One LotR Storyline That Peter Jackson Was Absolutely Right to Ax

It's not uncommon for some stories in the books to be told differently in the movies, and The Lord of the Rings is no exception.

And although the changes made from Tolkien's book are generally criticized by bookworms, one particular cut seems to actually benefit the movie.

This means that director Peter Jackson made the right decision.

The thing he changed was the relationship between King Theoden and his niece Eowyn. In the movies, Theoden was completely devastated when he received the news of his son's death.

However, he was comforted by his niece Eowyn and his nephew Eomer, who became almost like children to him.

But his bond with Eowyn became especially strong. And that's why the scene of Theoden's death is so heartbreaking, when we see her there with him, holding him in the last minutes of his life.

That moment seems especially powerful because it will be Eowyn who kills the Witch King of Angmar in vengeance.

However, this wasn't quite the case in the Lord of the Rings books. In Tolkien's iconic work, it was Merry who became King Theoden's companion.

The King's first meeting with Merry and Pippin took place in Isengard shortly after the fall of Saruman.

And this might be the only thing that the movie saved from this particular storyline.

In the book, the King and Merry had a deep conversation and very quickly developed a close bond, like father and son.

However, it's hard to imagine now their Lord of the Rings movie counterparts doing the same.

So why is it actually good that Eowyn took Merry's place in the heart of the King in the movie?

The thing is, the uncle-niece relationship is far more powerful than the one between an actual king and some hobbit he just met.

And Peter Jackson knew that this would make a stronger impact on viewers, so he made Eowyn take center stage.