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Last week, the Dúnedain made themselves at home in Middle-earth. This week, they’ll have to fight to stay there.
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“Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age” part 5
While the Dúnedain led by Elendil, Isildur, and Anárion have been making themselves at home in Middle-earth, so has their greatest enemy. It’s been a while since the island of Númenor sunk, but Sauron has found his way back to Middle-earth and his old home of Mordor.
For a while, he lays low, quietly gathering up all his old friends and allies (and those who are too afraid of him to resist) without the Dúnedain’s notice. Then, one day, Mount Doom (known in Elvish as Orodruin) springs to life and grabs everyone’s attention.
Sauron first takes his forces and marches on Minas Ithal, Isildur’s home that was built on the edge of Mordor just to defy Sauron. The place is overrun, and Isildur and his family are forced to flee.
He is able to bring one treasure out with him. Remember the White Tree? The first one was the seedling of a tree in Valinor, brought as a present from the Valar and the Eldar. Before Sauron could have that tree destroyed, Isildur infiltrated a castle and took a seedling, preserving the White Tree. He brought the seedling across the Sea and planted it in his home of Minis Ithal. Now that it’s under threat from Sauron again, he takes a new seedling and runs. The White Tree will survive yet again.
Isildur’s brother, Anárion is tougher to beat. He holds his ground at Osgiliath, but he’s not strong enough to completely push Sauron back. He needs help.
And so Elendil (his dad) and Gil-galad decide that they need to do something. It’s time to march against Sauron and his incredible forces one more time. Together, they muster the Last Alliance (which is mentioned in The Lord of the Rings). Everyone in Middle-earth picks a side and goes to war.
The Last Alliance is strong and pushes all the way to Barad-dûr. After seven years of besieging Sauron’s tower, the final showdown takes place. Sauron makes his stand, Elendil and Gil-galad are killed, and Isildur takes his father’s sword (Narsil), cuts the One Ring from Sauron’s hand, and takes it.
Sauron, again lacking a body, vanishes.
And thus major trouble begins.
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Next week, Isildur finds himself in bigger trouble than he was expecting, and all because of a lousy Ring.
The Everyday Epic 