is finally destroyed when it falls into the fires of the mountain.

From leaving The Shire, it took the two hobbits six months to complete their quest. Frodo eventually bitched out of Middle Earth because he was ill - resigning as Deputy Mayor of The Shire and sailing West to the Undying Lands .

Meanwhile, Samwise Gamgee fulfilled a long, three-year graft and marries Rosie Cotton. They had 13 children together and he was eventually named Mayor of The Shire, surpassing Frodo's previous role.

Sam is the real hero.

Topics:  Lord Of The Rings

Mark is a journalist at LADbible, who joined in 2015 after a year as a freelance writer. In the past he blogged for independent football fan channel Redmen TV, after graduating from Staffordshire University with degrees in journalism and English literature. He has worked on campaigns such as UOKM8? and IIOC.

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• New Lord of the Rings film produced by Peter Jackson is in the works
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• Sir Ian McKellen hopes actors who turned down Gandalf role in Lord of the Rings 'feel silly'

Lord of the Rings: Worst Decision Made By Characters

I n The Lord of the Rings , a group of characters must overcome every obstacle to defeat the ultimate evil. The team consists of the three main inhabitants of Middle Earth as well as shorter and some more powerful friends working together to destroy the One Ring. But not every decision made during The Lord of the Rings was a good one.

The villains made blunders that ultimately led to their downfall. The heroes made blunders that made their journey to Mount Doom even more treacherous. Every step of the way, decisions both good and bad shaped the journey and helped bring one of the most epic stories to life.

RELATED: Lord Of The Rings: Best Samwise Gamgee Quotes

Merry: Cooked Bacon

In the grand scheme of decision in The Lord of the Rings , this may seem small and innocent, but Merry's decision to cook a meal for Sam and Pippin over a campfire causes far too much trouble. The light from the fire gives away their positions to the Nazgûl. Frodo ends up being stabbed with a poison blade in the attack.

This basic mistake is completely understandable. At this point in their lives and their journey, the Hobbits have never seen real peril. Still, this decision almost costs Frodo his life if not for the quick actions of Aragorn and Arwen.

Pippin: Touched An Arrow

While trying to make their way through Moria, the Fellowship is shocked to learn an unknown an enemy has killed all the dwarves. It's here where Pippin makes the mistake of touching an arrow sticking out of a corpse. The body falls loudly down a well alerting the orcs to their positions.

This leads to Frodo being stabbed for the second time on this journey, and he was only protected by wearing a coat mithril chain mail. While it was unlikely the Fellowship would never be detected, this decision ensured they would be in danger quicker than they should have been.

Saruman: Cutting Down Fanghorn Forest

Saruman is Sauron's greatest ally during The Lord of the Rings , but he makes a bad decision that ends his power. Perceived to be the greatest of the wizards, Saruman was wise and strategic , but he failed when he chopped down the trees around Isengard. The Ents saw the deforestation and joined the War on the side of Merry and Pippin.

RELATED: Lord Of The Rings: Best Frodo Baggins Quotes The Ents wouldn't have gotten involved if the trees were still there. Had he not cut down the forest, he wouldn't have had to worry about this new threat who neutralized him before the survivors of Helm's Deep approached Isengard.

Pippin: Looking At the Seeing Stone

This is one of the bad decisions that could've been a lot worse but actually helped the heroes. After the fall of Isengard, Gandalf, Merry and Pippin found the Palantir, but Pippin became too enamored with it and decided to sneak a peak. This put him in direct contact with Sauron who tortured the Hobbit for information, although Pippin stayed strong.

While it was certainly troublesome for everyone involved, Pippin did get a look into Sauron's plan. This allowed Gandalf and Pippin to ride to Gondor and warn them about the plan to attack Minas Tirith. Yes, the heroes were able to win because of this action, but if Pippin's will wasn't as strong as it was, it could've led to Sauron's ultimate victory.

Aragorn: Let Grima Live

Nobility is a wonderful trait, but it can come back to hurt during times of war. Grima Wormtongue had gained influence over King Théoden. Once Gandalf the White arrives with Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, they are able to free Théoden from Grima's influence. However, when Théoden tries to execute Grima, Aragorn stops him.

This allows Grima to flee right to Saruman and provide vital information about Théoden's plans. Saruman knew about the weakness of Helm's Deep, costing people their lives and weakening the forces of good. It's a costly mistake by Aragorn .

Denethor: Tries To Burn Son Alive

While some parents may play favorites with their children, few have taken it to the level of Denethor. The Steward of Gondor adored Boromir while always looking down upon Faramir. After Boromir's death, Denethor devolves into madness and sends Faramir into a battle he can't win.

When Faramir returns nearly dead, Denethor decides to take his own life and burn with his dead son. Of course, Faramir was still alive and while Pippin and Gandalf was able to save the son, Denethor had already set himself on fire. He died by himself while his son lived on.

Frodo: Sending Sam Away

Sam has chosen to be by Frodo's side from the beginning of the journey. Frodo tried to keep Samwise Gamgee out of the fray, but his loyal gardener wouldn't leave his side. Sam was there every step of the way through the lands of men, elves and dwarves. By the time Frodo and Sam are climbing the Stairs of Cirith Ungol, Sam's loyalty should be unquestioned.

Still, Gollum has framed Sam for eating too much food on their journey. This sets up an argument between Sam and Gollum, but Frodo chooses to send Sam away. It's a poor decision on many fronts, but the most obvious is the person who has proven him the most deserves better treatment. Plus, it sets up Frodo's next bad decision.

Frodo: Trusting Gollum

While it makes sense that Frodo would need more than just Sam's help to get to Mount Doom, and Gollum played a pivotal part in the ring's destruction; trusting Gollum still came with dire consequences. The main issue is when Frodo follows Gollum into Shelob's lair almost derailing the entire mission.

RELATED: Lord Of The Rings: Strongest Weapons in Middle-earth

Frodo has believed Gollum to be redeemed, because the hobbit has been trying to build a relationship with Sméagol, however, it's a ploy for Gollum to steal back the ring. Frodo follows Gollum at the worst possible time, and he's lucky Sam proved to be the true hero of the series.

Boromir: Tried To Take Ring

Boromir never hid his desire to see the Ring delivered to Gondor. He wanted to harness the Ring's power, which was always a bad decision. Still, Boromir willingly joined the Fellowship on their mission to destroy the ring. In a moment of weakness, he tried to take the Ring which fractured the Fellowship sending them all in different directions.

Boromir would immediately try to undo the attempt, but he never could. He eventually gave his own life to ensure Frodo and Sam got away from orcs, but the Hobbits no longer had the Fellowship's protection. Merry and Pippin were taken away by orcs, and Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli were now hunters rather than protectors.

Frodo: Decided To Keep The Ring

Frodo's worst decisions come from the corruption brought by the Ring. Given his proximity to it, it's understandable that an object that powerful would start to influence his decisions. But Frodo ends up in the same place as Ilsildur when it comes to destroying the Ring.

Frodo allows the Ring to persuade him to not destroy it. It would've allowed Sauron to continue his rise to power and is the ultimate betrayal for their journey. Gollum's greed ends up being Frodo's salvation as the creature bites off Frodo's finger to get the ring but accidentally destroys it and himself.

MORE: Lord Of The Rings: Most Powerful Maiar, Ranked

The 25 Best Movie Heroes of All Time, Ranked

"We can be heroes, just for one day."

Villains are great and all, driving conflict in a way only they can and giving more noble characters something to resist or fight against. A great bad guy (or gal) will often steal the show, but just as valuable is a heroic character for the audience to root for. If the villain’s great enough, the hero can admittedly be just about anyone, but if an equally compelling hero is placed against them, movie magic often ensues.

The following characters can all count themselves among the very best and most memorable heroes in movie history. They’re prominent characters within the films they’re featured in – usually the protagonists – and, even though some have their flaws, all show great bravery, go through interesting character arcs, or stand up against terrifying villains . Sometimes, they do all of the above, and are ranked below, from great to greatest.

25 Marge Gunderson

'fargo' (1996).

Just about everyone in 1996’s Fargo is an idiot, but not in a way that makes the film itself feel stupid. The Coen Brothers were honestly kind of genius for tackling this sort of story and making it funny, tense, and ultimately strangely heartwarming, all the while having it feature greedy characters who scheme above their weight, and start ruining everything as a result. That is, until Marge Gunderson steps in and basically fixes everything.

She’s a determined Police Chief who steps in to investigate the entire series of events that transpired earlier, and it shifts the entire film, with a competent, clever, and good-natured character swiftly bringing an eventual end to Fargo . It’s satisfying seeing her take down some great (but, again, somewhat stupid) villainous characters , and that she also does all this while heavily pregnant just makes her even more admirable.

Watch on Max

24 Tony Stark/Iron Man

'iron man' (2008).

Tony Stark is an interesting hero among other superheroes, because he’s really not too far off being a villain when he’s first introduced in Iron Man . Okay, sure, he’s not evil necessarily, but he is self-centered and doesn’t seem to care too much about the effects his work as a weapons manufacturer has on the world. 2008’s Iron Man sees him have a change of heart (kind of in more ways than one), and over the next 10 years of MCU movies, he continually becomes more heroic .

This culminates in Avengers: Endgame , where it’s unequivocally apparent that Tony Stark is perhaps “the” hero of the MCU, or at least the one that all future main characters will be compared to. He never lost his sarcasm or willingness to be snarky , but the character arc he goes through in his first movie is impressive, and the one he undergoes across 10+ years of movies even more so.

Watch on Disney+

23 Zatoichi

The 'zatoichi' series (1962-1989).

Zatoichi is the titular character of an iconic and long-running samurai movie series , though he himself is not a samurai; more a lone wanderer who possesses the skills various samurai warriors have. He devotes himself to wandering around Japan and helping different downtrodden people in just about every movie he appears in, even though he’s blind and without a true home, in the traditional sense.

Across 25 movies that were released between 1962 and 1973 (plus a 26th in 1989), Zatoichi helped too many people to count, and was consistently selfless while also being charming and rebellious in his own way. He’s also the kind of hero who doesn’t always resort to violence , given his high level of intelligence and ability to read what people are thinking/feeling, even without being able to lay eyes on them, on account of his blindness and all. But when situations get physical, few can fight their way out of such altercations armed with a sword quite like Zatoichi can.

Watch on Criterion

22 Harry Potter

The 'harry potter' series (2001-2011).

A fantasy series that reigned supreme throughout the 2000s (and a little into the 2010s), there were a total of eight Harry Potter movies based on seven books, with the final book getting split into two movies, and was fashionable – not to mention profitable – at the time. The titular character is the undisputed hero of the whole thing, obviously, an unlikely chosen one who finds himself thrust into a magical world and at the center of a drastic battle between good and evil.

Harry grows considerably, both physically and emotionally, as the series progresses, with the entire saga also being something of an unusual coming-of-age story, beginning with Harry as an 11-year-old and ending with him almost being a young adult. He defies alarming odds and stands up to much evil throughout the series , being a positive role model and something of an inspiration both in the series' universe and outside it.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

21 virgil tibbs, 'in the heat of the night' (1967).

In the Heat of the Night was a Best Picture-winning crime/mystery/drama movie from 1967, touching upon themes regarding justice and prejudice that were topical back then, and remain so to this day. Certain things it deals with prove complex, but the story is very straightforward as far as movies about murder investigations go, and it has a clear hero in protagonist Virgil Tibbs, played by Sidney Poitier in a career-best performance.

Tibbs is assigned to look into the story’s central murder, which has taken place in a town with some rather racist inhabitants who don’t take kindly to the fact that Tibbs is African-American. Yet he does his job despite the pushback, stands up to those who are particularly prejudiced, and does it all while being very charismatic, too (largely thanks to Poitier’s charisma and dominant screen presence as an actor) .

In the Heat of the Night

Watch on Tubi

20 Frodo Baggins

'the lord of the rings' trilogy (2001-2003).

Epic movies don’t get much more epic than The Lord of the Rings trilogy, three films that add up to approximately nine hours of movie (or more like 11, if you watch the extended versions). There are numerous great characters throughout, and various different kinds of heroes. Aragon’s one of the best, as is Gandalf, and even someone more flawed like Boromir (who does redeem himself somewhat) stands as a memorable character.

But to pick the biggest and most prominent hero of the trilogy, one would have to turn to the hobbits. It might sting a bit to put Samwise Gamgee in second place (he might be the best companion/sidekick of all time), but it is Frodo Baggins who ultimately has to sacrifice the most before eventually saving Middle Earth . Despite his size, he braves the odds of his perilous journey and allows the epic trilogy to end on a triumphant – albeit slightly bittersweet – note .

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

19 will kane, 'high noon' (1952).

The Western genre was one typically filled with clear heroes and villains, though revisionist Westerns eventually became popular, and started to make things a little more realistic, not to mention murkier morally. High Noon , as an early revisionist Western , does get a little darker than some others of its time, but nevertheless features a clear hero – not to mention an admirable one – in Marshal Will Kane.

A character John Wayne was considered for , it’s certainly for the best that the role ended up going to Gary Cooper , because it feels like the sort of character Cooper was born to play. The film sees him struggling to get anyone to help him deal with an oncoming threat (a criminal seeking vengeance on Kane), forcing him to stand his ground and take on the film’s villains alone. As far as Western movie characters defying the odds and boldly facing adversaries go , few do it more heroically than Will Kane. Do not forsake him (oh my darling) indeed .

Rent on Apple TV

18 Foxy Brown

'foxy brown' (1974).

Pam Grier’s basically the epitome of cool , and especially so during the 1970s, thanks to starring roles in iconic action/crime films like Coffy and Foxy Brown . Of the two, the latter sees Grier playing the most iconic lead character of her career (besides perhaps Jackie Brown , a couple of decades later), with Foxy Brown being about the titular character taking revenge and wiping out some vicious mobsters in the process.

It was even less common to see women front and center in action/crime movies back in the 1970s, so Foxy Brown was likely revolutionary for the time, and much of it feels like it still holds up to this day . The film might have some flaws, but seeing Grier take no prisoners and fight back against criminals is a blast to watch, with the character and Pam Grier being the two main reasons Foxy Brown is worth watching.

17 Norma Rae

'norma rae' (1979).

A film that feels more topical than ever in light of recent events , Norma Rae takes a look at the arduous tasks involved in unionizing a workplace, here being a factory that mistreats its employees: various textile workers. Unionization and fair workplace arrangements have been covered well in documentaries before , with Norma Rae being a strong example of how it can be tackled within a drama film (one that was loosely inspired by real events).

Sally Field plays the titular Norma Rae, and won her first of two Academy Awards for the performance. She’s great at being a central figure who represents determination, with Norma’s plight and struggles still ringing true. It’s a film that matters, and should continue mattering, and will arguably only run the risk of ceasing to matter once every worker in the world feels like their employer compensates them fairly for the work they do .

Buy on Amazon

16 Bruce Wayne/Batman

'the dark knight' trilogy (2005-2012).

Coming out the same year as the aforementioned Iron Man , The Dark Knight is a groundbreaking film within the superhero genre, and a movie that expertly explores the character of Bruce Wayne/Batman. Though it’s fair to also highlight the other movies in the Dark Knight trilogy, with Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises also being significant in their own ways, with Christian Bale portraying the character across all three movies.

It's never easy to pick the best Batman in film history, but Bale’s certainly a contender , and it helps that his version of Wayne/Batman did a great deal across three lengthy and jam-packed movies. As a hero, he has his flaws and downsides, but admirably sticks to his principles no matter what, and does what he can – sometimes, with great desperation – to continually protect the city of Gotham from a myriad of dangerous individuals and criminals.

The Dark Knight

15 jefferson smith, 'mr. smith goes to washington' (1939).

Frank Capra specialized in making movies about everyday people and underdogs dealing with injustice; not exclusively, but he did these things well, and that’s particularly noticeable with Mr. Smith Goes to Washington . It’s one of James Stewart’s best roles/movies, too , following a man named Jefferson Smith as he begins to get involved in the wild world of U.S. politics, following his appointment to the Senate in Washington D.C.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington balances being a comedy and a drama well, having some good-natured humor/satire while also exploring politics in a sometimes serious and critical way. The titular Mr. Smith defies odds and sticks to his unwavering sense of morality throughout , and appears even more heroic because so many other people around him in Washington D.C. are shown to lack the same good qualities he has.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

14 peter parker/spider-man, the 'spider-man' trilogy (2002-2007).

As far as the Marvel side of the superhero genre goes, there’s a good argument to be made that Peter Parker/Spider-Man is the greatest of all superheroes. There’s another Batman -like dilemma, however, that comes with picking the best of all the cinematic Spider-Men. At the risk of annoying some, it might well be Tobey Maguire’s depiction of the character from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy, though he’s a character who’s heroic in just about any form, really.

Peter Parker’s a great hero because of how relatable he is , and his superhero persona, Spider-Man, works in part because of the compelling fantasy inherent in imagining having powers like he does. He’s an ordinary guy who’s capable of greatness, and the fact he perseveres through a world that seems to genuinely hate him ( especially in the masterful Spider-Man 2 ) just makes him all the more endearing and worth rooting for.

Spider-Man (2002)

13 sarah connor, 'terminator 2: judgment day' (1991).

An iconic series created by James Cameron , the Terminator films have their fair share of iconic heroes, including Kyle Reese from The Terminator (1984) and the reprogrammed T-800 from Terminator 2: Judgment Day . But the best and most memorable of the heroic characters in the series might well be Sarah Connor, particularly because she shines across multiple movies, particularly the first and second (the two best films in the series).

But it’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day where Linda Hamilton really gets to shine as Sarah Connor. She put up an amazing fight for survival in The Terminator , especially near the end, but she’s a full-on/no-nonsense machine of a character in the second, grappling with trauma brought about by the events of the first movie while also succeeding in kicking tons of ass. She gets a decent amount to do in 2019’s Terminator: Dark Fate , too, but Terminator 2: Judgment Day remains the film where Linda Hamilton and her character make the biggest impression .

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Watch on Paramount+

12 John McClane

'die hard' (1988).

Across five inconsistent movies , John McClane was consistently himself: a wise-cracking, relatable, flawed, but ultimately heroic individual constantly caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, but nevertheless doing the right thing in such situations. The best showcase for McClane’s heroism would be the Christmas classic that is the first Die Hard , which also gives him the most growth as a character.

1988’s Die Hard helped cement Bruce Willis as a movie star, making him so much more than “the guy from Moonlighting ,” and his character, John McClane, is also significant for what he represented for the action genre as a whole . McClane showed that heroes in such movies didn’t necessarily need to be larger-than-life and ridiculously muscular, with the character being a different kind of masculine, and a somewhat different – and, many would say, more interesting – type of action movie hero.

Watch on Hulu

11 Rocky Balboa

The 'rocky' series (1976-2006).

Similarly everyman in nature to John McClane, especially in his first movie, the title character in Rocky is an essential movie underdog, and at the center of one of the best sports movies of all time . Rocky Balboa is down on his luck and not really going anywhere, but then gets an opportunity to make a name for himself by fighting a much more well-known opponent, setting in motion a series of training montages and determined attempts to better himself as a person while he prepares.

Sylvester Stallone put everything he could into Rocky , himself being an underdog within the film industry who shot to fame and dominated cinema for decades to come, much like how his character, Rocky, grows in prestige and popularity within the film series he’s central to. Rocky Balboa is inherently likable, and his perseverance is almost unmatched, making him the sort of hero one can’t help rooting for .

10 Rick Blaine

'casablanca' (1942).

Few Humphrey Bogart movies endure the same way Casablanca endures , and Bogart himself is a big reason for that. He plays Rick Blaine, the lead character in a film that’s packed with hugely memorable supporting players, and a man jaded by a love affair that ended prematurely. His world’s turned upside-down when his past lover re-emerges, only now, she’s with someone else, and that person – a resistance leader – just so happens to need Rick’s help.

Set in World War II, Casablanca is primarily a romance film, and one of the all-time best , even if it’s ultimately about letting go of somewhere you love for the greater good, instead of living with someone happily ever after . Rick’s sacrifice in this regard ultimately makes him a hero, as he does what’s best for the world – and, arguably, his ex – while changing who he is fundamentally, emerging at the end of the film as a less cynical and much more morally sound individual.

9 Oskar Schindler

'schindler's list' (1993).

A great many movie heroes who make a true impact are fictional, but Oskar Schindler was a real person whose heroism during World War II is covered in the epic biographical movie that is Schindler’s List . Running for over three hours, it’s a daunting yet essential film that showcases the horrors of the Holocaust while depicting how Schindler used his fortune to save more than 1000 Jewish lives during that dark chapter in human history.

Schindler’s List doesn’t shy away from the fact that Schindler was a flawed man, especially before he realized what was actually going on as part of the Nazi’s Final Solution. The film depicts a man changing his outlook on the world and taking steps to do what he can to fight a great and overwhelming evil . It’s true to life in that Schindler does not – and indeed, cannot – save everyone, but the film shows he made a difference and celebrates that, all the while being honest about how destructive and terrible the Holocaust still was overall.

Schindler's List

Watch on Amazon

8 Atticus Finch

'to kill a mockingbird' (1962).

Atticus Finch is commonly regarded as one of literature’s greatest heroes, so it follows naturally that the movie version of To Kill a Mockingbird – which is a well-regarded adaptation – also ensures he’s an all-time great movie hero. The story revolves around a dramatic criminal case that sees Atticus Finch defending a black man who swears he’s innocent, all the while everyone else seems convinced that he must be guilty of what he’s been accused of.

It's a film of its time, in some ways, but in other regards, To Kill a Mockingbird feels timeless, and it’s one of the best releases of its decade for sure . Gregory Peck gave what might be a career-best performance as Atticus Finch, perfectly bringing the character to life, and helping ensure he was just as determined and admirable on screen as he was on the page .

To Kill A Mockingbird

7 clarice starling, 'the silence of the lambs' (1991).

Dr. Hannibal Lecter is an all-time great movie villain , and perhaps the most memorable character in The Silence of the Lambs . Clarice Starling, as the film’s hero, however, really isn’t far behind, and is equally important in ensuring the entire movie works as well as it does. Two great performances needed two great actors, and indeed, both Anthony Hopkins (as Lecter) and Jodie Foster (as Starling) won Academy Awards for their performances here.

Clarice Starling is involved with finding an elusive serial killer, and enlists the help of an imprisoned Dr. Lecter to help her get into the mind of someone as dangerous as the person she needs to find. Starling’s determined and willing to go to great lengths to do the task at hand , and endures much on both a physical and psychological level in order to achieve her goal.

The Silence of the Lambs

6 clark kent/superman, 'superman' (1978).

For as great as various cinematic depictions of Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Batman have been, it’s hard to look past Superman when it comes to crowning one superhero as the best and most iconic. Also, though other actors have done an admirable job at playing Clark Kent/Superman, Christopher Reeve is basically the gold standard for this character, bringing charm, warmth, and unabashed heroism to a character some sometimes see as corny .

Across four movies, Reeve embodied the legendary comic book character and showed he was essentially born to play the role, with Superman and its first sequel being particularly good . He’s the ultimate superhero in many ways, and could well be the first many think of when they hear the word “superhero.” As such, he more than earns the right to be considered among the most iconic of all movie heroes.

Will new airline consumer protection rules help you when you fly this summer?

You've probably heard about the new airline consumer protection rules that rolled out with a one-two punch last month. There were so many, it's almost hard to keep track. And maybe you're saying to yourself: Finally, I'll have some rights when I fly.

Please, don't get too excited.

"It's a good start," said Anthony Radchenko, CEO of AirAdvisor , a company that helps consumers file airline complaints.

Check out   Elliott Confidential , the newsletter the travel industry doesn't want you to read. Each issue is filled with breaking news, deep insights, and exclusive strategies for becoming a better traveler. But don't tell anyone!

The new rules address everything from junk fees to refunds, and although they may have some unintended consequences, they could help passengers – but those are expected to take effect until later, so not in time for the upcoming summer travel season.

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What did the government do?

Here's what's new:

• Two new consumer protection rules. The Department of Transportation (DOT) released final versions of two new rules to protect passengers. One requires airlines to quickly and automatically refund tickets when they cancel or significantly delay a flight. The other requires airlines to disclose any fees for checked or carry-on luggage, as well as for changing or canceling a reservation, at the same time, they display a fare quote. 
• States will handle some airline complaints. The federal government also announced a partnership with 18 state attorneys general . The agreement allows states to investigate airlines and ticket agents and hold them accountable when they violate aviation consumer protection laws.
• New refund laws and minimum seat sizes. The latest version of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Bill contains a new rule that would require airlines to refund a domestic flight if it's delayed more than three hours. For international flights, it's six hours. It prohibits airlines from charging fees for families to sit together. Also on deck: a requirement that the FAA take another look at minimum seat sizes.

The new DOT rules go into effect in late June but have an implementation period of 6 to 12 months. Some, like the seat standards, might never happen. So don't expect to see new junk fees disclosed or to get a lightning-fast refund this summer—maybe next summer.

Turbulent skies ahead for new consumer protections

At least one of the rules may backfire, warn travel experts. Among the consumer protections is a requirement that a merchant of record must issue a refund for an airline ticket. That means unless you booked a ticket directly with the airline, your travel advisor – not the airline – would be responsible for a prompt ticket refund. In other words, the money would come out of your advisor's pocket and then force the agent to negotiate with the airline for the money.

"I'm already seeing travel advisors who had been providing flight booking services to their clients, who are now choosing not to offer that service," said travel advisor Brandi Taylor. "This will be a major inconvenience to consumers." 

So this summer, if you're booking a trip through a travel advisor, they might tell you to buy the airline tickets yourself. They don't want to be on the hook for refunding the money your airline has already received for your flights.

That's not the only problem. There's a conflict between the FAA bill and DOT’s new rule requiring automatic cash refunds for flight cancellations and delays. Congress doesn't want the refund to be automatic. Bill McGee, a senior fellow for aviation at the American Economic Liberties Project, said a lot of money is at stake in unpaid refunds.

"Airline lobbyists are fighting tooth and nail to ensure the onus remains on consumers to jump through hoops, rather than having carriers issue automatic refunds," he said. "The DOT has stepped up to protect passengers. Now it's time for Congress to do the same."

Asked about which rules would take precedence in the event of a conflict, a DOT spokeswoman said the agency's rule is "solidly rooted in DOT’s legal authority." So if there's a conflict the DOT rule would prevail.

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Will these consumer rules really help you?

"I'm skeptical," said Steven Rothberg, the founder of a job search site in Edina, Minnesota.

Like many experienced air travelers, he's seen this kind of thing before. The government promises protections, people get excited – and then there's no meaningful follow-through. 

Take seat sizes, for example. Airline seats are too small for the average passenger. So in 2018, Congress required the FAA to set minimum seat sizes. But to this day, there is no minimum seat standard, forcing air travelers to wedge themselves into tiny economy-class seats. 

There are also worries that airlines will quickly find a way around all these new rules, leaving passengers unprotected.

Travelers have every reason to be concerned. Airlines are clever and often find ways around new government rules. For example, if the government requires the disclosure of a junk fee like baggage charges, airlines will come up with a new charge not covered by the regulation to make up for it. It's a cat-and-mouse game, and the airlines always seem to have the upper hand. 

When will the new consumer rules go into effect?

So what's likely to happen? In the short term, not much.

Jonathan Feniak, a frequent traveler and attorney, said airlines will stall for as long as possible.

"I don’t expect airlines to adopt the new rules until they absolutely have to," he said. "Especially during one of their busiest seasons, when delays and cancellations are bound to happen."

He said some forward-looking airlines may decide to adopt some of the requirements early, but it will also take some time for passengers to learn about their new rights.

On balance, he said the changes are a significant upgrade.

"It will mean fewer passengers being taken advantage of," he said.

A problem of enforcement

Here's the trouble with the new rules: There's some doubt the government will effectively enforce them. 

The DOT, which is in charge of enforcing the existing consumer rules, hasn't issued an enforcement action since December. It's one of the longest stretches of time without such action in years.

Think of enforcement actions as traffic tickets. And now there's a perception that airlines can get away with anything, according to Radchenko of AirAdvisor. Out of almost 300 complaints he filed in the last year, he said  DOT has not made any decision or issued enforcement action.

He said the government must prescribe penalties for airlines that ignore or fail to comply with the new rules for the new rules to work.

"They also need to provide the right to recover attorney's fees and legal costs for consumers bringing a lawsuit against an airline," he said.

What do we really need?

The bottom line for passengers is that almost none of the consumer protections will improve your summer flight. It may even be too soon for your Thanksgiving flight, and if there's a change of administration this November, some of these rules may never be implemented.

The gold standard for consumer protection, at least according to consumer advocates, is a rule in Europe called EC 261 . It requires airlines to assist passengers and compensate them when they're denied boarding or their flights are canceled or delayed.

For now, you have the same rights you always had when you flew in the U.S., which is to say, not many. 

Christopher Elliott  is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded  Elliott Advocacy , a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes  Elliott Confidential , a travel newsletter, and the  Elliott Report , a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can  reach him here  or email him at  [email protected] .

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Iranian President Raisi: a hardliner on morality, protests and nuclear talks

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, whose helicopter crashed in mountainous terrain on Sunday, has become a contender to be Iran's next supreme leader with a clampdown on morality questions and a bloody crackdown on the nationwide protests it triggered.

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‘The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum’: Everything We Know So Far

By Dessi Gomez

Dessi Gomez

More stories by dessi.

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Even after Lord of the Rings : The Rings of Power Season 2 arrives, there will be more of Middle Earth to explore, particularly through the lens of Gollum’s perspective. Deadline unpacked where the franchise is heading with longtime collaborators Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. Warner Bros. has acquired the rights to make more films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy work and the world founded on Peter Jackson’s original New Line trilogy of films, with one corresponding to each books.

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Andy Serkis To Direct, Star In New ‘Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum’ Set For 2026 Release – Update

Andy Serkis ‘ Gollum, who was once a hobbit known as Sméagol, catalyzed the plot after he killed his friend, who found Sauron’s all-powerful ring in a lake and succumbed to the instrument’s corruption. Gollum unintentionally saved the world when he bit the ring off of Frodo’s invisible finger on Mount Doom in “The Return of the King.” His excitement hat having achieved this feat caused him to lose balance and fall into the fiery explosion there, taking the weapon — and Sauron’s consuming power — with him.

Read on for everything we know about The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.

Who is creating The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum?

Jackson, alongside Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, took care to arrive at focusing this next foray into the fantasy realm with Gollum at the center. Walsh and Boyens will write the screenplay along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou (who scripted the upcoming animated film  Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim  about the origins of Helm’s Deep ) . Jackson, Walsh and Boyens will produce the film, and the executive producers are Ken Kamins, with Serkis and The Imaginarium’s Jonathan Cavendish. 

Is Andy Serkis involved?

Yes, Serkis will not only reprise his role as Gollum (formerly Sméagol), but he will direct the movie as well.

“I was absolutely floored,” Serkis told Deadline of the moment he got the call to direct. “They have done this to me before, and this had the same effect as when I got the call telling me I was going to direct second unit on  The Hobbit . I was preparing to shoot my first independent film, something with three actors in two locations. And then it was just like, do you want to come direct the second unit on the biggest films in the world? I’m very honored that they’ve asked me to come back. I really am. I love them as filmmakers because they are honest. They always go for the truth.”

The actor mentioned how the character has stuck with him ever since the original trilogy. He also hinted at how motion capture technology has improved in the two decades since he took on the role of Sméagol, and even after he appeared as Caesar in Matt Reeves’ Planet of the Apes trilogy.

“At that time, the motion capture technology back then was pretty much restricted to interior sets and it was just motion capture. Throughout the course of the evolution of the technology through the  Apes  movies, it changed,” Serkis said. “For instance, we were able to untether it from a volume and allow real performance capture, because in those three films, the first three films, the facial was all animated, copying my facial expressions. But it wasn’t driven by a performance capture, the delicacy and the nuance that was then able to be caught using head-mounted cameras. During the  Apes  movies is when the real experimentation began with going outdoors and shooting on location. And those are the big movies. And obviously Jim Cameron was working on his  Avatar  movies alongside Weta. They were pushing the nuances of facial performance with facial capture as well.”

Boyens teased that Serkis will have his own “interesting” take on the story.

“We don’t want this film to be is just the fourth film in the trilogy. This film has to work in its own way. And that’s our job,” she told Deadline. “That’s what we are going to have to be able to do. I know there’s plenty of people out there who will be like, oh no, why are they doing this? Why are they going back in? Well, that’s our job, to prove why we think that it’s a good idea.”

Will other Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit cast return to reprise their roles?

Serkis couldn’t say with any certainty, but this is a hope.

“I don’t want to commit anything right now. I mean, because it’s so raw and so raw and wriggling, and we are just literally having very early state script discussions and ideas of exactly where and how we’re going to drop anchor with the character and his journey and how he is or comes into contact with other characters, and the characters that we know and don’t know,” Serkis told Deadline. “I would hate to say anything that’s going to commit us at this point, because it’s literally all up for grabs.”

Will The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum also be a trilogy?

The new Middle Earth story will span two films.

Why Gollum?

What else has Andy Serkis worked on?

Serkis has directed four films including 2017’s Breathe , 2018’s The Ruins of Empires and Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle as well as 2021’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage . He appeared as Kino Loy in Andor , Supreme Leader Snoke in two  Star Wars  films and Alfred Pennyworth in 2022’s The Batman . He portrayed Ulysses Klaue in Black Panther and voiced the character in Marvel’s What If…?

He’s wrapped production on his first animated feature of George Orwell’s Animal Farm penned by Nicholas Stoller. He served as Visual Effects Motion Capture EP on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 . He will direct Nick Hornby’s adaptation of The Giant’s House .

Two upcoming projects in which he will star are the stage production Ulster American alongside Woody Harrelson and Derry Girls star Louisa Harland as well as the film The Man With The Miraculous Hands again alongside Harrelson .

Serkis’ production company The Imaginarium is developing The Wicker Man television series as well as The Monster Tale alongside South Korea’s Climax Studio.

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Senate Approves Bill to Reauthorize F.A.A. and Improve Air Travel

The Senate also passed a short-term extension of the current F.A.A. law to give the House time to clear the longer-term package early next week.

By Kayla Guo

Reporting from the Capitol

The Senate on Thursday passed legislation to reauthorize federal aviation programs for the next five years and put in place new safety measures and consumer protections for passengers, at a moment of intense uncertainty and disruption in the air travel system.

The bill , which still must win final approval in the House before becoming law, would provide more than $105 billion to the Federal Aviation Administration and another $738 million to the National Transportation Safety Board for airport modernization, technology programs and safety. It would also bolster the hiring and training of air traffic controllers, codify airlines’ refund obligations to passengers, ensure fee-free family seating and strengthen protections for passengers with disabilities.

“Aviation safety has been front of mind for millions of Americans recently, and this F.A.A. bill is the best thing Congress can do to give Americans the peace of mind they deserve,” Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, said on the Senate floor on Thursday evening.

It passed in an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 88 to 4, just one day before the current law is scheduled to lapse. The Senate also unanimously approved a short-term extension to allow time for the House to take up and clear the longer-term package next week, a step that would send it to President Biden.

The legislation is a bipartisan compromise negotiated over months by the Senate and House committees with jurisdiction over the F.A.A., after Congress authorized several short-term extensions of the agency when lawmakers failed to meet earlier deadlines. The House passed its version of the bill almost a year ago in a lopsided vote of 351 to 69.

Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, chairwoman of the Commerce Committee, celebrated the bill’s provisions on consumer protections, aviation safety, air traffic controllers, airport infrastructure and work force development on the floor after passage.

“This is a big moment for aviation,” Ms. Cantwell said. “We have had safety issues and concerns that we need to make a big investment. This legislation is that investment — in safety standards, in protecting consumers and advancing a work force and technology that will allow the United States to be the gold standard in aviation.”

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, the top Republican on the Commerce Committee, said: “This legislation is a strong, bipartisan, bicameral bill that includes hundreds of priorities for senators and representatives, both Republican and Democrat. This bill gives the FAA the safety tools it needs at a critical time.”

As one of the few remaining bills considered a must-pass item this year, the F.A.A. package, which prompted several regional disputes, became a magnet for dozens of amendments and policy riders that threatened to delay it in the Senate.

With the legislation threatening to stall, the House on Wednesday approved a one-week extension for the F.A.A. before leaving Washington for the weekend. The Senate followed suit on Thursday, steering around lingering disputes that had threatened to scuttle the effort and cause a brief lapse for the F.A.A.

The debate came at a time of acute uncertainty about the aviation system, which has had a recent spate of concerning episodes such as dangerous near collisions on runways, plane malfunctions and thousands of flight delays and cancellations.

It was unclear for much of Thursday whether the Senate would be able to push through the legislation and the extension, as senators demanded votes on amendments or threatened to block speedy passage. No amendments were ultimately brought to a vote.

The most intense regional fight was over a provision in the bill that would add five round-trip long-haul flights out of Ronald Reagan National Airport outside Washington. Proponents, which include Delta Air Lines, have said they want to expand access to the nation’s capital and increase competition.

The proposal incensed lawmakers representing the area , who argued that the airport maintains the busiest runway in the country and cannot support additional flights. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner of Virginia and Benjamin L. Cardin and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, all Democrats, filed an amendment to strike the new flights.

Mr. Kaine and Mr. Warner threatened to hold the bill up if they did not receive a vote. But Mr. Cruz blocked an effort to bring up a compromise amendment that would have given the transportation secretary the final say on new flights after considering any effects they would have on delays and passenger safety.

“The Senate abdicated its responsibility to protect the safety of the 25 million people who fly through D.C.A. every year,” Mr. Kaine and Mr. Warner said in a statement. “Some of our colleagues were too afraid to let the experts make the call. They didn’t want to show the American people that they care more about a few lawmakers’ desire for direct flights than they care about the safety and convenience of the traveling public. That is shameful and an embarrassment.”

The senators from Virginia and Maryland were the only votes against the bill.

Another group of senators failed to secure a vote on a proposal to halt the Transportation Security Administration’s expansion of facial recognition technology at airports and restrict it where it is in use.

Senators had also proposed adding a number of unrelated bills, including one that would compensate people harmed by exposure to the nation’s nuclear weapons program , legislation to fully fund the replacement of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, and a credit card competition measure. Senators Marsha Blackburn, Republican of Tennessee, and Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, were pushing for a vote on their bill to protect minors online into Thursday. None of them made it into the final product.

An earlier version of this article misstated the name of the bridge in Baltimore that collapsed. It is the Francis Scott Key Bridge, not the Francis Key Scott Bridge.

How we handle corrections

Kayla Guo covers Congress for The New York Times as the 2023-24 reporting fellow based in Washington. More about Kayla Guo

Our Coverage of Congress

Here’s the latest news and analysis from capitol hill..

Fight Over Pentagon Spending: Mitch McConnell and other top Republicans want more federal money for the military. But Democrats say domestic programs must get an equivalent boost .

Reversing Israel Arms Pause: The House passed a bill that would rebuke President Biden  for pausing an arms shipment to Israel and compel his administration to quickly deliver those weapons, in a largely symbolic vote engineered by the G.O.P.

Aviation Bill: The House passed legislation to reauthorize federal aviation programs  and improve air travel  at a time of intense passenger woes and dysfunction in the system, sending the bill to President Biden.

Addressing A.I.: A bipartisan group of senators released a long-awaited legislative plan for A.I. , calling for billions in funding to propel American leadership in the technology while offering few details on regulations.

A White-Collar Indictment: Representative Henry Cuellar started from humble origins, but records show he welcomed the trappings of power afforded by his position. Here’s how an indictment shattered his blue-collar image .

The State Department Just Issued a Worldwide Travel Advisory for U.S. Citizens. Here’s Why 

T he U.S. Department of State issued a worldwide travel advisory on Friday due to a “potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations, or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests,” the agency announced . 

The State Department specifically pointed to increased violence against LGBTQ+ people and pride-related events as a reason for the advisory. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2022 crime report showed that anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes in the U.S. had steadily risen from the year prior, with a near 33% increase in reported hate crimes based on gender identity. 

LGBTQ+ protections largely vary worldwide, with regions like Latin America seeing greater gains in marriage equality , while in Europe, countries like Russia have gone so far as to target the queer community as an extremist organization .  

It is not the first time the State Department has issued such an alert. In October 2023, the agency also put out a worldwide caution advisory, asking Americans overseas to be careful due to “the potential for violence and increased tensions” worldwide. A similar alert was also issued in August 2022 after the death of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. 

Citizens should stay alert during pride celebrations and LGBTQ+ venues abroad, the Department suggested. It also asked people to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) program, which shares information regarding safety conditions in the country people are traveling to. The STEP program notifies travelers of any pertinent alerts while they are then out of the country.

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Why lotr's great eagles are in the rings of power season 2: trailer scene explained.

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7 tolkien events teased by lotr: the rings of power season 2's trailer, finally, the rings of power season 2 looks like a lord of the rings show.

• The Great Eagles from the Lord of the Rings films make an appearance in The Rings of Power season 2 trailer, hinting at their role in Numenor's storyline.
• The Eagles' presence in the Amazon series offers insight into what events from J.R.R. Tolkien's Second Age will be covered.
• While the Eagles' appearance may reignite a LOTR debate, their limitations in Tolkien's lore explain why they couldn't fly Frodo to Mordor.

The Rings of Power season 2 trailer features the Great Eagles from The Lord of the Rings movies , but their appearance may leave J.R.R. Tolkien fans wondering what they're doing in the Prime Video series . Those familiar with Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy will recall the Great Eagles from The Fellowship of the Ring. In the film, they save Gandalf after his encounter with Saruman, allowing him to escape the White Wizard and reunite with Frodo Baggins. They also appear in The Return of the King, retrieving Frodo and Sam from Mount Doom as it's erupting.

It looks like the Great Eagles will make a comeback in Amazon's Lord of the Rings show , as The Rings of Power season 2 trailer shows them in toward the end of its footage. Their appearance may come as a surprise to those less familiar with Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books and appendices. However, there's a good explanation for their presence in The Rings of Power season 2 , even if it stands to reignite one LOTR complaint about the creatures.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2's teaser trailer hints that several exciting canon events will play out in the coming episodes.

Those Are LOTR's Great Eagles With Pharazon In The Rings Of Power Season 2's Trailer

It looks like they'll be a part of the numenor storyline.

The Rings of Power season 2 trailer shows many of the characters and creatures that will appear in the new episodes, and one shot even features LOTR 's Great Eagles. This moment takes place toward the end of the trailer, not long after the revelation that " every soul in Middle-earth is in peril ." Viewers get a glimpse of the Eagles flying over Numenor, just before another shot shows one flying behind Ar-Pharazon as he draws his blade . While this all happens pretty quick, one thing's clear: the Eagles will be a part of The Rings of Power 's Numenor storyline .

Their inclusion in the trailer offers some insight into the events that The Rings of Power season 2 will cover.

This isn't a total surprise, as Tolkien's lore indicates that the Great Eagles do visit Numenor during the Second Age of Middle-earth . In fact, their inclusion in the trailer offers some insight into the events that The Rings of Power season 2 will cover. While the Amazon series compresses Tolkien's timeline — and thus might take some liberties with his chain of events — the Eagles' arrival indicates that Numenor's downfall is inching closer.

The Eagles' Connection To Numenor In The Second Age Explained

The kingdom's collapse is likely approaching.

The Fall of Numenor is one of the biggest events to take place during Tolkien's Second Age, and the Eagles' appearance in The Rings of Power trailer suggests season 2 will bring viewers closer to this tragedy. Tolkien's writings reveal that the Eagles were present prior to Numenor's demise ; two of them even had an eyrie in the kingdom's capital, though this was some time before Tar-Palantir's reign. As The Rings of Power opens with Tar-Palantir as king, it's unlikely the show will cover those Eagles.

The Fall of Númenor is one of the biggest events to take place during Tolkien's Second Age, and the Eagles' appearance in The Rings of Power trailer suggests season 2 will bring viewers closer to this tragedy.

The Great Eagles in season 2's trailer are more likely the ones who arrive to warn the people of Numenor that the Valar are unhappy with them. This happens not long before the Fall of Numenor, which is an event the Amazon series is clearly building toward. Pharazon plays a prominent role in Numenor's downfall, so it makes sense the eagles would seek him out specifically. It's possible Numenor's end will arrive in The Rings of Power season 2 — and even if it doesn't, the Eagles' visit will set the stage for this event in season 3.

Eagles In The Rings Of Power Season 2 Risks Making A LOTR "Plot Hole" Worse

Viewers may question where they were during frodo's journey.

Viewers have questioned why the Great Eagles couldn't fly Frodo to Mordor in The Lord of the Rings, and The Rings of Power season 2 will likely reignite discussions about this " plot hole ." The Eagles appear multiple times in the original trilogy, and they offer help when it's most needed. Since they fly to Mordor to rescue Frodo and Sam, some fans have wondered why they couldn't just take the Hobbits there in the first place. And seeing the creatures interact with humans in The Rings of Power will likely raise this question yet again.

Those more immersed in Tolkien's lore know that the Great Eagles aren't godlike creatures — and thus, they couldn't make such a long journey with two Hobbits in tow. This does away with the suggestion that they could have flown Frodo to his destination. It's also unlikely the Great Eagles could have evaded Sauron's Ringwraiths and the Witch King, which would have made it easier to catch Frodo. So, even if The Rings of Power sparks a debate about the Eagles, it's unlikely to have a different outcome. Perhaps the show will even highlight why this would never have worked.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power brings to screens the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history for the very first time. Set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, The Rings of Power will explore a time in the franchise where kingdoms rose and fell, where The One Ring itself was forged and tells the tale of the rise of the greatest foe in the Lord of the Rings Franchise, the Dark Lord Sauron. Beginning in a time of peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of familiar and new characters as they confront the long-feared reemergence of evil in Middle-earth. From the depths of the Misty Mountains to the forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the island kingdom of Númenor, to the farthest reaches of the map, The Rings of Power promises to condense the extended works of Tolkien in a condensed but all-encompassing TV show format. The first season of The Rings of Power began airing exclusively on Prime Video on September 2, 2022