I Go to My Fathers - The Heroic Masculinity of King Theoden

King Théoden is one of my (many) favorite characters from The Lord of the Rings, from both book and movie, and his story is an incredibly beautiful lesson on the power of hope. At the beginning of the story, the king of Rohan is despondent and despairing, but he is, through the counsel of others, able to regain his hope, to once again find the will to fight. In the end, he dies as good a death as any of us could hope to die, laying down his life in service of a greater good, assured that he has completed his mission.

Wait, what about masculinity? You don't even say the word in the video. Masculinity is nothing less than being the man we are called to be - that is, growing in virtue and acting as we ought to act. Theoden learns to do just that, and so serves as an incredible example of redemptive, kingly masculinity.

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0:00 - 1:11 What Does It Mean to be a King?
1:11 - 2:59 Dueling Théodens
2:59 - 6:06 In the Midst of Despair
6:06 - 12:28 Beginning to Hope
12:28 - 17:30 The Struggles of Movie Théoden
17:30 - 22:09 Choosing to Fight
22:09 - 32:30 Mercy and Humility
32:30 - 34:04 The Decision
34:04 - 39:32 Hope for Others
39:32 - 43:46 THIS is why We Love Fantasy
43:46 - 47:23 I Go to My Fathers
47:23 - 48:52 Outro