Temptation of Boromir

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Originally Posted by Farael

Choose Elrond and you'll be hidden and guarded until the very end (when the ring would not really be THAT necessary anymore). Choose Aragorn and it is the same scenario. Choose Gandalf and Sauron might be overthrown, and the ring being a part of Sauron himself I'm sure it didn't really want that to happen. Choose a hobbit and the ring will probably be lost in the middle of nowhere, it's easier to have it on the battlefront where a good sword or even a lucky arrow might do the trick. Think of anyone else and what that character is likely to do... and so far, I find that Boromir (in spite of his noble intentions) would have been the one to surrender the ring sooner than the rest.

None were safe. Aragorn, properly motivated, could have taken and used the Ring actively. If Sauron knew that this scion of the West were still around and was near the Ring, and also knew of the secret love between Aragorn and Arwen, well, it wouldn't take much imagination (lucky for me ) to come up with a scenario where Aragorn actually chooses to take the Ring, by force if necessary, from Frodo or Gandalf or whoever else bore it. My assumption is that that is what Sauron thought when the Lords of the West marched to his door - that Aragorn claimed the Ring.

What would Elrond or Aragorn do if Arwen were held captive in Barad-dur? What if her death were imminent and the Ring was available? What would these two do for love?

That what Boromir did. He thought to claim the Ring to protect/save those whom he loved (and sure, there'd be some glory in it as well...).