Elendil

Elendil
Tolkien's legendarium character
In-universe information
RaceMen
TitleLord of Andúnië
High King of the Dúnedain
High King of Arnor and Gondor
AffiliationLords of Andúnië, The Faithful, Dúnedain
WeaponThe sword Narsil
ChildrenIsildur, Anárion
RelativesAmandil (father)
OriginNúmenor
Book(s)The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955)
The Silmarillion (1977)
Unfinished Tales (1980)

Elendil (Quenya: [ɛˈlendil]) is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He is mentioned in The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. He was the father of Isildur and Anárion, last lord of Andúnië on the island of Númenor, and having escaped its downfall by sailing to Middle-earth, became the first High King of Arnor and Gondor. In the Last Alliance of Men and Elves, Elendil and Gil-galad laid siege to the Dark Lord Sauron's fortress of Barad-dûr, and fought him hand-to-hand for the One Ring. Both Elendil and Gil-galad were killed, and Elendil's son Isildur took the Ring for himself.

Tolkien called Elendil a "Noachian figure", an echo of the biblical Noah. Elendil escaped from the flood that drowned Númenor, itself an echo of the myth of Atlantis, founding new Númenórean kingdoms in Middle-earth.