The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King - 2003 [Kosjeyr]

Whilst fishing, Déagol finds the One Ring in a river. Sméagol murders him for the Ring and flees into a cave, succumbing to the Ring's spell and becoming the creature Gollum.

King Théoden, Aragorn, Gandalf and the other heroes of Helm's Deep reunite with Merry and Pippin. Pippin looks into Saruman's palantír, which he recovered from Isengard. Sauron attacks Pippin’s mind, but Pippin is able to glimpse Sauron’s plans. Gandalf deduces that he is planning to attack Minas Tirith, and rides there with Pippin. They find Denethor, the Steward of Gondor full of grief for his lost son Boromir and paranoid over Aragorn’s claim to the throne. To compensate for Boromir's death defending him, Pippin swears service to Denethor. The armies of Mordor, led by the Witch-King of Angmar, Chief of the Ringwraiths, drive Faramir and his men from their final stronghold of Osgiliath. Denethor sends Faramir on a fruitless mission to reclaim the city. Pippin secretly lights the distress beacon, signaling Théoden to assemble the Rohirrim for battle.

Elrond informs Aragorn that Arwen did not go to the Undying Lands, and is now dying. He gives Aragorn the sword Andúril to acquire the service of the Army of the Dead, who owe allegiance to the heir of Isildur. Aragorn, with Legolas and Gimli, ventures into the Paths of the Dead and demands the loyalty of the King of the Dead. Théoden rides to war, unaware that Éowyn and Merry have secretly joined his forces.

Faramir's horse drags his wounded body back to Minas Tirith, with Sauron's armies at its heels. Believing he has lost both sons, Denethor descends into madness, leaving Gandalf to organise the city defences. As the siege rages on, Théoden arrives with reinforcements and decimate the Orcs, only to be counter-attacked by Haradrim Oliphants. Denethor intends to burn himself and Faramir, and expels Pippin from his service when the Hobbit intervenes. Pippin and Gandalf save Faramir from death, though Denethor commits suicide nonetheless. On the battlefield, the Witch-king singles out and kills Théoden. Éowyn desperately stands before the Witch-King but is defeated, and the Witch-King proclaims that no man can kill him. However, Merry stabs him from behind and Éowyn slays him, causing him to be undone not by a man, but a woman and Hobbit. Finally, Aragorn arrives with the Army of the Dead and rout Sauron's forces, ending the battle. Aragorn frees the Army of the Dead and their souls go to the afterlife.

Meanwhile, Frodo, Sam and Gollum travel to Minas Morgul. Sam overhears Gollum's plans to murder them and take the Ring, but Frodo refuses to believe him. Hoping to remove Sam as an obstacle, Gollum manipulates Frodo into believing Sam wants the Ring for himself. Frodo angrily banishes a heartbroken Sam, who initially leaves before he discovers Gollum’s treachery. Gollum leaves Frodo in the lair of the giant spider Shelob, where he is attacked. Sam drives Shelob away, but believes Frodo to be dead. An Orc patrol takes Frodo’s body to the fortress at Cirith Ungol, revealing Frodo to be alive. Sam sneaks in and rescues Frodo, revealing that he took the Ring for safekeeping after he believed Frodo dead. After a brief hesitation, he returns the Ring to Frodo and they continue the journey to Mount Doom.

Meanwhile, Aragorn leads his remaining men to the Black Gate of Mordor, distracting Sauron’s forces and allowing Frodo to reach Mount Doom. As Sam carries the weakened Frodo up the volcano, Gollum reappears and attacks them. At the Crack of Doom, Frodo succumbs to the Ring's power, refusing to destroy it. Gollum attacks Frodo, biting his finger off and seizing the Ring for himself. Frodo grapples with Gollum and they fall over the edge. Frodo grabs onto the ledge, leaving Gollum to fall into the lava to his death, taking the Ring with him. Sauron is destroyed and the land of Mordor collapses. Frodo and Sam are saved from the erupting volcano by Gandalf and the Eagles.

Aragorn is crowned King and marries Arwen while the four Hobbits are honoured for their deeds. Four years after they return home to the Shire, Frodo departs Middle-Earth for the Undying Lands, bringing an end to the Fellowship.