This chapter feels like everyone’s taking a moment to catch their breath, which makes sense because they basically are. This chapter is literally about the aftermath of the Pelennor Fields and planning what comes next.
Legolas and Gimli give a nice rundown of what went on between when we last saw them and Aragorn in way back in “The Passing of the Grey Company” and their appearance in the captured Corsair fleet. To address a common movie question: there are two reasons that keeping the Army of the Dead around, as Movie-Gimli suggests, wouldn’t really work. First, unlike what’s shown in the Jackson trilogy, they don’t actually hurt anybody. They just terrify them into panicking and running, making for an easy victory. Second, seriously: they were damned as they were for breaking their word. How’s it going to go down for Aragorn to go and do the same? Answer: I dunno, but not well.
Interesting that the council where plans are made doesn’t include all the Fellowship: just Aragorn and Gandalf, plus Éomer, Imrahil, and the Sons of Elrond. Merry is still recovering from the Witch-king, and Pippin is an idiot, but I would think they’d want Legolas and Gimli to weigh in.
The points previously discussed (both in the books and this read-along) are emphasized: no hope for victory through force of arms, real hope is Frodo, etc. It is worth noting that, aside from their encounter with Faramir, this is the only outside help that Frodo and Sam get after leaving the Fellowship. More discussion of this to come in a few chapters, when we see the actual impact it has in Mordor.
And I do love the ending, complete with a very fine Badass Boast from Aragorn:
‘If the Dark Lord knows so much as you say, Mithrandir, will he not rather smile than fear, and with his little finger crush us like a fly that tries to sting him?’ ‘No, he will try to trap the fly and take the sting,’ said Gandalf. ‘And there are names among us that are worth more than a thousand mail-clad knights apiece. No, he will not smile.’ ‘Neither shall we,’ said Aragorn. ‘If this be jest, then it is too bitter for laughter. Nay, it is the last move in a great jeopardy, and for one side or the other it will bring the end of the game.’ Then he drew Andúril and held it up glittering in the sun. ‘You shall not be sheathed again until the last battle is fought,’ he said.
Next time, Sauron’s ambassador mouths off when the Black Gate Opens.