tTT: What's up with Wormtongue?

[mooby]

1) What's up with the tear? Does he regret what he's done? Is it in awe of Saruman's army?

2) Why is he even in the story? Since in PJ's version, Theoden is basically possessed by Saruman, what's the point of having Wormtongue around (besides a little palantir tossing, which has to wait -- if PJ puts it in the movie.

 

[Eternalknight]

Could you imagine the uproar if they left him out?? (Re: Tom Bombadil)

 

[KenM]

Don't want to do a spoiler, but in RoTK wormtoungue has a key scene.

 

[Piratecat]

One person has supposed that the tear is "Holy crap, he's going to kill all of them, and that includes Eowyn. Now I don't get my reward, and they're all totally doomed. I am in over my head, and that's for sure."

I'll buy that.

 

[Wormwood]

Wormtongue only tears up after he's on the terrace and gets a good long whiff of 10,000+ sweaty Uruk-Hai.

 

[garyh]

My take:

"...but there is no such army, milo-"

Wormtongue sees teeming hordes of Uruk-hai.

Oh, no. I didn't get the memo, I must be getting canned.

*Tear*

 

[sotmh]

I figured Saruman had just stepped on his foot.

 

[Tewligan]

My question about Wormtongue has always been "Why the hell would you EVER trust someone named Wormtongue?"

 

[CrazyMage]

My view is that he is in complete awe of this Glorious, Beautiful Army that, by eliminating Rohan, will eliminate those who humiliated Wormtongue. When I watch that scene, I hear in the back of my head that line from Raiders when they open the Ark--"It's beautiful!"

I don't think he really cares about even Eowyn (just find another--I doubt he has the ability in him to truly LOVE someone) because he can't really care or think about others. Wormtongue is very much self-centered and self-serving. I don't think he's sorry at all. Maybe I'm not recalling the books properly, but there is very little there to create any sympathy at all for Wormtongue who is quite thoroughly corrupt (unlike Gollum, for whom we feel some pity).

And yes, he's got some other things to do (assuming PJ follows the story).

 

[Scribe Ineti]

That's my take on Wormtongue too, Crazy Mage. I don't see Wormtongue loving Eowyn. She'd just be a possession to him.