Why Elves Have No High King During Lord Of The Rings
Summary
- Elves in The Rings of Power face a fading light with tensions due to Gil-galad’s warnings, setting a different tone from the original trilogy.
- Gil-galad’s death without an heir leads to the absence of a high king for the elves, with Elrond having the best claim but choosing not to pursue it.
- The Rings of Power sets Elrond on a path to become the next Elven leader, showcasing his growth and destiny in the face of looming evil.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has introduced the High King of the Noldor, Gil-galad, which has caused some speculation as to why the elves in the original The Lord of the Rings trilogy lack a high king. The Rings of Power has received mixed reviews as it builds a world with a much different feel than either Peter Jackson’s movie trilogy or J.R.R Tolkien’s original novels. The elves in The Rings of Power display a number of differences from the elves in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but the former’s lack of a high king is particularly notable.
The world created by Tolkien is enormously complex, and the elves are one of the most complicated races. The elves in The Rings of Power are full of tension because of warnings from the High King Gil-galad about the light of the Eldar fading. However, they are as yet unaware that Gil-galad will be the last High King of the Noldor after he eventually dies in battle against Sauron.
Why Gil-galad Is The Last Elven High King
There Is No Elven King After The Last Alliance Of Elves & Men
Gil-galad is the last Elven High King in large part because he dies childless and as the last male-line descendant of Finwë, the first High King of the Noldor. Moreover, while there are some living elves who could still have made a claim to the kingship based on their blood, such as Elrond, the elves’ population had already dwindled so much that it probably made more sense to simply follow regional rulers. So, instead of coming together under a new high king, Galadriel rules as the Lady of the Woods of Lothlórien alongside her husband, Celeborn, and Elrond rules as Lord of Rivendell.
Tolkien’s wider world explores thousands of years of Elf lore, yet he never specifically states why Gil-galad was the last High King of the Noldor. It is, therefore, safe to assume that it was a combination of Gil-galad’s lack of an heir and the elves’ shrinking need for a high king that led to the regional split. The dwindling of the elves is a constant theme in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and it makes sense that they would recognize their limited population no longer required a high king, especially after nearly every High King of the Noldor died a violent death.
Why Elrond Had A Claim To Gil-galad’s High King Title
Elrond COULD Have Become King If He Wanted
Elrond had the best claim to the title of High King after the death of Gil-galad in large part because he was so deeply respected by his race and had been the closest adviser to the former king. Moreover, he was related to the house of Finwë through his grandmother. Granted, the title of High King had only ever been passed down the male line, but Elrond was unlikely to need his claim through blood because of how popular and respected he already was.
The elves had no more need of a high king and Elrond recognized that his claim would do naught but feed his vanity—a fact that is sure to be key in his Rings of Power story.
Ultimately, Elrond was wise to choose not to claim the title of High King of the Noldor. It is impossible to say how The Lord of the Rings trilogy would have changed if Elrond had claimed the crown, however, most of the elves who claim that title die a premature death, so it was probably a good decision by Elrond. The elves had no more need of a high king and Elrond recognized that his claim would do naught but feed his vanity—a fact that is sure to be key in his Rings of Power story.
The Rings Of Power Is Setting Elrond Up To Be The Next Elven Leader
Elrond Is On The Road To Rivendell
Going into The Rings of Power, fans of Lord of the Rings already know that Elrond will become the Lord of Rivendell. By the events of Frodo’s story, Elrond is the most respected leader of the Elves (since Galadriel is something of a mysterious force from the perspective of other Middle-earth races). Of course, the character is a little different in Rings of Power season 1. He is more of an underling, only mildly respected by High King Gil-galad. However, Rings of Power season 2 is setting Elrond up for his destiny.
When the Last Alliance of Elves and Men leads to the king’s death, Gil-galad’s Ring of Power will pass to Elrond.
The Siege of Eregion has been set up for Rings of Power season 2, and this battle will be a significant step forward in Elrond’s story. He’s doomed to lose, but the devastation caused by the Orcs will inspire him to lead survivors to a safe haven that will eventually become Rivendell. From here, Elrond will become a stronger voice regarding High King Gil-galad. Eventually, when the Last Alliance of Elves and Men leads to the king’s death, Gil-galad’s Ring of Power will pass to Elrond. This won’t make the legendary elf king, but he will be as good as.
