QUESTIONS AND INFORMATION
QUESTION: Tell me about Sidhen? She doesn't have her own page (unless I'm mistaken?), and I am all about them ranger ladies!
ANSWER: With Sidhen’s character, I wanted to explore two aspects of Tolkien’s mythology simultaneously: both the apparent lack of women in military roles, as well one of his favorite themes of “everyone, no matter how big or small has a part in the running of the world”. To understand Sidhen, you have to think strictly about character themes such as Sam and Frodo’s.
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As for origins, she hails from Esteldin in the North Downs. Her father is a ranger just as she is, her mother is a crafts-woman and she also has an older sister who married a scholar that specializes in Angmarim customs. In the fic “By the fire” I briefly mentioned that she hails from an uninterrupted dunedain line, but her family were no nobles, no kings, no politicians.
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The point of Sidhen is to shadow Aragorn’s character. Aragorn has pretty much trained his entire life to become a king, but what about his subjects? The rangers of Eriador were the first people Aragorn had to earn the loyalty of and lead. Some of those people were the likes of Sidhen and her father and her family.
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Sidhen’s character arc starts first and foremost with her mentorship by the ranger Maradan and her great friendship with Toram. Together, the trio is usually tasked with guarding the south-eastern border of the Shire, as well as running errands and messages between Sarn Ford-Bree-Esteldin-Taurdal. She also loves all the hobbit friends she has made while performing her guarding duties. In the fic I also mentioned that even if her ranger duties are not exactly the life she would have completely wanted, her people have to carry on so that others like her sister can have families and futures. The dunedain who become rangers don’t have great life expectancy since the job is incredibly dangerous, but she will carry on. So, I can say in this aspect it is a theme of self-sacrifice.
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Her character arc reaches the climax during the War of the Ring, when she is left behind by the Grey Company, while her friend Toram is not. She is in Oatbarton during the scourging of the Shire and fights side by side with the hobbits of Oatbarton against the invading ruffians. I would also have to mention that her character is tied to those of Melilot and Adamanta Hornblower since they were also friends but that requires me to get into even more detail.
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From the 30 rangers that formed the Grey Company, only very few returned and Toram was not one of them. With the death of Halbarad, the steward of the north and her truest friend Toram, Sidhen is left in a vulnerable position. All the experience and knowledge she acquired in her years of servitude make her an excellent candidate for a position of leadership within the dunedain ranks, but her character has never been about becoming someone from no one, hers has always been about impacting those around you, protecting what you love, sacrifice.
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I would like to think that Aragorn rewarded the loyalty and courage she has shown all this years by allowing her to finally retire from being a ranger and settle near the borders of the Shire for good. No more fighting, no more pain. Just abiding by hobbit philosophy of nurturing and loving your home and your surroundings.