Elladan and Elrohir

"The Rescue of Celebrían" by Peter Xavier Price
Half-elven
Elladan and Elrohir
Biographical Information
Location	Rivendell
Affiliation	Grey Company
Language	Sindarin Westron
Birth	T.A. 130
Family
Parentage	Elrond and Celebrían
Siblings	Arwen
Physical Description
Gender	Male
Hair colour	Dark
Eye colour	Grey
Clothing	Bright mail, silver-grey cloak
Gallery	Images of Elladan and Elrohir

”

‘And 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.’

The Return of the King, "The Passing of the Grey Company"

Elladan and Elrohir were the twin sons, and eldest children, of Elrond and Celebrían.

They were descended from the royal Houses of the Eldar through both their father and mother, but also from the noble Houses of the Edain through their father.

Description

The brothers were tall, dark-haired and grey-eyed, and so much alike that only those that knew them well could tell them apart. To Meriadoc Brandybuck, their fair elven faces seemed neither old nor young. While in the Grey Company, they wore cloaks of silver-grey over bright mail.

History

In the year T.A. 2509 the twins' mother Celebrían went on a journey into the south to visit her own mother, Galadriel, in the land of Lórien. In the Redhorn Pass, she was captured by Orcs of the Misty Mountains, and tortured in their dens. The twins rode to rescue her, but by the time they reached her, she had received a poisonous wound. Though their father healed her, she would not remain in Middle-earth, and sailed into the West the following year. After this loss, Elladan and Elrohir never forgot their mother's torture in the dens of the Orcs and often rode far from Rivendell with the Rangers of the North.

In 2933, they saw Arathorn II killed by orcs while hunting with him.

War of the Ring

In the early part of the War of the Ring, the brothers' main role was to scout the land and prepare the way for the Fellowship. Around November of T.A. 3018, they were sent by Elrond on a secret errand. They passed down the Silverlode into a "strange country" and were the last to return to Rivendell in December.

Later, they took a more active part. When Halbarad rode to Aragorn's aid with the Grey Company, Elladan and Elrohir accompanied them and Elrohir gave counsel from his father to Aragorn to "remember the Paths of the Dead". They followed Aragorn through the Paths of the Dead, fought with him at Pelargir, and took part in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, where they fought with stars bound to their brows. Both were present at a council of Aragorn and his captains, and then accompanied the force that fought in the Battle of the Morannon.

After the celebrations and the coronation of Aragorn, the brothers departed Minas Tirith on 8 May. On 14 June they met with the escort of their sister on her way to Gondor to marry Aragorn, and together they went to Edoras. They stayed there for two days before setting out for Gondor. They arrived to the City on 1 Lithe and the brothers held a silver banner.

Later fate

After the War, little is known of the brothers' fate. They returned to their father's house at Rivendell and remained there even after their father had passed across the Sea. Like their sister Arwen, the sons of Elrond Half-elven were granted the choice of whether to leave Middle-earth for the Undying Lands, or remain there and become mortal as Men. They chose, for a time at least, to stay in Middle-earth for reasons unknown. However, due to the fact that shortly before Aragorn died in Fo.A. 120, he said to Arwen that 'none now walk' in the garden of Elrond, indicating that the last of the Eldar had departed to Valinor, and that Celeborn dwelt in Rivendell for a while before he eventually departed over the Sea, it seems likely that both twins had left Rivendell before or at the time of their grandfather's last trip for the Undying Lands.

Etymology

Elladan

Elladan is Sindarin for "Elf-man", from el ("elf") + adan ("man"). It could also be translated as "Elf-Númenórean", as adan refers to the Edain, who later became Númenóreans.

Elrohir

Elrohir is Sindarin for "Elf-man" or "Elf-knight", from el ("elf") + rohir ("horse-lord").

Genealogy

Finarfin b. Y.T. 1230

Eärwen b. Y.T.

Galadhon b. F.A.

Tuor b. F.A. 472

Idril b. Y.T.

Dior F.A. 470 - 506

Nimloth d. F.A. 506

Galadriel b. Y.T. 1362

Celeborn b. F.A.

Eärendil b. F.A. 503

Elwing b. F.A. 503

Celebrían b. S.A. 300

Elrond b. F.A. 532

Elros F.A. 532 - S.A. 442

ELLADAN b. T.A. 130

ELROHIR b. T.A. 130

Arwen T.A. 241 - Fo.A. 121

Aragorn II T.A. 2931 - Fo.A. 120

Eldarion b. Fo.A. 1

unknown daughters

Portrayal in adaptations

• 

  Elladan and Elrohir in The Return of the King (1980 film)

• 

  Elrohir in The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game

• 

  Elladan in The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game

• 

  Elladan in The Lord of the Rings: War in the North

• 

  Elrohir in The Lord of the Rings: War in the North

• 

  Elladan in The Lord of the Rings Online

• 

  Elrohir in The Lord of the Rings Online

• 

  Elladan and Elrohir in Born of Hope

• 

  Elrohir in Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game

• 

  Elladan in Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game

1979: The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series):

Elladan and Elrohir follow Halbarad and come to Aragorn's aid. No actor is credited.

1980: The Return of the King (1980 film):

Elladan and Elrohir are not mentioned by name. However, two dark-haired individuals of similar dress and appearance appear at the council in Aragorn's tent, just as Elladan and Elrohir do in the novel.

2001-2007: The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game:

Despite not featuring in The Lord of the Rings film series, Decipher produced two cards featuring the characters in their Expanded Middle-earth expansion, focusing solely on characters which are not present in the films.

2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Elladan and Elrohir are first met by Elven and Dwarven characters in T.A. 3016 in Ered Luin where they travel to unravel the mystery of their father's prophetic dream. In T.A. 3018 all players meet them in their camp in the Trollshaws from which they lead the search for the missing Black Rider and defend the Ford of Bruinen against an attack. Early next year they join the Grey Company and travel with the Dunedain Rangers from the wilds of Eregion all the way to the Pelennor Fields. Afterwards they travel with the Host of the West to Black Gate and fight in the Battle of the Morannon. They later attend their sister Arwen's wedding in Minas Tirith.

2009: Born of Hope:

In the late Third Age, Elladan and Elrohir come to visit Arathorn, Chieftain of the Dúnedain, to warn him about orcs approaching the village. Their advice is to bring Arathorn's son, Aragorn, to Rivendell, together with Arathorn's wife, Gilraen. However, the decision is delayed and the orcs attack the village. Elladan and Elrohir help in the battle, but later Arathorn and his Rangers follow the orcs in the wood and Arathorn is mortally wounded. Elladan and Elrohir bring back him to the village and later will accompany Gilraen and her son to Rivendell.

2011: The Lord of the Rings: War in the North:

Elladan and Elrohir were sent by their father, Elrond, to Fornost, to scout for the darkness in that city. They meet with Eradan, Andriel and Farin, who were sent by Aragorn to stop Agandaûr's army from attacking. As they have the same goal, they collaborate and fight a way to the Citadel of the city. There, Elladan and his brother remove the magic spell of the Citadel gate, which protects Agandaûr against intruders. Inside the citadel, Eradan, Andriel and Farin kill Tharzog - chieftain of the Orcs of Mount Gram - while Elladan and Elrohir confront Agandaûr. Agandaûr has the upper hand in the battle, but flees when Eradan, Andriel and Farin arrive. Elladan and Elrohir return to Rivendell, where they inform their father about the events in Fornost.