Why Aragorn is a ranger in The Lord of the Rings, despite being Gondor’s rightful king

Aragorn is chief to The Lord of the Rings And his claim to the throne is a huge part of that power The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Movie so compelling. Frodo and Gollum provided the central contrast within lord of the rings Main theme, with Frodo representing contentment with a natural and simple life and Gollum representing the problematic thirst for eternal life, an echo of the same thirst in Tolkien’s original villain, Morgoth. But while the hobbits communicated the civil manifestation of this theme, Aragorn’s kingship concerns its sociopolitical application.

Aragorn had a valid claim to the throne, but he was strongly motivated to claim the crown by Elrond’s ultimatum – that Aragorn could only marry Elrond’s daughter, Arwen, if he became king of Gondor and Arnor. The motivation is not entirely clear in the Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings Movies. Not just a competent leader, Aragorn is driven by a romance that sacrifices immortality for one precious life. Aragorn also managed to secure the life-extending destruction of the One Ring where his ancestor, Isildur, clung to the ring. Aragorn respected natural life as an undisputed ruler, but he struggled to get there.

Gondor’s last king before Aragorn and who the Stewards took over

Eärnur disappeared without an heir

Eärnur was the 33rd and last king of Gondor, who reigned at a time when Arnor was not only divided but invaded and broken, and he disappeared without a trace in the year 2050 of the Third Age. Eärnur was something of a hot-head as far as kings went, preferring the battlefield to the court. Eärnur faced ongoing strife with the realm of AngmarLed by the Witch-king, one of Sauron’s powerful Ringwraiths. It was the witch-king’s wise but cruel appeal to Eärnur’s honor and ego that killed Eärnur.

The Witch-king challenged Eärnur to a single combat duel, which Eärnur accepted despite the warnings of the Stewards of Gondor, who were essentially his cabinet. Leaving his crown on his father’s lap in the mortuary, Earnur left with a small troop for Minas Morgul and was never seen again. The stewards of Gondor began ruling, as was the law, but no king was elected because Eärnur’s death is difficult to proveAnd he had no heir. In addition, those with claims to the throne were unwilling to provoke more civil war, which had been a large part of Gondor’s history.

Aragorn’s connection to Isildur and claim to the throne explained

Aragorn is Isildur’s descendant

Aragorn was the rightful king of Gondor and ArnorDescended from the royal line, but this line was struck by the confusion of the disappearances of Earnor years ago. Elrond’s royal brother, Elros, was half-elven, but given the choice between mortality and immortality, chose mortality back in the early Second Age. Elros became the king of Númenor and his royal line descended to Isildur and Anárion, who fled the fall of Númenor to establish the realms of exile, Gondor and Arnor. Anárion’s line ended in Eärnur, although this was not clear for many years, as he was missing.

That was just the male line, though – the line that ensures royalty. A woman of Anárion’s line, Fíriel, married someone of Isildur’s line in the Third Age. Aragorn is descended from the union of both Isildur and Anarion’s linesbut was a direct descendant of Isildur’s male line, making him the only rightful king of Gondor and Arnor by the time of the events of The Lord of the Rings. His claim was stronger even if he was only Isildur’s heir – he was also the closest thing Anarion had to an heir. Legally, Aragorn’s claim to the throne could not have been stronger.

How Aragorn’s ancestors became Rangers of the North

Aragorn’s ancestors were disposed

Aragorn’s ancestors were dispossessed of their realm by Angmar’s invasion. Squabbling kingdoms split Arnor into Arthedain, Rhudaur and Cardolan in the year 861 of the Third Age. The line of Isildur faded in Rhudaur and Cardolan but survived in Arthedain. Arvedoi was the 15th and last king of Arthedain, and the man Feriel married. He inherited a kingdom that was already struggling Angmar invaded and overtook Rhudaur, Cardolan and ArthedainArvedore and his followers were forced to hide. Arvedoi died at sea but his son, Aranaarth, survived.

Arnor’s allies eventually retook the territory of Angmar, but the realm remained devastated, leaving the rest of its people scattered, wandering and hiding. Since he was known as the Dúnedain for a long time, it was around this time that Aragorn’s people began to resemble the nomadic race known from The Lord of the Rings Movies. The remnants of Arnor’s Dunedain are the Rangers of the NorthWith Aronart, hereditary leadership, which passed to Aragorn. The Rangers of the North are led by true royalty but have no land or riches, contrasting the ruling stewards of Gondor.

Aragorn sought experience and knowledge as a ranger, making him a better king

Aragorn earns his crown in The Lord of the Rings

Aragorn proved his ability to rule Gondor and ArnorHe didn’t just claim a birthright. Arvedui tried to claim the throne many generations before Aragorn, having direct claim to it, but failed. Aragorn hardly had more land and wealth than Arvedoi, but he had an Elvish upbringing, a marriage at stake, and self-imposed years of military experience. as one of lord of the rings The most powerful of characters, Aragorn was forced to claim the throne and earned the knowledge and experience to do so fairly.

Aranarth’s son was sent to Rivendell to be raised, and the tradition continued for heirs of Isildur. Aragorn absorbed the knowledge and expertise of the Elvish Eldar, preparing him for kingship. When he was of a suitable age, Aragorn began to travel through the earthMeet future allies and serve in armies to oppose Sauron. He really proved himself as a member of the Fellowship, winning the battle of the Pelennor The Lord of the Rings so that the Stewards of Gondor could not possibly deny his fitness to claim the throne, as was his right.