Lloyd Owen as Elendil in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.' He's wearing armor, and something is on fire behind him.

Who Plays Elendil in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’? Where You’ve Seen Lloyd Owen

'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' introduces a new ally for Galadriel: Elendil. Who is this character, and who is the actor who plays him?

by Amanda Mullen

Published on September 9, 2022

3 min read

Who is Elendil in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’?

The Rings of Power Episode 3 opens with Galadriel and Halbrand being saved by a group of sailors, all of whom call Elendil their captain. He’s responsible for bringing the pair to Númenor, and that decision lands him in trouble with Queen Regent Miriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson). It’s unclear why Númenor’s leaders are so distrustful of Galadriel, but Elendil’s role in her arrival likely won’t be forgotten.

During a conversation with Miriel, Ar-Pharazon (Trystan Gravelle) reveals that Elendil was once a member of a noble line. He’s now a Sea Guardsman, and his son plans to follow him down that path. Lord of the Rings fans will no doubt recognize Elendil’s son, Isildur (Maxim Baldry). Those who have watched or read the original trilogy will remember him as Aragorn’s ancestor who fails to destroy the One Ring.

The Rings of Power doesn’t dig too deeply into Isildur in episode 3, but it highlights Elendil and his admiration for the Elves. Although he doesn’t reveal exactly where he’s from, he tells Galadriel that many people spoke Elvish where he grew up. He also brings her to the Hall of Lore, where Elvish traditions are honored. According to him, the former king preserved it — costing him the throne and the respect of his people.

Both Elendil and Isildur are pulled from J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings, and Elendil plays a pivotal role in the Second Age. As The One Wiki to Rule Them All notes, he eventually founds Arnor and Gondor. He also works with Gil-galad (Mark Ferguson) to form The Last Alliance of Elves and Men.

Where you’ve seen Elendil actor Lloyd Owen before

So, now that we know Elendil’s role in The Rings of Power, let’s dig into the actor who plays him. Lloyd Owen brings Aragorn’s ancestor to life in the Amazon prequel. And he understands the importance of doing right by the source material, even as the show expands it.

“Elendil is a hero archetype,” he told The Upcoming. “So, people are very attached to him because of his self-sacrificial death against Sauron at the beginning of the Third Age. And I think what’s wonderful is that Tolkien’s only written a few signposts along the way as to who this man is. And we get to flesh him out in three dimensions. So, that’s very exciting.”

Prior to starring in The Rings of Power, Owen has starred in numerous projects — though the Prime Video series could become his biggest yet.

Viewers may recognize Owen from series like Cleaning Up, The Originals, The Innocence Project, and You, Me and the Apocalypse. Per IMDb, he’s also known for roles in films like Apollo 18, Monarch of the Glen, and Miss Potter.

With The Rings of Power set to continue for five seasons, we’ll probably see plenty more of Owen as Elendil. If the show sticks closely to Tolkien’s appendices, he’ll play a pivotal role in its story.

The character will likely play a major role in ‘The Rings of Power’

Knowing where Elendil ends up in J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings, fans can assume he’ll play a major role in The Rings of Power. He promises to become an asset to Galadriel, but he’ll likely have his own journey before long. The series is expected to depict the downfall of Númenor — and it could dig into what the survivors do afterward.

So, if you’re enjoying Lloyd Owen’s take on Elendil, there’s more to look forward to in future episodes. We don’t know how far into Middle-earth’s history The Rings of Power will go, but every character will have a part to play in this fight against Sauron.

New episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power stream every Friday on Prime Video.