The Lord of the Rings is one of the most beloved book series and movie franchises to exist, and not just within the fantasy genre. Released from 2001 to 2003, The Lord of the Rings follows Frodo Baggins and his journey to destroy the One Ring, aided by a Fellowship of strong friends. The series has many memorable and lauded moments, mainly due to the great care Peter Jackson took with translating Tolkien’s work to the silver screen.
However, there is one moment in The Fellowship of the Ring that stands out from the other movies and is one of the best scenes in fantasy overall. No, this does not refer to a great battle won or a grand escape or anything of the sort. Instead, the greatest scene in all of The Lord of the Rings and in fantasy is the heartbreaking scene where Boromir dies.
Boromir Has One of the Most Famous Death Scenes of All Time
Throughout The Fellowship of the Ring, audiences watch as Boromir slowly falls prey to the power of the One Ring. He is one of the only ones to suggest using it against Sauron during the meeting in Rivendell. He then briefly holds it again when in the snowy mountains, clearly affected by it, before giving it to Frodo of his own free will, and then the end of the movie shows him fully succumbing to its power as he tries to take the ring from Frodo. This doesn’t work, and Boromir does come to his senses, but the damage was done.
Soon afterward, the Uruk-hai and Orcs catch up to the Fellowship. Merry and Pippin draw their interest away from Frodo and the Ring, but soon look to be in peril. Boromir comes to their defense, bravely cutting down opponents as he blows on the Horn of Gondor to call Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli to the scene. However, before they can arrive, Boromir is shot with multiple arrows.
Before being dealt another blow, Aragorn comes in and tries to take out the Uruk-hai, but they escape with Merry and Pippin in tow. Boromir confesses he tried to take the Ring and that he has failed, worried about the state of his kingdom, while Aragorn comforts him. Boromir then says, “I would have followed you, my brother. My captain. My king.” He passes away, and Aragorn kisses his forehead as Legolas and Gimli look on sadly.
Boromir’s Death Remains One of Lord of the Rings Greatest Scenes
The scene has left a lasting impact on fans for multiple reasons. Of course, there is the heartbreaking nature of the death itself. The Fellowship had already lost Gandalf at this point, and then Boromir was brutally murdered in front of their eyes while other factions of the Fellowship splintered off in different directions. Viewers can’t help but wonder what is to come from this, and if the Fellowship is truly broken.
Then, there is the sense of reality behind it all. Boromir was a stubborn and proud man, but even this man wept in the knowledge that he would die after almost betraying his friends and losing two others to the Uruk-hai. Tolkien has long been known for creating realistic men with depth, something not often easy to find in a fantasy series, so serious fans would not be surprised by Boromir’s frank fragility in this scenario, but casual fans would likely be shocked.
Finally, there is the aspect that Boromir redeemed himself in the eyes of the viewers and in the eyes of the Fellowship (in different ways). In the eyes of the viewers, he was able to break the Ring’s control and sacrificed himself in an attempt to save Merry and Pippin. In the eyes of the Fellowship, who didn’t have the context of the scene that the audience had, they perhaps didn’t think Boromir needed redeeming, but their admiration and respect for him grew exponentially after his words to Aragorn, representing a full-circle moment where he understands Aragorn’s worth to his kingdom, and would have given up his place as pseudo-heir for him.
Boromir’s Death Scene Continues to Impact the Fantasy Genre
There is a statement often exchanged amongst Tolkien fans that differs slightly in words each time, but holds to the idea that Boromir is an honest representation of humanity, while Aragorn is a representation of what humanity wants to be. There are many moments throughout The Fellowship of the Ring that can highlight the traits and actions that add up to this statement, but Boromir’s death scene shows it more than any other, and it’s why the scene has such profound staying power.
Humans in the realm of fantasy genres are often the protagonists, but are typically seen as inferior to other races due to a penchant for selfishness and a general weakness in both body and mind when compared to immortal or magical races. Therefore, the human protagonists shown in such films are often paragons of humanity: humble, kind, wise, strong, and good down to their core. Aragorn is such a character in The Lord of the Rings, although to be fair, he has the benefit of extra years due to his status as the last of the Dúnedain, as well as a status as a Dúnedain royal, which includes blood from the elves and a Maiar.
Boromir is not that. His blood does not come from royalty, and his strength comes from his own merits alone. He is foolhardy and stubborn, thinking about the safety of his own people rather than the safety of many. And yet, he also loves deeply and works hard for what he believes in. He is weak enough to succumb to the power of the Ring, and yet strong enough to pull himself out of it. Boromir is human down to his core, emotional and yet strong, selfish and yet loyal.
His death scene highlights that although Aragorn has always been meant to stand on the throne, and Boromir understands that, it doesn’t make Boromir any less worthy. Humans are fallible, but they’re resilient. The mark of what makes a good man isn’t if he is naturally powerful and wise; it’s in how he is able to own up to his mistakes and learn from them. Boromir does this, sacrificing himself for his friends, and proves that he is just as capable a leader in many respects. Therefore, the audience mourns who Boromir was, but also who he had the potential to become.
It may be considered to be somewhat morbid that one of the greatest scenes in all of the fantasy genre revolves around a character’s death. But The Fellowship of the Ring shows that true heroism can come in many forms. It can appear to look weak or selfish at first, but this is what makes it genuine. Boromir is a man who represents humans, both the good and the bad, and that makes him heartbreakingly realistic, and, therefore, audiences can empathize with him and mourn him in a way few other fantasy characters have been grieved for.
- Video Game(s)
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LEGO Lord of the Rings, The Lord of the Rings Online, The Lord Of The Rings: Gollum, The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, The Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle-Earth, The Lord of The Rings: Battle For Middle-Earth 2, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- First Film
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The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
- Cast
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Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Sean Bean, Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Hugo Weaving, Liv Tyler, Miranda Otto, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Martin Freeman, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Charlie Vickers, Richard Armitage
- Latest Film
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The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies