In the films, Aragorn underwent several changes compared to his novel version. Here's an opportunity to revisit these five biggest differences between the films and Tolkien's books.
#5 He immediately assumes his status as future king
Aragorn is the quintessential Arthurian figure. Of noble descent, he knows and pursues his destiny, searches for the woman he loves, and devotes his cause to fighting evil. At least in the books. Tolkien always portrayed his character as Isildur's descendant, knowing and accepting his status as heir, and preparing to ascend the throne once the Ring—and, with it, Sauron—is destroyed. Elrond, who raised him in Rivendell, educates him as such.
Not quite the Aragorn portrayed in Peter Jackson's films. Haunted in some way by his lineage and by Isildur's error, and therefore by human greed, he initially rejects his mission for fear of falling into evil. It is only during his adventure alongside the Fellowship of the Ring that he finally accepts his destiny. If the film version portrays a more tormented and less confident hero, it is to better allow him to evolve over the course of the films, and to create a certain emotional intensity, necessary for the cinematic format and the dramaturgy.
#4 He carries Anduril to Rivendell
An anecdote that complements the previous one. As the future king destined to unite the free peoples, Aragorn proudly carries the sword Anduril reforged from the fragments of Narsil, the blade that once belonged to Isildur (and before him to Elendil), broken when it severed Sauron's finger. The Flame of the West is reforged by Elrond and given to Aragorn even before the Fellowship leaves for Rivendell as a symbol of his royal heritage and destiny.
The sword, on the other hand, remains broken for most of the trilogy... until Elrond takes it with him to Dunharrow, where Aragorn and the army of Rohan have set up camp, before leaving to fight the Pelennor Fields. It is at this moment that Aragorn realizes his role as a unifier, aided by his friends Legolas, Gimli, and King Théoden. Once again, the scene serves as an epic springboard for the film TheReturn of the King, before the great battle for the freedom of the people.
#3 His encounter with the Army of the Dead does not lead to the same result
Once Anduril is in hand, Aragorn, accompanied by Legolas and Gimli, sets off towards Dimholt's Pass, then the Path of the Dead where the Army of the Dead wanders. Armed with his sword, the descendant of the Dunedain summons them to honor their oath, after which he will free them from their torment. The rest is history: the specters ravage everything in their path and defeat Sauron's armies in a few minutes.
In Tolkien's work, the Dunedain of the North accompany the three friends to Dimholt, and subsequently, they capture the Corsairs' ships at Pelargir, then surrounding Sauron's army on the fields of Pellenor. The army of the Dead never causes this tidal wave on Sauron's forces. A very controversial story choice for fans of big, long, and bloody battles.
#2 He doesn't fall off a cliff
Similarly, there is no Warg rider attack on the route taken by Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and the entire population of Edoras. The group manages to reach Helm's Deep without incident.
The Warg attack in the film version of The Two Towers is a pure creation of Peter Jackson. By slowing down the plot with a spectacular and superbly filmed battle, which culminates in Aragorn falling off a cliff, the New Zealand director brings tension. And for good reason: he wants the audience to believe he is dead. Here again, Jackson brings epic proportions to his feature film, which has the difficult task of bridging the gap between a film tasked with setting the stakes and another that must provide a truly epic conclusion to the saga.
#1 He doesn't kill the Mouth of Sauron
Why did Peter Jackson choose to make Aragron a real badass by beheading the Mouth of Sauron in the extended version of The Return of the King? Probably to accentuate the warrior side of the future king of Gondor, who, after having assumed his status, wants to finish off Morgoth's disciple as quickly as possible.
However, in the novel, while the Mouth of Sauron does indeed appear at the Black Gate of Mordor before the Free Peoples, and also presents Frodo's chainmail, suggesting his death, it is humiliated and sent back to his master by Gandalf.
Want to continue reading? Check out these four more facts about the film version of Legolas, which is very different from the book version.
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