the ending did have to be the length it was. the last half of the 3rd book consists of ending, family trees, logs, people, events etc. it is most complex, and it does tell of how they all ended up after the ring was destroyed and they rid the shire of saurmon and wormtongue (chapter Scouring of the Shire...not in the film for obvious length reasons). did sam marry the barmaid? what happened to merry and pip, what happened to bilbom, gandalf and the last of the elves etc, all important characters and their fates