Original artwork, not a still
Gimli / Legolas, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an Elf. / What about side by side with a friend? / Aye. I could do that.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The line pays off a three-film friendship that began with suspicion between dwarves and elves: Gimli says the thing he used to consider unthinkable, and Legolas offers the word that closes the gap. Played as a joke at the edge of certain death, it lands harder because Gimli accepts the friendship the way he accepts everything, gruffly. Fans quote it for any odd-couple friendship, and the pair are the series' emblem of old feuds laid down.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingShow the scene
At the Black Gate of Mordor in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), Aragorn has led the last army of the West to draw Sauron's eye away from Frodo and Sam. Outnumbered and facing the orc hordes, the men are rallied by his speech and draw their swords. Gimli, played by John Rhys-Davies, mutters that he never thought he would die fighting beside an Elf. Legolas (Orlando Bloom) asks about fighting beside a friend, and Gimli smiles and agrees. Aragorn then says "For Frodo".
Sources (3)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, WikiquoteGimli and Legolas exchange after Aragorn's speechReference checked
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The One Wiki to Rule Them AllSynopsis, Battle at the Black Gate; Memorable QuotesReference checked
- Gimli and Legolas, The One Wiki to Rule Them AllFellowship / Lorien section; infoboxReference checked
Context reviewed
