Aragorn vs Sauron: this is how the deleted scene from ‘LOTR: The Return of the King’ that would have changed the trilogy looked

Frodo Baggins ventures deep into the heart of Mordor with his loyal friend Samwise Gamgee. The Ring has begun to take a toll on his mind, but his determination to destroy it atop Mount Doom remains. Meanwhile, Aragorn and the rest of the fellowship do what they can to buy time — to give the Ring-bearer one last chance, and with it, hope for Middle-earth. In The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Peter Jackson actually filmed a scene in which the King of Gondor faces off directly against the physical form of Sauron. However, the scene was ultimately cut. Why?

In both the theatrical and extended editions, Aragorn and his allies battle the forces of Mordor at the Black Gate. The Dark Lord himself never appears, remaining only as the all-seeing Eye. But a deleted scene reveals a dramatically different version of events: the gates open, and a strikingly handsome elf emerges. It’s Annatar — the fair form Sauron once used to deceive Celebrimbor. However, Aragorn quickly sees through the illusion and recognizes the true enemy, who then transforms into the armored figure seen in the prologue of The Fellowship of the Ring, complete with helmet and dark armor. In battle, Aragorn’s sword clashes against the enemy’s armor, which easily deflects his blows.

“Not what Tolkien envisioned”

Upon reviewing the scene, Peter Jackson realized it didn’t quite work — because the audience’s attention was drawn away from the story that truly mattered: Frodo and Sam’s.

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