Elrond, and his twin brother Elros, were born late in the First Age to half-elven parents. As children, they were captured and later released by the sons of Feänor in their attempt to recover the Silmaril. At the end of the First Age, the Valar gave them the choice of joining the race of Elves or Men; Elrond chose to be Elven-kind while his brother became mortal. In the Second Age, Elrond lived in Lindon with the Elven high king, Gil-galad, who gave him Vilya, one of the three Elven rings. Gil-galad sent Elrond to defend Eregion from an attack by Sauron, but the battle was lost, and Elrond fled and used the power of Vilya to found a hidden Elven-refuge called Imladris or Rivendell. Elrond fought again in the War of the Last Alliance at the end of the Second Age: he participated in the Battle of Dagorlad, and subsequently witnessed the fall of Gil-galad and Elendil, the shattering of Narsil, and Sauron’s temporary defeat from the loss of the One Ring to Elendil’s son, Isildur. Elrond returned to Rivendell after he could not convince Isildur to destroy the Ring.

Early in the Third Age, Elrond married Celebrian, daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel, and had three children with her before she sailed west, about 2500 years later, following a kidnapping by Orcs that destroyed her desire to stay in Middle-earth. Elrond remained behind, continuing to defend Middle-earth by providing a haven at Rivendell and working to defeat Sauron and his servants as a member of the White Council. Toward the end of the Third Age, he healed Frodo and provided shelter to him and his companions after the attack on them by the Black Riders, led the Council of Elrond which formed and guided the Fellowship of the Ring, sent his sons to aid Aragorn in defending Gondor, gave his daughter in marriage to Aragorn once he was crowned king, and then sailed over the seas with Gandalf, Galadriel, Bilbo and Frodo after Vilya and the other Elven Rings faded in power once the One Ring was destroyed.

In The Hobbit, Elrond gives sanctuary and advice to Gandalf, Bilbo and the Dwarves following their escape from the trolls. He uses his knowledge of runes to name the swords that Thorin and Gandalf obtained from the Troll’s lair, and to identify them, along with the knife that Bilbo later names Sting, as being made in Gondolin by his kin, the High Elves of the West. He also finds the moon letters on Thorin’s map, and provides guidance on the best way to cross the Misty Mountains. Though he does not entirely approve of Dwarves and their love of gold, Elrond chooses to aid their quest because he hates the cruelty and wickedness of Dragons, and because he remembers what Dale was like before it was burned by Smaug.

Analysis: As a member of the White Council, Elrond may also be part of the actions taken by this group to drive the Necromancer out of Dol Guldur, which happens between the Dwarves’ entrance into Mirkwood and the Battle of Five Armies.

Elrond and Bilbo develop a special friendship over time. Elrond accepts small gifts from Bilbo when the Hobbit and Gandalf stop at Rivendell on their way back to the Shire, and later provides him with a home in his old age.

Memorable Quotes

• “Hidden somewhere ahead is the fair valley of Rivendell where Elrond lives in the Last Homely House.” (narrator, about Elrond)
• “His house was perfect, whether you liked food, or sleep, or work, or story-telling or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all.” (narrator, about Elrond)
• “He was as noble and as fair in face as an elf-lord, as strong as a warrior, as wise as a wizard, as venerable as a king of dwarves, and as kind as summer.” (narrator, about Elrond)