Exclusive Q&A Complete With Script Excerpts
Matthew Bass

Leo has made my day. He has managed to do a little question and answer session with a contact who is obviously quite close to the films and he has some up with some exciting... and I do mean exciting... stuff.

Warning!! There are major spoilers below! Read at your own risk!!

1. How does the Breaking of the Fellowship proceed?

Everyone is gathered around on the banks of a Nen Hithoel lake, which they have to cross if they decide to continue on to Mordor. Legolas and Aragorn share a moment where both of them express their sense of some evil coming, and not from Orcs (duh-duh-DUM). The scene between Boromir and Frodo runs almost exactly as in the book. The thing is, Boromir is described in the script as actually going into a brief convulsion. It's a more physical demonstration of what the Ring does exactly. On the High Seat Frodo is given horrifying glimpses of all the power of the Dark Lord being put to work, then the Eye leaps at him! Scary stuff! He hurls himself off the seat and that's where Aragorn finds them. This is a nice, sad scene. It's hard to describe, so here's some of the actual script (skip over if you don't want SPOILERS)

FRODO
(quietly)
One by one, regardless of their
strength to good or evil...they
fell.

(CONT'D)
FRODO
(numb)
It has taken Boromir.

ARAGORN drops down to FRODO

ARAGORN
(urgent)
The Ring! Where is it?

FRODO backs away from ARAGORN...ARAGORN is shocked by the MOVEMENT.

FRODO
Stay away -

ARAGORN looks down at FRODO.

ARAGORN
Frodo...I swore to protect you.

FRODO
Can you protect me from yourself?

(END SPOILER)

In the end, Aragorn agrees with a heavy heart and lets Frodo go. Suddenly, Aragorn senses Orcs and tells Frodo to RUN!!!!!!! Frodo bounds off Amon Hen just as 100 Uruks assail Aragorn. Luckily, Legolas and Gimli come from the woods and help out. Lurtz yells orders to find the Hobbits. As Frodo runs away, Merry sees him. He and Pippin are hiding in the hollow of a tree. They call out to Frodo. There's a sort of non-verbal understanding then, and Merry and Pippin bravely run from their hiding place to distract the Orcs as Frodo runs on. Sam and Frodo's last scene runs as in the book. The hobbits are captured. The remaining three set off to pursue the captives. We get a flashing trailer for The Two Towers at the end.

2. How does Boromir end up getting his hands on the Ring (scene from the
trailer)?

I assume you mean the one with the snowy mountain in the background? Well its when they're all trekking up Cahadhras and Frodo slips on an icy patch. The rings falls off his neck and Boromir picks it up. He gives it a good long stare. Spooky. There's a certain hum that starts up on the soundtrack and is mentioned many times in the script whenever the ring is at work. We hear it now. Aragorn cautiously tells Boromir to give it back. With false carelessness, he does. Gandalf is watching the exchange, and is visibly saddened.

3. Is there any mention of Anduril or Narsil?

Yep yep! It's there all righty. The thing is, it is NOT the sword Aragorn uses at Weathertop. That's just some other thingee. Anduril doesn't appear until just before the Council Scene. It's a key in a small scene where Aragorn and Boromir meet. They are in one of the many halls of Rivendell where there is a weeping statue holding the shards of Narsil. They both have connections to the sword, so each feel a connection to each other. Still it is not until the Council that each learns the other's name. Later, after the Council Aragorn and Elrond have a brief talk by his mother's grave, Gilraen. Elrond tells him that his sword is being reforged and his power will return. Aragorn states he never wanted that power. Anduril doesn't get much attention then except for in battle (what with everyone screaming Anduril! or Elendil! or whatever).

4. What part does Lurtz play in the film?

Lurtz is cool. Saruman is working on birthing his Uruks from their gooey pods. One of the Orc overseers is yelling and whipping one pod to make the Uruk come out faster. Suddenly an arm shoots out and grabs the Orc by the throat. Then all over Orthanc, Uruks turn on their masters. Saruman gives a nice evil grin as he watches what his new babies can do. Later Saruman lectures the newborn Lurtz about him being the greatest of a new super race. It's some pretty diabolical stuff. Lurtz's other appearances include getting the orders to seek out the hobbits, leading the Uruks on their trek and battle with the Fellowship and finally...shooting Boromir in the chest. Aragorn kills him before he can shoot again but it's too late for Boromir.

Here's one rumor to debunk: no armada of Elves from Lorien helps the fellowship fight off the Uruks. At least not in the script. Maybe they added it?