lee: if camp was on fire and you could only take one thing, what would you take?
Clarisse: my spear
Percy: the pegasi!
Will: my med bag
Travis: some cash probably
Drew: my clothes
Connor: my books
Malcolm: a nap. i bet it would be pretty warm.
Everyone screaming: MALCOLM, WE'D TAKE MALCOLM!
According to the lay known as “The Fall of Gil-Galad”, upon this elven-king’s death, he was “the last whose realm was fair and free, between the Mountains and the Sea”.
…say what now? Excuse me, dear Middle-earth minstrels, but you seem to have forgotten about THIS GUY:
King Thranduil Oropherion is the Sindarin counterpart of the “High King of the Noldor”, and therefore comparable to the renowned High King Gil-Galad, but is sadly not given the same amount of recognition in stories and songs.
Allow me the honor of “singing” the ways Thranduil is very similar to Gil-Galad:
(1) Both were born in the First Age, and as young elves witnessed the destruction of the cities they lived in: Thranduil in Doriath and Gil-Galad in the Havens of the Falas. They were exposed to war and bloodshed at an early age and experienced living as refugees.
(2) Both survived and possibly participated in the War of Wrath. (You know, that really terrible, bloody, decades-long war that literally broke the world--that war.) According to certain interpretations of the film “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug”, Thranduil likely did fight in the War of Wrath, where he “faced the great serpents of the north”. Elven warriors of the First Age were incredibly fierce warriors out of necessity, and if Thranduil survived those great battles when he was about 150 years old, that makes him extra badass.
(3) Both inherited their kingships from their forefathers. Gil-Galad’s claim to the Noldor throne (like his canon parentage) is a little murky, but he is related to Fingolfin whose line was pretty much wiped out, so only Elrond or Galadriel could have challenged his claim (which they didn’t). Thranduil’s claim is far more direct as the son of the first King of the Woodland Realm and ruler of the Silvan people.
(4) Both were warrior kings. Because canon stories of Thranduil are very sparse, we don’t know for sure which wars he did or didn’t participate in during the Second Age. What DID he do those 2,000+ years while his father was establishing and ruling the realm? Honing his warrior skills seems to be a fair hypothesis. How else would he have developed the deadly skills he exhibited at the Battle of Five Armies? How else would he have kept the foul creatures of Dol Goldur at bay without a magic ring? It’s very possible he’s seen more time on the battlefield than official historical accounts say.
(5) Both fought at the Battle of Dagorlad, during the War of the Last Alliance. Gil-Galad fought hard and valiantly to the end at Mordor, slaying Sauron by his own spear. Because Oropher died at the first onslaught, it was likely that Thranduil had to exit the war early, either to bury his father and their slain soldiers, or because he himself was injured. There may have been enough time for him to rejoin the Alliance at the Siege of Barad-dûr, to avenge his father and salvage his family’s honor and pride. But Thranduil, whom people mistakenly dismiss as arrogant or proud, was a king who valued his people and the soldiers under his command. It would have been easy glory to join the Siege since by then the war had been all but won (and won by the blood of his people, might I add). Thranduil chose to stay with his kin and help them through the loss of their king and many loved ones, and to reassure them that they were in good hands with him as their new ruler.
It’s a big, sad shame that Tolkien was not able to write more stories about Thranduil, his family, and the Mirkwood elves. Based on the theories we, his fans, are able to formulate about him, it seems he may have been the most successful, even most benevolent, Elven ruler of them all. He will just have to get his glory and renown in the “songs” and “lays” of our headcanons and fanfics.
Does anyone know of actors who have a small fandom and without dramas? I'm so tired of Pedro's one 😭 since Tlou it has become even more unbearable and toxic. Like people always fighting about his supposed sexuality, stalking him, this new deepfake video... I can't take it anymore. I still like Pedro, but I'm going to distance myself from this fandom. I want to find one with more calm and fewer fans, I don't care 😅
i feel you omg! i do think every fandom comes with their part of crazy but it will differ according to the size of it.
for ex, the colin farrell fandom is super small but we still have one or two weirdos but it's easy to avoid them because there's not a lot while the pedro fandom is so big that there is consequently more hardcore fans!
i have been enjoying my time in the pedro fandom lately bc i literally do not interact with anyone from the fandom anymore and it's so peaceful, you have no idea haha. i strongly advice you to cut ties to whoever makes you uncomfortable and your mental health will be greatly improved!
Dear Tumblr, is fandom resurgence a thing? Can we start one? I know so many shows, movies and books deserve it, but I just finished watching Halt and Catch Fire for the first time in a good while, and with the current state my life is in that show resonated differently. Here's a little edit I threw together. I'm still getting the hang of making these, and so far, this one is my favorite. P.S. Had to drop the quality due to Tumblr.