[Mithadan]

Mari, I rather disagree with your last statement. Keep in mind that a thousand years before when the line of Gondorian kings first "failed", Arvedui laid claim to the Crown but was rebuffed. While this could be a comment on the popularity of Earnil, it also shows a traditional prejudice against the "lesser" line of the North (presumably deriving from the destruction of the flower of the North Kingdom's men at the Gladden, as well as later regional strife). Faramir comments that Boromir would have revered Aragorn and his heritage but the time had not yet come when they would be rivals for control of Gondor. I do not think that Denethor would have welcomed Aragorn even if circumstances were otherwise. As they say in my profession, there was "precedent" for rejecting such a claim.

[ November 27, 2001: Message edited by: Mithadan ]