Aragorn is one of the most iconic characters in theLord of the Ringsseries, from his look to his backstory, fans cant get enough. Most casual viewers know that the man lived a hard life as a Ranger of the North before revealing his true destiny and ascending to the throne, but why?
Aragorn was first introduced as Strider, Ranger of the North in the originalFellowship of the Ring,way back in 1954. He remains an important character throughout the trilogy and is mentioned inThe Silmarillion.His most iconic appearance is in the films, wherehe is portrayed by Viggo Mortensen.
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The shortest possible answer to this question is that Aragorn did not simply become a ranger, he was born to become one. Aragorn II Elessar, son of Arathorn II, is the last of a very long line of monarchical rulers of their people. Aragorn’s father, and his father before him, held the rank of Chieftan of the Dunedain. This role is less comparable to ruling a nation and more like the champion of an entire race of people. The Dunedain are a species of humans descended from the noblest race of menwho occupy Middle-Earth for generations. Aragorn is destined to become the king of his people, but by an incredibly long line of succession, the Rangers are his birthright.
The Dunedain people endured a schism that divided them into two major groups, those of Arnor and those of Gondor, also known as the North and South kingdoms respectively. This schism led to Aragorn, descendent of Arnor’s founder, being the rightful heir to the throne of Arnor and its people. Tragically, the kingdom Aragorn was set to rule fell slowly to the forces of evil. Arnor was divided into three realms, each of which endured constant siege by the Witch-king of Angmar. The Witch-king, also known as The Black Captain was Sauron’s right-hand man and the leaderof the iconic Nazgul. This evil figure conquered a cruel place called Angmar as a base to destroy the land of Arnor, and eventually, he succeeded. Arnor fell to ruin, forcing the Dunedain who lived there for ages to flee and take on a new purpose. This is the origin of The Rangers of the North.
Left without a home, the remaining Dunedain of Arnor began a nomadic life, wandering the wilds and protecting the realms from ill-intentioned intruders. The Rangers did battle often with orcs, regularly acting as a first line of defense for many lands that could fall under attack.The Shire and its population of Hobbitsenjoyed the protection of The Rangers, keeping the small folk safe from the dangers of the outside world so that they could flourish. Their methods are secretive, leading to distrust from the populace they defend. Sixteen generations of Aragorn’s genetic line led The Rangers over the course of more than 1000 years. Aragorn’s father was slain hunting orcs when Aragorn was 26, leaving the young man to take his rightful place as the Chieftan of the Dunedain and leader of the Rangers of the North.
Aragorn spent the next couple of decades serving in a variety of armies and playing large roles in many of the world’s most crucial battles. Among these events, Aragorn met the love of his life,the half-elf Arwen. Arwen’s father, Elrond, acted as a mentor and foster parent for Aragorn in his early life, raising him in secret before his ascension to the throne. Aragorn fell for Arwen early and proposed to her after his decades of military service. In order for Arwen to marry a man, she would have to accept mortality, which she would agree to. Unfortunately, Elrond refused to grant his blessing until Aragorn completed a near-impossible task. Until Aragorn could repair the ages-old schism that divided his people and ruled over both Arnor and Gondor,Elrond would not approveof the marriage. With that, Aragorn knew he must remain a king in hiding until he found his chance to claim rightful leadership of both tribes of Dunedain.
Aragorn’s actions as a Ranger are varied and span the decades of his early life. Hemet Gandalf the Greyshortly before taking his Chieftan position and forged a lifelong friendship. It was Gandalf that encouraged Aragorn to guard the Shire from afar, which allowed the Hobbits to thrive where they might have been wiped out. Thefolks around the Shireknew Aragorn as Strider and considered him to be untrustworthy, demonstrating his dedication to being a silent watchman rather than a heroic defender. Aragorn accepted a life of hardship, leading the Rangers of the North to defend the weak from the evil, to live up to his birthright, and earn the rank that will allow him to live happily with his beloved.
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