The Lord of the Rings

Elendil, a key figure in Middle Earth's history, first appears significantly in the appendices of J.R.R. Tolkien's *The Lord of the Rings*. He was the son of Amandil and the Lord of Andúnië in Númenor.

As Númenor fell into darkness under the influence of Sauron, Elendil, a leader of the Faithful (those who remained true to the Valar), foresaw the doom and prepared for escape. He sailed eastward with his sons, Isildur and Anárion, and their followers in ships loaded with artifacts and the Palantíri.

Upon reaching Middle Earth, Elendil founded the kingdom of Arnor in the north, while Isildur and Anárion founded Gondor in the south. Elendil became the High King of both realms. He allied with Gil-galad, the High King of the Elves, to form the Last Alliance against Sauron.

During the Siege of Barad-dûr, Elendil fought bravely alongside Gil-galad. Both were slain by Sauron, but Isildur ultimately cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand, temporarily defeating him. Elendil's sword, Narsil, was broken in the battle; its shards were later reforged into Andúril, the sword of Aragorn.