I’ve thought a lot about how I’d like to organize the following three blog posts. I had two options: putting them in order of least favorite to favorite, or in chronological order. Since this blog may be bringing completely new information to non-LOTR fans, I decided to keep it chronological so it would make the most sense. At the end, I’ll tell you where it falls in terms of favoritism.
With all that said, this week I will be summarizing the exposition and inciting incident of The Fellowship of the Ring, the first installment of The Lord of the Rings series. Get ready because there’s a lot to digest!
Movie Poster for The Fellowship of the Ring
The Fellowship of the Ring
We begin our journey in the Shire, home to many hobbits, including none other than Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. Bilbo is celebrating his 111th birthday, but mysteriously disappears in the blink of an eye while delivering his birthday toast at the party. Because he placed a ring on his finger prior to disappearing, it becomes obvious from the get-go that his ring possesses magical powers that allows him to be invisible.
Bilbo means to leave the Shire and all his possessions behind to Frodo, but is tempted to keep his ring, which he found many years ago on his adventure with dwarves. Despite this, he is begrudgingly convinced to depart ways with the magical ring by Gandalf; soon after, Gandalf realizes the ring is the One Ring, and has a dark history linked with Sauron. Fearful that Sauron is searching for the ring to rule once again, Gandalf convinces Frodo to take the ring to Mount Doom in Mordor, where it can be destroyed once and for all. Unfortunately, Mordor is exactly where Sauron and his forces reside, making the journey extremely dangerous and probably deadly.
Frodo and Gandalf Discover an Inscription on the Ring, Proving It is the One Ring
Sam, Frodo’s best friend, decides to accompany him on his journey to Morder, and they are soon joined by Pippin and Merry, two comedic characters known for their clumsy nature. The four set out for Rivendell but are met very quickly by Dark Riders, loyal servants of Sauron. They flee through the forest and jump onto a barge, escaping to Bree, a town where both men and hobbits reside. There they meet a Ranger, Aragorn. Aragorn agrees to accompany them to Rivendell to meet the elves and gain guidance for their journey.
When they arrive in Rivendell, they are greeted by folk from all over Middle-earth, including Boromir, Gimli and Legolas. The original group joins forces with them and forms the Fellowship. The Fellowship vows to aid Frodo on his journey to Mordor and protect him from Sauron. And thus, they set off on their journey…
The Fellowship
From left to right, Aragorn, Sam, Gandalf, Frodo, Merry, Legolas, Pippin, Gimli, Boromir
For sake of not spoiling, I’ll end the exposition here. For more information, I guess you’ll just have to watch!
***
The Fellowship of the Ring is no doubt an amazing start to one of the greatest movie trilogies of all time; the music is stellar, the casting is impeccable, and the cinematography is out of this world. However, it is my least favorite of the three movies.
Obviously, there will be some slower scenes because the first movie must set up the rest of the series; in addition, the first movie only consists of two plot lines, and this can be boring at some points. Several more plot lines develop in the second and third movies, making the experience much more exciting and complex. Therefore, while The Fellowship of the Ring storyline is vastly important, it is my least favorite.
Tune in next week to hear about The Two Towers! I promise it’s worth it!
SOURCES:
Bauer, Patricia. “The Fellowship of the Ring.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Fellowship-of-the-Ring.
“Fellowship of the Ring (Group).” The One Wiki to Rule Them All, https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Fellowship_of_the_Ring_(group).
Handley, Andrew. “9 Things You Didn’t Know About the Ring in Lord of the Rings.” Looper.com, Looper, 15 Dec. 2016, https://www.looper.com/34326/things-you-didnt-know-about-the-ring-in-lord-of-the-rings/.
Minow, Nell. “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Movie Review.” Common Sense Media: Ratings, Reviews, and Advice, Common Sense Media, 16 Dec. 2003, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring.