he first episode of the Amazon Prime Tolkein spin-off picks up more or less where the novels left off, with Elves seen traveling to their mysterious homeland. Objective What happens to the Elves who go to Valinor in The Rings of Power? This is what you need to know.
What happens to the elves who go to Valinor in The Rings of Power?
To answer this question, we must first remind ourselves exactly what Valinor is: the homeland of the Elves, a peaceful, almost utopian continent, where the Elves live for eternity. It is the paradise for the Elves, basically, where the Elves go once they have completed everything they wanted to achieve in Middle Earth. Remember that the Elves originally came from Valinor, traveled to Middle Earth, and then returned there once they more or less earned their right of way.
When we see Galadriel and her fellow Elves sailing towards the bright lights of Valinor, we are essentially witnessing some kind of mass death. The Elves on the ship are basically succumbing to their fates and returning to their homeland, never to be seen again. They are ascending, although not technically dying since they are immortal. In an interview with Decider, showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay explain:
“We also think there is something intriguing about the subject of death and immortality in Tolkien in general, and in the world of the elves. You know, elves are immortal, but they’re only immortal. They have a kind of time limit on their immortality. And in order to do that, they have to come home, which is also like dying and going to heaven, and the ambiguities and layers within that were something we accepted.”
Ultimately, Tolkein never categorically explains what happens when you get to Valinor, just that the Elves who return there never return. We obviously know that the ring bearers venture there after having conquered Sauron at the end of Return of the King, presumably as a reward for saving Middle-earth. However, they do not die upon arrival, and simply live out the rest of their days there (they are not granted any kind of immortality).
That should give you a solid overview of What happens to the Elves who go to Valinor in The Rings of Power? For more useful information about the show, including how long dwarfs live, search for Twinfinite or check out some of the related content listed below.