Boromir and Aragorn

Boromir    They took the little ones! Frodo. Where is Frodo?    

Aragorn    I let Frodo go.

Boromir   Then you did what I did not. I tried to take the Ring from him.    

Aragorn  The Ring is beyond our reach now.        

Boromir   Forgive me. I did not see. I have failed you all.

Aragorn   No, Boromir. You fought bravely. You have kept your honor.

(Aragorn reaches for an arrow. Boromir grabs his arm.)  

Boromir  Leave it! It is over. The world of Men will fall. And all will come to darkness. And my city to ruin.

Aragorn  I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you, I will not let the white city fall. Nor our people fail.               

Boromir  Our people. Our people. (Boromir reaches for his sword. Aragorn hands it to him, and he lays it over his body.) I would have followed you, my brother. My captain. My King.

(Aragorn kisses his forehead.)

Aragorn   Be at peace, son of Gondor.

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Aragorn and Boromir live out another version of the classic male friendship, the two who do not trust each other but come to an understanding born of one man's death. Aragorn is in many ways the sort of Messiah people might have liked to have: a warrior as well as a wise man.

Boromir reminds me of Peter, who had every opportunity, from the beginning to the end, to understand everything Jesus was about, who Jesus would trust and turn to and even lash out at honestly. And still he would deny his friend, his teacher, his Savior.

I find great relief in Peter's humanity, and Boromir's too.

(Thanks to lynxfeather for the transcript of this scene from Lord of the Rings.)