Frodo and Sam stagger across the plain. Frodo is caught in a beam of the Eye and cannot move. Sam calls to him from were he cowers on the ground.

At this moment Aragorn approaches the gate. The Eye of Sauron is brought round and Frodo falls in a swoon. Sam takes Frodo in his arms and asks him if he remembers the Shire. Frodo confesses that he cannot see anything, he is naked in the dark, and all he can see is a wheel of fire. (excellent acting on Elijah's part here.)

The gate opens, Gandalf and Aragorn and attendants gallop back toward the lines and we see the host of Mordor behind them, vastly outnumbering their small army.

Frodo tries to climb up the Mountain of Doom and fails. Sam vows that he cannot carry the Ring, but he can carry Frodo and puts Frodo over his shoulder and continues up the Mountain. (Go Sam!)

Aragorn urges his men to fight, riding up and down the ranks. We see the armies of Mordor surround the Men of The West.

Sam has carried Frodo to the portal of the Crack of Doom. Suddenly Gollum appears above them and pounces down upon Frodo. Sam fights with Gollum and beats his head with a rock. Sam looks back to see Frodo scrambling up the mountainside toward the entrance.

Aragorn and his men stand before the might of Sauron's army. Aragorn in now on foot. We see Sauron as a great Eye, and the Eye calls to Aragorn, as if promising him something.

Everthing stills, Aragorn slowly turns back to his men, and Gandalf and says 'for Frodo.' and charges the orc army alone.

Two little figures spring immediatley after the King, Merry and Pippin-then the rest of the host follow, with Legolas and Gimli.

Sam enters the Sammath Namur. He calls for Frodo, and sees him standing at the end of the long walk, the end of which juts out over a pool of molten rock. Frodo is oblivious, staring at the Ring in his hand.

Sam exhorts Frodo. Frodo holds out the Ring on its chain-and hesitates. Sam asks Frodo to 'let it go.'

Frodo studies the Ring. He turns to Sam. He breaks the Ring off its chain. He looks at Sam.

Sam says 'no.'weeping.

(some truly scary acting from Elijah here-)

Frodo looks at him steadily, placing the Ring in one hand and putting out the finger of his other hand-and smiles.

Sam shouts 'no!'

Frodo (says the Ring is mine) puts it on and vanishes.

The Eye of Sauron turns aburptly. The Nazgul scream above the battlefield.

Sam is struck from behind.

We see Gollum leap -Gollum is surrounding something with his arms and legs suspended in mid-air.

The Nazgul fly their winged steeds toward Mount Doom.

Gollum continues to struggle. Sam shouts for Frodo.

We see Gollum bite and gnaw the air-suddenly Frodo is visable on his knees, his arm stretched over his head-he brings his bleeding hand down into our line of view, Gollum has bitten Frodo's finger off and holds the Ring.

Sam goes to assist Frodo while Gollum gloats. Frodo is furious and leaps up to attack Gollum, fighting with him on the edge of the precipice for the Ring.

Gollum and Frodo go over the edge. We see Gollum falling with a serene look on his face, curling covetously around the Ring. He falls into the molten rock. His face looks bewildered as he sinks, the lava drinking him in. For long moments the Ring sits on the lava untouched.

Sam finds Frodo clinging onto the ledge. He reaches down for him. Frodo just hangs with an indescribable expression of loss. Sam pleads for Frodo to reach for him.

On the lava bed, letters appear glowing on the Ring, and it melts into nothingness.

Frodo looks at Sam for a long moment, wanting nothing more than to let go. Sam screams to him-'dont you let go' and Frodo reaches up for Sam's hand.

At the black gate the armies suddenly stand still, a cloud appears above the Black Tower, Sauron's eye changes color and begins to dart around. The Tower collapses slowly, all the while Sauron's eye flares brillantly, just as the tower hits the plain, a giant expolosion shatters the tower to dust, and a cloud of debree flies out and engulfs Sauron's army.

The plain falls away in a great chasm, taking the large part of Sauron's army with it, leaving the Men of The West unharmed. The Army cheers. We see Merry shout 'Frodo!'

Then Aragorn's face apalled, as the top of Mount Doom explodes. We see Pippin weeping and calling for Frodo.

Frodo and Sam run from the Sammanth Namur. Once out in the open, Frodo exclaims-'It's gone! Free of the power of the Ring.

Frodo and Sam cling together and walk down the mountainside, which is erupting all about them, they find momentary saftey on a pillar of rock.

Frodo delights in that he can recall the Shire once more. Sam is weeping, regretting that he knows now he loves Rose Cotton and wished he could have married her. Frodo looks at Sam, sorry that he brought him to this end and holds Sam in his arms. Frodo says that he is glad that Sam is with him, 'here at the end of all things.' Fade to black.

Scene opens with the sight of Sam and Frodo on their rock amidst the destruction, lying unconcious. We see three eagles appear in the distance. Gandalf rides the first. We see Frodo picked up by one eagle, then Sam by the next eagle. Frodo's face in close up as he is carried aloft through the clouds.

Frodo is in a room in the Houses of Healing in Minas Tirith. He slowly wakes to find Gandalf at the foot of the bed. He says the wizard's name in wonder, and Gandalf smiles on him and laughs. Frodo laughs in return, much as he did long ago, at their meeting in the Shire.

The door opens and Merry and Pippin run in, leaping into the bed with Frodo, and he hugs them. Then Gimli enters, then Legolas, and then Aragorn, and all look down on Frodo and smile, and Frodo smiles at them.

Then Frodo sees Sam, and the smile leaves his face, but his expression is peacefull, full of joy and love for his dearest friend.

Next scene is the pinnacle of Minas Tirith, where the people have gathered. We see Gandalf standing before the Citadel, Gimli brings Gandalf a crown, and Gandalf sets it on the brow of a man,
we see the man as Aragorn.

He turns to face his people as King. He sings them a blessing, and white petals fall through the air.

Legolas meets Aragorn before the people near the White Tree-now in flower. The two share a long glance and cross arms.

Legolas stands aside so that Aragorn may look behind him to where Elrond stands. Arwen is revealed behind the standard she carries.

Aragorn is amazed, and approaches slowly, then he and Arwen embrace and kiss spontaneously and the crowd cheers, among them Eowyn and Faramir, looking very happy together.

Aragorn and Arwen come at last to the four hobbits, dressed in their Shire trousers and weskits-without cloaks or livery- and the hobbits bow to the King and Queen, but Aragorn tells them they should bow to no one, and to the amazement of Merry and Frodo and Pippin and Sam, standing shoulder to shoulder, the King and Queen and the entire population of Minas Tirith bow down to them.

Then we see a map of Middle Earth, and Frodo narrates the end of the tale, how he and Merry and Pippin and Sam returned to peace in the Shire, dressed in their finery, recieving stares from their neighbors (old Proudfoot for one)

The Travellers meet once more in the Green Dragon, distant and apart from their fellows, and they all raise their glasses to one another silently. Then Sam spies Rosie across the counter and taking a drink, gets up to talk to her, the other hobbits look on, and Frodo smiles.

Sam and Rosie are wed, and Merry, Frodo and Pippin are in attendance, cheering.

We see Frodo wandering by himself in a very empty Bag End, telling us in narrative that he has not been able to return as his friends have returned.

We see Frodo at work on his book, in the same study at Bag End. He writes on the title page. There and Back Again, a hobbit's tale by Bilbo Baggins and The Lord of The Rings, by Frodo Baggins.

Sam comes in with congradulations on finishing the book. Frodo complains that his wound still bothers him and it will never heal.

An outdoor shot of a covered wagon, travelling down the road, Frodo narrates that Bilbo is about to make one more journey. The hobbits are on ponies, following.

Inside the wagon Frodo sits with a ancient Bilbo. And Bilbo asks after his Ring. Frodo confesses that he lost it, with haunted eyes. Bilbo says it would have been nice to hold the Ring again, and Frodo holds Bilbo close to him, saying nothing.

The hobbits come to the Grey Havens, where Elrond, Galadriel and Celeborn wait for them on the quay beside the Last Ship. They invite Bilbo to come with them, for the time of the elves has ended. Bilbo smiles and Elrond assists him on board.

Gandalf says farewell to the hobbits, for he shall also go. Sam, Merry and Pippin weep, but Frodo looks nervous.

Then Gandalf calls to Frodo. Sam turns to Frodo and asks if he is going to leave. Frodo tells him 'the Shire was saved, but not for me.'
He hands Sam the book he and Bilbo wrote, saying. 'The last pages are for you.'

Frodo turns and hugs Merry. Then he turns and holds Pippin. Last of all Frodo holds Sam in his arms, then kisses him on the forehead, and their heads bend down so they touch.

Frodo walks away with Gandalf. He stands on the ship, looking back to his friends and smiles gently at them, he looks happy, astonishingly beautiful. Throughout this farewell Frodo has never shed a tear. The shot holds for a long moment.

Merry, Pippin and Sam are weeping, and they smile back.

We hear Frodo's voice telling Sam that he should not be torn in two, that he has much to live for, to be and to do. We see Sam walking up to Number Three Bagshot row and his daughter Elanor, and Rosie holds his son Frodo in her arms.

Sam says. 'well, I'm back.' and the little family goes into number three and the yellow door shuts behind them.



THE END.