#but romanticizes the kings more

Kind of interesting how the Ruling Stewards were, collectively, so competent and upstanding right up to the last hours of their 969-year rule while the kings were kind of all over the place. Tolkien couldhave laid the groundwork for Aragorn’s rise in some inadequacy on their part, but … doesn’t, really? He’s very insistent that they’re awesome. They’ve still got to go, though.