[davem]

Originally Posted by Esty

I disagree, davem. I think it is precisely Estel that can be the only kind of hope present in the face of despair!

Maybe I wasn't clear - when I said:

while Amdir & despair can be 'one' in certain circumstances, Estel & despair cannot..

I meant that while Amdir ('looking up'/optimism) can become akin with despair, ie linked in the mind, indistinguishable, cancel each other out (or whatever Aragorn meant), Estel ('trust'/faith in Eru) will always remain a seperate thing, & cannot, by its nature, become akin with despair. Despair may drive out Estel, but it will never become 'akin', let alone the same thing.