The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power alludes to two other Elf and Human pairings besides the relationship between Arondir and Bronwyn. Though it is a rare phenomenon, relationships between Elves and Men have precedents in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. The most well-known of these is the pairing of Aragorn and Arwen, whose relationship is explored throughout Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings appendices as well as Peter Jackson's film adaptations. At the time that The Rings of Power takes place during the Second Age, however, precisely two other such relationships are known to have happened.
Arondir and Bronwyn are new characters created for The Rings of Power, yet it is clear that the writers were inspired by other similar relationship dynamics within Tolkien's legendarium. During a conversation in The Rings of Power's first episode, Arondir's friend Médhor tries to dissuade him from having the relationship, citing two previous tragic occurrences of Elf/Human romance. Whether these relationships were as tragic as Médhor suggests is a matter of perspective, but their tales are certainly compelling — one of these pairings is even so important to the history of Middle-earth that it was edited by Tolkien's son Christopher to become a standalone novel.
The first of these Elf and Human pairings in Tolkien's Middle-earth, compelling enough to warrant a book of its own, is that of Beren, a mortal Man, and Lúthien, the Elven princess of Doriath, in the First Age. The second pairing that Médhor refers to is the relationship between Tuor and Idril, also from the First Age. Tuor, a Human male, fell in love with Idril, princess of the hidden Elven city Gondolin. The stories behind both these relationships are undeniably dramatic and romantic yet important to Middle-earth's history for entirely different reasons.
What Happened To Both Relationships?
Lúthien's father, King Thingol of Doriath, was vehemently opposed to her union with Beren. In retaliation, Thingol set Beren an impossible task: retrieve a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown (Morgoth's coveting of the Silmarils was briefly touched upon in throughout Middle-earth's history.
The tale of Tuor's and Idril's Elf and Human union involves a different kind of family drama. Though Idril's father approved of Tuor, their relationship was marred by another. Maeglin, Idril's cousin, was obsessively infatuated with her. He became so jealous of Tuor that he betrayed his city and revealed the location of Gondolin to Morgoth, inciting the Fall of Gondolin (another vital Middle-earth tale, also edited into a novel by Christopher Tolkien). The Fall of Gondolin is undoubtedly tragic, yes, but the relationship between Tuor and Idril did not end there. With the survivors of Gondolin, they built a new society, and eventually, Tuor and Idril had a child together. When Tuor grew old, he and Idril departed toward Valinor, where they were granted the opportunity to dwell in peace forever more. By normal standards, that would not be considered a tragic ending for a relationship, so unless Médhor is referring to the Fall of Gondolin and Tuor’s and Idril's unwitting role in it, his warning to Arondir falls a little flat.
Since Arondir and Bronwyn are entirely new characters created for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, there's no telling how their romance might end. There is precedent in Tolkien's writings, however, for them to have a happy ending. Médhor's warning to his friend might seem a little excessive, but he is far from the only Elf to eschew relationships with mortals. Only time will tell what happens to Arondir and Bronwyn in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
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