Fans spot Return of the King plot hole involving Frodo's Mithril

While waiting for the new Lord of the Rings film, some viewers have been rewatching Peter Jackson’s trilogy and digging into small oddities. Redditor Significant-Owl7994 highlighted a moment in The Return of the King that doesn’t seem to add up: Frodo and Sam in Shelob’s lair, and the monster appearing to stab Frodo through the chest.

The confusion comes from the fact that Frodo is wearing a Mithril shirt at the time, which should be impenetrable. In the book the episode is handled differently, with Shelob’s sting delivered near the neck, above the vest, and several fans have called the film version an oversight given the on-screen angle.

Others offered explanations to reconcile the scene: one fan suggested a head-canon that Shelob, as a descendant of Ungoliant, wields a far deadlier weapon than a mere spear, while another proposed that the Mithril may have only partially stopped the stinger, letting a small amount of venom through and explaining Frodo’s survival.

lotr, frodo, mithril, shelob, sam, peter jackson, redditor, plot hole, ungoliant, venom