The Two Towers

After the Fellowship breaks, Aragorn finds Boromir dying among slain Orcs. Boromir confesses that he tried to take the Ring from Frodo and reports that Merry and Pippin have been captured alive. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli honor Boromir with a river-burial, then study the signs at Parth Galen. They deduce that Frodo has crossed the river by boat and that Sam has followed him. Since Frodo has chosen to continue the Quest apart from them, Aragorn decides that their duty is to save Merry and Pippin. The Three Hunters set out across the wild in pursuit of the Orcs.

The chase leads them into Rohan, where they find proof that Pippin is alive: his Lórien brooch, deliberately dropped as a sign. They meet Éomer and his Riders, who have destroyed the Orc-host near Fangorn but found no captives. Éomer lends them horses despite Rohan’s laws, and the hunters ride to the battlefield. There Aragorn discovers signs that the hobbits escaped into Fangorn Forest. A mysterious old man appears by their camp and their horses flee, heightening their fear that Saruman is near.

Merry and Pippin, meanwhile, have endured brutal captivity among rival Orc bands. Uglúk of Isengard tries to keep them alive for Saruman, while Grishnákh of Mordor suspects they carry something precious. During the confusion caused by the Riders’ encirclement, Grishnákh attempts to abduct them for himself but is killed. Pippin frees their bonds, shares lembas with Merry, and the two hobbits escape into Fangorn before Éomer’s men annihilate the Orcs at dawn.

In Fangorn, the hobbits meet Treebeard, an ancient Ent. They tell him much of their journey, while withholding the Ring, and he reveals his anger at Saruman’s destruction of trees. Treebeard summons an Entmoot, where the Ents debate for days before deciding to march on Isengard. Merry and Pippin ride with Treebeard as the Ents move against Saruman, accepting that this may be their last march.

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli follow the hobbits’ trail into Fangorn and encounter the old man again, who reveals himself as Gandalf returned in white. He explains that he fought the Balrog, died or passed beyond ordinary life, was healed in Lothlórien, and has been sent back as Gandalf the White. He tells them Merry and Pippin are safe with Treebeard and redirects their mission: they must ride to Edoras to aid King Théoden of Rohan.

At Meduseld, Gandalf exposes Gríma Wormtongue as Saruman’s agent and breaks the oppressive influence over Théoden. Revived, Théoden frees Éomer, reclaims his sword, and chooses to ride to war himself. Éowyn is appointed to lead the people to safety at Dunharrow, and the Rohirrim muster against Saruman. Théoden’s host is forced to retreat to Helm’s Deep, where Saruman’s Orcs and Dunlendings besiege the Hornburg through a stormy night. The Deeping Wall is breached by explosive devilry, and the defenders are split between the caves and the citadel. At dawn Théoden and Aragorn lead a desperate charge. Gandalf returns with Erkenbrand’s men, and the enemy is routed into a strange forest of Huorns, from which none return.

After the victory, Gandalf leads Théoden, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and others to Isengard. They find Saruman’s ring-wall shattered, his engines drowned, and Orthanc alone standing in a flooded ruin. Merry and Pippin, cheerful amid the wreckage, recount how the Ents broke Isengard’s walls and diverted the waters of the Isen to extinguish Saruman’s furnaces. Wormtongue arrived too late and was forced into Orthanc. The hobbits also reveal salvaged Shire pipe-weed, suggesting Saruman had secret dealings far from Isengard.

Gandalf confronts Saruman at Orthanc. Saruman’s voice nearly sways Théoden and the Rohirrim, but Théoden rejects him. Gandalf offers Saruman mercy if he comes down, surrenders the key and his staff, and abandons his designs. Saruman refuses. Gandalf casts him from the order and breaks his staff. Wormtongue then hurls a dark crystal globe from above; Gandalf seizes it. Later, when the company camps, Pippin’s curiosity overcomes him and he looks into the globe. He is confronted by Sauron, who assumes the Stone is still in Saruman’s hands and that a captured hobbit is in Orthanc. Gandalf realizes the mistake may buy them time. He gives the palantír to Aragorn, then rides at once with Pippin toward Minas Tirith after a winged Nazgûl passes overhead.

Frodo and Sam’s path runs separately through the Emyn Muil. Lost and exhausted, they descend a cliff with Galadriel’s rope and capture Gollum, who has been stalking them. Frodo refuses to kill him, remembering counsel about pity, and compels him to swear by the Ring to serve its master. Gollum, shifting into his more submissive Sméagol self, becomes their guide through the Dead Marshes. There the hobbits see corpse-lights and dead faces beneath the water, while winged Nazgûl pass overhead. Sam overhears Gollum’s divided self debating betrayal and hinting at a mysterious “She.”

At the Black Gate, Frodo sees that Mordor cannot be entered directly. Gollum proposes another way: a secret stair, tunnel, and pass near Minas Morgul. Frodo warns Gollum that his oath binds him, then chooses the perilous route because no better path remains. In Ithilien, the travelers briefly find beauty and rest. Sam cooks rabbit, but his fire betrays them to Rangers of Gondor led by Faramir. Faramir questions Frodo and Sam, learns they knew Boromir, and later brings them to the hidden refuge of Henneth Annûn. Sam accidentally reveals that Boromir desired the Enemy’s Ring, but Faramir refuses to claim it and proves trustworthy. Frodo confesses that he means to enter Mordor and destroy the Ring.

When Gollum is caught fishing in the forbidden pool, Frodo pleads for his life, and Faramir spares him under oath. Faramir warns Frodo against Cirith Ungol and sees malice in Gollum, but he grants the travelers food, staves, protection, and freedom to continue. Frodo, Sam, and Gollum journey to the Cross-roads under a darkened sky. There Frodo sees a defiled statue of a king whose fallen head has been crowned by flowers, a brief sign that evil cannot conquer forever.

They pass Minas Morgul as the Witch-king leads an army west. Frodo nearly yields to the Ring’s compulsion but resists by grasping Galadriel’s Phial. Gollum guides them up the Straight Stair and the Winding Stair toward Cirith Ungol. During a rest, Gollum briefly seems moved by pity as Frodo sleeps, but Sam wakes and rebukes him, hardening his resentment. Gollum leads them into Shelob’s lair, a reeking tunnel of darkness. Frodo uses the Phial to drive back the monstrous spider and cuts through her web with Sting, but Gollum attacks Sam while Shelob circles around to strike Frodo.

Sam fights free, takes Sting and the Phial, and wounds Shelob so badly that she retreats. Finding Frodo cold and motionless, he believes his master dead. After agonizing over duty, Sam takes the Ring, intending to continue the Quest. Orcs arrive, and Sam uses the Ring to hide. He overhears Shagrat and Gorbag reveal that Shelob’s victims are paralyzed, not dead, and that Frodo is alive. Sam tries to pursue, but the Orcs carry Frodo into the tower of Cirith Ungol and the gate slams shut, leaving Sam outside with the Ring and the desperate task of rescuing him.