October 26, 2002

Response to 'Aragorn's Age'
Dromio

First and formost, the movie's the movie. They make things just a little more glamorous. Plus, in the movie Arwen gives Aragorn her immortality, and that may have something to do with the movie. But as to the defending of the ring and going to war...

Aragorn is eighty, but he has spent much of his time around the elves, who are immortal, and I'm sure has eaten some lembas (elf food) at some point in time. This gives you renewed vigor, and the will to go on. And he is a Ranger, and they most of their doings are unknown, so we don't know all of what he's been up to.

But it doesn't say in the book that Middle-Earth men age the same as regular men. They are surrounded by enchantment, and some of it may have rubbed off. Theoden was far older than Aragorn, and he went to war, too.