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The [[Sword of Elendil]], forged by [[Telchar]] of [[Nogrod]] in or before the [[First Age]]. The sword was broken in [[Elendil]]'s fall at the [[Siege of Barad-dûr]], and its Shards became an heirloom of his heirs throughout the [[Third Age]] until it was reforged as [[Andúril]] and borne by [[Aragorn II Elessar]] in the [[War of the Ring]].
{{object infobox
| name=Narsil
| image=[[File:John Howe - Narsil.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Narsil" by [[John Howe]]
| pronun={{respell|nar|sil}}
| othernames="Sword That Was Broken", "The Sword Reforged"
| location=[[Nogrod]], [[Númenor]], [[Arnor]]
| owner=[[Kings of Númenor]], [[Lords of Andúnië]], [[Elendil]], [[Kings of Arnor]], [[Kings of Arthedain]], [[Chieftains of the Dúnedain]]
| type=Weapon
| appearance=
| creator=[[Telchar]]
| created=[[First Age]]
| createdlocation=[[Nogrod]]
| destroyer=
| destroyed=
| destroyedlocation=
| notablefor=
}}
'''Narsil''' was the sword of King [[Elendil]] of the [[Dúnedain]].  It was later known as '''[[Andúril]]'''.
 
==History==
[[File:Donato Giancola - Telchar forging Narsil.jpg‎|thumb|left|[[Donato Giancola]] - ''Telchar forging Narsil'']]
The sword was forged during the [[First Age]] by the famed Dwarven-smith [[Telchar]]. In the [[Second Age]], Narsil was an heirloom of the descendants of Elros, the first [[King of Númenor]]. Although nothing is said of Narsil during this period, it eventually came into the hands of [[Elendil]], a distant descendant, towards the close of the Second Age.
 
Elendil carried Narsil in the [[Siege of Barad-dûr]], but [[Sauron]] killed him and the sword broke into two pieces under him as he fell. Elendil's son [[Isildur]] took up the sword and used its shard to cut [[the One Ring]] from the hand of Sauron.  Isildur took the shards home with him. Shortly before Isildur was killed in the second year of the [[Third Age]] in the [[Disaster of the Gladden Fields]], the shards were rescued by [[Ohtar]], esquire of Isildur<ref>{{FR|Council}}</ref>. He took them to [[Rivendell]], where Isildur's youngest son [[Valandil (King of Arnor)|Valandil]] was fostered.
 
The '''Shards of Narsil''' were one of the heirlooms of the [[Kings of Arnor]], and after the Northern Kingdom was destroyed they remained an heirloom of the [[Rangers of the North]].  It was not reforged until the [[War of the Ring]] at the end of the Third Age in Rivendell as '''[[Andúril]]''', the "Flame of the West", for [[Aragorn]], who was by that time the [[Chieftains of the Dúnedain|Chieftain of the Dúnedain]] and heir of Isildur. 
 
He carried the sword during his journey south as part of the [[Fellowship of the Ring]], and fought with it in many instances. He referred to it as the "Sword That Was Broken" or "The Sword Reforged".
 
== Etymology ==
''Narsil'' is a [[Quenya]] name meaning "red and white flame".<ref>{{HM|UI}}, p. 231</ref><ref>{{PE|17}}, p. 29</ref> The name is said to consist of the [[Sundocarme|stems]] NAR ("fire"; cf. ''[[Nár (Quenya)|nár]]'' "fire") + THIL ("white light"). It was a symbolic name, pointing to the [[Sun]] and the [[Moon]], the "''chief heavenly lights, as enemies of darkness''".<ref>{{L|347}}, p. 425</ref>
 
==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:Narsil was not broken in two but in several parts, and by Sauron stepping on it instead of it breaking as Elendil fell.
 
:Unlike in the book, Aragorn does not bear them with him, but are kept on a display in [[Rivendell]]. Boromir drops the hilt on the floor and Aragorn is seen reverently replacing it back into the display. The sword is not reforged into Andúril until the third film.
 
'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
[[Arwen]] persuades [[Elrond]] to have [[Elves|Elven]] smiths reforge it from the shards and bring to Aragorn.
 
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:The reforging of Narsil is experienced by the player in the quest arc called "The Blade that was Broken". The player sets out to find the last of the Silithair, shining adamants crafted by Elves of the [[house of Fëanor]] in days of old, in order for the Elf-smiths of Imladris to reforge the sword.<ref>[http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Quest_Arc:The_Blade_That_Was_Broken Quest Arc: The Blade That Was Broken], Lorebook, lotro.com</ref>
 
'''2012: [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]:'''
:As revealed in the trailer, [[Bilbo Baggins]] is seen to approach and examine the shards in curiosity, while in Rivendell. Although the Shards are not mentioned in [[The Hobbit|the book]], it establishes continuity with [[Peter Jackson|Peter Jackson's]] [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]].
 
{{references}}
 
{{weapons}}
[[Category:Quenya names]]
[[Category:Swords]]
[[Category:Heirlooms]]
[[de:Narsil]]
[[fr:encyclo/artefacts/armes/narsil]]
[[fi:Narsil]]

Revision as of 13:34, 20 January 2018

Narsil
Weapon
John Howe - Narsil.jpg
"Narsil" by John Howe
Pronunciationnar-sil
Other names"Sword That Was Broken", "The Sword Reforged"
LocationNogrod, Númenor, Arnor
OwnerKings of Númenor, Lords of Andúnië, Elendil, Kings of Arnor, Kings of Arthedain, Chieftains of the Dúnedain
CreatorTelchar
Nogrod, First Age
GalleryImages of Narsil

Narsil was the sword of King Elendil of the Dúnedain. It was later known as Andúril.

History

Donato Giancola - Telchar forging Narsil

The sword was forged during the First Age by the famed Dwarven-smith Telchar. In the Second Age, Narsil was an heirloom of the descendants of Elros, the first King of Númenor. Although nothing is said of Narsil during this period, it eventually came into the hands of Elendil, a distant descendant, towards the close of the Second Age.

Elendil carried Narsil in the Siege of Barad-dûr, but Sauron killed him and the sword broke into two pieces under him as he fell. Elendil's son Isildur took up the sword and used its shard to cut the One Ring from the hand of Sauron. Isildur took the shards home with him. Shortly before Isildur was killed in the second year of the Third Age in the Disaster of the Gladden Fields, the shards were rescued by Ohtar, esquire of Isildur[1]. He took them to Rivendell, where Isildur's youngest son Valandil was fostered.

The Shards of Narsil were one of the heirlooms of the Kings of Arnor, and after the Northern Kingdom was destroyed they remained an heirloom of the Rangers of the North. It was not reforged until the War of the Ring at the end of the Third Age in Rivendell as Andúril, the "Flame of the West", for Aragorn, who was by that time the Chieftain of the Dúnedain and heir of Isildur.

He carried the sword during his journey south as part of the Fellowship of the Ring, and fought with it in many instances. He referred to it as the "Sword That Was Broken" or "The Sword Reforged".

Etymology

Narsil is a Quenya name meaning "red and white flame".[2][3] The name is said to consist of the stems NAR ("fire"; cf. nár "fire") + THIL ("white light"). It was a symbolic name, pointing to the Sun and the Moon, the "chief heavenly lights, as enemies of darkness".[4]

Portrayal in adaptations

2001: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring:

Narsil was not broken in two but in several parts, and by Sauron stepping on it instead of it breaking as Elendil fell.
Unlike in the book, Aragorn does not bear them with him, but are kept on a display in Rivendell. Boromir drops the hilt on the floor and Aragorn is seen reverently replacing it back into the display. The sword is not reforged into Andúril until the third film.

2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Arwen persuades Elrond to have Elven smiths reforge it from the shards and bring to Aragorn.

2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:

The reforging of Narsil is experienced by the player in the quest arc called "The Blade that was Broken". The player sets out to find the last of the Silithair, shining adamants crafted by Elves of the house of Fëanor in days of old, in order for the Elf-smiths of Imladris to reforge the sword.[5]

2012: The Hobbit (film series):

As revealed in the trailer, Bilbo Baggins is seen to approach and examine the shards in curiosity, while in Rivendell. Although the Shards are not mentioned in the book, it establishes continuity with Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings (film series).

References

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