Gimli is Legolas and Aragorn’s close friend and one of the nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring. Being a Dwarf and therefore inherently at home underground, Gimli is ashamed to be crippled by fear upon entering the Paths of the Dead under the Haunted Mountain. Nevertheless, his loyalty to Aragorn leads him on even when he feels he only has the strength to crawl. He continues to follow Aragorn into battle, essentially sacrificing himself in the march on the Black Gate for the sake of Frodo’s quest. On his return home, he fulfils his fervent desire to show Legolas the Glittering Caves of Helm’s Deep.
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Gimli Character Timeline in The Return of the King
The timeline below shows where the character Gimli appears in The Return of the King. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Book 5, Chapter 2
Merry, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli prepare to leave the wreckage of Isengard alongside Théoden, King of Rohan, and his party....
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...where they plan to rest and discuss their next movements. In the morning, Legolas and Gimli wake Merry to show him around the fortress. Gimli is eager to visit the caves,...
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Gimli, Legolas, and Merry walk together and observe the wreckage that was left from the battle...
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Gimli asks if there’s any hope of surviving the Paths of the Dead. Aragorn reminds him...
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At daybreak, the company sets out to ride. Éowyn comes to bid them farewell, and Gimli and Legolas are surprised to see her weeping. Again, she begs Aragorn to let her...
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Book 5, Chapter 9
In the morning, Gimli and Legolas bring a message to Imrahil that Aragorn wants captains to gather at his...
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...weapon. After they took the ships, Aragorn held the Dead’s oath fulfilled, and they departed. Gimli tells Merry and Pippin that the armies of men that had been fighting nearby then...
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Book 5, Chapter 10
...with the rest of the captains to the Gate, along with a large guard. Pippin, Gimli, and Legolas join the guard as representatives of their people. They call for Sauron to...
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Book 6, Chapter 4
...their heads. They arrive at the feast and sit at the king’s table along with Gimli and Legolas. When two esquires come to serve wine, they recognize them as Merry and...
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Book 6, Chapter 5
...people of the city are busy repairing the damage from battle. The hobbits, Legolas, and Gimli stay with Aragorn, who doesn’t want the Fellowship to disband yet. He tells them a...
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Book 6, Chapter 6
...to Rohan. The group rides on to Helm’s Deep where Legolas fulfils his promise to Gimli and goes with him into the Glittering Caves. Legolas finds them beautiful beyond description.
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...has a little more strength left. The party prepares to move on, but Legolas and Gimli decide to take a different route to reach their own homelands. Aragorn announces the end...
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