Summary
- Casual fans may not be familiar with Elros, but he is a significant figure in the Lord of the Rings mythology, being the famous King of Men and the twin brother of Elrond.
- Elros comes from a unique family tree of half-elves and was faced with a choice to become human or elf. He chose the mortal route, while Elrond chose immortality, leading to a strained relationship between the brothers.
- After the defeat of Morgoth, Elros became the first king of the island kingdom of Numenor and ruled for 410 years, establishing a prosperous lineage of descendants.
There's a lot more The Lord of the Rings fans don't know about the tale's mythology. No fault of their own as J.R.R. Tolkien created a deep and rich mythology that's not exactly the easiest to follow. Beyond The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, there are a number of other books that expand on the history of Middle Earth and the surrounding continents. There's a chance for more casual fans to explore this history in Amazon's The Rings of Power series.
The Rings of Power exposed fans to the island kingdom of Numenor, which has quite an extensive and rich history on its own. Episode three briefly mentioned a person never before seen in live-action by the name of Elros. Elros is an incredibly important figure in Middle Earth, despite most fans not knowing who he is. So, just who is Elros and how is he connected to one of the most prominent characters in The Lord of the Rings?
LOTR: Why Was Boromir So Tempted by the One Ring?
The short-lived character of Boromir embodied both the best and worst of human nature when he struggled with his temptation to acquire the One Ring.
Who is Elros?
While casual fans will only ever know Elros as a famous King of Men, he's a significant figure in the grand design of Lord of the Rings. His parents, Eärendil and Elwing, were key heroes who brought about the downfall of the Dark Lord Morgoth at the end of the First Age. For the uninitiated, Morgoth was Sauron's master. Everything Sauron knew, he learned from Morgoth. Furthermore, Elros wasn't an only child. His twin brother went on to play a significant role in the Second Age and fans, casual or otherwise, are quite familiar with him. His name is Elrond. To say the least, Elros's history is pretty convoluted.
Eärendil and Elwing decided to have children at the least opportune time because it was during a period when Morgoth nearly controlled all of Middle Earth. The Elves and noble Men, the Edain, were on the ropes, literally fighting for their lives. Swept away in the war, Elros and Elrond's parents left the twins behind in a cave where they were eventually discovered. The interesting thing about Elros's family tree is that they are a line of half-elves. This is a unique family trait to have in Tolkien's universe because at some point a half-elf has to make a choice: Become Human or Elf. Wait, does that mean Elrond chose to be an Elf?
It absolutely does. Elros, on the other hand, chose the opposite path and ventured down the mortal route, fated to die of old age. Although he lived for much longer than other humans, even by Numenorean standards. Unfortunately, this was the decision that drove the brothers away from each other.
Elros and Elrond's Relationship, Explained
The brothers lived for a time in a cave behind a waterfall before Maglor, the greatest poet and minstrel of the Noldor, discovered and freed them. He raised them as his own, but it's unknown if the two helped in the War of Wrath that ended Morgoth's reign. All that's known is that the Valar gave the two a choice at the beginning of the second age. Once the twins made their choices, Elrond choosing the immortal life of Elves and Elros the mortality of Humans, the two went their separate ways.
The audience sees their parting in episode three of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in a mural. It shows Elrond on one side with elves and Elros on the other with Men. This is a perfect representation of the strained relationship between Men and Elves throughout the time of The Lord of the Ring. Elrond and Elros didn't interact after their parting.
However, Elrond went on to foster many descendants of Elros from Valandil, the son of Isildur, to Aragorn himself. He knew how vital it was to preserve the line of the royal line of Men.
What Happened to Elros?
After the First Age when the free people of Middle Earth defeated Morgoth, the Valar gave the Elves permission to enter Valinor, a land to the west, if they chose. Men, on the other hand, aren't given the same option, but the Valar feel they're worthy of a similar reward for all their sacrifices in the War of Wrath. For this, they're given an island separate from Middle Earth but still a part of it called Numenor. Elros went on to be the first king of Numenor. The Silmarillion says:
A land was made for the Edain to dwell in, neither part of Middle-earth nor of Valinor, for it was sundered from either by a wide sea; yet it was nearer to Valinor.
The novel The Return of the King expands further, saying:
As a reward for their sufferings in the cause against Morgoth, the Valar, the Guardians of the World, granted to the Edain a land to dwell in, removed from the dangers of Middle-earth.
Despite living a mortal life, Elros went on to live an exceptionally long life. He established his kinghood at the age of 90 and lived to be 500 years old, ruling Numenor for a whopping 410 years. In that time he set up the kingdom for success and established a long and fruitful line of descendants.