# Was Boromir Evil?



## Retrovertigo (May 5, 2003)

quote:
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Originally posted by BlackCaptain 
He was evil because he tried to kill Frodo! Who would want to kill a sweet inocent hobbit? A MEAN GONDORIAN THATS WHO! That egotistical mean person.... 
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I started this so as not to clutter up another thread.. BlackCaptain, defend yourself!


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## Gil-Galad (May 5, 2003)

We've talked about that and I'm going to repeat myself,but I'll do it.
No.He was not evil.Boromir wanted just to make the best for his people for Gondor.He didnot do anything bad because of egoistic purposes,but because he thought what he was doing was good.The only aim he had was to save his people.Nothing else.Actually his mind and soul are clear,he does what he thoughts and does it because he believes it would be for the good of Gondoreans,not for him.


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## FoolOfATook (May 5, 2003)

Boromir wasn't evil, but the Ring was, and Boromir fell under its spell.


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## Gil-Galad (May 5, 2003)

> _Originally posted by FoolOfATook _
> *Boromir wasn't evil, but the Ring was, and Boromir fell under its spell. *


Correct!


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## Elendil3119 (May 5, 2003)

Even Frodo with his indomitable spirit (sorry BC, I just had to...) fell under the spell of the Ring, yet you don't fault him for ultimately failing in his task, and endangering all of Middle-earth. "Evil, Ring-possessed Frodo!"


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## BlackCaptain (May 6, 2003)

Hmm.m... Well I can't say whats in my mind now, because I'm waiting a debate and it might give my side away early and I may not want that side! Yikes! I'm just gonna kind of solemnly withdraw those statements...


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## BlackCaptain (May 6, 2003)

Ok heres the deal:
BlackCaptain can't say anything until he gets a PM from Elendil concerning a certain topic... BlackCaptain knows what side he wants whatever, and it may or may not be as it seems...


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## Retrovertigo (May 6, 2003)

I'm not enitrely sure how it seems..


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## BlackCaptain (May 6, 2003)

It seems that I hate Boromir and think he's evil, butnow I have to hide my thoughts seeing as how I might get into a debate potentialy with someone...


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## Tur-nen (May 6, 2003)

dude just go for it yes your going to get into it with someone but thats what a forum is all about healthy discussion just dont insulte each other


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## BlackCaptain (May 6, 2003)

Oh of course... Im gonna be 'debating' with one of my buds here on TTF, I just can't release any info yet!!!


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## Turin (May 9, 2003)

Hey Retrovertigo when you want to quote someone just click on the "quote" button in the bottom right corner of the post that you want to quote.


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## BlackCaptain (May 9, 2003)

It was from another thread. He couldnt do that.

And Boromir was evil. Sure, he fell under the Ring's spell, but the bottom line is, the Ring turned Boromir evil. Un-evil people try to kill Hobbits that are trying to save the world? Sure, Boromir was a great person until the Ring turned him evil


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## Tur-nen (May 10, 2003)

boromir was not evil nor was he evr evil. if i was called evil every time i fell to temptation and evrryone else was too then their woould be no fight of good vs evil becuase we are all human and as such make mistakes


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## BlackCaptain (May 12, 2003)

Tempation isn't evil. The whole world is tempted by tons of stuff. But when you take that temptation as far as trying to kill someone then you've become evil


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## Ithrynluin (May 12, 2003)

BlackCaptain and Elendil3119 will be debating this topic here.


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## Retrovertigo (May 13, 2003)

I don't see what's wrong with here..
What about his repenting and atonement in the end? He acted badly once and realized his mistake. This makes him more aware than most people I know!


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## elf boy (May 21, 2003)

Boromir was not evil, he just wanted to defend gondor. The ring got to him like it did many other good people.


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## BlackCaptain (May 21, 2003)

Yes, it did get him. Exactly my point


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## Hobbit Child (Jun 9, 2003)

Can someone please define the terms? What does BlackCaptain mean by "evil." Are any Christians out there willing to take a whack at the question?


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## YayGollum (Jun 9, 2003)

The correct answer ---> Yes and no. Everyone is a little bit of both. Not pure evil or niceness. sorry about that. If we're talking about the one bit of that Fellowship Of The Ring book where he tried grabbing the One Ring, I would still say that he wasn't pure evil. He was messed up in the brain. Couldn't help it very well.


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## BlackCaptain (Jun 9, 2003)

There ya go. That is the correct answer, he was and he wasn't.


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## Annushka (Jun 11, 2003)

I agree. He wasn`t evil. He was just human and didn`t have the strongest will.


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## ely (Jun 20, 2003)

Boromir was not evil.

He only did one evil thing trying to take the Ring from Frodo, but:

1. he was under the power of the ring - he himself was not evil, the Ring was evil and it controlled him

2. he wanted the Ring for doing good, for helping his land and people - can someone who wants to do good be evil? Confused, mad, thoughtless - yes, but not evil.

I'm not evil if I make one mistake, do one evil thing, especially when I'm under the power of some mighty black-magic item, confused, and when I intend to do good.

Doing one evil thing doesn't make you evil!!!

Doing evil things constantly might make you evil, but even that depends on why you behave that way...


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## BlackCaptain (Jun 20, 2003)

-The Ring did not controll him. It influenced him. It tempted him... If someone you knew had a Trillion Dollars and was out to destroy it, and you tried to take it from him, you'd be Evil, because you knew this Trillioin Dollars HAD to be destroyed.

-After all of the wisest people in ME repetadly told him it can't be used for good...

-You bring up a good point about not being evil for doing one act, but the question is.... *Was* Boromir Evil? Yes, he WAS, for those few minutes when he tried to stop the quest, and being so ignorant to the smartest people in the world.


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## ely (Jun 21, 2003)

> _Originally posted by BlackCaptain _
> *-The Ring did not controll him. It influenced him. It tempted him... If someone you knew had a Trillion Dollars and was out to destroy it, and you tried to take it from him, you'd be Evil, because you knew this Trillioin Dollars HAD to be destroyed.
> 
> -After all of the wisest people in ME repetadly told him it can't be used for good...
> ...



But you do agree that he wanted the Ring for doing good?

And someone who wants to do good CAN'T be evil. As simple as that.

And, when you're doing something evil doesn't necessary mean that you are evil, it even doesn't mean that you're evil at the exact time that you're doing the evil thing. He was confused, mad, but not evil!


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## BlackCaptain (Jun 22, 2003)

You don't seem to understand...

An evil person is someone who commits an evil act, correct? Boromir tried to stop the Ring from being destroyed, when he knew it could not be used for good. Sure, he tried to convince himself otherwise, but that's just stupidity. If you've got the last High Elf King of ME and the wisest Maia in Arda telling you that it can't be used for good, you're just plain dumb if you believe otherwise.

Which brings us to another age-old question...
Are you guilty if you don't know any better?

I think yes, of course you are. Sure you may be numb to everything, but you still commited the evil act, which makes you evil for that moment


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## ely (Jun 23, 2003)

> _Originally posted by BlackCaptain _
> You don't seem to understand...
> An evil person is someone who commits an evil act, correct? Boromir tried to stop the Ring from being destroyed, when he knew it could not be used for good. Sure, he tried to convince himself otherwise, but that's just stupidity. If you've got the last High Elf King of ME and the wisest Maia in Arda telling you that it can't be used for good, you're just plain dumb if you believe otherwise.
> Which brings us to another age-old question...
> ...



You don't seem to understand... 
I'm telling you, committing an evil act does not make one an evil person. No, it doesn't. Especially when that person wants to do good. Yes, he was a little stupid not to understand that the ring can't be used for good, but it was because he really wanted to use it for good, he really wanted to do good. 
I'll say it again, someone who wants to do good can't be evil.

Oh, and thanks for this friendly debate  I was already beginning to think that you have given up


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## BlackCaptain (Jun 23, 2003)

I'm begining to finaly see what you all see in Boromir... I understand what you're getting at! But did you understand what I was getting at?


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## ely (Jun 24, 2003)

> _Originally posted by BlackCaptain _
> I'm begining to finaly see what you all see in Boromir... I understand what you're getting at! But did you understand what I was getting at?



Well, what I understand is that different people understand the meaning of the word "evil" or "evil person" in different ways. You think that an evil person is someone who commits an evil act and from that point of view Boromir really was evil. But in my mind an evil person isn't just someone who does something evil, but who has done a lot of evil because he wants to do evil and that's why I think that Boromir was not evil...


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## BlackCaptain (Jun 24, 2003)

Well no... Boromir is not an evil character, but the question was 'Was Boromir Evil'. Remember, the LotR did not happen in our world! I can't really explain it, but i guess what I'm saying is that Boromir was an evil character at one point in the LotR time period. 

Dang I just can't explain it right...!

You'll just have to trust me that I have some level of sanity here....


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## liteheartdmerry (Jun 24, 2003)

boromir was not entirely evil, he wanted the ring for gondor to use against mordor, what he didn't understand was that the ring only listens to sauron. the ring also had a greater pull on him than any other member of the fellowship


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## BlackCaptain (Jun 24, 2003)

You're right... he didn't know that. But he chose not to know that. He chose to ignore and be anal to the wisest council in ME


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## liteheartdmerry (Jun 25, 2003)

exactly he chose not to listen to them when they told him it couldnot be used as a weapon and must be destroyed


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## ely (Jun 25, 2003)

> _Originally posted by BlackCaptain _
> *Well no... Boromir is not an evil character, but the question was 'Was Boromir Evil'. Remember, the LotR did not happen in our world! I can't really explain it, but i guess what I'm saying is that Boromir was an evil character at one point in the LotR time period.
> 
> Dang I just can't explain it right...!
> ...



I think I'm beginning to understand which way you see this thing...

And maybe you're even right. For one moment Boromir just wanted to have the ring. I said that he couldn't be evil for he wanted the ring for doing good, but on that moment when he wanted to take the ring from Frodo, he might have not been thinking about what good he can do with it, but he just wanted to have it.

And maybe on that moment, when Boromir wanted to take the ring from Frodo to just have it and own it, he was evil...

Anyway, don't worry about your sanity, we are all a little crazy here, at least I am


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