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Mitasova
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 103
Location: Russia
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 Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 4:04 pm Post subject: Why Legolas? |
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This is the quiestion that bothered me since the FotR movie's come out and the Legolas brouhaha unleashed. I've never felt much for the character in the book and the movies didn't change my opinion, and every time I see someone on the net speaking passionately about their favourite Elf or posting yet another Lego-fic, this quiestion returns:
Why, sister, WHY?
Now, this is not by any means an attempt to diss Lego-fans, who have a perfect right to like whatever character they find interesting. I'm honestly trying to understand what in the name of all things blond *is* so interesting about him?
Talk to me, folks!
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Tanya |
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Panneth
Joined: 10 Jun 2003
Posts: 0
Location: Manchester/London
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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My fascination with Legolas is two-fold. One, Orlando Bloom, which I think is self-explanitory, and two Tolkien never wrote too much about him. I'd feel guilty writing so deeply about another character because I'd end up changing canon and I kick myself whenever I do that and cringe at some of my mistakes in previous fics. Tolkien never told us when he was born, how many siblings he had, who his mother was, what he did when not on the LotR journey... It's much easier to create a character of your own with the bare framework Tolkien gives than have to stick to more established set of rules. At least that's my opinion.
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Thuriniel
Joined: 29 Jul 2003
Posts: 665
Location: Watching the purple sky fly over me ...
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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Putting looks aside ...
1. Not a lot is known about him which makes him a good fanfic subject.
2. Doesn't have a wife that we know of which makes him a good romance subject.
3. He is an elf, and I find elves fascinating, and if they're wood-elves, even better.
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Viv
Challenge Admin
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Posts: 71
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 4:23 pm Post subject: |
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| He's the prettiest member of the World-Famous Fellowship, romantically unattached, emotionally undamaged, apparently a decent singer (i.e., that bit about Nimrodel), and fabulously politically correct (even befriends dwarves, if you can imagine). So, in short: We love Leggo because he's a 3rd-age rock star. |
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sindohte
Joined: 13 May 2003
Posts: 1621
Location: Rubbing up against an Elf
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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He is the ultimate blank slate upon which hordes of adoring fans can project their fantasies. And as was noted earlier, the fact that there is not a great deal of information written about Legolas allows fanfic writers to allow their imaginations to run free with the potential romances and adventures that our beloved Mirkwood Elf might encounter.
Aragorn for example, is a totally different story. The writer is already constrained by the fact that Aragorn will become the leader of the Fellowship, eventually become king, and then will marry Arwen. Any deviation made from this formula automatically identifies a story as AU vs. a story about Legolas getting married, which would be considered filling in a blank area of the canon.
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abandon thought, and let the dream descend... |
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Maram68
Challenge Admin
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 535
Location: West from East
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Viv wrote: | | He's the prettiest member of the World-Famous Fellowship, romantically unattached, emotionally undamaged, apparently a decent singer (i.e., that bit about Nimrodel), and fabulously politically correct (even befriends dwarves, if you can imagine). So, in short: We love Leggo because he's a 3rd-age rock star. |
OH YES OH YES OH YES
For me it is because Legolas is the most non-elvish elf of all. He is the elf closest to human among all elves.
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BittenBuggy
Joined: 27 Dec 2003
Posts: 2108
Location: Busy Being the Queen Of Everything.. And Trying to Catch the Yoda-Copter
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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O-R-L-A-N-D-O B-L-O-O-M....
Sorry, but its true. Hordes of screaming fanteens (And a BB) flocked to the movie because of him. And then those same hordes of screaming fanteens got on the net, figured out they could write Orlando Bloom with blond hair and blue eyes and make him have sex with Treebeard. Thus, the concept of Legolas-worship was formed! 
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Anna
Joined: 29 Jan 2004
Posts: 548
Location: Sweden
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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He is a mystery and therefore much more fun to play with... 
Combine it with the fact that he´s a hero AND an elf! Oh my, it doesn´t get any better, does it?!
I know; I´m a PEF... |
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Panneth
Joined: 10 Jun 2003
Posts: 0
Location: Manchester/London
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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I remember sitting in the cinema for the first time and watching Legolas ride up to Rivendell (using a saddle, but that's not the point) and I remember thinking that elves were meant to enchant mortals and boy had they got it right!
When I went to see the 2 EE at Christmas it was very scary because I relived the experience all over again. Only this time I had to be restrained from making loud comments about elves on saddles. My housemate threatened to disown me if I made any noise, except very quiet squealing, during the film.
And that was a random aside on my life...
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Anna
Joined: 29 Jan 2004
Posts: 548
Location: Sweden
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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I find elves on saddles disturbing too... 
Maybe Orlando Bloom is an elf? I sure am enchanted by him!  |
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Mitasova
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 103
Location: Russia
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | My fascination with Legolas is two-fold. One, Orlando Bloom, which I think is self-explanitory |
Actually, for me, it's not. I admit, I don't know anything about the man, aside from the fact that his acting is mediocre at best. After the FotR, I was willing to give him a shot seeing that he didn't have much material to act out. After PotC, I was still meh. I didn't bother to see the Troy.
| Quote: | | He's the prettiest member of the World-Famous Fellowship |
Well if you ask me, when it comes to sheer prettiness, Elijah Wood takes the cake. That's a matter of opinion, of course.
| Quote: | | He is the ultimate blank slate upon which hordes of adoring fans can project their fantasies. |
If that's not bingo, then it's pretty damn close, I think. And it's weird. For me, in order for character to be engaging, he/she must have, well, personality. Otherwise, he's not interesting enough to write about. When I asked my quiestion, I thought that maybe I'm overlooking something, some captivating trait that others are able to see. I've never considered that the very thing that turns me off the character, the lack of personality, might actually be an attraction.
That's odd.
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Tanya |
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Panneth
Joined: 10 Jun 2003
Posts: 0
Location: Manchester/London
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Anna wrote: | | I find elves on saddles disturbing too... |
Are you just humouring me? Hmmm
Sorry, I must apologise for leading this thread very off-topic. I am sorry.
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sindohte
Joined: 13 May 2003
Posts: 1621
Location: Rubbing up against an Elf
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Mitasova wrote: | | sindohte wrote: | | ]He is the ultimate blank slate upon which hordes of adoring fans can project their fantasies. |
If that's not bingo, then it's pretty damn close, I think. And it's weird. For me, in order for character to be engaging, he/she must have, well, personality. Otherwise, he's not interesting enough to write about. When I asked my quiestion, I thought that maybe I'm overlooking something, some captivating trait that others are able to see. I've never considered that the very thing that turns me off the character, the lack of personality, might actually be an attraction.
That's odd.
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To clarify the point that I was making when I said that Legolas was a blank slate, I did not saythat he lacked a personality, but rather that he lacked a history. Certainly his personality was not going to come and hit you over the head like that of Gimli's or Merry's, because an Elf by nature would tend to be reserved. Especially an Elf who found himself surrounded by a whole bunch of people from other races.
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abandon thought, and let the dream descend... |
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Anna
Joined: 29 Jan 2004
Posts: 548
Location: Sweden
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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| I am not humouring you, Panneth! I´m dead serious, which is somewhat pathetic, I suppose... |
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Panneth
Joined: 10 Jun 2003
Posts: 0
Location: Manchester/London
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Anna wrote: | | I am not humouring you, Panneth! I´m dead serious, which is somewhat pathetic, I suppose... |
Yay someone to join my campaign!
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~ Emma |
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