On the journey to Helm’s Deep, the people are beset by orcs riding “wolves” and Aragorn goes over the cliff.
How does that compare to the book (which I read, but many years ago).
First, I can’t remember the people being attacked along the road.
Second, I can’t remember how Aragorn gets separated from the people.
Are those both as portrayed in the movie?
Trunk, none of this is in the book.
Theoden and his troops, including Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, rode out from Edoras to challenge Saruman’s forces. The people of Edoras, including Eowyn, were evacuated to Dunharrow.
Once on the road, the King received word that another force of Rohan’s had been defeated and that Saruman’s army was approaching. With Gandalf’s urging, Theoden decided to go to Helm’s Deep to await Saruman’s forces. There was no warg attack, and Aragorn remained with the King through the Battle of the Hornburg.
Thanks
I knew it didn’t seem familiar, and while I specifically remember Gimli and Legolas at Helm’s Deep, I couldnt’ remember if Aragorn was there.
I also didn’t think the people of Edoras were there.
Wasn’t there an orc-less warg attack in FOTR?
Yep. After the company comes down from the failed climb up Caradhras, wargs/wolves (which are really just big wolves, as far as I can tell, not freakish hyena-wolf-things) attack them. They fight, Gandalf does some serious fireworks, and then they press on even faster to Moria (where, BTW, ARAGORN was loath to go, not Gandalf).
Exactly, toadspittle – in fact, in the book, it was Gandalf’s suggestion to go through Moria.
And Trunk, the people of Edoras were at Dunharrow, as mentioned before. But there were other commoners at Helm’s Deep – the ones from the western parts of Rohan took refuge there. And Theoden’s men and the armies that had been routed at the Fords of Isen regrouped at Helm’s Deep.
Isn’t it the Wargs that attack Bilbo and the dwarves in the Hobbit?
Yes, the Dwarves, Hobbit and Wizard stumble into the orc/warg meeting place.
Was it ever explained why Aragorn didn’t want to travel through Moria?
In the movie, it seemed to me that Gandalf did not want to take that route because he knew of the Balrog.
Did Aragorn also know?
Vandal, I’m not sure I’m remembering right, but I think it was hinted that Aragorn had a kind of premonition that something bad was going to happen to Gandalf in Moria.
“A Balrog,” muttered Gandalf, “Now I understand.” He faltered and leaned heavily on his staff. “What an evil fortune! And I am already weary.”
I’m sure QtM will be in shortly to either fill the gaps or correct me if I am wrong.
Aragorn had been through the mines previously.
At one point Gandalf reminds Aragorn that they have both been into the mines and come out. Aragorn tells Gandalf that it was not a happy memory and that he did not wish to enter Moria a second time.
I’m not too sure when he made his trip through Moria, I’m guessing either it was when he was Gollum hunting or when he traveled the lands of Gondor and Rohan under a psedonym. Many years before the War of the Rings.
Thanks for the vote of confidence, TelconstarStorm, but I’m not sure I can add too much.
Aragorn didn’t go thru Moria, though. He just went in, via the Dimrill gate, then back out the same way again. I don’t have any idea when, how far in, nor what happened to him during his trip. But he doubtless knew of “Durin’s bane” even if he didn’t know what it was. And he knew that after the “War of the Dwarves and Orcs” that something pretty nasty must have kept the dwarves from reclaiming their ancient home. That knowledge, combined with his sense of “something ain’t right in this place” probably would make him hesitate to go in again.
At some time in the past, Gandalf had actually gone thru, in the Dimrill gate and out the Hollin gate. I can’t find any indication of when he might have done this, but perhaps it was during his search for Thrain.
I guess that doesn’t clarify much.