Why did he say...
 

Hi. O.K. I've looked around but I didn't see anything like this asked; I was kinda surprised too. At the end of the movie, when Faramir decides to let Frodo and Sam go free, one of guards tells Faramir that if he lets them go his life will be forfeit. What do they mean...forfeit? Why would it be such a crime to let Frodo and Sam go?

Gondor is about to be invaded by an army from Mordor. Faramir and his Rangers are responsible for patrolling the border in Ithilien. Anyone not from Gondor found wandering around in Ithilien is viewed with suspicion as a Mordor spy. Letting such a person go free instead of capturing him and bringing him home to be interrogated is tatamount to treason. Therefore, Faramir, who believes Frodo and Sam's unlikely story, is committing a capital crime by helping them get to Mordor. <P>-Lily

This happens in the book as well - What I gleaned is that if Faramir let them go free AND some type of ruin befell Gondor as a result, then Faramir's life would be forfeit. <P>What I wondered about in the movie is that Faramir just let them go out alone from Osgiliath. I can't imagine he would let them wander freely around Gondor, especially knowing Frodo had the Ring. In the book, doesn't Mablung or one of the other Rangers escort them to the crossroads out of Ithilien?<p>[ March 22, 2003: Message edited by: Tar-Palantir ]

There's also the fact that Denethor wants the Ring himself. Faramir may be the son of the Steward, but he's not actually second-in-command in Gondor. He's just a regular Captain (more like a general) in the army of Gondor. If any other captain came to Denethor and said "Some suspicious guys were trying to get into Mordor with the Ring of Power, so I helped them, *in defiance of your standing order*" he'd be in a lot of trouble! (Shorter by about a head.)Denethor is the kind of "fair" man who won't be lenient just because the perpetrator is his own son. If anything, he'd be *more* harsh on Faramir than on another captain. <P>Tar-Palantir, you've put lemon juice into the paper cut that is Osgiliath. So many things about that scene make no sense whatsoever! I've ranted about it before, so I'll spare you now, but I agree completely.<P>-Lily

good ol' Faramir!

*huggles Faramir and slaps Denethor on the wrist*<P>I practically burst into tears at Faramir's face when he said "Then it is forfeit."<BR>But i can understand Denethor brutally squishing his own son for passing up the opportunity of Gondorian ring-bearing. He wanted it so badly.<P>Actually, i kinda cheered when Faramir said "The ring will go to Gondor". I'm totally on their side.<p>[ March 26, 2003: Message edited by: Meela ]

it means he wil DIIIIIIE!<P>*said in very morbid tone*

Good points. Thanks for filling me in. Appreciate it.

Of course. I'm always ready to talk about Faramir. <P>Meela, I didn't like the "Ring goes to Gondor" line because I felt Faramir was treating Frodo as a thing (i.e., a box that held the Ring) and not as a person. I was quite distressed, because Book-Faramir at his most hard-edged would never have done such a thing. <P>-Lily<p>[ March 29, 2003: Message edited by: Lily Bracegirdle ]

Ah, yes. Damn you and your handsomely evilness Faramir!<P>When the dude said "Your life will be forfeit!", I thought that meant that Faramir would get killed or something. Hee hee hee, wouldn't that be funny? Then he wouldn't show up in the Return of the King.

Hi, Horse Maiden!<P>Actually, I think that was precisely what it meant. Somehow Faramir will escape that doom in the next movie. Yay!<P>-Lily

Love Faramir and I thought it meant he would die too. His dad is more than a cowardly jerk but I won't say what I'm really wanting to call him cause its a really nasty word. My dad is the same way.....but i don't care to get into that.