The LOTR Movie Site
December 28, 2000

Bombadil and Arwen
Vaelyn

I'm wondering what got this mess over Arwen taking a place in the Fellowship started. I'd like to think that Jackson would have more sense than to make such a major change in the plot. I don't think it could be pulled off at that. Just think about some of the MAJOR complications, not to mention all of the tiny minor ones.

Arwen's presence in the Fellowship would be a rather large distraction for Aragorn, especially in key scenes--like the attack made upon the Fellowship in Moria.

Many details in the entrance and exit of Lorien would need be altered slightly, but enough to be noticed--what would Galadriel's gift be to her grand-daughter (I believe that's correct, since Elrond married Celebrian, daughter of Celeborn, I'm assuming that daughter was Galadriel's, however--I could be wrong. This unnerves me because I'm lacking a good reference-namely, The Silmarillion. Someone please help me on this one!) Anyway, then things become terribly complex at the breaking of the Fellowship, and at Aragorn's meeting of Eowyn, who would have had some degree of rivalry with Arwen--rivalry which she didn't have a change to develop in the actual plot line. I'm sure Jackson has considered these things and many, many more that would never occur to me. I don't think Arwen will find herself in the Fellowship anytime soon.

Regarding Bombadil--this is a painful cut, and shouldn't really be made. When Frodo and company leave the Shire, they're quite unequipped, I believe. It is only in their dealings with Bombadil and the Barrow-Wights that they gain any real weaponry. The chill blade that is later used by Frodo to attack the cheif of the Nine, how to explin that? A simple Shire-forged blade--no! Of course, these tiny details that have no extremely large impact on the film are neglected first--Bombadil may be cut, but we'll just have to deal with it. Arwen, however, could not have possibly been placed in the Fellowship--besides, how could Gimli form a friendship with Legolas and later depart to Aman with him if he wasn't in the Fellowship in the first place? (Political correctness should have no place in this!)