J.R.R. Tolkien's fantastical realm, which took place in the middle earth has long been a battleground between good and evil. While Peter Jackson's award-winning film trilogy brought these clashes to life over a decade ago, it wasn't the first attempt. But every epic has to start somewhere, and ours begins with forging of the rings with the flames of Mount Doom. Even ten years later, The Fellowship of the Ring remains a cinematic marvel.
The Fateful Rings
The story begins with the forging of the great rings imbued with the power for each race (elves, dwarf, human) to rule their own kind and domain. However, beneath this act a dark secret lurks. In the fiery depths of Mordor, the Dark Lord Sauron crafts a master ring in secret, designed to enslave all others.
A Clash of Might
The Fellowship of the Ring bursts onto the scene with a desperate battle to save middle earth. An alliance was formed between Men and Elves which faces off against hordes of terrible Orcs, their desperate battle emphasised by the powerful soundtrack by Howard Shore. Victory seems to be in their grasp then the ground quivers. The towering representation of evil, Sauron, joins the battle. His superhuman strength slices through the heroes, sending them flying like rag dolls, and silence falls.
In a desperate lunge, Isildur, one of the king of middle earth, severs the Dark Lord's finger, sending the Ring flying. Sauron's form disintegrates - a fleeting victory. Isildur holds the key to ending this evil forever, yet, blinded by the rings power and desire for power he claims it for his own, setting in motion a chain of events that will threaten the very existence of Middle-earth.
The narrative opens in the Shire, where we see a young hobbit relaxing under a tree when a familiar sight catches his eye: Gandalf the old wizard approaching in a carriage. Frodo's warm reunion with Gandalf, underscored by uplifting music, instantly establishes their close bond.
Bilbo, Frodo's elder relative, his celebrating his 111th birthday amidst joyous festivities, showcasing the community's peaceful way of life. During his birthday party Bilbo performed. a ruse vanishing from everyone sight. However, the party takes an unexpected turn when Bilbo performs a ruse vanishing from sight.
This event sheds light on a puzzling artifact: the One Ring. While it grants Sauron immense physical strength shown to us at the beginning of the movie , invisibility seems to be a benefit bestowed upon some lesser wearers (like Bilbo and Frodo). The Ring also extends life, but at a significant cost. Bilbo becomes deeply attached to the Ring, clinging to it with a desperation like that of a drug addict. His transformation from a kind hobbit to someone desperate is a testament to the Ring's corrupting influence, requiring a rare display of anger from Gandalf to break his hold. The scene, potentially melodramatic, is elevated by the powerful score from Howard Shore. Bilbo ultimately relinquishes the Ring to his heir, his cousin Frodo Baggins and embarks on his planned adventure. Meanwhile, Gandalf, attempting to handle the Ring himself, sees the Eye of Sauron, which terrifies the old wizard.
Prompted by the validation of his hidden fears, Gandalf elaborates on why it is absolutely essential to remove the Ring from the Shire. The expansion of Sauron's sphere of influence indicates that the Ring poses a serious threat. Thus, weighed down by a strong sense of gravity, Frodo sets out on a perilous journey with Sam, Merry, and Pippin, his loyal friends. Their journey is by its very nature full of danger. The Ringwraiths, Sauron's mighty and menacing ghosts, follow them around with a fierce and uncompromising vigour. As they search for comfort, the hobbits happen to come across a wandering group of Elves who promised to sent word ahead.
Shire’s behind; the hobbits are lost in the Old Forest. Their way is a dangerous one and Merry and Pippin find themselves ensnared by a willow tree. A figure named Tom Bombadil, who is powerful, arrives when it seemed that all hope was lost. This old creature of Middle-Earth has tremendous might; therefore, he easily releases them from the tree.
The story of hobbits goes on to Bree where they arrive. In this town they meet again an enigmatic Ranger called Strider who seems to be aware of more than they suspect. But his name is Aragorn son of Arathorn, and he is also called Stryder by some unknown to him people since he is a descendent from the kings of westernesse.
In Bree inn Frodo works hard to keep a low profile but things do not go as planned. He accidentally puts up the ring as he slips during a jolly song revealing their position to the black riders. They expose themselves through such unpremeditated act denying them any choice but to get assistance from Stryder.
The hobbits get a valuable upper hand with the help of Aragorn, the stoic Ranger. They evade direct confrontations with Black Riders for some time when Aragorn’s wilderness expertise leads them along concealed routes.
Even so, this break is only but temporary. While climbing Weathertop hill, which looks ominous and threatening, they become vulnerable to Nazgûl who then launch a savage attack. The hobbits put up a great fight though Frodo is pierced by one of their weapons that turn out to be cursed blade belonging to Witch-king. The wound does not heal and it remains as a reminder of Sauron’s evil that clings onto him. Further anxiety starts to creep in as the Fellowship continues its eastward journey: physically debilitating and mentally confusing power from the wound.
Glorfindel brings some hope near Rivendell when he appears as a powerful Elf-lord who Elrond sent to discover and protect the hobbits. Glorfindel’s presence makes them brave again and provides necessary defense against attackers. In an attempt by the Ringwraiths to grab hold of the Ring just before the last ford into Elven refuge, Frodo speeds across on Glorfindel’s fleet steed while Nazgûl try to grasp at him through water torrents below. It was just then that Elrond released a mighty deluge flowing in torrents upon them until they were swept away leaving behind Fellowship intact for once.
Frodo woke up in the Elven sanctuary of Rivendell, his injuries cured by Elrond’s overpowering medicinal spells. He was happy beyond measure to find that Bilbo had grown older and now quietly lived with the Elves. In this darkening shadow, their meeting came as a short reprieve.
Then a gloomier mood set in. Elrond called for an important council involving representatives from Elves, Men and Dwarves. The increasing darkness threatening the planet necessitates an answer. They went back into time on the one ring until its inception up to its unexpected discovery which is the very same ring carried by Frodo.
The council finally decided to destroy it in spite of Boromir who represents powerful human kingdom Gondor who wanted to use it against Sauron. The only way to end this darkness is through obliterating the ring at Mordor within Mount Doom which is inside Sauron’s very territory.
Frodo was left with a heavy burden on him. He valiantly agreed to take on the dangerous duty of carrying the Ring all the way to Mount Doom. A fellowship was then formed to accompany him on this quest. This group includes wise wizard Gandalf, human warriors Boromir and Aragorn (who turns out to be Gondor’s rightful king), skillful elf Legolas, brave dwarf Gimli and Frodo’s loyal hobbit friends – Merry, Pippin and Samwise Gamgee - thus earning them their collective name: Fellowship of The Ring.