To understand the rise and fall of Rivendell, it’s important to know something of Middle-earth’s history. The War of the Ring, which is chronicled in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Ring (LOTR) trilogy, is set during the Third Age of Middle-earth. As Tolkien fans well know, the defeat of a great evil in Arda not only signifies the end of an age, but that great change lies ahead, too.
The First Age ends when Morgoth, the primordial source of evil, is vanquished by the alliance of Elves, Men, and Valar — the 14 most powerful Ainur, or Holy Ones. Although the first Dark Lord’s reign ends, the northwestern region of Middle-earth has been decimated, which leads to a time of rebuilding. The Second Age comes to a close after Sauron — the titular Lord of the Rings — finds the One Ring severed from him by Isildur, during the War of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. And so it follows that the end of the Third Age — when Frodo Baggins destroys the One Ring, thus defeating Sauron’s non-corporeal form — also brings about great change.
“So we come to it in the end… the great battle of our time,” Théoden says in The Return of the King, “in which many things shall pass away.” One of those things is the Elves’ time in Middle-earth. So, what happens to Rivendell after The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and how does the Blessed Realm of Valinor figure in?
What Is Rivendell? The Elves Arrival In Middle-earth, Explained
In Tolkien’s lore, a being dubbed the Creator (Eru Ilúvatar) fashioned the Ainur, or Holy Ones — the primordial beings responsible for shaping the material universe (Eä). Within that material universe is Arda, the dwelling place of Elves and Men. It contains several regions familiar to most LOTR readers and movie lovers, including the sunken island of Númenor, the region of Beleriand, and the Blessed Realm of Valinor. The term “Middle-earth” is actually more of a colloquialism, used to refer to the habitable parts of Arda.
The Ainur eventually settled in Arda, eager to guide the development of Elves and Men. The eldest Children of Ilúvatar, the Elves are known for being the wisest and noblest speaking beings of Arda, immune to illness, and unaffected by the natural aging process. It’s said that only violence — or extreme despair — can end an Elf’s life. Originally, Elves lived in Valinor — the Land of the Valar — across the sea from the regions referred to in later ages as Middle-earth. After Melkor (a.k.a. the first Dark Lord, Morgoth) wreaked havoc on their former kingdom, the Valar settled in Valinor.
So, how did the Elves end up in Middle-earth? The battle between the Valar (allies of Elves and Men) and Morgoth led to the destruction of the island of Númenor, and the so-called “Changing of the World.” After this point, Valinor was no longer a physical part of Arda. Although Men could no longer sail to Valinor, Elves could voyage to their ancestral home, often called the Undying Lands, and live once more in eternal bliss. That said, the Elves in The Lord of the Rings trilogy had long settled in parts of Middle-earth, including the valley of Rivendell.
“The house of Elrond was a refuge for the weary and the oppressed, and a treasury of good counsel and wise lore,” Tolkien’s Silmarillion says of Rivendell and its leader, Elrond. Also known as Imladris and the Last Homely House, Rivendell was founded by Elrond as a place of refuge during the Second Age, after Sauron destroyed the Elvish land of Eregion. Rivendell’s reputation as a sanctuary is more than just hearsay; Gil-galad, the last High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth, gives Vilya, one of the Elves’ three Rings of Power, to Elrond. The ring grants the formidable Lord of Rivendell the power to protect the hidden valley, and even slow the passage of time in these renowned foothills of the Misty Mountains.
What Happened To Rivendell At The End Of LOTR?
Throughout the Third Age, Rivendell weathers attacks by the armies of the Witch-king of Angmar, and remains a place folks seek for refuge and council. It’s the place where Frodo’s fellowship swears fealty to him and his quest to destroy the One Ring; Bilbo’s choice of retirement destination; the meeting place of the anti-Sauron White Council; and the resting place of the shards of Narsil — the sword Isildur used to cut the One Ring from Sauron, and which is reforged by Rivendell’s smiths for its rightful heir, Aragorn.
Needless to say, Rivendell is a place of great importance — not just for Elves but for the larger history of Middle-earth. However, after Frodo destroys the One Ring (and the remnants of Sauron), Elrond’s ring of power loses its abilities. This encourages him to leave Rivendell, and set sail for Valinor. Elrond’s twin sons, Elladan and Elrohir, remain in Rivendell with the last of the Noldor (those with roots in the second clan of Elves to awaken during the time of creation). After Galadriel, the Lady of Lórien, departs for Valinor, it’s said her husband, Celeborn, settles in Rivendell for a time.
Eventually, Rivendell ends up abandoned. Before Aragorn dies, he tells Arwen, his wife and Elrond’s daughter, that “none now walk” in the garden of Elrond, meaning no one remains in Rivendell. Given Aragorn’s words, one can assume that the last of the Noldor joined the other Elves in Valinor at some point during the Fourth Age.
Why Did The Elves Leave Rivendell?
For a time, Rivendell becomes a gathering place for Elves who aren’t quite ready to depart Middle-earth for Valinor. Deified in their own way, the god-like Elves’ journey to the Undying Lands isn’t a kind of exile or hardship, but a gift. In fact, even the Valar think of the Elves as above all other races in Arda, which is why the Valar wanted to protect them from the darkness and dangers of Middle-earth in the first place. When the Elves first came to be (or “awoke”), the Valar welcomed these noble beings to Valinor. Those who went to the Undying Lands became known as the high Elves, or Eldar.
As mentioned, the fight against Morgoth reshaped Arda significantly. But it also prompted some Eldar to leave Valinor. After the battle against the first Dark Lord ended, some of these high Elves, like Galadriel, stuck around. So, why is it that the Elves are so drawn to Valinor at the end of LOTR? There are several reasons, but chief among them is that the Valar instill them with the drive to seek out Valinor, the Blessed Realm. There, Elves who died (in battle, for example) in Middle-earth could reflect on their lives, and one day be restored to a corporeal, Valinor-bound form. For those who ventured to Valinor willingly, it was a place to bask in immortality and bliss.
Throughout The Lord of the Rings, some Elves express a fear of “fading,” and while Tolkien doesn’t delve into this term at length, it’s clear that Elves fear fading like a mortal fears death. Supposedly, staying away from Valinor for too long could cause one to fade, leaving the spirits of Elves to cling to Middle-earth for eternity. By instilling a desire to return to Valinor in the Elves, the Valar ensured that the Elves would return to the Undying Lands, where they’d be spiritually and physically restored. At the end of the Third Age so many Elves set off for Valinor because the time of Elves has ended, giving way to the reign of Men.
Who Was The Last Elf To Leave Middle-earth?
While Legolas stayed in Middle-earth for some time, waiting until Aragorn passed, he wasn’t the last of the Elves to leave for Valinor. While it’s not entirely clear who was the last Elf to leave Middle-earth, there’s a strong case for Círdan being the most enduring. Gifted Narya, one of the three Elven Rings of Power, Círdan oversaw Grey Heavens, an Elvish port in Lindon. As mentioned in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the harbor was known for launching ships west, toward Valinor.
Círdan, an Elf from the First Age, stays in Middle-earth during the beginning of the Fourth Age. (Clearly, he doesn’t seem as pressed about fading.) Eventually, he realizes that all the Elves who wished to cross the waters to Valinor have already done so, or have otherwise ignored that option, choosing to reside (and fade) in Middle-earth. This prompts Círdan to finally abandon Grey Heavens and cross to Valinor on a ship with the very last of the Eldar.