“He then pointed out and named those whom Frodo had not met before. There was a younger dwarf at Gloin’s side: his son Gimli. Beside Glorfindel there were several other counsellors of Elrond’s household, of whom Erestor was the chief; and with him was Galdor, an Elf from the Grey Havens who had come on an errand from Cı´rdan the Shipwright. There was also a strange Elf clad in green and brown, Legolas, a messenger from his father, Thranduil, the King of
the Elves of Northern Mirkwood. And seated a little apart was a tall man with a fair and noble face, dark-haired and grey-eyed, proud and stern of glance
He is a prominent figure in the first book, he seeks out Aragorn and the hobbits when they are traveling from Bree and he is the one who picks up Frodo and delivers him to Rivendell. As opposed to Arwen doing so in the films
Of all the changes in the film, many of which I think are indefensible, I think that putting Arwen in Glorfindel's spot was a good call.
Tolkien himself despaired that Arwen had nothing to do in the story since she was invented so late in the process, when Luthien who she was meant to be a mirror of has much to do in her own story.
I think that putting her where Glorfindel was, and better yet having her join the Grey Company and not just send a banner, would have done wonders to address that issue. But there was only so much time for Tolkien to tinker with the plot.
I also think that this scene had so many introductions and new characters, to introduce Glorfindel as this super powerful elf who we just never see again would crowd an already crowded scene even more. It's the same with Prince Imrahil. I would have loved to see him, but how to squeeze him into an already packed defence of Gondor?
The piercing red Eye was a real thing in the book!
Far off the shadows of Sauron hung; but torn by some gust of wind out of the world, or else moved by some great disquiet within, the mantling clouds swirled, and for a moment drew aside; and then he saw, rising black, blacker and darker than the vast shades amid which it stood, the cruel pinnacles and iron crown of the topmost tower of Barad-dûr. One moment only it stared out, but as from some great window immeasurably high there stabbed northward a flame of red, the flicker of a piercing Eye; and then the shadows were furled again and the terrible vision was removed. The Eye was not turned to them: it was gazing north to where the Captains of the West stood at bay, and thither all its malice was now bent, as the Power moved to strike its deadly blow; but Frodo at that dreadful glimpse fell as one stricken mortally.
Unnamed "Coronation-attending" Elven Warrior, probably Gildor (Sandro Kopp is the actor that was casted for Gildor, but his scenes got eliminated; he remained at the set as a statist).
When I read this I took it more to be directly the physical eye of Sauron, flaming red, looking north out of a window rather than the movies portrayal of a Giant floating eye ontop of the tower
Andy Serkis is good too. I like both versions for different reasons. I find Andy changes his voice quite a bit for each character which makes them easy to distinguish even before the book tells us who's talking.
And most egregiously Golrfindel doesn't ride with him on the last dash. If they left that as Frodo's moment I would not have had any issue switching the characters. But that is the last of a long line of removing Frodo's heroics (from that movie)
I mean he’s only in like one or two chapters at the very end of the first book, I wouldn’t exactly consider him a prominent figure but he’s definitely much more prominent than in the movies
If memory serves, they were originally different characters, then Tolkien later decided that LOTR Glorfindel was the same character as the Silmarillion. The self sacrifice and nobility of his character caused the Valar to release his soul and he was sent back to ME.
“Also very notable is 'Glorfindel tells of his ancestry in Gondolin.' Years later, long after the publication ofThe Lord of the Rings, my father gave a great deal of thought to the matter of Glorfindel, and at that time he wrote: '[The use of Glorfindel] in The Lord of the Rings is one of the cases of the somewhat random use of the names found in the older legends, now referred to as The Silmarillion, which escaped reconsideration in the final published form of The Lord of the Rings.' He came to the conclusion that Glorfindel of Gondolin, who fell to his death in combat with a Balrog after the sack of the city (II.192 - 4, IV.145), and Glorfindel of Rivendell were one and the same: he was released from Mandos and returned to Middle-earth in the Second Age.”
Yes! That legendary elf! In the books he has more of a role after the attack at Weathertop. He doesn't accompany the Fellowship as he would draw too much attention.
It's cause he exists in both life and death at the same time. Like ya he could deal with anything sauron sends at him but he is only one man and can still be overwhelmed, by the sheer number of saurons forces like what happens to them at the end of the fellowship. Him being there would just mean something like that could have easly happened earlier
He isn't chosen because Gandalf argues that the point of the company is to provide support (guides and most particularly moral support) to the Ring-bearer, and to that aim the close friendship brought by Merry and Pippin is so much more important than whatever Glorfindel would add.
That's explicitly the reason given for that choice. The "Glorfindel is a beacon" idea is fanon at best, and isn't even supported by the text as he was sent as scout to escort Frodo (whose location should remain as secret as possible) to Rivendell, and Gandalf implicitly says that he would have been an option were it not for Merry and Pippin's friendship with Frodo.
Nowhere is it said that Glorfindel draws more attention than Gandalf, who is a part of the Company. And it isn't like having a presence in the Unseen means you become a homing beacon. For how we're shown the Unseen, vision within it works just like the Seen: a Nazgûl walking around has no more chance to spot Glorfindel behind him, behind a wall or 5 leagues away than an Orc has to spot Aragorn.
I am going to assume this is a joke, because its sort of baffling to suggest that you are fully aware of Glorfindel's history but have not read the Fellowship of the Ring.
The reason he didn't try to solo the whole thing is because he was so powerful that Sauron would be able to easily locate him and would send entire armies and all the Nazguls after him.
Yeah, he initially volunteered to guide Frodo I think but they were like "no, you're too powerful and will be a beacon with all that aura. This mission is a secret, we can't send our best. Legolas you go."
Were Elladan and Elrohir part of the council they could account for two more elves + Glorfindel. Though it seems like there are more men in this photo than there should be and Bilbo is missing for some reason. Perhaps some of the men are Dunedian of higher rank.
They just thought dudes with beards look cool, I wish they did more elves. The sons of Elrond should definitely be there, they got assigned a top secret mission (that almost certainly included a stop in Lothlorien) right after the council, they're in the circle of trust.
I as well always assumed they were supposed to be high ranking Dunedain. But I feel like I read somewhere in the script they were supposed to be Men who had come from the City of Dale?
I want a movie or show with cirdan and tom bombadil...not together or anything just they seem to be the most badass who have basically nothing said about them
Yes, the book specifically mentions Gloin being there
"‘Very well, very well, Master Elrond!’ said Bilbo suddenly. ‘Say no more! It is plain enough what you are pointing at. Bilbo the silly hobbit started this affair, and Bilbo had better finish it, or himself. I was very comfortable here, and getting on with my book. If you want to know, I am just writing an ending for it. I had thought of putting: and he lived happily ever afterwards to the end of his days. It is a good ending, and none the worse for having been used before. Now I shall have to alter that: it does not look like coming true; and anyway there will evidently have to be several more chapters, if I live to write them. It is a frightful nuisance. When ought I to start?’
Boromir looked in surprise at Bilbo, but the laughter died on his lips when he saw that all the others regarded the old hobbit with grave respect. Only Glóin smiled, but his smile came from old memories."
I know that and you know that but the imaginary people who believe Gimli is a bit sus don’t know that, so we get this chance to make jokes for them that otherwise wouldn’t really make much sense.
Originally, all except the speaking characters were random extras with no significance. But early on, most were identified by the trading card game, and those name have stuck. Some of these names belong to book characters, others are purely invented. From left to right:
Thorin III Stonehelm - a canonical character who was definitely not present at the Council in the book. It's highly doubtful that the movie intended for that extra to be him either, as his inclusion would have been quite notable.
Fror, Gimli's Kinsman - notably, he's not even a separate character. That's just Gimli's scale double whose photos were repurposed by the game - there are only 4 dwarves at the Council in the movie.
A white-bearded dwarf shown arriving with them earlier but not present at the Council itself was also identified as Gloin. This one might actually have been intended by filmmakers, as he ended up looking remarkably close to how Gloin looked in The Hobbit films.
And finally, Figwit, who is important enough to have a whole Wikipedia page about him. Fans gave him a joke name after noticing him in a single shot, this spiraled into an entire fan obsession in the early internet. By sheer coincidence, out of all random extras this one was played by Bret McKenzie, who would go on to become famous completely independent from The Lord of the Rings. In 2003, he was called back for the pick-ups for The Return of the King and given a minor speaking role only because Peter Jackson became aware of the internet phenomenon around Figwit. Since that could not be his proper Elven name, the card game named him Aegnor. Later, he appeared in The Hobbit and was established as Lindir, a canonical Tolkien character.
In the middle ages merchants were very powerful and wealthy, many were also politicians and sat at local councils. When a king wanted a loan, they went to merchants. Maybe the King of Dale sent him as an emissary because merchants would often travel and have wide connections and would be experienced diplomats
Humble brag, but I've performed on stage with the actor who plays Járnsmid many times, John Govier. It's always a nice moment when I re-watch the Fellowship extended edition.
I was able to get a game in last month with my brother, but he's the only one who I can play eith and its only one or twice a year, had a large friend group who all played in High School but they've moved all over the country
Random unnamed important dudes (in the movie). In the book, they're all listed and there's a whole lot of debate between them. The chapters covering the Council at Elrond's happen to be my favourites from the first book, they're very rich in lore.
That’s Gomley, Gamley, Ganley, Glomley, Gibley, Jeff, Geoff, Jeoff, Geff, Armolas and Sauron(not the evil one. It was just a popular name when he was born)
I have no idea who the bearded men are supposed to be. To my knowledge it’s nowhere suggested that any men aside from Aragorn and Boromir were at the council. Unless they’re supposed to be bearded elves?
It’s implied that Gloín and Gimli were representing the interests of both Erebor and Dale given that Gloín was the one who gave the story of the Black Rider coming to Dale. Remember that no one traveled to Rivendell for the council, it was just a “chance” meeting. Glórin went merely to warn Bilbo that the Enemy was looking for his Ring.
Yeah, in the movies they change it to a planned meeting in which the participants were explicitly summoned there by Elrond. I wonder if Peter Jackson or the producers were worried that audiences would scoff at the pile of coincidences (despite that being the point: it was fate).
I guess in the movie continuity, the extra dwarves and men are just councilors who accompanied Boromir, Gimli, and Gloin as part of their delegations. So I think the answer genuinely is "this is no one important to the story."
And presumably were stuck in the house of Elrond! With Saruman a traitor, the mountain pass impossible, and Moria being Moria, there was literally no way for them to go home. There are worse places to be trapped at least.
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u/AmbiguousAnonymous 1d ago
Real answer:
“He then pointed out and named those whom Frodo had not met before. There was a younger dwarf at Gloin’s side: his son Gimli. Beside Glorfindel there were several other counsellors of Elrond’s household, of whom Erestor was the chief; and with him was Galdor, an Elf from the Grey Havens who had come on an errand from Cı´rdan the Shipwright. There was also a strange Elf clad in green and brown, Legolas, a messenger from his father, Thranduil, the King of
the Elves of Northern Mirkwood. And seated a little apart was a tall man with a fair and noble face, dark-haired and grey-eyed, proud and stern of glance