Why did Aragorn release the Dead Men of Dunharrow
In the novel Aragorn released the Dead Men of Dunharrow, the oath breakers at Pelargir, Southern Gondor while in the movie Aragorn released the Army of the Dead at Minas Tirith.
Aragorn granted the wraiths and ghosts peace and acknowledged them as the Oath of Isildur was fulfilled. Sauron was once known as the necromancer when he hid in Dol Guldur.
Thus if the Oath breakers of Dunharrow weren’t sent to peace and continued to participate the war against Sauron, there was a high chance that Sauron could have turned them against Aragorn with his powerful sorcery and black magic.
Faramir and Eowyn at the House of Healing
Eowyn and Merry were severely injured by the Black Breath of the Witch King of Angmar although they’ve successfully slayed him.
Eowyn was brought to the Houses of Healing in Minas Tirith. Aragorn treated Faramir who was poisoned by an arrow where Faramir addressed Aragorn as the king of Gondor, welcoming his return.
Eowyn also recovered in the House of Healing but after hearing of Aragorn’s march to the Black Gates, Eowyn was desperate to join the Army of the West.
However, Faramir persuaded Eowyn to stay and Faramir and Eowyn became much closer to each other.
Council of Aragorn and the Last Debate
(Imrahil, Elladan and Elrohir was also present in the novel )Aragorn consulted with Gandalf, Gimli and Legolas after the victory of the Battle of the Pelennor Fields over their next action to take against Sauron.
Although by the victory of the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, Minas Tirith was relieved but still Sauron’s armies were attacking Rhovanion, Lothlorien, Dale, Mirkwoods and Erebor in the north and the strength of Mordor still outnumbered Gondor and Rohan all together.
Aragorn learns that Frodo and Sam successfully reached Mordor and believes that the only hope to destroy Sauron once and for all was to destroy the One Ring.
Aragorn suggests the creation of the Army of the West, the Host of the West to draw Sauron’s attention.
Assembly of the Host of the West
Aragorn suggests forming an alliance of the remaining men and advance to Morannon to draw attention of Sauron so Frodo could have a chance to destroy the One Ring.
Gandalf who already felt guilty for sending hobbits like Frodo and Sam to destroy the One Ring was skeptical of Aragorn’s intentions.
Gandalf feared both the fear and terror of the men and the possibility that Sauron wouldn’t take the bait. However, Aragorn insisted that hope still remains and assembled 7,000 men to march to Morannon.
In the movie the numbers were much smaller. These 7,000 men of the rangers of the north, swan knights of Dol Amroth, Rohirrim and Gondor soldiers named themselves the Host of the West.
The Host of the West was inspired by the army of the Valars, maia, elves and edain humans during the War of the Wrath against Morgoth.
Aragorn’s taunt to Sauron by the Palantir
In the novel Aragorn taunted Sauron that he was the heir of Isildur and Elendil before the Siege of Minas Tirith.
In the movie, Aragorn presents Anduril, the blade forged from the shards of Narsil to Sauron and showed himself as the lost heir of Isildur and Elendil.
Narsil was the blade that cut off Sauron’s finger with the One Ring and the descendants of Numenor, the royal blood line of Arnor and Gondor was the largest concern of Sauron since then.
Aragorn provokes Sauron’s attention so he could Sauron would move his armies against Aragorn so Frodo and Sam could cross the plateau of Gorgoroth.
Sam and Frodo’s Destination – Plateau of Gorgoroth and Mount Doom
Sam and Frodo after successfully escaping the Tower of Cirith Ungol disguised as orcs finally reach the mainlands of Mordor.
However, Mordor was heavily guarded by orcs all across the Plateau of Gorgoroth. However, Aragorn’s taunt against Sauron was successful and Sauron deployed his armies to attack the Host of the West led by Aragorn.
Thanks to Aragorn’s plan by the Host of the West drawing attention, Sam and Frodo could finally start to cross the Plateau of Gorgoroth to Mount Doom, Orodruin where the One Ring was created.
Frodo became extremely weakened as they got closer to Mount Doom as the power of the One Ring became volatile.
The advance of the Host of the West from Minas Tirith to Morannon
Aragorn led the Army of the West, the Host of the West and headed to Morannon, the Black Gates at the north of Mordor.
The movie shows the Host of the West heading straight to Morannon, however in the novel, the Host of the West had to face resistance from easterlings and orcs that tried to stop them.
As the Host of the West reached the Ithilien region, Aragorn would allow men that were too afraid to march to Morannon to leave the Host of the West.
About 1,000 men were dismissed but Aragorn would send them to liberate Cair Andros, the northern fortress island of the Anduin River. With the remaining men Aragorn and the Host of the West reaches the Black Gates at Morannon.
Face off of Aragorn and the Mouth of Sauron
The Mouth of Sauron was a living human and one of Sauron’s loyal servants and he was the lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dur.
The Mouth of Sauron was a Black Numenorean that was cunning and vicious as well. The Mouth of Sauron would mock Aragorn and showed the elf broch and elf cloaks that Sam and Frodo wore.
The Mouth of Sauron also threw the mithril armor of Frodo to Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas and claimed that the hobbits suffered great pain from their torture.
Aragorn’s confirmation of Frodo and Sam’s survival and slaying of the Mouth of Sauron
Aragorn, however became certain that Frodo and Sam were alive and were successfully heading to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring after seeing the mithril armor. Aragorn and Gandalf knew that if Sauron captured Frodo and Sam, they would have recovered the One Ring.
However as the Mouth of Sauron only showed them the mithril armors and belongings of Frodo and Sam without knowing they had the One Ring,
Aragorn and Gandalf grew certain that Frodo and Sam were still alive. Aragorn would behead the Mouth of Sauron in the movie(in the novel the Mouth of Sauron fled).
In the novel, Gandalf saw the memories of the mithril armor and the elf cloaks sensing that Frodo and Sam were alive and the Mouth of Sauron was lying.
