Boromir

For other uses of Boromir see also: Boromir (disambiguation)

"It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing. Such a little thing."

- Boromir

Boromir was a valiant warrior known in Gondor for his greatness, having already achieved great merit in Gondor prior to the Council of Elrond. His strength and forceful mood made him a great commander of Gondor who would have protected his people no matter what. Even the people of Rohan, particularly Éomer, admired him.

Before the War of the Ring
Boromir son of Denethor II, the last ruling Steward of Gondor, and Finduilas, was born in the year TA 2978. He was the elder child, having only one brother Faramir, and so would have taken over as Steward after Denethor's death. When his mother died, he was only ten years of age. His father became a grim person, that visibly preferred Boromir over his brother Faramir. Despite this fact, Boromir looked after his younger brother, and they became great friends. Boromir devoted himself to protecting his people and was in the battle for the eastern part of Osgiliath. He, his brother, and two others were the only survivors of the unit that held the bridge until its destruction; they had to swim the river Anduin to reach safety.

Boromir in the War
One day he set out from Minas Tirith to Rivendell to decipher a riddle that was given to him and his brother in their dreams:


 * Seek for the Sword that was broken,
 * In Imladris it dwells, 
 * There shall be counsels taken,
 * Stronger than Morgul-spells.
 * There shall be shown a token,
 * That Doom is near at hand,
 * For Isildur's Bane shall waken,
 * An the Halfling forth shall stand.

Soon Boromir lost his horse in Tharbad and traveled the rest of the way on foot. The journey took 110 days. He arrived at the beginning of the Council of Elrond where he talked about how Gondor was defending itself from Mordor and tried to convince them to give the One Ring to Gondor where he felt it would be kept safe. The council disagreed with the ring going to Gondor because of the possibility that Sauron would sense it there. Soon he joined the Fellowship of the Ring and was warned by Elrond to not blow the Horn of Gondor until they were close to Gondor and in dire need. After the Fellowship failed to cross east of the Misty Mountains, they went through the Dwarven realm of Moria, where Gandalf would fall while fighting the Balrog. When the Fellowship made it to Lórien he was disturbed by Galadriel testing his mind. Soon he left with an elven-cloak and a golden belt, riding the river Anduin in the elven boats Celeborn gave the Fellowship.



Death
Boromir disliked the idea of destroying the One Ring so he tried to convince Frodo to give him the ring. When Frodo refused Boromir tried take it from him, perhaps even threatening Frodo with death. But the hobbit put the One Ring on and fled. After Boromir realized his actions were caused by the corruption of the One Ring, he repented, and told the Fellowship about Frodo's vanishing. They were soon after attacked by Orcs and Uruk-hai. During the battle he was mortally wounded while defending Merry and Pippin. It took no fewer than three arrows to finally fell Boromir, son of Denethor II, Steward-prince of Gondor. The Uruk-Hai who killed Boromir was labeled in the movies as Lurtz, but Boromir was killed by unknown orcs in the books.

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli laid him to rest inside one of the boats of Lórien, and sent him down the falls of Rauros singing:


 * Through Rohan over fen and field where the long grass grows 
 * The West wind comes walking, and about the walls it goes.
 * 'What news from the west, O wandering wind, do you bring to me tonight?
 * Have you seen Boromir the Tall by moon or by starlight?
 *  'I saw him ride over seven streams, over waters wide and grey;
 * I saw him walk in empty lands, until he passed away
 * Into the shadows of the North. I saw him then no more.
 * The North Wind may have heard the horn of the son of Denethor.' 
 *  'O Boromir! From the high walls westward I looked afar,
 * But you come not from the empty lands where no men are.

Legacy
Three days after Boromir's death, his brother Faramir would find his funeral boat. Boromir's death made his father Denethor even moreo morose, driving him to madness. During the Battle of the Pelennor Fields Denethor attempted to burn himself and the injured Faramir in a pyre.

Boromir was also remembered by the other members of the Fellowship because he died at the time the Fellowship broke up. The only persons of the fellowship that initially knew of his death were Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli.

In the books

 * The Fellowship of the Ring (First appearence)
 * The Two Towers

In the movies

 * The Fellowship of the Ring
 * The Two Towers (Extended Edition only) (Flashback only)
 * The Return of the King (Extended Edition only)