Sauron versus Aragorn

[Thinlómien]

While I'm really happy they realised that some sort of duel between Aragorn and Sauron would totally undermine the message of the story and Aragorn's heroism, I was actually kind of positively surprised by that clip. (I've heard of this duel idea before but I hadn't seen the footage.)

I mean, come on, how cool is that Sauron manifests himself in an angelic form? That they wanted to show what kind of good and noble stuff he was originally made of? That is kind of awesome. And while I abhor Orlando Bloom's acting in general (not sure if this is a necessary disclaimer from anyone on this forum but anyway ) his expression looking at the angelic Sauron kind of sends shivers down my spine. Because he looks actually intrigued or awed or kind of enchanted by the main villain. (Nice nod to the Eregion Elves and Númenóreans being enchanted by Sauron.) This is actually the kind of "subtlety" I always wanted from Peter Jackson.

But of course from the canon point of view this is just more and more nonsense, or did PJ skip the part where it says that Sauron lost his ability to assume a fair form? That was quite explicitly stated.

Last of all, I think they could have left the duel out all in all. Aragorn dueling a troll is just kind of too random (anyway it should be Pippin doing that, not him).

[William Cloud Hicklin]

The very fact of it is irrebuttable proof positive that PJ is completely unqualified to make any Tolkien movie whatsoever, including Mr Bliss. The man truly has no clue.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

While I'm really happy they realised that some sort of duel between Aragorn and Sauron would totally undermine the message of the story and Aragorn's heroism, I was actually kind of positively surprised by that clip. (I've heard of this duel idea before but I hadn't seen the footage.)

I mean, come on, how cool is that Sauron manifests himself in an angelic form? That they wanted to show what kind of good and noble stuff he was originally made of? That is kind of awesome. And while I abhor Orlando Bloom's acting in general (not sure if this is a necessary disclaimer from anyone on this forum but anyway ) his expression looking at the angelic Sauron kind of sends shivers down my spine. Because he looks actually intrigued or awed or kind of enchanted by the main villain. (Nice nod to the Eregion Elves and Númenóreans being enchanted by Sauron.) This is actually the kind of "subtlety" I always wanted from Peter Jackson.

Mayhaps (pun intended ). But I am not sure how much "subtlety" there is in having the main villain walking about merrily on two legs, in the size of a house, whichever form he might currently have. Anyway, as I have outlined above, it might be nice, but it is too late for subtlety. Had he done this in the first movie, fine. But PJ's Sauron is already a Dark Lord in a Dark Tower (resp. a fiery eye on top of a mostly orange tower) and remembering two minutes before the end (okay, okay, 45 minutes before the end, but two minutes before Mordor crumbles down) that Sauron might actually have that more subtle, tricky side to him is not going to change the movie - rather, it will confuse the hordes of casual viewers who will be like "what, how did Sauron recruit an Archangel at Inferno?"

[William Cloud Hicklin]

But PJ's Sauron is already a Dark Lord in a Dark Tower (resp. a fiery eye on top of a mostly orange tower)

Oh, so that's who the Highly Irritable Lighthouse was supposed to be!

[Galendor]

Complete silliness. If PJ HAD used his intentional footage of Aragorn sword-fighting with Sauron at the Black Gate, I wonder whom he envisioned winning this fight, and what would have happened after that?

Presumably he intended Aragorn to "win". But if he had won (i.e. killed Sauron with Anduril), would the quest of the ring-bearer immediately become meaningless? If Sauron won, then Aragorn would be dead? A sad beginning for the Fourth Age of Middle Earth.

Neither would have worked, so I imagine PJ probably intended some dramatic stalemate in the fight, or Aragorn in imminent peril of death, but either potentiality resolved just in the nick of time by the Ring+Smeagol falling into the fires of Mount Doom. Or even Aragorn winning heroically and running Sauron through just at the moment the Ring is destroyed (for a complete over-the-top double-kill of Sauron).

At least if Sauron had appeared in physical form to fight at the Black Gate, we might have been spared that scene when the Dark Tower crumbled and the giant eye (which was supposed to actually be Sauron) was furtively looking back and forth in a complete panic as the tower fell. Remember that scene? Sorry if it brings back bad memories...

[Galendor]

I know how it would have gone: Aragorn and Sauron would fight while the armies watched, ordered to stay out of the fight. Aragorn would get knocked around fiercely during the fight (more than a mortal man could endure and yet live). But in the end he would summon the strength of the Numenor and heroically behead Sauron.

He would turn in exhausted triumph towards his army, but behind him we would see Sauron pick up his head and place it back on his neck. Gandalf would despair and look at the ground, knowing that Sauron cannot be killed while the Ring still exists (he would probably mutter something to this effect so that the audience understands this subtlety).

Sauron and Aragorn would fight again and this time it would go badly for the exhausted Aragorn. Finally, he would be on his knees and Sauron would pause to gloat before killing him. Flash to the events on Mount Doom, where Frodo is defeated by the will of the Ring (everything is going just bad, bad, bad). Then Smeagol attacks, and the Ring + Smeagol fall into the fires, etc.

Flash back to Sauron, who bursts into flame or explodes or whatever just before killing Aragorn. Aragorn, Gandalf et al. realize that Frodo was successful and the rest of the movie proceeds. This way both Aragorn AND Frodo get to be heroic and "defeat" Sauron in their own way.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Galendor

I know how it would have gone: Aragorn and Sauron would fight while the armies watched, ordered to stay out of the fight. Aragorn would get knocked around fiercely during the fight (more than a mortal man could endure and yet live). But in the end he would summon the strength of the Numenor and heroically behead Sauron.

He would turn in exhausted triumph towards his army, but behind him we would see Sauron pick up his head and place it back on his neck. Gandalf would despair and look at the ground, knowing that Sauron cannot be killed while the Ring still exists (he would probably mutter something to this effect so that the audience understands this subtlety).

Isn't that Legolas' rôle, though? Or is his job merely to exclaim loudly, "He's putting his head back on!"?

[Galendor]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Isn't that Legolas' rôle, though? Or is his job merely to exclaim loudly, "He's putting his head back on!"?

Legolas: He's putting his head back on, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell!
Gimli: (shouting to Aragorn): That one doesn't count!

[Alcidas]

Originally Posted by Galendor

I know how it would have gone: Aragorn and Sauron would fight while the armies watched, ordered to stay out of the fight. Aragorn would get knocked around fiercely during the fight (more than a mortal man could endure and yet live). But in the end he would summon the strength of the Numenor and heroically behead Sauron.

He would turn in exhausted triumph towards his army, but behind him we would see Sauron pick up his head and place it back on his neck. Gandalf would despair and look at the ground, knowing that Sauron cannot be killed while the Ring still exists (he would probably mutter something to this effect so that the audience understands this subtlety).

Sauron and Aragorn would fight again and this time it would go badly for the exhausted Aragorn. Finally, he would be on his knees and Sauron would pause to gloat before killing him. Flash to the events on Mount Doom, where Frodo is defeated by the will of the Ring (everything is going just bad, bad, bad). Then Smeagol attacks, and the Ring + Smeagol fall into the fires, etc.

Flash back to Sauron, who bursts into flame or explodes or whatever just before killing Aragorn. Aragorn, Gandalf et al. realize that Frodo was successful and the rest of the movie proceeds. This way both Aragorn AND Frodo get to be heroic and "defeat" Sauron in their own way.

Actually, what would have happened would have been that Sauron and Aragorn would have fought it out and Aragorn would have been badly knocked about. Then, Sauron would have cut Aragorn's hand off, with a slow-motion scene of the sword hurtling into the distance.

With Aragorn badly wounded and lying on the ground, Sauron would then extend his hand out to Aragorn and say,

"Aragorn, I am your father."

At which point Aragorn screams, "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

to which Sauron replies, "Search your feelings. You know this to be true."

and Aragorn then murmurs, "Gandalf, why didn't you tell me?"