Elrond is one of precious few Middle-earth characters to play a significant role in both Prime Video’s The Rings of Power and the main The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and he refuses to repeat the same mistake from one to the other. The tomes of Middle-earth history will look kindly upon Elrond’s role in the battle against Sauron. After first joining the Last Alliance of Elves and Men at the end of the Second Age, Elrond would later aid the Fellowship in vanquishing the Dark Lord once and for all – a less direct, albeit still vital, contribution to shaping a brighter future.

Alas, Elrond did make one huge mistake in The Lord of the Rings‘ Second Age. In the aftermath of the War of the Last Alliance, Isildur ultimately decided to keep Sauron’s One Ring for himself rather than destroying it within the fires of Mount Doom. Elrond expressed his opposition to the idea, but quickly conceded the Ring was Isildur’s to do with as he pleased. Isildur’s folly allowed Sauron’s spirit to survive, the villain eventually returned, and Middle-earth once again found itself in deep peril.

Elrond’s Biggest The Lord Of The Rings Mistake Was Letting Isildur Keep The One Ring

Elrond Could Have Saved Everyone A Lot Of Trouble

Elrond’s reluctance to turn his sword against an ally is understandable, but the very fate of Middle-earth and its free peoples was on the line. Forcing Isildur to destroy the One Ring may have stirred up conflict between the Men and Elves that had been standing shield-by-shield against Mordor not long prior, but as both sides counted their losses from a long and bloody battle, neither could afford another full-scale war. The risk Elrond would have taken by fighting Isildur for the Ring, therefore, was nothing compared to the risk of Sauron making yet another comeback.

Sauron had already bounced back after Morgoth’s loss in the First Age and then his own defeat during the destruction of Númenor, so Elrond knew the villain could not be easily killed.

The balrog’s share of the blame lies with Isildur, naturally. His hubris and corruptible mind were strings the Ring could too easily pull. Nevertheless, as the ashes of Sauron’s Second Age defeat settled, Elrond’s inaction and lack of conviction allowed Isildur to make his grave error without any real opposition. Much terror, torment, and tyranny could have been averted if Elrond was a little less forgiving about the newly-crowned King of Gondor’s taste for jewelry.

Elrond Refuses To Hand Over The Three Elven Rings In The Rings Of Power

Where Was THIS Elrond During The Lord Of The Rings’ Flashback Scenes?!

Elrond’s mistake with Isildur is flipped by The Rings of Power season 2, episode 1, during which a strangely similar situation arises. Certain that the three elven rings are part of Sauron’s design, Elrond chooses to leap into Lindon’s waters at the risk of his own life rather than allow Gil-galad, his king, to utilize them. In this scene, Elrond demonstrates all the determination and decisiveness that deserted him during the Isildur incident. Elrond risks the wrath of High King Gil-galad, his friendship with Galadriel, and discord among the elven race, but feels strongly that protecting Middle-earth nullifies these risks.

In Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings timeline, almost 2000 years pass between the Rings of Power being crafted and the Last Alliance of Elves & Men.

Nobody is suggesting that Elrond should have seized the One Ring and thrown himself over the crack of Mount Doom, but Robert Aramayo’s version of Elrond certainly leaves his movie and book counterparts red-faced. Perhaps this is merely a symptom of Elrond’s relative youth in The Rings of Power, but the extreme measures Elrond takes to prevent his people wielding the Three stands in stark contrast to how, later in Middle-earth history, Elrond expresses his disapproval at Isildur with nothing more than some strong words and a hard frown.

The Rings Of Power May Actually Explain Why Elrond Lets Isildur Keep The Ring

Does Elrond’s Experience In The Rings Of Power Prove Fighting Isildur Is Pointless?

From a certain perspective, The Rings of Power might provide an explanation for why – in its own version of Tolkien canon – Elrond does not challenge Isildur for the One Ring at the end of the Second Age. Elrond, at great risk to both himself and his people, daringly attempts to destroy the three elven rings in an act of treason – but he fails spectacularly. Círdan, Elrond’s accomplice in the plot, is himself entranced by the rings’ beauty and power, and Elrond’s entire plan comes clattering down.

If The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power lasts long enough to adapt Elrond and Isildur’s confrontation, it’s certainly possible that Círdan’s betrayal will flash through Elrond’s mind.

When The Rings of Power‘s version of Elrond one day comes to discuss the One Ring’s destruction with Isildur, therefore, it’s perhaps understandable that he would take a different approach. Elrond already tried to keep the Rings of Power out of harm’s way by force, and his efforts were for naught. With Isildur, maybe Elrond decides to take the softer approach, accepting his ally’s decision rather than fighting back or jumping recklessly off another cliff.

This reasoning only applies to Robert Aramayo’s Elrond specifically, and if The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power lasts long enough to adapt Elrond and Isildur’s confrontation, it’s certainly possible that memories of Círdan’s betrayal will flash through Elrond’s mind, proving to him that fighting back against the Ring’s seduction would be futile. Whatever his excuse, Elrond’s decision to appease Isildur will, unfortunately for the Lord of Rivendell, still not age well.

Episode No.
Title
Release Date

1
“Elven Kings Under the Sky”
August 29

2
“Where the Stars are Strange”
August 29

3
“The Eagle & the Sceptre”
August 29

4
TBA
September 5

5
TBA
September 12

6
TBA
September 19

7
TBA
September 26

8
TBA
October 3