The Grey Havens

From our most recent vid on đŸ‘»The Ghost ArmyđŸ‘» https://youtu.be/wpUIL2qbpqw

â“đŸ€” Question: As Necromancy is hated by Eru (God), was it ethical for Aragorn to use the Ghost Army?

1 year ago | [YT] | 348



@thegreyhavens167

My opinion: keeping men's spirits from their natural path of leaving the earth is a terrible crime in the eyes of Eru. Just about the worst thing you can do! But that's really what Isildur did. Not sure if Aragorn using them makes him complacent in it or not đŸ€”

1 year ago | 76

@sylviahoward1065

5. He didn't commit necromancy, he did not raise those undead, they were there before he used them. And through his actions they were able to move onto the afterlife, thus ending their necromantic curse, therefore he did a completely justifiable and good act by using their army.

1 year ago | 222  

@Corwin0fAmber

Well its not like he created them or raised them from the dead. They were already dead. So technically, he got a bonus point from Eru for ending their existence

1 year ago | 185  

@EmberScribe

If I'm remembering this correctly, the undead army was bound by an oath to fulfill their obligation to the King. If Aragorn didn't use them in the battle, then he would be denying them the rest they desired. Since he did, he acknowledged their oath to be fulfilled and released them.

1 year ago | 5

@melkhiordarkfell4354

Eru was the one withholding death to them to begin with. They made an oath in Erus name but broke it, they can't rest without carrying it out. Aragorn was doing reverse Necromancy by putting them to rest, it just happened to be an oath to aid Gondor.

1 year ago (edited) | 39  

@thomasbravado

Necromancy in LOTR means taking the spirits of the dead from the realm of the dead and bringing them to Middle Earth to use them for some purpose. For example, when the Witch King of Angmar used evil spirits of the dead to animate the corpses at the Barrow Downs, this was a form of necromancy. Aragon's actions don't fall within this definition because the spirits were already there in Middle Earth and he simply gave them the opportunity to fulfill their oath and lift their curse. He didn't summon them from "the other side" for selfish ends.

1 year ago | 9

@jademm

The ghost army was one of the best moments of the film! I remember watching it in the theatre, feeling both relieved and excited when the lead ghost agreed to fight.

1 year ago | 0

@jomesias

*What an amazing trivia question my friend !!* In the end it had to be done, or search for an alternative solution. When all is said and done, if it wasn’t for the ghost army recalled to fulfill their oath, middle earth would have fallen to the hands of Sauron most probably. And that, I think is what made all the difference: Aragorn didn’t want to raise an army of the dead for himself and it’s power. He made them fulfill an oath sworn to his ancestor, to STOP ✋ middle earth from falling. Not only is the purpose and desire in Aragorns heart so much different. the fact he didn’t use black magic or the black speech to accomplish this, makes it an act of honor not of necromancy. There is also the factor that the ghost army wanted to fulfill their oath so they could finally die and ascend or Rest In Peace ✌ Again what an awesome trivia question! Please keep them coming 😃

1 year ago | 1

@sirjedisentinel

Yes! Isildur cursed them for not keeping their bargain. If nothing else, calling on them to fulfill their oath so they could pass on was extremely erhical

1 year ago | 2  

@road3557

In the books the army of the dead was completely different. They were visible but they could not hurt anyone because you would pass right through them. They bluffed there way by terrifying the pirates and giving up there ship.

1 year ago | 6  

@DeGreyChristensen

He helped them fulfill their oath, putting their souls to rest. He did a good thing. Also, Sauron was The Necromancer, I think Eru was more concerned with making sure he didn’t come into his full power.

1 year ago | 1

@enriquecabrera2137

He was putting them out of their misery so it technically counts as breaking the spell of necromancy placed on them.

1 year ago | 2  

@joakimnyback1931

it was ’t necromancy, he held spectres to their oaths and by doing so released them

1 year ago | 24  

@AUGIEBENDOGGIE1997

He offered them a chance at freedom in exchange for a favor they could easily deliver, considering they were turncoats that's a pretty sweet deal. And he kept his word when he could've had a enslaved undead army

1 year ago | 0

@lordvader5756

They haven't left the circles of the world so I think Eru would love that they fulfilled their oath and joined him.

1 year ago | 0

@jeremyallen5974

They said they'd help Gondor but chickened out Aragorn merely saw to it that they fulfilled their oath to his people

1 year ago | 0

@gabesternberg555

Necromancy is the act of messing with death and life. Aragorn offered them the way to break the curse and die naturally.

1 year ago | 1  

@valkeditz31

Well
 technically yes Aragorn promised to fulfill the oaths of the Ghost Army. Oaths are a very powerful tool in the world of LOTR. We know this from Feanor’s oath in the Silmarillion. As god, it is Eru’s job to basically be the “keeper of oaths”, especially those made under his name. But even oaths not sworn under his name, for example, Gollum’s oath to Frodo to not hurt him, can end badly if that person does not keep his oath. That’s why, in the books, Eru made Gollum trip into Mount Doom

1 year ago (edited) | 2

@maidros85

The reason why necromancy is an affront is because the necromancer forcibly twists the natural laws to reanimate the dead. In Aragorn's case, the dead were waiting for him.

1 year ago | 1

@chengkuoklee5734

He gave the ghost army a reasonable quest to be released from curse, to me that's an act of mercy.

1 year ago (edited) | 0