Galadriel's intentions.

[Boromir88]

lmp, more thinking questions...gotta love it . Those are things I've expressed my thoughts on a couple times on these forums is, what if Boromir hadn't of tried ot take the Ring from Frodo? Well then, I believe two things, One) He wouldn't have left the Fellowship. Or two, he would have been captured by Saruman's orcs.

1. Boromir was the final nudge Frodo needed to get out of the Fellowship. Even after Boromir went nuts, Frodo still found it hard to leave, he had to convince himself..."They would understand, yes, Sam would understand." If Boromir, hadn't of tried to take the Ring, Frodo probably would have stayed in the Fellowship. And then who knows what would happen next, more chaos than what was caused when Boromir tried to take the ring?

2. You also have to remember the threat of orcs are around. Aragorn fears orcs and tells Frodo don't wonder off...

"The enemy is on the easter shore, we know; but I fear that the Orcs may already be on this side of the water."

"Very well, Frodo son of Drogo," he said. "You shall have an hour, and you shall be alone. We will stay here for a while. But do not stray far or out of call."

Then Boromir reinforces this, when he convienently meets up with Frodo...

"I was afraid for you, Frodo," he said, coming forward. "If Aragorn is right and Orcs are near, then none of us should wander alone,..."

Orcs are around, and Boromir (grant it unintentionally) gets Frodo out of there before the Orcs come swarming in. If Boromir hadn't of gone looking for Frodo, would Frodo have gotten away? Maybe, maybe not.

This brings to another possibility (oh I love these). If Boromir never tried to take the ring, and was successful defending Merry and Pippin. Then I can see the company heading to Minas Tirith. Frodo wouldn't have that final nudge to leave, since Boromir didn't make him run. We know Boromir is heading to Minas Tirith, Legolas and Gimli both say they would go to Minas Tirith. Surely, after Boromir saved Merry and Pippin they would go to Minas Tirith. Leaves Frodo, Sam, and Aragorn, possibly against going. However, Aragorn already pledged to travel to Minas Tirith with Boromir. And if Arry agrees Frodo and Sam are right along.

[Boromir88]

Another interesting thought just occured to me. Galadriel too had desired to use the ring to overthrow Sauron. However, she was able to resist this. Galadriel saw the same desire in Boromir, and perhaps just wanted him to confront it like she did. Thinking, that if the ring just lays "dormant," within Boromir, only more trouble and doom would arise. She wanted to have Boromir confront his desire, in hopes that he could succeed. Then again, as discussed above, just creates this huge ripple effect if Boromir had not tried to take the ring from Frodo.

[Lhunardawen]

Originally Posted by lmp

Makes me wonder.... What potential did Boromir not fulfill?

Originally Posted by lmp (again)

We see glimpses early and late of what Boromir had to offer, saving the hobbits from frozen death on Caradhras, and his sacrificial attempt at the end to save them from the orcs.

I guess you have answered your own question. That's exactly what Boromir has to offer in the fellowship. He cannot use his leadership skills much, for leading the Company was left to Aragorn's care. He could probably just assist Aragorn, but majority of his contributions are through his strength and valor as a warrior. And had he not died, Rohan could have benefitted from these as well. But that again brings us to the "what ifs" of his temptation, and his death.

Originally Posted by B88

Another interesting thought just occured to me. Galadriel too had desired to use the ring to overthrow Sauron. However, she was able to resist this. Galadriel saw the same desire in Boromir, and perhaps just wanted him to confront it like she did. Thinking, that if the ring just lays "dormant," within Boromir, only more trouble and doom would arise. She wanted to have Boromir confront his desire, in hopes that he could succeed. Then again, as discussed above, just creates this huge ripple effect if Boromir had not tried to take the ring from Frodo.

By the time that Galadriel has "tempted" Boromir, her own desire has not yet been addressed. Don't you find it interesting that Galadriel tries to tempt Boromir with the same Thing that she herself desires? I think that the best way she could have helped Boromir overcome his desire was if Boromir somehow saw what happened and heard the conversation between her and Frodo regarding the Ring. Maybe then Boromir could have seen that he is not alone...and there is hope yet for him.

I find it ironic that Gimli was the one who said that it would be faithless to leave the Company in the middle of the the Quest, and the one he loves tried to break them apart, whatever her intentions might be.