Aragorn: The Reluctant Hero (A Detour Through the Movies)

Our pastor recently mentioned Aragorn in one of his sermons.  Needless to say, I was thrilled.

(listen to it here–the recording is from the first service, not the second, so you can’t hear me whooping the first time he says Aragorn’s name. 🙂 )

His sermon was based on the movies, which ruffled this purist just a tiny bit, but it was still very thought-provoking.  One of the biggest differences between book-Aragorn and movie-Aragorn is his attitude towards inheriting the throne of Gondor:

In the books, he is 100% on board with the idea at the time of The Lord of the Rings–in fact, it’s pretty much his goal in life.  Like I talked about in my post Aragorn: The Servant Leader, he knows he is a king and he knows he can lead.  He isn’t afraid of who he is.  And as far as I’ve seen digging through appendices, he always was on board, since he figured out who he was at the age of 20.

However, in the movies, Aragorn isn’t sure he trusts himself to rule.  After his ancestor, Isildur, failed pretty miserably and left a terrible mess for others to fix, Aragorn doesn’t have faith he can do any better.  It takes nearly half the movies for him to finally embrace his ancestry.

Like I talked about in my last Aragorn post, I’ve always focused on the way the king of Middle Earth represented Jesus–and I believe he does, to a certain extent.  But Aragorn is still human, he isn’t perfect.  Hearing Pastor Matthew’s sermon made me realize he can be an allegory of us as well.

The sermon was part of a series about being heirs of Christ.  I began to realize that we are heirs of the King now.  We are sons and daughters of the world’s Creator, and heirs of the universe.

People focus on salvation being access to heaven, and I get that.  But there’s more.  God isn’t just giving saving us from hell, He’s giving us access to Himself, His power.  His Spirit lives in our hearts.

The power and dignity of kings is in us.  In me.  In you.  Will we take it to war with us?  Will we take it to the pain?

We’ll mess up, yes.  People will misunderstand us, scorn us.  They’ll fight us, hurt us, betray us, fail us.

But God will never, ever, ever fail us.

Middle Earth needed Aragorn to return, the world was in chaos without a king.

Our world needs the King to return and win the war as well, and it needs the heirs of the King to move.  We can’t do it in our own strength, but we are the hands and feet of God.

We are heirs of the King.

The victory is ours.

11 thoughts on “Aragorn: The Reluctant Hero (A Detour Through the Movies)”

  1. OH MY GOODNESS, HANNA I LOVE THIS.
    “But God will never, ever, ever fail us.” Beautiful, and so very, very, true!!

    1. And might I say I’m quite proud of myself for actually being the first to comment for once. I tend to always be either last, or very close to last… 🙂

  2. BEAU. TA. FUL.
    WOW.
    It’s nice to be able to hear those words: God will never, ever, ever fail us. It IS very true, and in a couple of words, there can be a meaning so very powerful and emotional.
    In saying that, Hanna- this post was, again, beautiful, and thought provoking, thank you!! =D
    PSSSSTTT!!
    CAN.NOT. WAIT TO SEE YOU AT SPENCER’S GRADUATION!!!!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEPPP!!!!!!! *hugs*
    Jaidyn Elise

  3. Oh, hey!! Look at that, I was the second one to comment!! At least I’m not last, lol!! =PP

    1. Thanks so much, Jai! That means a lot.
      *GASP* You’re coming to Spencer’s graduation?! Why did I never think of this?! I GET TO SEE YOU /TOMORROW/ !!!

      1. Your so welcome!! It’s TOTALLY true!! =D ( BTW, you WILL be a famous author one day, one that EVERYONE looks up to, in the writing world. ;))
        !!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am OVERLY excited right now!!!!!!!!!!!! BOUNCING OFF THE WAAAAALLLSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
        YAAAAAAYYYY!!!!!!!! * confetti*
        *gasps*
        WAIT.
        DO WE GET TO MEET HENRY FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
        Jaidyn Elise

  4. Whoa.
    This was so powerful, Hanna. God’s using your words, girl – your posts like this always manage to stun me. “The victory is ours” – and may we never forget it.
    Thank you for this beautiful post, my friend! Never stop writing, okay? <3 <3 <3

    1. Thank you so much, Savannah, that is SO encouraging. <3<3
      Don't worry, I don't think I could stop if I tried. 😉 #writermustwrite

  5. So beautiful–I love this!

    A few scriptures this reminds me of:

    James 2:5: “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?”

    Romans 8:17: “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

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