Making Aragorn a cold-blooded murderer in the extended version of The Lord of the Rings was one of Peter Jackson’s mistakes

As a seasoned gamer and a die-hard fan of Middle Earth, I can’t help but feel a pang of disappointment when it comes to the portrayal of Aragorn in Peter Jackson’s extended version of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. While I appreciate the depth and detail that Jackson brought to the films, this particular scene with the Mouth of Sauron seems to have missed the mark.

As a devoted fan, I must admit that while Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy remains true to J.R.R. Tolkien’s original works in many ways, it wasn’t without alterations. These modifications differed slightly between the different film versions we were blessed with. To clarify, there were more than one, and aside from the theatrical cuts, there also exists an extended edition, featuring additional scenes that lengthened the entire trilogy from 558 minutes to a whopping 683 minutes.

In the longer version, it was the scene involving Aragorn that sparked controversy, portraying him in an unflattering manner. This refers to the encounter with the Mouth of Sauron, where, in the book, he would have retreated out of fear upon seeing the heroes. There was no violence or bloodshed. However, Jackson chose to intensify this scene, resulting in Aragorn being compelled to carry out an action that some fans believe is inconsistent with his noble character.

In “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” Aragorn found himself in a delicate situation with the Mouth of Sauron, who served as a messenger during negotiations rather than posing a direct threat. However, it was a strategic error by the character portrayed by Viggo Mortensen to attack the emissary, despite his intentions to demonstrate his difference from past rulers. This act, unfortunately, did not reveal Sauron’s deceitful words as the messenger remained unharmed and continued to serve his master.

Fortunately, Peter Jackson opted to leave out this particular scene from the cinematic release, and it appeared exclusively in the extended edition. This intense sequence didn’t contribute positively to the movie, instead, it seemed to contradict the core message of The Lord of the Rings, which is that “the end does not always justify the means.

In this particular sequence, some viewers might argue that it appears as a misstep on Jackson’s part, causing an incongruity in Aragorn’s portrayal. This adjustment didn’t sit well with fans of “The Lord of the Rings”.

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2024-12-10 13:32