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Originally Posted by The Saucepan Man
Does it matter? The pertinent fact is that he obeyed those orders and agreed to protect the Hobbits. And, since the Hobbits were captured while under his willing protection, surely he would see it as his duty to aid in seeking to liberate them? He was a man of honour, was he not? I can't see him just abandoning his charges, particularly not after the realisation of his Ring-folly.
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It matters whether he was (in his own mind) obeying a Royal Command, or an order from someone in temporary authority of the Company of the Ring. What you seem to be leaving out of your calculations is that Boromir is the Captain General of the Armies of Minas Tirith & therefore the Second in Command of the Gondorian Army. He has been on a mission to Rivendell for his CiC, & his expressed intent has always been to return to his father to report what he has discovered & take up his military command again. As he has at no point specifically accepted Aragorn's claim to the kingship, I can't see that anything has happened to alter his perceved duty. There's that line in The Sil about 'those who would uphold authority against rebellion must not themselves rebel. You seem to be basing your assessment of his actions/choices on his being a free agent - which he in no way is. Merry & Pippin were not his 'charges'. He was told to find & protect them in a particular set of circumstances. Of course, if Aragorn, Legolas & Gimli had not been able to go after them he would have been put in a difficult situation. Plus, you're assuming Aragorn would not have 'commanded' him to go home anyway - which is likely. Also, if he hadn't died we don't know how strong his 'repentance' would have been. Impending mortality is both a shock to the system & focusses the mind wonderfully. He may actually have gone after Frodo instead - perhaps not to try to take the Ring again, but to protect him.
Now, if the Orcs had grabbed M&P & run off I've no doubt that he would have run after them
in the heat of the moment, so its possible he could have ended up following along with Aragorn & the others, but I don't think this is what you're arguing. You seem to be saying that in the position of the others he would have made a conscious decision to go after them. I just can't see him doing that at all. His first duty was to his people & as 'a man of honour I can't see him deserting his post. M&P are just not that important militarily - & that's how Boromir thinks.