What Gandalf’s Staff Really Hid in 'The Lord of the Rings' — and the Secret of Arwen’s Sword

One of the things I love most about Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy is how alive the world feels. Every frame is filled with tiny details and hidden meanings — gifts for fans who watch closely.

Gandalf’s Staff Has a Secret

Take Gandalf’s staff, for example. We all remember him with his ever-present pipe. But did you ever notice where he keeps it? If you look carefully in the Isengard scene, the top of his staff is hollow. Later, in Rohan, he casually pulls the pipe out from there — like a blade from a sheath.

I think it’s a brilliant little touch, showing Gandalf not just as a wizard but as a practical wanderer, with every object having its place.

Arwen’s Blade

And it’s not the only hidden detail. In her showdown with the Nazgûl, Arwen wields a slender elven sword crafted just for the film — Hadhafang. On its blade is an inscription in Sindarin that translates to 'a noble defense for a noble lady.' Fitting, since arwen itself means 'noble lady.'

The Echo of Idril

There’s an even deeper layer here. According to the lore created for the films, Hadhafang once belonged to Idril, the elven princess and Arwen’s grandmother. Both women loved a mortal man, both chose fate over immortality.

That connection turns the weapon into a quiet echo of elven history — a detail easy to miss, but one that makes me appreciate the storytelling even more.