#allusion: Gondor Will See It Done (Ironwood) | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

livestosave · 2 years ago

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Theoden as an Ironwood Allusion

So. Many of you likely know that my primary allusion for James Ironwood is Boromir from the Lord of the Rings. What you may not know (because I show it more rarely) is that I also consider Theoden to be a strong primary allusion for James. Both the literary and movie versions!

"But Liz!" I hear you asking. "How on Earth/Remnant can James be like Boromir AND Theoden? Those seem like vastly different characters!"

Well, let me explain!

Boromir is a man still in his prime, with a will to protect others that is so pure and strong, it's the only 'in' that the Ring itself can use to manipulate him. A will to protect so strong, that even under the Ring's influence, he never draws a weapon on Frodo even when being actively denied it. He may get angry, but he never harms the Ringbearer, because such is simply not in his nature. The One Ring must work within the framework of the beings it seeks to manipulate, and Boromir is neither cruel nor murderous. But he is full of despair for his kingdom and his people, and desperate to save both as they lie in Mordor's shadow in this time of growing darkness.

So that's where Boromir sits, and I'm sure that even without my future meta about how that is so resonant with ironwood, the basic beats line up, yes? So then we are left with "Alright Liz, but. Theoden???"

Theoden is the great leader of his people, grown old and tired, and in his exhaustion he has been poisoned into inaction. Inaction as his men are slaughtered by orcs, inaction as his son dies, inaction as his nephew is banished and his niece begs for him to see the pain of their people. And when, through the actions of a Good Wizard, that veil of poisonous inaction is lifted, Theoden must take up once more the heavy mantle of king. King to a people who now suffer due to his inaction. A hunted people.

Theoden must pull himself together in the wake of his grief, and give his people a leader in crisis. He must face the potential end of his kingdom, of the world, and stand firm.

And he doesn't!

Wait wait, you gotta let me explain!

Theoden doesn't do it perfectly. He slips, and he stumbles, but he never falls. Despite all the bad shit that Theoden faces, he chooses - over and over and over again - to face the darkness, and to charge into what should be certain death, because it is the honorable, noble, right thing to do. But he has doubts! He feels fear! He stumbles and lets himself give into despair! But he never stops there! And more than that, he is the leader of his people, and he cannot let them lose faith.

Théoden: "They will break upon this fortress like water upon rock… Crops can be resewn, homes rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them." Aragorn: "They do not come to destroy Rohan’s crops or villages, they come to destroy its people—down to the last child." Théoden: "What would you have me do? Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance."

Like Theoden, James knows the value of a show of strength and optimism. If you frame even a hopeless battle as one that has hope, with confidence in yourself and your people, they will fight that battle with that hope. And if they think that they will die, huddled in fear? Why bother to stand and offer resistance, if it doesn't matter what you do?

And yet, for all his show of strength for his people, for his men, when it is just Theoden and his counsel/attendant, that image cracks, and we see that even cured of Saruman's spell, Theoden is old, and he is tired, and he is afraid, as any man should be.

Theoden: “Who am I, Gamling?" Gamling: "You are our king, Sire."Theoden: "And do you trust your king?" Gamling: "Your men my Lord, will follow you to whatever end."Theoden: "To whatever end... Where now are the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing? They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow; The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow." Theoden: "How did it come to this?”

This is a speech that a man with doubt and fear gives. This is the speech a man who is seeing the fall of his people gives. But even as he says these lines, Gamling armors him. Even as he speaks, he prepares for battle, where he fights alongside his men.

This has a lot of echoes of James & Oscar in the vault with the Staff of Creation in V7. The gentle way that James asks if Oscar believes in him, the way they talk down there before James has to go into his own battle: the party hosted by Jacques. The doubt and fear he shows down there. And then he turns around and, when presented with his next battle, goes to it without hesitating.

And when all seems lost, and Theoden falls into despair again? It is Aragorn, his friend, who pulls him back. Who brings the king back to realizing that they must meet evil as it is, and not cower in fear. If they are to be slain, then let it be such an end, right?

Theoden: "So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?" Aragorn: "Ride out with me. Ride out and meet them." Theoden: "For death and glory." Aragorn: "For Rohan. For your people." Theoden: "...yes. Yes! The Horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the Deep. One last time. Let this be the hour, when we draw swords together." Theoden: "Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath, now for ruin, and the red dawn! Forth, Eorlingas!"

What Theoden is doing here - not knowing that Gandalf is due back with Eomer - is facing almost certain death, and going to meet it, head-on. Knowing that there is no victory, but leading his people because that is what they need, and because that is the responsibility that a king bears. And he will not let his men down, let them fall in fear and darkness. Nor will he allow himself to shrivel in the face of evil, to wilt and fall to inaction again.

James does something very similar in V7, when the grimm break through the wall and Watts has taken the ehating grid down. While he crumbles for an instant upon learning about Salem, he pulls himself back together to defend his city, because that is the responsibility of leadership. King, general, headmaster...it doesn't matter. Defending those people, the kingdom, humanity...all you can do is pull yourself together and meet the evil where it stands. You cannot cower.

And the thing is? At every point after this, when the choice to go on is so hard? Theoden is the one pulling everyone up with him. He does not shy, or wilt, or give into despair. He stands, and he reassures, and he faces the end of the world with strength, and honor, and nobility.

Gamling: "He leaves because there is no hope." Theoden: "He leaves because he must." Gamling: "Too few have come. We cannot defeat the armies of Mordor." Theoden: "No we cannot. But we will meet them in battle nonetheless."

This is a great exchange at the base of the mountain in the film, where Gamling - who has always been at Theoden's side, a steady voice of reassurance - has his own doubts, and it is Theoden who must reassure. And he does!

And the thing is, James does this too. While we know he has doubts, that he knows his choices aren't popular, he supports the group as best he can. He gives them their Huntsman licenses. He gives them training with operatives who will help them grow. He trains Oscar, so that he will be able to hold his own better.

And then Theoden and his men ride out the next morning, and then...oh then. The speech I wish we had gotten a version of in Volume 7 instead of...what we got. I don't care whether it is book or movie, Theoden's speech at the Battle of Pelennor Fields will never fail to bring tears to my eyes.

"Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! Spear shall be shaken, shield shall be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now! Ride now! Ride! Ride for ruin, and the world's ending! Death! Death! Death!"

He is seeing the force of Mordor, the gates of Minas Tirith - that have never been breached - shattered. But he cannot turn away. If Rohan does not answer Gondor's cry for help, Middle-Earth itself will fall to evil. The immortal, evil bad guy will win, and he must stop that at all costs. Because he is a king. Because he is honorable. Because it is right.

And I know, mostly, I've been talking about Theoden here (it's like I used to write him at some point....huh...) but! The point is, many of these same concepts can be turned to James, particularly in Volume 7. It's why I just can't accept his fall as it is written. To dip into my Boromir allusion (despite the title of this, shush), the Ring can only work within the framework of who someone is. And James Ironwood is a man who routinely shoulders the mantle of leadership, even in the face of impossible odds, in the face of pain, and fear, and loss and grief. He stands and rallies those around him, gives them hope even when his own is running dry. He looks the big evil bitch in the face, cowering against the wall of his office...and tells her to get out.

Salem: "The people of Atlas have suffered enough. Surrender the Staff and the lamp to me, and they needn't suffer any further." Ironwood: "That's..." He pulls himself together, visibly squares his shoulders & regains composure. Ironwood: "Not going to happen."

James looks at what equates to Sauron himself, and stares Salem down, and tells her he will not bend to her. He will not cower, or surrender. He will fight. He will lead his people. If this is to be their end, then it will be such an end...see?

And I haven't even properly touched on the parallels between Ironwood & Winter with Theoden & Eowyn, or Ironwood & Oscar with Theoden & Merry! Or hells, even ironwood and Weiss, and how the way he routinely defends her from Jacques (and the rich jerks at the party) is a great show of his own nobility and gentility, the eternal hand being offered to her for safety if she would like it. Offered but never forced.

Just. Theoden King has his own darkness, his fear and despair. The exhaustion of age, of grief. And yet he still, every time, chooses to face the shadow facing his world and his people, standing tall, charging into battle and expecting not to come out.

And the death scene James deserved? That I will stand by to my last breath? The death scene we were robbed of? A beautiful parallel between Winter and Eowyn, done so perfectly in the films:

Theoden: "I know your face...Eowyn. My eyes darken." Eowyn: "No...I'm going to save you." Theoden: "You already did. Eowyn...my body is broken. You have to let me go. I go to my fathers, in whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed. Eowyn..."

The vibes here. Winter, having to let go the man she sees as a father figure, as her hero? The man who gave her safety, and even love? Trust? Freedom? His body broken, and begging - gently - not to be saved. Not to be fixed.

Where is the horse and the rider indeed. Where is the death that would have satisfied James' arc? A redemption of his paranoia and fear, a reinforcement of his strength and kindness? Where is the death for a general of men, in service to all mankind, seeking only to save them from the true evil of the world?

Anyway. That's the meta. That's the vibe. I will probably do another in future with Eowyn and Merry, and how their relationships with Theoden parallel Winter and Oscar specifically, but. I think this meta is long enough, don't you?

#Headcanons: Ironwood #allusion: Gondor Will See It Done (Ironwood)#meta: Ironwood #Do Not Reblog #(2100 words of sheer pride okay)#(And love for one old horse lord and a tired general)

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