February 5, 2003

You Have to Look Between the Lines
Brett C.

Lots of articles about the changes in TTT. This one adresses points brought up by Steven L regarding the forces of Isengard.

I agree Steve, that at a glance your comments about Saruman's toadying and the orc-band a valid, but you ahve to look carefully and consider not only what PJ has shown, but what he has withheld.

Firstly, the orcs are clearly not all Uruk-hai when we see thme at Fangorn's border. Grishnahk [the one who wants the hobbit's legs] and his blue skinned companion are Mordor-orcs, definitley not from Isengard. Yet we do not see them when Pippin casts aside the Lorien brooch. My conclusion is that the second group joined Saruman's servants, as happened in the book. We must hope that the extended release clears this up.

Regarding Saruman's servitude, remember when we hear his voice-over at the beginning of the movie he is using the Palantir to commune with the Dark Lord. Naturally he would disemmble and speak as if he were a loyal, if somewhat proud, minion. But later at Edoras, Gandalf states to the healed Theoden that the destruction of the Westfold villages is but a taste of the terror Saruman will unleash, and that he is even more dangerous now that he has Sauron to fear as well! By itself the line seem to make no sense, so I mus believe it falls into the context of Saruman having had his Orcs bringing the Ring to Isengard agaisnt the will of Sauron's own troops, again as told in the book. In this light Saruamn would indeed by a double traitor, and would move to conquer Rohan quickly to allay Barad-dur's suspicions of his treachery.