The Return of the King’s Extended Edition Proved the Problem With Gondor

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In Peter Jackson’s film trilogy, Gondor represents the quintessential heroic kingdom, filled with the qualities you’d expect in a classic fantasy world. With stunning cities like the white-walled Minas Tirith and brave, honorable soldiers, Gondor stood as the primary defense against the threat from Mordor. However, despite its strengths, Gondor was also a kingdom with significant weaknesses.

By the time of The Lord of the Rings, Gondor’s golden age was a distant memory, much like the fading Elven realms. However, unlike the Elves, whose decline was a natural process, Gondor’s problems were largely its own fault. A scene in the extended edition of Peter Jackson’s The Return of the King clearly shows how the once-powerful kingdom began to fail, and this scene significantly differs from the original The Lord of the Rings book by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Gandalf Told Pippin About the Downfall of Gondor in The Return of the King

Following his unsuccessful discussion with Lord Denethor in Minas Tirith, Gandalf and Pippin went outside to the courtyard. There, they saw the faded emblem of Gondor, which reminded Gandalf of the kingdom’s weakening state. He explained to Pippin that the ancient knowledge originating from the West had been abandoned, and that kings had prioritized elaborate tombs over caring for their people, valuing their ancestors more than their own children.

Gandalf was frustrated by the people of Gondor, particularly its leaders, who were unwilling to let go of old ways. Denethor, in particular, was so committed to tradition that he wouldn’t consider new approaches, even if they could have saved Gondor. While much of Gandalf’s speech in this scene came directly from the book The Two Towers (specifically the chapter “The Window on the West”), there was a significant change: these lines were originally not spoken by Gandalf in the novel.

Faramir, not Boromir, actually spoke about Gondor’s fading strength during a conversation with Frodo Baggins in the films. This was just one example of director Peter Jackson assigning lines of dialogue to different characters than in the original book. This change, however, significantly altered the meaning of the quote. While Faramir was insightful, his viewpoint was shaped by his youth – at only 36, he hadn’t lived through the kingdom’s earlier days.

Boromir’s perspective was heavily influenced by his difficult relationship with his father, who seemed to value lineage over family. Seeing Denethor as a role model, it’s understandable why Boromir believed fathers prized their ancestors’ reputations more than their sons. This feeling was reinforced by the fact that Boromir was named after a famous ancestor, while Faramir wasn’t. While Faramir’s observations held some truth, his view of Gondor’s history was understandably colored by his own experiences.

The Lord of the Rings Films Highlighted Gondor’s Faults

Peter Jackson made a smart choice having Gandalf deliver the criticism of Gondor, as it came across as more objective. Gandalf is an incredibly ancient being – even older than the universe – and had been around for over two thousand years in the form he took in Middle-earth. Having seen many civilizations flourish and fail, he remembered a time when Gondor was truly great. Because of this long-term perspective, his criticism of the kingdom in the movie felt even stronger than Faramir’s in the book.

Although Gondor was weakening, there was still a chance for it to recover, unlike the Elves who were simply fading away. As Gandalf explained to Pippin, the people of Gondor still believed a king would return and restore the city to its former greatness. That king turned out to be Aragorn, who rightfully took the throne and led Gondor into a new age of peace and prosperity.

It’s easy to see why Jackson cut the long conversation from the theatrical release, but the scene is actually one of the best parts of the extended edition. Even though the movie significantly altered the original dialogue from Tolkien’s book, it powerfully captured the sense of fading glory that runs throughout the story, and it effectively sets the stage for the return of Gondor’s king.

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2026-02-27 23:36