I just downloaded an ROTK TV spot from TORN, and am a little confused–I hope a Doper can help.
In the TV spot/commercial, we see Pippin with a palantir, but I thought that storyline had been abandoned for ROTK (at least the theatrical version). What’s going on? Is it back in?
Dare I hope for the Scouring of the Shire?
Many thanks for any help that comes my way.
The only thing that was the scenes with Saruman, Pippin looking into the palantir was never out.
Yeah, the palantir scene is still in but no Scouring of the Shire. I did read in a review though, that there is a scene in the ending in the Shire but with very little dialogue.
3 more days!!!
Excuse me.
YYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!
Thank you.
Pip with the Palantir is such an amazing storyline in and of itself that I was heartbroken thinking it was cut. I’m so thrilled to hear it’s still in.
Sadly, dreamer, it will be more like a week or so for me. ::sad face::
We gotta get Pippin to Minas Tirith, so the plot needs Pippin to look into the Pilantir so Sauron will think he has the Ring so Gandalf will (shadow) fax him to Minas Tirith. Got that?
I just bought my tickets for Wednesday, 3:30pm. Woot!
::snicker:: You rule.
It’s been a while since I’ve read LOTR, so I had forgotten how very central the palantir scene was. Thanks much.
Just saw the trailer on TV. The Palantir scene with Pip was definitely there. Leads me to believe that it will be in the movie. Way cool.
By the way, watching SNL with Elija Wood. Funny opening monologue with Gollum…
The Orthanc Palantir is rather essential to much of Aragorn’s plot in RotK - especially a poignant scene between he and Gandalf where Aragorn overcomes Gandalf’s misgivings.
Backstory (sans spoilers): The Elf masters-of-craft, The Noldor and their patron Feanor, made all kinds of wondrous’ jewels, including -at least- seven of these palantiri - which are sorta like ‘crystal balls’ - they see things far away. Not quite as dazzling (or unpredictable) as Galadriel’s Well - but similar stuffs (Galadriel was Feanor’s cousin). Eventually, the Palantir were all in the hands of the Numenoreans - Men - Aragorn’s kin. That one was in Orthanc could not have been a suprise to even Gandalf. That Grima tossed it was funny. It was known that some of the other palantiri fell into Sauron’s hands. Our Fellowship rightly surmised that Saruman had been corrupted by Sauron.
Niece.
But carry on. 
Galadriel is still banned from Valinor!
::tosses:: a softball sized crystal orb at jayjay 
Anybody got a cite on just how big the palantiri are? For some reason, I always pictured them pretty big, roughly bowling-ball sized.
Galadriel’s ban was lifted at the end of the Third Age:
(From a 1967 letter by JRRT, as quoted in Unfinished Tales, p. 240)
Somewhere in the related text CJT comments that it was not a case of her “transferring her ticket to Frodo” but rather the decision of the Valar as transmitted through Gandalf.
Galadriel’s ban was lifted at the end of the Third Age:
(From a 1967 letter by JRRT, as quoted in Unfinished Tales, p. 240)
Somewhere in the related text CJT comments that it was not a case of her “transferring her ticket to Frodo” but rather the decision of the Valar as transmitted through Gandalf.
There’s a fairly long essay on the Palantiri in Unfinished Tales as well. Where Elendil placed the seven stones and their fates were as follows:
Emyn Beraid (Tower Hills), border of Arnor and Lindon – still extant after LOTR ends; only displayed the Undying Lands, not used in communication
Annuminas, Arnor – lost in Ice Bay of Forochel during Arvedui’s shipwreck, 1975 TA
Amon Sul, Arnor – ditto
Osgiliath, Gondor – lost into Anduin during Kin-Strife, 1437 TA
Minas Ithil, Gondor – removed by Sauron to Barad Dur 2002 TA, presumably destroyed in fall of Barad Dur, end of TA
Minas Anor/Tirith, Gondor – still in existence; evidently “warped” by Denethor’s self-immolation, so as not to be useful
Orthanc, Gondorian exclave of Isengard, east Rohan – still in existence (see ROTK for its detailed history)
Just as an aside: One of the reasons (Per JRRT) that Cirdan was the wisest elf in middle-earth was because of his use of the palantir of Emyn Beriad to communicate with the elves of Eressëa. He gained great wisdom from it. Also he was one of the elves who awakened at Cuivienen.
So I saw the movie last week and I wouldn’t have huge hopes for the Palantir scene as essential to the Aragorn plot or even the Sauron thinks Aragorn has the ring plot. Those elements are rather glossed over.
Hey, BuckleberryFerry, you may have already seen it, but just in case not, check out another clip listed on this website. The Pippin/Palantir clip is there as well, but look at the Gollum/Sam/Frodo one. Nice idea of Peter Jackson’s, there.
pugluvr, I can’t play any of the clips there for some reason…thank you for the thought, though.
Perhaps they will be in the Extended Edition DVD?