Chapter 443: Survival and Glory
"Where are the knights and their steeds? Where is the mighty horn? Like raindrops fading into the high mountains, like a light breeze vanishing in the grasslands. The former glory seems to sink beneath the setting sun, falling into the valley, disappearing into shadow. How has it come to this?"
King Théoden's monologue undoubtedly adds to the tragic atmosphere of the Battle of Helm's Deep. How can three hundred Rohirrim soldiers resist the attack of ten thousand Uruk-hai?
Where can past glory be found? When will the valiant knights arrive to aid? Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli fight alongside the Rohirrim in their desperate stand!
This is a battle of glory, a battle of survival. If tonight is the end of Rohan, their bravery will be written into history, and the noble spirit of mankind will shine!
The disparity in military strength is vast, and Rohan has mobilized all the forces it can.
Women and children hide in caves, while the men—any man who can wield a weapon—say their farewells to their mothers, wives, and children, heading to the walls to prepare for battle.
Brad Miller clenched his fists tightly. He greatly admired Director Duke Rosenberg.
The way he captured the desperate, fearful expressions of the Rohirrim soldiers was so lifelike. Brad saw them arming themselves with old, rusty, and chipped swords, handing weapons to the elderly and children. He saw young boys, barely able to lift their swords, holding them with the resolve to protect their homes and families. Their faces were filled with determination, fear, and a tinge of despair. Brad was about to tear up!
When the elves arrived to lend aid, Brad Miller couldn't hold back. He gently wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. Even though the director had altered some aspects, he had no objections, fully immersed in the emotions created by the film.
Around him, not only Pete and Chris had red eyes, but everyone in the theater was emotionally stirred, as if they themselves were the ones in dire straits, in the long and hopeless night. Finally, they saw a glimmer of light!
And that light was indeed bright. The elven captain leading the charge was a warrior princess!
Duke made some changes here, and the elves arriving for aid were from Rivendell, led by an officer named Arwen!
The Battle of Helm's Deep had been heavily adapted, and here, Duke had complete creative freedom. He decided to abandon the Lothlórien elves and instead used Peter Jackson's "Plan A."
Though Duke had hesitated at first, after The Fellowship of the Ring was released, Arwen, played by Liv Tyler, was widely popular. Since Arwen was considered one of the two major elven "flower vases" alongside Legolas, Duke decided to maximize her value.
Of course, after the Battle of Helm's Deep, the elven reinforcements would mostly be wiped out. Arwen would return to Rivendell, awaiting her final appearance.
The battle was about to begin. All the audience members were glued to the big screen, but David Dembe felt he had had enough. He stood up and exited the theater, heading toward the restroom.
Even though he didn't need to watch, he knew what was coming next—fighting, endless fighting. And then, those gullible audience members, manipulated by the director's crass emotional tactics, would be stirred to tears. What's so touching about a film built on computer-generated effects?
However, his disdain didn't stop others from being completely captivated. Arrows fell like torrential rain, and the Uruk-hai were struck down in rows. Humans and elves fought side by side, determined to kill the enemy for survival and their beliefs.
Just like in the first film, whenever the battle scenes were shown, Legolas had more screen time than Aragorn and Gimli. With Arwen added in, her combat style differed slightly from Legolas'. In the original films, Arwen had only a minor role, aside from her interactions with the Ringwraiths, with little action.
Duke specifically had the action team design moves for Arwen, taking advantage of Liv Tyler's slim, flexible physique.
Like Legolas, Arwen was first and foremost an excellent archer, and in close combat, she wielded a narrow dagger, relying on her agility to strike at the throat of the Uruk-hai.
A unique sight emerged in the theater: whenever Legolas charged into battle, female audience members could be heard sighing in admiration. When Arwen shot arrows or swiftly attacked, male audience members were heard swallowing.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that this pairing of elves turned "flower vases" into a commercial film phenomenon, amplified to its maximum potential.
Though humans and elves weren't lacking in the courage to fight to the death, bravery alone couldn't turn the tide of battle with such a huge disparity in numbers. The Deeping Wall was breached by the Uruk-hai's fire, and soon the Hornburg was under threat. Humans were pushed to the brink!
Was it all coming to an end?
The audience watched as the remnants of the human and elven forces made their last stand in the Hornburg's hall. After a night of fighting, it was the darkest hour before dawn. The hall was dim, and it seemed like the entire world would be swallowed by darkness!
"Charge with me!"
Aragorn never lost courage. He rallied the morale of the alliance. "Fight with me!"
The dispirited King Théoden found his resolve once more and gathered his remaining forces, preparing to charge into battle.
Darkness enveloped the land, but the sun would rise again!
The Horn of Helm echoed once more, resonating throughout the valley. Using the brief time before the hall was completely breached, Théoden and Aragorn rallied the remaining human and elven troops, leading the last few dozen knights in a desperate charge against the Uruk-hai siege.
The king's horn sounded. With Théoden and Aragorn at the front, the knights charged forward, followed by other Rohirrim and elven warriors, clearing the enemy lines. The Uruk-hai were caught off guard by this sudden assault, and the battle lines were broken. The brave knights protected their leaders as they charged down the Hornburg's slopes, with many knights falling along the way.
"Charge! Charge! Charge..."
Seemingly in perfect harmony, the audience's cheers grew from scattered to unified. It was as if the knights on the screen carried not only Rohan's hopes but their own aspirations!
"Charge! Charge..."
The collective roar startled David Dembe, who had just returned to the theater. He didn't go back to his seat, but instead stood at the entrance, watching as the audience became uncontrollably excited. His glasses and mouth were wide open. How long had it been since he had seen such a scene?
At this moment, the theater's audience slowly began to rise to their feet. Whether voluntarily or because they were obstructed, within seconds, the entire theater stood up!
The entire theater stood up!
Ivanka also stood, glancing back at the sea of people behind her, before turning her gaze to the screen. The charge continued. The soldiers kept falling, but the last hope of humanity never stopped moving forward. It seemed that no obstacle, no matter how great, could stop their determination and courage to advance!
This was a battle of courage!
This was a battle of glory!
This was a battle to defend!
This was a battle for survival!
This was a battle of fervor!
No one in the China Grand Theater was seated anymore. Even the guests in the first few rows were swept up in the fervent atmosphere!
Life continues, and the fight goes on!
Ivanka's eyes began to redden. She thought of her boyfriend, who was the very embodiment of that spirit—never stopping as long as there was even a sliver of strength left!
Brad Miller, nearing fifty, stood in the Nokia Plaza Theater, his spirit soaring, blood boiling. He almost wished he could transform into one of those knights, charging out of the vile and evil Uruk-hai hordes to meet the rising sun.
Standing at the entrance, David Dembe was at a loss for words. He saw this as a simple emotional tactic—rather crude, even. But it was these techniques, which he deemed unrefined, that moved the hundreds of viewers in the theater to the point of no return.
The audience had fallen into complete disarray! David Dembe left with that thought, turning to exit the theater.
Yet, as before, no one even glanced at him.
The audience was all focused on the screen. Who would care about a once-prominent film critic?
Even the longest charge has its end. The team that charged out of the Hornburg paid a heavy price. Dozens of knights perished along the way. Only a handful made it into the valley, but they fell into a heavy encirclement by the Uruk-hai.
Everyone knew humans wouldn't lose this war, but still, the worry couldn't be shaken off.
In the China Grand Theater, many people were praying for Théoden and Aragorn.
In the New York AMG cinema, many murmured, hoping for the moment of light to arrive.
The film would not disappoint, and neither would Duke. At this darkest moment, the sound of a horse's whinny echoed, lifting the spirits of Théoden and Aragorn and the audience!
The sun would rise, and light would scatter the darkness!
On the eastern hillside, bathed in the glow of dawn, Gandalf appeared on his white horse, instantly captivating everyone's attention.
"Reinforcements have arrived!"
Someone shouted, and the theater instantly became chaotic. "Reinforcements have arrived! Our reinforcements have arrived!"
At that moment, Ivanka felt a slight sting in her nose. She bit her lip hard, forcing the tears that were welling up in her eyes not to fall. She was never a film buff, but she suddenly realized how deeply moved she was by this film.
Turning her eyes slightly, she saw that Jane Lauder had already shed two lines of tears. She seemed unaware, staring intently at the screen.
Is this the power of film? Ivanka looked around. Since the moment the audience had stood up, no one had sat back down. Everyone stood, waiting for the film to end, their hands tightly clenched, as if ready to give the loudest applause the moment the film concluded
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