Throughout the cinematic adaptation of the Lord of the Rings trilogy by Peter Jackson, many scenes and moments are awarded to the Lady Eowyn of Rohan, and her unrequited love of Aragorn, the Dunedain Ranger and the heir to the Throne of Gondor. She admires him in many ways, from his strength and kindness as a man, to his valor and authority as a soldier and commanding leader in the battle against the Sauron. But Aragorn cannot give her back the same love, for he is pledged to Lady Arwen of Rivendell.
Feeling that all hope is lost, Eowyn throws herself into battle, maintaining her honor as a shieldmaiden, and defending her uncle, King Theoden of Rohan against the Witch-king of Angmar. As she stabs the enemy, her arm is broken and the nerves destroyed, and she is left there on the battlefield until the fight is over. Once she is discovered, she is taken to the Houses of Healing, where she lies unconscious, until she is treated with Kingswillow and called back into the waking world by her brother Eomer.
The other riders soon leave again, heralding the call of another battle, but she must stay there, whilst her body continues to mend itself. She feels caged within the walls and wishes that she had been granted the honor of a courageous death in battle. Her body restores, but her will to live begins wearing away, and she consigns herself to let darkness overcome her until she meets the younger brother of Boromir, and the new steward of Gondor, Faramir, who is also in the Houses of Healing, having been pierced by poisoned arrows during the siege of Osgiliath.
When watching the extended edition DVDs, the love story that ensues between them can be seen briefly, though little importance is placed on it, and there is next to no screen time for them at all in the cinematic versions. However, in the books, there is almost an entire chapter devoted to them, entitled ‘The Steward and the King.’ During these pages, Faramir invites Eowyn to walk in the gardens with him, so that they may keep each other company in their most difficult hours, and speed the process of the healing of their souls. Faramir senses a sorrow within her, but he does not pity her for it, he admires her strength and valor as a warrior, knowing how much she sacrificed to protect Middle Earth.
Although it takes time for her to mend her broken heart, it is this that ultimately wins her over. So many of the male counterparts in her life, including Theoden, Aragorn, and her older brother Eomer, see her as a young girl, a girl who is less capable than they are of fighting for her loved ones. However, she has proved that this is not so, and Faramir is one of the first men to truly appreciate her for her fearlessness and skill, rather than just for her beauty.
In the book, the couple spends much of their time standing upon the parapet, and when the weather turns cold Faramir clothes her in a midnight blue cloak, clasped and adorned with stars, which once belonged to his mother. It is one of few sentimental possessions he holds dear in the world and is the first sign of their love blooming. And when the greatest hour of darkness draws near, and the penultimate night is felt by all, they draw close to one another, holding hands as a beacon of hope in the dread.
Although none of this is in the movies, Eowyn is called once she is healed, to be by her brother’s side, and rejoice in the celebrations once the war against the Evil Lord Sauron is won. But she lingers in the healing houses, unsure what it is that makes her so reluctant to leave. Faramir has taken up his position as Steward of Gondor in the interim, looking after the throne of Gondor until Aragorn, who has the blood of the Numenorians, is ready to claim it, but when he hears of Eowyn once more ailing, he rushes to her side.
He asks her plainly why she waits there. Is it because she cannot face Aragorn who has scorned her, or is it because she waits for his love? In this moment, she admits that she wishes to be loved by him, but she is afraid of him pitying her, and once he has assured her that he will love her whether she is sorrowful, or the bravest woman in all of the realms, the winter passes from her cheeks, and the sunlight finally falls upon her face, and she realizes that she can let herself be cared for by another, and still maintaining her own might and enduring wisdom. They agree to be married, and Faramir asks her: "Let us dwell in fair Ithilien, and there make a garden. All things will grow with joy there if the white lady comes."
Although it is not the most essential relationship in the story portrayed by the films, their love is one of equals, one of two brave soldiers who have seen the horrors of war, and have managed to find light on the other side of it. They marry and have a son, and live out their days in peace and prosperity, teaching the audience that devotion and adoration can be found even when all else seems lost.
Source: Lord of the Rings book by J.R.R. Tolkien