...and to think that Theoden (mostly) withstood the power of Saruman's voice...
I think I agree with Aerandir on Aragorn...
Does he have any weak spots? I never noticed one...

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><>Son of God, brother of Jesus. I've got the best family I could have imagined! Saved by his mercy and love. What else could I wish for?<><

Did who have any weak spots--Aragorn or Théoden?

Aragorn had them, I'm sure, but they were probably a lot less in number than Théoden's.

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I guess Theoden felt younger after Gandalfs help. In film they wanted to show us his changing and Gandalfs power.

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I think that the constant control of Theoden By saruman weakened Theoden as its hardly gonna be easy to have your mind ruled by someone else. This probably took alot of theodens strength as he would probably try to resist and when Gandalf got rid fo Saruman, that strength sorta returned to him.Am I making sense here?

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"This is the hour of the Shire-folk, when they arise from their quiet fields to shake the towers and counsels of the Great. Who of all the Wise could have foreseen it? Or, if they are wise, why should they expect to know it, until the hour has struck? "

Theoden's mind was slowly poisoned as he probably let down his guard a bit. Aragorn is much stronger than Theoden in that sense, anywho. Nobody is perfect, so yes, Aragorn would have had a weakness or two. What they would be, I don't know.

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All of you know how to make one think! I had originally thought that of those taken by lust for the ring, Boromir was the only one that came back from the dark side and repented. I know that Theoden never had direct contact with the ring but he did make just a dramatic a change. He broke away from lies and pride and humbled himself. It was then he could see reason and light. I have to greatly admire him for that. He could have responded so differently!

I think Tolkien is using Theoden to illustrate and symbolize the power of a renewed mind that humbles itself so that it can perceive and receive truth. In our bodies (at least for most of our life) we all move not towards youth and strength but away from it. It is what happens in our minds that truly makes us young. Theoden was a powerful example of this.

Wow! How cool is that! Will I ever get to bottom of Tolkien's mind? Or is it that the truth in his tales go beyond his own thought and intention....

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"If you do not find a way, no one will."

My "take" on how Theoden was affected by Sarumann and how Gandalf 'changed' him. Sarumann used Grima, likely a convincing man in his own right, as his tool to affect Theoden's thinking. The effects of the voice of Sarumann were projected through Grima's convincing words of counsel, making him feel old, weary, and decrepid and also making him think that Rohan could not stand up to the might of Isengard. A sort of sleight-of-mind psychological control that Grima on his own couldn't do, but Sarumann's use of him could. A combination that was indeed a wizard's spell by proxy, and was why Grima suggested to King Theoden not to meet Gandalf. What Gandalf did was break Sarumann's proxy spell which opened King Theoden's eyes and Grima was seen for what he was. Not being weighted by the Sarumann-empowered words of Grima, Theoden regained some of his vigour and started functioning more as a man his age would.

This is how I always interpreted the book scene in Meduseld. The overt possession and age change in the movies was WAY overwrought.

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Hanasian
Annalist, Physician, & Historian
of The Black Company of the Dúnedain,
The Free Company of Arnor
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Durian: Dúnedain Ranger of the North: Rhudaurian Lineage
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