Although I am a big fan of the conventional favourites like Aragorn and Boromir, I have also developed a big admiration for the character whom I feel is the most overlooked, undervalued and unloved of the Company - Legolas. I would also like to point out that Legolas was my favourite even before I watched the movie with the decidedly gorgeous Orlando Bloom portraying our favourite Woodland Elf (OFWE).

Legolas may not have as large a rôle as some others in the Fellowship, but I still regard him as a critical member of the Fellowship with a significant role to play. Legolas is a true team-player who does not have ego or a problem subsuming his individuality for the greater good of the group.

Colloquially speaking, he is undoubtedly the coolest member of the Fellowship. Truly a renaissance elf - he sings, is handy with a bow and arrow, can do damage with a knife where necessary, leaps lightly over snow, notices when no one else does that poor Sam is injured, is keen-sighted, doesn't require rest (can walk while sleeping), can ride a horse without saddle and reins, overcomes his prejudices and befriends a dwarf, is unquestioningly loyal to the Fellowship (would walk the Paths of the Dead) and NEVER complains. The closest thing to a whinge I can recall from Legolas is when he says: "I don't want to go into Moria" or something like that - and who can possibly blame him for that?

People who diss Legolas

When I read LOTR for the first time in 2001, I was completely enspelled and am now a fan. I saw the teaser at the cinema (the part where the Fellowship are coming over the mountain and the camera rests for a moment on Legolas and he's looking all magical and intriguing). On the basis of that moment, I asked a Tolkien fan about him and he said: "Oh that's Legolas - he's an elf and just there to make up numbers".

In reading LOTR while I agree that Legolas was there to represent the Elves - I think it's wronging he and Gimli to say that they're just there to make up numbers.

Nonetheless, dismissing Legolas as just being there to "make up the numbers" appears to be a common theme. For instance, take a look at the Hall of Fire discussion chat archives over at TheOneRing.net on the instance when they discussed Legolas: http://www.theonering.net/barlimans/hall_logs/072200.html

"legolas was important but he wasnt vital"

"Important, but not a primary figure in the scheme of things"

"yes he was Leowyn...but I still think he was one of the least important of the Nine Walkers"

"Tolkien says he accomplished the least of the nine."

"Tolkien himself said he figured least into the equation of all the Fellowship"

Hmm, and the most heart-breaking of them all was:

well I think we can safely assume from this conversation that Legolas, while a good character, wasn't integral to the story...there are just a handful of incidents in which he proved especially useful!

On top of that, I'm kind of fed up with people always going on and on about how Legolas was one of the lower tier elves. I mean isn't that an incredibly feudal way of thinking???

One point, Legolas is NOT a lower tier elf. First of all he's a prince. Second of all, the leaders of the Mirkwood elves are clearly described as Sindarin elves.

The "tier" of elves seems to go: High Elves (those who have seen the light of the two trees in Aman) which are made up of Vanyar, Noldor and Teleri.

Then there's the Sindarin elves (those who set out for Aman with the "soon to be" High Elves but got bored part way through and stayed in Middle Earth (all from the "Teleri" group).

Finally there are the great bulk of the rest of them, called the Sylvan. They refused to journey to Aman.

Now, Legolas' Dad was Thranduil who was also a Sindarin elf and was a "kinsman" to Elwe Singollo (the High Elf leader of the Teleri) who did go to Aman but came back to lead the Sindar in Middle Earth and changed his name to Thingol (he was Luthien's Dad and therefore Elrond's Great, Great, Great Grandfather).

So Legolas has some pretty serious Elvish connections. There is evidence to suggest that Thranduil was alive during the First Age and it is reasonable to assume that given Elves are immortal, Legolas may also have been alive in the First Age (living in Doriath). That's no "lower tier" elf !

Also, for those who regard Legolas as a pansy or for those who have condemned the 'movie' version of Legolas for standing up to Boromir at the Council of Elrond - don't forget that Legolas is not a creampuff. While he may not be a macho testosterone, chest-beating hunk of a man, he is fiercely loyal to his friends. Don't forget how he confronts Eomer (who is surrounded by an army of testosterone-anti-orc Rohirrim soldiers):

"He stands not alone", said Legolas, bending his bow and fitting an arrow with hands that moved quicker than sight. "You would die before your stroke fell".

For me, Legolas is the quintessential nice guy. Or nice elf. People just haven't valued his contribution.

He may not have performed an individual act of heroism or committed an act that was pivotal in terms of the storyline - but I think he was a big factor in maintaining esprit de corps. He pretty much stays positive and loyal throughout the whole book.

It is best to look to Tolkien's own descriptions of Legolas to obtain a better picture of OFWE and below is my tribute to Legolas, who like Faramir, is a Quiet Achiever.

Orlando Bloom Media