Lord Of The Rings: 10 Best Scenes NOT From The Books

The biggest difference between the LOTR adaptation and the source material is the ending.

Even though the film ends (eventually) with everyone living happily ever after, the book concludes with Saruman scouring The Shire, forcing Frodo and his companions to free their people. After the hobbits cast Saruman out, his minion, Grima Wormtongue, stabs him to death, putting an end to the White Wizard once and for all.

Because this sequence takes place immediately after the final battle with Sauron's army, it feels out of place and anticlimactic. As a result, Jackson wisely shifted things around so this scene was removed and Saruman died after he was confronted by Gandalf's party in Isengard.

Although this feels like a meshing of scenes rather an additional one, this change allows us to see a much gentler side to Theoden. The last time the king of Rohan confronted Grima, he was ready to behead him.

But this time, he recognises his former counsellor had been brainwashed by the One Ring, and urges him to come home. Considering Wormtongue's manipulations prevented Theoden from seeing his dying son, this shows the forgiving nature of Rohan's leader. Although the dialogue is similar to what Frodo says to Grima in the book, it has a bigger impact coming from Thedeon since he has a personal connection with Saruman's lackey.