The Epic Tale of the Last Alliance's War in Middle-earth

The Lord Of The Rings series starts off with an impressive bang, making it impossible to deny. Although it begins with some narration to establish important past events, fans of the films are rewarded with an extraordinary cinematic battle called the War of the Last Alliance. This exhilarating conflict plays a crucial role in The Lord Of The Rings story, as it introduces key background characters and showcases the immense danger posed by the evil entity, Sauron.

Some casual fans might believe that the prologue in The Fellowship Of The Ring provides sufficient details to comprehend this war, but this couldn't be further from the truth. While fans do get a glimpse of the war's climactic moments, there is much more involved in the lead-up and the immediate aftermath of these events.

What Was The War Of The Last Alliance?

The War of the Last Alliance is considered one of the most significant conflicts in the history of The Lord of the Rings. Lasting for twelve years, it pitted Sauron's dark forces against an alliance of Men and Elves in Middle Earth. It's worth noting that although Dwarves and other races also joined the alliance, they are not specifically mentioned. The ultimate outcome of the war saw Sauron's defeat, but he was not permanently killed as the One Ring remained intact, unharmed by the fires of Mount Doom.

This war stands out as one of the bloodiest and largest in the entire history of Middle Earth, with the only comparable conflict being the later quest to destroy the One Ring. The alliance armies were under the leadership of Elven kings and the king of Men at the time, Elendil. The truce between the two sides was initially formed by Gil-Galad, an Elf, and Elendil, in response to the provocations of Sauron's forces.

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The war itself was horrific, resulting in the deaths of all the major kings commanding the armies of the alliance by the close of the conflict. The alliance was capable of winning battles when it counted, but due to the egos of the rulers involved, many would fall when they began acting based on their own self-interest. Some of the major theatres of the war were The Black Gate, Dagorlad, and even the Dead Marshes. After seven long years of raging war in Mordor, Sauron would finally take the battlefield, though he would be met by a hefty force. This decision proved to be one of the worst Sauron could make as it would act as the beginning of his downfall.

How Was Sauron Defeated?

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The war itself was filled with horrors, leading to the demise of all the prominent kings who commanded the armies of the alliance by the end of the conflict. Despite being capable of winning crucial battles, the egos of the participating rulers caused many to perish when they prioritized their own self-interests. Notable battlefields included The Black Gate, Dagorlad, and even the Dead Marshes. After seven arduous years of relentless conflict in Mordor, Sauron eventually entered the battlefield, but he encountered a formidable force. This ill-fated decision would prove to be one of Sauron's gravest as it marked the beginning of his downfall.

How Was Sauron Defeated?

When Sauron entered the battlefield, his presence undoubtedly struck fear into the hearts of the alliance army. Nevertheless, they persisted in their attempts to defeat the sinister lord. Gil-Galad and Elendil emerged as two prominent figures who valiantly opposed Sauron during this crucial stage of the conflict. However, Sauron effortlessly vanquished them both. This likely led the alliance army to believe that the tide of the war was turning against them, and Sauron's ultimate triumph seemed inevitable. Whether due to fear or sheer luck, Isildur emerged as the one who ultimately managed to obliterate Sauron's physical form.

After making a failed attempt to seize his father's sword, Sauron unintentionally stepped on it - a fortunate turn of events for Isildur. Seizing the opportunity, Isildur yanked the shattered blade out from under Sauron's boot and swiftly struck the dark lord's fingers, resulting in a lucky cut. As a consequence, Sauron became separated from the ring, causing his physical form to erupt in an explosive blast that sent both armies' beings hurtling through the air. This marked the first and only instance in The Lord Of The Rings series where Sauron's physical manifestation was witnessed, reaffirming the immense threat he posed to all living creatures in Middle Earth.

What Was The Outcome Of The War Of The Last Alliance?

After Sauron's defeat, the remaining forces of his army likely fled, leaving the remaining fighters to face the alliance and meet their demise. With Sauron's physical form vanquished, Isildur took possession of the One Ring and was entrusted with the task of destroying it. Accompanied by Elrond, Isildur journeyed to Mount Doom to throw the ring into the fires. However, succumbing to the ring's corrupting power, Isildur chose not to destroy it.

The reasons behind Elrond's decision to allow Isildur to leave Mount Doom with the One Ring remain unclear. There are a few potential explanations. Elrond may have lacked the will to fight and believed he couldn't have stopped Isildur regardless. Alternatively, Elrond might not have been aware that Sauron could return in physical form. Another possibility is that Elrond, recognizing the need to replace the Elven and Human kings, wanted to avoid further bloodshed. He may have thought it best to let Isildur take the ring, hoping it wouldn't completely corrupt him after Sauron's supposed defeat.

However, Isildur, who became king, would later attempt to bring the ring to Elrond in Rivendell. This journey would become one of Middle Earth's bloodiest and most significant events due to the deaths of Isildur and his family. In a brutal attack by Orcs, all of Isildur's sons would be killed. Although Isildur initially escaped, he lost the ring as he crossed a body of water. Without its protection, he was defenseless and ultimately met his demise under a hail of arrows from nearby Orcs.

The Lord Of The Rings is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video