As Celebrimbor slaved away in his tower, The Rings of Power‘s Siege of Eregion raged around him. Main characters like Elrond, Galadriel, Gil-galad, and Arondir assembled in an attempt to push back the orcs, resulting in what I can only label as one of the best battles in TV history. Although the Siege of Eregion raised questions about The Rings of Power‘s season 2 finale, I was surprised that it briefly took me back to a pivotal moment from Fellowship of the Ring. That moment is Boromir’s death, which The Rings of Power season 2, episode 7 somewhat recreated.
Rían’s Death Scene In The Rings Of Power Season 2 Is A Lot Like Boromir’s From Fellowship
One Of Elrond’s Loyal Soldiers Emulated The Bravery Of Boromir
The scene in question from The Rings of Power season 2, episode 7 involves Rían, one of the new elven cast members assembled as part of Elrond’s strike force earlier in the season. I will not claim that Rían is one of my favorite characters in The Rings of Power, as she has received far too little screen time to warrant much development at all. That said, The Rings of Power gave Rían her final moment of glory as she sacrificed herself to take down a siege engine threatening the walls of Eregion.
What I will say made the scene much more emotional than Rían’s lack of character development would suggest was its striking similarities to Boromir’s death scene from The Fellowship of the Ring. In both scenes, the characters are shown performing one last heroic act of service in the face of insurmountable odds before being pierced by several arrows. The Rings of Power clearly paid homage to Boromir’s last stand via Rían’s death, a neat way of honoring what has come before it all while subconsciously raising the emotional stakes as audiences will think of the Captain of Gondor.
Why Boromir’s The Lord Of The Rings Death Is Still So Impactful Years Later
Boromir’s Death Remains An Iconic Part Of The Lord Of The Rings
Boromir’s death is truly one of a kind in that it remains emotionally resonant decades later. This is proven above all else by The Rings of Power if a scene involving a minor character’s death can bring to mind the sacrifice of Boromir. As such, it is worth exploring why Boromir’s final moments are so impactful, 23 years on from the theatrical release of The Fellowship of the Ring.
For one, Boromir’s death completes his redemption arc. Boromir falling victim to the power of The Lord of the Rings’ One Ring has always been a sad moment, but what better way was there to redeem himself than by giving his life to protect Merry and Pippin? Boromir’s corruption was always done well in that it never made him outright evil, and Peter Jackson – and Tolkien before him – kept the character’s decisions rooted in nobility. This allowed Boromir to be a flawed person, one who is immediately more sympathetic because of this.
This thematic depth, as well as the fantastic performances of Sean Bean and Viggo Mortensen and the outstanding writing, direction, and music, make Boromir’s death one that is still impactful today…
To then give his life for the halflings only continues to emphasize how strong of heart the character is. This thematic depth, as well as the fantastic performances of Sean Bean and Viggo Mortensen and the outstanding writing, direction, and music, make Boromir’s death one that is still impactful today. While I will not say Rían’s death was even close to emulating that, the emotion it wrought in The Rings of Power is a testament to Boromir’s sacrifice.
