There are so many iconic characters within J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, who have become infamous for fans of the franchise, especially since Peter Jackson’s versions of the movies were released 2001-2003. The hobbits have thier distinctive style, with big hairy feet and waistcoats, and then there’s Gandalf, with his signature grey hat and wizard’s staff, as well as Galadriel with her golden hair and ethereal white robes.
But probably the most recognizable characters in the franchise, each for their own reasons are the members who make up the fellowship of the ring, like Merry and Pippin, two hobbits who are joined at the hip and get themselves into all sorts of mischief, Samwise the brave, Frodo’s most loyal friend, Borormir, the most compassionate one, Legolas, the sharp-shooter with his bow and arrows, and Gimli, the gruff dwarf with a secret heart of gold.
Who is Aragorn?
Aragorn, also known as Strider in the wilds where he roams as a ranger, is probably the member of the fellowship who is the most key and important person in the success of destroying the one ring (aside from Frodo and Sam). Aragorn is a good leader and a great man. He is a wise and noble person, a strong and capable warrior, and one of very few characters (especially among those who are human) that are able to resist the allure and temptation of the ring of power. He is instrumental in the quest in many ways, from protecting the hobbits at Weathertop, to raising the Army of the Dead to fight at the battle in Pelenor fields, to challenging Sauron himself in the Palantir. And one of the key and defining features of Aragorn is his heritage because he is the last remaining heir of a long line of kings who has the right to reclaim the throne of Gondor.
Aragorn (played by the legendary Viggo Mortensen) has spent many years learning the ways of the world, including how to survive and track in the wilderness, how to fight with all manner of weaponry, and how to evade the enemies that would see him brought down, all in preparation for his rise to the throne of one of the mightiest human kingdoms of Middle Earth. He knows that it is his responsibility to restore the white city and its people to a time of prosperity and joy, after a long and failing rule by the stewards, ending in Denethor. But Argorn cannot take the throne until the growing evil of Mordor is destroyed by putting the ring of power into the fire of Mount Doom where it was forged. That is how Aragorn becomes a member of the fellowship, and why he met Frodo and Sam at the Prancing Pony in Bree at the behest of GandalF, in order to make sure that the hobbits go safely on their journey to Rivendell, and that the weapon of the enemy doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
One of the other key things that is known about Aragorn, especially in the Peter Jackson movies, is his relationship with the elves. He sees Legolas as his kin, and is in love with the immortal maiden Arwen, whose heart he has gained, and whom he hopes to marry. Aragorn was raised in Rivendell, where his mother’s grave still stands, after his father was killed when h was a child and his mother sought sanctuary there. He has a strong bond with the elf-kind, and this helps him on his journey towards destroying the ring with the others. After the success of the quest to save Middle Earth, Aragorn is crowned during the Return of the King, and helps to re-united the human kingdoms into a new age of success and happiness.
Why did Aragorn live so long?
At the time of the War of the Ring, Aragorn is already a whopping 87 years old, and should, for all intents and purposes, be a frail old man. However, Aragorn lived many long years after the war, as the ruler of Gondor, with Arwen at his side. Their family line became known as the House of Beor, and their son took the throne after him. This longevity and vitality was only possible because Aragorn was a member of the Dunedain, a descendant from the noble Numenorean men who first inhabited Middle Earth. The Dunedain were blessed with incredibly long life, often 3 times that of other men, and were given, on rare occasions of great valor, the blessing to have the power to choose when they die. Aragorn was therefore able to live a long and blessed life, before deciding to be laid to rest in the House of Kings, with his forefathers.