Fans ofThe Lord of the Ringsmovies — who watchedChristopher Lee’s Saruman die at the hands of Grima Wormtongue (Brad Dourif) and Sauron erupt after the destruction of the One Ring — may wonder what happened to these villains after the credits roll. Do their stories end differently fromJ.R.R. Tolkien’s original high-fantasy epic? Of course, Tolkien’s material differs fromPeter Jackson’s film adaptations in many respects. However, those who have read the books will be quick to note that the White Wizard and the Dark Lord ultimately suffer similar fates, even if the surrounding events change. Here’s what you need to know about the respective endings of Sauron and Saruman…
Sauron Is Robbed of His Physical Form Forever in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings
At the end ofThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, we get this epic conclusion where Barad-dûr collapses on itself and Sauron is defeated for good. The Great Eye explodes, and the armies of Mordor are imprisoned in the earth after a great quake splits the ground in two. It’s a great moment, and we can see the looks of victory plastered across the faces of Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and the others — at least, until Mount Doom erupts, and they assume the worst for Frodo (Elijah Wood). But how does this all happen in the books? Well, it’s a bit different from what we see on the screen.
In Tolkien’s original material, when the One Ring is destroyed within the fires of Mount Doom, Sauron (who was not a giant, flaming eye in the books, by the way) is forever robbed of his physical form. While this would not bethe first time that the Dark Lord has been stripped of his power, it would ultimately prove the last. In the “The Field of Cormallen” chapter ofThe Return of the King, Gandalf proclaims that Frodo has succeeded, noting that “the realm of Sauron is ended!” As for what happens next, Tolkien further describes Sauron’s defeat in this way…
And as the Captains gazed south to the Land of Mordor, it seemed to them that, black against the pall of cloud, there rose a huge shape of shadow, impenetrable, lightning-crowned, filling all the sky. Enormous it reared above the world, and stretched out towards them a vast threatening hand, terrible but impotent: for even as it leaned over them,a great wind took it, and it was all blown away, and passed; and then a hush fell.
According to Tolkien’s lore, Sauron was stripped forever of his physical body and reverted to his Maia form, now characterized as a dark spirit that hovers over his claimed land. ThoughSauron’s eternal spirit continued on, he no longer had the power or the strength to influence the happenings of Middle-earth. Thus,like his master Morgothbefore him, Sauron was left completely and utterly defeated.
Saruman’s Fate Is Far More Tragic in the Books Than in the Movie
At the end ofThe Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Saruman’s plans are thwarted. The Battle of Helm’s Deep has been won, and the Ents have taken over Isengard, leaving the White Wizard alone in the tower of Orthanc. At the beginning of the next film (at least in the superior Extended Edition), Sauron is killed by none other than Grima Wormtongue after Gandalf and his allies confront the corrupted Istar. After Wormtongue stabs the wizard in the back,he falls to his ultimate demise. It’s gruesome and horrible, but it’s not howhis story ends in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Well, it is and it isn’t.
This Bizarre, Lost Lord of the Rings Adaptation Did One Thing Better than Peter Jackson’s Trilogy
Not all who wander are lost.
In the books, Saruman survives the War of the Ring. In fact, after Isengard falls, the White Wizard (robbed of much of his power) flees to none other than the Shire, posing under the name “Sharkey” in reference to a name his Orcs used to call him. In"The Scouring of the Shire" chapter ofThe Return of the King, the four Hobbits return from war to find that the Shire looks more like Mordor or Isengard than it does their home. Discovering that Sharkey is behind it, they rally their people and fight back against the enemy forces. When it is revealed that Saruman is Sharkey,Frodo decides to show mercy to the clearly defeated former Wizard, forcing him to leave and not return. Even after Saruman tries to kill Frodo, the Hobbit refuses to allow any more bloodshed.
However, Saruman ultimately suffers the same fate as in the films. After trying to kill Frodo, Saruman is banished from the Shire, but not before Frodo tries to encourage Wormtongue not to listen to or follow the former White Wizard any longer. Seeing something redeemable in Wormtongue, Saruman notes that his follower is nothing more than that (save as a killer as well). As Saruman continues to put down his minion (even kicking him in the face), Wormtongue grows angry. This leads to a final act of rebellion on Wormtongue’s part, asthe former man of Rohan reveals a hidden knife and slices Saruman’s throat from behind. Before Frodo can say otherwise, three Hobbit bowmen shoot and kill Wormtongue in return (somethingOrlando Bloom’s Legolasechoes in the film). “And that’s the end of that,” Sam notes afterward. “A nasty end, and I wish I needn’t have seen it; but it’s a good riddance.” While Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Ringsmay not get all the specifics right about how the tale’s two chief antagonists end (indeed,Christopher Lee was disappointed about the changes made to Saruman’s demise), it ultimately follows the spirit of what Tolkien set out to achieve with his novel.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
