Tailkinker

Answer: Nope, Frodo's dream is spot-on - no need to use that excuse. Gandalf and the Balrog obviously both survive the fall, and Gandalf spends the next eight days chasing the Balrog through the deep caverns under Khazad-dum. Ultimately, the pair reach the Endless Stair, which connects the deep halls to the ruins of Durin's Tower on the peak of Zirakzigil, a mountain high above Moria. They head up the stair to the mountaintop where they fight their final battle, which lasts another two days before Gandalf finally triumphs.

Tailkinker ★

Answer: During the ride forth, there's what appears to be another elf in the group, only really visible in the shot on the causeway - originally, this was Arwen, but there's been some work done to alter her - still looks like an elf, though. Other than that, it's not specifically shown, but there were certainly other survivors who remained behind, presumably to hold off the Uruk-Hai while the woman and children escaped into the mountains. It seems very likely that there would have been some elves among that number.

Tailkinker ★

Chosen answer: Well, for one thing, he's most likely having a hard time controlling the arrow-shot Fell Beast. Secondly, there's no evidence that he positively identified the Ring. He saw a hobbit, which he knows are of interest, but, as Sam intercepts Frodo before he puts the Ring on, has no way of knowing that he actually held the Ring itself. Given the level of resistance on the ground, it doesn't make good tactical sense to try and land the annoyed Fell Beast to chase after a hobbit.

Tailkinker ★

Chosen answer: Grima is human - he acts as Saruman's agent in Theoden's court. He keeps Theoden weak (using what appears to be a combination of drugs and Saruman's sorcery) to make it easier for Saruman to influence him, and therefore effectively neuter the military power of Rohan.

Tailkinker ★

Chosen answer: The Easterlings were most likely used in one of Sauron's other assaults, on Lorien or the dwarven kingdom of Erebor in the north. They also appear in the third movie, charging into Minas Tirith after the trolls. As for the Wildmen, Saruman seems to consider them to be expendable troops - sending them into Rohan to destroy villages, crops and so forth. Most likely they would have fallen at the hands of Rohirrim troops - they would, however, have taken some of those warriors with them, weakening Rohan as a whole for the later Uruk-Hai assault.

Tailkinker ★

Answer: Not really, no. The chapter titles of The Two Towers tend to be relatively factual, like "Helm's Deep", which, while obviously said during the film, can hardly be considered a specific reference to the chapter title. The closest is probably Aragorn calling out "Riders of Rohan" when they encounter them on the plains - there is a chapter with this title (adding "The" to the beginning).

Tailkinker ★

Answer: He says "Hannon le" - it means "Thank you".

Tailkinker ★

Answer: It's a computer-generated Legolas. While experienced riders are capable of some pretty amazing stuff, I'd imagine that what's seen would be impossible to do in reality - certainly not without throwing the horse off a lot more than seen here. But then, Legolas is an elf, so all bets are off on what he's capable of doing.

Tailkinker ★

Answer: There are no particularly precise figures anywhere - all that's available would be educated guesses based on watching the films, and you'd be just as qualified to do that as anybody.

Tailkinker ★

Answer: As Helm's Deep doesn't really have initial stages, as such, and, even if it did, none of those you mention would have been there, as they arrive at the very end, I'll assume that the question is really "who survived the Battle of the Hornburg?" The survivors obviously include Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas and Theoden. Gamling, Theoden's right-hand man also survives. Other than that, it seems fair to say that a number of the other human and elven defenders would have lived through the battle - some are seen to ride forth with Theoden, others presumably remained behind in the fortress. In addition, there are all those women (including Eowyn) and children who hid in the caves behind the fortress.

Tailkinker ★

Answer: Efforts have been made during the trilogy to beef up Arwen's role in events - using her to bring Frodo to Rivendell in the first film being one of them (replacing Glorfindel in the book). Having her at Helm's Deep was another way of doing that, and Liv Tyler was present at the filming of Helm's Deep. Ultimately, the decision was made to cut her out of that sequence, and the battle was edited to exclude her, with the exception of one brief shot listed as a mistake.

Tailkinker ★

Answer: If this is true, then it's not mentioned anywhere in the commentaries or other additional materials on the Extended DVD. Your friend may just be being annoying.

Tailkinker ★