I think I have a very fair view of our Boromir... he is bashed because he did fall. He was the weakest link, though we are told that all would have fallen eventually, they were spared from having to confront it (all except Frodo and Sam) because their strength of will was stronger, or possibly more important, their ambition for personal power was less than Boromir's. Boromir's limits on both of those were reached... (highlight to read)