LotR2-TTT-Seq14

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Where is the horse and the rider?


Aragorn floats down the river, and it’s lucky for him that Númenórean blood begets so much buoyancy. The SS Aragorn runs aground. He sees a vision of Arwen and suddenly she’s there, playing lifeguard of the Valar. Didn’t Arwen also send some Valarian grace Frodo’s way? Is she giving away her immortality, bit by bit, and so later will appear almost human? Interestingly in this fairy tale it’s the princess’s kiss that brings the knight out of a death-like slumber.

It’s a horse! Not the heavy footfalls of those of the black ridden by the wraiths, but of a horse of a completely different color. The horse nudges Aragorn as if to say, “Wake up! Wake up before I have to kiss you again…” It’s Brego, the horse that Aragorn freed from Théoden’s service. How nice and fortuitous! Brego lies down so that the injured Aragorn can get into the saddle. You can see that this stunt took a lot of practice…it’s not easy getting actors to do what you want all of the time .

Brego takes Aragorn back to Helm’s Deep. You might consider that the horse is actually angry with Aragorn, and so takes him to a very dangerous place.

“Thanks for letting me go, big guy. I’ve been chased all over the countryside by wolves and wargs, had only grass to eat and there’s not an oat to be had. And I almost hung myself on that rope you left dangling around my head. You’re going to Helm’s Deep, buddy, and if Eowyn’s leech craft doesn’t kill you, those Uruks will.”

Well, at least now I can fret a bit less as the future king has returned from the paths of the dead. And I thought that Aragorn was a goner. The way this movie is going, maybe we’ll see Boromir at the end of all thing? Note that I wasn’t big on the whole 'lose Aragorn' departure from the text. It’s not that interesting, and it’s not like PJ didn’t have any source material from which to pull. Anyway…

It’s back to visions of Arwen.

Elrond tells her that it’s time to go. He speaks in Elvish (Sindarin?); she in Common. The sundering has already begun. Elrond wants her to go and he begins to make his case. Aragorn will not be returning. There will be multiple attempts on his life, both overt (the orcs, wargs and Uruks) and covert (the stew, Brego, Gimli’s humor). We’re even sending a host of relatives with Haldir to do him in, just in case.

Arwen’s counter argument is that there is still hope, meaning that she’s in love’s dreamy world that no logic/rationality can penetrate. Or a dream within a dream.

Elrond continues and tells her that even if every dream is realized that in the end it’s still going to be a bitter hell on Middle Earth. No hyperbole there. And isn’t the bitterness of which Elrond speaks more in regards to his relationship with his daughter? Or is he afraid of being the laughing stock of Valinor for all eternity? “Hey Elrond! Where’s your daughter? Oh, that’s right. She left you for some horse-kissing human. Ha ha!”

We see the words of Elrond take shape, seeing the funeral of the Elessar. As Arwen looks upon her beloved the kingdom passes by. King Aragorn is entombed; still Arwen stands by, mourning her love. Later she walks like a sad shadow under trees no more lit by sun nor moon.

Elrond continues as tears fall from the elf maid’s eyes. He’s made his way into her heart, and she affirms her love for her father.

In Elvish.

Arwen will go into the West, forsaking both love and Shadow. The elves start their journey to the Havens and I can’t help but think that this is some fraternity rite of passage. It’s odd that Elrond stays behind, and maybe that was the selling point for Arwen. “Father, I will go into the West, that is…if we can take separate ships as your long droning is driving me crazy!”

The wide shot of Rivendell, when the Elves with their swinging lanterns are crossing the bridge is cool as there is only one light in the Last Homely House on those eastern shores.

The future looks black.