The Lord of the Rings

Long ago...

...in the early years of the Second Age...

...the great Elven-smiths forged Rings of Power.

Nine for mortal Men.

Seven for the Dwarf-lords.

Three for the tall Elf-kings.

But then, the Dark Lord learned the craft of ring-making...

...and made the Master Ring.

The One Ring to rule them all.

With the One Ring, Middle-earth is his and he cannot be overcome.

As the last alliance of Men and Elves fell beneath his power...

...he did not notice the heroic shadow who slipped in.

It was Prince Isildur...

...of the mighty kings from across the sea...

...who took the Ring.

But because he did not destroy it, the spirit of the Dark Lord lived on...

...and began to take shape and grow again.

But the Ring had a will of its own, and a way of slipping from one hand...

...to be found by another, so that it might at last get back to its master.

And there the Ring lay, at the bottom of the Great River Anduin...

...for thousands of years.

During those years...

...the Dark Lord captured the nine Rings that were made for Men...

...and turned their owners into the Ringwraith;

Terrible shadows under his great shadow...

...who roamed the world, searching for the One Ring.

In time, the Ring was found.

Two friends were fishing in the Great River one day.

-Give us that, Déagol, my love. -Why, Sméagol?

Because it's my birthday, my love, and I wants it.

I have already given you more than I could afford.

I found this, and I'm going to keep it!

Are you indeed, my love?

He used the Ring for thieving, and to find out secrets.

His own people began to despise the wretched creature...

...and to call him Gollum.

Tortured and driven by the Ring, he hid in dark caves...

...under deep mountains.

But the Ring slipped off Gollum's finger, too.

And so it was that Bilbo found it, during his travels with the Dwarves.

Thief, Baggins. Thief!

It stole our precious, our precious...

Our birthday present.

Thief, Baggins ! We hates it forever!

It was Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit...

...who took the Ring back to the Shire, his home.

Years later...

...Gandalf the Wizard, visited Bilbo on his going-away birthday party.

I don't know half of you half as well as I should like...

...and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.

Frodo, I can see your uncle Bilbo hasn't changed much.

And though 111 years is far too short a time...

...to live among such admirable Bagginses and Boffinses, Grubbs...

...Chubbs, Brace-girdles, Goodbodies...

-...Bolgers, Hornblowers and Proudfoots... -Proudfeet!

...I regret to announce that this is the end.

I'm going away.

I'm leaving. Now.

Goodbye.

Where did he go?

Oh, Gandalf.

Have you left the Ring for Frodo, as we agreed?

It's mine, I tell you ! It's my own.

My precious!

It's mine now, and I shall keep it.

I won't give my precious away, I tell you.

Do not say that again!

Give it to Frodo, and I will look after him.

All right, I will.

Seventeen years passed sleepily in the Shire.

All right, just a minute!

Gandalf!

Greetings, Frodo.

Gandalf, it's really you ! Oh, it's been so long!

Seventeen years...

...since Bilbo left. You look the same as ever, Frodo.

You look older, Gandalf.

Oh, I've been on a long journey.

It's the Ring, isn't it? Bilbo's funny magic ring.

You always used to look like that when you talked about it.

Bilbo's "funny" ring, that makes you invisible?

-Give it to me, Frodo! -Give you the Ring?

For a moment only.

Can you see any markings on it?

There are none. It's quite a plain ring, really.

Well, then, look!

Wait. Do you desire it so much already?

No, but why ruin it?

Because it is altogether evil.

It will corrupt and destroy anyone who wears it...

...until he passes into the World of Shadows...

...under the power of Sauron:

The Dark Lord of Mordor!

Not Bilbo?

You are the one who has the Ring now.

It's not even warm.

No.

Not even a dragon's fire could harm that Ring.

"One Ring to rule them all

"One Ring to find them

"One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them ."

I wish it need not have happened in my time.

So do I.

The Enemy still lacks one thing to give him strength of knowledge...

...to break all resistance, and cover all the lands in darkness.

He lacks the One Ring.

Maybe he doesn't know that it was found.

He knows, Frodo.

Gollum left his cave to follow the Ring himself...

...and the Dark Lord caught him in Mordor.

The Dark Lord knows what ring it was Gollum found, and how he lost it again.

And he has heard of Hobbits at last, and of the Shire.

And he even has a name to think about...

...the name of Baggins.

Because of Gollum!

Oh, Gandalf, what am I to do?

What a pity that Bilbo didn't kill that vile creature when he had the chance!

Yes, it was pity.

Pity and mercy.

And now, Frodo, the decision lies with you.

What will you do with the One Ring?

I'll give it to you, Gandalf!

You're wise and powerful. Well, will you not--

No! Do not tempt me!

I would wish to turn it to good, and it cannot be used so.

Meaning to be kind, I would become as terrible as the Dark Lord himself.

Do not tempt me!

I shall have such need of strength so soon.

Then I suppose I must keep the Ring and guard it.

I ought to go away somewhere, alone.

But they won't bother the Shire if the Ring isn't here.

My dear Frodo...

...I am afraid you are right.

You'll have to go and leave the name of Baggins behind you.

That name is no longer safe.

Your new traveling name shall be:

Mr. Underhill.

What have you heard, and why did you listen?

Mr. Frodo, sir, don't let him hurt me, sir!

Don't let him turn me into anything unnatural.

Well?

Answer him, Sam.

Well, I heard a deal that I didn't rightly understand...

...about an enemy and rings, and about Elves, sir.

Why, I would dearly love to see Elves, Mr. Frodo.

And so you shall, Sam.

So you shall. Indeed, you should go to the Elves first, to Rivendell.

Tell everyone you are moving away...

...to live in Buckleberry, with those cousins of yours, Pippin and Merry.

However you manage it, do it soon, by your birthday at the latest.

I should be back by then.

I must go south, to consult with the Wizard Saruman...

...the head of my order. Be careful, Frodo.

Me, go, sir? Me, go and see the Elves?

Oh, my! Hooray!

I have come for your aid, Saruman the White, in troubled times.

The Nine are abroad. Darkness approaches, the Black Riders!

Is that all the news you have for me then?

Is that not enough?

Sauron is moving at last!

We can deal with Sauron ourselves.

You and I, one way or another.

What talk is this? What are you saying, Saruman?

It is time for us to choose.

A new age is upon us. A new power is rising.

Nothing that Men or Elves or Wizards can do will avail against it.

Its enemies are utterly doomed, but its friends...

You are saying that we should join with Mordor?

With him?

Does that displease you?

Where is the Ring, Gandalf?

Why do the Black Riders search for it in the Shire?

Have you hidden it there?

Would you rather see the Dark Lord have it...

...or Saruman of many colors?

Neither of you will have it.

There is a third choice.

It is to remain here...

...until you tell me where the Ring may be found.

Saruman, if you do this...

...if you delay me here, Sauron will surely get it then.

Then he will know his good servants...

...and his enemies.

Saruman!

Saruman!

I don't feel right going off without Gandalf, Mr. Frodo.

I wish we could've waited, that I do.

So do I, Sam, but he said to leave as soon as we could.

And Merry and Pippin insisted on coming with us, as far as Bree, for the fun of it.

There's someone coming up ahead, Mr. Frodo. I can hear a horse.

Good. I'm tired of looking at my cousins all day.

I think we should get off the road. I don't want to be seen leaving the Shire.

But it might be Gandalf.

Then we'll surprise him. Hurry!

We're going with you, Frodo.

With me?

But how do you... Sam?

-But you gave your word. -They already knew so much, Mr. Frodo.

Sam didn't tell us about the Ring, Frodo.

I saw Bilbo use it once, before he left, to hide from the Sackville-Bagginses.