Perhaps one of the most morally ambiguous characters in the entireLord of the Ringsfranchise is that of Boromir. He is, in part, noble and kind, a strong warrior who defends his friends bravely, and a good-hearted person who has the pure intentions of looking after his suffering people. On the other hand, he has all of the weak-willed, easily corruptible traits that make Men so dangerous when it comes to the Ring of Power.
When Aragorn and Boromir are seen together at the Council of Elrond, (in Peter Jackson’s film adaptation) there is already a clear distinction between the two characters, and the audience sees Aragorn as the wise and regal character that he is, where Boromir looks foolish and closed-minded in comparison. When Aragorn speaks the mind of reason, Boromir immediately tries to undermine his authority on the matter, calling him out as a ‘mere ranger’.
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When it is revealed that Aragorn is in fact the heir of Isildur, and has the right toclaim the throne of Gondor, Boromir is instantly rude and dismissive, saying aloud for all to hear that “Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king” which is obviously not true asthe white tree is failing. This seems very brazen, even for a proud and illustrious character like Boromir, and a new theory has surfaced as to why he is so susceptible to the power of the ring at this point, and so threatened by the presence of Aragorn.
Interestingly, this is not the pair’s first meeting. In the extended addition of the movies, there is a scene in which they interact over the Shards of Narsil. In a great hall in Rivendell, where large painting are hung on the wall that tell of the history of the world, and how the sword was broken when it cut the ring off Sauron’s finger, Boromir comes across the remnants of the blade on a decorative shrine.
In the book version, Aragorn has these always with him, passed down as a family heirloom as part of his proof that he is the true king, but in the film, Aragorn sits idly watching as Boromir approaches. They have a conversation in which they discover they are “here on common purpose” and Boromir refers to Aragorn as “friend”. In this scene, it appears that Boromir is in fact the kinder and more courteous, and that Aragorn, who gives no pleasant response, only sits in silence and watches the actions of the otherman of Gondor, is the cautious one.
However, a very sudden change comes over Boromir when he picks up the sword, and slits open his finger on the shard at the hilt that is still sharp. Something alters within his character so abruptly in this moment, that fans have developed a theory about the sword. Boromir snaps at Aragorn, lets the sword fall to the ground, and then appears far too arrogant to even pick it up afterward, and from this moment on, he is rude and egotistical around the other man, but all of this only happens after he has pricked his finger.
Therefore, it is highly plausible to suggest that there may have been some of Sauron’s ill will and malice still seeped in the sword from when it cutthe ring from his hand. The evil essence still infecting the sword then seeps in and taints Boromir when he slices his finger, and his marked change of heart isn’t actually his fault, but the fault of a history much larger than himself. It wouldn’t be the first time a character has been coerced andcontaminated by Sauron.
There are lots of examples of dark magic in the trilogy, and perhaps as one final act of spite, Sauron was able to imbuea little of his own dark spiritinto the sword as it disfigured him. That is why Boromir is such a conflicted character throughout, because his true self: honest, kind, loyal, and strong for the good of his kingdom, is constantly battling with the corruption of Sauron within that makes him: brazen, priggish, weak and even traitorous. As Gondor’s finest warrior, Boromir should have been one of the better companions for the fellowship, but all of theother members are more able to resist the ringthan he is, which suggests that there may be some extraneous reasons involved, like the influence of the dark lord himself.
Either way, Boromir returns to his truth by the end of the movies, and although he dies in the process, he dies a ‘worthy’ and ‘virtuous’ death, in sacrifice for those he loves. He reconnects with Aragorn, showing him respect as the rightful king, and asks that Aragorn return the white city to its former strength and beauty, which he does with the help ofGimli and Legolas rebuilding Minas Tirithafter the war. All of his mistakes are forgiven, and he is able to part the world and find healing in the houses of the dead, where all of his honored forefathers spirits have also come to rest.
