Who is Elendil in The Rings of Power? Meet actor Lloyd Owen

By Lewis Knight

Published: Friday, 09 September 2022 at 12:00 am

A group of new characters were introduced in this week’s episode of The Rings of Power.

The Amazon Prime Video fantasy series continued to follow Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) as she and Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) found themselves in the Island Kingdom of Númenor.

They find themselves there thanks to their being saved by Captain Elendil, a Sea Guard and sailor who is of a noble bloodline with a long history.

So, just who is Elendil and what is his importance in the history of The Lord of the Rings?

Who is Elendil in The Rings of Power?

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Morfydd Clark (Galadriel), Lloyd Owen (Elendil) in The Rings of Power
Ben Rothstein/Amazon Studios

Captain Elendil is a Sea Guard captain from the Island Kingdom of Númenor.

He is the father of sons Isildur and Anárion and daughter Eärien.

Elendil is descended from Elros, the brother of Elrond (Robert Aramayo) who was also Half-Elven but chose to live a mortal life on Númenor.

As the son of Amandil, Lord of Andúnië, Elendil is part of a bloodline that remained faithful to the Valar, spoke Elvish and continued to build strong friendships with Elves.

In J.R.R. Tolkien lore, Lord Amandil had been a great admiral of the Númenórean fleet and a close friend to Pharazôn, who in the series is depicted as the Chancellor of Númenor.

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(L-R) Leon Wadham (Kemen), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (Queen Regent Míriel), Trystan Gravelle (Pharazôn), Lloyd Owen (Elendil), Ema Horvath (Eärien), and Maxim Baldry (Isildur)
Ben Rothstein/Prime Video

After rescuing Galadriel and Halbrand from the Sundering Sea, Elendil is an ally to them and has the desire to protect the world from the evil of Sauron.

In Tolkien lore, Elendil and his family flee the fall of Númenor and he eventually becomes the High King of Arnor and Gondor.

Elendil leads the Last Alliance of Men and Elves alongside High-King Gil-galad against the Dark Lord Sauron and in their defeat of the villain, Elendil is killed and succeeded by his son, Isildur.

The late King is the ancestor of Aragorn, son of Arathorn, one of the protagonists of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The character of Elendil appears in the prologue of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, portrayed by actor Peter McKenzie.

Who plays Elendil in The Rings of Power?

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British actor Lloyd Owen poses on the red carpet upon arrival to attend the Global Premiere of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” at the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square, central London, on August 30, 2022.
NIKLAS HALLE’N/AFP via Getty Images

Elendil is portrayed by Lloyd Owen in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

The British actor is best known for his roles as Dr Henry Jones Sr. in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and Paul Bowman-MacDonald in Monarch of the Glen.

Owen has also appeared in the film Miss Potter, the Sky series You, Me and the Apocalypse, Heart and Bones, and The Originals.

Having studied at the National Youth Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), Owen has had an extensive theatre career.

Read more on The Rings of Power:

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episodes 1-3 are available now on Amazon Prime Video – you can sign up now for a free 30-day Prime Video trial.

If you’re looking for something else to watch in the meantime, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Fantasy hub.

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