The Lord of the Ringsreveals what becomes of characters like Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee after the War of the Ring, butit leaves questions about what happens to Éowyn followingThe Return of the King.J.R.R. Tolkien’s booksoffer more insight into Éowyn’s post-LOTRfuture than the theatrical cut of Peter Jackson’s movies. However, neither the source material nor the adaptations dig too deeply into her future, as they focus primarily on the story’s leads. This is a shame, as Éowyn remains one ofLord of the Rings’most interesting supporting players.
It’s also somewhat inevitable, as there’s only so much time to dig into the aftermath ofThe Return of the King— even in the extended edition of the film. Fortunately,those looking for answers about Éowyn’s life after the War of the Ring can find some in Tolkien’s writings. And there will be opportunities forWarner Bros.‘Lord of the Ringsfranchiseto expand on this further, too, as an upcoming project will honor her movie character.
Éowyn & Faramirr Get Married & Raise A Child In Ithilien After Lord Of The Rings
The Return Of The King’s Extended Edition Alludes To This
Éowyn embarks on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment inThe Lord of the Rings,and she gets a happy ending when all is said and done. Unfortunately,The Return of the Kingdoesn’t make this all that clear.The Lord of the Ringsbooks establish her romantic relationship with Faramir, but it’s only in Tolkien’s appendices that we learn she eventually marries him. Jackson’s movies don’t really cover this at all, though they do allude to their future together through blossoming feelings between the two characterswhen they meet inThe Return of the King.
According to Tolkien, Éowyn and Faramir marry and settle down in Ithilien.
According to Tolkien, Éowyn and Faramir marry and settle down in Ithilien, where Éowyn becomes known as the Lady of Ithilien and the Lady of Rohan (viaTolkien Gateway). The couple also have a son named Elboron after the War of the Ring, continuing both of their family lines. Unfortunately, not much more is revealed about Éowyn’s life afterThe Return of the King.She becomes a hero in her own right duringThe Lord of the Rings’final act, but she goes on to lead a pretty ordinary life after. And Tolkien doesn’t get into when or how it ends.
J.R.R. Tolkien Doesn’t Reveal Much About Éowyn’s Life Or Death After The War Of The Ring
His Appendices Reveal She’s Alive In F.A. 11
Éowyn’s life with Faramir brings both characters’ journeys inThe Lord of the Ringsto a satisfying close, butTolkien leaves what comes next open-ended. His writings don’t suggest the characters do much else of great importance after the War of the Ring, though they obviously hold significant roles in Ithilien. But Éowyn’s story ends with her starting a family as far as Tolkien is concerned, and to be fair, it’s a pleasant enough conclusion for the character.
Lord of the Rings: Why Éowyn Was Able To Kill The Witch-king
In The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Éowyn takes down the Witch-king of Angmar, but there’s more to this feat than being a woman.
Tolkien doesn’t detail how or when Éowyn dies, likely because it isn’t relevant to Middle-earth’s broader history. He does note that she celebrates Merry becoming Master of Buckland by sending him gifts, meaning she’s still alive in the Fourth Age — in F.A. 11, specifically. It’s nice to know that Éowyn and Merry maintain a friendship beyond the events ofThe Lord of the Rings,though it would be interesting to learn more about Éowyn’s life with Faramir. Perhaps 2024’s newLord of the Ringsmovie will deliver on that front.
The War Of The Rohirrim May Shed Light On Éowyn’s Post-Lord Of The Rings Fate
Miranda Otto’s Character Narrates The Upcoming Film
While Tolkien’s description of Éowyn’s life after the War of the Ring leaves a lot to be desired, Warner Bros. has the opportunity to dig deeper into the fate of Miranda Otto’s heroine.Éowyn narrates the upcoming animated film,The War of the Rohirrim,and theLord of the Ringsmovie’s trailerconfirms she’s doing so afterThe Return of the King.We know this because she speaks about the War of the Ring in the past tense. And her character’sreturn in the newLord of the Ringsmoviemeans it can reveal what she’s been doing since Sauron’s defeat.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrimdebuts in theaters on June 29, 2025.
The Rings of Powerhas seen success expanding on characters this way, andThe War of the Rohirrimhas Tolkien’s appendices to guide its depiction of Éowyn. It’s unlikely the film will reveal details about her later years or death, but it could fill in the blanks of Jackson’s movies and flesh out her life with Faramir. We don’t know who she’s recounting Hera Hammerhand’s story to in the film, but it’s possible she’s speaking to her son. If this is the case, there’s room forThe Lord of the Ringsto expand on Tolkien’s appendices.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
