Lord Of The Rings: 10 Persistent Plot Holes FINALLY Debunked

The Claim: Badass as the moment when Éowyn reveals herself is, it seems convenient. How did she ride all the way from Edoras to Minas Tirith without anyone recognising her? Did she never take her helmet off? Did she not bathe? Did she never talk?

In the books, Éowyn (as Dernhelm), as Merry recalls, “never spoke to anyone,” and when she did, she spoke softly, disguising her voice. Furthermore, she kept her distance from Théoden and Éomer: it was only as they neared Minas Tirith that Merry, “noticed that Dernhelm had left his place and in the darkness was moving steadily forward, until at last he was riding just in the rear of the king’s guard.”

As for bathing – and needing to take the helmet off – the Rohirrim never stopped long enough. They rode for almost four days straight before camping briefly less than a day’s ride from Minas Tirith, where they were under threat of attack.

In terms of the movie these explanations work equally well. The only difference is that in the books her hair was worn up, concealed under her helmet. But in the movie, her long hair still isn’t a problem, because the majority of the Rohirrim have long hair.

So, it was no cheap moment. Tolkien and Jackson had their bases covered.