The Return of the King: Book 5
Pippin and Gandalf arrive in Gondor where they meet Denethor, the ruling steward. Denethor intensely questions Pippin about his deceased son, Boromir, and is displeased with the answers. He harbors resentment towards Aragorn and believes the Ring should be used to defeat Sauron. Admiring Boromir, Pippin offers his sword to Denethor, who accepts him as one of his guardsmen. Meanwhile, Aragorn is joined by a small group of his kinsmen. He bids farewell to King Theoden and heads for the Paths of the Dead to seek the aid of a ghostly army cursed to find no peace until they fight against Sauron. Gimli and Legolas accompany him. Éowyn, Theoden's niece and acting regent in his absence, longs for glory and harbors feelings for Aragorn. She pleads to join him, but Aragorn, understanding her frustration with traditional women's roles and knowing she loves him, declines her request. He tries to convince her that her role as regent is crucial. Disguised, Éowyn rides with the army when Theoden marches to Gondor, and Merry, who was ordered to stay behind, accompanies her.

In Gondor, Denethor, aged prematurely by the distorted visions he sees in the palantír of Minas Tirith, sinks deeper into despair. When his son Faramir, whom he had criticized for not seizing the Ring, is brought back wounded, Denethor descends into madness. The Riders of Rohan arrive at Minas Tirith and engage the besieging army. During the battle, the Chief Ringwraith, mounted on a flying beast, attacks Theoden, causing his horse to fall and fatally injure him. Éowyn, who remains close to her uncle, intervenes and, with Merry's assistance, kills the Ringwraith. Eomer arrives in time to be named king and receive Theoden's final message for Éowyn. Believing Éowyn to be dead, he charges furiously through the enemy lines, inadvertently bringing them within sight of Aragorn, who arrives with the fleet he has liberated from Sauron. Denethor, having seen the fleet's approach in the palantír and mistakenly believing it to be Sauron's, resolves to kill himself and Faramir. Pippin, in search of Gandalf, encounters a guard named Beregond and sends him to try to delay Denethor. With the help of Pippin and Beregond, Gandalf rescues Faramir, but Denethor takes his own life. With the battle won, Aragorn refrains from officially entering the city to avoid causing dissent. Instead, he secretly tends to Faramir, Éowyn, and Merry. With Minas Tirith temporarily secure, the leaders decide to send a small force led by Aragorn to Mordor to divert Sauron's attention from the Ringbearer. Upon reaching Mordor's gates, they are confronted by the "Mouth of Sauron," who displays Sam's sword, an elven cloak, and Frodo's armor.