Major Characters

Aragorn- The descendent of Isildur, Aragorn is the heir to the throne of Gondor, but at the beginning of the trilogy, he hides this identity and pretends to be a ranger named Strider. That Aragorn does not claim his throne, and that the steward Denethor rules Gondor, show the disunity and weakness of man at the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring. However, Aragorn is not king because he is not yet ready. As much as the trilogy tells of Frodo’s inner steadfastness before constant temptation, it also tells of Aragorn’s transformation from ranger to king. He must grow into his position as king, and his own journey proves vital not only for his rightful coronation but for the very survival and growth of the kingdoms of man. He gains confidence and self-awareness through his courageous support of Frodo and the rest of the fellowship, as well as from his love of Arwen.

Four main points mark Aragorn’s path to becoming king. When he publicly pronounces his identity during the initial meeting of the fellowship, he rouses the jealousy of Boromir, who is heir to the steward of Gondor. Aragorn’s pronouncement and its effects show that the human race does not yet accept Aragorn as king. Aragorn demonstrates his increasingly strong leadership role when he shows conviction and strength before the leaders of Rohan, a second human kingdom he will someday rule. Elrond’s gift to Aragorn of the sword Anduril shows that the elves recognize that Aragorn is king and is ready to lead the battle against Sauron. Finally, and most important, Aragon fully embraces his role as king when he demands the fealty of the men of the mountain, who will obey only the king of Gondor. With this act, Aragorn commits himself to the role of king and gains his first followers. When Aragorn is finally officially crowned, the ceremony is only symbolic—Aragorn has already proven himself to be the true and rightful king.


Frodo- Though in many ways Frodo is an ordinary hobbit, happy to live among his friends and family in the Shire, his pure, incorruptible heart sets him apart not only from other hobbits but also from the other races of Middle-earth and makes him the ideal candidate to deliver the ring of power to Mordor. Frodo’s mission to destroy the ring involves a treacherous journey and countless dangers, such as orcs, volcanoes, and wraiths, and in facing these obstacles he is no different from the other eight members of the fellowship. However, his task involves much more than this perilous journey to Mordor. His real challenge is to bear the ring without giving in to its temptations. This resistance is Frodo’s inner journey, in which his pure heart is constantly under assault by his darker yearnings for power. The ring tempts others in the fellowship, however good and pure they are. Gandalf, Aragorn, Sam, and Bilbo all have their eyes widen when the ring is before them, and their own weaknesses, despite their often remarkable physical strength, prove how difficult a task for Frodo carrying the ring really is. The difficulty makes his success all the more impressive.

Though the ring is eventually destroyed at Mount Doom, Frodo does not let the ring go on his own, and the destruction of the ring is more an act of chance than an act of will. At the last minute, Frodo is overcome by the ring and gives in to its power, and only in a final struggle with Gollum is the ring torn away from him. In this sense, Frodo fails in his task. However, since no one in Middle-earth was better equipped to carry out the mission than Frodo was, perhaps Frodo’s final struggle suggests that the task would have been impossible for any individual to accomplish without the intervention of luck or providence. Frodo is a hero, certainly, but in many ways the entire fellowship is as responsible for the victory as Frodo himself is.

Frodo carries himself throughout the trilogy with composure and calm, hardly ever flagging in his optimism and dedication to the task at hand, and only when he returns to the Shire and fails to readjust to life there does he reveal how traumatized he has been by the journey. Frodo’s journey took him beyond the point of no return, and though the memory of the Shire was what kept him going in the darkest moments, he cannot actually go back. Like Bilbo, Frodo feels compelled to write down his adventures, but even this does not put him at ease. Ultimately, he departs Middle-earth with the elves, a final gesture that suggests that although Frodo did not actually die during his efforts, he did pay for his journey with his life in the Shire.


Gollum/Sméagol-While most of the main characters in The Lord of the Rings are either good or evil, the wretched creature Gollum constantly struggles between the two. Gollum was once a good hobbit named Sméagol, and this past identity comes to represent Gollum’s good side, the part of him that loves and wants to help his “master,” Frodo. However, Sméagol the hobbit had a glaring weakness. During a fishing trip, his companion found the ring in the water, and Sméagol wanted it so much that he killed the other hobbit to get it. This heinous act eventually transformed Sméagol into the slimy, hunched Gollum who follows Frodo. Gollum, the dark side of Sméagol, covets the ring, which he calls “my precious,” so much that he is willing to kill for it again. Gollum and Sméagol struggle with each other, often arguing about what course of action to take and how far to go to gain possession of the ring. The evil Gollum side usually wins, and in the trilogy, Gollum serves as a symbol of how the ring can transform a basically decent person into a dirty, smelly, swamp creature.

Gollum serves as a foil to Frodo, his physical presence implicitly emphasizing the younger hobbit’s strength and purity. However, Gollum is not pure evil—that distinction goes to Sauron. Instead, Gollum is pure servility, and this characteristic unites both his good and dark sides and allows him to function as a guide for Frodo. The opposite of servility—strength of character and individual will—become those qualities that a good ring-bearer must have, qualities that Frodo clearly has in abundance.


Sam- Sam views Frodo much as Frodo views the ring, as something to be protected and guided to a final destination, and Sam’s dedication makes him one of the most important members of the fellowship. While Aragorn is the star fighter of the group, it is Sam who proves the most indispensable to Frodo, and the two are so isolated in their journey that they usually don’t know what the other members of the fellowship are doing or facing. Though the other members make it possible for Frodo and Sam to continue on their journey, Sam himself makes it possible for Frodo to carry on. Sam takes his responsibilities as Frodo’s companion very seriously, and he upholds his vow never to leave Frodo even when circumstances are at their most dangerous. When an exhausted Frodo falters near the end of The Return of the King, Sam literally carries his friend the rest of the distance to Mount Doom. Sam is loyal as well as pure, and this purity helps him resist the power of the ring. Sam has countless opportunities to steal the ring from Frodo, but he takes it only when he believes Frodo is dead. He returns the ring with little hesitation, a selfless act that suggests that had Frodo actually died, Sam would have had the strength to carry out the destruction of it on his own.

Frodo’s strength at times seems almost otherworldly, but Sam’s is very much of the world, and this distinction becomes clear at the end of The Return of the King. While Frodo struggles to readjust to normal life in the Shire, Sam thrives. He bravely approaches the woman he has always loved, marries her, and soon is a father of two. The journey to Mordor gave Sam new confidence and maturity, and our final glimpse of him shows him to be on his way to a long, happy life. Frodo, however, has been changed by the journey in a way the Shire can no longer accommodate, and his only option is to leave.

Arwen- An elf princess and Aragorn’s future queen. Like many characters in the trilogy, Arwen must make a sacrifice. She must choose between the immortal life of the elves and a mortal life with Aragorn, whom she loves. Not only does she choose the latter path, which goes against her father’s wishes, but she also encourages Elrond to stay in Middle-earth until its future is secure. At the end of the trilogy, she marries Aragorn and becomes queen of Middle-earth. Based on a vision Arwen has of the future, we know the couple will eventually have a child.

Bilbo- Frodo’s uncle, who possesses the ring at the beginning of the trilogy. Bilbo is a playful old hobbit, but he is restless and covetous of his ring. His unsettled feelings suggest how great a burden it is to carry the ring and foreshadow the great travails that await Frodo. Bilbo never realizes that his ring is the one ring of power. Like Gandalf and Frodo, he is invited to depart with the elves at the end of The Return of the King.

Boromir- The heir to the steward of Gondor. More than any other member of the fellowship of the ring, Boromir is the victim of desire for the ring. At the end of The Fellowship of the Ring, he attacks Frodo to try to take it from him. Later, Boromir attempts to make up for this slip by fighting the oncoming army of Uruk-hai. He is killed in battle, but his bravery allows the other members of the fellowship to survive.

Denethor-The steward of Gondor. The ruler of Gondor in the absence of the proper king, Denethor has grown corrupt and weak-minded. He is reluctant to give up power should the real king return. Lamenting the death of his oldest and most beloved son, Boromir, he is cruel to his second son, Faramir, and sends him off into an unwinnable battle. When Faramir returns unconscious but alive, Denethor insists that his son is dead and builds a funeral pyre. Gandalf and Pippin save Faramir, and only Denethor burns.

Elrond- Ruler of the Rivendell elves and Arwen’s father. Though Elrond is sympathetic to the goals of the fellowship, his primary concern is the safety of his elf subjects. The elves face a choice: they can leave Middle-earth for immortal life, or they can delay their departure and contribute to the fight against Sauron. Elrond has a low opinion of men, as he was with Isildur when the king failed to destroy the ring of power. For this reason and because of his concerns about Arwen’s life, he is reluctant to aid in the fight against Sauron. Eventually, he commits himself to the ancient alliance of men and elves, sends an army to defend Rohan, and reforges Isildur’s sword for Aragorn.

Éomer- Théoden’s nephew and the leader of the riders of Rohan.

Éowyn-Théoden’s niece. Éowyn falls in love with Aragorn, but he cannot return her love. Though Théoden has commanded her not to, she rides into battle with Merry and kills the witch-king.

Faramir- Younger son of Denethor, the steward of Gondor. Faramir is forever living in the shadow of Boromir, his older brother and Denethor’s favorite. When he learns that Sam and Frodo have the ring, he wants to bring them to Gondor, thinking the ring will help protect the kingdom. Eventually, he reconsiders his plan and sets the two hobbits free. Faramir fights bravely against Sauron’s army, even riding into an impossible battle in order to impress Denethor. He manages to survive, but only barely, and Denethor comes close to burning him alive on a funeral pyre.

Galadriel- An elf queen known as the Lady of the Woods. Galadriel is the leader of the Sylvan elves. She offers spiritual aid to Frodo, giving counsel and encouraging him during the dark moments of his quest. She gives him a star of light that proves essential to Frodo when he is betrayed by Gollum and trapped in the spider Shelob’s webs.

Gandalf- A grandfatherly wizard. Gandalf is the first to understand the dangers that Bilbo’s ring poses, and his knowledge sets the whole trilogy in motion. Gandalf selects quiet Frodo to carry the ring and the bumbling Sam to be Frodo’s protector, and these hobbits seem unlikely choices for such a dangerous mission. Here and elsewhere, Gandalf exhibits a remarkable wisdom and insight into hobbits and men alike, and he seems to see potential and ability where others do not. Gandalf is affable, slow, and deliberate, but he is also a skilled fighter. His battles with Saruman and in the mines of Moria are heroic, and the Moria fight in particular provides the others in the fellowship with a model for the sacrifice their quest may require of them. The others assume Gandalf has died in this battle, but he returns, transformed from a gray wizard into a white one. Gandalf is often playful, but he is also deeply concerned about the fate of Middle-earth and always prepared to fight for its safety. At the end of the trilogy, he leaves with Bilbo, Frodo, and the elves for immortal life. Though this wizard seems human, he has always been a little different and a little better than any man could possibly be.

Gimli- A bearded, ax-wielding warrior dwarf. Gimli is a brave and loyal member of the fellowship of the ring.

Haldir- An elf leader. Haldir is killed defending Rohan, which suggests the larger sacrifice the elves have made by choosing to defend the human kingdom.

Isildur- The former king of Gondor. Isildur once defeated the forces of Sauron and came to possess the ring of power. He went to Mount Doom to destroy the ring, but at the last moment decided to keep it, a fateful decision that breathed new life into Sauron, allowing him to wage war on Middle-earth a second time.

Legolas- A boyish elf. Thanks to Legolas’s skill with a bow and arrow, his kill number is consistently higher than Gimli’s. Like his dwarf friend, he is a brave and loyal member of the fellowship of the ring.

Merry- A mischievous and courageous hobbit. Like Pippin, his best friend, Merry is a rabble-rouser and troublemaker. However, he proves himself to be a fearless fighter at the great battle of Minas Tirith, when he helps Éowyn slay the witch-king.

Pippin- A mischievous hobbit. If Sam and Frodo are necessary members of the fellowship, chosen to carry the ring because of their essentially incorruptible spirits, Pippin and Merry are the accidental fellowship members, who come on the journey because they happen to bump into the other two. Pippin is playful and enjoys a good party, but his carelessness also causes many problems. When he steals the seeing stone from Gandalf, he alerts Sauron to the party’s whereabouts. He tries to atone for this error by pledging fealty to Denethor.

Saruman- A wizard who joins forces with Sauron. A former friend of Gandalf, Saruman has been tempted by evil and has allied with Sauron. At his mighty tower, Orthanc, he creates countless Uruk-hai, monsters that terrorize Middle-earth

Théoden- The king of Rohan. Initially, Théoden is an elderly, decrepit king nearly out of his mind, doing the bidding of his evil advisor, Wormtongue. His insanity and decrepitude, however, are both symptoms of his being under the spell of Saruman. When Saruman’s spell is overthrown and Wormtongue, Saruman’s disciple, is banished, Théoden becomes a strong, gray-bearded leader. He bravely leads his people in defense of Helm’s Deep and shows his true mettle when he answers Gondor’s call for help, despite the bad feeling between the two kingdoms of men. Théoden dies in battle but proves himself a worthy king.

Treebeard- A friendly Ent who becomes Merry and Pippin’s protector. Ents are walking, talking trees who are well intentioned but generally pacifist. The Ents decide to join the battle against Sauron’s forces when they come upon a patch of scorched forest, which they blame on the orcs. The Ents defeat Saruman and flood the fields around his tower, Orthanc.

Works by J.R.R Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

To keep Pippin out of further trouble, Gandalf rides with him to Minas Tirith, the city that Sauron's armies will soon besiege. They meet with Boromir's father Denethor, the Ruling Steward of Gondor, and in gratitude for Boromir's sacrifice (saving them from the orcs at Parth Galen), Pippin pledges his service to the steward as a Guard of the White Tower. Denethor does not trust Gandalf, and he knows that the wizard has brought Aragorn to reclaim the throne. Faramir returns to the city, wearied from fighting, and reports his encounter with Frodo. Angry that his son did not bring the Ring to Gondor, Denethor sends the exhausted captain back into the field to lead a rearguard action against the oncoming army. When they make their last dash for the safety of the gates, Gandalf rides out to defend them from the flying Nazgûl, but Faramir falls at the gates.

The Riders of Rohan muster their forces, preparing to ride to the aid of Minas Tirith, and Merry strikes up a friendship with Théoden. Aragorn realizes that he must take the Paths of the Dead if he is to reach Minas Tirith in time to lift the siege. He takes the evil road with Legolas, Gimli, and the Dúnedain (a group of Rangers) who have joined him from the North, but the Rohirrim are convinced that he has gone to his own death. Théoden leaves behind Merry and his niece Éowyn, claiming that neither can help in the battle, but a young rider offers to carry Merry. With the aid of a strange tribesman, the Rohirrim find a forgotten road and arrive just in time to surprise the besieging army at Minas Tirith.

Although small in number, the Riders of Rohan sweep across the battlefield. Then the Witchking (the most powerful Nazgûl) kills Théoden, and their charge is stopped. The rider who brought Merry to the battle reveals herself as Éowyn, and with Merry's help she slays the Enemy's greatest servant. The hopes of the city are dashed when a fleet of dark ships appears on the river, but the lead ship unfurls a banner bearing the insignia of the True King: Aragorn has arrived from the Paths of the Dead. He used his authority as the True King to call the dead themselves into battle, and they destroyed a second army that had been approaching from the river.

Inside the city, Denethor descends into madness as he watches the plight of his city and the deadly illness of Faramir. Convinced that all is lost, he orders Faramir's body carried into the mausoleum, where he plans to burn himself and his son alive. Pippin manages to find Gandalf, who saves Faramir from his father's madness, but Gandalf cannot prevent Denethor's own suicide. Faramir is taken to the Houses of Healing, as are Éowyn and Merry, and Aragorn enters the city to tend to their illness. The ability to heal is a sign of the True King, and Ioreth, one of the women in the House, recognizes Aragorn's right to the throne.

Although the battle for Minas Tirith has been won, the only true victory lies with Frodo's quest. To distract Sauron from any attempt to reach Mount Doom, Aragorn leads the remaining armies of the West to the Black Gate. When they arrive, a herald from Mordor shows them Frodo's mailshirt in an attempt to make them lose heart, but the attempt at misdirection shows them that Sauron does not yet have the Ring. An enormous army attacks, and Aragorn's armies are slowly overwhelmed.

Back in Shelob's tunnel, after taking the Ring, Sam hears a party of orcs approaching and hides from them. They find Frodo's body, and Sam learns from their conversation that Frodo is only unconscious, not dead. He rescues Frodo from the orc tower, and they begin the final stage of the journey across the desert wasteland of Mordor itself. They move slowly, hampered by thirst and the almost unbearable burden of the Ring itself, not to mention the necessity of avoiding the armies of orcs swarming the countryside. After a long struggle, they reach the slopes of Mount Doom. Gollum reappears and attacks Frodo, finally realizing that the goal of the quest has been to destroy his precious Ring. Sam holds him off long enough for Frodo to reach the Cracks of Doom. When the time comes to actually give up the Ring, Frodo cannot do it. Instead, he claims it for his own and puts it on. Instantly, Sauron sees what has happened and sends all of his power toward the mountain, including the remaining Nazgûl. Gollum is faster, however, and he struggles with Frodo on the edge of the pit. When he wrests the Ring from Frodo's hand, Gollum dances for joy and accidentally falls into the volcano, inadvertently achieving what Frodo could not do intentionally.

Frodo and Sam are rescued by the giant eagles from the slopes of the mountain, and Aragorn himself tends their injuries. The world hails them as heroes for destroying the Ring and Sauron. Aragorn takes the throne of Gondor and marries Arwen, the daughter of Elrond. Eventually, the hobbits return home to the Shire. When they arrive, they find that the country is not the green and peaceful land they remember. A form of martial government has been instituted, and many people have been thrown into prison while others have cut down trees and polluted the countryside. Merry, Pippin, and Sam lead a revolt to reclaim the Shire, and they learn that the cause of this devastation is Saruman. Released by Treebeard, the former wizard has exacted his revenge by bringing the war home to the hobbits.

Despite the ravages of Saruman's rule, the hobbits manage to restore the Shire to its former glory. Merry, Pippin, and Sam become prominent citizens, but Frodo remains detached and saddened, permanently damaged by his experiences with the Ring. Several years after his return home, he takes a final journey. Joining Elrond, Galadriel, Gandalf, and even Bilbo, Frodo sails with the elves to the Undying Lands, having saved the Shire for others but unable to stay there himself. Sam returns to his family in the Shire, saddened by Frodo's departure but happy with the life he has made for himself.

Works by J.R.R Tolkien. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

As Frodo and Sam leave, a band of orcs captures Merry and Pippin and kills Boromir. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli decide to let the Ringbearer go and instead rescue Merry and Pippin. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli pursue the orcs as they run across the fields of Rohan toward Saruman's fortress at Isengard. They find evidence that the orcs of Sauron and Saruman have quarreled and that either one hobbit is still alive, but they begin to lose hope as they fall farther and farther behind. After three days of running with little rest, they meet a troop of the riders of Rohan. The horsemen's leader, Éomer, informs the trio that the orcs were destroyed on the edge of Fangorn forest, with no survivors. He lends them horses to continue the pursuit, but offers little hope that the hobbits escaped the battle.

Although treated roughly by the orcs, Merry and Pippin remain unharmed. When the Rohirrim attack, the hobbits run to the safety of the forest. They eventually make their way through the dense woodland to a stony hill where they meet Treebeard the Ent. This ancient being looks like a walking and talking tree and is the guardian of the forest. He does not particularly care about Sauron, but he takes the threat of Saruman very seriously. The wizard once cared for the forest and learned much from Treebeard, but now he chops down the trees to fuel the war machines of Isengard. Treebeard calls an Entmoot, a meeting of many Ents who decide to fight Saruman.

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli find the remains of the orcs at the edge of Fangorn and follow the hobbits' tracks into the forest. They meet a white-robed wizard under the trees whom they at first take to be Saruman, but he reveals himself as Gandalf returned. When he fell in Moria he continued to fight the Balrog and eventually overcame him. The ordeal changed him, and he has returned in white to signify that he is now the head of the wizard's council. Gandalf takes the three remaining members of the Fellowship to Edoras, Rohan's capital, to counter the evil influence of Saruman. King Théoden has listened to the evil counsels of Wormtongue, Saruman's spy, succumbing to old age and despair. Gandalf rouses him from his stupor and reveals Wormtongue's treachery. Éowyn, Théoden's niece and Éomer's sister, admires Aragorn. Théoden then musters his army and leads them to the fortress of Helm's Deep. The Rohirrim defeat Saruman's enormous army, although they suffer many losses. Unexpectedly, a great forest of trees appears in the valley and destroys all the orcs that try to escape.

After the battle at Helm's Deep, Gandalf takes Théoden and his companions to Isengard. Where they had expected to find a wizard's stronghold, they find ruins. Merry and Pippin, left to wait at the gate, explain that the Ents have destroyed Isengard, although Saruman himself remains hidden in the impenetrable tower of Orthanc. Gandalf speaks to the fallen wizard, offering him a chance to repent. When Saruman refuses, Gandalf breaks his staff. Wormtongue, perhaps trying to hit Saruman, throws a crystal ball out the window. Later that night, Pippin sneaks a look into the stone and encounters Sauron himself. Fortunately, Gandalf breaks the contact before the hobbit has a chance to reveal Frodo's quest to destroy the Ring.

Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam have become lost among the pathless hills of the Emyn Muil. They realize that Gollum is following them and manage to capture the corrupt creature. Despite Sam's misgivings, Frodo bargains with Gollum for guidance to the Black Gate of Mordor. Gollum agrees and leads them out of the hills and through the Dead Marshes, a haunted swamp. When they reach the Black Gate, Frodo and Sam despair of passing the constant guard but resolve to make the attempt. Gollum, however, begs them to take another way — a secret passage that only he knows. Desperate, Frodo agrees, and they turn aside from the gate.

Traveling toward the pass of Cirith Ungol, the hobbits discover a surprisingly pleasant countryside. When they pause for a stewed rabbit dinner, however, they find themselves in the middle of a battle between an army journeying to Mordor and a company of Gondorian men. Gollum sneaks off, but the hobbits are captured by the men. The Gondorians lead them to a secret base, where they learn that the men's captain is Faramir, Boromir's younger brother. Faramir realizes their quest and their burden, but he does not attempt to take the Ring from Frodo. With Frodo's help, he does capture Gollum, an action that breaks the fragile trust that had begun to form between the two Ringbearers. Faramir advises the travelers against the path they have chosen, but he can suggest no alternative ways into Mordor.

After leaving Faramir, the hobbits make their way past Minas Morgul, the home of the Black Riders. They take a hidden path into the mountains behind the fortress, a path made of steep staircases and tunnels bored through the rock. At the top of the stairs, the hobbits find themselves in a reeking tunnel clogged with tough webs. This is the lair of Shelob, a giant evil spider with an insatiable appetite. Gollum hopes to recover the Ring from the remains of Frodo and Sam, after Shelob has eaten them. With the aid of Galadriel's gift, a phial containing the pure light of elven stars, they escape Shelob's tunnel, but she attacks again from another angle and stings Frodo. Sam drives her from Frodo's fallen body, but he finds his master cold and lifeless. Nearly incapacitated by grief, Sam forces himself take the Ring from Frodo and continue the quest.

Works by J.R.R. Tolkien. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

When the eccentric hobbit Bilbo Baggins leaves his home in the Shire, he gives his greatest treasure to his heir Frodo: a magic ring that makes its wearer invisible. Because of the difficulty Bilbo has in giving the ring away, his friend the wizard Gandalf the Grey suspects that the ring is more than it appears. Some years later, Gandalf reveals to Frodo that the ring is in fact the One Ring, forged by Sauron the Dark Lord thousands of years before to enable him to dominate and enslave all of Middle-earth. Gandalf tells Frodo that the Ring must be destroyed to defeat Sauron's evil, but he also warns him that the Enemy has learned of the Ring's whereabouts from the creature Gollum and will seek to find it and kill its bearer. Despite the danger and hopelessness of the quest, Frodo accepts the burden and resolves to take the Ring to the safety of the elven stronghold of Rivendell.

Frodo sets off with three companions, fellow hobbits Merry, Pippin, and Sam. After a series of close calls and misadventures, where they are saved only by the timely intervention of the mysterious Tom Bombadil, they reach the town of Bree. The innkeeper delivers a letter from Gandalf recommending a weather-beaten Ranger known as Strider as their guide to the elves. Strider leads them cross-country, hoping to avoid the Black Riders who are watching the Road, but they are attacked near the ancient watchtower of Weathertop. Frodo puts on the Ring, revealing himself to the Black Riders. Their leader stabs him with a blade of evil enchantment, and he nearly dies as they race for Rivendell. The Nine Riders try to force Frodo's surrender, but a flood destroys their horses even as Frodo collapses into unconsciousness.

Frodo wakes in Rivendell, where the wise Elrond has worked his healing magic to save the hobbit. Frodo discovers that Bilbo, now grown very old, lives with the elves, and they reunite happily. Soon Elrond calls a council of the representatives of elves, men, and dwarves to respond to the growing darkness in the world. The council reviews the history of the Ring from its forging to the recent discovery that Frodo's ring is the One. Although Boromir, the representative of Gondor, the greatest kingdom of men, argues that the Ring should be used as a weapon against the Enemy, the Council resolves to destroy it. Someone must throw the Ring into the fires of Mount Doom, where it was first created, deep in Mordor, Sauron's country. Frodo accepts the task of carrying the Ring to Mordor, and a company is selected to help him on the quest: the wizard Gandalf; the men Boromir and Aragorn (known to Frodo as Strider but in fact the true king of Gondor); Legolas the elf; Gimli the dwarf; and Frodo's own hobbit kin, Merry, Pippin, and Sam. They are called the Fellowship of the Ring.

The company considers several paths through the mountains, but the ways are all watched. Even if they did not have Sauron to fear, Saruman the White, once the wisest of the wizards, has allied himself with the Enemy and seeks the Ring for himself. When they attempt to cross the pass of Caradhras, an unnatural snowstorm nearly buries them, and they are forced to turn back. Finally, they resolve to brave the perilous dwarven Mines of Moria, now overrun by orcs and even darker things. Within Moria, Gollum begins following them. When the nine have nearly found their way out, they are attacked by orcs and a Balrog, a terrible demon. Gandalf holds it back so that the party can escape, but then he falls with it into the abyss.

Devastated by the loss of Gandalf, the Fellowship flees to the elven wood of Lothlórien. Lady Galadriel shelters them for a while and offers wise counsel. Frodo offers the Ring to Galadriel, but she resists the temptation. When the Fellowship leaves, she gives them boats to continue their journey down the river Anduin as well as more powerful gifts. Orcs attack them while traveling downriver, and they feel the presence of a winged Black Rider overhead, but they make it to the lawn of Parth Galen unharmed. There, they must decide whether to turn for Mordor and Mount Doom or to go to Minas Tirith, Boromir's home in Gondor. Boromir tries to force the issue by seizing the Ring from Frodo, but the hobbit escapes. Frodo resolves to set out alone for Mordor, reluctantly accepting Sam's steadfast refusal to stay behind.

Movie trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIgkpEgCV-I