The Return of the King

In The Return of the King, Tolkien’s final installment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the story comes to its epic conclusion. With battles against the dark army looming and Frodo’s fate hanging in the balance, the Fellowship’s separate adventures continue as hope dwindles. As the darkness grows, the chances of the hobbits completing their world saving quest become even more slim.

This book is dense with darkness and hard fought battles, where Tolkien’s epic storytelling talents come alive. I was happy when all the characters began to converge amidst all the high-stakes action, and was still pleased to find there were plenty of lighthearted moments throughout. I enjoyed the themes of love and longing, how Éowyn may have been naïve about matters of the heart, but how strong of heart and might she was on the battlefield. I was also moved when Aragorn summoned the Men of the Mountains from the Paths of the Dead to fight for him.

Every moment where you thought all hope was lost was especially gripping, and every moment where a sliver of hope remained was inspiring. Seeing Sam at his lowest point of utmost doubt rise above and push through for Frodo’s sake was uplifting, and bittersweet as he reminisced on simpler days in his darkest hour. I liked the mystery of the bigger part that Gollum had yet to play in this book, and how Gandalf knew from the beginning that the corrupted hobbit just might have more to contribute before the journey’s end.

I loved the imagery of the darkness being blown away when Sauron’s dark reign came to an end, as well as the beautiful imagery that was conjured when Aragorn entered the gates of Gondor with the rising of the Sun. The way this momentous occasion was described was marvelously written, and I was thrilled when I finally got to experience Aragorn come into his true self. Though there were many celebrations, there were also sad moments of mourning for all the losses, which to me served as a reminder that the battles were hard fought and won and would forever be remembered. 

Legolas and Gimli’s endless banter and their unlikely bond makes me happy when all seems bleak. I would have loved to see their visit to the Glittering Caves at the end; it makes me wish that photography existed so I could see their jovial selfies I know they would take together. I can’t say enough how their friendship is my favorite.

Denethor might be my least favorite character. I don’t believe he is fair to his son, Faramir. Among other unlikeable characters are Saruman, who is slimy as ever, and Gollum, who doesn’t redeem himself, though I still feel torn on my feelings about this hobbit as a character. The weirdest part of this book has to be the ending, and how Tolkien chose to tie up Saruman’s story. I understand the reason behind ending the story this way as a means to show more character development among the hobbits, but it honestly read very strange and felt jarring and unfulfilling. 

The themes of good and evil come full circle by the end, and the conclusion to this epic tale is filled with bittersweet endings and goodbyes. Though I wished to see Bombadil again, I was happy with how everyone settled into their post-adventuring lives, but also glad to see how much Sam had changed, and how his longing was never completely sated after his adventures with Frodo.

I like to believe that Sam fills the last pages of the book with new adventures and somehow makes it across the sea to reunite with his beloved Fellowship and dearest friend. It’s a small shred of hope, but I hold onto it as Sam returns to The Shire and the epic saga comes to a close with his certainty and his future left to be revealed, for us to potentially never know. 

All in all, The Lord of the Rings is a story about friendship, fear, war, love, adventure, good and evil, and all other human things in between. It was a pleasure to read, to grow to love all of these multifaceted characters as I journeyed alongside them. Tolkien ends it all beautifully, and leaves the reader with a sense of hope that goodness and light just might prosper for a long time to come. But even if it doesn’t, the reader knows that it is not the end, for there is strength in fellowship.

Reference

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. HarperCollinsPublishers, 2020.