Ruthless! We're All Heroes, So Heroes Must Think Alike

Aragorn had not, like his ancestor, clutched the One Ring and pursued supreme power. Instead, he had resolutely cast aside all splendor and glory, cast aside his bloodline and identity, donned cold, hard armor, and taken up bow and sword to enter the endless wilderness of Middle-earth. Relying on his own strength, he wandered its lands, tempering his soul and spirit through this self-exile-like asceticism, honing his will between life and death until he finally gained control of his restless heart.

Thus, a powerhouse like Aragorn was no longer merely physically formidable. What was even more terrifying was the strength of his mind!

Although the supernatural powers in The Lord of the Rings series did not have clear level classifications like those in games and web novels, the hierarchy of power could still be clearly seen.

Take the nineteen Rings controlled by the One Ring, for instance. In The Lord of the Rings, only three characters had explicitly broken free of the One Ring's control and directly resisted the temptation of its evil will. One was Elrond, Lord of Rivendell, who possessed the Ring of Air known as Vilya. Another was the ruler of Lothlórien, the Lady of Light, the strongest of the Elves, the White Queen Galadriel, who possessed the Ring of Water known as Nenya. After the Fellowship of the Ring reached the Golden Wood, this strongest Elven queen had faced the One Ring in Frodo's hand and resisted the temptation of its evil will. The third was Gandalf, the grey-robed wizard and a Maia, who possessed the Ring of Fire known as Narya.

Of course, there was actually a fourth person who had escaped the temptation of the One Ring's evil will: Aragorn, who had exiled himself for decades!

Although Aragorn had never possessed a Ring, during