Aragorn is the heir of Isildur - the last descendant of the ancient line of kings who once ruled the united kingdom of Arnor and Gondor. Raised in secret among the Elves of Rivendell under the name Strider, Aragorn has spent decades as a Ranger of the North, protecting the peoples of Middle-earth from the shadows without recognition or thanks. He joins the Fellowship of the Ring as its most experienced warrior and leader, carrying the shards of Narsil - the sword that cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand in the Second Age. Aragorn's journey from a wandering ranger to the crowned king of Gondor is one of the great arcs of The Lord of the Rings, intertwined with his love for the Elf Arwen Undómiel, whose choice to forsake immortality for him echoes the most famous love story in Tolkien's mythology.