The Lord of the Rings – The Rings of Power: Miriel’s Rhun quip hints at Aragorn’s greatest triumph

Upon learning of Halbrand’s true identity as King of the Southlands, Galadriel confronts Queen Regent Miriel with this vital information. She wants to convince them of the common fight against Sauron in Middle-earth. All Miriel has to offer is a tired smile and a snappy joke at Elendil’s expense. “Then Elendil must be the Emperor of Rhun,” she replies mockingly.

This was the first time we were allowed to hear the far east on the periphery of Middle-earth on the series by name. Rhun is the origin of humans and elves in the origin story of Arda. There they awoke for the first time and moved west. However, some humans remained and became the most loyal servants of the first Dark Lord Morgoth.

Also known as the Easterlings in “The Lord of the Rings”, they have been in constant military conflict with the descendants of the Númenoreans since the founding of Gondor.

Elendil, Aragorn, Rhun – The fulfillment of a not entirely serious prophecy

While Elendil is not the Emperor of Rhun, as he remarks slightly awkwardly, “just a (lower) lord,” little did he know what connection one of his descendants would make with the mighty empire to the east.

Likewise, the Queen Regent Miriel cannot imagine the unintended foresight of her ironic comment. 3000 years and an age shall pass before Aragorn, Isildur’s heir, ends the War of the Ring and brings peace to Middle-earth.

The Wars After the War of the Ring

The appendix to “The Lord of the Rings” tells us some interesting things. After the destruction of the One Ring, not all tensions in Middle-earth are over. Unwilling to surrender, some of Sauron’s servants continue to rebel.

The returned King Aragorn then wages war against the Corsairs of Umbar, the Haradrim in the south, and the Easterlings of Rhun. The aim of these campaigns was to bring about both long-lasting peace and stability throughout Middle-earth and to rid the continent of Sauron’s corrupting influence.

For the restoration of Gondor’s former borders, which stretched far to the south and east, Aragorn personally led several campaigns. The Rohirim under their new king Éomer stood loyally at his side.

And so Aragorn, as a distant descendant of Elendil, was able to conquer and conquer all of Rhun and incorporate it into the realm of Gondor. He did not, of course, assume the title of Emperor of Rhun, but the deed was done and Miriel’s taunt became a glorious truth millennia later.

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