1 Deleted Lord of the Rings Line Still Haunts Orlando Bloom 22 Years Later

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Legolas, the Elf portrayed in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, wasn’t a big talker. Compared to the other central characters, he spoke very little, particularly in the first film, The Fellowship of the Ring. Fans have even pointed out that he only ever said one sentence directly to Frodo throughout their entire journey! While he did speak a bit more in the subsequent movies, largely because of his growing friendship with Gimli, Legolas remained quiet and mostly communicated through his expressions and movements rather than with words.

You know, one thing that always struck me about Orlando Bloom’s Legolas was how much he conveyed without saying a lot. He really commanded the screen even when quiet, and a few key lines – like, who could forget “taking the hobbits to Isengard” from The Two Towers? – became instantly legendary. But apparently, there was one line cut from The Return of the King that really bothered Bloom. He’s talked about being genuinely upset when it didn’t make the final cut, and it wasn’t for any of the reasons you might think fans would assume.

Legolas Stayed By Aragorn’s Side Throughout The Lord of the Rings

Just before Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli entered the terrifying Paths of the Dead, a deleted line would have been spoken. The entrance to the haunted tunnels was covered in skulls and strange symbols, and eerie sounds echoed as they approached. The intense fear in the air was enough to make even the bravest creature run away. Although clearly shaken, Aragorn was determined to continue. He bravely stated, “I do not fear death,” and led the way into the darkness, followed silently by Legolas. Originally, Legolas was also supposed to say, “To wherever it may lead,” after Aragorn’s line.

A removed line of dialogue hinted at a deeper meaning. Legolas questioned where the dangerous Paths of the Dead would lead, but also seemed to be reflecting on death itself. In Tolkien’s world, Elves were known to go to the Undying Lands after death, while the fate of Men was a mystery. Legolas worried about what would happen to Aragorn if he died in the Paths of the Dead. Although this specific line wasn’t in the original book, Gimli expressed a similar sentiment later on. In The Return of the King, during the chapter “The Passing of the Grey Company,” he tells Aragorn he’ll follow him even into the Paths of the Dead, no matter the consequences.

Orlando Bloom Had a Special Attachment to Legolas’ Deleted Line

While the deleted line from Legolas felt appropriate for the scene, it wasn’t essential, so director Peter Jackson probably cut it to keep the movie moving. Orlando Bloom wouldn’t have minded, except for a personal connection to the quote. Bloom shared in a commentary that his makeup artist had gifted him a ring inscribed with ‘to wherever it may lead’ during filming of the third movie, and he’d been telling everyone that was where the line came from. He was therefore disappointed to discover the line didn’t even make the final cut.

Orlando Bloom particularly enjoyed the lines Legolas delivered while traveling through the Paths of the Dead, even the parts where Legolas still seemed to be concealing his elven nature from his friends. He recalled telling John Rhys-Davies (Gimli), “I see ships of Men and of horses, pale banners like shreds of cloud, spears rising like winter-thickets through a shroud of mist. The Dead are following. They have been summoned.” Bloom considered this dialogue among the strongest in the entire trilogy, and it was very close to how it was written in the original book. The inherently fantastical setting of a ghost city allowed the filmmakers to use Tolkien’s beautifully poetic writing style, which was common throughout his stories.

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2025-10-30 00:08