"This could be the beginning of a new era for our people. Strength, prosperity…"
Durin to Elrond about Mithril.
Prince Durin IV is one of the main characters of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. He is the ruler of Khazad-dûm alongside his father, King Durin III. Durin is the husband to Disa. Durin IV is portrayed by Owain Arthur, first appearing in the episode "Adrift".
Official Description[]
Prince Durin IV is as dwarven and taciturn in public as one might expect of a dwarf of his stature – but away from strangers’ eyes, he is warm, thoughtful, and boisterous. As heir to the throne of Khazad-dûm, he looks ahead to a time when he can make his mark on the world.
History[]
Early Years[]
Durin was born and raised in Khazad-dûm to the Dwarven King Durin III[1] and his wife. Durin was born with weak lungs and an imperfection that caused his breath to rattle. He wasn't meant to live past the first winter, but every night, the King held his son to the fire and kept his chin up to ease his suffering. One night, he gazed down at the tiny naked face and saw the great gray beard of old Dwarven-king; mighty and terrible as an army with banners. When Durin's mother woke, the King told her that she shouldn't cry anymore, as her son would live and move mountains. Durin's mother eventually died.[2]
During his young adult years, Durin met the Elf Elrond, though their recollections of their meeting varied on who told the story. The only part they both agreed on was that one saved the other from trolls.[3] Subsequently, they shared many memories together. Elrond gifted Durin a sapling derived from the sacred tree of Valinor, which Durin planted in his home at Khazad-dûm.[1]
Over the next twenty years, Durin and Elrond grew apart, with the Elf's visits becoming fewer and far between. Durin met his wife Disa and they had two children together, Gerda and Gamli. Durin began to harbor resentment toward his old friend for not visiting him. This, combined with the Dwarves growing disdain for Elves, fostered a community that closed its doors to the outside world.[1]
Alliance with the Elves[]
Khazad-dûm received an unexpected visit from Elrond and Lord Celebrimbor, who sought to ask the King for Dwarves to help them craft a forger in record time. The gatekeeper turned them away as Elves were not permitted within their walls, but Elrond invoked the Rite of Sigin-tarâg which brought him through the walls alone. He had to follow through with his obligation to pass the Dwarven test of endurance against Durin, or risk banishment from Dwarven territories forever. Durin's cold demeanor surprised his old friend, who went through the test until he chose to put down his hammer and let Durin win.[1]
Durin escorted Elrond to the gate where he vented his frustrations over Elrond not keeping up their friendship over the years. He felt Elrond had abandoned him and was too selfish to see past his own immortality to see how twenty years apart was a long time to a Dwarf. Elrond apologized to Durin and wished to apologize to his family as well, something Durin allowed. He made it clear his friend was to make the apology brief and not stay for dinner. Disa greeted Elrond with a big hug and excitement for the Elf she heard so many stories of. She brushed away his apology and insisted, despite Durin's protests, that Elrond stay for dinner and meet their children.[1]
As he caught up on Durin's life, Elrond began to share the proposal he brought from Lord Celebrimbor, which initially frustrated Durin as he felt used. However, Elrond and Disa convinced him to at least hear out the idea. He presented it to his father the King, who had much hesitation toward the Elf, as he believed there could be no trust between a hammer and a rock - eventually one or the other must break.[1]
Elrond became suspicious of Durin's movements and tracked him to the old mine beneath the Mirrormere, where he learned Durin had the Dwarves secretly mining for a new ore. Durin was initially angered as he believed Elrond was sent to the Dwarves for the ore, but Elrond swore on the stone that he wouldn't tell another soul about the discovery. Durin introduced him to Mithril, an ore that could revolutionzie the Dwarves. His father didn't want it mined because it was dangers. An unexpected cave-in nearly killed three Dwarves, but Disa resonated to the stone and it allowed the miners release unharmed. Durin, upon having heard Elrond's struggle with his father, went to the King and apologized for his transgressions. King Durin insisted his son had nothing to apologize for, but reminded him to trust his intuition. Both of them believed Lord Celebrimbor hid something from them, so Durin was to accept his invitation to Lindon and find out what it was.[3]
Their time in Lindon was not without difficulty, as Durin butted heads with High King Gil-galad, which forced Elrond to play mediator. Durin felt the Elves had committed sacrilege by using a rare Ore to make a dining table, so Gil-galad gifted the table to Durin. Meanwhile, Elrond learned the fate of the Elven race may lie within Mithril as the Great Tree had grown corrupted. He refused to tell his High King about the Ore so as not to betray his oath to Durin. The pair left Eregion for the Misty Mountains, where Elrond confessed the truth to Durin. When he heard the fate of the Eleven race lie in his hands, he cockily agreed to bring the matter to his father. He also admitted he made up the bit about the table - Disa had wanted a new one for a while.[4]
They brought the offer to King Durin III, but the King refused to help the Elves as he believed their demise was written long ago by people wiser than him. Durin was dismayed as his friend is drowning, reaching for Durin to pull him to shore. Durin couldn't swat his hand away because his father worries for a rock fall. King Durin wouldn't risk the fall of Middle-earth for an Elf.[2]
Durin was heartbroken over the decision and spoke with an equally enraged Disa, who wanted to go around the King and approached the council. Durin didn't want to teach their children that the will of a King should be dismissed. Elrond could tell from their faces the King had refused, which led to a tearful Namárië which means "go towards goodness". As Durin and Disa wept for their friend, they witnessed the miracle of mithril and decided to act against the King's orders to secretly excavate the ore themselves.[2]
As they mined, Durin was prepared to share his secret name with Elrond, but Elrond insisted he save it for the far side. They uncovered far more mithril then they imagined, but were stopped by the King who threw Elrond out of Khazad-dûm. Durin argued heatedly with his father where they spoke difficult truths to one another. Durin couldn't understand how he could be expected to move mountains when King Durin fell to pieces when he digs a single hole. He spoke of greatness for his son but suffocated any ambition, desire, and original thought within him. He viewed Elrond as a brother, but the invocation of his mother's name enraged the King, who believed Durin justified his betrayal of his own kind. Durin accused the King of betraying his kind by squandering their future so he could cling to the past, which profaned the crown he wore. The King ripped off Durin's golden crest, thus, disowning him as heir.[2]
Disa comforted her husband over the days events. She didn't blame him, but instead, the King as he had grown too old and dim to realize this will be Durin's kingdom. It will not be his brother's or some other Dwarf-lords, but theirs, together. They would rule this mountain and all others before their time was gone. The mithril belonged to them and together, one day, they will dig.[2]