Culture news and discussion on TalkFuse.
The 10 Best Swords in Middle-earth, Ranked by Power
Tolkien’s Middle-earth contains many storied weapons, and this ranking compares ten swords by their power and impact. The article argues that a sword’s importance can come from its history and symbolism as well as its magical abilities.
The excerpt describes four blades: Herugrim, the sword of Rohan’s kings, endured for centuries and was carried by Théoden at Helm’s Deep and the Pelennor Fields; Aranrúth passed through Thingol’s descendants to Númenor’s rulers before being lost with Ar-Pharazôn; and Eöl’s meteorite-forged Anguriel could cut iron and steel, though it was never seen in battle. It also introduces Sting, a Gondolin-forged dagger that glows when orcs are near and passed from Bilbo to Frodo. The supplied article text ends before the full ranking is shown.
In short
- The ranking weighs swords’ histories as well as their powers.
- Herugrim symbolises the endurance of Rohan’s kings.
- Sting glows when orcs are near.
Explained simply
In Tolkien’s Middle-earth, swords can be important for more than their strength in a fight. Their age, makers and links to rulers or famous events can give them meaning across generations.
The blades in the story have different histories. Herugrim belonged to the kings of Rohan and was carried by Théoden, while Aranrúth passed through the family of the Elf-king Thingol to the rulers of Númenor. Anguriel was made from a meteorite and could cut iron and steel, though it was never described in battle.
Sting is a small blade made in the hidden Elvish city of Gondolin; it glows when orcs are nearby and passed from Bilbo to Frodo. Together, these examples show why a ranking of Middle-earth’s swords may weigh both practical abilities and the history attached to each weapon.