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doug*platypus · 11-13-2006, 03:36 AM

Ah yes, The Paths of the Dead. With nary a Dúnedan in sight, Aragorn forges on with his two bestest buddies.

I thought that the "magic sword" bit was a little too corny, a little too Harry Potter and not Tolkien enough. I preferred the book version where Aragorn's character and personal traits such as his boldness were enough to engender the support of the armies of the dead. He revealed himself to them as the Heir of Isildur and so they pledged their allegiance to him in order to fulfill their oath and have rest.

Perhaps PJ thought that this was a bit of a blind leap of faith for the average cinema viewer, and that a more tangible (though to my mind, less likely) reason be given as to why the dead joined the party. If that were so, maybe he could have produced some kind of heirloom other than the sword to vouch for his authenticity e.g. a ring. I dunno... what are others' thoughts on this matter?

11-13-2006, 03:36 AM	#3
doug*platypus Delver in the Deep Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Aotearoa Posts: 960	Ah yes, The Paths of the Dead. With nary a Dúnedan in sight, Aragorn forges on with his two bestest buddies. I thought that the "magic sword" bit was a little too corny, a little too Harry Potter and not Tolkien enough. I preferred the book version where Aragorn's character and personal traits such as his boldness were enough to engender the support of the armies of the dead. He revealed himself to them as the Heir of Isildur and so they pledged their allegiance to him in order to fulfill their oath and have rest. Perhaps PJ thought that this was a bit of a blind leap of faith for the average cinema viewer, and that a more tangible (though to my mind, less likely) reason be given as to why the dead joined the party. If that were so, maybe he could have produced some kind of heirloom other than the sword to vouch for his authenticity e.g. a ring. I dunno... what are others' thoughts on this matter? __________________ But Gwindor answered: 'The doom lies in yourself, not in your name'.