A Hobbit's Tale

:: Illustrated Movie Script ::

Sam follows Frodo and enters the Crack of Doom. Frodo is standing at the edge of the pit of molton lave.

Sam : Frodo !

Frodo : I'm here, Sam.

Sam : Destroy it !

Frodo holds out the Ring, but he does not throw it away.

Sam : Go on. Now ! Throw it in the fire.

Frodo is still hesitating.

Sam : What are you waiting for ? Just let it go !

Frodo : The Ring is mine !

He pulls the Ring off of its chain.

Sam : No... no...

Frodo puts the Ring on his finger and disappears.

Sam : Nooooooo !

The Great Eye suddenly becomes aware of the presence of the Ring, and turns its gaze to Mount Doom, while the Nazgûl abruptly leave the battle and head in the same direction. Back in the Crack of Doom, Sam stares at Frodo's footprints on the rock before him. Gollum appears over his shoulder, and he hits Sam with a rock. Sam drops unconscious to the floor. Gollum then tracks the footprints of Frodo, and jumps on him. Frodo cries out as he struggles with Gollum.

Sam wakes up, and sees Gollum and an invisible Frodo struggling at the edge of the pit. Gollum grabs Frodo's finger, and bites it off, taking the Ring with it. Frodo -now visible again- falls to his knees. Gollum holds the Ring before him in delight. He cavorts at the edge of the pit, crying out his excitement and happiness.

Gollum : Precious, precious, precious, precious !

Frodo stands up and grabs him, trying to get the Ring back from Gollum. Meanwhile, the battle back at the Gate takes an ill turn, with aragorn a breath away from being crushed by a troll and the forces of men around being rapidly decimated. Cut back to Frodo and Gollum, who are still struggling at the edge of the pit, when they both lose their balance, and go over the edge. Gollum falls toward the lava, holding the Ring to his chest in joy. He hits the lava, and melts away, while the Ring floats on the top. Sam runs to the edge of the pit, and sees Frodo clinging to the rocks over the fire. He extends his hand to his master.

Sam : Give me your hand !

In the lava, the Ring's elvish inscriptions appear.

Sam : Take my hand !

Frodo throws up his bloody left hand, and it slips out of Sam's.

Sam : No ! Don't you let go ! Don't let go. Reach !

Frodo reaches for Sam's hand and is pulled up. The Ring melts in the lava and the Great Eye cries out in horror and pain. Sauron's troops suddenly pause and look back to Mordor, and then begin running away. Aragorn and the others stare in shock, as the tower of Barad-dûr falls, and the Eye of Sauron disappears. A great explosion marks the end of the Eye, and the Black Gate and the lands in between collapse and crumble, taking most of Sauron's troops with them.

Merry : Frodo !

The top of Mount Doom suddenly erupts in a great fiery explosion, and Merry and the others realize that their friends are in the midst of the eruption. Back at the Crack of Doom, Frodo and Sam are running and jumping to escape through the doorway, and get away from the river of lava flowing behind them. They jump to an outcropp of rock.

Frodo : It's gone. It's done.

Sam : Yes, Mister Frodo. It's over now.

They rest themselves upon the rock, waiting for the end to come.

Frodo : I can see the Shire... the Brandywine River... Bag End... Gandalf's fireworks... the lights in the Party Tree.

Sam : Rosie Cotton dancing. She had ribbons in her hair. If ever I was to marry someone, it would've been her. It would've been her.

Sam starts to cry and Frodo touches him to comfort him.

Frodo : I'm glad to be with you, Samwise Gamgee, here at the end of all things.

~~~~~¤¤¤~~~~~

Frodo and Sam lie unconscious on the rock, completely surrounded by flowing lava. Three Eagles appear in the sky, one carrying Gandalf on his back. They swoop down, pick up the Hobbits gently in their claws and fly away. Frodo, half-conscious, opens his eyes and sees the Eagles before he passes out again.

Frodo wakes up in a bed in Minas Tirith. Gandalf is watching him.

Frodo : Gandalf ?

Gandalf nods, smiling and laughing. Frodo begins to laugh in joy. The two friends continue to laugh, when Merry and Pippin enter the room.

Merry : Frodo !

Merry and Pippin run over to Frodo's bed and jump on it, laughing and hugging him. Next, Gimli comes to the door, and starts laughing as well.

Frodo : Gimli !

Gimli then moves into the room. Legolas appears in the doorway. He smiles, and enters the room. Aragorn comes to the room next

Frodo : Aragorn.

While Merry and Pippin are still on the bed hugging Frodo and laughing with him, Sam enters the room. They look at each other with an understanding smile.

~~~~~¤¤¤~~~~~

Thousands of people are now standing in the courtyard. Gimli holds the crown of the king to Gandalf, and the wizard crowns Aragorn on the stairs.

Gandalf : Now come the days of the king. May they be blessed.

Aragorn : This day does not belong to one man but to all. Let us together rebuild this world that we may share in the days of peace.

The crowd cheers and applauds. White flower petals from the White Tree begin to fall. We see Faramir and Éowyn standing together.

King Elessar sings in Quenya the song which, long years before his forefather, Elendil, had sung as his feet first touched the lands of Middle-earth.

Aragorn : Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta (Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world).

Aragorn walks down the aisle. He walks past Éowyn, Faramir, and Éomer, who bow to him. A group of Elves comes up to Aragorn, led by Legolas. The two reach each other and place a hand on the other's shoulder.

Aragorn : Hannon le (Thank you).

Legolas steps aside and Elrond comes forth, with another elf beside him, holding a white banner with the white tree of gondor. Stepping from behind the banner, Arwen reveals herself to the king. She gives Aragorn the banner and they embrace and kiss each other. The crowd applauds again. Hand in hand they walk through the crowd. They come before the four Hobbits, who bow to the king and queen.

Aragorn : My friends. You bow to no one.

Aragorn kneels before them, and everyone in the courtyard does so as well. The camera pulls away and shows a map of Middle-Earth. We hear Frodo speaking.

Frodo : And thus it was, the Fourth Age of Middle-earth began, and the Fellowship of the Ring, though eternally bound by friendship and love, was ended. (The camera now shows the Shire) Thirteen months to the day, since Gandalf sent us on our long journey, we found ourselves looking upon a familiar site.

The Hobbits ride through Hobbiton on ponies, wearing rich clothing.

Frodo : We were home.

An older, fat Hobbit, who is cleaning his front yard, looks in disgust as the four Hobbits ride by and nod to him in greeting. He shakes his head, and turns back to his cleaning.

Back at the Green Dragon, Frodo almost bumps into a man carrying a large pumpkin. He sets four mugs of ale on the table before his friends. The four Hobbits look at each other, and raise their mugs. Sam suddenly looks up, and sees Rosie behind the counter. He leaves to talk to her. Pippin and Merry look on in surprise, and grin, while Frodo begins to laugh. Cut to Sam and Rosie's wedding day, where they kiss. Rosie throws her bouquet, which is caught by Pippin.

Frodo : How do you pick up the threads of an old life ? How do you go on, when in your heart, you begin to understand, there is no going back ? There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that go too deep... that have taken hold.

Frodo is sitting at Bilbo's writing desk, writing something on the page before him. Frodo closes the book and opens to the title page showing 'There and Back Again by Bilbo Baggins.' He reaches for his pen, and the sound of him writing something can be heard. Overtaken by a sudden pain, he puts down the pen and holds his shoulder. Sam enters the room behind him.

Sam : Mr. Frodo ? What is it ?

Frodo : It's been four years to the day since Weathertop, Sam. It's never really healed.

Sam looks at the book over his shoulder.

Sam : 'There and Back again, A Hobbit's Tale by Bilbo Baggins'... and 'The Lord of the Rings by Frodo Baggins.' You finished it.

Frodo closes the book.

Frodo : Not quite. There's room for a little more.

A covered wagon pulls into Hobbiton, driven by Gandalf, who smiles at the four Hobbits who are waiting for him. The carriage drives through the green countryside.

Frodo : Bilbo once told me, his part in this tale would end. That each of must come and go in the telling. Bilbo's story was now over. There would be no more journeys for him... save one.

Bilbo : Tell me again, lad... where are we going ?

Frodo : To the harbor, Uncle. The elves have accorded you a special honor. A place on the last ship to leave Middle-earth.

Inside the wagon, a very very old Bilbo is resting his head upon Frodo's shoulder.

Bilbo : Frodo, any chance of seeing that old Ring of mine again ? Hmm ? The one I gave you ?

Frodo : I'm sorry, Uncle. I'm afraid I lost it.

Bilbo : Oh. Did you ? I should like to have held it, one last time.

Gandalf and the Hobbits reach the Havens and come to the harbor. Frodo and Sam help Bilbo walk along.

Bilbo : Oh ! Here is a sight that I have never seen before.

A white ship is docked there. Upon the quay stand Elrond, Celeborn and Galadriel.

Galadriel : The power of the three rings is ended. The time has come for the Dominion of Men.

Elrond : I Aear can vên na mar (The sea calls us home).

Bilbo : I think I'm quite ready for another adventure.

He walks over to the Elves. Elrond takes Bilbo's hand and leads him onto the ship. Galadriel smiles and follows with Celeborn. Gandalf turns to look at the Hobbits before him, and smiles down at them.

Gandalf : Farewell, my brave Hobbits. My work is now finished. Here at last, on the shores of the sea, comes the end of our Fellowship.

Merry and Pippin start to cry, but Frodo watches in silence.

Gandalf : I will not say, do not weep, for not all tears are an evil. It is time, Frodo.

The other Hobbits turn to look at Frodo in surprise.

Sam : What does he mean ?

Frodo : We set out to save the Shire, Sam. And it has been saved. But not for me.

Sam: You don't mean that. You can't leave !

Frodo gives some the Red Book.

Frodo : The last pages are for you, Sam.

Frodo embraces Merry and Pippin, turning lastly to Sam, holding his sobbing friend tight. Frodo pulls back, and laying his hands on Sam's neck, gently kisses his forehead. He turns towards the ship. He takes Gandalf's hand and they walk together onto the ship. Frodo turns back to look at Sam, Merry and Pippin one last time. The White Ship leaves Middle-earth and sails into the West. Merry and Pippin turn to leave, but Sam stands to watch the ship until it disappears.

Sam is walking up the road in Hobbiton. Suddenly a little Hobbit-girl with curly blonde hair comes out of the nearest Hobbit hole, and runs to Sam, who picks her up. We can hear Frodo speaking.

Frodo : My dear Sam, you cannot always be torn in two. You will have to be one and whole for many years.

Rosie comes out holding a baby boy with dark hair. Sam kisses Rosie.

Frodo : You have so much to enjoy and to be, and to do. Your part in this story will go on.

Sam : Well, I'm back.

Sam puts the little girl down, and closes the gate. They walk into Bag End, and the door closes behind them.

THE END