5 Things You Need to Know About the Anduril Sword From LOTR

Ever since he entered the big screen on his horse, Aragorn has become one of the most memorable heroes of fantasy media. But he couldn’t have reached his legendary status without Anduril, a mystical sword born from the remains of an older legendary blade.

Unlike the book series it was based on, the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) movies don’t spend as much time telling us about Anduril’s history and why it’s important to Aragorn’s people. In this article, you’ll find everything there is to know about Anduril so you won’t have to wonder what you’ve missed in the LOTR movies.

1. Anduril Is One of the Best Swords in Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings swords typically get their power from an ancient source of magic originating from the early days of the franchise’s universe. This follows J.R.R. Tolkien’s logic of old things being powerful. Despite this, Anduril manages to be one of the most powerful swords in the movies and books, allowing Isildur to cut off Sauron’s fingers even when the sword was broken. 

But that was before the sword became Anduril. This is because Anduril was made from the shards of Narsil, a sword forged in Numenor, the ancient kingdom of Men, and was dedicated to use by the descendants of the Kings of the Dunedain. 

2. Anduril Is an Elvish Sword

Though Anduril is owned by a Man and its heritage is tied to the Numenoreans, the sword itself was reforged by the Galadhrim, a nation of elves living in Lothlorien. The sword was broken during the fight between Sauron and Elendil, an ancestor of Aragorn and the last High King of Gondor and Arnor.

Like many fantasy swords, the blade was remade into a longsword that allowed for fast, yet powerful cuts and thrusts that could stagger enemies. 

By the time it’s known as the sword of King Elessar, which is Aragorn’s title once he became king of Gondor and Arnor and restored his line, it’s said to have a solid metal cross guard and elven scrollwork all along the hilt and blade, a nod to Anduril’s ancient heritage as a distant relative of Elrond, the Lord of Rivendell who began his rule in Middle-Earth sometime during the Second Age. . 

3. Anduril and Narsil Are the Same Sword (But Also, Not Really)

As mentioned above, Anduril and Narsil are technically the same sword but there are magical differences between them as well as an immutable connection. Both of these antique silver blades are portrayed in the text as having distinct identities even though they’re made of the same materials because once the sword was reforged, it had effectively been reborn.

This death and rebirth theme is symbolic of many things, but the chief one among them is that Anduril is a stand in for Aragorn, the last heir of Isildur, who is now fulfilling his destiny as the king to re-establish the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor to the way they were before the destruction of Arnor.

Because the sword, as Narsil, was symbolic of the kingship over Gondor and Arnor, the fact that it was reforged is part of the leitmotif around the “return of the king” subplot that Aragorn has going on in LOTR.

Additionally, Tolkien was a fan of many European mythologies and would often borrow motifs from established ones. Just as the hobbits and elves of his stories are found in Northern European myths, so too are the concept of reforged swords which appeared in Viking sagas such as the Volsungasaga.

4. Anduril Means “Flame of the West”

In Quenya, one of the Elven languages featured in Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Anduril’s name translates to “Flame of the West”. Its name is a combination of the words for “west” and “brilliance” in Quenya with the “west” being chosen as a reference to Numenor’s location in the west versus Mordor’s in the east.

This can be taken to mean that Anduril is a light coming from the west to defeat darkness.

5. Anduril Is Extremely Beautiful

Though both Frodo’s Sting and Aragorn’s Anduril were made by elves, Frodo’s Sting sword was never described to be anywhere near as beautiful as Anduril. This full tang blade was said to have the Seven Stars engraved along its blade’s length and had symbols to represent the lineage of Isildur, Aragorn’s ancestor. 

Later, the sword gets a scabbard from the elves that has gold and silver flowers and leaves all over it. 

You Can Get Your Very Own Replica

You won’t have to spend a kingdom’s fortune or discover your kingly lineage to have a replica of Aragorn’s Anduril. While it doesn’t come with a gold and silver decked sheath, this minimalistic broadsword is a beauty in its own right.

The sword features a finely made crossguard ending in a moon-shaped pommel and the blade itself has a string of Elven runes written along its center. 

• Material: Stainless steel
• Length: 131 cm

Conclusion 

LOTR’s timeless tale of heroes vanquishing evil with the help of wise, magical guides is quite literally a tale as old as time, making the Anduril sword a similarly timeless classic for sword collectors who love history, literature, and J.R.R. Tolkien. You can even own a part of this beautiful sword’s rich history through the addition of a top notch sword replica.