A key detail surrounding Grima Wormtongue’s (Brad Dourif) story in The Lord of the Rings trilogy still makes no sense even considering the circumstances surrounding it. The Lord of the Rings movies by Peter Jackson are considered the strongest adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, depicting Middle-earth impressively and telling the story of the War of the Ring richly and succinctly. That being said, some aspects of the Lord of the Rings films are left vague or go unexplored, which leaves behind questions the trilogy’s ending does not account for.

While the differences from The Lord of the Rings books largely assisted in creating that streamlined story, parts of Tolkien’s deliberate world-building were left behind — and these could have given more insight into minor characters. Several of those characters have more limited roles than their book counterparts, and portions of their lore are left to audience interpretation, allowing the story to focus but creating some confusion. One major example of this surrounds Wormtongue, whose straightforward arc is made more complicated by an unexplained detail.

One Detail Of Wormtongue’s Lord Of The Rings’ Movie Story Doesn’t Make Any Sense

Wormtongue’s Manipulation Of The King Should Not Have Gone On For So Long

Wormtongue’s ability to manipulate the King of Rohan without anyone but Éowyn (Miranda Otto) outright challenging him does not make sense, especially considering how little he was liked by various characters in The Lord of the Rings. Wormtongue was made into an obvious villain from his first scene, with both his appearance and attitude clearly conveying he could not be trusted. His interactions with Éowyn cement that fact, raising the question of why no one tried to defy him before the arrival of the Fellowship.

Part of that answer could be due to Théoden’s (Bernard Hill) enchantment by Saruman (Christopher Lee), compelling him to protect Wormtongue, who had Saruman’s backing. Many would likely not want to defy the King’s wishes, especially after the departure of the Riders of Rohan. However, they could still have tried, since Wormtongue himself is not that powerful. The Riders could have made a move before they left, or the people could have rallied against him. Of course, that would not solve their bigger issue in the second The Lord of the Rings film: Théoden’s deterioration at Saruman’s hands.

Rohan Wouldn’t Have Been Able To Help Théoden Even If They’d Gotten Rid Of Wormtongue

Saruman’s Magic Would Be Too Strong To Break Without Help

Though getting rid of Wormtongue would have helped, the people of Rohan would not have been able to cure Théoden’s enchantment without further assistance. As mentioned, Wormtongue’s influence went unopposed due to Saruman, who is one of the most powerful magic users in Middle-earth. His use of the Palantir in The Lord of the Rings showcases his might, as few can use the ancient artifact as easily as he can. The people ousting Wormtongue, then, would do little good, as they would not know how to rid the king of Saruman’s magical influence.

Even so, getting rid of Wormtongue earlier would have allowed them to declare the King unfit to rule and redirect Rohan’s efforts against Sauron much more quickly.

If the people of Rohan wanted help to cure the King, they would need someone like Gandalf (Ian McKellen) to lift the spell, which he does upon arriving in Rohan in The Two Towers. Even so, getting rid of Wormtongue earlier would have allowed them to declare the king unfit to rule and redirect Rohan’s efforts against Sauron much more quickly. As a result, the Fellowship could have rallied Rohan’s forces faster, letting them be more prepared as the final fights of The Lord of the Rings movies commenced.