Reverse Gripes

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Originally Posted by Boromir88

I thought that until TTT EE where Denethor sends Boromir out as a secret agent to go bring the ring back to his poppy. Boromir's character in FOTR was absolutely brilliant, he was done so sympathetically and was still one of the closest portrayed characters (though in the books he's more childish), but then TTT EE rolls around and my heart is shattered when he is sent out as an agent.

I disagree. Having just watched LotR2-TTT-Seq16, I noticed that Boromir, if he's an agent at all, is a reluctant one at best. He openly disagrees with his father the Steward, yet obeys his will, just like Faramir does. Boromir states that his place is defending Gondor, not attending some meeting of Elrond. And are we to believe that Elrond wouldn't know that Denethor was sending an agent? You can see that Denethor's mind was already poisoned, and this rot will have him sending both of his children to death (though luckily Faramir escapes the multiple attempts on his life).

Anyway, I like the Boromir of the movies much more than the brash muscleman portrayed in the books whose sole purpose seems in being a foil for the rest of the FotR. PJ's Boromir is a troubled man, wanting to do the right and honorable thing, but struggling with the mess that his father placed in his head. You might think that he could easily disobey his father's command (assuming that the Ring is playing no part whatsoever in the struggle/temptation), but if you look in your own life, you might find it hard at times to cut against the grain laid out by family, whether parents or kin. Plus, Boromir's been told that the Ring is Gondor's only salvation, and though the hundreds or thousands of people's lives that may be at stake could be on his mind, we also know that his "little brother," whom he loves, could be one of the first to feel Sauron's bite. Just how far woud you go to save your brother?

And Sean Bean plays him so well.