Individual sacrifices at the end of each age

[Zigûr]

Hello everyone,

Here's something that I've been contemplating recently. In the struggles of Arda, many sacrifices were made. Is it a recurring device that at the end of each age, a certain individual or individuals had to make a personal sacrifice to bring about the circumstances of the end of the age?

First Age: Eärendil - sacrificed his freedom (?) to plea for aid from the Valar against Morgoth, thus becoming the evening star for the rest of time.

Second Age: Gil-galad and Elendil - sacrificed their lives to slay (yes, slay) Sauron (albeit temporarily) and end the terrible war against Mordor.

Third Age: Frodo - sacrificed his mind to destroy the One Ring.

What do you think? I'm most dubious about the Eärendil one. I don't think my lore on the great Mariner is quite up to scratch. I feel like something ought to be said about Elwing as well.