The spear of Gil-galad

Aiglos or Aeglos, the spear of Gil-galad, was with Elendil’s sword Narsil said to be instrumental to the defeat of Sauron at the siege of Barad-dûr. The fate of Narsil was documented as it was passed down among Elendil’s heirs, but what became of Aiglos? Gil-galad had no heir to pass his belongings on to, but we know that he was accompanied by his comrades Elrond and Cîrdan, to whom he entrusted rings of power. So did one of them retrieve Aiglos after the battle? Was the spear destroyed in the last combat? Buried with its wielder? It seems a rather potent artifact for history to have lost track of.
 
Good thought, my guess is it was destroyed when he died in battle. When he fell into the shadow, so to did his weapon.
 
I don’t know. “Fell into shadow” was Bilbo’s lyric in a lore song and isn’t to be taken literally. Unless his body burst into flame taking his weapon with it I think it unlikely it was lost even if it was broken. Since Elendil’s sword survived, albeit in shards, I suspect Aieglos did too. It was probably carried back to Imladris by his herald, held there with other relics of the elder days.

Of interest too is from what forge it came. It could have come from Lindon but with the cold connection (think of Fingolfin’s sword Ringil) it might have come from Eithel Sirion or from others who crossed the Grinding Ice and we’re thinking of that bitter cold when making it. Thoughts?
 
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Since Elendil’s sword survived, albeit in shards, I suspect Aieglos did too. It was probably carried back to Imladris by his herald, held there with other relics of the elder days.

I was thinking along those lines too, but then I wonder why Aiglos was not eventually remade (as Narsil was) and given to some great champion to wield against the Enemy. Imagine, for example, how the Fellowship’s encounter with the Balrog in Moria might have gone differently:

“Ai! Ai!” wailed Legolas. “A Balrog! A Balrog has com— oh wait! Why am I panicking? I have this!” Legolas hefted the coldly gleaming Aiglos in his hand, took careful aim, and hurled it at the shadowy foe. The icy bolt flew across the great hall and sunk deep into its target’s umbral form. The Balrog stood unmoved for a moment, then looked down at the ancient shaft lodged in its chest and sighed with the sound of new snow falling on a wintry wood. Slowly, irresistibly, it leaned back and fell with a thunderous crash to the floor, crushing many orcs and cave-trolls. The remaining servants of the Enemy looked at their slain master, at Legolas, and at each other. In unison, without word or signal, they turned and fled into the mines.​
 
I don’t know. “Fell into shadow” was Bilbo’s lyric in a lore song and isn’t to be taken literally. Unless his body burst into flame taking his weapon with it I think it unlikely it was lost even if it was broken. Since Elendil’s sword survived, albeit in shards, I suspect Aieglos did too. It was probably carried back to Imladris by his herald, held there with other relics of the elder days.

Of interest too is from what forge it came. It could have come from Lindon but with the cold connection (think of Fingolfin’s sword Ringil) it might have come from Eithel Sirion or from others who crossed the Grinding Ice and we’re thinking of that bitter cold when making it. Thoughts?

Given the lack of textual evidence all that we can do is speculate, so:
If the spear was destroyed with Ereinion Gil-galad then it would seem a sufficiently remarkable event to have been part of the account.
If Elrond (his herald, distant cousin, and potential claimant to High King of the Noldor) retained Gil-galad's spear, it would seem reasonable that some mention of it being held in Imladris might have been made, and such a formidable weapon being left unused when Sauron returned seems like it would demand some explanation.
If Círdan (successor to the Lordship of Lindon) retained Gil-galad's spear, it is reasonable that it be unmentioned in the accounts of the War of the Ring that we read, because the hobbits never visit the Grey Havens to stay.

While I don't think there's any specific evidence for the forge of origin, given Gil-galad's Noldorin heritage and the weapon's reputation, I think that it is supportable to argue that it was forged by a Noldo.
 
I was thinking along those lines too, but then I wonder why Aiglos was not eventually remade (as Narsil was) and given to some great champion to wield against the Enemy. Imagine, for example, how the Fellowship’s encounter with the Balrog in Moria might have gone differently:

“Ai! Ai!” wailed Legolas. “A Balrog! A Balrog has com— oh wait! Why am I panicking? I have this!” Legolas hefted the coldly gleaming Aiglos in his hand, took careful aim, and hurled it at the shadowy foe. The icy bolt flew across the great hall and sunk deep into its target’s umbral form. The Balrog stood unmoved for a moment, then looked down at the ancient shaft lodged in its chest and sighed with the sound of new snow falling on a wintry wood. Slowly, irresistibly, it leaned back and fell with a thunderous crash to the floor, crushing many orcs and cave-trolls. The remaining servants of the Enemy looked at their slain master, at Legolas, and at each other. In unison, without word or signal, they turned and fled into the mines.​


But! All of the evidence suggests that victory over a Balrog is fatal. Also, I don't think there's enough evidence to suggest Aeglos would slay a Balrog, perhaps only weakening it. Finally, it seems unlikely that it would end up with Legolas, as Anduril (Narsil) was Aragorn's by right of birth.
 
Well, Elrond has Gil-galad's Elven Ring, so perhaps he thought it would be too presumptive to take his spear as well. Probably hoping to leave it to a grandchild.
 
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