Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy trilogy known and loved by all far and wide. Its impressive run time detailed the trials and tribulations the Fellowship ensured as they sought to aid Frodo, the ring-bearer, on his journey to Mordor, based on the series of books of the same name.
The quest to destroy the ring was not without its difficulties, but in the end was successful. The ring was destroyed, Saruman and Sauron’s forces were defeated, and the Fellowship was left to try to return to the normalcy of their lives before they embarked on this mission. The ending was a happy and cathartic one for the most part, but there were characters whose fates were left rather undetermined.
Faramir
Last Seen: Aragorn’s Coronation (The Return of the King)
The younger brother of Boromir faced much derision at the hands of his father, Denethor, who despised his very existence, giving any affection and pride that he had towards Boromir. Faramir was willing to take the ring from Frodo to present it to his father to try and prove his worth as his son, until Ring Wraiths threw his plan awry. His father sent him on a suicide mission, seeming not to care that Faramir may die, only to almost burn him alive when he returned from battle grievously wounded.
After enduring so much hardship, it is only natural for people to hope Faramir’s fortune changes for the better, especially after his callous and uncaring father threw himself to his death. Viewers get a glimpse of him at the end of Return of the King alongside the majority of the rest of the characters as they greet their new king, and see him happily standing alongside Eowyn, a nod to their relationship that was founded off-screen. But other than this new relationship, nothing else is known about Faramir’s fate after the trilogy concludes.
Eowyn
Last Seen: Aragorn’s Coronation (Return of the King)
The sister of Eomer and a self-professed shield-maiden of Rohan, Eowyn is a character with fierce loyalty, bravery, and the desire to do more in wartimes than sit and wait for the men to return home. She takes up the sword and joins the battle for Middle-Earth, proving her mettle multiple times. She was the one who came face to face with Witch-King, slaying him herself after delivering a memorable line that is still quoted up to this day.
As one of the characters intrumental in stopping Sauron’s forces and having a deep fondess for Aragorn, she was there the day he forsook the ranger and became the King, standing next to Faramir and exchanging a fond smile with him during the events, hinting at the relationship between the two. But while fans can rest assured Eowyn did achieve a happy ending, there is still mystery surrounding where exactly her story went next, and what her life looked like post-Lord of the Rings.
Eomer
Last Seen: Aragorn’s Coronation (Return of the King)
Part of the Rohirrim, the company of the best mounted-combatants across all of Middle-Earth, Eomer firmly solidified himself as a fan favorite from his first moments on screen. An honorable man who aids Gondor even when the odds are very unfavorably stacked against them, his bravery and nobility cannot be questioned. He was another of the characters seen briefly present to see Aragorn coronated at the end of Return of the King, but where his story ventured after that is never shown.
Though there have been fan theories and a few tiny droplets of information surrounding Eomer’s life after Lord of the Rings, the lack of information still makes it seem like the horse lord simply vanished. Wherever his adventures next took him, fans can live in hope that he got the happy ending he deserved.
Gimli
Last Seen: Aragorn’s Coronation (The Return of the King)
Gimli was one of the Fellowship’s nine heroes, offering his axe to Frodo’s quest to journey into the most dangerous part of the lands. Though he does not accompany Frodo and Sam all the way through to Mordor, instead joining Legolas and Aragorn to rescue Merry and Pippin, and the wars that follow, his bravery was never a question. He was always ready to jump into the heart of the action, entering into a frenemy situation with Legolas as the two compete to score the most kills.
As part of the epilogue for Return of the King, he was present to see his friend Aragorn crowned, but after that, it is left ambiguous as to where Gimli ventured next. It’s a safe guess to say he returned to his homelands, but with no official scene given to wrap up Gimli’s personal story, fans will never know for sure, and instead are left to theorize their endings for this brave and hardy dwarf.
Legolas
Last Seen: Aragorn’s Coronation (The Return of the King)
Legolas was another one of the heroes sworn to aid the ring-bearer on his quest to destroy the ring of power, pledging his bow. He joined Aragorn and Gimli for most of the trilogy, partaking in the major battles of the series such as the Battle for Helm’s Deep, and engaging in a friendly competition with Gimli as to who can earn the biggest body count, with one of his stand-out scenes being his solo take-down of one of the large elephant-like beasts.
With his skill in combat and exploration, one would wonder what would be next for Legolas after aiding the mission’s success and seeing his good friend Aragorn rise as King, but viewers are left wondering. Unlike the hobbits who are given proper send-offs, with Sam settling down with a wife and children, and Frodo and Bilbo departing with the elves and Gandalf, Legolas’s story fades into obscurity.
