Henneth Annûn Story Archive

I was watching FOTR this evening. (hey, it's been forever...weeks even! ) and had an interesting thought when watching Aragorn at Amon Sul. (oh, and isn't he gorgeous? Dirty, but gorgeous...said the hopeless fangirl ) anyway, and I know this is probably all movie based, but I found it interesting when the Morgul blade dissolved in his hand. This, in turn, sicced a hard biting nuzgul on me. Why did that happen? Would that have happend if the blade was picked up by anyone? Or did it happen because of who Aragorn was? I haven't seen anything in book! canon about it, so I'm almost positive it's all movie based, but I thought it was an interesting detail anyway. Thoughts anyone? Cheryl

 

There's actually a fair bit about the blade in the books:

"Look!" he cried; and stooping he lifted from the ground a black cloak that had laid there hidden by the darkness. A foot above the lower hem there was a slash. "This was the stroke of Frodo's sword," he said. "The only hurt that it did to his enemy, I fear; for it is unharmed, but all blades perish that pierce that dreadful King. More deadly to him was the name of Elbereth." "And more deadly to Frodo was this!" He stooped again and lifted up a long thin knife. There was a cold gleam in it. As Strider raised it they saw that near the end its edge was notched and the point was broken off. But even as he held it up in the growing light, they gazed in astonishment, for the blade seemed to melt, and vanished like a smoke in the air, leaving only the hilt in Strider's hand. "Alas!" he cried. "It was this accursed knife that gave the wound. Few now have the skill in healing to match such evil weapons. But I will do what I can." He sat down on the ground, and taking the dagger-hilt laid it on his knees, and he sang over it a slow song in a strange tongue. Then setting it aside, he turned to Frodo and in a soft tone spoke words the others could not catch. From the pouch at his belt he drew out the long leaves of a plant.

That's from "Flight to the Ford." Later, when Glorfindel arrives (same chapter):

He [Strider] drew out the hilt, which he had kept, and handed it to the Elf. Glorfindel shuddered as he took it, but he looked intently at it. "There are evil things written on this hilt," he said; "though maybe your eyes cannot see them. Keep it, Aragorn, till we reach the house of Elrond! But be wary, and handle it as little as you may!

That's the last mention of the blade I can recall, though others may very well dig out others. I always assumed the blade melted because Strider held it up to the light, building on the idea that the moon is in fact light from the Two Trees (the silver one, I'm blanking on the name) steered by a maia loyal to the Valar. It makes sense that the light of the moon would be desctructive to things coming out of Mordor. Or maybe that's just my romantic notion. I dunno, maybe it *was* because Strider held it. The books aren't clearcut either way. No one ever makes the point, to my recollection, that the knife melted because it was handled by Isildur's heir or anything. Marta Marta

 

What Marta said.... She quoted all the relevant passages from the books that I can think of.. I think it dissolved because he exposed it to the light, or perhaps it dissolved becaise part of it had broken off in Frodo. The mechanics of it are never explained. I cannot think how Aragorn being Isildur's heir would have caused the knife to dissolve. Granted, the physics of Middle-earth are, um, non-existant at times, but I can't think of a reason why a blade would dissolve if someone who, as far as Sauron/Witch-King knew, might not even exist. OT... watched FOTR two nights ago for the first time in a while. I used to be able to watch that movie and end it with my dignity intact. It's somehow gotten as ridiculous as ROTK. LOL

 

Oh yeah...*she says, reading the relevant passages* guess I should go read LOTR again, eh? It's been a while (as you probably can tell) Cheryl

 

Aragorn does have an unusual power against the Shadow, as evidenced by his ability to cure the Black Breath, probably derived from his descent from Luthien. In movie terms it seems very possible that it was Aragorn's touch - contact with a power inimical to the Dark Lord - that dissolved the blade. But in the book it vanishes when the dawn sunlight touches it . As there is strong indication that the sun, but not the moon, is inimical to the Dark power I think it most likely that that was what dissolved the book blade. What I have always found interesting about the book scene is the song Aragorn sings over the hilt; clearly some kind of counter-spell intended to neutralize the blade's power. It fails - or rather incompletely succeeds - because there is a fragment still in the would. Even Elrond's healing power avails nothing until that is removed. Aragorn may not realize the existence of a fragment - but even if he does he's in no position to probe for it as they've got to keep moving. His only option is to apply the most powerful remedies he can, (ie: athelas) and get Frodo to safety as quickly as possible.

 

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