okay i was asked to post denethor vs théoden but i wanted to wait until i hit the laptop so here we GO time to get passionate about lotr yet again

the fucking dissonance between théoden fighting at the front lines with his people and defending them and his only thought being "do we have the manpower to offer?" when told the flame of minas tirith has been lit/gondor needs their aid... versus the quietly despairing battle scene interspersed with denethor Disgustingly feasting with Red running down his chin while he has a miserable hobbit sing uncomfortably to him, after he sent his Repeatedly Proclaimed Least Favorite son out to fight a battle he literally WANTS to fall through because he doesn't want to relinquish his shallow status

not to mention that denethor also just told his fucking son flat out that he wishes he had died instead of his brother, whereas théoden had a whole scene weeping at the beautiful grave of his own son after saying "no parent should have to bury their child." like.

first of all FUCK denethor, second of all théoden king PLEASE be my father figure you are so good

he's such a genuinely good guy? and good king? when you look at edoras you can see that he doesn't completely place himself at the top of the world all lavish and grand and distanced, he's a lot more Part of the whole place with his people? he's Involved? his priority is protection? and guidance? and community? he fully devotes himself to taking care of his people and even when it looks grim they have the honor to assist when called upon by others even when they didn't get the same in return. like yeah he has a momentary lapse of "why should we? we're hurting so badly" but he puts it aside! and every word out of his mouth afterwards is an encouragement to his men that they will do what's right, do their best, do what they can.

he tells éowyn he doesn't expect her to fulfill duties against her will; he wants her to smile again. to live free of despair. that is a tenderness and sincerity that is so viciously Absent in denethor that it just makes you fucking [screams] about faramir. and then the fact that éowyn and faramir end up together just makes it even more [screams] like. the continuation of a parallel! they had completely different upbringings from guardians that were all but polar to each other and still both turned into people who wanted to fight with everything they have, BUT ALSO - to prove themselves. in different ways! for different reasons!!!!!

maybe faramir had a bit of a death wish entwined with his desperation for approval, where éowyn wanted freedom and to be true to herself, but they both had to disobey to do what they thought was right and redirect those dreams and deeply conditioned desires AND. they survived! when they should have died, their Polar Opposite Guardians did instead and! in such different WAYS!!!! denethor in such violence and shame after what he'd nearly done to the son he had spent his whole life forsaking, théoden with such peaceful tenderness and in recognition of one he loved so vocally and so much. like. FUCK!!!!

anyway. back on track. boromir is a lot more like théoden than he was ever like his own father, frankly. the bright side of humanity shows in people like that who just. want to do everything they possibly can for the good of the people they love. i am Raving. and i Still hate denethor. fuck.