The Return of the King is the epic conclusion to the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, in which the good peoples of Middle-earth make their final stand against the Eye of Sauron and his evil armies. Based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, the movie wraps up the epic high fantasy with action-packed battles, fearsome foes, and a bittersweet ending.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is packed with the most imperative story beats from the novel, including the Battle of Pelennor Fields in Gondor and Sam and Frodo’s dangerous trek to Mount Doom. Along with these major events, the extended edition of the film includes scenes that were not present in the original theatrical release. While some of the new footage is really great, some scenes feel very out of place. Here are the ones that shouldn’t have made it into the extended version of The Return of the King.

The Fate Of Saruman

The Return of the King begins with the aftermath of the battles of Helm’s Deep and Orthanc from The Two Towers. Gandalf leads a group of riders to Saruman’s tower to reunite with Merry and Pippin and witness the destruction of the former White Wizard’s domain. In the film version, Treebeard assures them that Saruman’s power is destroyed and there is no more to fear from him. However, in an extended version of the scene, there is a final confrontation with the defeated wizard.

While Saruman stands at the top of his tower, Gandalf implores him to surrender. Saruman reveals that they have already lost, and holds out the Palantir to show Gandalf that Sauron’s forces are moving on Gondor. After Saruman fails to kill Gandalf with a fireball, Gandalf uses his magic to break Saruman’s staff. Grima then slinks up from behind Saruman, and just when it seems that the wizard’s lackey is about to rejoin the good guys, Saruman insults Grima and smacks him. Incensed, Grima stabs Saruman in the back, sending the wizard falling from the tower where he is impaled on a water wheel, and the Palantir falls into the water.

Although it is satisfying to see a desperate and broken Saruman get his comeuppance, the scene doesn’t really add anything important. The audience already knows that Saruman is no longer a threat, so there’s no need to show his death. The ending for Saruman is also very different in the books, so there’s no purpose there, either.

Aragorn Looks Into The Palantir

After the victory in Pelennor Fields in The Return of the King, Gandalf, Aragorn, and the company discuss their next steps. The biggest worry on everyone’s mind is Frodo, who is deep within the heart of Mordor on his way to destroy the One Ring. Gandalf fears for Frodo’s safety, knowing that the Eye of Sauron will be focused on finding the hobbit. Aragorn hatches a plan to provide a distraction, marching their army to the Black Gate so that Sauron’s focus turns to them, allowing Frodo and Sam more time.

In the extended version, an additional scene has Aragorn enticing Sauron to take the bait. He goes into the main hall of the palace, where the Palantir has been hidden away for safekeeping. Aragorn removes the cloth covering up the dangerous artifact, and issues a challenge to the Eye. He shows Sauron that he now holds Andúril, the sword reforged from the Shards of Narsil, which solidifies Aragorn’s claim to the throne of Gondor. In response, Sauron shows Aragorn a vision of Arwen dying, and as he recoils in horror, the Evenstar necklace falls from around Aragorn’s neck and shatters on the ground.

There really is no reason for this scene to be in The Return of the King, as it serves no purpose. Viewers already know that Sauron fears Aragorn’s rise to power, and Aragorn already knows that Arwen’s life is on the line. It’s just some chest-pounding between the good guy and the bad guy, which is pretty pointless.

Sam & Frodo Try To Blend In

After his harrowing encounter with Shelob, Frodo is taken captive by the Orcs at Barad-dûr. Soon after, Sam comes to his rescue, and the two hobbits set off once again on their quest. Deep in the midst of the enemy, Sam cleverly gets the idea to disguise themselves using Orcish armor and helmets.

In the Return of the King extended edition, Frodo and Sam’s disguises are put to the test in an extra scene. As they traverse the rugged terrain, the hobbits come across a troupe of Orc soldiers spurred on by a whipping master. The leader sees what he believes to be two lazy Orcs by the side of the road and whips them into joining the line. The troupe continues marching forward, where they are met by an overwhelming number of Orc forces on their way to the Black Gate. Despite Frodo and Sam's disguises, another Orc supervisor gets suspicious and comes over to investigate the new recruits. Thinking quickly, Frodo tells Sam to start a fight with him, and a skirmish breaks out. The hobbits make their escape during the fray.

While this certainly makes for a tense moment for the heroes, the scene doesn’t do much except give the hobbits another obstacle to overcome. What it may accomplish is a bit of nostalgia for older viewers. For die-hard Tolkien fans, there is a similar scene in the books. It’s also a throwback to a popular scene in Rankin Bass’s animated The Return of the King movie, which includes the catchy tune “Where There’s A Whip, There’s A Way.”

The Mouth Of Sauron

In The Return of the King’s final act, the armies of Men approach the Black Gate of Mordor. Aragorn calls out a challenge to Sauron, and the enormous double doors open as the Orcish army comes pouring out. The heroes are severely outnumbered, yet Aragorn rouses the soldiers with an inspiring speech which bolsters their courage. Thus, the final battle for Middle-earth begins.

In The Return of the King extended edition, a notable character from the original novel makes an appearance. Thanks to director Peter Jackson’s macabre vision, this new villain makes a lasting impression. He’s called the Mouth Of Sauron, and he is the Dark Lord’s official messenger. The Mouth of Sauron is a frightening entity whose face is hidden except for his grotesque lips and teeth. As he tries to parley with Aragorn, he holds up Frodo’s mithril shirt as a bluff. In reply, Aragorn decapitates the creature with a single stroke.

While this scene is certainly intriguing, it just feels like it doesn’t belong. The Mouth of Sauron is in the book, though he is not nearly as terrifying as the character from the movie. But at this point in the film, it’s better just to get on with the action. This scene is definitely worth watching for the eeriness that is the Mouth of Sauron, but as a whole, it really isn’t needed.

The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings is one of the most iconic names in entertainment. The franchise started with novels from J. R. R. Tolkien before being adapted onto the big screen by Peter Jackson in one of the most critically-acclaimed film trilogies of all time. There have also been numerous The Lord of the Rings video games of varying quality.

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