The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Page #10

---

INT. EDORAS, GOLDEN HALL - DAWN

CLOSE ON:
ARAGORN bursts into the GOLDEN HALL.

ARAGORN:

The beacons of Minas Tirith! The beacons

are lit! Condor calls for aid!

ANGLE ON:
THEODEN looks up startled.

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 44,

CONTINUED:

CLOSE ON:
EOWYN, EOMER turn to look at their UNCLE ... tension

builds.

CLOSE ON:
THEODEN his head lowered . . . Slowly it rises - he

looks ARAGORN in the EYE.

THEODEN:

Then Rohan will answer. Muster the

Rohirrim!

EXT. EDORAS COURTYARD - DAWN

WIDE ON:
EDORAS LOOKOUT . . . A SOLDIER RINGING the GREAT BELL

in alarm as below, in the COURTYARD, SOLDIERS mount their

STEEDS amid great activity.

ANGLE ON:
THEODEN striding purposefully outside, flanked by

EOMER and his SOLDIERS ...

THEODEN:

Assemble the army at Dunharrow - as many

men as can be found. You have two days ...

On the third, we ride for Condor ... and

war!

ANGLE ON:
THEODEN strides onto the PARAPETS . . .

THEODEN (cont'd)

Gamling, make haste across the Riddermark

... Summon every able-bodied man to

Dunharrow!

ANGLE ON:
THEODEN watches as below the SOLDIERS prepare.

ANGLE ON:
EOWYN hurriedly pulling on RIDING GLOVES, preparing

to mount her HORSE.

ARAGORN:

You ride with us?

EOWYN turns and runs SMACK into ARAGORN ...

EOWYN:

Just to the encampment. It's tradition for

the women of the Court to farewell the men.

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 45.

CONTINUED:

ARAGORN smiles . . . reaching past her, he lifts a cover to reveal

a SWORD, strapped to the side of the saddle of her HORSE.

EOWYN deftly pulls the cover back down. She looks at ARAGORN.

EOWYN (cont'd)

(softly)

The Men have found their Captain - they

will follow you into battle, even to death.

(quietly)

You have given us hope.

PULL BACK:
to reveal THEODEN stares around at the STREETS and

PEOPLE of EDORAS . . . it is as if he knows he will not see

this place again.

THEODEN V/0

So . . . It is before the walls of Minas

Tirith that the doom of our time will be

decided.

ANGLE ON:
EOMER astride his horse, calls to the assembled

SOLDIERS . . .

EOMER:

Now is the hour! Riders of Rohan - oaths

you have taken. Now, fulfil them all - to

Lord and land!

EXT. PLAINS OF ROHAN - DAY

ANGLE ON:
THEODEN astride SNOWMANE, as he, EOMER, ARAGORN &

MERRY and LEGOLAS & GIMLI ride out AMID a GREAT COLUMN of

ROHIRRIM, THUNDERING towards DUNHARROW in the MOUNTAINS.

EXT. WEST OSGILIATH, RIVER ANDUIN - DAY

ANGLE ON:
FARAMIR and his MEN are fighting a losing BATTLE

against the MORDOR invasion.

MADRIL:

We can't hold them. The city is lost!

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 46.

CONTINUED:

FARAMIR:

Tell the men to break up. We ride for Minas

Tirith.

ON THE SOUNDTRACK: OMINOUS SOUNDS of WIND RISING ... HUGE

WINGS BEATING ...

RANGER:

Nazgul!

SPINNING ANGLE:
FARAMIR looks up at the SKY . . . ITHILIEN

RANGERS are suddenly nervous, frightened . . . A HUGE SHADOW

passes overhead!

FARAMIR:

Take cover!

A SUDDEN TERRIFYING SHRIEK rends the AIR!

FARAMIR (cont'd)

Pull back! Pull back to Minas Tirith!

ANGLE ON:
SOLDIERS RETREATING through the RUINS of the CITY

as, high in the sky above, the NAZGUL swoop ...

ANGLE ON:
MADRIL as he is cut down by an ORC . . .

CLOSE ON:
MADRIL . . . his breathing quick and shallow . . .

footsteps approach . . .

ANGLE ON:
The HIDEOUSLY deformed features of GOTHMOG standing

over the prone figure of the INJURED RANGER.

Grabbing a spear from a nearby underling, GOTHMOG drives the

shaft into MADRIL'S chest . . .

CLOSE ON:
GOTHMOG surveys the carnage with satisfaction.

GOTHMOG:

The age of men is over. The time of the Ore

has come.

Final Revision - October, 2003 47.

EXT. PELENNOR FIELDS - DAY

FARAMIR and a few survivors flee WEST OSGILIATH, desperately

riding toward MINAS TIRITH . . . in the SKY above DARK SHAPES

pursue them ...

ANGLE ON:
SUDDENLY, from on HIGH, the NAZGUL strike!

TILT DOWN ... following the NAZGUL as it SWOOPS out of LOW-

LYING, MURKY CLOUDS tossing MEN in the AIR like LIMP RAG-DOLLS!

AT THAT MOMENT:
Across the PLAIN, a FIGURE clothed in WHITE

rides towards them!

From the BATTLEMENTS of MINAS TIRITH, a call . . . "The White

Rider!"

EXT. PELENNOR FIELDS - DAY

WIDE ON:
GANDALF as he spurs SHADOWFAX forward! PIPPIN clings

tightly to the great horses MANE.

ANGLE ON:
FARAMIR, SWORD in hand, remains at the REAR, trying

desperately to fend off the DEADLY ASSAULT . . .

AGAIN the FELL-BEASTS DIVE low ...

GANDALF thunders into view, raising his STAFF ...

A SHAFT OF WHITE LIGHT suddenly stabs upwards! The NAZGUL

SWERVES AWAY from the LIGHT, as it pierces the LOW CLOUD!

For a BRIEF MOMENT, SUNLIGHT streams through the hole onto

PELENNOR FIELDS . . . The NAZGUL circle away from the SUN RAYS,

swiftly spiralling higher and higher.

The NAZGUL defeated, GANDALF and the RANGERS ride towards the

safety of MINAS TIRITH.

EXT. MINAS TIRITH GATES - DAY

ANGLE ON:
IORLAS runs towards the GATES, yelling . . .

IORLAS:

Open the Gates! Pull!

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 48,

CONTINUED:

The GREAT GATES OPEN, allowing GANDALF, PIPPIN, FARAMIR and

the OSGILIATH SURVIVORS to RIDE IN . . . Nearly 100 WOUNDED AND

SHOCKED MEN.

AS GANDALF pulls SHADOWFAX up . . .

FARAMIR:

Mithrandir!

ANGLE ON:
FARAMIR STEERS HIS HORSE through the CROWD towards

GANDALF ...

FARAMIR (cont'd)

They broke through our defences. They have

taken the bridge a nd the West Bank.

Battalions of Ores are crossing the River.

IORLAS:

It is as the Lord Denethor predicted - long

has he foreseen this doom!

GANDALF:

Foreseen and done nothing!

FARAMIR suddenly STARES at PIPPIN. GANDALF reads the surprise

in his eyes.

Rate this script:5.0 / 4 votes