Warning: spoilers ahead for The Rings of Power episode 4Queen Regent Míriel's joke about the Rhûn in Halbrand's true heritage in Amazon's The Rings of Power, she takes the revelation straight to Númenor's ruler, Queen Regent Míriel, hoping to leverage some military aid against dark forces gathering in the Southlands. Míriel doesn't quite believe Halbrand is actually a king, however, so remarks, "And I suppose Elendil here is a Rhûnic emperor."
Rhûn is a seldom mentioned area to the far-east of Middle-earth. Elves and Men both originated there before gradually migrating west. The mortals who stayed became known as Easterlings, and would fight for Morgoth before later pledging allegiance to Sauron. Though Rhûn is largely peripheral to The Lord of the Rings' narrative, this villainous collection of Men caused constant trouble for Gondor after its Second Age founding, but a decisive victory on either side proved impossible.
Elendil may not be a "Rhûnic emperor" but there's an ironic foresight behind Reunited Kingdom and the Easterlings.
Why Did Aragorn Attack Rhûn After The Lord Of The Rings?
When Aragorn is finally crowned in The Return of the King's ending (the Minas Tirith ending, that is), a peaceful reign beckons, but J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings appendices reveal Aragorn's fight continued. These campaigns had two aims - secure the future of his new kingdom by vanquishing remaining pockets of Sauron's followers, and reclaim all land that once belonged to Gondor. This included the former kingdom of Arnor established by Elendil and his two sons, stretching between the Blue Mountains and the Misty Mountains. Special dispensation was afforded to the Shire and Rohan, though both stayed close allies, naturally.
King Elessar didn't have much trouble reclaiming Arnor from the Hobbits and departing Elves, but Rhûn in the east and Umbar to the south put up more resistance, resulting in conflict on both fronts. The capitulation of Umbar (descendants of the Black Númenóreans) allowed Aragorn to reclaim land originally won during the reign of Gondor's King Hyarmendacil I, but subsequently lost, and quash a long-standing enemy of the Númenóreans dating back to The Rings of Power's era. Rhûn's Easterlings fought for Sauron too, meaning Aragorn couldn't ignore the threat they posed either. In addition to securing peace on the eastern front, the King also sought to regain the lands Gondor held during the Third Age around the Sea of Rhûn.
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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power continues Thursday/Friday on Prime Video.