Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Rings of Power season 2.
The Rings of Powerhas recreated Boromir’s death scene, and the emotion I felt proved how impactful it is decades later. Much ofThe Rings of Powerseason 2 has focused onSauron’s grandLord of the Ringsplan. InThe Rings of Powerseason 2, episode 7, this plan came to a head as Sauron’s manipulations resulted in Adar and his orc army attacking Eregion to distract the elves from the dark lord’s coercion of Celebrimbor regardingThe Lord of the Rings’Nine Rings of Men.
As Celebrimbor slaved away in his tower,The Rings of Power’s Siege of Eregionraged around him. Main characters like Elrond, Galadriel, Gil-galad, and Arondir assembled in an attempt to push back the orcs, resulting in what I can only label as one of the best battles in TV history. Although the Siege of Eregion raised questions aboutThe Rings of Power’s season 2 finale, I was surprised that it briefly took me back to a pivotal moment fromFellowship of the Ring. That moment is Boromir’s death, whichThe Rings of Powerseason 2, episode 7 somewhat recreated.
Rían’s Death Scene In The Rings Of Power Season 2 Is A Lot Like Boromir’s From Fellowship
One Of Elrond’s Loyal Soldiers Emulated The Bravery Of Boromir
The scene in question fromThe Rings of Powerseason 2, episode 7 involves Rían, one of the new elven cast members assembled as part of Elrond’s strike force earlier in the season. I will not claim that Rían is one of my favorite characters inThe Rings of Power, as she has received far too little screen time to warrant much development at all. That said,The Rings of Powergave Rían her final moment of glory as she sacrificed herself to take down a siege engine threatening the walls of Eregion.
The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power Season 2 Cast & Character Guide
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 has added to its already significant cast to create a rich array of Second Age characters.
What I will say made the scene much more emotional than Rían’s lack of character development would suggest was its striking similarities to Boromir’s death scene fromThe Fellowship of the Ring. In both scenes,the characters are shown performing one last heroic act of service in the face of insurmountable odds before being pierced by several arrows.The Rings of Powerclearly paid homage to Boromir’s last stand via Rían’s death, a neat way of honoring what has come before it all while subconsciously raising the emotional stakes as audiences will think of the Captain of Gondor.
Why Boromir’s The Lord Of The Rings Death Is Still So Impactful Years Later
Boromir’s Death Remains An Iconic Part Of The Lord Of The Rings
Boromir’s death is truly one of a kind in that it remains emotionally resonant decades later. This is proven above all else byThe Rings of Powerif a scene involving a minor character’s death can bring to mind the sacrifice of Boromir. As such, it is worth exploring why Boromir’s final moments are so impactful, 23 years on from the theatrical release ofThe Fellowship of the Ring.
For one, Boromir’s death completes his redemption arc. Boromir falling victim to the power ofThe Lord of the Rings’One Ringhas always been a sad moment, but what better way was there to redeem himself than by giving his life to protect Merry and Pippin? Boromir’s corruption was always done well in that it never made him outright evil, and Peter Jackson - and Tolkien before him - kept the character’s decisions rooted in nobility.This allowed Boromir to be a flawed person, one who is immediately more sympatheticbecause of this.
This thematic depth, as well as the fantastic performances of Sean Bean and Viggo Mortensen and the outstanding writing, direction, and music, make Boromir’s death one that is still impactful today…
To then give his life for the halflings only continues to emphasize how strong of heart the character is. This thematic depth, as well as the fantastic performances of Sean Bean and Viggo Mortensen and the outstanding writing, direction, and music, make Boromir’s death one that is still impactful today. While I will not say Rían’s death was even close to emulating that, the emotion it wrought inThe Rings of Poweris a testament to Boromir’s sacrifice.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Cast
Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.
