The Decline of Gondor

The Decline of Gondor
Scene from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Scene number	12 (extended edition)
Event	Gandalf tells Pippin of the decay of Gondor
Characters	Gandalf, Pippin
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"The old wisdom borne out of the west was forsaken. Kings made tombs more splendid than the houses of the living, and counted the old names of their descent dearer than the names of their sons. Childless lords sat in aged halls musing on heraldry, or in high, cold towers asking questions of the stars. And so the people of Gondor fell into ruin."

― Gandalf

The Decline of Gondor is the twelfth scene of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (extended edition). This scene was not featured in the theatrical release of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Synopsis

Gandalf exits the throne-room of Minas Tirith in a tempered fury, bringing Pippin with him. He is at odds with Denethor and believes it likely that the city will fall due to the madness of the steward. As a consequence, Gandalf says, the White Tree will not bloom again. He tells Pippin that the Gondorians around it are guarding it out of a faint hope that the king will come and it will flower again. They walk along the bastion of stone as Gandalf tells the young hobbit of the decay of Gondor.

From their vantage-point, Pippin can see Mordor clearly. A large bulk of dark cloud is seen coming from Mordor. Gandalf explains that the unnatural weather is of Sauron's making; it protects his army of orcs who shun daylight. When the cloud reaches the city, war will begin, Gandalf says. He tells Pippin they will not be leaving the city and that help must come to Minas Tirith once the war begins.

Differences

Rather than discuss the decline of Gondor after their audience with Denethor, in the books — specifically, in the chapter Minas Tirith — Gandalf and Pippin are led to a house in the city. There, Pippin meets Beregond. Some of the dialogue regarding Mordor from the discussion towards the end of this scene was taken from a conversation between Pippin and Beregond, as was the description of the "gathering gloom in the East".