LotR2-TTT-Seq10

[alatar]

It is not necessarily a loving kindness to build a fence around your master. How then can he observe his servants and see that they minister to him without thought of reward? No, my son, a fence is often a work of fear and a container for dust.
--Sayings of the Abbods (from The Godmakers by Frank Herbert)

The horse Brego is none too happy, and men try to restrain him in these elaborate and ornate stables. Éowyn and then Aragorn take notice. Aragorn starts whispering some words to the mad beast, and slowly it calms down. We learn from Éowyn the horse’s former owner, and Aragorn lets us know the origin of its name.

Éowyn notes that Aragorn speaks fluent elvish, and how she identified the language is interesting. I’m reminded of a story by Edgar Allan Poe in regards to identifying languages. Aragorn gives more personal info. Then King Aragorn sets Brego free.

So the horse gets to walk while the rest of Rohan fights for its very existence. Young children will be conscripted, but horse Brego will run free across the plains until Saruman and/or Sauron devours them too. And we needed to have a few moments of the horse whisperer instead of showing a human, like maybe Erkenbrand, but then again, the horses acting guild is pretty powerful south of the equator.

Then again, those of Númenórean blood are farsighted indeed, and so Aragorn may have realized that if all of the Edorasians are walking along with Théoden and crew that none will remain if help unlooked for is required, say by some cliff diving 87 year old.

We see a horse riding through the decimated Isengard, and me thinks it’s not Brego with a new rider. We see Saruman, recently ‘owned’ by Gandalf, calling the new White Wizard a fool. And what does the walking muttering one mean by, “Does he seek to humble me with his newfound piety?” Huh?

The Worm tries to help his boss with information, but maybe he should have freshened up a bit before entering the worried wizard’s presence. “You stink of horse,” Saruman says, and I guess the Uruks and other orcs smell of roses. Is this the reason for Saruman’s hatred of Rohan - horse smell? “If I wipe out all of the humans and have my minions eat all of the horse flesh, the place will be rid of the equine plague and finally my allergies will be fine.”

But Saruman asks more of the Worm before he goes, specifically about Aragorn. Wasn’t this the same wizard who was looking through Théoden’s eyes? Same guy with a palantir, or does that only call one number now? Grima details the ring on the Ranger's hand, and so we get more Tolkien. Saruman discounts the Ring of Barahir (which, since the movie has been out a while, was also done by the Noble Collection). And Saruman is wrong yet again in regards to the line being broken between Elendil and Aragorn.

The Edoras exodus begins, and King Théoden calls for his horse. “Fetch me my horse, Gamling, and some crispy fries and a salad, pronto!” And it’s nice to see that Gamling, having made the trip all the way from the wall at Helm’s Deep, had time to stop of at Ponce de Leon’s fount for a draught. Then, seeing that Gamling was somewhat despondent (maybe he dreaded going to the royal stables, fearing that King Aragorn sent all of the king’s horses and all of the king’s men…home), King Théoden paraphrases MacArthur.

As everyone continues to pack, Éowyn gets out her sword and swings it around a bit. Luckily no one is close by. Aragorn blocks her blade with a knife, and he is stabbed, but not with steel but by the maiden’s glare. She then continues the attack, and if I were King Aragorn, I’d stay away from Éowyn as obviously she has issues, but after learning why she is so wound up, he whispers soft encouragements and states that she should be set free .

I see Aragorn’s plan. Make it seem that everyone is following the real king to Helm’s Deep, but as King Aragorn has emancipated all of Théoden’s subjects and horses, all will be spared and so be able to fight on the plain like he and Lord Gandalf desire.

Smart that.

Wormtongue tells Saruman what he obviously already knows. Saruman decides that Théoden needs a Candygram delivered by Wargs ("When you truly want to make a special statement to that certain someone, take the time and say it with W.A.R.G.S."). And we're left with the shadows of wolves until next time.