Summary
Having Saruman appear in 2024’sThe Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrimis necessary to embrace aspects of his character from the books. The greatSir Christopher Lee portrayed Saruman the White in both Peter Jackson’sLOTRtrilogy andThe Hobbitmovies, creating a definitive on-screen version of the character. Still, many of the biggestLord of the Ringsbook vs movie differencestake away from his character, with his two most important chapters from the books stripped away from the films. This includes “The Scouring of the Shire” and “The Voice of Saruman.”
While the omission of “The Scouring of the Shire” is well documented, it’s not discussed enough how great “The Voice of Saruman” is for it to not appear in the film. TheReturn of the Kingdeleted scenesinclude a meeting at Orthanc where Saruman is backstabbed by Wormtongue, but it doesn’t quite capture the full essence of his character from the books.In “The Voice of Saruman,” Gandalf and his companions enter Orthanc to treat with the wizardfollowing the Battle of Helm’s Deep inThe Two Towers.
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Saruman Could Appear In The War Of The Rohirrim
Saruman Arrives In Rohan After The War In Tolkien’s Writings
War of the Rohirrim’sstorytakes place centuries beforeThe Lord of the Ringsand will mostly center around the conflict between Rohan and the Dunlendings. However, Saruman is likely to appear in the film as his character eventually arrives in Rohan at the end of this conflict.Fréaláf Hildeson is crowned as the tenth King of Rohan, and Saruman arrives at his coronation to woo himwith charm. Through flattery and gifts, Saruman swindles his way into control of Orthanc and Isengard, setting up his narrative forLOTR.
This scene should be the perfect opportunity to utilize “The Voice of Saruman” in a way that Peter Jackson’s films never did.
Saruman presents himself as an ally to the Rohirrim, but anyone who’s seen or readThe Two Towersknows how that turns out. Hisprimary motivation in securing the tower was to have his own seat of power in Middle-earthand to find the palantíri that he suspected was there. This scene should be the perfect opportunity to utilize “The Voice of Saruman” in a way that Peter Jackson’s films never did.
The War Of The Rohirrim Should Draw From “The Voice Of Saruman”
Saruman Can Show His Cunning Ways From The Books
TheLord of the Ringstrilogy depicts Saruman as a wizard turned to evil, who becomes a force for Sauron but shows some intention of becoming his own dark lord in Middle-earth. But, what’s fascinating about “The Voice of Saruman” is how the chapter shows his abilities. Beyond just great power and will,Saruman understands people, and he’s capable of manipulating even the wisest of kings. After the Battle of Helm’s Deep, Gandalf leads his company in to meet Saruman, and the wizard nearly tricks Théoden into believing they’re still allies.
When first presented,Saruman displays himself with a kind, gentle demeanor that’s never depicted in the films. He presents himself as Gandalf might, though in an inauthentic variation. It isn’t until he’s rejected by Théoden that this kindness quickly shifts into a monstrous rage. InWar of the Rohirrim, there’s a perfect opportunity to show this side of Saruman. He arrives at the end of the war after not helping either side and uses his charisma to find himself with a powerful new fortress. Movie audiences may be able to see a captivating new aspect of Saruman.
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How Saruman Is Different In The Lord Of The Rings Movies & Books
Saruman Is In The Books Less Than The Movies, But Some Of His Best Scenes Are Missing
To be clear, Peter Jackson’s changes to Saruman aren’t bad. In fact, Christopher Lee’s interpretation of the character is one of the best aspects of the trilogy, especially with his elevated role inThe Fellowship of the Ring, while, in the books, he doesn’t even appear until the downfall of Isengard inThe Two Towers. Still,Saruman’s absence inThe Return of the Kingdoes ultimately leave the character lackingsome of his potential. It would have disturbed the flow of the film series, but there are some crucial Saruman moments that are missing.
First, in “The Voice of Saruman,“Gandalf pleads with his old friend to lay down his arms and work with them to defeat Sauronafter destroying his old staff. It’s Saruman’s pride that gets in the way, as he refuses to be cooperative after all that has happened. This leads to “The Scouring of the Shire,” where he goes to the Shire and sets it ablaze, proving that he’s not just a puppet of Sauron but a man with his own plans and intentions.War of the Rohirrimcan expand on this angle of his character.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
Set before the events of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is an animated action-adventure fantasy film that follows a King of Rohan named Helm Hammerhand. When his home comes under siege by Dunlendings, Hammerhand prepares himself and his allies to fight back against them, with the war leading to the eventual establishment of Helm’s Deep.
