The Rings of Power: What Happens With Isildur and Estrid in the Book?

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 4, “Eldest.”

The romantic tension between Isildur and Estrid is even stronger in The Rings of Power‘s latest episode, “Eldest.” So, what happens between Isildur and Estrid in J.R.R. Tolkien’s original Lord of the Rings canon – do they get together?

What Happens With Isildur and Estrid in the Book?

Following Isildur and Estrid’s dagger-driven meet cute last episode, The Rings of Power Season 2 puts an even greater emphasis on the pair’s mutual attraction. Not even a few bumps along the road – Isildur discovering Estrid’s Mordor brand, Estrid pulling a sword on him late in the game – are enough to keep them from making heart eyes at each other. Indeed, it looks like they’re about to lock lips before the credits roll… until Estrid’s long-lost (and presumed dead) fiancé shows up. This instantly puts the kibosh on any further amorous interactions, at least for now.

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It’s a bit of a bummer for Isildur/Estrid shippers – and unfortunately, Tolkien’s books don’t offer any promise of a happy ending down the line. Heck, Estrid isn’t even in The Lord of the Rings or associated works; she’s an invention of Rings of Power showrunners J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay. That said, Tolkien doesn’t supply a name for Isildur’s other half, either. So, it’s possible – likely, even – that Payne and McKay created Estrid to fill this wife-sized gap in Tolkien’s lore. But Estrid’s current betrothed needs to exit the picture first, before Isildur’s in any position to put a ring on it!

What Do We Know About Isildur’s Wife From Lord of the Rings Canon?

Not much, really. Heck, the fact that Tolkien didn’t give her a name is a pretty big clue as to the size of her role in the Lord of the Rings canon. Even so, we know a little bit about Isildur’s wife. Like her husband, she was from Númenor, and that’s where they tied the knot and had their first son, Elendur. Then, when things went pear-shaped in Númenor, they escaped to Middle-earth and had two more kids, Aratan and Ciryon. The family lived in Minas Ithil (later the Witch-King’s lair) before Sauron’s forces invaded.

Related: Is Shelob in The Rings of Power Season 2?

Again, Isildur and his wife escaped, as did their kids. Afterwards, they bounced around Middle-earth a bit before winding up Rivendell, where Isildur’s wife gave birth to their fourth child, Valandil. And that’s pretty much it for Mrs. Isildur – what she did post-Rivendell isn’t covered in the books!

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 is currently streaming on Prime Video, with new episodes dropping Thursdays.