In the books, Aragorn reforges the sword Narsil in Rivendell. He named the remade sword "Anduril". He carries the sword throughout the Quest of the Ring, even in battles such as in Amon Hen, Helm's Deep, Minas Tirith, and at the Black Gate. In the movies, why didn't he just reforge it in Rivendell like he did in the book? Instead of using Anduril, he used his ranger sword.
asked May 20, 2018 at 18:31
-
3Maybe it has something to do with him not wanting to be the heir of Isildur, with all that entails.– GallifreyanCommented May 20, 2018 at 18:38
-
Because Jackson is Jackson. How else could he have Elrond travel to Dunharrow to deliver the sword himself to Aragorn!?– Hans OloCommented May 20, 2018 at 18:44
-
Merely considering the films: Narsil was/is a sword of Kingship. It belonged to Elendil before his son used it to sever the finger (and ring) from Sauron's hand. Characters almost always have their own story within the story they are telling. In this case Aragorn is avoiding his lineage and the sword is not reforged until he deems himself worthy of it... though it is technically more him needing to reforge it at that point to get the help they need to survive...– Odin1806Commented May 20, 2018 at 18:51
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
Anduril is forged by the Elves of Rivendell from the shards of Narsil at no point is it ever suggested that Aragorn had either the skill or the wish to reforge the Sword of Kings. Aragorn only takes up the sword under sufferance when it becomes clear that someone must take up the mantle of King of Gondor. I thought Anduril was brought to Aragorn at the fords of Isen, along with his banner, in The Two Towers, the wiki says he had it when he first visits Rohan but I'm going to have to reread the books to be confident one way or the other on that timing, because I thought the Elves made the decision to forge Anduril after Aragorn left Rivendell.
-
3In the book, Aragorn is carrying the sword when he first meets the hobbits in Bree. He explicitly tells Boromir in the council that "The Sword shall be reforged. I will come to Minas Tirith." And later to Frodo before departure "And the Sword-that-was-Broken shall be re-forged ere I set out to war." Commented May 20, 2018 at 18:57
-
@NicolaTalbot So you're saying there are major consistency issues then? If he has it in Bree why is he still talking about it being reforged at the Council of Elrond weeks later?– AshCommented May 20, 2018 at 19:00
-
2@Ash he carries the pieces of Narsil, he does not have Anduril in Bree. Commented May 20, 2018 at 19:02
-
5@Ash Strider/Aragorn shows the hobbits his sword in Bree: "He drew out his sword, and they saw that the blade was indeed broken a foot below the hilt. ‘Not much use is it, Sam?’ said Strider. ‘But the time is near when it shall be forged anew.’" It's not so much in pieces as truncated. (So, yes, major consistency issues ;-) presumably to increase conflict and tension in the film.) Commented May 20, 2018 at 19:22
-
1