The Secrets of
"The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers"

by Wild Willie Westwood, with sources from all over the Web


Before the episode

The title is a play on the three books comprising the Lord of the Rings trilogy: "The Fellowship of the Ring," "The Two Towers," and "Return of the King."

There were two versions of the preview playing. One played before 10 p.m. and had Cartman saying "Aaa-haha, dorks!" The other played after 10 p.m. and had Cartman saying "Aaa-haha, fags!" Which version will we see?

The episode itself

Two cars approach Timmy, and one of them has the Broflovskis and Marshes, with Randy driving. The Stotches are in the second one. When the adults leave Timmy, a third car is present, and the Broflovskis are in it with Sheila driving. Liane shows up in the Marshes' back seat.

When Stan's parents go to Butters' house, they are wearing their pajamas, but when they are in the basement talking to Butters they are shown for a moment wearing their normal clothes. Then for the rest of the episode they were in their pajamas again.

Butters is the first of the boys to get an erection.

"You're a freak, Butters!" - Reminder of "Freak Strike".

Most times the boys are shown with five fingers on each hand. Butters here has four.

the one videotape = the One Ring.

In games such as Baldur's Gate, constitution is a character's physique, fitness, overall health, and one other important attribute.

Two Towers Video Store - a play on Tower Video and Tower Records.

Token's father's name is changed from Bob to Steve. His mom's name may have been changed, too, so I leave it as "Token's Mother."

You've gotta suspend belief when the parents ask Jimmy what the boys did with the tape. He tells them enough so anyone else would figure it out on the first shot, but these parents... oh man.

One of the sixth graders looks like Scott Tenorman, and the fifth graders who hassled the boys upon their entering fourth grade were in the crowd of sixth graders looking for the videotape.

From KennyMcCorm:

Kyle and Stan = Frodo und Sam, but sometimes they change
Cartman (and Kenny) = Gandalf
Clyde = Gimli
Jimmy = Boromir
Craig = Aragorn
Jason = Legolas
Butters = Gollum

The trilogy is quickly told here, as "Return of the King" is referenced when Butters goes down the chute clutching his precious video tape. Gollum goes into the fires of Mt. Doom clutching the Ring, but the fires consume them both.

Other views:

theladiespimp182 says, "Clyde cannot be Gimli, because Gimli is a dwarf and Clyde was the High Elf. Filmore is more likely Gimli, while Clyde is definitely Elrond."