Forget Modern Fantasy, Aragorn's Best 'Lord of the Rings' Line Still Hits Hardest 25 Years Later

Published Nov 5, 2026, 5:51 AM EST Rotten Tomatoes | Letterboxd | Metacritic Carolyn Jenkins is a voracious consumer of film and television. She graduated from Long Island University with an MFA in Screenwriting and Producing where she learned the art of character, plot, and structure. The best teacher is absorbing media and she spends her time reading about different worlds from teen angst to the universe of Stephen King. The wheel of The Lord of the Rings keeps turning, but there can be no doubt that Peter Jackson made a perfect trilogy the first time around. No matter how many spin-offs or prequel shows come out, the ultimate story of a fellowship of friendship and triumph over evil always wins out. Jackson made some decisive changes to the source material, but The Lord of the Rings movies have gone on to engage fantasy fans in their own right. Part of this is thanks to the now iconic portrayal of classic characters that no one can forget. One of the standouts is, of course, Viggo Mortensen in the role of Aragorn, ranger and eventual King of Gondor. A late-stage addition to the cast, Mortensen made the role his own. He had many memorable lines in the three films, but his piece of dialogue at the tail-end of The Fellowship of the Ring defines who Aragorn is as a character. Aragorn’s Strength of Spirit in ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Makes Him the Best Fantasy Character J.R.R. Tolkien became so influential in the world of fantasy because of the strength of his story. At a time when his close friend C.S. Lewis was also writing fantasy classics, Tolkien became a legend. This is demonstrated in Peter Jackson’s interpretation of the character Aragorn – and one quote in particular. The conclusion of The Fellowship of the Ring leads Frodo to believe that he really is alone. The Fellowship has been destroyed first with Gandalf the White’s death, then with the assault of the Uruk-hai on their party. Boromir was just one domino to fall, making Frodo disillusioned. He realizes that to be a Ring-bearer really is to be alone. In turn, Aragorn understands this when Frodo sets off, no matter how much it pains him. While the rest of the party would try to stop Frodo, Aragorn doesn’t. He has always respected him as a person, no matter his stature, a theme that carries through the series. Aragorn instead pledges a different sort of fealty to the Hobbit. "I would have gone with you to the end,” Aragorn tells Frodo, “into the very fires of Mordor.” Frodo probably could have done with some assistance from the formidable ranger when it came to Gollum, but even so, Aragorn’s acceptance of Frodo’s decision shows that he is the best character in fantasy. While Tolkien’s world has many quote-unquote “good” characters, Aragorn is leagues above them all. He has true strength of character, which is why he can’t join Frodo. This moment defines who he is as a person, hinting that he really is the one to wear the crown of Gondor. He acknowledges Frodo’s plight and believes him to be the most capable Ring-bearer, even if he can’t go with him. These are the types of details that set The Lord of the Rings apart from all other fantasy efforts. This is a mission that Frodo (and Sam) have to attend to alone. Aragorn also has a sense of duty to Merry and Pippin, who have been kidnapped by orcs. They are the ones most in need of his aid, and he takes that seriously. This line of dialogue in The Lord of the Rings was just the start of Aragorn’s ascent to the throne of Gondor and proved he was worthy of the mantle. Release Date December 19, 2001 Runtime 178 Minutes Director Peter Jackson Writers Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, J.R.R. Tolkien Producers Barrie M. Osborne, Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein, Mark Ordesky, Robert Shaye, Tim Sanders Prequel(s) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Sequel(s) The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Franchise(s) The Lord of the Rings