Boromir’s (Sean Bean) character has infamously been misunderstood since the premiere of The Lord of the Rings. As the only member of the Fellowship to try to take the Ring from Frodo (Elijah Wood), he is often read as a villain. This is a tragic misreading of a character who is more fully developed than many in the fantasy franchise.
Boromir’s early desire to use the Ring to defeat Sauron is quickly shot down, and his bitterness towards Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) is noted. Take a close look at Boromir’s death, however, and fans can see that his true legacy is not betrayal, but sacrifice. As soon as the Uruk-hai arrive, Boromir wastes no time in protecting those around him. Throughout the film, he particularly bonds with Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) and throws himself in front of them, so the Hobbits can escape. Boromir then takes on multiple arrows to beat back the orcs until he can’t anymore. He knows that his death is inevitable, and uses every ounce of his dying breath to take down as many of Sauron’s army as possible. This was Boromir’s greatest act and informed the tone of the rest of the franchise.
Boromir’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Arc Is Essential Viewing
Among many of J.R.R. Tolkien’s themes of environmentalism and anti-fascism is the concept of self-sacrifice. Even when the odds seem insurmountable, characters do what is right, no matter what the consequences are. Ring-bearer Frodo sacrifices his very soul to ensure that the Ring gets back to the fires of Mount Doom. The young Hobbit never fully recovers, feeling his essence fractured because of the weight of the Ring.
This theme starts early with Boromir’s sacrifice at the end of The Fellowship of the Ring. This sacrifice was even more meaningful because of where Boromir started. His character arc was the best in the series, and it starts with Boromir representing the weakness of Men. Aragorn’s forebear, Isildur, famously refused to destroy the Ring thousands of years ago, an act that stained their entire race. Boromir appeared to be on the same path. He has no understanding of how dangerous the Ring is and defies Aragorn’s right to the throne. However, through the Fellowship’s journey, Boromir showed another side to himself.
He trains the Hobbits in combat, and when they are in the heartbreaking Mines of Moria, he does not hesitate. The pull of the Ring is strong for Boromir, and while Aragorn shows strength in never wavering, he is one in a million. Boromir’s weakness only shows how far he has come as a person. Once he is away from the power of the Ring, he is immediately forlorn.
The Uruk-hai show up quickly after that, but all Boromir worries about is whether the Hobbits have escaped. On his deathbed, he admits what he did, earning his redemption in self-sacrifice. This moment is one of the most emotional and memorable of the series as he and Aragorn come to terms. The heir to Gondor promises to protect their people, which unites him and Boromir before his death. Boromir’s fealty to Aragorn is heartwrenching and the best last words anyone could utter. Even though many people remember Boromir for his brief moment of betrayal, his story arc is so much more than that. He set the tone for the following two films and should be remembered as a hero. Fans can revisit this emotional arc by streaming The Lord of the Rings on HBO Max.
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