sarahthecoat reblogged
Elrond Peredhel! 1/?
sarahthecoat reblogged
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 (𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟏-𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟑)
𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟐
sarahthecoat reblogged
Elrond Peredhel! 2/?
sarahthecoat reblogged
Happy October 24th to all who celebrate!
(2025 tolkien diaries available here!)
sarahthecoat reblogged
THE HOT MEDIEVAL & FANTASY MEN MELEE
FIRST ROUND: 40th Tilt
King Henry V Plantagenet, Henry V (1944) VS. Elrond Half-elven, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
Propaganda
King Henry V Plantagenet, Henry V (1944) Portrayed by: Laurence Olivier Defeated Opponents: - Saruman Curunír [Christopher Lee], The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
“No man should be able to pull off the Lancastrian bowl cut and YET. Olivier in this role was formative for me. He is so attentive, spread out on that prop throne on that replica stage in what could be thought of as a lounge if it weren't for that coiled, pardine alertness. Similar alertness is on display in his wooing of the Princess Catherine, which I find charming. The wordless groan after the over-excited first word of his French sentence is every language-learner's experience. Also there is the horseback riding. And the voice, and the hands, and the jawline. It's all a lot.”
Elrond Half-elven, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003) Portrayed by: Hugo Weaving Defeated Opponents: - Elrond Half-Elven [Robert Aramayo], The Rings of Power (2022-)
"Elrond is arguably THE wisest guy around. Elrond knows what to do. Everybody knows that, which is why EVERYONE comes to Elrond for advice. That in itself is pretty sexy. On top of all that, could they possibly have cast him better? Like Hugo Weaving is so… otherworldly looking. He really excellently encapsulates how the elves are supposed to look neither old nor young. And if possible, he only looks better in The Hobbit?"
Additional Propaganda Under the Cut
sarahthecoat reblogged
@lotr20 | Day 6 ↳ Healing: Aragorn in the Houses of Healing
Aragorn went first to Faramir, and then to the Lady Éowyn, and last to Merry. When he had looked on the faces of the sick and seen their hurts he sighed. 'Here I must put forth all such power and skill as is given to me,' he said. 'Would that Elrond were here, for he is the eldest of all our race, and has the greater power.'
you all get it
sarahthecoat reblogged
THE LORD OF THE RINGS set design appreciation: ― Arwen's chamber
sarahthecoat reblogged
Rereading the hobbit after reading Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion for the first time is unlocking special new emotions that I cannot describe. They’re close to EXU Calamity emotions, but so much stronger.
The Hobbit introduces Elrond like this. “The master of the house was an elf-friend—one of those people whose fathers came into the strange stories before the beginning of History, the wars of the evil goblins and the elves and the first men in the North. In those days of our tale there were still some people who had both elves and heroes of the North for ancestors, and Elrond the master of the house was their chief.”
It’s vague and it sets the scene. It’s enough.
But like, that’s the Silmarillion right there! “wars of the evil goblins”, you mean the war against Morgoth? The battle of sudden flame, the fall of Gondolin, Fingolfin’s duel, every high king and kinslaying and death contained in a line. Elrond’s ancestors aren’t just some “elves and heroes of the north”, they are Beren and Luthien and Melian and Earendil! No one but Tolkien knew back then, but they did happen and they did matter!
The Silmarillion is out there now though, and so many people have read it. I read it. Maedhros and Maglor’s kidnap family mattered. Elros and Numenor mattered. There used to be a continent called Beleriand and a dog that talked three times and entirely too many grandchildren of Finwe. And it’s all gone now.
What’s left? Well, there’s two swords in a troll cave. There’s a wandering Maia with a fun hat. There’s a shiny stone that feels suspicious now, even though I know Tolkien wouldn’t have put a silmaril into a story so casually. Lastly, there’s Elrond, and he’s as kind as summer.
Elrond is as kind as summer.
sarahthecoat reblogged
Anonymous asked:
What do you think Sauron’s opinion of Elrond was?
There’s a line in Two Towers (I think) I was going to look up to answer this, except I got lazy, where Gollum says Sauron hates something and Frodo responds like “What doesn’t he hate?”
So I’m going to go out on a limb and say Sauron hates Elrond.
But to actually contribute something not obvious to the conversation, I think of all his biggest adversaries, he is most likely to underestimate Elrond.
Elrond’s influence is huge but we only see him give his advice to those who came to him voluntarily, he hides away but not so well he can’t be found in need. He’s a healer, not a warrior or a king, and he doesn’t have the ambition Galadriel has.
Heir of Luthien? Hate that. Uses his power to influence events mainly by being a well of knowledge and a safe place to weather storms? Sauron doesn’t understand that.
Elrond ultimately defeats Sauron by raising children with love, helping those in need, not seeking power and giving solid advice. He puts together the fellowship, but doesn’t even put his name on it, he helps everyone there see what has to be done by letting them suggest options and showing them how those ideas are infeasible, and making sure everyone has the whole story. He takes advice as well, he sends Pippin instead of Glorfindel at Gandalf’s suggestion. He gently refuses to let the fellowship swear an oath.
One of my favorite moments from the council of Elrond is when they’re like “Who will do this task” and Elrond goes quiet. It is NOT because he doesn’t know who would be best for it. But he knows Frodo has to choose on his own, he cannot force him, or what little hope they have will be gone. The MOMENT Frodo says he’ll do it, Elrond says he is the only person who can, but he doesn’t lay that on him until he is committed.
If everyone had rolled up to Rivendell and Elrond had just said “you nine go drop the ring in Mt doom” and sent the same exact people? The fellowship would have failed, because the understanding wouldn’t have been there. Elrond handled that council to perfection, and that is the kind of passive power based in understanding that is sooooo vital to the downfall of Sauron, but which Sauron does not value or comprehend.
The people that scare Sauron are people who want the ring. He is 100% confident that without the power of the ring, he cannot be beaten, and the fact that middle earth would fall to darkness even if Galadriel or Gandalf took it is pretty weak recompense for him if he is defeated.
Elrond never even entertains the idea that he would take the ring (at least in our view). Every bearer of an Elven Ring (and Aragorn) is offered it. Gandalf first when Frodo first learns what it is, and he tells us what he would do with it and why it would be a bad idea. Galadriel most famously, and she had literally dreaded the idea of the ring coming through Lothlorien because she knew she wanted it, and famously refusing it was a trial for her.
There is no moment when Elrond is DIRECTLY offered the Ring by Frodo. But the entire first half of the book the goal is “get the Ring to Rivendell” where Elrond will know what to do with it, and it will be safe. In the beginning the hobbits have no concept of going further than that- so basically the idea is “put the Ring in Elrond’s power” for the first half of the book.
And Frodo arrives half dead to Rivendell, completely alone and vulnerable, and Elrond heals him, and never is there even discussion of whether Elrond could have taken it from him then, or if he was tempted to. The only thing Elrond says on the topic of the Ring being given to him is that Rivendell cannot keep it safe from the Enemy.
Taking the Ring to Minas Tirith clearly the equivalent of giving the Ring to Denethor. Galadriel clearly fears that the Ring coming to Lothlorien will be her downfall because it will be in her power and she knows she wants it.
Elrond is never shown even considering taking it. The Ring staying in Rivendell would be bad according to him because they could not withstand Sauron’s full force bent towards extracting it. Even in this scenario where the Ring remains in Rivendell, Elrond discounts a possibility that he would be tempted to use it to keep Sauron out.
Sauron is physically incapable of thinking of someone like that as a threat, it is his biggest weakness, and that’s why the plan Elrond facilitates is the one that ultimately takes him out.
sarahthecoat reblogged
Someone point where it says making the choice of the Peredhel changes your body, senses or physiology, in any way.
So I encounter the opinion that there is an inherent physical difference between half-elves who choose the doom of elves, and those who choose the doom of men.
And I am here to say: Why do we think that?
sarahthecoat reblogged
A gift for a friend from all the way back when Gaia Online was a relevant thing
At their request Glorfindel (left), Elrond (middle), and Erestor (right)
(Click for a better view/ to see details better)
sarahthecoat reblogged
More unnumbered tears
I’m rereading the Lord of the Rings for the umpteenth time. As with the Silmarillion, it seems, with each reading, I find something new to think about (or cry about, as in this case.) The departure of the Fellowship from Rivendell has always been a very moving scene for me to read–more so after I read the Silmarillion and realised just why Elrond was so adamant about no one swearing an oath. I’ve always loved the exchange he has with Gimli about it. But today the words struck me again and I realised I had missed the nuances of another phrase of great significance in one of Elrond’s answers to Gimli.
“… No oath or bond is laid on you to go further than you will. For you do not know the strength of your hearts, and you cannot foresee what each may meet upon the road.” “Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens,” said Gimli. “Maybe,” said Elrond, “but let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.” “Yet sworn word may strengthen quaking heart,” said Gimli. “Or break it,” said Elrond.
Now every other time I have read this (post reading the Silmarillion) I’ve focused on Elrond’s mentioning oaths and his response to Gimli’s second comment about oaths breaking hearts–because he actually saw that happen, he lived and was raised for a time by Elves whose hearts were broken by an Oath and he saw how things ended for Maedhros and Maglor. I kind of skimmed by the first comment he made to Gimli previously, I suppose. But today it just stopped me in my tracks. Because of course–they experienced the ultimate ‘nightfall’–the destruction of the trees–before they traveled to the darkness of Middle Earth in pursuit of Morgoth. I really don’t know how I’ve missed the overwhelming significance of this phrase every other time I’ve read it. So once again, I’ve found a way to cry about dead First Age Elves without even actively reading the Silmarillion. So–off to blast some Blind Guardian and wallow in First Age angst.
sarahthecoat reblogged
When Elrond learned the choice of his daughter …
… he was silent, though his heart was grieved and found the doom long feared none the easier to endure. But when Aragorn came again to Rivendell he called him to him, and he said:
‘‘My son, years come when hope will fade, and beyond them little is clear to me. And now a shadow lies between us. Maybe, it has been appointed so, that by my loss the kingship of Men may be restored. Therefore, though I love you, I say to you: Arwen Undómiel shall not diminish her life’s grace for less cause. She shall not be the bride of any Man less than the King of both Gondor and Arnor. To me then even our victory can bring only sorrow and parting – but to you hope of joy for a while. Alas, my son! I fear that to Arwen the Doom of Men may seem hard at the ending.’’
JRR Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, APPENDICES: Annals of the kings and rulers, The Númenórean Kings, Tale of Aragorn and Arwen
sarahthecoat reblogged
Legolas pretty quickly gets in the habit of venting about his travelling companions in Elvish, so long as Gandalf & Aragorn aren’t in earshot they’ll never know right?
Then about a week into their journey like
Legolas: *in Elvish, for approximately the 20th time* ugh fucking hobbits, so annoying
Frodo: *also in Elvish, deadpan* yeah we’re the worst
Legolas:
~*~earlier~*~
Legolas: ugh fucking hobbits
Merry: Frodo what’d he say
Frodo: I’m not sure he speaks a weird dialect but I think he’s insulting us. I should tell him I can understand Elvish
Merry: I mean you could do that but consider
Merry: you can only tell him ONCE
Frodo: Merry. You’re absolutely right. I’ll wait.
Legolas: umm well your accent is horrible
Aragorn: *hollering from a distance* HIS ACCENT IS BETTER THAN YOURS LEGOLAS YOU SILVAN HICK
Frodo: :)
Frodo: Hello. My name is Frodo. I am a Hobbit. How are you?
Legolas: y’alld’ve’ff’ve
Frodo, crying: please I can’t understand what you’r saying
wizard-guff
Ok, but Frodo didn’t just learn out of a book. He learned like… Chaucerian Elvish. So actually:
Frodo: Good morrow to thee, frend. I hope we twain shalle bee moste excellente companions.
Legolas: Wots that mate? ‘Ere, you avin’ a giggle? Fookin’ ‘obbits, I sware.
Aragorn: *laughing too hard to walk*
dYinGggGggg…
i mean, honestly it’s amazing the Elves had as many languages and dialects as they did, considering Galadriel (for example) is over seven thousand years old.
english would probably have changed less since Chaucer’s time, if a lot of our cultural leaders from the thirteenth century were still alive and running things.
they’ve had like. seven generations since the sun happened, max. frodo’s books are old to him, but outside any very old poetry copied down exactly, the dialect represented in them isn’t likely to be older than the Second Age, wherein Aragorn’s foster-father Elrond started out as a very young adult and grew into himself, and Legolas’ father was born.
so like, three to six thousand years old, maybe, which is probably a drop in the bucket of Elvish history judging by all the ethnic differentiation that had time to develop before Ungoliant came along, even if we can’t really tell because there weren’t years to count, before the Trees were destroyed.
plus a lot of Bilbo’s materials were probably directly from Elrond, whose library dates largely from the Third Age, probably, because he didn’t establish Imladris until after the Last Alliance. and Elrond isn’t the type to intentionally help Bilbo learn the wrong dialect and sound sillier than can be helped, even if everyone was humoring him more than a little.
so Frodo might sound hilariously formal for conversational use (though considering how most Elves use Westron he’s probably safe there) and kind of old-fashioned, but he’s not in any danger of being incomprehensible, because elves live on such a ridiculous timescale.
to over-analyse this awesome and hilarious post even more, legolas’ grandfather was from linguistically stubborn Doriath and their family is actually from a somewhat different, higher-status ethnic background than their subjects.
so depending on how much of a role Thranduil took in his upbringing (and Oropher in his), Legolas may have some weird stilted old-fashioned speaking tics in his Sindarin that reflect a more purely Doriathrin dialect rather than the Doriathrin-influenced Western Sindarin that became the most widely spoken Sindarin long before he was born, or he might have a School Voice from having been taught how to Speak Proper and then lapse into really obscure colloquial Avari dialect when he’s being casual. or both!
considering legolas’ moderately complicated political position, i expect he can code-switch.
…it’s also fairly likely considering the linguistic politics involved that Legolas is reasonably articulate in Sindarin, though with some level of accent, but knows approximately zero Quenya outside of loanwords into Sindarin, and even those he mostly didn’t learn as a kid.
which would be extra hilarious when he and gimli fetch up in Valinor in his little homemade skiff, if the first elves he meets have never been to Middle Earth and they’re just standing there on the beach reduced to miming about what is the short beard person, and who are you, and why.
this is elvish dialects and tolkien, okay. there’s a lot of canon material! he actually initially developed the history of middle-earth specifically to ground the linguistic development of the various Elvish languages!
Legolas: Alas, verily would I have dispatched thine enemy posthaste, but y’all’d’ve pitched a feckin’ fit.
Aragorn: *eyelid twitching*
Frodo: *frantically scribbling* Hang on which language are you even speaking right now
Pippin, confused: Is he not speaking Elvish?
Frodo, sarcastically: I dunno, are you speaking Hobbit?
Boromir, who has been lowkey pissed-off at the Hobbits’ weird dialect this whole time: That’s what it sounds like to me.
Merry, who actually knows some shit about Hobbit background: We are actually speaking multiple variants of the Shire dialect of Westron, you ignorant fuck.
Sam, a mere working-class country boy: Honestly y'all could be talkin Dwarvish half the time for all I know.
sainatsukino
Pippin, entering Gondor and speaking to the castle steward: hey yo my man
Boromir, from beyond the grave: j e s u s
Tolkien would be SO PROUD of this post
It got better
sarahthecoat reblogged
Many others of Elrond’s household stood in the shadows and watched them go, bidding them farewell with soft voices. There was no laughter, and no song or music. At last they turned away and faded silently into the dusk.
They crossed the bridge …
… and wound slowly up the long steep paths that led out of the cloven vale of Rivendell.
And they came at length to the high moor where the wind hissed through the heather. Then with one glance at the Last Homely House twinkling below them they strode away far into the night.
At the Ford of Bruinen they left the Road and turning southwards went on by narrow paths among the folded lands. Their purpose was to hold this course west of the Mountains for many miles and days.
JRR Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Ring goes South