When you think of The Lord of the Rings, what comes to mind first? For me, it’s always been the people.
Tolkien’s series abounds with meaningful and memorable characters, one of the many features that have captured readers’ hearts over generations. Really, beyond the journey and the battles and the magic, it’s a story about people—the bonds they share, the losses they suffer, and the lengths to which they’ll go to fight for what they believe.
In the early 2000’s, when Peter Jackson adapted the books for the silver screen, that story reached a whole new audience. Including pre-teen me—I watched The Fellowship of the Ring at my brother’s prompting, stole the untouched books off his shelf and devoured them, and counted down the days until the second and third films were released. (The trailer for The Return of the King remains one of the best movie trailers of all time, and I absolutely will not entertain thoughts to the contrary.)
Between Samwise’s loyalty, Aragorn’s wisdom, and Gandalf’s sharp tongue, it would be easy to believe one of the main characters has the best lines of dialogue in Peter Jackson’s cinematic trilogy, right?
Wrong.
[King Théoden has entered the chat.]
The King of Rohan. Lord of the Riddermark. (Puppet of Saruman that one time he was vaguely possessed, but we don’t need to dwell on that.) In which other character will one find the perfect combination of inspirational regal stoicism and total dad energy?
No other.
He could have given into despair and let his people feed off his pessimism instead of standing tall in the face of evil. He didn’t. He could have left another to lead the charge into battle, could have bowed to the might of the Two Towers without a fight. He did not. When the beacons were lit, he bloody well answered, didn’t he?
Now, credit where credit is due—the words themselves are fantastic, but Bernard Hill is the one who brings them to life. His intonation, his facial expressions—good lord, that man commits, and it is awesome. Yes, I love when Gandalf talks about making the most of the time given to us, and of course, my heart lifts near to bursting when the music swells and Samwise tells Frodo, “I can carry you.” But when all is said and done, Théoden’s scenes in the films have an overwhelming tendency to make my throat pinch tight with emotion and my fist fly into the air.
So that we may all see the light, I’ve compiled my list of Théoden’s top five moments in the movie trilogy. I recommend watching the films as soon as possible to get the lines’ full impact—complete with music, costumes, thundering hooves, the whole works. (Extended editions only, of course.)
All hail, Théoden King.
Théoden: So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?
Aragorn: Ride out with me. Ride out and meet it.
Sweeping in toward the end of the Battle of Helm’s Deep, this is one of those brilliant sets of lines which transcend time and place; they are just as applicable in a secondary fantasy world as in the real one, hundreds of years ago or today. In the face of hatred, ignorance, and cruelty, what can any of us do but ride out and meet it? Soon enough, Théoden embraces Aragorn’s advice in the most epic way:
Théoden: The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep one last time. Let this be the hour when we draw swords together. Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath, now for ruin, and the red dawn. Forth Èorlingas!
I mean. COME ON. If you are able to reach the end of this rallying cry and not shout Forth Èorlingas! alongside Théoden while pumping your fist in the air, I am sorry to say you possess a heart of stone. These lines and the scene that follows take my breath away every time.
Théoden: They will break upon this fortress like water upon rock… Crops can be resewn, homes rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them.
Aragorn: They do not come to destroy Rohan’s crops or villages, they come to destroy its people—down to the last child.
Théoden: What would you have me do? Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance.
Before leaving Helm’s Deep, I would be remiss if I did not include this exchange. I love, I love, how Théoden turns this moment on its head. Here we are, accustomed to taking Aragorn’s side and expecting him to be in the right. And yet—in this, he misjudges Théoden. Théoden is no fool, not falsely optimistic or naïve. He is providing the show of strength his people need, choosing to offer a shred of morale instead of despair, even when so little hope remains. It’s a beautiful example of leadership at its best.
Théoden: Take up my seat in the Golden Hall. Long may you defend Edoras if the battle goes ill.
Éowyn: What other duty would you have me do, my lord?
Théoden: Duty? No. I would have you smile again, not grieve for those whose time has come. You shall live to see these days renewed. No more despair.
In my opinion, this is one of Théoden’s most moving scenes in the films. It’s dawn before the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. The sun has just begun to rise, the sky aglow, much as it was the morning Théoden rode out from Helm’s Deep. Here, once more, Théoden stands on the edge of battle, and once more, he does not expect to return.
There’s something beautiful about the quietness of this scene. That amidst the burden of leadership, the current circumstances’ smothering tension, and the near certainty of death to come, he takes time to speak to his niece—not as a king to his heir, but as family. Théoden is so wonderfully human, and this scene showcases that dimension in a new and memorable way.
Aragorn: Gondor calls for aid.
Théoden: And Rohan will answer.
What a brilliantly simple pair of lines to follow the beacons being lit. Not only do they pack a huge punch, eight little words to end a sweeping cinematic sequence spanning grand landscapes and dramatic orchestration, but also—they encompass one of the series’ important questions. Will you follow another’s poor example and sink into past hurts, or will you rise and do better?
Arise, arise, riders of Théoden! Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now! Ride now! Ride! Ride for ruin and the world’s ending! Death! Death! Death! Forth Èorlingas!
Oh, Théoden. How do you manage to give the most amazing rallying speeches before leading your people into battle? (Yes, I cry for, “It is not this day,” I’m not a heathen—but that is for a separate list, another day.) The Battle of the Pelennor Fields has begun. Théoden is shouting at the top of his lungs, cantering Snowmane down the line and scraping his sword across dozens of spears. You know that incredibly moving moment in the book, when a rooster crows in Minas Tirith just as all seems lost, because morning has come regardless? Rohan’s horns call back, and we’re reminded that hope still remains. For me, this speech and the charge it spurs come close to matching that image’s power. It’s simply perfection.
Buy the Book
Forestborn
Originally published October 2021.
Elayne Audrey Becker (she/her) is a storyteller with a passion for history, myth, mountains, and magic. She holds a B.A. from Vassar College and a master of science from the University of Aberdeen, and she has worked as an editor at a New York publisher. Born and raised in Georgia, she grew up with a lake and woods as her backyard, spending long days outside and visiting national parks with her family. Forestborn is her first book.
Having originally come to LOTR via the radio series, I couldn’t help but compare the movie performances with their radio predecessors.
Many were equally good. Some fell short. A few were better than the series’ weaker links.
But Théoden was, for my money, the only character whose movie actor improved on an already great performance in the older version. Jack May was brilliant; Bernard Hill was better.
That scene with Theodan clattering his sword against those of his men is, for me, the best scene in the 3rd movie. Although, the fires leaping along the ridgeline to call for aid for Gondor comes a very close second.
When I think of The Lord of the Rings, the first thing that comes to my mind is the walking. So much walking; it’s possibly the best walking book ever written, and every detail and feature of the landscape is described in so much detail that I can easily imagine it. Not your point, I realize.
@2 I seem to remember reading that it was Bernard Hill who actually came up with that business of tapping the swords when they were setting up to shoot the scene.
He is mu favorite character in the movie. When he goes to his son’s grave with Gandalf, the young die and the old linger, and help to fight the tears lol. And cant forget the scene on helms deep “Where is the horse and the rider?” Actually dialog from the Lotr books, love that scene…
I will at least grant that, when it comes to the Tolkien characters to whom Peter Jackson owes an apology, Théoden is very low on that long list, and certainly the actor portraying him is terrific.
“No parent should have to bury their child…”
I’ve seen it hundreds of times, but it breaks me every time.
@@@@@#5: And Tolkien was partly inspired by an Old English poem, The Wanderer.
When talking about Rohan let us not forget the Rohan theme music. Howard Shore wrote a mesmeric score for these movies but the Rohan theme is the absolute highlight, from the first haunting notes when we first arrive at Edoras to the stirring version as the Ride of the Rohirrim begins it gives me goose bumps every time I watch the movies.
I read this article aloud to my spouse last night after he asked what was making me smile. His words, “Let’s watch that tonight.” I’ve often thought some of the best lines in the movies are from Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson. And they all make me tear up. But, “Forth Erolingas!” and the rallying answer “Death!” is right up there with “For Frodo”, “There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo”, and “So do all who live to see such times.”
Thanks for this. Nothing quite makes me as happy as Middle-earth, Howard Shore, and Peter Jackson…and maybe it’s time for another read through.
Agree with all of this, except you missed out Théoden’s key quote- redolent of the time the Two Towers was made (ie around 9/11):
““Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?
They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;
The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow.
How did it come to this?”
This article made my day. Only a truly unique writer would stoop to honor a character that is so under appreciated. A true King. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at work when it said “Puppet of Saruman that he was vaguely possessed but we don’t need to dwell on that.”
My favorite moment in the film has to be when he says “Than Rohan will answer,” his delivery on that was spot on. He said it with great power.
Whenever my family watches this we always cheer when it comes to that part. High fives are exchanged, smiles cross our faces, hugs are given and tears fall.
Well technically he did give in to despair. It took Gandalf Stormcrow to draw it out of him like poison from a wound.
@1: The radio series was wonderful — such imaginative sound design, such good voice acting, so true to Tolkien’s books. Is it available in another format?
As for the movies, the closer they hewed to Tolkien’s original dialogue and intentions, the better they were. The third movie, which had the most dialogue from Tolkien, won 11 Oscars. How strange…
“I go to my fathers, in whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed . . .”As last words go, those are hard to beat.
Always worth noting that while it is to Theoden’s credit that he rides to Gondor, his statement that Gondor never aided Rohan is absolute bullshit. He never asked for their help! How in the world is Gondor supposed to know Rohan is in danger? Theoden’s own despair and inaction, however (maybe) magically induced, was the problem with the kingdom, not the fact that they were badly outnumbered or abandoned by friends or anything like that. As we see, once Theoden gets his shit together and rallies his people, they’re a match for Saruman, who is after all only a shadow of the threat that Sauron is – that’s the whole point. Saruman is a sideshow.
@13
He didn’t so much give into despair as he was ensorcelled by Saruman – what was drawn like poison was the spell that had been slowly weaved over him, crushing the man that he was, not his unending despair.
And where has the time gone? I was in my twenties when the films came out. Found myself crying as I read this article.
The “forth Eorlingas” Theoden hitting the swords and the thundering hooves. I can feel the tears return, as I remember how they came, as I watched the scene for the first time on the big screen.
I had read the books and was aware of changes and my brow was raised at some…but moments like this capture something beyond words. I think also of Eowyn, the aerial view of NZ and Norwegian violin it’s gorgeous!
All the quotes you mention: yes yes and yes! And I agree with you: deeply human. But there is magic in that deeply humanness as well.
I cannot say now for sure how much of the quote in The Hobbit film came from real appendices but when Galadriel asks Gandalf “why the halfling?” And he says paraphrase: Saruman believes that only great power can have effect but that he Gandalf believes in the small everyday good deeds of regular folk. Sorry for the poor paraphrase.
As for Theoden you captured everything I felt seeing him perfectly. Beautiful! And it’s another kind of human depth and courage in the face of devastating odds. It makes one want to move from the small Hope: amdir to Tolkien’s deeper, larger hope Estel.
To not fall into or celebrate cynicism but to be lifted up and out far and wide as an Eagle might fly.
Hard to believe the time…that you first saw these movies as a pre-teen, while others like me were enjoying the movies as a young adult.
I love that this was enjoyable to all ages. And also brought many back to the books.
Kept finding ways to fill in what was missing in the movies in my imagination because there was space left to imagine. And it was quite easy to dream in the landscape of middle earth.
What is so distinct about your summary is the passion and care of Theoden once he is back to himself. And that passion is something the audience feels deeply. You made me cry in a good way. Brought back wonderful memories of seeing this with my family.
And it’s past time to see the movies again and read the books! And some of those poems I knew as a child thanks to those who came before.
Thank you for a lovely piece!