Andúril

From Tolkien Gateway
Andúril as conceived by The Noble Collection
"...Renewed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king."
The Riddle of Strider

Andúril was name for the sword Narsil after its reforging in Third Age 3019 for Aragorn, the heir of Isildur. Narsil was a symbol of the kingship of Arnor and Gondor, but was broken at the end of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men at the end of the Second Age. Aragorn, as the Chieftain of the Rangers of the North, and therefore the descendant of the Kings of Arnor and Gondor, carried the fragments of the ancient sword. After three thousand years, Narsil was finally reforged as Andúril when Aragorn set out to reclaim his kingdom.

Aragorn carried the sword during his journey south as part of the Fellowship of the Ring, and it featured prominently at several points in the story, where it was sometimes referred to as the "Sword That Was Broken" or the "Sword Reforged".

Boromir, son of the Steward of Gondor, travelled to Rivendell for the Council of Elrond because of the prophetic dream of his brother Faramir. The dream told him to "seek for the Sword that was broken." Aragorn often used the sword to help establish his credentials as the heir to the throne of Gondor. This was especially true when he convinced the Dead Men of Dunharrow to fulfill their oath to support Gondor in its time of need.

Etymology

Andúril means "Flame of the West" in Quenya (from andúnë = "west" and rildë = "brilliance").

Portrayal in Adaptations

In Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings, Andúril is not forged from the shards of Narsil until The Return of the King. In that movie, Elrond had the sword reforged only after Arwen's pleading. He then took the sword to Aragorn in the camp of the Rohirrim at Dunharrow. Aragorn's acceptance of the sword, along with his decision at that time to take the Paths of the Dead, showed his willingness to accept his destiny of becoming king.

Weapons in Tolkien's legendarium
 Arrows:  Black Arrow · Dailir · Red Arrow
Axes:  Dramborleg · Durin's Axe
Bows:  Belthronding · Bow of Bregor · Bow of the Galadhrim
Knives:  Angrist · Barrow-blades · Morgul-knife · Sting
Maces:  Grond
Spears:  Aeglos
Swords:  Anglachel/Gurthang · Anguirel · Aranrúth · Dagmor · Glamdring · Glend · Gúthwinë · Herugrim · Narsil/Andúril ·  Orcrist · Ringil · Sword of Manwë