Throughout the trilogy, many horses walk across the pages, developing their own character (Shadowfax), their own emotional weight (Bill the Pony) or their own active part in the story (Snowmane). Not so in the movie, of course, where a horse is just the Middle-earth substitute for a car. However, a couple of our four-legged friends stand out from the crowd, and one of them definitely is Brego, the Intelligent & Healing Horse.
We meet Brego, who looks sort of brownish, in the stables of Meduseld, where the animal – still broken with grief over the loss of his former rider, Théodred the king’s son – is nigh untameable. Enter Aragon who, contrary to what one would expect from a people that live and breathe horse, has to help those poor Rohirric stablemaster out with the wild horse. After some first-class horsewhispering in both Elvish and Rohirric, Brego is soothed – and Éowyn, who has been drooling over him throughout the entire scene, sets herself up for major heartbreak. But that, of course, is a side-note.
Next stop for Brego: the banks of the river Whatever (Isen, I suppose) where Aragorn washes ashore after his tumble over the cliff. Man, that must have been some heavy horsewhispering! Brego gives his new master the kiss of life, then allows him to climb onto his back and off they go, a-riding to the horizon. Not only does Brego know where Aragorn wants to go (what a smart horse!), he also possesses healing powers: throughout the entire ride to Helm’s Deep Aragorn just sort of hangs off Brego’s back, but once close to HD, wow – up he goes! He even has the strength to push open those heavy doors inside Théoden’s throne room in a manly fashion!
His moment de gloire, however, is very short; and by the first half of ROTK Brego disappears: scared off by the Paths of the Dead. What a wussy horse! Before the battle outside the Black Gate, Aragorn is riding a horse again – but is Brego really thát intelligent….?
by Figwit
3 responses to “Brego: Film Profile”
Very well said!