Seated in a circle are all the representatives of Middle Earth. Elrond stands to greet them

ELROND: Strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom. (He looks at them all and settles on Frodo, gesturing to him) Bring forth the Ring, Frodo

Frodo walks over to the stone plinth in the middle of the circle and carefully puts the Ring down on it

BOROMIR: (puts his hand to his mouth) So it's true

Frodo sits back down and sighs, closing his eyes. Legolas and Gimli eye the Ring suspiciously as it seemingly speaks to them. Boromir stands up

BOROMIR: In a dream (he looks again at the Ring) I saw the Eastern sky grow dark (he starts to walk towards the Ring) In the West a pale light lingered A voice was crying, your doom is near at hand (he keeps walking over to the Ring) Isildur's bane is found (Elrond looks at Gandalf concerned. Boromir stretches out his hand to the Ring) Isildur's Bane

Elrond jumps to his feet

ELROND: Boromir!

The sky darkens and Gandalf beings to speak in Black Speech, Boromir jumps back.

GANDALF: Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul, (Gimli shouts, and as Gandalf stands Boromir backs off to his seat)
ash nazg thrakatuluk (Elrond holds his head in pain, and Legolas closes his eyes grimacing) agh burzumishi krimpatul. (Frodo stares at the Ring as it appears to be talking to him)
(One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the Darkness bind them)


The sky clears and the sun reappears Boromir sits down shocked

ELROND: (horrified and angered) Never before has anyone uttered words of that tongue here in Imladris

GANDALF: I do not ask your pardon Master Elrond for the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West (he turns round to look at everyone there) The Ring is altogether evil (he turns to sit back down)

BOROMIR: (shakes his head) Aye it is a gift! (he stands up) A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring ? (He walks round addressing everyone) Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor kept the forces of Mordor at bey. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy, let us use it against him

ARAGORN: You cannot wield it. None of us can (Boromir turns to face him) The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master

BOROMIR: (scathingly) and what would a ranger know of this matter ?

LEGOLAS; (standing up) This is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn son of Arathorn You owe him your allegiance

BOROMIR: (looks at Aragorn in disbelief. Frodo looks at Aragorn amazed) Aragorn! This.. is Isildur's heir

LEGOLAS: and heir to the throne of Gondor

Frodo continues to try and take in all this information. Aragorn holds his hand up

ARAGORN: Havo dad, Legolas (Sit down, Legolas.)

BOROMIR: (turns to Legolas) Gondor has no King. (he walks back to his seat, staring at Aragorn) Gondor needs no King (he stares at Aragorn disdainfully)

GANDALF: Aragorn is right. We cannot use it

ELROND: (standing up again) You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed.

GIMLI: Then what are we waiting for

Gimli stands, takes his axe. Elrond and Gandalf look worried as Gimli brings his axe down on the Ring. A shock vision of the eye appears to Frodo who holds his head in pain. Gimli is thrown onto the floor, his axe blade shattered, whilst the Ring remains undamaged. Gandalf looks at Frodo in concern as the words of the One Ring are uttered from it

ELROND: The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess. The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade.