Helm's Deep - Aragorn, Gandalf, Gimli, and Legolas accompany the Riders of Rohan as they travel toward Helm's Deep and the fortress called the Hornburg. Saruman's Orcs and other Men he's been able to recruit are out and about in Rohan, causing trouble, and Théoden gets word Erkenbrand of Westfold, a leader in Rohan, is on his way to meet Théoden's forces at Helm's Deep, where they will all make their stand against Saruman. Gandalf goes his own way, promising to catch up with the rest later.

Arriving at the Hornburg, they are disappointed that Erkenbrand has not yet arrived, but they enter and take up positions to defend it anyway. Outside the Deeping Wall, Saruman's forces gather all night long, and in the morning the fighting begins. Aragorn and the others fight tirelessly, but they are outnumbered and the battle does not go well.

When it looks as if they might lose, however, Gandalf arrives, leading Erkenbrand and his soldiers. Saruman's forces are trapped between those defending the Hornburg and the newly arriving army. They scatter, running frantically into a forest that has mysteriously appeared nearby. They are never seen again.