The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kingis, quite famously, a long movie, and it would have been even longer if Peter Jackson had adapted J.R.R. Tolkien’s books to the letter. The original version featured an epilogue of sorts - a story at the end of the story - called “The Scouring of the Shire.”
In a nutshell, the four main hobbits - Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin - return to the Shire to find that an undercover Saruman has corrupted their once-beautiful homeland. Despite being rather tired after saving Middle-earth from a rogue maia and walking all the way home again, the hairy-footed quartet rallies its strength and bestows one final defeat upon the enemy wizard.
The Scouring of the Shire was not included in Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Ringsmovies, robbing the villain of his final act, and depriving the four hobbits of one last hurrah before the credits rolled. Had Jackson included the chapter, however, it would have completely redefined the power balance amongTheLord of the Rings' Fellowship members.
The Hobbits Always Stand Apart From LOTR’s Other Fellowship Members
ThroughoutThe Lord of the Rings, whether it be Tolkien’s books or Jackson’s movies, thehobbits are viewed in-universe as less noble, less esteemed folkcompared to the other Fellowship protagonists. Such discrimination ranges from the halflings being severely underestimated to some characters harboring an outright disbelief that hobbits have anything to offer Middle-earth other than potato-based recipes and tobacco.
And, in fairness, that’s the pointThe Lord of the Ringsis trying to make - that a seemingly unimportant, physically diminutive race can rise up, show courage beyond its size, and topple an almighty evil.
Even asThe Lord of the Ringsends, the issue never goes away.The Return of the King’s famous shot of Merry and Pippin leading the final charge against Mordor’s armies at the Black Gate plays upon the visual comparison of two undersized soldiers sprinting toward danger as fast as their little legs can carry them. It’s supposed to be at least a little bit humorous.
And while the “you bow to no one” scene serves as the ultimate sign of respect toward the four hobbits,there remains an unspoken sense that Frodo and his friends only came to be considered heroes because they were able to defy physical limitationsand the lower standing of their race.
On occasions, it feels like the hobbits are mere children among the Fellowship. Other times they just come across as simple creatures who went out to buy some cheese and wandered onto the battlefield by accident. Certainly, the company members perceive each other as equals, but there is never true equity between the hobbits and the other members of the Fellowship in the eyes of Middle-earth as a whole.
It’s rarely said out loud, but the likes of Aragorn and Legolas are treated by their peers as great heroes, whereas Frodo and Sam are great heroes with the caveat “especiallyconsidering they’re hobbits…”
How The Scouring Of The Shire Changes The Fellowship’s Dynamic
In Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Ringsmovies, that sensation of inferiority never goes away. When the Shire squad return home, they assimilate back into ordinary life like their grand adventure never happened. Thelocal grocers and barkeepers do not give one solitary sprout that Frodo of Bag End just destroyed an ancient Second Age relic, or that the mischievous Meriadoc Brandybuck helped fell the Witch-king of Angmar.
This return to normality reinforces the notion that hobbits had no business getting involved in the affairs of Sauron, Gondor, andthe One Ringin the first place. “The Scouring of the Shire,” however, sends the exact opposite message.
For one thing, the four hobbits are forced to handle Saruman’s comeback without their Fellowship friends or allied armies. The Shire’s safety rests on their shoulders alone, which makes their eventual success all the more impressive.
More importantly, “The Scouring of the Shire” accentuates howFrodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin have, as a result of their long quest, become greater compared to their fellow hobbits. Tolkien describes Merry and Pippin as physically larger due to drinking Ent-draught in Fangorn Forest, while all four return home carrying auras of authority, inner fortitude, and steely determination.
From the hallowed halls of Rivendell to the blood and dirt of the Pelennor Fields, the hobbits had always been underdogs. “The Scouring of the Shire” turns that dynamic on its head, and the Fellowship’s hobbits suddenly become strong, capable symbols of heroism that innocent hobbit civilians are looking toward to save the day.
From there, it’s hard not to view the Fellowship in an entirely new light. Whereas Jackson’s movies never drop the divide between the Fellowship’s full-sized members (plus Gimli) and its contingent of hobbits, “the Scouring of the Shire” puts everything into perspective. Back in their homeland, Frodo and his companions look every inch the legendary warriors they truly are.
It becomes apparent that the same could have happened to any individual from the Fellowship. AcrossThe Lord of the Rings, Aragorn appears as the best the race of Men has to offer, but if he rode into battle with a group of vala, the likes of Tulkas and Manwë would be patting him on the head, praising Gondor’s king for doing a good job “…for a mortal.” More than any other chapter inThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, “the Scouring of the Shire” proves the four hobbits really did become the best, brightest, and biggest of the Shire.
