I thought of this when reading the
Boromir's Death thread in
The Books:
Gandalf: Well, technically you're the heir to the throne, but there could well be problems: you remember Denethor?
Aragorn: Ummmm...tall chap; big nose; bit of a prig? Think I met him when I was going through that mercenary phase.
Gandalf: That's the fellow. He won't like it, you know. They'd have to renovate that ridiculous throne for a start; there are mice nesting in it.
Aragorn: Anything we can do?
Gandalf: We could buy them a cat.
Aragorn: What about Denethor?
Gandalf: He's allergic to rodents.
Aragorn: You know what I mean.
Gandalf: Well, it would make things easier if he covered himself in lamp oil and burned himself to death, but that idiotic elder son of his could still be a problem. I suppose there's always a chance that he could die a glorious death at the hands of many enemies...
Aragorn: Can you swing that?
Gandalf: I'll see what I can do.