The story of The Lord of the Rings is set in a world called Middle-earth.In this world, there are four humanoid races: elves, dwarves, hobbits, and humans. The leaders of each race, except for the hobbits, possess magical rings. The elves have three rings, the dwarves have seven, and the humans have nine. Among these races, it is the humans who are most consumed by the desire to harness the power of all the rings. In Middle-earth, there is a region called Mordor, home to Sauron, the Dark Lord. Sauron creates a master ring to control all the other rings. Using the power of his ring, Sauron seeks to become the sole ruler of Middle-earth. Refusing to stand by idly, the elves, dwarves, and humans form an alliance to oppose Sauron.
A great battle unfolds between Sauron’s forces and the alliance of elves, dwarves, and humans. Just as the alliance is on the verge of victory, Sauron appears and devastates them. When all hope seems lost due to the overwhelming power of the enemy, Isildur (played by Harry Sinclair), the son of King Elendil, takes his father’s sword and manages to sever Sauron’s finger. With Sauron’s finger cut off, the master ring and his power vanish, allowing the elves, dwarves, and humans to ultimately defeat the Dark Lord. After Sauron’s defeat, Isildur takes the master ring home. Tragically, he is ambushed and killed on the journey, and the ring is lost.
The master ring is rediscovered 2,500 years later by Gollum/Smeagol (played by Andy Serkis). The ring’s power grants Gollum unnaturally long life, extending it for 500 years. Over these centuries, the ring corrupts Gollum’s mind and transforms his physical appearance as he lives in a cave. One day, Gollum accidentally drops the ring, unknowingly leaving it to be found by a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins (played by Ian Holm). Bilbo takes the ring back to his home in the Shire. Bilbo has a nephew named Frodo (played by Elijah Wood), who becomes the central character in the story of The Lord of the Rings. The story also depicts the close bond between Bilbo’s family and a kind wizard named Gandalf (played by Ian McKellen).
One day, Frodo was waiting for Gandalf, who had informed him that he would be coming to the Shire to attend Bilbo’s birthday party. When Gandalf arrived at the edge of the village with his horse-drawn cart, he was greeted by Frodo, and they continued their journey together. Along the way, Frodo shared that Bilbo had been acting strangely lately, such as locking himself in his room and staying silent all day. Hearing this, Gandalf began to ponder what might actually be happening to his old friend. When Gandalf arrived at Bilbo’s house, they had a lengthy conversation until the evening of Bilbo’s birthday party arrived. That night, the hobbits celebrated and enjoyed themselves. While the hobbits were reveling in the festivities, Bilbo stepped onto the stage to deliver a speech.
In his birthday speech, Bilbo announced that he would be leaving for a long time and might not return. While the other hobbits were puzzled by his words, Bilbo disappeared after using the One Ring he had discovered earlier. Quietly, Bilbo returned to his house to pack for his journey. Gandalf, realizing Bilbo’s disappearance thanks to the power of the ring, secretly followed him and startled his friend. Gandalf urged Bilbo not to take the ring on his journey. He explained that the ring Bilbo had found seemed to possess a power that could be dangerous. Initially, Bilbo resisted Gandalf’s request, but after some thought, he left the ring behind and set off on his journey.
Not long after, Frodo arrived and found the One Ring left by his uncle lying on the floor. He tried to ask Gandalf about the ring, but unfortunately, Gandalf only knew that the ring was dangerous and had no idea that it was actually Sauron’s creation. Gandalf asked Frodo to keep the ring safe and hidden so that it would not fall into the wrong hands. Gandalf then left Bilbo’s house and went to a place that seemingly held records about magical rings. There, Gandalf read ancient writings that contained information about the One Ring, which was now in Frodo’s possession. He eventually discovered that the ring harbored an immense and sinister power—none other than that of Sauron.
At the same time, the Shire was visited by the Nazgûl, terrifying creatures dressed entirely in black and riding horses. The Nazgûl seemed to sense the presence of the One Ring in the Shire. Frodo, who had just returned from a bar, felt something was amiss upon reaching his home. There, he found Gandalf, who had obtained more information about the One Ring. Gandalf explained that the ring was created by Sauron, the Dark Lord who was defeated three thousand years ago by an alliance of elves, dwarves, and men. However, Sauron was not completely destroyed, as his spirit remained bound to the One Ring. Even now, Sauron’s spirit was capable of building a massive army to search for the ring.
In the land of Mordor, Sauron’s forces were ordered to head to the Shire to locate the One Ring. If Sauron were to find the ring, he could be resurrected and continue his long-delayed mission from three thousand years ago to conquer Middle-earth. Upon learning that a dark force was coming to the Shire, Frodo became frightened and tried to give the ring to Gandalf. Unfortunately, Gandalf could neither accept nor keep the ring. If the One Ring were in Gandalf’s possession, its power would amplify and become even more dangerous. Understanding the situation, Frodo was instructed by Gandalf to leave immediately for a village called Bree. Gandalf also forbade Frodo from using the name “Baggins.”
While Gandalf was discussing Frodo’s plan to leave for Bree, someone overheard their conversation. The eavesdropper was Samwise Gamgee, who became fearful of being cursed by Gandalf for listening in. Gandalf forgave Sam for his actions but imposed a condition: he must accompany Frodo on his journey. Afterward, Gandalf left Frodo and Sam to meet Saruman, his elder and the leader of the wizards. Gandalf explained the unfolding events, and Saruman revealed that Sauron was preparing a massive army to attack Middle-earth. Saruman also warned that Mordor’s forces would soon arrive and discover the ring.
Saruman invited Gandalf to join forces with Sauron, claiming it was the wisest decision. Gandalf was shocked to hear such a proposition from someone he trusted deeply. Refusing, Gandalf decided to fight his senior, but he was ultimately defeated. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam encountered Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd), who were fleeing after stealing crops from a neighbor’s field. Panicked from being chased by the field’s owner, the group ran until they tumbled down a hill. Upon reaching a road, Frodo sensed something following them from a distance, which turned out to be the Nazgûl. Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin hid beneath the roots of a tree as the Nazgûl began to sense the presence of the One Ring.
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The four narrowly escaped the Nazgûl’s pursuit and continued their journey to the village of Bree by small boat. However, upon arriving in Bree, they found that Gandalf was nowhere to be seen. Frodo noticed a mysterious man sitting in a corner of the room. When he inquired about him, the innkeeper revealed that the man was known as Strider (Viggo Mortensen). Meanwhile, Pippin, while fetching a drink, let slip to those around him that he was traveling with Frodo Baggins. Frodo rushed to stop Pippin from exposing his identity but ended up tripping and accidentally putting on the One Ring. The moment Frodo wore the ring, his body vanished, and he found himself facing the Eye of Sauron. After removing the ring, Frodo was dragged into a room by Strider.
Strider seemed to understand what Frodo was going through. Soon after, several Nazgûl arrived at their location. Strider explained that the Nazgûl pursuing Frodo and the ring were once nine human kings. They had been blinded by the power of Sauron’s rings until they were ultimately transformed into Nazgûl. Strider then decided to lead Frodo to Rivendell, the home of Elrond (Hugo Weaving), the leader of the elves. Elsewhere, Sauron commanded Saruman to build an army for him. Meanwhile, Gandalf regained consciousness after being defeated by Saruman and found himself stranded atop a tall tower. Below the tower, he could see Mordor’s forces preparing for war. While Frodo, Sam, and their companions were resting for dinner, they were suddenly ambushed by the Nazgûl.
A fierce battle ensued between the Nazgûl and Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin. Strider’s delayed arrival resulted in Frodo being stabbed by the Witch-king of Angmar, the leader of the Nazgûl. Strider quickly took Frodo to seek medical help from the elves. Arwen (Liv Tyler), the daughter of Elrond, encountered Strider and the others in the forest. Understanding the situation, she swiftly took Frodo to her father for treatment. Arwen was pursued by the Nazgûl and lured them to a river. Upon reaching the river, she used her powers to create a powerful current that swept the Nazgûl away. Frodo, who was on the brink of death, was saved thanks to Arwen and her kin.
When Frodo regained consciousness, he found himself in Elrond’s house, with Gandalf sitting beside him. Gandalf, who had escaped from Saruman’s tower with the help of an eagle, explained the unfolding events. Once he recovered from his injuries, Frodo discovered that his uncle Bilbo was also there. Having received Gandalf’s report about Sauron building his forces, Elrond called upon the leaders of every race to form an alliance once again. During the council meeting, the One Ring was revealed, and Boromir (Sean Bean) was tempted by its power, attempting to take it. Gandalf intervened, preventing Boromir, which led to a brief commotion among the attendees.
Amid the chaos, Legolas (Orlando Bloom) revealed that Strider was, in fact, Aragorn, son of Arathorn and heir to the throne of Gondor. Following this, a debate arose about who would take the One Ring to Mordor to destroy it. Frodo then volunteered himself. Sam, Pippin, and Merry also declared their intention to accompany him. That night, Bilbo gave his sword to Frodo and apologized for burdening his nephew with such a heavy responsibility. At dawn, the Fellowship of the Ring was formed, consisting of Frodo, Sam, Pippin, Merry, Legolas, Aragorn, Boromir, Gandalf, and a dwarf named Gimli (John Rhys-Davies). Together, they began their journey to Mordor.
Shortly after leaving Rivendell, the group of nine rested on a hill. Suddenly, Crebain—Saruman’s flock of spy crows—appeared. The group quickly hid to avoid being detected. Realizing that their path was being closely monitored by Saruman, they were forced to choose an alternative route. Initially, they attempted to cross the mountains, but Saruman disrupted their journey. Ultimately, they decided to take the route through the underground city of Moria, Gimli’s homeland. When they arrived at Moria’s gates, Gandalf managed to open the entrance using a password. However, they were immediately confronted by a monster guarding the entrance. After defeating the creature, the group proceeded deeper into the heart of Moria.
The underground city of Moria was supposed to be inhabited by a thriving community of dwarves. However, it appeared that the city had long been attacked, leaving all the dwarves dead. Gimli realized he might be the only surviving dwarf from Moria. Pippin, unable to stay still, accidentally dropped an object, causing a loud clatter that echoed throughout the underground halls. Shortly afterward, a horde of orcs arrived and attacked the group. Frodo was targeted by a massive orc, which managed to stab him. However, Frodo remained unscathed thanks to the mithril armor he was wearing, a gift from Bilbo when they met at Elrond’s house earlier. The battle did not end there. After defeating the orcs, a demon-like monster called the Balrog appeared.
Gandalf commanded the group to flee, as the Balrog was too powerful for them to handle. With great effort, Gandalf managed to defeat the Balrog. Tragically, he fell into the abyss as his weapon, which was used to slay the Balrog, became entangled around his leg. As the group mourned Gandalf’s loss, Aragorn urged them to remain strong and press on, warning that the area would soon be overrun by orcs come nightfall. The group continued their journey and eventually encountered Haldir (Craig Parker), an elf and friend of Legolas who guarded the borders of Lothlórien. Haldir led them to Caras Galadhon, the capital of Lothlórien, where they met Celeborn (Marton Csokas) and Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), the guardians of the sanctuary.
Galadriel informed Frodo that he alone could undertake the mission to destroy the One Ring. She showed him a vision of the future, revealing that if Frodo failed, the Shire would be destroyed. Elsewhere, Saruman ordered his army of orcs to find Frodo and bring the ring to him. The next morning, Frodo and the others continued their journey by boat. They reached the riverbank after passing the Argonath statues, the ancient heroes of Aragorn’s lineage. At this point, Aragorn sensed they were being followed by a figure—Gollum—but he could not pinpoint its exact location. Moments later, they were ambushed by a group of orcs. Overwhelmed by their numbers, the group found themselves in a desperate battle.
In the uneven fight, Boromir was struck down by three arrows, which proved fatal. Before dying, Boromir asked Aragorn to protect his city and its people. Meanwhile, Merry and Pippin were captured by the orcs after valiantly distracting them to give Frodo a chance to escape. Frodo, having managed to evade the orcs, reached the riverbank. There, he grieved over the loss of his companions and felt crushed by the immense burden he carried. However, just as he was about to give up, he remembered Gandalf’s words, which reignited his resolve. Not long after, Sam arrived, but Frodo asked him not to follow him to Mordor.
Frodo, fearing for Sam’s safety, urged him to return home. Sam, however, refused, citing his promise to Gandalf. Determined to stay by Frodo’s side, Sam vowed to support him in their mission to destroy the One Ring, no matter what dangers lay ahead. Meanwhile, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli decided not to follow Frodo and Sam to Mordor. Instead, they chose to rescue Merry and Pippin, who had been taken captive by the orcs. After several days, Frodo and Sam were shown to have reached the eastern edge of Middle-earth. From their vantage point, they could see the land of Mordor, shrouded in darkness, where Sauron’s spirit resided. The two companions resolved to press on with their journey to Mordor to destroy the One Ring.
