Hobbits Frodo and Sam discover they are being followed by the mysterious Gollum. A mercurial creature who has been warped by the Ring, Gollum promises to guide the Hobbits to the Black Gates of Mordor if they will release him. Middle-earth Aragorn, the Elf archer Legolas and Gimli the Dwarf encounter the besieged Rohan kingdom, whose once great King Theoden has fallen under Saruman's deadly spell.