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Eloris's avatar

Aside from the big foreground characters, Isildur is one of the lore characters who got shafted the worst by the movies.

Neither Elrond or anyone else at the time Isildur kept the ring knew that doing that would keep Sauron “alive”. If they had, yeah, Elrond would probably have pushed him in, if he hadn’t done the job himself.

Isildur’s a hero. He already was when they fled Numenor, he stole the White Tree seedling from Sauron puppet Ar-Pharazon’s goons. Then he was one of the leaders who went head-to-head with Sauron for decades.

Tolkien even wrote a short story about the disaster of the Gladden Fields, where Isildur says to his son that he realizes he screwed up and that if he lives his plan is that “it should go to the keepers of the Three.”

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David Perlmutter's avatar

This is great- it could be an article from McSweeney's.

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RosTy's avatar

I bet Thranduil LOVES to bring this up at the centennial great Elven get-together.

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Mark Armstrong's avatar

"... has learned the language of sea birds as well as how to fly with wings like them."

Does she give lessons??-- I'm ready to sign up in both categories!! 😅

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Richard Ritenbaugh's avatar

Sounds like the long defeat, personal style . . .

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Jerry Foote's avatar

And besides, isn't burning heretics part of Tolkien's religious heritage?

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Glori Writes's avatar

AHHH I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!!

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Wendy Cockcroft's avatar

Funnily enough, I thought the same thing!

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Wendy Cockcroft's avatar

Funnily enough, I thought the sane thing!

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EZ's avatar

The more I revisit these stories, the more I realize Elrond’s been plagued by the selfish choices of fools for so goddamn long 😩

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Colin's avatar

Hahahaha 🤓

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