Thanks to Peter Jackson's wonderful world-building of J.R.R. Tolkien's high-fantasy masterpiece The Lord of the Rings, audiences are still enjoying the epic trilogy over fifteen years after its last installment was released. From 2001 until 2003, it was a cultural event as fans returned to the magical world of Middle-Earth with each new film release, a tradition carried on with gusto by new fantasy series like Game of Thrones. But as well executed as GoT was, there's something that will always be special about the unparalleled level of production that brought the Lord of the Rings films to life.
As the leader of the Fellowship, Aragorn was a reluctant authority figure, but a true hero. Known only as the mysterious "Strider" to many, his quest to destroy the One Ring was also a journey to rediscovering his royal roots as the rightful King of Gondor. He was brought to valiant and grizzled life by Viggo Mortensen, and dressed by Ngila Dickson and her wonderful costume department. Here are 10 hidden details about Aragorn's costume you never noticed.
VIGGO MORTENSEN WORE IT HOME MANY TIMES
In order to make the costumes seem more like the prevailing garments of the living, breathing inhabitants of Middle-Earth, costume designer Ngila Dickson and actor Viggo Mortensen agreed that Strider/Aragorn's main costume needed to look weathered and used.
Therefore, Mortensen often wore the costume on his own time, hiking, horse-back riding, and generally making the outfit feel like a second skin. As a result, his movements in his costume feel very natural in the films, and it seems as though he's been wearing it for years as a Ranger of the North.
HIS COSTUME HAD TO BE COMFORTABLE
Being part of the Fellowship required a great deal of hiking and participation in many unprecedented battles. The character of Aragorn had a lot of experience with both as a Ranger of the North, and so first and foremost, his costume needed to be comfortable and allow for complete fluidity of movement for Viggo Mortensen.
He worked with Ngila Dickson on everything from fabric choice to drapery, intent on providing himself the most efficiency of movement, and Peter Jackson with a great-looking costume on film. It was essential that Mortensen looked like he lived in it.
HIS COSTUME INFORMED HIS ACTING
Ngila Dickson and her team in the wardrobe department spent hours laboring over every detail of Aragorn's costume. From the small "x" stitch pattern on the hem of his tunic, to selecting the best shades of dark green for his duster and trousers, every detail needed to be included to help Viggo Mortensen feel like he truly was Aragorn.
Layer by layer, each element of the costume transformed him and informed his performance. Mortensen has said that it helped him get into and stay in character. It ceased to become a simple "costume" anymore, and became the clothing of a Ranger and Leader of the Fellowship.
HIS RANGER COSTUME NEEDED TO BE VERSATILE
Since Aragorn was a Ranger of the North who traveled great distances much of the time, and would be traveling even greater distances as part of the Fellowship, his costume needed to be versatile. Not just for actor Viggo Mortensen, but because Aragorn would need his garments to be flexible in case of sudden changes in weather or terrain.
Ngila Dickson thought of the idea that many parts of his clothing could be removable. The sleeves of his tunic, for instance, have braided laces, which means in the hot months they could be removed. Mortensen liked the idea that his character probably made many of the repairs on his clothing himself.
HIS COSTUME WAS LIKE A SCRAPBOOK
Though it can be difficult to see in some of the darker scenes in The Lord of the Rings films, there's a great deal of detail woven into Aragorn's ranger costume. Ngila Dickson wanted to make his garments more like a scrapbook of all the places that he'd been.
She wanted references to his particular Race of Men, the Dunedain, and his time spent living in Rivendell with the elves. She wanted to show signs of him having repaired his clothing several times, as well as little pieces of fine leather or patches of fabric that might denote a regal past (or future).
HE WORE THE VAMBRACES OF GONDOR
Despite being a Ranger of the North, Aragorn wore the vambraces of Gondor. Rangers patrolled wild, dangerous lands, and were split up into two factions. The Rangers of the North, descendants of the Dunedain and Men of the West, patrolled The Shire and Bree-land and the inhabited areas of Eriador.
Faramir, by contrast, led patrols of the Rangers of Ithilien (which also acted as Gondor's military unit) along the border of Sauron's lands. His brother Boromir, part of the Fellowship, wears the same vambraces as Aragorn, tolled with the silver tree. In his younger years, Aragorn fought for Steward Ecthelion of Gondor, Boromir's grandfather.
HE WORE AN IMPORTANT RING
While we may not notice Aragorn's piece of ornamental jewelry, Grima Wormtongue points it out to us in The Two Towers. He describes it as two serpents with emerald eyes, one crowned in gold flowers that the other was devouring. In the film, it supposedly symbolized the rightful heir of Gondor.
It's Saruman the White who tells us the true nature of the piece, the Ring of Barahir. It was given to Aragorn by Lord Elrond for saving the Elf King's life during his time growing in Rivendell. It's one of the oldest magical objects in Middle-Earth, crafted in the Undying Lands.
HE KEPT THE EVENSTAR CLOSE TO HIS HEART
It must have been difficult for Aragorn to traverse the wilds of Middle-Earth while his lady love Arwen Undomiel was in Rivendell. Luckily, after the Fellowship arrive to decide the fate of the One Ring, Arwen and Aragorn are able to steal an intimate moment in the gardens, where she presents him with a special pendant.
The Evenstar pendant is something she hopes he'll remember her by, which he ensures by wearing it around his neck for the rest of the three films. Originally suspended on a long chain, Viggo Mortensen shortened it himself so it could be seen more. Unfortunately, now out in the open and unprotected, it would fall off or get scratched during combat scenes, resulting in Mortensen going through seventeen pendants.
THE RIVENDELL COUNCIL OUTFIT FORESHADOWS THE RETURN OF THE KING
Though we only get a glimpse of Aragorn in princely velvet at the Rivendell Council meeting, the sight of the scruffy Ranger Aragorn clad in such finery leaves a lasting impression. Not only does he wear it deciding the fate of the One Ring, he also wears it on the step bridge during his brief romantic interlude with Arwen later that evening.
It consists of a soft grey velvet surcoat without sleeves, exposing the long-sleeved diamond-pattern silver and black tunic. Him in Elven garb foreshadows the royal attire he might wear as the rightful King of Gondor, while his "Strider" boots still rest assuredly on his feet.
HIS ARMOR IN RETURN OF THE KING REFERENCES HIS ANCESTRY
According to the Art of Return of the King book, the regal armor that he wears during his coronation is taken from Isildur, his noble ancestor, who cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand. Aragorn wears the pauldron, breastplate, tassets, and even the same greaves and vambraces.
The concept was that this armor was stored in a vault where it was very well maintained and saved for this special occasion. Aragorn has accepted his rightful place as King, not only wearing his ancestor's gleaming armor, but his crown. The only difference is a drop in the breastplate so that Arwen's Evenstar pendant can be seen.