January 21, 2004

More Gandalf V Witchking
Brett C.

Thankyou - for your support and Speedcorn for your response. I went to see the movie again on my birthday in Goldclass [recliner seats, food served to you, all very decadent] and have to admit, Speedcorn will be pleased to hear, that I will very probably still be able to enjoy the trilogy even with seeing Gandalf's staff broken.

Yes, I am rather afraid this is a foregone conclusion now, for a reason that caught my eye right from the first but which I did not fully appreciate until now. When Gandalf bursts in through the door to the Hallows to save Faramir, he immediately seizes a pike from one of the doorwards to use in knocking over Denethor. The significance of course is that he is lacking his staff, which must mean, as Speedcorn deduced, that the encounter with the Nazgul is on the way to rescue Faramir.

However, with regards to my logic being flawed, I must respectfully disagree. Speedcorn makes the point that the encounter will probably be in some ways unequal, which makes sense, since the servants of Sauron are not ones to avoid stacking the deck. However, one must question whether this will be more unequal than, say, fighting the WitchKing AND all the other Nazgul singlehanded for several hours on Weathertop. It would seem logical to me that a being who could hold his own against all of the Nine unencumbered could at least do the same against one of them [even the most powerful one] with a Hobbit to look after.

Now admittedly, the fell beast adds another aspect to the encounter. But then, Eowyn made pretty short shift of that little critter while on foot and armed with a sword not nearly as impressive as Glamdring, so you have to wonder how tough they are when they're not swooping down at you at 100 mph [and the capture for the screensaver on the offical site indicates that it is not]. Also, one has to remember that this little feature is a contrivance of the writers, and that the encounter between the two commanders as written takes place with both on horseback. To say that Angmar will win because of his steed amounts to admitting that the filmmakers have invented a situation not in the books to create an outcome which Tolkien never indicated. Pretty dodgy.

However, the thought which gives me most reflection is that clearly Gandalf, whatever the fate of his staf, survives the encounter, leading me to hope that he will somehow succeed in driving the WitchKing off. Indeed, in the shot where the Rohirrim are assembling with the city before them you can see a solitary Nazgul flapping away from the upper levels, possibly the WitckKing. My desperate wish is that this means Gandalf has indeed routed him. If, on the other hand, it is simply Gandalf being saved from certain defeat by Angmar being distracted by the arrival of Rohan, I will be vastly disappointed, especially since there are many ways that scene could have been shot with the same overall outcome, but leaving Gandalf with his literary dignity intact.

Other opinions? Agree or disagree. Please post. I have not enjoyed a debate here this much since that other one - you know - about the thingy not having thingies.

Oh, and my favourite character. Ummm...Gandalf? [Is anyone surprised?]