Elrond's Line Doomed the Shire in Lord of the Rings Films

Recent and future projects based on J. R. R. Tolkien'sThe Lord of the Rings, such as The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and The Lord of the Rings: The Search for Gollum,has sparked renewed conversations regarding accuracy in adaptations. Peter Jackson's film trilogy from the early 2000s is rightly recognized as a very loyal representation ofThe Lord of the Ringsbut even it was not a direct translation of the novel.

Instead, the trilogy succeeded because Jackson and his team were careful and intentional in their decisions to stray from the original material. This was demonstrated by the elimination of certain dialogue during the Council of Elrond concerningThe Lord of the Rings' most unexpected heroes: Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck and Peregrin "Pippin" Took.

Elrond Was Unwilling for Merry and Pippin to Be Part of the Fellowship

Of the nine members of the Fellowship, Merry and Pippin were the least ready for a dangerous trip across Middle-earth. They faced the same challenges as their fellow hobbits, andthey were also younger than Frodo Bagginsand Samwise "Sam" Gamgee. Frodo was the one who carried the Ring, and Sam was his companion as chosen by Gandalf, while Merry and Pippin did not have defined roles in the Fellowship; they just wished to stay with their friends.

In Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Elrond was disturbed by Merry and Pippin interrupting the secret council meeting, but he quickly welcomed them into the group, stating, "Nine companions. So be it. You will form the Fellowship of the Ring."

In Tolkien's book, there was significantly more discussion regarding Merry and Pippin. This took place in the chapter titled "The Council of Elrond" fromThe Fellowship of the Ring. When Merry and Pippin expressed their desire to accompany the Fellowship,Elrond advised against it, indicating that they were unaware of the risks they would encounter.

Gandalf backed the couple's request by arguing that none of the Fellowship had any idea what to expect, but Elrond then shared another reason for his reluctance to allow Merry and Pippin to join: "The Shire, I forebode,is not free from danger at the moment; and these two I had intended to send back there as messengers, to do what they could, following the customs of their land, to alert the people to their peril. In any event, I believe that the younger of the two, Peregrin Took, should stay. My instincts oppose his leaving."

The Council of Elrond Suggested the Shire's Destiny in The Lord of the Rings

Pippin chose not to leave his friends, so Elrond gave in, although he remained discontent with the final members of the Fellowship. As readers would later discover, Elrond had been correct in proposing that someone remain behind, as the Shire was indeed in peril. Unlike in the movie, Saruman lived through his meeting with the heroes afterThe Final March of the EntsHe fled to the Shire, which he took over and modernized, eliminating or locking up anyone who resisted him.

After Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin returned to their home, they needed to defeat Saruman in an incident called the Scouring of the Shire. However, if Pippin had not been part of the Fellowship, his existence in the Shire might have prevented Saruman's takeover, making the Scouring unnecessary. Heknew of the White Wizard's wickednessBased on what Gandalf had shared during the Council of Elrond, even if he was unable to physically oppose Saruman, he could have advised his fellow hobbits not to place their trust in him.

Elrond's statement was a cleverly nuanced hint at the Shire's destiny, which is precisely why Jackson left it out. Due to timing considerations, the Scouring of the Shire was not featured in the movie adaptation.The Lord of the Rings. As the Shire was not at risk in Jackson's version, including that dialogue might have led viewers to have incorrect expectations, particularly when considered alongside the later vision inthe Mirror of Galadrielthat depicted Orcs destroying the Shire.

Retaining Elrond's dialogue would have technically resulted in a more faithful adaptation, but Jackson recognized the deeper significance of Elrond's lines, and he was aware that they could have negatively impacted the story by implying certain future events. These thoughtful adjustments highlight the real brilliance ofThe Lord of the Rings trilogy, and fans should hope that Serkis shows the same attentionwhen coming back to this version of Middle-earth inThe Hunt for Gollum.