# Who is the most incompetent character in Tolkien's legendarium? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-incompetent-character-in-tolkiens-legendarium/576161 "2011-03-27T17:07:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-incompetent-character-in-tolkiens-legendarium/576161/221 "2011-04-07T20:07:37Z")
The lighting of the beacons was cinematic, but it could have been done as an aside while Pippin and Gandalf are belting down to Gondor, much as in the book. “Great!” says Gandalf, as we watch the plumes of flame spout every few miles up to Rohan. “Denethor’s still paying attention, then,” and we get on with important stuff. But nooo, PJ’s decided the Steward needs to be traduced as a senile glutton and we need a cute, plucky Irish clown to shinny up and light the fire. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-incompetent-character-in-tolkiens-legendarium/576161/222 "2011-04-07T20:45:51Z")
> [@Oy](#): > > Personally, I, apparently alone in the universe, am vaguely nauseated by the line “You bow to no one,” so I get that tastes vary, but why RotK as a whole? I can relate, although not on that line. For me, it’s Sam’s, “I can’t carry the Ring… but I can carry YOU!” moment that gets my bile up. But apparently, it makes most other fans all weepy. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-incompetent-character-in-tolkiens-legendarium/576161/223 "2011-04-07T22:58:11Z")
Put me down for both - I hated weepy Sam in RotK ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-incompetent-character-in-tolkiens-legendarium/576161/224 "2011-04-08T12:53:57Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Pallas help me, what did I name the BEST sequence put on film? Because nothing beats Theoden telling his men, “Okay, there’s no possible way we can win this battle. We’re going anyway, because we’re like that. Who’s with me!” Ya gotta love those honor-based, with-your-shield-or-on-it cultures! Glorious as art, hell to live in. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-incompetent-character-in-tolkiens-legendarium/576161/225 "2011-04-08T13:10:56Z")
Much as I love Boromir fighting with arrows in him - on watching that scene, I’m going to have to nominate him for the thread. I’m too lazy to pull out my DVD’s - but from the clip, he’s fighting a handful of orcs, and doing pretty well. Apparently thinking “well, this is much to easy”, he blows the Horn of Gondor and brings the bulk of the orc army (and the Urak Hai) down upon himself. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-incompetent-character-in-tolkiens-legendarium/576161/226 "2011-04-08T14:04:36Z")
I think the best serious answer yet in the thread is Denethor, in the sense that Denethor has the largest margin between his appointed role and his ultimate conduct. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-incompetent-character-in-tolkiens-legendarium/576161/227 "2011-04-08T15:09:58Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > Much as I love Boromir fighting with arrows in him - on watching that scene, I’m going to have to nominate him for the thread. I’m too lazy to pull out my DVD’s - but from the clip, he’s fighting a handful of orcs, and doing pretty well. Apparently thinking “well, this is much to easy”, he blows the Horn of Gondor and brings the bulk of the orc army (and the Urak Hai) down upon himself. Boromir’s horn has two effects: putting new vigor and courage in the hearts of allies, and putting fear into that of enemies. Also, it was said, that if blown somewhere inside Gondor’s borders, its “call would not pass unheeded.” Anyway, Boromir blew the horn as a warning and to call upon allies. Unfortunately, the orcs, though they were dismayed by the blast on the horn at first, were much closer than his allies. Since he was hopelessly outnumbered in the first place, sounding the horn was the only way to go. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-incompetent-character-in-tolkiens-legendarium/576161/228 "2011-04-08T15:36:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Boromir’s horn has two effects: putting new vigor and courage in the hearts of allies, and putting fear into that of enemies. Also, it was said, that if blown somewhere inside Gondor’s borders, its “call would not pass unheeded.” I like the “DM of the Rings” description much better: When blown, the Horn of Gondor would guarantee that allies arrive in plenty of time to give you a decent burial. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-incompetent-character-in-tolkiens-legendarium/576161.md?page=11)