#borormir

sons of gondor

Gandalf:

Only there for the snacks

Doesn't even flinch when a jumpscare comes on

Falls asleep halfway through because he got bored

He's seen major shit throughout his life a horror movie is like a kids show for him

Prefers fantasy horror like Pans Labyrinth or The VVitch over typical ghosty horror

Aragorn:

He's secretly terrified the whole time but won't show it

Freaks out in every jumpscare but trys to remain composed

Holds his sword for comfort

Wishes he could have invited Arwen because she loves this stuff

Borormir:

Loves horror movies so much, would always watch them with Faramir

Is the one who organised it

Is a Stephen King fan

Tried to get the fellowship to watch "Hereditary" first, soon realised that it was not the best way to start off the night

Legolas:

Loves horror movies actually

Loves the Blair witch project and anything set in the forest

Tried to make Gimli even more scared by shaking him at every jumpscare

Gimli:

Threatens to punch legolas if he shakes him one more time

More of a supernatural thriller kinda guy, jumpscares just freak him out too much and he thinks it's "cheap horror"

Laughs out of fear

Comfort is snacks

Frodo:

Snuggled up with Sam the whole time

Actually a fan of horror, it's a bit of a comfort movie genre for him

Is Sam's emotional support hobbit

Him and Borormir are arguing over which horror movie is the best

Sam:

Hates every minute of it

Spends the whole movie looking at cute animals on his phone to calm him down

Glued to frodo and won't let him go

Regrets all life decisions at this moment

Merry:

Eating a literal roast dinner with Pippin while watching the movies

Loves any horror movie, favourite is slashers or 80s b movies

Laughs at jumpscares

Laughs at Pippins reaction to jumpscares

Pippin:

Hides behind a cushion

Constant screaming

Made the roast dinner as food calms him down

But the thing is, he's not wrong.

Within the context of traditional warfare- the context Boromir has been working from his entire life- attempting to destroy the Ring is folly. Sauron is too powerful, his armies too vast, and Mordor too inhospitable for an army to march directly against him with the hopes of reaching Mount Doom and destroying the Ring. And the Ring would thrive in such a situation, surrounded by fear and desperation and terrible hopelessness that it could latch onto. Boromir has seen what the might of Sauron is capable of, has seen what it's done to his land and his people and his own father, and to try to fight such evil head on through sheer brute force will only lead to defeat.

So Boromir isn't wrong. Evil that thrives on fear and weakness cannot be defeated through strength fueled by desperation. Where he is wrong is assuming that's the only way to fight.

War has worn down his hope to the point that he views it almost as weakness. To try and fight such powerful evil with hope and trust and love sounds laughable when you've spent your entire life facing the grim darkness of war. And to place that hope and trust in a being as small and simple and ostensibly weak as a hobbit? No victory could come from that.

But that's exactly how the war is won.

It's won through love undiminished in the face of unspeakable evil. It's won through the stubborn refusal to give up hope. It's won through the belief that there is light even in the deepest of darkness and that it it worth fighting to protect. And it's won through the simple determination of a hobbit to do what needs to be done and the unwavering love of his gardener. Yes, there is sacrifice and sadness and grief, but there is also love and hope and creating meaning through relationship with those you love.

Boromir and Theodred

2020, digital art

Aragorn: If it involves you, Merry, Pippin, and the Avatar theme song, then no.