Faramir or Boromir?

[Kalimac]

The question is "Faramir or Boromir?" My answer is "For what? Depends on the situation."

The way it seems to me is that if you're looking for a wonderful second-in-command or lieutenant, Boromir is it. He has a lot of physical power, is a very able warrior and very brash, and there's nothing that suggests he wasn't popular with his men - that sort of very energetic, rather bullheaded character can inspire people to do a lot more than they would otherwise during a long, slogging campaign. He also does best when taking a cue from someone else; in Gondor he was always under Denethor's command and was able to take directions from him and execute them very well, similarly he had great respect for Aragorn and obeyed his lead, but you get the feeling that when Boromir was in a situation where he was the PRIMARY leader that he didn't really know what to do with himself.

Faramir was quite the opposite, a born leader-of-men; a more intellectual, rational type of being. He was the thoughtful yet able type of leader (rather like Aragorn) that someone like Boromir could look up to, and who in turn would be a check for Boromir's worst impulses. As a second-in-command, though, Faramir wasn't up to much. Granted, Denethor was not in the best state of mind by the time he had his quarrels with Faramir in ROTK, but you get the feeling that Faramir has a very difficult time taking orders from anyone who is not Gandalf's level or higher. "Not if I found it in the highway would I take it," says Faramir, but it's clear that this is HIS choice; if Denethor had told him "Not if you find it in the highway will you take it" it's easy to see Faramir bridling at that - not disobeying, necessarily, but certainly thinking along the lines of "I'll do it because I want to, not because you tell me to." Boromir, OTOH, accepted Aragorn's orders on the subject - until, of course, the Ring got to be too much for him, but as was said, that shouldn't count against him in this, should it?