Warning: The riveting tale forthcoming contains spoilers for the mesmerizing series, "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" Season 2, Episode 6, “Where Is He?”
In the latest episode of "The Rings of Power" Season 2, the enchanting bond between Elendil and Míriel blossoms with an intensity that captivates the audience. But one ponders – do they, in the original lore of J.R.R. Tolkien’s "Lord of the Rings," find their hearts entwined?
Elendil & Míriel’s Rings of Power Relationship, Deciphered
While the inaugural season clearly establishes Elendil as one of Míriel’s most steadfast subjects, Season 2 tantalizingly hints at a deeper connection between the two. Particularly vivid in Season 2, Episode 6, “Where Is He?,” as Míriel ventures to visit Elendil in his incarceration preceding the impending trial by sea. Subsequently, her willing substitution during the ancient ritual further underscores the potential of a romantic pairing. Notably, both Elendil and Míriel find themselves untethered in the narrative continuity of "The Rings of Power." Elendil mourns the loss of his wife prior to Season 1, while Míriel appears never to have taken the matrimonial vow. Thus, unlike the obstructive entanglements present in Isildur and Estrid’s liaison, their path appears devoid of such hindrances.
The narrative thrives in its portrayal; however, when we delve into Tolkien’s literary works, enthusiasts of the Elendil/Míriel union will find no solace in the canonical texts of "The Lord of the Rings" or its adjuncts. The writings of the venerable Tolkien document no encounters, romantic or otherwise, between Elendil and Míriel. Although it’s conceivable – even probable given Elendil’s esteemed lineage – that their lives intersect, the fount of love between them remains parched in Tolkien’s lore.
Who Captures the Hearts of Elendil & Míriel in the Chronicles?
The eminent Míriel enters an enforced matrimony with Pharazôn, a union orchestrated against her volition. Pharazôn, driven by ambition to ascend the throne, forces this match despite the proscription of consanguineous relationships in Númenór. Motivated by the desire to seize power, Pharazôn subjugates Númenor, relegating Míriel to an inconspicuous existence until her eventual demise.
Elendil’s romantic entanglements in Tolkien’s original canon are cloaked in ambiguity – there exists no mention of his wife’s tragic demise in any recounted tale. Tolkien provides scant illumination regarding Elendil’s beloved, withholding even her name from the annals. Her presence, or absence, following Númenór’s ruin remains an enigma. She stands alone as the sole Mrs. Elendil chronicled in the annals of "The Lord of the Rings."
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 enchants viewers on Prime Video, delivering episodes every Thursday, to whisk audiences away on an odyssey through the realms of Middle-earth.