THE RINGS OF POWER Introduced Middle-earth’s Most Famous Sword

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As a devoted fan of Middle-earth lore and someone who has spent countless hours immersed in its enchanting world, I find myself deeply moved by the story of Queen Míriel and the legendary sword Narsil. Her decision to send Elendil off with this symbol of Númenor’s strength and devotion speaks volumes about her wisdom and courage.

In the series The Rings of Power, the followers of Númenor are under siege. At the end of season two, a desperate Ar-Pharazôn labeled those opposing him as traitors. However, the island’s legitimate queen chose to stay with her people during their most challenging time. Míriel sent Elendil away with something that would become a lasting emblem of Númenor’s genuine power and loyalty – the renowned sword from all of Middle-earth, Narsil. Now, in The Rings of Power, Elendil wields this legendary blade, which will later be refashioned for his descendant Aragorn to use against Sauron in battle.

Pharazôn and his followers have initiated a war against their fellow Númenoreans by deceitfully branding them traitors to the throne, which the new king has supposedly seized. Upon learning about his imminent arrest from his daughter, Elendil was inclined to escape westward with his queen. However, she refused to flee and instead insisted on remaining in the city while his future lay elsewhere. It is evident what lies ahead for him, and given her knowledge of this, she equipped him with a crucial weapon before sending him off – “The White Flame,” also known as Narsil, a longsword. In the final episode of season two of The Rings of Power, she bestowed this upon him.

In my gaming world, not much is clear about Narsil’s beginnings and ancient tales. Yet, I know it was crafted by the skillful dwarf blacksmith Telchar way back during the First Age, a time so deep it feels like history itself. Somewhere after the fall of Morgoth, this legendary sword found its way to Númenor during the Second Age. As depicted in ‘The Rings of Power’, Narsil eventually ended up in the hands of Elendil, the brave new Lord of the Andúnië, where I, as a player, wield it now.

Fans of The Lord of the Rings are aware that Elendil, in a future conflict within The Rings of Power, will bear Narsil – a symbol and reminder of Númenor’s trust in the Valar and the Andúnië’s status among mortals. He will use Narsil during the War of the Last Alliance against Sauron, engaging in battle with the Dark Lord.

In the impending battle, the legendary sword known as Narsil, symbolizing both daylight and night, splits apart. (As portrayed by Peter Jackson, it shatters into numerous fragments.) However, Aragorn’s forefather will assume his duties and inherit a fragment of the broken Narsil to sever the One Ring from Sauron’s grasp – an event that “The Rings of Power” is likely to portray meticulously. The remnants are then passed down through the generations to the descendants of Isildur, the Dúnedain of the North. Later on, something not shown in “The Rings of Power,” since it occurs during the Third Age, Elrond will bestow the shards of Narsil upon a young Aragorn, who carries them until the elves of Rivendell reforge them into Andúril, the sword.

When Aragorn sets out with the Fellowship of the Ring, he’ll have Andúril by his side. He’ll bear this sword throughout Middle-earth as Sauron returns to rule from Mordor. But when the forces of good finally vanquish the Dark Lord for good, Aragorn, the honorable descendant of Elendil, will be the final wielder of it.

Was it when Queen Míriel gazed into her crystal ball, the palantír, that she witnessed all that transpired, or was it only Elendil’s physical inheritance of all that was virtuous in Númenor that she foresaw? That secret remains with her alone. However, whatever she beheld, she guaranteed that Narsil would transcend its mere identity as a sword, becoming an enduring symbol of light over darkness, not only within the realm of The Rings of Power, but extending beyond it.

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2024-10-03 11:04