[Voices are heard from the Misty Mountains.]
Gandalf:
You cannot pass!
Frodo:
Gandalf!
I'm the servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you! Flame of Udűn!
[We track in through the mountain and see Gandalf and the Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dűm.]
Go back to the shadow! YOU… SHALL NOT... PASS!!!
[Gandalf slams his staff on the bridge, and a flash of white light drives the Balrog back. The demon draws a whip of fire, steps onto the bridge, and it gives way, dropping the Balrog into the chasm. It seems they have won, but as he turns away, the tail of the whip catches Gandalf's ankle and pulls him down. He gets a brief grasp on the edge of the bridge.]
BOROMIR:
[Holding Frodo back.] No! Frodo!
Fly you fools!
[Gandalf loses his grip and falls into the chasm.]
Nooooooooo!
[Gandalf falls after the Balrog and grabs hold of his sword, Glamdring, on his way down. As they continue to plunge into the depths, Gandalf hacks away at the Balrog even as it crashes and bounces off the walls. They continue to fall at great speed, sometimes with Gandalf clinging to a horn of the demon. The battling pair then falls into an enormous cavern and plunges into the water. Just then Frodo awakens from the nightmare.]
Sam:
What is it, Mr. Frodo?
Nothing. Just a dream.
[TITLE: THE TWO TOWERS]
[Frodo and Sam climb over rocky terrain. They look into the distance at the Mountain of Fire.]
Mordor. The one place in Middle Earth we don't want to see any closer. It's the one place we are trying to get to. It's just where we cant get. Let's face it Mr. Frodo. We're lost. I don't think Gandalf meant for us to come this way.
He didn't mean for a lot of things to happen, Sam. But they did.
[Suddenly Frodo feels and spies the Eye zooming in on him. He gasps and pants as he backs away.]
Frodo? It's the Ring isn't it?
It's getting heavier. What food have we got left?
Well, let me see. Oh yes, lovely. Lembas bread. And look! More lembas bread. I don't usually hold with foreign food, but this elvish stuff is not bad.
Nothing ever dampens your spirits does it Sam?
Those rainclouds might.
[They continue trekking through difficult terrain, often huddling underneath their cloaks.]
This looks strangely familiar.
[In frustration]: That's because we've been here before! We are going in circles!
Ah! What's that 'orrid stink? I'll warrant there's a nasty bog nearby. Can you smell it?
Yes, I can smell it. We are not alone.
Gollum:
[Sneaking up on the hobbits.] The thieves! The thieves! The filthy little thieves! Wheeere isssit? Wheeere isssit? They stole it from us. My preciousssss. Curse them! We hates them. It's ours, it is, and we wants it!
[Suddenly the hobbits spring up, grab hold of Gollum’s arms and pull him down. Amidst the struggle, Gollum wriggles loose and leaps onto Frodo. As Frodo falls back, the chain and ring around his neck are revealed and Gollum jumps straight for the Ring. Sam tries to grab at him but is knocked away. Gollum now jumps on top of Frodo and tries to reach for the Ring even as Frodo grabs his hands and tries to push him away. Gollum’s cheeks puff with exertion as he struggles with Frodo, his huge eyes fixed on the Ring. Sam grabs hold of Gollum again and tears him away from Frodo. Gollum then turns around and bites Sam on the shoulder, wriggles around and clasps his arms around Sam’s neck and legs around his waist in a death grip. Frodo then unsheathes Sting and holds it to Gollum's throat.]
This is Sting. You've seen it before, haven't you... Gollum! Release him or I'll cut your throat!
[Slowly, Gollum loosens his grip on Sam and as the latter disentangles himself, Gollum wails. He is then tied at the neck with Sam’s elvish rope and half-dragged along even as he cries and wails.]
It burns! It burns us! It freezes! Nasty elves twisting it!
Quiet you! It's hopeless! Every Orc in Mordor will hear this racket! Let's tie him up and leave him!
No! Thats will kill us, kill us!
It's nothing more than you deserve!
Maybe he does deserve to die. Now that I've seen him, I do pity him.
[Begging]: We be nice to them, if they be nice to us. Take it off us. We swears to do what you wants. We swears!
There is no promise you can make that I can trust.
We swears to serve the master of the precioussss. We swears on, on the precioussss! Gollum Gollum
The Ring is treacherous. It will hold you to your word.
Yes... on the preciouss... on the preciousss.
[Suddenly, Sam shouts out loudly]:
I don't believe you! Get down! Get down!
[Sam jerks strongly at the rope as Gollum tries to get away and Gollum falls to the ground.]
[In horror]: Sam!
He is trying to trick us! We let him go, he'll throttle us into our sleep!
[To Gollum, almost as a statement rather than question]: You know the way to Mordor?
[Nodding warily]: Yes.
You've been there before?
[Nodding again]: Yes.
[Taking the rope off Gollum]: You will lead us to the Black Gate.
[Gollum looks up at Frodo in wonder, amazed to have been showed such kindness and trust. He scrambles off quickly, the Hobbits hurrying on after him.]
[The Uruk-hai carry Merry and Pippin over the fields Rohan.]
Pippin:
Merry! Merry!
[We see that Merry is unconscious, with large, nasty gash about his right brow.]
[Suddenly, an Uruk-hai raises his hand, signalling for the group to stop.]
Uglúk:
What is it? What do you smell?
Maúhur:
Man-flesh.
They've picked up our trail! Let's go!
[To himself]: Aragorn!
[The Uruk-hai quicken their pace. Pippin struggles to reach his Elven brooch with his teeth. He then tears it off his cloak and drops it onto the ground. The Uruks don't notice the brooch, but some trample it, setting it more firmly into the soil.]
[Aragorn is lying with his eyes closed and ear pressed to the ground, listening for the sound of footsteps.]
Aragorn:
Their pace quickens. They must have caught our scent. Hurry!
Legolas:
Come on Gimli!
Gimli:
Three day's and night's pursuit.. no food... no rest... and no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell.
[The Three Hunters run across rocks and plains, with Aragorn in the lead, and Legolas and Gimli trailing behind. Aragorn suddenly bends down to pick up an Elven brooch from the ground.]
Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall.
They may yet be alive.
Less than a day ahead of us, come!
Come Gimli! We are gaining on them.
I wish that on cross-country We dwarves were natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances.
[Camera pans over the Orcs running across the plains, and then swings to the Three Hunters giving chase. The trackers come over a hill and pause as they gaze across the plains below.]
Rohan, home of the horse-lords. There's something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures. Sets its will against us. Legolas! What do your elf eyes see?
The Uruks turn Northeast. They are taking the hobbits to Isengard!
Saruman.
[The tower of Orthanc stands amidst the smoking caverns of Isengard. Saruman stands in his chamber, communicating with the Dark Lord through the Palantir.] Saruman: (Voiceover) The world is changing. Who now has the strength to stand against the armies of Isengard and Mordor? To stand against the might of Sauron and Saruman and the union of the two towers? Together, Lord Sauron, we shall rule this Middle-Earth.
[The caverns of Isengard glow with the fires of industry, sounds of hammering fill the air and molten iron is poured into casts.] Saruman: (Voiceover) The old world will burn in the fires of industry. Forests will fall. A new order will rise. We will drive the machinery of war with the sword and the spear and the iron fist of the Orc. We have only to remove those who oppose us.
[Saruman stands in the midst of a gathering of Wildmen, who are holding tOrches and crude weapons.]
Saruman:
The horsemen have taken your lands. They drove your people into the hills to scratch a living of rocks.
CROWD
Murderers!
Take back the lands they stole from you. Burn every village! Saruman: (Voiceover) It will begin in the Rohan. Too long have these peasants stood against you. But no more.
[The wildmen and Orcs attack a village. A woman with her hand on a horse calls out to her children.]
Mother:
Eothain, take your sister. You'll go faster with just two.
Freda:
But Papa says Eothain must not ride Gerolt. He's too big for him!
Listen to me! You must ride to Edoras and raise the alarm. Do you understand?
Eothain:
Yes mum.
I don't wanna leave! I don't wanna go!
Listen to me. I will find you there.
[Screams are increasing in volume as the army draws closer.]
Quickly!
[To herself]: Go, child.
[The army slaughters at will and sets fire to the village. Freda weeps as they look back from a distance.] Saruman: (V.O.) Rohan, my lord, is ready to fall.
[A group of horsemen ride to Edoras. Éomer is in the lead, carrying a gravely wounded Théodred in front of him. Éowyn runs hastily up the stairs to the Golden Hall and enters a bedchamber. She runs to the bed.]
Éowyn:
Théodred!
[Théodred seems to hear her call but is unable to respond. He has a bloody gash on the side of his head. Éomer nods to Éowyn in the direction of Théodred’s torso. Éowyn draws back the covers and upon seeing Théodred’s fatal wound, her lips tighten and her eyes close. She looks up to catch Éomer’s eye.]
[Éomer and Éowyn are speaking to King Théoden who sits motionless on his throne, wizened and aged beyond his years.]
[To Théoden]: Your son is badly wounded, my lord.
Éomer:
He was ambushed by Orcs. If we don't defend our country, Saruman will take it by force.
Grima:
That is a lie! Saruman the White has ever been our friend and ally.
Théoden:
[Mumbling]: Grima... Grima
Orcs are roaming freely across our lands. Unchecked, unchallenged, killing at will. Orcs bearing the white hand of Saruman.
[Éomer drops a helmet onto the ground, which topples over to reveal the white hand of Saruman.]
Why do you lay these troubles on an already troubled mind? Can you not see? Your uncle is weary of your malcontent, your warmongering.
Warmongering? How long has it been since Saruman bought you? What was the promised price, Grima? When all the men are dead you would take a share of the treasure?
[Éomer watches Grima, whose eyes fall on Éowyn's figure in the background.]
Too long have you watched my sister, too long have you haunted her steps.
You see much, Éomer son of Éomund. Too much. You are banished forthwith from the kingdom of Rohan, under pain of death.
[The Uruk-hai and Orcs continue to march across the plains with their hobbit captives. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli are in pursuit.]
Keep breathing, that's the key! Breathe! Ho!
They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them.
[They continue running over vast distances. The Uruk-hai and Orcs halt at nightfall, many panting.]
BAGLOR
We ain't goin' no further till we've 'ad a breather.
Get a fire going!
[The Uruk-hai and orcs begin to hack away at the trees with their axes.]
Merry:
I think we might have made a mistake leaving the Shire, Pippin.
[A rumbling sound is heard.]
What's making that noise?
It's the trees.
What?
You remember the Old Forest? On the borders of Buckland? Folk used to say that there was something in the water that made the trees grow tall, and come alive.
Alive?
Trees that could whisper, talk to each other, even move.
I'm starving. We ain't 'ad nothin' but maggoty bread for three stinkin' days!
Roc:
Yeah! Why can't we have some meat?
[Looking at the hobbits]: What about them? They're freshshsh!
They are not for eating!
Grishnákh:
What about their legs? They don't need those. Ooh! They look tasty!
Get back!
Just a mouthful?
[Uglúk kills Roc.]
Looks like meat's back on the menu boys!
[The Uruk-hai and Orcs cheer and started tearing into Roc, intestines flying, taking their eyes off the hobbits for a while.]
Pippin, let's go!
[Their hands still bound, the hobbits crawl away. Suddenly a foot comes down onto Merry, pinning him to the ground. Pippin flips over.]
Go? Call for help. Squeal! No-one's gonna save you now!
[Suddenly, a spear hits Grishnákh. Mayhem ensues as the Rohirrim burst out from their hiding places and ambush the Orcs.]
Pippin!
[The hobbits try to escape from the pandemonium to the forest, dodging bodies and stomping feet, falling and stumbling. Suddenly, while flat on his back, Pippin looks up at a pair of thrashing hooves bearing down on him.]
Ahh!
[The Three Hunters are still chasing after the Uruk-Hai. Dawn has broken.]
A red sun rises. Blood has been spilt this night.
[The sound of horses comes to their ears. Aragorn quickly gets them to hide behind some boulders. A large group of horse-men appears, galloping quickly with their banners flying. Aragorn comes out of hiding as they pass, followed by Legolas and Gimli.]
Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?
[At a signal from Éomer at the lead, the riders make a quick turn and head towards them, surrounding them in an ever-tightening circle. As they stop, they point their long spears menacingly at them.]
What business does an elf, a man, and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!
Give me your name, horsemaster, and I shall give you mine.
[He dismounts his horse, and steps towards Gimli.]
I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground.
[Legolas, in a lightning fast move, points an arrow at Éomer.]
You would die before your stroke fell!
[The riders all point their spears closer to the travelers. Aragorn pushes down Legolas’ arm.]
I'm Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Gloin, and Legolas, from the Woodland realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your King.
Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe.
[He takes helmet off.]
Not even his own kin.
[The spears are withdrawn.]
Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over this land. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished. The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked. And everywhere his spies slip past our nets.
We are not spies. We track a band of Uruk-Hai westward across the plain. They have taken two of our friends captive.
The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night.
[Distraught, despairingly]: But there were two Hobbits, did you see two Hobbits with them?
They would be small, only children to your eyes.
We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them.
[He points off in the distance, where we see the Uruk-hai pile, still smoking.]
[Disbelievingly]: Dead?
[He pauses briefly - then nods.] I am sorry.
...
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