Aragorn and Haldir
 

I was just wondering... Aragorn seems to like Haldir a lot in the movies. You know: "Mae govannen! You are most welcome!" and hugging him and freaking out when he dies. But Aragorn doesn't really know Haldir, right? In the book the meet once in Lorien, but that's all. So why is Aragorn acting like this?? ^^

You have to remember that Aragorn has been to Lorien tons of times, he already knew Haldir. The elves respected him and knew him as a friend. That and he had elvish blood in him.

Answer 1. Because the elves weren't really at Helm's Deep (in the book), so movie-Aragorn's level of surprise went off the charts when Haldir died. (It's a joke, children.)<P>Answer 2. Movie-gorn was glad to have some real-life trained soldiers come as reinforcements to Helm's Deep, since Theoden and he were stuck with 2 to 3 hundred old men and boys. Oh, and one dwarf with ill-fitting mail and an elf with an attitude. I suppose that in the movie, Eomer was able to abscond with the entire army of Rohan when he was banished.<P>Answer 3 (real?). I would think that Haldir and Aragorn would have met in the past when Aragorn was in Lothlorien (LotR Appendix A). And perhaps also during other of Aragorn's historical adventures, also listed in the Appendix.

Aragorn's knowing Haldir well worked for the movies because<P><UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Aragorn's seemingly friendly relationship with Haldir enhanced his "Elvishness".<LI>It made Haldir's coming with the host of Elrond seem more joyous and miraculous.<LI>It made Haldir's death seem more poignant and sad.</UL>

Excellent point. I believe it's because movieAragorn has less in common with the Riders of Rohan than he does with the prancing movieHaldir and Co of Lórien. At least that's the general impression that I got. <P>I believe that his ties to the Elves, while accurate to say the least, were overplayed in the movies. In FOTR he seems to be this guy that lounges around the reading room at Rivendell, quite comfy and never really thinking too much about going to claim his kingship, which after all is just over a bunch of grubby men. He never even speaks a word to Barliman, or Bill Ferny, doesn't help Bilbo with his song, and no other Dúnedain even appear. <P>What has bothered me most about the presence of elves at Helm's Deep is the fact that it takes away from Aragorn's leadership role somewhat. There is far too much emphasis on him being able to command a group of elves, and to speak elvish. I think his character would have been served much better by being showed as a great, tireless warrior, and being able to command <I>men</I>. Still once ROTK comes out it what happened in TTT will be much less relevant.

It almost seems like Legolas knew him too and not just from the movie because in the book when he hears Haldir and his brothers laughing he jumps right into the conversation.

Having said that <B>doug</B>, the film did show a bit of Aragorn chatting to (and almost beheading) that blonde kid. He also screamed that he would "DIE AS ONE OF THEM!" when surrounded by the Rohan farmers (although cynics claim that this was mere propoganda and that he didn't really like Rohan that much at all).<P>So the filmmakers were possibly driving home the point that 'Gorn has a fair measure of Elf and Man inside him.

Granted, although I've never really been a fan of Aragorn condoning a child going to war, especially when you've got superhero Éowyn trammeled in a hutch out back. <P>But I did often get the impression of movieAragorn as someone who had inadvertently stumbled into a biker bar and ordered a vodka martini. He was <B>so</B> relieved when Haldir and the girls turned up. I think he has some issues with his grubby manliness, despite trying to keep up appearances to the contrary (that snot-snorting sniffle on the way to Weathertop, for example). But I'm sure he'll be able to blend in seamlessly with the other lads at the Battle of Pelennor Fields. So long as Legolas holds his hand on the Paths of the Dead. <P>Where now are the Dúnedain, PJ, PJ?! Why does the movie script wander afar??

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> Where now are the Dúnedain, PJ, PJ?! Why does the movie script wander afar?? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Ah yes... you're right...<P>But okay, I quite understand now But I still think it's kinda funny, though ^^<P>-sigh- *still floats somewhere in Middle Earth after seeing RotK*

Haldir is Aragorn and Legolas' friend and they are glad he and his friends showed up to help