The Lord of the Rings is an epic story, a classic tale that defines how the many worlds within this one world are different, yet same. And how the fate of ‘The One Ring’ was bound to the fate of the world. This Entertainism article contains a collection of some memorable quotes from ‘The Lord of the Rings’ movie series; quotes that not only inspire you, but also hold the power to change your life.
Did You Know?
The Lord of the Rings was filmed in New Zealand, and it greatly affected the economy of this country for the better. In fact, their government also appointed a minister known as the ‘Minister for The Lord of the Rings.’ The magic of this trilogy gave honor, wealth, and prosperity to the nation of New Zealand.
Well, there is indeed something mesmerizing about this movie series. The green, beautiful, scenic living of the people of Shire, the love for good food, family, and friends, all this makes us wonder, what happened to our world, and how did it become so gray? However, as the movie proceeds further, we see how the forces of the enemy burned nature to produce metal; only the trees don’t move and retaliate in the real world, or perhaps, there does lie an old forest somewhere in the middle earth?
The Lord of the Rings film series is a fairly long series; three movies of extraordinary durations indeed. However, as true fans, we enjoy each and every moment of it, don’t we? What we love about this series is how each character is given its due share of focus, unlike other movies where the protagonist takes all the limelight. While the ring-bearer, Frodo Baggins remains to be the chief character, his role has not overshadowed the emphasis of Samwise Gamgee, or the friendly union of Merry and Pippin. We also see a love story between Arwen and Aragorn, and hence, every aspect of this series manages to enchant our hearts. The following section will take you through some amazing quotes from each movie in the series. Get ready to experience the magic all over again!
Best Quotes from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The Fellowship of the Ring begins with the Shire, the happy Frodo Baggins, and the somehow-bored and old Bilbo Baggins. Gandalf has been entertaining the Shire with his magnificent fireworks since time can tell. However, this time, he finds out what was hidden under his very own sight―The One Ring. This movie is about Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin’s first journey away from home, going through Rivendell, Rohan, Gondor, Isengard, and Mordor, to Mount Doom where the ring must be destroyed before it reaches the hands of the enemy. The following quotes are some of the best ones from whence the fellowship of the nine companions began.
My dear Frodo. Hobbits really are amazing creatures. You can learn all there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you.
― Gandalf the Grey
Hobbits have been living and farming in the four farthings of the Shire for many hundreds of years. Quite content to ignore and be ignored by the world of the big folk; middle earth being after all, full of strange creatures beyond count, hobbits must seem of little importance. They are neither renowned as great warriors, nor counted among the very wise. In fact, it has been remarked by some that hobbits’ only real passion is for food. A rather unfair observation, as we have also developed a keen interest in the brewing of ales and the smoking of pipe weed. But where our hearts truly lie, is in peace and quiet, and good tilled earth. For all hobbits share a love of things that grow. And yes, no doubt, to others our ways seem quaint. But today of all days, it is brought home to me: It is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life.
― Bilbo Baggins
The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it. It began with the forging of the Great Rings. Three were given to the Elves; immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings. Seven to the Dwarf Lords, great miners and craftsmen of the mountain halls. And nine, nine rings were gifted to the Race of Men, who above all else desire power. For within these rings was bound the strength and will to govern each race. But they were all of them deceived, for another ring was made. In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Sauron forged, in secret, a Master Ring to control all others. And into this Ring he poured his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life. One Ring to rule them all.
I’m old, Gandalf. I know I don’t look it, but I’m beginning to feel it in my heart. I feel… thin. Sort of stretched, like… butter scraped over too much bread. I need a holiday. A very long holiday. And I don’t expect I shall return. In fact I mean not to.
― Bilbo Baggins
Come on, Sam. Remember what Bilbo used to say: “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
― Frodo Baggins
A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.
― Gandalf the Grey
I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
― Bilbo Baggins
Arwen: Do you remember what I told you?
Aragorn: You said you would bind yourself to me, and forsaking immortal life of your people.
Arwen: And to that I hold. I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the Ages of this world alone.
One ring to rule them all,
One ring to find them,
One ring to bring them all
and in the darkness bind them.
― Gandalf the Grey
You shall not pass!
― Gandalf the Grey
Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life.
― Gandalf the Grey
Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends.
― Gandalf the Grey
Frodo: I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.
Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.
Fly, you fools!
― Gandalf the Grey
You are a Ring-bearer, Frodo. To bear a Ring of Power is to be alone.
― Lady Galadriel
Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.
― Lady Galadriel
If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose.
― Gandalf the Grey
Strider: Gentlemen, we do not stop ’til nightfall.
Pippin: What about breakfast?
Strider: You’ve already had it.
Pippin: We’ve had one, yes. But what about second breakfast?
Merry: I don’t think he knows about second breakfast, Pip.
Pippin: What about elevenses? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them, doesn’t he?
Merry: I wouldn’t count on it.
It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing. Such a little thing.
― Boromir
There is only one Lord of the Ring, only one who can bend it to his will. And he does not share power.
― Gandalf the Grey
The Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little, and it will fail, to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while the Company is true.
― Lady Galadriel
I made a promise, Mr Frodo. A promise. “Don’t you leave him Samwise Gamgee.” And I don’t mean to. I don’t mean to.
― Samwise Gamgee
This movie ends when Frodo and Sam separate from the rest of the fellow members and make their way to Mount Doom along with the company of each other. But, they have an unexpected companion now, who was following them three days before they entered the mines of Moria―Gollum.
Best Quotes from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Quite a lot of surprises come forth in the second movie of the series. While Gandalf the Grey was believed to be dead in the former movie, here he returns as ‘Gandalf the White’. While Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn set forth to rescue Merry and Pippin, the two hobbits manage to reach the Old Forest, and with the help of the Ent, called Treebeard, they play a crucial role in bringing down Isengard―one of the Two Towers, the other one being the one in Mordor, referred in the title of this movie. A lot of stories build simultaneously: Gollum’s conflict with Smeagol when it comes to helping Frodo and Sam reach the Black gates of Mordor, Merry and Pippin’s role in convincing the Ents for a war, and Gandalf, Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimly’s mission to save Rohan from the clutches of the evil. The following quotes will take us through the experience all over again.
The World is changing. Who now has the strength to stand against the armies of Isengard and Mordor? To stand against the might of Sauron and Saruman … and the union of the two towers?
― Saruman
The old world will burn in the fires of industry. Forests will fall. A new order will rise. We will drive the machine of war with the sword and the spear and the iron fist of the orc.
― Saruman
Mordor… the one place in Middle-Earth we don’t want to see any closer… the one place we’re trying to get to… is just where we can’t get. Let’s face it, Mr. Frodo. We’re lost!
― Samwise Gamgee
Gollum: We be nice to them, if they be nice to us. Take this off us. We swears to do what you wants, we swears.
Frodo: There is no promise you can make that I can trust.
Gollum: We swears to serve the master of the precious. We will swear on… on… the precious!
Frodo: The Ring is treacherous, it will hold you to your word.
Gollum: Yes… on the precious. On the precious.
Sam: What we need is a few good taters.
Sméagol: What’s taters, precious? What’s taters? Eh?
Sam: Po-ta-toes. Boil them, mash them, stick them in a stew. Lovely big golden chips with a nice piece of fried fish. Even you couldn’t say no to that.
Sméagol: Oh, yes, we could. Spoil a nice fish. Give it to us raw and wriggling. You keep nasty chips.
Sam: You’re hopeless.
You wonder what his name is, where he comes from, and if he really was evil at heart. What lies or threats led him on this long march from home, and would he not rather have stayed there… in peace? War will make corpses of us all.
― Faramir
Side? I am on nobody’s side because nobody is on my side, little orc. Nobody cares for the woods anymore.
― Treebeard
Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about, hmm… except the consistency of squirrel droppings?
― Gimli
It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains.
― Gandalf the White
There was a time when Saruman would walk in my woods. But now he has a mind of metal and wheels. He no longer cares for growing things.
― Treebeard
Treebeard: The trees have grown wild and dangerous. Anger festers in their hearts. Black are their thoughts. Strong is their hate. They will harm you if they can. There are too few of us now. Too few of us Ents left to manage them.
Pippin: Why are there so few of you when you have lived so long? Are there Ent children?
Treebeard: Bru-ra-hroom. There have been no Entings for a terrible long count of years.
Merry: Why is that?
Treebeard: We lost the Entwives.
Pippin: Oh, I’m sorry. How did they die?
Treebeard: Die? No. We lost them. And now we cannot find them. I don’t suppose you’ve seen Entwives in the Shire?
Merry: Can’t say that I have. You, Pip?
Pippin: What do they look like?
Treebeard: I don’t remember now.
War? Yes. It affects us all. Tree, root and twig. But you must understand, young Hobbit…it takes a long time to say anything in Old Entish…and we never say anything unless it is worth taking…a long time to say.
― Treebeard
Bring your pretty face to my axe!
― Gimli
Gimli: It’s true you don’t see many Dwarf women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, that they’re often mistaken for Dwarf Men.
Aragorn: It’s the beards.
Gimli: And this, in turn, has given rise to the belief that there are no Dwarf women, and that Dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground…
Oh! Cruel hobbit! It does not care if we be hungry. It does not care if we should die! Not like Master. Master cares. Master knows. Yes, precious…. Once it takes hold of us it never lets go.
― Gollum
… In the gathering dark, the will of the Ring grows strong. It works hard now to find its way back into the hands of men. Men, who are so easily seduced by its power.
― Lady Galadriel
Remember today, little brother. Today, life is good.
― Boromir
If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end, as to be worthy of remembrance.
― King Théoden
Haleth: The Men are saying that we will not live out the night. They say that it is hopeless…
Aragorn: This is a good sword. Haleth, son of Háma… there is always hope.
Gimli: Legolas! Two already!
Legolas: I’m on seventeen!
Gimli: I’ll have no pointy-ear outscoring me!
Legolas: Nineteen!
Sam: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? … But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you… that meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t. They kept going because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding on to, Sam?
Sam: There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.
So much death. What can Men do against such reckless hate?
― King Théoden
Darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time… The stars wheeled overhead, and every day was as long as a life age of the earth… But it was not the end. I felt life in me again. I’ve been sent back until my task is done.
― Gandalf the White
Legolas: Final count…42.
Gimli: Forty-two? That’s not bad for a pointy-eared Elvish princeling. I myself am sitting pretty on 43.
Legolas: Forty-three.
Gimli: He was already dead.
Legolas: He was twitching.
Gimli: He was twitching because he’s got my axe embedded in his nervous system.
Pippin: I don’t believe it.
Merry: It can’t be. It is!
Pippin: Longbottom Leaf.
Merry: The finest pipe-weed in South Farthing.
Pippin: It’s perfect. One barrel each. Wait. Do you think we should share it with Treebeard?
Merry: Share it? No. No. Dead plant and all that. Don’t think he’d understand. Could be a distant relative.
Sam: I wonder if we’ll ever be put into songs or tales.
Frodo: What?
Sam: I wonder if people will ever say, “Let’s hear about Frodo and the Ring.” And they’ll say, “Yes, that’s one of my favorite stories. Frodo was really courageous, wasn’t he, dad?” “Yes, my boy, the most famousest of Hobbits. And that’s saying a lot.”
Frodo: Well, you’ve left out one of the chief characters: “Samwise the Brave.” I want to hear more about Sam. Frodo wouldn’t have got far without Sam.
Sam: Now Mr. Frodo, you shouldn’t make fun. I was being serious.
Frodo: So was I.
Sam: “Samwise the Brave.”
Sméagol: I hate you. I hate you.
Gollum: Where would you be without me? Gollum. Gollum. I saved us. It was me. We survived because of me.
Sméagol: Not anymore.
Gollum: What did you say?
Sméagol: Master looks after us now. We don’t need you.
Gollum: What?
Sméagol: Leave now and never come back.
Gollum: No.
Sméagol: Leave now and never come back. Leave now and never come back! We told him to go away. And away he goes, precious. Gone! Gone! Gone! Sméagol is free!
Sméagol: Master. Master looks after us. Master
wouldn’t hurt us.
Gollum: Master broke his promise.
Sméagol: Don’t ask Sméagol. Poor, poor Sméagol.
Gollum: Master betrayed us. Wicked. Tricksy. False. We ought to wring his filthy little neck. Kill him! Kill him! Kill them both. And then we take the precious and we be the master!
Sméagol: But the fat Hobbit, he knows. Eyes always watching.
Gollum: Then we stabs them out. Put out his eyeses and make him crawl.
The story of the Two Towers ends with the collapse of Isengard, the victory of Rohan, and a serious loss when it comes to the power of Sauron. However, what doesn’t change is the plight of Gollum/Sméagol. While in the beginning, his main purpose to follow the Ring-bearer was to take the ring away from him, in the end too, after a lot of confusions and dilemmas, he leads their way to the fires of Mount Doom with the intention to get them killed and take the ring for himself. The third and final part of the series shows where the destiny of those who belong to the fellowship, take them―to a victorious life, or to doom?
Best Quotes from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
In The Fellowship of the Ring, we heard Boromir say, “Gondor has no king, Gondor needs no king.” And in this part, we see that the line of kings that was broken is rejoined with the rebuilding of the broken blade of Isildur’s father, which had defeated Sauron back then. The Return of the King is about regaining the honor that was once lost, reuniting the allegiances that were once broken, and gathering the courage that was once shaken by fear of the enemy.
From the ashes, a fire shall be woken. A light from the shadow shall spring. Renewed shall be blade that was broken. The crownless again shall be king.
― Arwen
All had turned to vain ambition. He would use even his grief as a cloak! A thousand years this city has stood and now at the whim of a madman it will fall! And the white tree, the tree of the King will never bloom again.
― Gandalf the White
They cursed us. Murderer they called us. They cursed us, and drove us away. And we wept, Precious, we wept to be so alone. And we only wish to catch fish so juicy sweet. And we forgot the taste of bread… the sound of trees… the softness of the wind. We even forgot our own name. My Precious.
― Gollum
Saruman: You have fought many wars and slain many men, Theoden King, and made peace afterwards. Can we not take council as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace?
King Théoden: We shall have peace… We shall have peace, when you answer for the burning of the Westfold, and the children that lie dead there! We shall have peace, when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they died against the gates of the Hornberg, are avenged! When you hang from a gibbit for the sport of your own crows…! We shall have peace.
You can search far and wide.
You can drink the whole town dry.
But you’ll never find a beer so brown as the one we drink in our hometown.
You can drink your fancy ales.
You can drink them by the flagon.
But the only brew for the brave and tru-u-u-ue comes from the Green Dragon!
― Song by Merry and Pippin
I don’t want to be in a battle. But waiting on the edge of one I can’t escape is even worse.
― Pippin
Merry: He’s always followed me everywhere I went since before we were tweens. I would get him into the worst sort of trouble but I was always there to get him out. Now he’s gone. Just like Frodo and Sam.
Aragorn: One thing I’ve learnt about Hobbits: They are a most hardy folk.
Home is behind, The world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread,
Through shadow, to the edge of night
Until the stars are all alight.
Mist and shadow cloud and shade,
All shall fade, All shall …fade.
― Pippin
You know as little of war as that Hobbit. When the fear takes him and the blood and the screams and the horror of battle take hold. Do you think he would stand and fight? He would flee. And he would be right to do so. War is the province of men Eowyn.
― Eomer
My lady. You are fair and brave and have much to live for and many who love you. I know it is too late to turn aside. I know there is not much point now in hoping. If I were a knight of Rohan capable of great deeds…but I’m not. I’m a Hobbit. And I know I can’t save Middle Earth. I just want to help my friends; Frodo, Sam, Pippin. More than anything I wish I could see them again.
― Merry
Courage is the best defense that you have now.
― Gandalf the White
… Long ago the men of the mountains swore an oath to the last King of Gondor to come to his aid, to fight. But when the time came, when Gondor’s need was dire, they fled vanishing into the darkness of the mountain. And so Isildur cursed them, never to rest until they had fulfilled their pledge. Who shall call them from the grey twilight, the forgotten people? The heir of him to whom the oath they swore. From the North shall he come, need shall drive him. He shall pass the door to the Paths of the Dead.
― Legolas
Naughty little fly. Why does he cry? Caught in a web. Soon you’ll be… eaten.
― Gollum
This task was appointed to you, and if you do not find a way, no one will.
― Lady Galadriel
Pippin: I didn’t think it would end this way.
Gandalf: End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain curtain of this world rolls back and all turns to silvered glass. And then you see it.
Pippin: What? Gandalf? See what?
Gandalf: White shores and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.
Pippin: Well, that’s not so bad.
Gandalf: No. No it isn’t.
Certainty of death, small chance of success… What are we waiting for?
― Gimli
Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!
― Aragorn
Sam: Do you remember the Shire, Mr. Frodo? It’ll be spring soon. And the orchards will be in blossom. And the birds will be nesting in the hazel thicket. And they’ll be sowing the summer barley in the lower fields… and eating the first of the strawberries with cream. Do you remember the taste of strawberries?
Frodo: No, Sam. I can’t recall the taste of food… nor the sound of water… nor the touch of grass. I’m… naked in the dark, with nothing, no veil… between me… and the wheel of fire! I can see him… with my waking eyes!
Sam: Then let us be rid of it… once and for all! Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can’t carry it for you… but I can carry you!
This day does not belong to one man but to all. Let us together rebuild this world that we may share in the days of peace.
― Aragorn
And thus it was. A fourth age of middle-earth began. And the fellowship of the ring… though eternally bound by friendship and love… was ended. Thirteen months to the day since Gandalf sent us on our long journey… we found ourselves looking upon a familiar sight. We were home.
― Frodo
How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on… when in your heart you begin to understand… there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend… some hurts that go too deep… that have taken hold.
― Frodo
Bilbo once told me his part in this tale would end… that each of us must come and go in the telling. Bilbo’s story was now over. There would be no more journeys for him… save one.
― Frodo
Farewell, my brave Hobbits. My work is now finished. Here at last, on the shores of the sea… comes the end of our Fellowship. I will not say do not weep, for not all tears are an evil.
― Gandalf the White
My dear Sam. You cannot always be torn in two. You will have to be one and whole for many years. You have so much to enjoy and to be and to do. Your part in the story will go on.
― Frodo
After four years of the journey to destroy the ring of power, as the Baggins take the ship to leave Middle Earth, Sam (now married and a father), Merry, and Pippin carry on with their happy, merry, and joyful lives. They had all set out to save the Shire, and in the end, it was saved along with the rest of the Middle Earth. While a lot was saved, many lives were lost which included the honorable sacrifices of many bravely knights, be it Boromir, Haldir, King Théoden, and a life that was perhaps tied to the fate of the ring. A life that both loved and hated the ring, for it was so ‘precious’ to him that he went down to the fires of Mount Doom with it. The role of Gollum in this tale was both helpful and hindering. Had it not been for him, Frodo and Sam would have never reached their destination; in fact, if you think of it, Frodo wouldn’t have let go of the ring had Gollum not snatched it from him. Hence with his end, ended the ring, and with the end of the ring, ends the series of The Lord of the Rings.