As a devoted fan of Tolkien’s epic masterpiece, “The Lord of the Rings,” I must say that Saruman‘s fate is one that chills me to my very core. Having immersed myself in the rich lore and intricate details of Middle-earth for years, I can confidently assert that Saruman’s end is indeed worse than death itself.
In “The Lord of the Rings,” it can be challenging to determine who truly meets their end and who experiences a different fate. Elves depart for the West, the Undying Lands, where they cease to exist. Gandalf seemingly succumbs but resurfaces more powerful than before. Boromir indeed perishes, struck down by Orc arrows. Gollum also dies, falling into the Cracks of Doom. However, Saruman doesn’t meet his end; instead, his physical body is destroyed, leaving behind a spirit that has become hollow and insignificant.
In simpler terms, whether or not you know what happened to Saruman after the events of “The Two Towers” depends on your level of familiarity with J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth stories. If you only watched Peter Jackson’s films, you might think that Saruman is still trapped in his tower Orthanc at the end. However, if you watched the extended versions of “The Lord of the Rings,” you would know that Saruman was ultimately killed by Wormtongue and fell into a watery grave after being stabbed and falling from his tower. This scene was cut from the beginning of “The Return of the King,” causing actor Christopher Lee to refuse to attend the movie’s premiere.
Readers of books understand that the unfinished and grimly tragic endings portrayed on screen deviate from J.R.R. Tolkien’s original work. These conclusions are too clean and final for the complex nature of Saruman. In truth, Saruman doesn’t meet his end like a human or an orc. Although Wormtongue stabs him, this event takes place in the Shire (surprisingly so), and Saruman does not expire immediately following his departure from life. Instead, his spirit lingers, defeated, petty, and ultimately insignificant – a state that for the ambitious wizard is worse than death itself.
Sauron’s death sets the tone for Saruman’s death
After his physical death, Saruman’s existence persists much like the Dark Lord Sauron, as they are both Maiar – spiritual entities in J.R.R. Tolkien’s universe that resemble angels. Saruman being one of Tolkien’s special “Uppercase W” Wizards, he is an embodied Maiar assigned to oppose Sauron in Middle-earth. Remarkably, both before and after their mission, the Wizards can survive without requiring a physical body.
After their physical form fades away, what becomes of a Maiar? This concept is hinted at when Sauron meets his apparent end in “The Return of the King,” but he doesn’t truly die. Following the destruction of the One Ring, Tolkien describes this transformation: “A massive shadow figure rose, impenetrable and crowned with light, filling the entire sky. Enormous, it towered above the world, and extended a vast, threatening hand towards them – powerful yet powerless. As it leaned over, a great wind swept through, and it was all blown away, leaving only silence.” This image represents Sauron’s final state.
Previously in the text, Gandalf mentions that upon the destruction of the One Ring, Sauron will be permanently crippled, transforming into a malevolent entity confined to lurking in the shadows but unable to regain power or physical form. Essentially, he survives but is relegated to an insignificant existence in a realm beyond time and space (which is known as the Timeless Void).
Saruman’s ending explained
In “The Return of the King” book, although it’s uncertain if Saruman ultimately ends up in the Timeless Void, we do receive a detailed account of his final moments. To provide some context, after returning to the Shire, Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin find it overrun by Saruman’s followers. They rally the Hobbits, defeat these miscreants, and reclaim their homeland. Lastly, they engage Saruman on the very threshold of Bag End itself.
Despite Frodo’s intention to show mercy towards Saruman, treacherous Wormtongue betrays his master by stabbing him. Before the Hobbit archers could finish him off, a grey mist started collecting around Saruman’s lifeless body. Gradually rising, it took the form of a tall figure cloaked in pale shrouds, hovering over the hill. For a brief moment, it seemed to gaze towards the West, but a chilling wind blew from that direction, causing it to sway and eventually disintegrate into nothingness.
A subtle comparison can be drawn between Sauron and a spirit in the sky, suggesting vulnerability to the winds of change. It’s probable that Saruman’s Maiar spirit lingers on, yet diminished – much like wisps of mist swept away by the wind. This leaves him as an ever-present but insignificant figure in Middle-earth, a grim truth for a ruler yearning for power.
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2024-09-15 04:00