Though he only appeared in The Fellowship of the Ring, Boromir's legacy extends across all of the Lord of the Rings films thanks to his valorous principles and a nuanced performance from Sean Bean. A complex and often misunderstood figure in J.R.R. Tolkien's novels, Boromir has a large fanbase, especially among those that feel his contribution to the Fellowship wasn't amplified enough.
Boromir's self-seriousness and melodramatic tendencies have long become the subject of memes, with his speech about Mordor at the Council of Elrond among the most lampooned. In Josh Gad's Reunited Apart, director Peter Jackson explained that because the speech was written the night before and given to Bean the day of shooting, the actor was forced to print it out and tape it to his knee, creating the need for Boromir's "downcast look". Apparently, one does not simply memorize a Mordor speech.
MISTAKEN IDENTITY
With all the long-haired bearded men in Middle-Earth, it's not surprising that they tend to blend together. In an effort to separate the Race of Men from elves, it seems like the former was relegated to always looking bedraggled and broody.
That Boromir and Strider/Aragorn are interchangeable makes sense in the Lord of the Rings films, especially since the former has embraced his aspirations for leadership and the latter hasn't. By Return of the King, Aragorn reflects Boromir's best qualities (including bathing).
QUALITY CONTROL
Though Boromir and Faramir were brothers, they couldn't be more different in the Lord of the Rings films. Boromir's confident and boisterous personality could be attributed to the boastful nature of his father, who heaped praise on him much more than Faramir, resulting in the younger brother being somewhat more withdrawn.
That Faramir was the "lesser" of the two brothers was never implied in Tolkien's novels however, and he actually made Faramir out to be just about the most altruistic, noble, and courageous man in all of Middle-Earth.
BROTHERLY LOVE
This triple-threat meme perfectly articulates the way that Denethor, the Steward of Gondor and father to Boromir and Faramir, pit his sons against each other to vie for his affections.
After Boromir died, Denethor was so consumed by his grief that he eventually lit a pyre on which he intended to burn not only himself but Faramir as well. Luckily Faramir was spared, only to witness his father's gruesome death, but finding some comfort in the fact that with his father and brother gone, he could finally be free of their shadows.
FUNOMIR
With a thespian like Sean Bean playing the part of Boromir, it's not wonder he took himself so seriously. Bean's acting pedigree aside, the only thing Boromir didn't seem to take seriously was the threat of the One Ring's corrupting power.
Where Boromir did have fun was interacting with Merry and Pippin, the pair of hobbits that he befriended on his quest to get Frodo and the One Ring to Mordor. Despite his best efforts to keep his game face on, the two rascals often brought a smile to his rugged face.
MUSTAFAR IS THE MORDOR OF STAR WARS
Boromir and Anakin Skywalker are two of the most tragic figures in their respective franchise trilogies. Both of them were known as mighty swordsmen who, after being seduced by forces of darkness, foolishly thought they could control them in order to do something noble.
As Darth Vader, Anakin chose to make Mustafar -the Mordor of the Star Wars Universe- his home, which in many ways made him similar to Sauron. He too was a Dark Lord who searched for ultimate power in order to rule the galaxy because he felt it was in the best interest of its inhabitants.
NOT BOROMIR'S YEAR
Boromir was an accomplished swordsman and warrior, but even he stood no match for a foe he had never faced - the Uruk-hai, mutants developed from orcs and goblins by Saruman to do Sauron's bidding.
Boromir was struck down by several massive arrows trying to save Merry and Pippin in The Fellowship of the Ring, and they all seemed to be leading up to the massive bolt that finished him off. Not unlike the line up of recent lackluster years getting everyone prepared for the ultimate annihilator, 2020.
STEALOMIR
Boromir's tragic downfall began when he became tempted by the One Ring, hoping to give it altruistic purpose and use it to protect Gondor. Unfortunately, the avarice consumed him, and he made repeated attempts to take the ring from Frodo.
Boromir actually thought Frodo could lend him the ring, and he could give it back when he was done saving his homeland from Mordor's dark forces, but that wasn't how the ring worked. Boromir would have become the next Isildur even if he just "borrowed" it for a while.
REGAL MASH-UP
When word came to Lord of the Rings fans that Sean Bean was going to appear in another medieval adventure, they were excited to see him play Ned Stark, Lord of the North in Game of Thrones. The character actually shared several similarities with Boromir, beyond the fantasy environment.
Both characters sported similar aesthetics, haircuts, and positions of power, and both possessed honor tarnished by certain deeds they weren't proud of. But in the end, they both redeemed themselves, even if fans weren't happy with the circumstances.
ROCK INTO MORDOR
Boromir was born into almost constant war, and after the death of his mother, his father became increasingly depressed. Whenever Denethor looked into the palantir, his depression only grew. All of this weight heavily on Boromir, who couldn't understand why any group of hobbits would hope to "walk into Mordor" without more help.
Boromir was a rockstar to his people. He was revered for his valor in battle, and for his efforts to keep the White City standing even as Sauron's forces continued to weaken its holdings.
WOK INTO MORDOR
The food of Middle-Earth is diverse and tantalizing, with each style of cuisine reflecting the race of individuals who make it and partake in it. Hobbits enjoyed the equivalent of English comfort country food, with staples like seed cakes, cured meats, cheeses, eggs, and so forth, which was similar to Mannish food given the climate.
Boromir may not have been as great a chef as he was a warrior, given that he was the son of the Steward of Gondor and probably rarely made his own meals, but we're sure he ate well considering the spread that Denethor had in The Two Towers.