#also what is with boromirs & destroying the bridge in osgiliath? i'm pretty sure in times of boromir I the bridge too was destroyed there X

[cienie-isengardu]

Such a good post!

I for sure need to reread the books, so forgive me if my memory fails at some point, but Boromir’s battle deeds, and generally his “love for war” is a very interesting aspect of him. 

It makes so much sense that this desperate action that led to such great losses could shift the perception of Boromir in favor of his brother. But also as destroying the bridge actually ensured Gondor’s safety for a year or so, I feel some may - and someone may actually did in books? - claim that Faramir lacks his brother’s boldness. We know that both brothers were great commanders in their own right and it is understandable their leadership varied from each other, both for how different they were as people, due to different circumstances and nature of their duties (leading rangers and soldiers on the first line demanded different battle tactics). At the same time, from the little we know about them, they both took an active part in fighting in the most dire actions and would be the last ones to leave the battlefield so in some aspects they were very alike. It is not so hard for me to see how both were loved and respected by their soldiers, even if most folks would not really understand the burden of leadership Boromir and Faramir were forced to bear for the sake of Gondor. I can see how Boromir could be seen as reckless, especially in the context of the battle over the bridge that cost so many soldiers.

But there is one thing I wonder about this battle - Boromir told at the meeting of the Council this: 

“Believe not that in the land of Gondor the blood of Númenor is spent, nor all its pride and dignity forgotten. By our valour the wild folk of the East are still restrained, and the terror of Morgul kept at bay; and thus alone are peace and freedom maintained in the lands behind us, bulwark of the West. But if the passages of the River should be won, what then? “Yet that hour, maybe, is not now far away. The Nameless Enemy has arisen again. Smoke rises once more from Orodruin that we call Mount Doom. The power of the Black Land grows and we are hard beset. When the Enemy returned our folk were driven from Ithilien, our fair domain east of the River, though we kept a foothold there and strength of arms. But this very year, in the days of June, sudden war came upon us out of Mordor, and we were swept away. We were outnumbered, for Mordor has allied itself with the Easterlings and the cruel Haradrim; but it was not by numbers that we were defeated. A power was there that we have not felt before. “Some said that it could be seen, like a great black horseman, a dark shadow under the moon. Wherever he came a madness filled our foes, but fear fell on our boldest, so that horse and man gave way and fled. Only a remnant of our eastern force came back, destroying the last bridge that still stood amid the ruins of Osgiliath. “I was in the company that held the bridge, until it was cast down behind us. Four only were saved by swimming: my brother and myself and two others. But still we fight on, holding all the west shores of Anduin; and those who shelter behind us give us praise, if ever they hear our name: much praise but little help. Only from Rohan now will any men ride to us when we call.

If I understand right, the attack came suddenly, leaving little time to gather the needed forces or to hold a war council to determine the best course of action. Even during the Return of the King, when Gondor’s safety was put in direct danger, Denethor had time to form a plan and do some preparation for the battle to come. He send the messenger to Rohan to call his allies for help, he and Faramir debated how to process with their strategy, as in, should they sacrifice their forces in Osgiliath to keep enemy at bay for as long as it is possible or redraw the army and focus on Minas Tirith alone. But from Boromir's story, it seems that despite keeping an eye on the Mordor and guarding the river, Gondor was not ready for the mass attack and it is not just the orcs, Easterlings and Haradrim united forces but the dreading dark powers of Nazguls that brought a great loss to their army as well. 

And this makes me think, did Boromir even have time to consult the battleplan with his father? Who, as we remember, was the highest rank commander and one that took an active part in planning the defense and mind you, did a pretty good job of it for decades. Did Denethor send his sons into possible the most dangerous battle Gondor experienced in the last decades to do his will, with a clear plan or did Boromir and Faramir were forced to act as they were, relying on their war experience, bravery and the little bits of informations gathered in pretty chaotic battle due to Nazgul’s spreading dread between Gondor’s forces? Did during the battle Boromir (and Faramir) come to the final conclusion that the bridge must be destroyed at any cost, even if this means to sacrifice the whole regiment, brother and himself? Or was that the plan from the start, their desperate suicidal mission to begin with?

The situation is dire, even the bravest soldiers aren’t immune to the fear and dark presence of the Nazgul, it is be or not to be for Gondor, because either they stop the enemy right here and there or Minas Tirith may not survive and with it, all the Middle-Earth may be lost. At that moment, those who accompanied Boromir and Faramir understood they had little to no chance to survive but their sacrifice may still save Gondor. And yes, soldiers were pushed to the brink of exhaustion, as we have no idea how long the battle - the Gondor counterattack lasted but also, Boromir (and Faramir) did not just send people on pretty much suicidal task, he lead them to the last moment of battle, he leapt with them into dangerous water. And I think that yes, this will to sacrifice his own soldiers to ensure Gondor’s safety could tarnish some of his reputation, especially right away after the battle, but because he was there to the bitter end and put his life on the line like any other soldier did, people still could love and admire him and be saddened by his death. 

And they did, didn't they? Boromir's decisions led to people's death yet it's thank to the same decision that enemy was drove back and half of Osgiliath stayed under Gondor's control:

“So near to Mordor?” said Beregond quietly. “Yes, there it lies. We seldom name it; but we have dwelt ever in sight of that shadow: sometimes it seems fainter and more distant; sometimes nearer and darker. It is growing and darkening now; and therefore our fear and disquiet grow too. And the Fell Riders, less than a year ago they won back the crossings, and many of our best men were slain. Boromir it was that drove the enemy at last back from this western shore, and we hold still the near half of Osgiliath. For a little while. But we await now a new onslaught there. Maybe the chief onslaught of the war that comes.”

So eventual resentment for Boromir's recklessness may be subdued with passing time, as people saw how in the end it saved them for another year.

In the book, Faramir was thinking about his men and argued with Denethor should they try to hold Osgiliath or retreat their army and though I think both plans had merit, it feels to me that Boromir and Denethor had more similar approach to battles; that sometimes you must sacrifice your own forces if such sacrifice will allow you to buy the precious time for Minas Tirith. And hey, maybe Faramir was once like his brother and father in that regard, but the battle and what came after destroying the bridge was what made him rethink this strategy? And yeah, the appendix states that between the brothers there was great love and “no jealousy or rivalry had arisen between them” but seeing how Faramir talk about his dead brother in the books, I wonder if this critique of Boromir’s recklessness isn’t somehow tied to some PTSD from the “bridge experience” that is like, the last battle they took part together? I may be misremembering the events, so sorry for that, but I’m pretty sure Faramir told Denethor that Boromir is dead because of Denethor's choice to send him to Elrond, so there is some hidden anger, frustration and lashing out, I think?

(though the recklessness of Boromir may have never been about his battle deeds and decisions, but that he left the City for the quest soon after that? Something Faramir wished to do, but was not chosen?)

Sorry, it is late and I’m rambling, but I would love to learn more about how good Boromir was at strategy. How much his passion for war lore helped him to plan and lead people, how much of the “destroy the bridge at any cost” moment was planned or acted out of desperation? How much did it burden him to know that Gondor’s safety was paid with his soldiers’ life he himself led to their death? A choice he would make again and again, if needed.

Seriously, the burden of responsibility Boromir and his family carried for years is so underrated.

BOROMIR RETOOK OSGILIATH!!! Did yall know this?? I did in theory but in practice it just hit me, both the east AND the west sides of Osgiliath were overrun in the initial invasion from the Morgul Vale!!! The orcs had ENTIRE control of the river crossing!! Bridge intact and all!! Boromir had to BESEIGE THE RUIN HIMSELF!!! With no aid from other provinces, no reinforcements from any other Lord and he had NO TIME at all, they needed to win back at least half of the city yesterday just to ensure they didn’t lose control of the Pelennor and all access to the roads and safe escape for refugees. And Boromir KNEW they wouldn’t be able to hold one side by force alone, they just didn’t have the numbers!

And with all this internalised, a lot else makes sense to me. This narrative within some of the soldiers that has this quiet… almost angry tone of ‘Faramir is just as capable a tactician as Boromir, he’s just less reckless’. As well as Boromir’s leaving, when you would imagine that to be out of the question when he’s such a pivotal figure for so many. Boromir! Used up all the trust and respect he had garnered from Gondor just to win back Osgiliath and then destroy the bridge!! He didn’t just lead a massive defence where only 4 soldiers survived, that was the last engagement in a gruelling siege that saw him asking things of his soldiers that he never had before. He used reckless and desperate tactics to reclaim each control point he needed and he drove his soldiers to the BRINK of exhaustion and grief and THEN he stood in front of all who were left and just asked them to straight up die. He had to tell them!!!!! to make sure!!!! they leaped into the river in the end, not to save their lives, but to keep their bodies from enemy hands!!!! FFFFF

THE DESPERATION! THE QUESTiONiNG!!! And Faramir would have fought him on it! Faramir would have disagreed with so much! This wasn’t adding to the glory of Gondor, this wasn’t enhancing their legacy, this wasn’t what Gondorians DO! And despite still following Boromir’s orders, people would have known he was against these decisions. And when Boromir, Faramir and those two others were found crawling out onto the riverbank down the Anduin, trust in Boromir was shaken, love for Boromir was darkened. And though, even through it all, they held both love and trust in him, and grieved him desperately when he was lost, it was hard to remember him without this. And Boromir knew that!! He knew that Faramir was now in a position of more warmth from their soldiers. He knew what he had lost in the siege, he had known he would lose it from the start! And he deemed it all necessary, he made these calculations and decided it was either this or imminent defeat! 

(Because Boromir has never cared about his image beyond how it can help him!!! Ever!! No moment in the book does he EVER show even the slightest concern for how others see him!!! How is him being self conscious a thing the fandom believes!!! AAAA)

And I’m inclined to agree he was right because Faramir does not succeed in retaking Osgiliath again. We don’t know the shifting of army numbers, it’s highly possible for Faramir to have had either less or more soldiers at his disposal by the time it comes to RotK, but the basic reality is that Boromir retook Osgiliath whereas Faramir didn’t. And Faramir tried! He put a great deal of effort into it! He probably made some excellent tactical decisions and won back as much as he could. But he was never going to sacrifice his nobility or morals for anything, so he had to retreat in the end. And then the city was besieged! 

But it was a CIVILIAN-LESS city! Because of Boromir’s decisions!! And because of the nervous, fearful, teeth gritted and bitterly mournful sacrifice of soldiers who followed him. Who all deserved better! They were good people and they had lives and loves and passions and they gave it up to the evil god at their door just to give everyone else one more year. And their friends and family were well within their rights to blame Boromir for not finding another way! Which Boromir! Also! Accepted! He made bold decisions and trusted in his own judgement but then accepted when he had been wrong!!! ALWAYS!! EVEN AT THE VERY END-!!!!! FUCK.