5 things from The Lord of the Rings books we wish were in the movies
Friends, please go read the chapter The Scouring of the Shire in The Return of the King.
— Jeff Wright (@merelyjwright) December 28, 2023
Or re-read it, if you have already.
Please.
So very important in terms of knowing what time it is & how we should conduct ourselves. pic.twitter.com/BaGvBHaHM1
2) The Scouring of the Shire
Imagine our brave little hobbits, fresh from saving the world, coming back home to the Shire expecting cheers, feasts, and maybe a parade or two. But instead, they find their cozy, green home turned upside down and set ablaze. Saruman, the traitor wizard played by the legendary Sir Christopher Lee in the movies (rest in peace, good sir), who should've been out of the game, is now the big boss and working diligently to turn the peaceful Shire into a mini-Mordor. And he's got the gag reflex-inducing Wormtongue, his sidekick, helping him mess things up. The Shire as Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin knew it is gone; it looks and feels weird and industrial now, with trees chopped down and smoke everywhere. Not a single decent party in sight, and that's just depressing.
At the beginning of the story, our foursome would be as bewildered by this as their neighbors. But by this point they've gone on a world-spanning journey, and they've learned much. So what do our favorite hobbits do? They roll up their sleeves and get to work setting things to rights. It's very comparable to the annoying moment in video games when you think you've beaten the final boss, but then there's a surprise level at the end. Our hobbits, who left as simple, fun-loving folk, have come back as warriors. Now experienced and battle-hardened, they lead a rebellion against Saruman's forces in what's known as the Battle of Bywater.
The victory is bittersweet; while they free the Shire, the experience leaves a lasting impact on its inhabitants and landscape. Tolkien uses this chapter to underscore themes of loss, resilience, and the cost of war, even if victory is attained. It’s a very important conclusion to the hobbits' journey, emphasizing their growth as people and the changes they've gone through. It gives a deeper sense of closure to the trilogy by bringing the impact of the world's conflicts back to their doorstep.
The Scouring of the Shire would have been such an epic addition to The Return of the King. It's a true shame it never made it onto the big screen, not even in the extended edition.