Peter Jackson‘s Lord of the Rings movies are a fairly faithful adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien‘s novels, yet there were some characters and events that Jackson left out, even from the extended editions. The mysterious yet powerful Tom Bombadil was omitted from Jackson’s films, and well as the Scouring of the Shire, which is one of the biggest events of the original trilogy. In Jackson’s defense, he did manage to get the major story beats of Lord of the Rings into his movies while also capturing the spirit of what made Tolkien’s books an amazing reading experience. Yet there’s one scene from Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring that Jackson left out, and it’s baffling given what happens in the books.
The scene in question is from “The Council of Elrond,” the second chapter in The Fellowship of the Ring. The free races of Middle-earth gather in the Elven valley of Rivendell to discuss what to do about the One Ring of Power. While “The Council of Elrond” is noticeable for revealing Aragorn’s true heritage and setting up the quest to destroy the One Ring that drives Lord of the Rings’ narrative, it also has a moment where Glóin — the father of fan-favorite dwarf Gimili — reveals that Sauron’s minions attempted to blackmail him into revealing where Bilbo Baggins was. It’s surprising that Jackson didn’t include this scene in the film adaptation of The Fellowship of the Ring, especially since it’s the perfect summary of the book’s theme.
The Dwarves Refused To Sell Out Bilbo Baggins to Sauron
Glóin tells the Council that “a horseman in the night” came to the Dwarven kingdom of Eerebor a year ago. Not much was known about this horseman, other than he “asked urgently concerning hobbits, of what kind they were, and where they dwelt.” To sweeten the deal, he offered the Dwarven king Dáin II Ironfoot three Rings of Power to reclaim the Mines of Moria.
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But the Dwarves immediately knew that it was a trap: “We needed not the fell voice of the messenger to warn us that his words held both menace and deceit; for we knew already that the power that has re-entered Mordor has not changed, and ever it betrayed us of old.” Dáin told the messenger that he needed time to think about the offer, even managing to stall two more times before the messenger grew impatient and demanded an answer from him. This led Glóin to head to Rivendell to warn Bilbo, as he knew that Sauron was once again hunting for the One Ring.
The Missing Scene From ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ Underlines Lord of the Rings’ Themes of Unity
It’s rather surprising that Jackson chose to omit the detail of Sauron’s messenger visiting Erebor, especially since it highlights how the free races must work together to battle Sauron. The Dark Lord managed to rise to power by preying on the insecurities of Elves, Dwarves, and men. Not only did he use that discord to forge the Rings of Power, but it also helped him secure his fortress of Dol Guldur after his physical form was destroyed. By refusing to give up Bilbo, the Dwarves showed their loyalty to him, and build on the connection between the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit. Glóin was one of the hobbits who joined Thorin Oakenshield’s company in The Hobbit, and formed a friendship with Bilbo as he traveled to help them liberate Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug. That friendship wasn’t just strong enough to survive for years, but it was strong enough that Glóin was willing to travel to Rivendell to warn Bilbo.
Glóin’s example also inspired Gimili to join the Fellowship of the Ring, and Gimli formed his own strong bonds with Aragorn and Legolas. Throughout the rest of The Lord of the Rings, the trio fight together against Sauron’s forces, with Gimli and Legolas even managing to overcome the emnity that’s lasted between Dwarves and Elves to battle Sauron’s forces. While Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings is still a great film series (not to mention a great adaptation of the books), missing out on a scene that emphasized the importance of working together was a missed opportunity.
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