The Elegant Thranduil Sword – A Blade Fit For A King
What’s in this article?
J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings (LOTR) is a world of elves, dwarves, hobbits, and humans fighting against the forces of evil with some of the most legendary weapons to ever exist. Among these is The Hobbit sword Thranduil. Featured in the movie adaptation of The Hobbit, the sword is introduced as the blade of the Elven King Thranduil.
The Story of Thranduil, Sword of the Elven King
Despite its association with a major figure in The Hobbit, the katana-like Thranduil sword is the only movie sword not to be given a proper name, hence why it is only known by its owner’s name. Regardless, it’s a beautiful sword that’s implied to have been inherited by the Elven King Thranduil from his father, Oropher, together with the kingship of the Woodland Realm.
Oropher was a Sindar elf who remained in Middle-earth even after many of the elves left following the War of Wrath. He was able to rule for many years until he was slain in the Battle of Dagorlad, one of many battles fought by elves and men against Sauron. Following his death, his crown and sword passed to Thranduil who rarely used it as his reign was largely a time of peace.
Because of this, the sword is barely seen unsheathed in the movies, making it the Lord of the Rings sword to have the least amount of screen time.
The Graphic Motif of Thranduil
The fact that the Thranduil sword is largely sheathed is unfortunate as the sword has a gorgeous graphic motif. Since Thranduil is the king of a woodland kingdom, his sword has sylvan themes such as creeping vines and leaves that curl around the blade and handle. Speaking of the handle, the hilt of the sword curves gently from blade to hand, giving it a rather fluid visual appearance.
This makes replica swords based on Thranduil a favorite among LOTR fans to mount for a wall display, though it comes a far contender compared to the likes of the Sting sword, which is wielded by the Baggins family.
Anduril, the sword of Aragorn, is another fantasy sword that outfames the Thranduil sword by virtue of its massive plot significance as a symbol of the return of the kingdoms of men. However, Thranduil is only rivaled visually in The Hobbit movie by the longsword Orcrist and Glamdring, which is the sword of Gandalf.
Getting A Copy of the Sword of Thranduil
Replica swords of blades featured in Lord of the Rings are frequently manufactured because of the franchise’s popularity, making it easy to find a quality replica, regardless of whether it’s official merchandise or a top class replica from an off-brand manufacturer. Whichever you go for, here are a few things to keep an eye out for.
- Certificate of Authenticity:
Not all replicas of the Thranduil sword come with a certificate, but you can expect to pay more if you want one. The certificate guarantees that your replica is an officially licensed movie replica. This has no serious bearing on the replica’s quality, but it’s best not to overpay for a non-official replica.
- Battle Ready vs. Movie Prop:
Though battle ready and movie prop swords are copies of the blades we see in movies, only the former is designed to see actual combat use. This means that you can spar with your battle ready sword unlike your movie prop sword that isn’t made to withstand the blows – even if it’s a stainless steel blade.
- Wall Mount Inclusions:
Though not as important as the other considerations on this list, a wall mount inclusion is a nice addition that can make it easy for you to display your replica sword. Otherwise, you can just buy a mount from your local hardware store.
Conclusion
The Thranduil sword may not have a name of its own, but its distinct appearance and historic origins carve out a place for it in Lord of the Rings’ greater lore. As the sword of the Elven King Thranduil, the blade is known for its beauty, making it a great display item for any fan of the series looking to decorate their collection room.
