Aragorn
| House / Order | House of Telcontar (founder); House of Isildur |
|---|---|
| Race / Culture | Man (Dúnedain) |
| Status | Survived |
| Origin | Rivendell (fostered); the North-kingdom of Arnor |
| Born | 1 March T.A. 2931 |
| Died | F.A. 120 (Fourth Age), aged 210 |
| Weapon | Andúril, Flame of the West (reforged from Narsil) |
| Fate | Crowned King of Gondor and Arnor; wed Arwen; restored the realm and died at will in old age |
| Portrayed by | Viggo Mortensen |
Aragorn son of Arathorn, known in the wild as Strider and crowned at last as King Elessar, was the sixteenth Chieftain of the Dúnedain of the North and the heir of Isildur. Through the War of the Ring he came into his birthright, taking up the reforged sword Andúril and uniting the long-sundered realms of Gondor and Arnor under one crown.
He stands as the great figure of the returning king — a Ranger of the wilds who hid his lineage for decades, and who at need revealed himself as the rightful lord of the West, founder of the House of Telcontar and husband of Arwen Undómiel.
Origins
Aragorn was born in T.A. 2931, the son of Arathorn II and Gilraen. When his father was slain by orcs two years later, Elrond took the child into Rivendell and fostered him, hiding his true name under the byname Estel ("Hope") to keep him safe from Sauron's servants. He was the last scion of the line of Elendil and Isildur, unbroken from father to son through the long fading of the North-kingdom of Arnor.
At twenty Aragorn learned his lineage and received the heirlooms of his house — the shards of Narsil and the Ring of Barahir. In that same hour he met and loved Arwen, daughter of Elrond, and Elrond decreed that he might wed her only if he became king of both Gondor and Arnor — a doom that shaped all the labours of his life.
Biography
The hidden years
For many decades Aragorn laboured unseen against Sauron. As Thorongil he served Thengel of Rohan and Ecthelion II, Steward of Gondor, winning renown before vanishing again. He travelled far into the East and South, befriended Gandalf, and as chief of the Rangers of the North guarded the Shire and the wild lands without thanks or recognition, biding his time.
The Fellowship
At Bree in T.A. 3018 Aragorn met Frodo and the hobbits as the weather-beaten Ranger "Strider," and guided them to Rivendell under the hunt of the Nazgûl. At the Council of Elrond he revealed himself and had Narsil reforged as Andúril, the Flame of the West. He joined the Fellowship of the Ring, and after Gandalf's fall in Moria became its leader, bringing it to Lothlórien and down the Anduin.
War in the South
When the Fellowship broke, Aragorn — with Legolas and Gimli, the Three Hunters — pursued the orcs who had seized Merry and Pippin across Rohan. Reunited with the returned Gandalf, he came to Edoras, fought at Helm's Deep, and there began to claim his kingship openly. Through the palantír of Orthanc he revealed himself to Sauron, drawing the Enemy's gaze.
The Paths of the Dead and the King
- Main article: Battle of the Pelennor Fields
Aragorn dared the Paths of the Dead and summoned the Oathbreakers to fulfil their ancient oath, sweeping the Corsairs of Umbar from the southern fiefs. He came up the Anduin in the black ships and turned the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, unfurling the standard of Elendil. In the Houses of Healing he proved his right by the old saying — "The hands of the king are the hands of a healer" — reviving Faramir, Éowyn, and Merry with athelas.
He then led the host to the Black Gate as a deliberate gamble, drawing Sauron's full attention while Frodo and Sam crept to Mount Doom. With the Ring's destruction, Aragorn was crowned King Elessar Telcontar, wedded Arwen at Midsummer, and reigned for some six score years over the Reunited Kingdom, renewing Gondor and Arnor. He died at will in F.A. 120, laying himself down in peace after a long and glorious reign.
Character
Aragorn unites the strength of a warrior with the gentleness of a healer and the patience of one who has waited a lifetime for his hour. He is humble in bearing yet sure of his right, schooled in long endurance and the discipline of hope. His love for Arwen and his fidelity to his oath drive him as surely as his hatred of Sauron, and his kingship is shown less by conquest than by healing and restoration.
Relationships
- Arwen Undómiel — his beloved, for whose hand he became king; their union joined Elf and Man a final time.
- Elrond — his foster-father, who set the terms of his destiny.
- Gandalf — his chief counsellor and ally through the long war.
- Legolas and Gimli — his sworn companions, the Three Hunters.
- Halbarad — kinsman and standard-bearer, slain on the Pelennor.
- Éomer and Faramir — fellow captains who served his cause and his peace.
Appearances
- The Fellowship of the Ring
- The Two Towers
- The Return of the King (and Appendix A, "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen")
In Peter Jackson's film trilogy (2001–2003), Aragorn was portrayed by Viggo Mortensen. The films make Aragorn reluctant to claim the throne; in the books his whole life is bent toward the crown from the day he learns his name.
Quotes
All that is gold does not glitter, / Not all those who wander are lost; / The old that is strong does not wither, / Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
I am Aragorn son of Arathorn, and am called Elessar, the Elfstone, Dúnadan, the heir of Isildur Elendil's son of Gondor.