Captain Elendil in "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power"

In the highly anticipated TV series "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” there is one character that has been rather popular among the show’s viewers and that is Captain Elendil portrayed by Lloyd Owen. Elendil, being one of the key characters of the Númenórean plot, enriches the story of the Second Age with his character. As a character, Elendil is revealed to be a man whose decisions have significant impacts on the overall plot; starting from the moment he rescues Galadriel and Halbrand to get more involved in the political and moral conflicts of his own country. In this article, we shall focus on Captain Elendil as the character, especially his role, his interactions with other characters, and his contributions to the series of events in The Rings of Power.

I still recall a scene from the first episodes of The Rings of Power where Elendil’s ship finds Galadriel and Halbrand in the middle of the Sundering Seas. This moment can be considered as the first meeting of these three characters which will become the basis for the further interactions and events in Númenor. For Elendil, the choice to take the survivors on board his ship is the crossroads, which will make him a participant in the wars and political games of Middle-earth.

Elendil is a nobleman and a captain of Númenórean navy, a strong and experienced man, who is loyal to his land and its cause. But his first good deed towards Galadriel and Halbrand also suggests that he has a more profound sense of justice and is ready to open up to the world beyond the borders of Númenor. This conflict between responsibility and integrity will be one of the main features of Elendil’s character in the further course of the story.

When Elendil brings Galadriel and Halbrand back to Númenor, the character is immediately placed in the middle of the political drama and conflict. He is a man who is in a position of advising the Queen Regent Miriel and has to balance between the two sides – the side of the crown and the side of Galadriel. This internal conflict is further worsened by the separatist faction that is within the Númenórean society that sees interaction with the rest of the world as a vice.

Thus, through the lens of Elendil, the reader gets to know the problems of Númenor and the decisions that the rulers of this state are forced to make. His relationship with Miriel is also rather ambiguous, as they both try to solve multiple problems concerned with their duty, trust, and the fate of their kingdom. While Elendil gets more involved in the political affairs of Númenor, he has to question his own principles as well as determine whose side he is on.

In the course of the story of The Rings of Power, Elendil as a character evolves from a passive and weak character into a more proactive and noble character who wants to make the right thing. In his conversations with Galadriel and through seeing the emerging threat of Sauron, he slowly becomes more aware of the general state of Middle-earth and the necessity of Númenor’s actions.

This awakening of purpose is a gradual process and the process is built around Elendil and his experiences in the game. From the moment of his choice to invite Galadriel and Halbrand to Númenor up to the gradual change of his attitude towards the need to fight the darkness more actively, Elendil turns into a character of moral bravery and purpose.

In my opinion, the navigation of Elendil is one of the most important elements in the series and his character connects different storylines and arcs of The Rings of Power. He is an important character in the Númenórean plot as he unites the island kingdom with the rest of Middle-earth, thus involving the Númenóreans into the Second Age’s events and plots.

Elendil also plays a role in linking the various parts of the story together, as well as in presenting different opinions and ideas, such as the one represented by characters like Galadriel and Halbrand. Perhaps the most notable of them is the development of his friendship with Galadriel, who enriches and transforms the character, as well as the series, by teaching and questioning each other.

It is quite fitting that Elendil, being one of the main characters of Tolkien’s legendarium, is present in The Rings of Power to serve as a foreshadowing of his future role in the history of Middle-earth. The viewers of the books will remember that Elendil is destined to become one of the greatest kings and the leader of the Faithful Númenóreans to Middle-earth and the founder of the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor.

On the one hand, the series introduces possibilities of developing Elendil’s character in novel and exciting ways, on the other hand, his inevitable end stays in the shadow of the narrative. It will be interesting to follow the development of Elendil’s character and what he will do throughout the show and how his actions will affect the Second Age.

In the vast canvas of The Rings of Power, a character that is quite significant and has a lot of layers to him is Captain Elendil whose inclusion in the narrative of the Second Age is quite impactful. In his function as the rescuer, and the organizer of the help, and then in the political and moral conflict of Númenor, Elendil is a character through which one can look at the overall themes and the conflict of the series.

As a mediator between characters such as Galadriel, Halbrand, and Miriel, Elendil plays an important role of connecting the various arcs and the views of the show, thus uniting the plot. At the same time, his own growth and development as a character gives the viewer additional emotional investment in the story as he struggles with his own dilemmas on the matters of duty and loyalty, as well as the greater good.

And as the show unfolds, Elendil’s part and contribution to the grand scheme of things are bound to develop in interesting ways in The Rings of Power. Whether he is plotting Númenórean politics, forming the alliances with the Elves and other Middle-earth races, or waging war against evil, Elendil is a character to follow and an important figure in the intricate world of The Rings of Power.