LotR1-FotR-Seq07

[Mister Underhill]

Sure, Aragorn leapt into the fray with torches -- but read on:

'Look!' he cried; and stooping he lifted from the ground a black cloak that had lain there hidden by the darkness. A foot above the lower hem there was a slash. 'This was the stroke of Frodo's sword,' he said. 'The only hurt that it did to his enemy, I fear; for it is unharmed, but all blades perish that pierce that dreadful King. More deadly to him was the name of Elbereth.'

There's not much exposition needed -- how much is in the book, really? A line of explanation from Strider, or a line about Elbereth tucked in somewhere earlier or later would easily suffice. And although Jackson here is as you say "partly" faithful to the books in terms of the events of the fight, he is not at all faithful to the character of Frodo. Which is more important?

Not sure what you mean by needing a fourteen day trip to the ford in order to have the line work.