The Lord of the Rings is a franchise universally loved by fans, and many of them even loved its ending, which is a rarity for a big franchise. Most fans agree that the films really stuck the landing, all things considered, but there were some instances where the content in the films diverged from that of the books. For fans who consider themselves book purists, these endings weren’t as well received.
While The Return of The King was generally considered a solid ending far as the films go, there were still certain character endings that didn’t please fans. From Sam settling back into shire life to Aragorn finally becoming the king he was meant to be, to Boromir dying too soon, here are some endings that pleased fans and some that left them cold.
Reject: Saruman
The main reason why Saruman’s ending is rejected by some fans is in reference to the film version. The way Saruman died in the movies is quite different from how he died in the books. While in the films he is killed by Grima in The Two Towers after the Ents take over Isengard, in the books, Saruman actually takes over the Shire after the Ring is destroyed. He is also killed by Grima in the books, but everything else about the scenario is very different. The entire Scouring of the Shire plot from the books is cut, and so die-hard fans weren’t pleased with this major omission.
In Character: Merry and Pippin
Merry and Pippin’s endings did seem fitting to fans, but the movies don’t actually go into much detail about what happens to them. They are shown to come back to the Shire and remain there, being changed by their experiences but also able to adapt. But, other than a scene in The Green Dragon and saying goodbye to Frodo, we don’t see much of them.
However, their book endings are even more accurate. They both married and had full, long lives. Merry became Master of Buckland while Pippin became Thain of the Shire. This shows their character development over time, and it is comforting that they got to live out full lives even after everything they experienced.
Reject: Boromir
Boromir’s death is one of the most tragic in the entire series, and he’s the only member of the Fellowship of the Ring to die on the journey (at least for good, as Gandalf comes back). While his death might have made sense in the narrative, it doesn’t mean that fans loved it. It was a sad thing, and while Boromir might have made some mistakes, he wasn’t a bad person at heart. He did get somewhat redeemed in the end, but fans would have liked a more obvious redemption arc. However, his death did show the gravity of the situation and the devastation of war.
In Character: Gandalf
Gandalf is one of the many characters who leaves Middle-Earth after the Ring is destroyed. After tarrying in Middle-Earth for a couple of years, he reunites with Frodo at Mithlond. There, along with others like Galadriel, Celeborn, and Elrond, he leaves to Valinor.
This is perfect for him, as he was sent to Middle-Earth as an angel-like being called an Istar. He was the only of these Istari to complete his mission to help guide Middle-Earth to fight against evil. After finishing his mission, he was able to go back to live amongst the gods. At this point in the story, there wasn’t really much left for him to do in Middle-Earth, and it was fitting that he would leave with Frodo.
Reject: Galadriel
While Galadriel’s ending makes sense in many ways, given the lore of Middle-Earth, it still was a bit depressing for many fans. It was an inevitable conclusion, but one that is still rather tragic. Galadriel leaving Middle-Earth at the end of the Third Age marked the new age of men and the beginning of a history in which beings like elves and dwarves and Hobbits would cease to exist. While she did get to live in a paradise of sorts, leaving Middle-Earth was difficult for her and many of the other elves. And, there’s something tragic about this fact that sometimes gets overlooked when talking about the end of the series.
In Character: Legolas and Gimli
Legolas and Gimli have an entwined ending which is why they are included together here. After the war, the two friends traveled around Middle-Earth together. They visited places like Helm’s Deep and Fangorn Forest. Legolas got leave from his father to restore the woods of his homeland and remain in Middle-Earth. Then, after Aragorn eventually died, Legolas made a ship to take him to the Undying Lands, and he brought Gimli with him. This made Gimli the first dwarf to ever be invited, and this is a testament to their friendship and bond.
Reject: Eowyn
Eowyn is probably one of the most fascinating characters from the series because while the books have marked few female characters (and have been criticized for it), she is a progressive character in many ways. She defeats the Witch-King of Angmar and is a warrior and protector of her people.
While her ending isn’t bad, it does feel a little anticlimactic. She marries Faramir, and they have at least one child. Nothing else is really known about her, and her death isn’t even recorded. So, it just doesn’t feel like she got her due. It would have been great to get some more information about her as a leader, parent, and person in general, but this information doesn’t even exist in any of Tolkien’s works. This lack of detail is a bit odd given how much extra information Tolkien has on so many characters.
In Character: Samwise Gamgee
Samwise has an ending that feels right for who he is, but it’s not completely a happy ending. He marries Rosie Cotton, and they have 13 children. Given Sam’s compassionate nature, being a husband and father feels right. He also becomes Mayor of the Shire for seven seven-years terms in a row. This all makes a lot of sense, but it’s also quite tragic that Frodo ends up leaving Sam behind.
However, this is also realistic. And, because he was briefly a Ring-Bearer, he’s able to reunite with Frodo in the Undying Lands after Rose dies of old age. In a way, Sam was able to get everything he wanted, it just all came in due time.
Reject: Frodo Baggins
Frodo’s ending actually is rather fitting, but this doesn’t mean that fans love it completely. Frodo carries many emotional and physical scars from being the Ring-bearer, and he isn’t able to just go back to life like it was before. This is very realistic as it shows the true toll that war and trauma can take on a person. And, it is right that he would get to have a special place in Valinor. However, having him leave so early on and leave his friends behind is heartbreaking.
In Character: Aragorn
Aragorn is a character that fans wanted to see get as happy an ending as possible, and they weren’t disappointed. Aragorn is crowned King of Gondor and Arnor and is later called the High King of the Reunited Kingdom. He married Arwen, and they had one son, Eldarion, and multiple daughters. He ruled the kingdom of men to a time of happiness and peace, and he lived a long life. There is still tragedy in that he dies and Arwen dies of a broken heart soon after, but they did get many good years together.
