Was it out of character?

[Essex]

I think it actually makes it MORE poigniant.

Maybe I'm going against some of my posts above (and maybe not) but what we have here is Aragorn 'honouring' Frodo because he believes he is dead. Instead of in the cinematic version what they are doing for frodo is fighting for him to have a greater chance to complete the quest, they are now fighting, I believe, in rememberence of Frodo, even though he 'failed'.

[Linnahiril Tinnufinwen]

Though I still abide by my original opinion, I must admit that you have made a very good point, Essex. It has lead me to the conclusion that this scene, as it appears in both the cinamatic verson of the movie and the EE, could arguably be considered two seperate points of view. In the theater verson, Aragorn's line, "For Frodo," and his following actions are performed more out of optimism. He wants, as you say, to give Frodo more time to destroy the ring. Where as in the EE, since he may believe in his heart that Frodo is truly dead (though we never know for sure what he thinks) his actions are more pessemistic; his way of making a last stand in Frodo's name. As to which of these perspectives is "better," that is merely a matter of individual opinion.

This has also got me to thinking about the cinamatic version of ROtK as it compares to the EE in general. The original question of this thread concerned Aragorn's characteristic, or uncharacteristic, decapitating of the Mouth of Sauron. I think that the theatrical verson versus the extended version may actally show two different sides of Aragorn's character. Or at the very least, two different perceptions of Aragorn's character by the screenwriters.