Viggo Mortensen revealed that his favorite scene from the entire The Lord of the Rings trilogy is the scene where Boromir dies at the end of The Fellowship of the Ring.
In an interview with Empire Magazine to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the trilogy alongside Sean Bean, who played Boromir, Mortensen explained why the scene was his favorite, “That scene, I have to say, no offence to anybody else or any other part of the trilogy, but that’s maybe my favourite scene. It’s such a beautiful scene. And there are no effects, there are no imaginary monsters. It’s just two people who have a connection in terms of their ethnicity — you know, Gondor and all that — but they’ve been at odds. They’ve been kinda butting heads until then. And then there’s just such a strong connection.”
The scene is slightly different in the film than what Tolkien wrote in the beginning of The Two Towers. In the novel, Tolkien detailed:
A mile, maybe from Parth Galen in a little glade not far from the lake he found Boromir. He was sitting with his back to a great tree, as if he was resting. But Aragorn saw that he was pierced with many black-feathered arrows; his sword was still in his hand, but it was broken near the hilt; his horn cloven in two was at his side. Many Orcs lay slain, piled all about him and at his feet.
Aragorn knelt beside him. Boromir opened his eyes and strove to speak. At last slow words came. ‘I tried to take the Ring from Frodo,’ he said. ‘I am sorry. I have paid.’ His glance strayed to his fallen enemies; twenty at least lay there. ‘They have gone: the Halflings: the Orcs have taken them. I think they are not dead. Orcs bound them.’ He paused and his eyes closed wearily. After a moment he spoke again.
‘Farewell, Aragorn! Go to Minas Tirith and save my people! I have failed.’
‘No!’ said Aragorn, taking his hand and kissing his brow.
‘You have conquered. Few have gained such a victory. Be at peace! Minas Tirith shall not fall!’
Boromir smiled.
‘Which way did they go? Was Frodo there?’ said Aragorn. But Boromir did not speak again.
‘Alas!’ said Aragorn. ‘Thus passes the heir of Denethor, Lord of the Tower of Guard! This is a bitter end. Now the Company is all in ruin. It is I that have failed. Vain was Gandalf’s trust in me. What shall I do now? Boromir has laid it on me to go to Minas Tirith, and my heart desires it; but where are the Ring and the Bearer? How shall I find them and save the Quest from disaster?
He knelt for a while, bent with weeping, still clasping Boromir’s hand. So it was that Legolas and Gimli found him. They came from the western slopes of the hill, silently, creeping through the trees as if they were hunting. Gimli had his axe in hand, and Legolas his long knife: all his arrows were spent. When they came into the glade they halted in amazement; and then they stood a moment with heads bowed in grief, for it seemed to them plain what had happened.
In the film like the book, Aragorn comes upon Boromir who has been pierced with black arrows with a number of orc bodies strewn around him albeit he has been pierced by arrows fired by the original character for the film, Lurtz, who is killed by Aragorn.
The dialogue is a little rearranged from the novel with Boromir informing Aragorn after he arrives, “They took the little ones. Frodo? Where is Frodo?”
Aragorn says, “I let Frodo go.” Boromir then confesses, “Then you did what I could not. I tried to take the Ring from him.”
“The Ring is beyond our reach now,” responds Aragorn. Boromir continues, “Forgive me. I did not see. I have failed you all.”
“No, Boromir, you fought bravely,” Aragorn tells him. “You have kept your honor.”
When he attempt to remove one of the arrows and treat his wound, Boromir responds, “Leave it. It is over. The world of Men will fall and all will come to darkness and my city to ruin.”
“I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you I will not let the White City fall or our people fail,” Aragorn pledged. Boromir then replies, “Our people? … Our people.”
Aragorn then aids Boromir in placing his sword hilt across his chest. Boromir tells him, “I would have followed you my, brother ... my captain... my king.” He then dies.
Aragorn then says a prayer over him, “Be at peace, son of Gondor.” Finally, he kisses his forehead.
This scene in the film is my favorite scene as well, but for a different reason than the one Viggo Mortensen shared. What strikes me the most is Boromir’s recognition of his sin when he attempted to take the Ring from Frodo and he seeks forgiveness for it with a humble plea to Aragorn. Aragorn not only grants that forgiveness but offers Boromir both earthly peace (through his vow to defend Gondor and its people) and, in a profound gesture, a kind of spiritual peace as he blesses the dying man with a kiss on the forehead and the words “Be at peace, son of Gondor.”
Finally, in his last breath, Boromir acknowledges Aragorn’s true authority with those unforgettable words: “I would have followed you, my brother... my captain... my king.” This mirrors how Christians relate to Jesus Christ as our brother in humanity, our shepherd and captain in guidance and protection, and our eternal King worthy of ultimate allegiance.