Eowyn vs. Aragorn

[Knight of Gondor]

Originally Posted by Kath

I don't think she ever had him in the sense of having beaten him. I do think he was a little surprised. Probably figured she was just waving a sword around, had maybe had a little experience with it but nothing much, and was startled by the fact she really did know what to do with it. However, even with the position she had him in I think he would have regained the upper hand pretty fast if he had wanted to.

I agree; I don't think Aragorn was playing with her. He was interrupting her testosterone kick by catching her blade with his. (And yes, blade on blade, very bad.) He wasn't playing, and he wasn't trying to start something. He was just stopping the (irresponsible?) swooshing around to say something. I don't believe he expected her to swing his dagger (it was only his dagger, after all!) out of the way.

I think Ataralasse's analysis may be right; she may have been trying to show that she's not just playing around with a sword, that she really can handle it. A lesser lesser person would concede her point. A lesser person would immediately go back on the defensive to prove a point of his own. But Aragorn, son of Arathorn, heir to the throne of Gondor, has no point to prove to the lady of Rohan, and neither concedes nor contests the point.

Do I think she caught him off guard, yes. Do I think that she could have won that battle, no. Aragorn knew there was no serious threat; she did not mean him harm, and could not have beaten him if she had.

[Quempel]

Eowyn destroyed the witch king.
Frodo destroyed Sauron and Gollum.
Gandalf destroyed the Balrog.
Aragorn did what any king would do took the credit.

Could he best Eowyn, maybe, but he couldn't best the witch king, so maybe not. Of course he is old by the time he meets Eowyn, she could probably just out run him. Or feed him stew.

[Nimrodel_9]

Of course she had him beat. She's a woman, isn't she?

Very nice.

Yeah, she had him beat. Not to say that if they really went at it she would win. I think he was just not expecting it.

[Snowdog]

Did Eowyn have Aragorn whipped?
Maybe for awhile, starting with Aragorn's taking note of the beautiful blonde in white he saw. She likely thought she did, beginning with his taking the cup from her at the Helms Deep victory party. But most likely Aragorn just decided to take advantage of her for the time he was with the Rohirrim after tasting her cooking, for when he was done with her he tried sneaking off in the early morn down the Paths of the Dead.

Did Aragorn have Eowyn whipped? Apparently so since she was the one all broken up about his leaving.

Seriously... Surely Aragorn did not take the spar seriously, knowing she wouldn't hurt him. But then again he did have a habit of being caught at unawares by women...