Why was the army of the dead at Minas Tirith?

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Beregond

Indeed. Their presence at Minas Tirith absolutely killed all sense of sacrifice, glory, courage, despair, hope, and anything else that made the Battle of the Pellenor one of the most riveting, inspiring chapters in the Return of the King. All of the suspense: completely wiped out. The entire battle before the ships arrived: made moot by the arrival of the the Dead, who erased the enemy almost as efficiently as they erased the credibility of the scene. I can hardly stand to watch that part.

Oh, yes, right you are. I forgot that it ruined the suspense as well: that's another key point. I mean, couldn't they at least have been a little less effective? And I don't think it looks in any way fine or spirits-lifting when the army sweeps to the city - it's more like "oh goodness, now those cold dead men kill all the poor people within".