The Trek through Mordor
to Mount Doom Challenge

Hampered by thirst and the almost unbearable burden of the One Ring itself, Frodo and Sam reach Mordor in the company of the wicked and duplicitous Gollum. Will they succeed in destroying the One Ring?

Follow Frodo and Sam’s journey down the 282mi (454km) route over the wasteland of Mordor and complete the quest by throwing the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom.

[Gollum pulls them back.]

Gollum: "No! No! No Master! They'd catch you! They'd catch you. Don't take it to Him. He wants the Precious. Always he's looking for it. And the Precious is wanting to go back to him. But we mustn't let Him have it."

[Frodo tries to make a run for it again, but Gollum pulls him back.]

Gollum: "No! There is another way. More secret, and dark way."

Sam: "Why haven't you spoke of this before?!"

Gollum: "Because Master did not ask!"

Sam: "He's up to something."

Frodo: "Are you saying that there is another way to Mordor?"

Gollum: "Yes. There's a path, and some stairs and then a tunnel."

[Gollum strokes Frodo's arm and buries his face in Frodo's cloak.]

Frodo: "He's led us this far Sam."

Sam: "Mister Frodo, no!"

Frodo: "He's been true to his word."

Sam: "No!"

Frodo: "Lead the way Sméagol. Good Sméagol always helps."

[Sam stares at Frodo in disbelief.]

[The next day, Sméagol comes back with two dead rabbits and drops them on Frodo's lap.]

Sméagol: "Look! Look! See what Sméagol finds!" (Laughs.) [Sméagol picks up one of the rabbits and breaks its spine in front of Frodo.] "They are young! They are tender and nice. Yes they are! Eat them. Eat them." [Sméagol bites the rabbit. Sam takes the rabbits.]

Sam: "Make him sick you will, behaving like that. There's only one way to eat a brace of coneys."

[Sam cooks the rabbits in a pot. Sméagol watches despondently.]

Sméagol: "Argh! What's he doing! Stupid fat hobbit. You ruins it!"

Sam: "What's to ruin? There's hardly any meat on them."

[Sméagol moans. A faint sound catches Frodo's attention.]

Sam: "What we need is a few good taters."

Sméagol: "What's taters? Precious, what's taters? Huh?"

Sam: "Po-ta-toes! Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew. Lovely big golden chips with a nice piece of fried fish."

Sméagol: "Phooh!"

Sam: "Even you couldn't say no to that."

Sméagol: "Oh yes we could! Spoiling nice fish!" [He crawls to Sam.] "Give it to us raw — and wriggling! You keep nasty chips!"

Sam: "You're hopeless."

[Frodo follows the source of the sound.]

Sam: "Mister Frodo?"

[Frodo lies down and sees an army of the Easterlings marching.]

[Sam and Sméagol find him.]

Sam: "Who are they?"

Smégol: "Wicked men; servants of Sauron. They are called to Mordor. The Dark One is gathering all armies to him. It won't be long now. It will soon be ready."

Sam: "Ready to do what?"

Sméagol: "To make His war. The last war that will cover all the world in shadow."

Frodo: "We've got to keep moving. C'mon Sam." [Frodo starts to get up, but Sam stops him. Large beasts appear.]

Sam: "Mister Frodo! Look! It's an Oliphant! No one at home will believe this."

[The calling sound is heard again and Sméagol backs away.]

Frodo: "Sméagol?"

[The Easterlings are attacked from the bushes. A man shoots an Easterling off of an Oliphant. The body falls near the hobbits.]

Frodo: "We've lingered here for too long. C'mon Sam!"

[The hobbits depart, but are caught by the humans.]

Sam: "Ah! Wait! We're innocent travelers!"

Faramir: "There are no travelers in this land, only servants of the Dark Tower."

Frodo:: "We are bound to an errand of secrecy. Those that claim to oppose the enemy would do well not to hinder us."

Faramir: "The enemy?" [Faramir turns over the dead Southron.] "His sense of duty was no less than yours, I deem. You wonder what his name is, where he came from, and if he was really evil at heart. What lies or threats led him on this long march from home. If he would not rather have stayed there in peace. War will make corpses of us all. Bind their hands."

Man: "Captain Faramir. We found it."

[Faramir approaches the sleeping hobbits. Frodo wakes.]

Faramir: "You must come with me. Now."

[Frodo is lead outside.]

Faramir [points]: "Down there."

[Frodo looks down at a pool and sees Gollum dive in it.]

Faramir: "To enter the Forbidden Pool bears the penalty of death."

[Archers step out from the bushes, with arrows drawn.]

Faramir: "They wait for my command. Shall they shoot?"

[Gollum squats on a rock with a fish, singing.]

Gollum:

"Rock and pool is nice and cool, so juicy sweet!
I only wish to catch a fish, so juicy sweet!"

[Faramir raises his hand to give the order to fire.]

Frodo: "Wait. This creature is bound to me. And I to him. He is our guide. Please, let me go down to him."

[Faramir allows Frodo to go to Gollum, who is eating a fish.]

Frodo: "Sméagol. Master is here. Come, Sméagol. Trust master. Come."

Gollum: "We must — go now?"

Frodo: "Sméagol, you must trust master. Follow me, come on. Come. Come, Sméagol. Nice Sméagol. That's it. Come on."

[Gollum, with a fish in his mouth, follows Frodo cautiously until he is grabbed by Faramir's men.]

Frodo: "Don't hurt him! Sméagol don't struggle! Sméagol listen to me!"

Gollum: "Master!"

[Osgiliath is under attack. Faramir and his prisoners enter the city.]

Madril: "Faramir, orcs have taken the eastern shore. Their numbers are too great. By nightfall we'll be overrun."

[Frodo stumbles.]

Sam: "Mister Frodo!"

Frodo: "It's calling to him, Sam. His eye is almost on me."

Sam: "Hold on, Mister Frodo."

[Sam continues speaking, but Frodo can no longer hear him.]

Faramir: "Take them to my father. Tell him, Faramir sends a mighty gift. A weapon that will change our fortunes in this war." [Faramir turns to leave.]

Sam: "You wanna know what happened to Boromir? You wanna know why your brother died? He tried to take the Ring from Frodo. After swearing an oath to protect him. He tried to kill him! The Ring drove your brother mad!"

[An offscreen voice cries "Look out!" A tower is hit with a boulder and crumbles. The call from the Ring is heard again.]

Sam: "Mister Frodo?"

Frodo: "They're here. They've come."

[The cry of a Nazgûl is heard.]

Faramir: "Nazgûl!"

[A Nazgûl on a winged beast flies over Osgiliath. Frodo stares at it, as the men around him start to run. Gollum is terrified. Faramir grabs the hobbits and leads them to cover.]

Faramir: "Stay here. Keep out of sight. Take cover!"

[Osgiliath is attacked by the Nazgûl. Frodo slowly starts to walk away from Sam.]

Sam: "What are you doing?"

[The Nazgûl approaches.]

Sam: "Where are you going!"

[Frodo stands alone on a wall, staring at the Nazgûl in front of him. Frodo raises his hand, holding the Ring. Faramir turns to look at him. Frodo moves to put on the Ring. Sam runs up to Frodo and jumps on him. The hobbits dodge the attacking beast. Faramir shoots the winged beast with his bow. The hobbits roll down the stairs. Frodo draws Sting and points it at Sam's neck.]

Sam: "It's me. It's your Sam."

[Frodo blinks his eyes, watching Sam, who has tears falling from his eyes.]

Sam: "Don't you know your Sam?"

[Slowly, Frodo gets off Sam, panting. He falls down and drops his sword.]

Frodo: "I can't do this, Sam."

[Sam gets up and Gollum joins them.] "I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are."

[Sam watches the Nazgûl fly away.]

Sam: "It's like in the great stories, Mister 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 pas. 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, Mister Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn't. Because they were holding on to something."

[Frodo is sitting behind Sam, leaning on a wall, with tears in his eyes.]

Frodo: "What are we holding on to, Sam?"

[Sam walks to Frodo and lifts him up.]

Sam: "That there's some good in this world, Mister Frodo. And it's worth fighting for."

[Faramir walks to them and kneels before Frodo.]

Faramir: "I think at last we understand one another, Frodo Baggins."

Madril: "You know the laws of our country. The laws of your father. If you let them go, your life will be forfeit."

Faramir: "Then it is forfeit. Release them."

[Frodo, Sam, and Gollum walking through woods.]

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: "You left out one of the chief characters. Samwise the Brave. I want to hear more about Sam." [Frodo stops to look at Sam.] "Frodo wouldn't have got far without Sam."

Sam: "Now Mister Frodo, you shouldn't make fun. I was being serious."

Frodo: "So was I."

Sam: "Samwise the Brave."

Frodo: "Sméagol!"

Sam: "We're not gonna wait for you. Come on."

[Farther away, Sméagol is crawling, fighting with Gollum again.]

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 ring his filthy little neck! Kill him! Kill him! Kill them both. 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 eyses. And make him crawl."

Sméagol: "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Gollum: "Kill them both."

Sméagol: "Yes! No. No. It's too risky, it's too risky."

Sam: "Where's he gone? Oi Gollum, where are you?"

Frodo: "Sméagol!"

Gollum: "We could let her do it."

Sméagol: "Yes. She could do it."

Gollum: "Yes, Precious she could. And then we takes it once they're dead."

Sméagol: "Once they're dead. Hush!"

[Gollum comes out from behind a tree.]

Sméagol: "Come on, hobbits. Long ways to go yet. Sméagol will show you the way."

Gollum: "Follow me."

[The hobbits follow Gollum.]

[In Minas Morgul, the Witch-king of Angmar is dressed dressed for battle.]

Gandalf: "Sauron has yet to reveal his deadliest servant. The one who would lead Mordor's armies in war. The one they say no living man can kill: the Witch-King of Angmar. You've met him before. He stabbed Frodo on Weathertop. He is the lord of the Nazgûl, the greatest of the nine. Minas Morgul is his lair."

[Sam, Frodo, and Gollum approach Minas Morgul.]

Gollum: "The Dead City… very nasty place… full of… enemies."

[Gollum leads them to the side of the road.] "Quick! Quick! They will see! They will see! Come away! Come away!"

[Gollum points out a long, steep staircase, set into the rock.] "Look! We have found it, the way into Mordor. The Secret Stairs! Climb! "

[Frodo wanders towards the dead city, past a pair of gargoyles.]

Sam: "No! Mister Frodo!"

Gollum: "Not that way! What's it doing?"

Sam: "No!"

Frodo: "They're calling me."

[As Sam and Gollum pull Frodo to the stairs, the middle of the city erupts with a bright blue-green light. The sight is visible to the inhabitants of Minas Tirith. Gandalf consoles Pippin.] An army of orcs exits the Dead City. The Witch-King emerges, mounted on a flying beast. Frodo sees the Witch-King, and grabs his shoulder in pain.]

Frodo: "I can feel his blade."

[An orc army leaves Minas Morgul.]

Gandalf: "We come to it at last, the great battle of our time."

Gollum: "Hurry, hobbits! We climb! We must climb!"

Gandalf: "The board is set. The pieces are moving."

[Gollum continues leading the hobbits.] "Up, up, up the stairs we go. And then it's into the tunnel."

Sam: "Hey, what's in this tunnel?" [Sam grabs Gollum.] "You listen to me and you listen good and proper. Anything happens to him, you have me to answer to. One stiff something's not right, one hair stands up on the back of my head, it's over. No more slinker. No more stinker. You're gone. Got it?"

[Gollum grins at him.]

Sam: "I'm watching you."

[Sam continues climbing while Gollum looks pensive.]

Frodo: "What was that about?"

Sam: "Nothing, just clearing something up."

[The hobbits continue climbing. Gollum grins up at Sam and follows. Gollum, Frodo, and Sam climb up the secret stair. Gollum reaches a ledge and looks down at a struggling Frodo.]

Gollum: "Careful, master! Very far to fall! Very dangerous on the stairs. Come, master! Come to Sméagol!"

[Gollum sees the One Ring around Frodo's neck. He reaches for Frodo.]

Sam: "Mister Frodo!" [Sam draws his sword.] "Get back, you! Don't touch him!"

[Gollum pulls Frodo up onto the ledge.]

Gollum: "Why does he hates poor Sméagol? What has Sméagol ever done to him?"

[Gollum takes Frodo aside while Sam climbs onto the ledge.]

Gollum: "Master, Master carries a heavy burden. Sméagol knows. Heavy, heavy burden. Fat one cannot know. Let Sméagol look after Master." (whispering) "He wants It. He needs It, Sméagol sees it in his eyes! Very soon he will ask you for It! You will see! The fat one will take It from you!"

[On a ledge on the secret stair, Sam, Frodo, and Gollum rest. Sam checks Gollum, who appears asleep. Sam falls asleep. Gollum opens his eyes, and makes for Sam's backpack. He takes out the Lembas, looking disgusted with it.]

Gollum: "Ugh!"

[Gollum scatters bread crumbs on Sam's cloak. He then throws the remainder of the food over the ledge. As Gollum turns away, Sam confronts him.]

Sam: "Where are you off to? Sneaking off are we?"

Gollum: "Sneaking? Sneaking! Fat hobbit is always so polite. Sméagol shows them secret ways that nobody else could find and they say sneak. Sneak? Very nice friend. Oh yes, my precious, very nice, very…"

Sam: "All right! All right! You just startled me, that's all. What are you doing?"

Gollum (grinning): "Sneaking."

Sam: "Fine. Have it you own way."

[Sam wakes Frodo.]

Sam: "I'm sorry to wake you, Mister Frodo. We have to be moving on."

Frodo: "It's dark still."

Sam: "It's always dark here." [Sam checks his pack.] "It's gone! The elven bread!"

Frodo: "What? That's all we have left!"

Sam (pointing to Gollum): "He took it! He must have!"

Gollum: "Sméagol? No, no, no poor Sméagol. Sméagol hates nasty Elf bread."

Sam: "You lying rat! What did you do with it!"

Frodo: "He doesn't eat it. He can't have taken it!"

Gollum (feigning surprise): "Look, what's this?"

[Gollum wipes the Lembas crumbs off Sam.] "Crumbs on his jacketses. He took it. He took it! I've seen him. He is always stuffing his face when Master is not looking."

Sam: "That's a filthy lie! You stinking filth face!"

[Sam starts whacking Gollum.]

Frodo: "Sam! Stop it! No, Sam!"

Sam: "I'll kill him!"

[Frodo intervenes.]

Frodo: "Sam! No!"

[Frodo collapses. Sam halts his attack and tends to an exhausted Frodo.]

Sam: "Oh my! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it to go so far. I was just so, so angry. Here. You just… just rest a bit."

Frodo: "I'm all right."

Sam: "No, no you're not all right. You're exhausted. It's that Gollum. It's this place. It's that thing around your neck."

[Frodo gives Sam a worried look.]

Sam: "I… could help a bit. I could carry it for a while…" (his voice echoes in Frodo's head) "carry it for a while… I could carry it… carry it… share the load… the load."

Frodo: "Get away!"

Sam: "I don't want to keep it! I just want to help!"

Gollum: "See? See! He wants it for himself."

Sam: "Shut up you! Go away! Get out of here!"

Frodo: "No Sam. It's you. I'm sorry, Sam."

[Sam cries.]

Sam: "But, he's a liar! He's poisoned you against me!"

Frodo: "You can't help me anymore."

Sam: "You don't mean that."

Frodo: "Go home."

[Sam collapses, still crying. Frodo and Gollum continue up the stairs.]

Gollum and Frodo crest the stairs. Gollum motions Frodo to enter a tunnel.]

Gollum: "There."

Frodo: "What is this place?"

Gollum: "Master must go inside the tunnel."

Frodo: "Now that I'm here, I don't think I want to."

Gollum (impatiently): "It's the only way! Go in or go back."

Frodo: "I cannot go back." [Frodo and Gollum enter the tunnel.] "What's that smell?"

Gollum: "Orcses filth. Orcses come in here sometimes." [Gollum scurries ahead.] "Hurry!"

[Frodo loses track of his guide.] "Sméagol?"

Gollum (off screen): "Over here!"

[Frodo's hand lands in a web.] "Ahh! It's sticky! What is it?"

Gollum (off screen): "You will see. Oh yes, you will see."

Frodo: "Sméagol? Sméagol? Sméagol!" [Frodo is left alone.] (to himself): "Sam." [Frodo steps on a skeleton, and sees other dead animals hanging, wrapped in webs. He begins to run.]

[Sam, crying, jogs down the stair. He slips and falls down the final steps. On the ground, he looks up and sees the Lembas. He grabs the bread and crushes it angrily. Sam turns and looks up the stairs, then begins climbing.]

[Frodo runs and falls into a clump of webs and bones.]

Frodo: "Ah! Ah!"

Galadriel (voiceover): "And you, Frodo Baggins, I give you the Light of Eärendil, our most beloved star. May it be a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out."

[Frodo fumbles in his pockets. He pulls out the phial of Galadriel. Frodo holds up the phial.]

Frodo: "Aiya Eärendil Elenion Ancalima!"
(Hail Eärendil brightest of the Stars!)

[Frodo turns to see something large moving behind him. It is a giant spider.]

Frodo: "Ugh!"

[Frodo holds up the light to the spider, who is taken aback by its glow.]

[Frodo runs, and is chased. Frodo holds off the spider with the phial.]

[Frodo becomes tangled in a spiderweb. The web holds him spread-eagle off, the ground.]

[Frodo looks back at the dead bodies ensnared in the webs.]

[Gollum emerges from behind a rock, watching Frodo with glee.]

Gollum: "Naughty little fly, why does it cry? Caught in a web! Soon you'll be eaten."

[Shelob the spider approaches. Frodo cuts his way out of the web with his sword.]

[Gollum shrieks and runs. Frodo frees himself, but drops Sting.]

[He runs out of the lair (by way of a hole too small for Shelob to enter) and falls down, exhausted.]

Gollum: "Got away, did it, precious! Not this time! Not this time!"

[Gollum pounces on Frodo. Frodo and Gollum fight. Gollum tries to take the Ring from Frodo.]

Frodo: "No!"

[Frodo, now enraged, starts to choke Gollum.]

Gollum: "It wasn't us! It wasn't us! Sméagol wouldn't hurt Master! We promised!"

[Frodo's anger dissipates. He stops choking Gollum.]

Gollum: "You must believe us. It was the Precious! The Precious made us do it!"

[Frodo releases Gollum and stands, looking weary.]

Frodo: "I have to destroy It, Sméagol. I have to destroy It for both our sakes."

[Gollum grows angry.]

Gollum: "No!"

[Gollum attacks Frodo. Frodo flips Gollum over and watches as he falls over a cliff.]

Gollum: "Ah!"

[Frodo stands, exhausted and alone.]

Frodo: "I'm so sorry, Sam. So sorry."

[Frodo collapses. He appears in a lush green glen.]

Galadriel (voiceover): "This task was appointed to you, Frodo of the Shire. If you do not find a way, no one will."

[Galadriel pulls Frodo up to his feet.]

[Frodo rises and sets back on the path to Cirith Ungol.]

[Frodo comes within sight of the Tower of Cirith Ungol.]

[Shelob silently crawls across the rocks overhead.]

[Frodo turns around at the sign of falling rocks, but sees nothing.]

[As he turns back towards the tower, Shelob stabs Frodo with her stinger.]

[Frodo groans, froths at the mouth, and passes out.]

[Shelob grabs the limp hobbit and wraps him into a cocoon.]

[Sam approaches the great spider. He holds Sting in one hand and the Phial of Galadriel in the other.]

Sam: "Let him go, you filth!"

Sam: "Let him go! You will not touch him again! Come on and finish it!"

[Shelob hisses and attacks Sam. They fight over the rocky terrain.]

[Sam loses the phial.]

[The fight continues.]

[Sam swipes at the spider, but loses his sword.]

[Sam retrieves Sting and stabs Shelob with it.]

[Shelob writhes in pain, possibly fatally struck. Sam picks up the Phial and uses it to drive Shelob back to her lair.]

Sam: "Ha! Back!"

[After Shelob retreats, Sam runs to Frodo, still wrapped in the cocoon.]

Sam: "Mister Frodo!"

[Sam tears the spider web from Frodo's face. Frodo is pale and does not move or breathe.]

Sam: "Oh, no! Frodo! Mister Frodo! Wake up! Don't leave me here alone! Don't go where I can't follow. Wake up! You're not asleep… dead!"

[Sam holds Frodo and cries.]

[Sting begins to glow (a sign that orcs are nearby). Sam hears them approaching.]

Gorbag: "You get lost, scum!"

[Sam hides. A small group of orcs appear. One is a small orc (Gorbag) and another is a large Uruk-hai (Shagrat). They spot Frodo's body.]

Shagrat: "What's this? Looks like ol' Shelob's been having a bit of fun."

Gorbag: "Killed another one, has she?"

Shagrat: "No. This fellow ain't dead!"

Sam (whispers): "Not dead?"

[Shagrat pokes Frodo's cocoon.]

Shagrat: "She jabs them with her stinger… and he goes as limp as a boned fish! Then she has her way with them. That's how she likes to feed. Fresh blood! Get him to the tower!"

[The orcs pick up Frodo. Sam watches.]

Sam (to himself): "Samwise, you fool!"

Gorbag: "This scum will be awake in a couple of hours."

Shagrat: "Then he'll wish he'd never been born!"

[The orcs head back to the tower.]

[At the top of the Tower of Cirith Ungol, Frodo awakes.]

[His hands are bound with rope and his clothes have been taken.]

[Gorbag and Shagrat paw through a pile of the hobbit's belongings. Gorbag discovers the Mithril shirt.]

Shagrat: "Hands off that shiny shirt! That's mine!"

Gorbag: "It's going to the Great Eye! Along with everything else."

[Frodo reaches for his chest, checking for the ring, which is missing.]

Shagrat: "I don't take orders from stinking Morgul rats!"

[Gorbag grabs a sword and points it at the Uruk.]

Gorbag: "You touch it and I'll stick this blade in your gut!"

[The two orcs wrestle. Gorbag is pushed down a ladder and lands in the middle of a pack or orcs. Shagrat looks down.]

Shagrat: "The scum tried to knife me! Kill 'em!"

[Shagrat's Uruks attack. One of the orcs is thrown down to the ground level, where Gorbag's troops sit. Fighting breaks out all over the tower as the orc factions attack each other.]

[Later, Sam enters the tower, passing some slain orcs.]

[He climbs the stairs and sees the shadows of approaching orcs. Sam grunts and growls, frightening the orcs, who see a large shadow of the hobbit. As Sam appears, the orcs chuckle and set on the hobbit.]

[Sam, wielding Sting, fights them off.]

Sam: "That's for Frodo! That one's for the Shire! And that's for my old Gaffer!"

[As Sam ascends the stairs, an Orc appears carrying the mithril shirt. He glances around and escapes.]

[Sam runs up the tower. In the top room, Frodo struggles with his bonds. Snaga appears over him.]

Snaga: "Stop your squirming, you dung hill rat! I'm gonna bleed you like a stuck pig!"

[Snaga moves to stab Frodo, but stops short as a glowing Sting appears poking through his chest. Sam appears from behind the orc.]

Sam: "Not if I stick you first."

[Sting stops glowing. Snaga drops to the floor, dead.]

Frodo: "Sam! Oh Sam, I'm so sorry! Sorry for everything."

Sam: "Let's get you out of here."

Frodo: "It's too late. It's over. They've taken It! Sam! They took the Ring!"

Sam: "Begging your pardon, but they haven't."

[Sam takes out the ring from his pocket, still on Frodo's chain necklace.]

Sam: "I thought I'd lost you… so I took it. Only for safekeeping."

Frodo: "Give it to me. Give me the ring, Sam."

[The ring begins to speak. Sam hesitates, looking confused.]

Frodo: "Sam! Give me the Ring."

[Sam holds out the ring to Frodo, who snatches it quickly. Frodo puts the necklace back on.]

Frodo: "You must understand, the Ring is my burden. It will destroy you, Sam."

Sam: "Come on, Mister Frodo. We best find you some clothes. You can't go walking to Mordor in naught but your skin."

Two small figures in orc armor walk awkwardly out of the tower. They reach a hill overlooking Mordor.]

Sam: "We did it, Mister Frodo. We made it to Mordor."

[Frodo looks at the many orc campfires standing between him and Mount Doom.]

Frodo: "There are so many of them. We'll never get through unseen!"

[From the top of the tower of Barad-dûr, the Eye of Sauron scans the landscape.]

Frodo: "It's Him! The Eye!"

[Frodo stands transfixed.]

Sam: "We have to go in there, Mister Frodo. There's nothing for it. Well, let's make it down the hill for starters, shall we?"

[The two hobbits walk down into Mordor.]

[Within Mordor, an orc dispatches orders.]

Orc: "To the gate, you slugs! Move out! To the gate!"

[Frodo and Sam look over the plains of Gorgoroth. Orcs hors blow as the army moves from their path.]

Sam: "Look, the Orcs! They're moving off. You see, Mister Frodo, some luck at last."

[Orcs march towards Frodo and Sam. The hobbits huddle behind a rock.]

Orc Captain: "Move it, you slugs! Come on! Faster! Come along you scum! I'll whip you down to the bone, you."

[Orcs begin to pass by the hobbits.]

Orc Captain: "Come on! What have I told you? Now move it!"

[The Orc Captain spies the hobbits.]

Orc Captain: "Get up! Come on, you slugs!"

[The captain whips the hobbits.]

Orc Captain: "You two are going straight to the front line! Now, move it! Go on! Fall in! Move it! Move it! Move it!"

[Frodo and Sam join the Orc column.]

Orc Captain: "To the Gates, you slugs! Now move it!"

[The sea of orcs head toward the Black Gate.]

Orc Captain: "Don't you know we're at war?"

[Frodo and Sam continue shuffline along with the Orc army.]

Orc Captain: "Company Halt! Inspection!"

[The soldiers stop, but Frodo has trouble standing.]

Frodo: "Sam, help me!"

[Frodo falls but Sam catches him.]

Sam: "Mister Frodo!"

[A brutal-looking Orc sergeant with no nose looks around.]

Sam: "Stand up, Mister Frodo! Stand up!"

Frodo: "It's so heavy!"

[Sam sees the Ring's chain cutting into Frodo's neck. No Nose turns toward Sam.]

Sam: "Oh no!"

[No Nose sees Sam and roars. He makes for the hobbits.]

Sam: "What do I do? What do we do?"

Frodo: "Hit me!"

Sam: "What?"

Frodo: "Hit me Sam! Start fighting!"

[Sam shoves Frodo away.]

Sam: "Get off of me!"

[Sam hits Frodo.]

Sam: "Nobody pushes me, you filthy maggot!"

[The Orcs circle the hobbits, shoving each other while watching them fight. No Nose is stopped by the crowd.]

Sam: "Get off of me!"

Orc Captain: "Break it up! Break it up."

No Nose: "Oy! I'll have your guts if you don't shut this rabble down!"

Frodo: "Go, Sam. Now!"

[Sam and Frodo sneak out of the Orc troop and into a tent. No Nose looks around for them, but gives up.]

No Nose: "Argh. Move along scum!"

Orc Captain: "Back in the line! You maggots! Back into the line, you slugs!"

[Frodo and Sam escape.]

Orc Captain: "Dig it, you slugs! Move it!"

[Frodo and Sam walk slowly across Mordor in their Orc armor. Frodo falls and lays panting.]

Frodo: "I can't… I can't manage the Ring, Sam. It's… it's… it's such a weight to carry. It… such a weight."

[Sam points toward Mount Doom.]

Sam: "We're going that way. Straight as we can. There's no point in carrying anything we're not sure to need."

[The hobbits throw their Orc armor into a fissure. Sam throws down his pans. Sam and Frodo are resting at night. Sam sees a glimmer of stars in the night sky.]

Sam: "Mister Frodo, look! There is light, and beauty up there, that no Shadow can touch."

[Frodo, unconscious, doesn't respond.]

[On the Mountain of Fire, Sam crawls up to Frodo and takes him in his arms.]

Sam: "Do you remember the Shire, Mister 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."

[Frodo opens his eyes and stares blindly at Sam.]

Sam: "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. Or the touch of grass. I'm naked in the dark. There's 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, Mister Frodo. I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you! Come on!"

[Sam lifts Frodo over his back. Sam staggers up the mountainside, with Frodo on his shoulders. Sam and Frodo approach the upper cone of the Orodruin. Sam spots a passage into the Chambers of Fire.]

Sam: "Look, Mister Frodo. A doorway! We're almost there."

[Gollum appears from behind a rock above the hobbits.]

Gollum: "Clever Hobbits, to climb so high!"

[Gollum pounces on Frodo and Sam. Frodo falls from Sam's back. Gollum lands on Frodo and begins to strangle him.]

Gollum: "Mustn't go that way! Mustn't hurt the precious!"

Frodo: "You swore! You swore on the precious! Sméagol promised!"

[Gollum grins.]

Gollum: "Sméagol lied."

[Sam throws a rock a Gollum's head, knocking him off Frodo. Sam jumps on Gollum and they wrestle on the ground. Gollum bites Sam. Sam slices Gollum across the chest. As Gollum falls, Sam turns to look for Frodo.]

Sam: "Frodo!"

[Frodo, now re-energized, runs into the Cracks of Doom.]

[Sam enters the door into the mountainside.]

Sam: "Frodo!"

[Frodo stands at on a ledge above a sea of molten lava.]

Frodo: "I'm here, Sam."

Sam: "Destroy it!"

[Frodo holds the Ring on its chain out above the lava.]

Sam: "Go on. Now! Throw it in the fire!"

[Frodo hesitates. The Ring begins to sing.]

Sam: "What are you waiting for? Just let it go!"

[Frodo stares at the Ring. Frodo pauses, then cups it in his hand. He turns to Sam.]

Frodo: "The Ring is mine!"

[Frodo snaps the Ring off of its chain.]

Sam: "No. No!"

[Frodo puts on the Ring and disappears.]

Sam: "No!"

[In the Cracks of Doom, Frodo's footprints form on the ground in front of Sam. Gollum appears over Sam's shoulder, and hits him with a rock. Sam drops to the ground. Gollum spots Frodo's footprints, and runs up to Frodo, jumping on the invisible hobbit. Frodo struggles with Gollum. Sam awakes to see the struggle for the Ring. Gollum makes a biting action, and Frodo reappears, his finger bitten off. Gollum takes the ring from the severed finger. Gollum, at last reunited with the Ring, leaps for joy.]

Gollum: "Yes! Yes!"

[Frodo gets up and starts to walk toward Gollum.]

Gollum: "Precious! Precious! Precious! Precious!"

[Frodo lunges at Gollum. The two fight for the Ring. Frodo and Gollum continue struggling. Together they tumble over the the side of the ledge. Gollum falls toward the lava, smiling and cradling the Ring on his way down. Gollum hits the lava and burns up, leaving ashen remains that suspend the Ring just above the fire. Frodo hangs on to the side of the cliff. Sam rushes to his aid.]

Sam: "Give me your hand!"

[Sam tries to grab Frodo, but cannot reach him. The Ring's inscription appears.]

Sam: "Take my hand!"

[Frodo reaches for Sam, but his hand slips away.]

Sam: "No! Don't you let go!"

Sam: "Don't let go. Reach!"

[Frodo reaches and grabs Sam's hand. Sam pulls up Frodo. The Ring melts into the lava, destroyed at last.]