Summary
Arwen Undómiel, the daughter of Elrond and Queen of Middle-Earth’s Reunited Kingdom, met her end many years after the events ofThe Lord of the Rings: Return of the Kingdespite being a member of the immortal race of Elves. Arwen played an important role in the overall quest to destroy the One Ring in Peter Jackson’sLord of the Ringsmovie series, although her path was slightly different in J.R.R. Tolkien’s original novels. She was still an important figure in the evolution of Middle-Earth before and after the War of the Ring.
Arwen and Aragorn’s relationship is a fixture in the overall story ofThe Lord of the Rings, and the price of their love was one that Arwen herself had to pay. By committing herself to Aragorn, she elected a mortal life, forsaking her immortality and her position on the ships to Valinor in the Undying Lands.Frodo Baggins was allowed into the Undying Landsin her place, and Arwen remained in Middle-Earth until her death in the year 121 of the Fourth Age. As beautiful as her commitment to Aragorn was, it made her death seem all the more tragic.
What Happened To Legolas After Sauron’s Defeat In The Lord of the Rings
The skilled warrior played a major role in the adventures of the Fellowship, but as an immortal being his story didn’t end with Return of the King.
Arwen Died Of A Broken Heart Following Aragorn’s Death
Her love for Aragorn led to her end
As seen in Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Arwen traveled to Minas Tirith following the destruction of the One Ring and Aragorn’s coronation as the king of the newly unified kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor.Arwen and Aragorn were married in the same year that the One Ring was destroyed, the year 3019 of the Third Age. At the time of their wedding, Arwen was 2,779 years old, whileAragorn was 88 years old–his life extended by his Dúnedain heritage. At that moment, Arwen became the Queen of the Reunited Kingdom, and ruled at Aragorn’s side until his death.
Arwen’s mother, Celebrían, was the daughter of Galadriel.
Aragorn finally died at the age of 210, after 122 years ruling as King of the Reunited Kingdom. Following his death, Arwen went on to live for another year, eventually making her way to Lórien, the forest kingdom once ruled by her grandmother, Galadriel. It was there, on the mound of Cerin Amroth where she and Aragorn first committed themselves to one another, thatArwen died of a broken heart at 2,901 years of age.
Why Arwen Lost Her Elven Immortality
She lost her immortality when she committed herself to Aragorn
Arwen’s immortality was lost when she committed herself to Aragorn in the realm of Lórien many years before the events ofThe Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.She actually followed in the footsteps of one of her ancestors,Lúthien, who made a similar choice to love a mortal mandespite the immortal life she knew as a member of the Elven race. Arwen plainly stated her desire to stay in Middle-Earth and acknowledged her ancestor’s choice in Tolkien’s originalReturn of the King:
I shall not go with him when he departs to the Havens: for mine is the choice of Lúthien, and as she so have I chosen, both the sweet and the bitter.
Arwen herself was half-Elf and half-human, just as her father was. Given that mix of ancestry, the choice falls to the individual on how they wish to live. While her father chose to live as an elf,Arwen was able to choose to live as a mortalso that she might remain with Aragorn as opposed to leaving Middle-Earth for the Undying Lands.
Only one of their children is ever given a name
During the Fourth Age and during their time as the King and Queen of the Reunited Kingdom, Aragorn and Arwen had several children.Only one is named: their son Eldarion, who was born in the first year of the Fourth Age. Peter Jackson chose to make Eldarion a part of Arwen’s vision of her own potential future in the cinematicThe Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, played by Sadwyn Brophy. Eldarion had an extended youth and a long life like a full-blooded Elf, but he was not born with the ability to choose his own mortality.
Arwen and Aragorn’s son Eldarion went on to rule as the second King of the Reunited Kingdom after the death of his father.
The appendices ofThe Lord of the Ringsmention thatArwen and Aragorn had at least two other children, both daughters. There is no evidence of any children beyond that in Tolkien’s official writings, although the topic of Aragorn and Arwen’s daughters and their names is not uncommon inLord of the Ringsfan-fiction circles. There are no details available about whether they were able to choose their own mortality like their mother Arwen did, which led to her death more than a century after the events ofThe Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Cast
The final installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King concludes the epic saga of the Fellowship’s quest to destroy the One Ring and put an end to Sauron’s reign of terror. As Frodo and Sam continue on their way to Mordor and Mount Doom, accompanied by Gollom, the rest of the Fellowship work to defend Minas Tirith from Sauron’s forces. The film’s ensemble cast includes Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Ian McKellen, Vigo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan.
