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'''The Black Gate Opens''' is the tenth chapter of the fifth book in [[The Return of the King]].
{{disambig-two|the chapter from [[The Return of the King]]|scene from [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]|[[The Black Gate Opens (scene)]]}}
{{chapter
| image=Peter Xavier Price - The Battle of the Morannon.jpg
| title=The Black Gate Opens
| book=The Return of the King
| number=10
| event=The [[Captains of the West]] face the armies of [[Mordor]].
| date=[[17 March|17]]-[[25 March]] {{TA|3019}}
| location=The [[Morannon]]
| perspective=[[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Peregrin]]
| previous=The Last Debate
| next=The Tower of Cirith Ungol
}}
'''The Black Gate Opens''' is the tenth chapter of the first book in ''[[The Return of the King]]''.


===Summary===
==Summary==
Two days later, the [[armies of the West]] set out for [[Mordor]], numbering seven thousand. At [[Imrahil]]’s urging, a small force remains in [[Minas Tirith]] to defend the city. Though the injured [[Merry]] cannot go to battle, [[Pippin]] marches as a soldier of [[Gondor]]. The army passes [[Osgiliath]] and makes camp; the horsemen move ahead, but they encounter no opposing forces. As the army draws closer to Mordor, [[Gandalf]] instructs the heralds to sound the trumpets and declare the coming of the King of Gondor. The army’s stirring and brazen cheers meet little answer from [[Sauron]] aside from an eerie, watchful silence.
Two days after the decision by the [[Captains of the West]] to assault [[Mordor]],<ref>{{RK|Debate}}</ref> the [[Army of the West|armies of the West]] set out, numbering seven thousand. At [[Imrahil]]’s urging, a small force remained in [[Minas Tirith]] to defend the city. Though the injured [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] could not go to battle, [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] marched as a soldier of [[Gondor]]. The army passed [[Osgiliath]] and made camp; the horsemen moved ahead, but they encountered no opposing forces. As the army drew closer to Mordor, [[Gandalf]] instructed the heralds to sound the trumpets and declare the coming of the King of Gondor. The army's stirring and brazen cheers met little answer from [[Sauron]] aside from an eerie, watchful silence.


On the second day of its march, the army is nearly ambushed by a strong force of [[Orcs]], but [[Aragorn]] and the Captains stop the ambush. Several [[Nazgûl]] begin to fly overhead, following the progress of the army. As Aragorn’s army nears Mordor on the fourth day, the younger troops become paralyzed with fear. In pity, Aragorn permits them to turn back, but many decide to stay. On the sixth day, the host approaches [[Morannon]], the [[Black Gate of Mordor]], which is surrounded by reeking pools of mud and filth. Aragorn arranges his army upon two great hills.
On the second day of its march, the army was nearly ambushed by a strong force of [[Orcs]], but [[Aragorn]] and the Captains stopped the ambush. Several [[Nazgûl]] began to fly overhead, following the progress of the army. As Aragorn's army neared Mordor on the fourth day, the younger troops became paralysed with fear. In pity, Aragorn permitted them to turn back, but many decided to stay. On the sixth day, the host approached [[Morannon]], the [[Black Gate]] of [[Mordor]], which was surrounded by reeking pools of mud and filth. Aragorn arranged his army upon two great hills.


Gandalf and Aragorn ride toward Morannon with a small envoy, including [[Gimli]], [[Legolas]], Pippin, [[Éomer]], Imrahil, and [[Elrond]]’s sons—representatives of each of the races of [[Middle-earth]] that are opposed to Sauron. The envoy calls for Sauron to emerge and submit to the justice of Gondor. After a long period of silence, the [[Lieutenant of the Dark Tower]] emerges with an embassy of black-clad soldiers. Although a living man, the Lieutenant has a face like a skull, and fire burns in his eye sockets and nostrils.
Gandalf and Aragorn rode toward the Morannon with a small envoy, including [[Gimli]], [[Legolas]], Pippin, [[Éomer]], Imrahil, and [[Elrond]]’s sons—representatives of each of the races of [[Middle-earth]] that were opposed to Sauron. The envoy called for Sauron to emerge and submit to the justice of Gondor. After a long period of silence, the [[Mouth of Sauron|Lieutenant of the Dark Tower]] emerged with an embassy of black-clad soldiers. He was a living man, tall-helmed and evil, and his horse had a face like a skull, with fire burning in the eye sockets and nostrils.


The Lieutenant laughingly mocks Aragorn and his army. When Gandalf admonishes him, the Lieutenant draws from his cloak [[Frodo]]’s coat of [[mithril]], [[Sam]]’s sword, and a gray [[Elves|Elven]] cloak. The Lieutenant informs the anxious Captains that Sauron will spare the life of the captured Hobbit spy if they agree to certain terms. Gandalf, with a look of defeat, asks for the terms. The Lieutenant says that Gondor and its allies must never attack Mordor, that Gondor must become a tributary to Mordor, and that a suitable captain from Mordor must rule in [[Isengard]] over [[Rohan]]. Gandalf utterly rejects these terms.
The Lieutenant mocked Aragorn and his army. When Gandalf admonished him, the Lieutenant drew from his cloak [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]]'s [[coat of mithril]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]'s sword, and a grey [[Elves|Elven]] cloak. The Lieutenant informed the anxious Captains that Sauron would spare the life of the captured Hobbit spy if they agreed to certain terms. Gandalf, with a look of defeat, asked for the terms. The Lieutenant said that Gondor and its allies must never attack Mordor, that Gondor must become a tributary to Mordor, and that a suitable captain from Mordor must rule in [[Isengard]] over [[Rohan]]. Gandalf utterly rejected these terms.


The Lieutenant feels a sudden grip of terror at Gandalf’s rebuke. He turns and retreats to the Black Gate. As he does, the host of Mordor—much larger than that of Gondor—pours out of the Gate. Drums roll, fires blaze, and the sun turns red. A great company of brutal hill-trolls charges into Pippin’s company. One of the [[Trolls]] pounces on [[Beregond]], but Pippin stabs the Troll with his sword. The Troll topples forward and crushes the startled [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]. Pippin begins to lose consciousness. He bids farewell to the world, and just as everything turns dark, Pippin hears a great clamor of voices shouting, “The [[Eagles]] are coming!
The Lieutenant, rebuked by Gandalf, was gripped by terror. He turned and retreated to the Black Gate. As he did, the host of Mordor, much larger than that of Gondor, poured out of the Gate. Drums rolled, fires blazed, and the sun turned red. A great company of brutal hill-trolls charged into Pippin's company. One of the [[Trolls]] pounced on [[Beregond]], but Pippin stabbed the Troll with his sword. The Troll toppled forward and crushed the startled [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]. Pippin began to lose consciousness. He bade the world farewell, but just as everything turned dark, he heard a great clamour of voices shouting, "The [[Eagles]] are coming!" In his dazed state he wondered if he was merely recalling [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]]'s story of the [[Battle of Five Armies]].<ref>{{H|Burst}}</ref>
Book V ends here.
==Composition==
The writing of Book V was probably completed by the end of [[October]] [[1946]].<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. xxvii</ref>
{{references}}
[[Category:The Return of the King chapters|Black Gate Opens]]
[[fi:Musta portti aukeaa (TSH)]]

Latest revision as of 21:32, 15 December 2022

This article is about the chapter from The Return of the King. For the scene from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, see The Black Gate Opens (scene).
Peter Xavier Price - The Battle of the Morannon.jpg
The Black Gate Opens
Chapter of The Return of the King
Number10
Synopsis
EventThe Captains of the West face the armies of Mordor.
Date17-25 March T.A. 3019
LocationThe Morannon
PerspectiveMerry and Peregrin
Navigation
<  The Last Debate
The Tower of Cirith Ungol  >

The Black Gate Opens is the tenth chapter of the first book in The Return of the King.

Summary[edit | edit source]

Two days after the decision by the Captains of the West to assault Mordor,[1] the armies of the West set out, numbering seven thousand. At Imrahil’s urging, a small force remained in Minas Tirith to defend the city. Though the injured Merry could not go to battle, Pippin marched as a soldier of Gondor. The army passed Osgiliath and made camp; the horsemen moved ahead, but they encountered no opposing forces. As the army drew closer to Mordor, Gandalf instructed the heralds to sound the trumpets and declare the coming of the King of Gondor. The army's stirring and brazen cheers met little answer from Sauron aside from an eerie, watchful silence.

On the second day of its march, the army was nearly ambushed by a strong force of Orcs, but Aragorn and the Captains stopped the ambush. Several Nazgûl began to fly overhead, following the progress of the army. As Aragorn's army neared Mordor on the fourth day, the younger troops became paralysed with fear. In pity, Aragorn permitted them to turn back, but many decided to stay. On the sixth day, the host approached Morannon, the Black Gate of Mordor, which was surrounded by reeking pools of mud and filth. Aragorn arranged his army upon two great hills.

Gandalf and Aragorn rode toward the Morannon with a small envoy, including Gimli, Legolas, Pippin, Éomer, Imrahil, and Elrond’s sons—representatives of each of the races of Middle-earth that were opposed to Sauron. The envoy called for Sauron to emerge and submit to the justice of Gondor. After a long period of silence, the Lieutenant of the Dark Tower emerged with an embassy of black-clad soldiers. He was a living man, tall-helmed and evil, and his horse had a face like a skull, with fire burning in the eye sockets and nostrils.

The Lieutenant mocked Aragorn and his army. When Gandalf admonished him, the Lieutenant drew from his cloak Frodo's coat of mithril, Sam's sword, and a grey Elven cloak. The Lieutenant informed the anxious Captains that Sauron would spare the life of the captured Hobbit spy if they agreed to certain terms. Gandalf, with a look of defeat, asked for the terms. The Lieutenant said that Gondor and its allies must never attack Mordor, that Gondor must become a tributary to Mordor, and that a suitable captain from Mordor must rule in Isengard over Rohan. Gandalf utterly rejected these terms.

The Lieutenant, rebuked by Gandalf, was gripped by terror. He turned and retreated to the Black Gate. As he did, the host of Mordor, much larger than that of Gondor, poured out of the Gate. Drums rolled, fires blazed, and the sun turned red. A great company of brutal hill-trolls charged into Pippin's company. One of the Trolls pounced on Beregond, but Pippin stabbed the Troll with his sword. The Troll toppled forward and crushed the startled Hobbit. Pippin began to lose consciousness. He bade the world farewell, but just as everything turned dark, he heard a great clamour of voices shouting, "The Eagles are coming!" In his dazed state he wondered if he was merely recalling Bilbo's story of the Battle of Five Armies.[2] Book V ends here.

Composition[edit | edit source]

The writing of Book V was probably completed by the end of October 1946.[3]

References