Elladan & Elrohir

Elladan and Elrohir

[Elf-Man] and [Elf-Knight]

"Neither young nor old. So much alike were they, the sons of Elrond, that few could tell them apart: dark-haired, grey-eyed, and their faces elven-fair, clad alike in bright mail beneath cloaks of silver-grey."

["The Return of the King", JRR Tolkien]

"Have you marked the brethren Elladan and Elrohir? Less sombre is their gear than the others', and they are fair and gallant as Elven-lords; and that is not to be wondered at in the sons of Elrond of Rivendell."

Legolas ["The Return of the King", JRR Tolkien]

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1. [III 103] Celebrían gave birth to twin males - Elladan and Elrohir, the sons of Elrond. 111 years later, their sister Arwen Undómiel was born. The three were of the line of the Peredhil and, thus, were given the choice of the Half-Elven: to be immortal and sail over the Seas, or to stay in Middle-earth and perish.

Note that the children of Elrond are not really half Elf, half Mortal. Strictly speaking, they're 11/16 Elda (69%), 9/32 Mortal (28%) and 1/32 Maia (3%). To see "The Peredhel Math" (The Math of the Half-Elf), please click here.

On their names:

Elrohir is a composite of Elf and Horse-master, and can be interpreted as "Elf-knight". Elladan is formed from Elf and Númenórean, therefore Elf-Númenórean or Elf-Man (the former being the translation presented by JRR Tolkien in "Letters").

2. Celebrían was attacked by Orcs in the Redhorn Pass [III 2509]. The Twins rescued her and carried her back to Imladris, to be healed by Elrond. However, the attack would prove to be too great a torment for Celebrían and, on the following year, she left Middle-earth, sailing to the West.

This event seems to be a defining moment in the lives of Elladan and Elrohir - they are described as spending their days riding with the Rangers of the North, fighting Orcs.

"Orcs, multiplying again in the Misty Mountains, begin to ravage the lands, and the Dúnedain and the sons of Elrond fought with them." [Ap]

"Elladan and Elrohir, were out upon errantry: for they rode often far afield with the Rangers of the North, forgetting never their mother's torment in the dens of the orcs." [FotR]

3. The Dúnedain with whom they rode included the heirs of Isildur - among them Arathorn II, who was killed [III 2933] when his son Aragorn was 2 years old. Elrond, the twins' father, fostered Aragorn.

"Aragorn was only two years old when Arathorn went riding against the Orcs with the sons of Elrond, and he was slain by an orc-arrow that pierced his eye." [Ap]

Elladan and Elrohir seem to have had a special affinity for Aragorn (Estel), who often rode with them - and, seeing that Estel was fostered by their father, it is not implausible that they played an important part in his education and training.

"When Estel was only twenty years of age, it chanced that he returned to Rivendell after great deeds in the company of the sons of Elrond; and Elrond looked at him and was pleased, for he saw that he was fair and noble and was early come to manhood." [Ap]

4. On the Eve [24 Oct] of the Council of Elrond [III 3018] the Twins arrived in Imladris. They were part of the company of elvish knights sent out by their father after the Council to scout the terrain for the Fellowship, and were the last to make their way back.

"The sons of Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir, were the last to return; they had made a great journey, passing down the Silverlode into a strange country, but of their errand they would not speak to any save to Elrond." [FotR]

Note that, in the movie, timelines are somewhat condensed and, thus, the Fellowship leaves Rivendell shortly after the Council.

5. Elladan and Elrohir, riding with the Dúnedain, joined Aragorn in Rohan [III 3019], wishing to play their part in the War of the Ring. Additionally, they carried a message from Elrond which would help Isildur's heir decide on the movements of his army.

"The brethren Elladan and Elrohir have ridden with us, desiring to go to the war." [Halbarad, RotK]

"I bring word to you from my father: 'The days are short. If thou art in haste, remember the Paths of the Dead.'" [Elrohir, RotK]

To see how Aragorn "remembered the Paths of the Dead", please click.

6. The sons of Elrond rode with the Grey Company, passing through Edoras and Dunharrow, and reaching the Paths of the Dead. The Company crossed these with a heavy heart, until they reached the Morthond Vale.

"Behind them rode Elladan, last of the Company, but not the last of those that took the downward road. 'The Dead are following,' said Legolas." [RotK]

"Yes, the Dead ride behind. They have been summoned." [Elladan, RotK]

7. The Company rode to the Hill of Erech where, at the Stone of Erech, Aragorn summoned the Dead through the cry of a silver horn handed to him by Elrohir. Thus accompanied, they rode on. Finally, they reached the Pelennor Fields, where they were a decisive force in the Battle, attacking unexpectedly from the quays in the South.

"There came Legolas, and Gimli wielding his axe, and Halbarad with the standard, and Elladan and Elrohir with stars on their brow." [RotK}

8. After the battle, Aragorn retired the symbols of the House of Elendil and gave them to the Twins for safekeeping. At the Houses of Healing, the three worked on the survivors of the Battle.

"He commanded that his banner should be furled; and he did off the Star of the North Kingdom and gave it to the keeping of the sons of Elrond." [RotK]

It should be noted that the heirlooms of Isildur's heirs had long been kept in Elrond's House; therefore it is somewhat fitting that it was to his sons that Aragorn surrendered the Star of Elendil.

"Aragorn arose and went out, and he sent for the sons of Elrond, and together they laboured far into the night." [RotK]

Note that the Twins' father is the greatest master of healing; so it is not unexpected that Elladan and Elrohir should be knowledgeable in that field.

9. The Twins, Aragorn, Gandalf, Éomer and Prince Imrahil formed a Council where they discussed the future course of action in the battle against Sauron. Once again, Elrohir presented the words and counsel of his father. It was decided that they would advance, each of the Lords leading a host of fighters - the Twins would ride forth with the Dúnedain and the knights of Dol Amroth, in a company of 500 horsemen.

"From the North we came with this purpose, and from Elrond our father we brought this very counsel. We will not turn back." [Elrohir, RotK]

10. They rode to the Black Gate of Mordor, and were present during the final moments of the War of the Ring, before Sauron was defeated.

"In the front towards Mordor where the first bitter assault would come there stood the sons of Elrond on the left with the Dúnedain about them, and on the right the Prince Imrahil with the men of Dol Amroth." [RotK]

"The Heir of Isildur led the host of the West to the Black Gates of Mordor. In that last battle were Mithrandir, and the sons of Elrond, and the King of Rohan" [S]

11. The sons of Elrond remained in Gondor for the duration of the celebrations and the crowning of King Elessar. They then rode from Gondor to Rohan with Éomer and Éowyn, and from there they went out to meet Arwen's wedding escort, accompanying their sister, their father and the House of Elrond to Gondor, where Arwen was wedded to King Elessar.

"First rode Elrohir and Elladan with a banner of silver, and then came Glorfindel and Erestor and all the household of Rivendell." [RotK]

12. Elladan and Elrohir left Gondor with the House of Elrond, the People of Lothlórien and of the Shire, and Gandalf, finally returning to Imladris.

13. After Elrond and Galadriel (their Grandmother) passed over the Seas with Mithrandir and the Ringbearer, the Twins dwelt in Imladris for part of the Fourth Age. A few years after Galadriel's voyage, they were joined by their Grandfather Celeborn, who had grown weary of solitude in Lothlórien. In the end, he too sailed for the West.

It is never explicitly mentioned what Elladan and Elrohir opted for: immortality or the gift of death. However, in "Letters" [Unsent Letter to Peter Hastings], Tolkien writes:

"The end of his sons, Elladan and Elrohir, is not told: they delay their choice, and remain for a while." [Letters]

Should "remain for a while" be interpreted in the sense that after "a while" they do indeed leave Middle-earth?

Though it is a romantic notion, I choose to believe that they remained in Middle-Earth while their sister lived, parting sometime after her death.