LOTR question (mild spoiler)

[emprworm]

I was wondering this while watching the first 2 movies:

ok, all the elves are leaving middle earth, and in part 2, arwin has to urgently make a decision to leave because the ships are sailing soon.

what about laegolas? did he join the fellowship thinking he would not be going? why didn't he go with his people?

[Andrew]

he is helping destroy the ring and defend against evil. :P

[IxianMace]

You sure this isn't a spoiler? Anyway...

[hide]Not sure about that, but it's probably got to do with the fact that he's one of the main characters, so I guess they'll just keep him around eh? ;)

It was probably because he wanted to stay and fight with his friends, I mean after the fellowship broke up, Legolas along with Aragon and the dwarf (I forgot his name) :( still chose to go and hunt Orks, didn't they? ;) :)[/hide]

[Andrew]

Gimly (Gimley(?))was dwarf i believe

[Dante]

Gimli.

Edit: Gimli.

Yes, I know it's the same, but I used the wrong colour first time. Silly me. :)

[DarkElf49]

In the books Legolas was one of the last few who set sail to the Undying Lands, he also set out with his best freind Gimli, this was about 75 yearsafter the war of the ring I think. Also I think since he was a dark elf he was one of the last few, but I'm not sure on that...

[Anathema]

They only leave at the end of the book, and I don't believe they planned to leave before the war would be over. Just one of those things they changed.

[emprworm]

so you mean, earthnuker that JR T. origially wrote that they leave at the end of ROTK?

[Anathema]

Yes. Maybe some of them left earlier, I don't recall that though, but Elrond and his elves only left at the end.

[emprworm]

ahhh! Well that P Jackson altered it and see what happens? He leaves me confused! Only JR T's version would have not left me with unanswered questions. I guess JR T's version was the better one :)

[IxianMace]

Well with movies, it's probably a safe bet that they won't follow exactly according to a book that they were based upon, if they did happen to be based upon one (or many).

[Anathema]

Well I'm glad though that Jackson left out the part about Tom Bombadil.

That's when they travel through a forest wich harrasses them and they run into some hippie gardener who saves them. I think Tolkien was high when he wrote that :)

[Dude_Doc]

The only real question I have been wondering about is why do they leave? Well, to actually make this question sence, we would have to consider these things:

1. That the ships sail to another country on the same planet.

2. That the ships do not leave in some warp gate.

3. That Sauron has the power of conquering a whole planet, at least.

Sure, maybe the new land is big and peaceful, but that's just it. If we consider these things, where will they run when the ox (:P) finally gets the abillity to build boats and ships? I mean, if the elves all leave, and the rest are left to the doom, Sauron will first conquer Middle-Earth, but when he finally gets enough power, he will surely try to conquer the whole planet, or am I wrong?

Anyways, maybe the elves makes some magical storm outside their new land, so that no one can get to them or something, I don't know. And besides this, why don't they defeat Sauron once and for all, so that everyone can live in peace? Seems so strange...

[emprworm]

good questions....anyone know the answers?

[Terror]

Well I'm glad though that Jackson left out the part about Tom Bombadil.

That's when they travel through a forest wich harrasses them and they run into some hippie gardener who saves them. I think Tolkien was high when he wrote that :)

hmmm i would've liked to see the forest though

[VigilVirus]

It was a huge change from the book that elves prepare to leave at the beginning and it is confusing, cause the only reasons elves leave at all is because all the things that have been done with the 3 elven rings are now crumbling due to the destruction of the One.

You shouldn't really ask questions about something that's in the movie, but not the book, cause the directors didn't really know that much about LOTR as you might think ::)

[zamboe]

Elves start leaving the Middle Earth in the year 3019 of the Third Age, when the keepers of the 3 rings leave, but some elves stayed about two hundred of years more.

[Dude_Doc]

Actually, Jackson did knew pretty much of LotR. Hell, he even used small toy-armies to represent the battles that would be done later on screen. He also speaked of "it were", well, he always talked about LotR like it were for real once in time, when he was directing. Pretty funny though. And he didn't forget about the detail, but it simply were not enough "room" for those stories to be told. I can guarantee that you won't see more details in the last movie, simply because there is no room for those, so they make up a "new" story, like Gollum found the ring, and yes he did, like an elf, but we for the bigger part of it all, know him as Gollum. But it didn't mention how he became the creature, or that he murdured his brother. So the story do not lie, it only compresses all "small facts" into a one scene. If you are interested, just look in the book, and you will know exactly what happened in those 5 minutes between Sam and Frodo when they were all alone... no, just kidding, but anyways, something like this....

:P

[Scrinlord]

The only real question I have been wondering about is why do they leave? Well, to actually make this question sence, we would have to consider these things:

1. That the ships sail to another country on the same planet.

2. That the ships do not leave in some warp gate.

3. That Sauron has the power of conquering a whole planet, at least.

Sure, maybe the new land is big and peaceful, but that's just it. If we consider these things, where will they run when the ox (:P) finally gets the abillity to build boats and ships? I mean, if the elves all leave, and the rest are left to the doom, Sauron will first conquer Middle-Earth, but when he finally gets enough power, he will surely try to conquer the whole planet, or am I wrong?

Anyways, maybe the elves makes some magical storm outside their new land, so that no one can get to them or something, I don't know. And besides this, why don't they defeat Sauron once and for all, so that everyone can live in peace? Seems so strange...

The elves sail into the west, to a land called Valinor(I think) Valinor is the land of the Valar, who are kind of like Gods. in the second movie, you see Gandalf saying that yes, he did indeed die, but "They" sent him back, because his mession was unfinished. "They", are the Valar. they created middle earth, and the elves(sorta, not going to try to explain it here)

Sauron could not defeat the valar. That would be the same general effect as fleeing to mount Olympass in greek mythology. no one can get you there.

[VigilVirus]

Basically all about the creation is the Silmarillion, but what it says is that there is a rank system of gods and demigods in LOTR universe:

1. Iluvatar - the One who created all

2. Valar - Gods, 2 strongest being Manwe and Melkor/Morgoth (the Dark Lord, Iron King, Ancient Enemy and the master of Sauron)

3. Maiar - demigods, created as helpers to Valar - including Olonir (Gandalf), Curunir (Saruman) and Sauron, the servant of Morgoth

4. Creations of the Valar - elves (firstborn), humans, dwarves. Also the evil races created by Melkor - dragons, orcs, wargs, trolls and Balrogs (Valaraukar - souls of Maiar imprisioned in fiery bodies).

Note: Sauron never fought the Valar by himself. When his master was thrown into the fiery depth, the Valar left this world and went to Valinor, never to come back. Sauron's only enemies remained the mortal folk and elves.

[Dude_Doc]

Aha okay. But why then don't all the races go there? I mean, why don't the elves like build the ships for everyone so they can go to Valinor (reminds me of Valhalla, the Nordic Vikings' "heaven")? Then Sauron could rule Middle Earth and everyone else would be happy in Valinor... or am I wrong?

[number6]

The only real question I have been wondering about is why do they leave? Well, to actually make this question sence, we would have to consider these things:

1. That the ships sail to another country on the same planet.

2. That the ships do not leave in some warp gate.

3. That Sauron has the power of conquering a whole planet, at least.

Sure, maybe the new land is big and peaceful, but that's just it. If we consider these things, where will they run when the ox (:P) finally gets the abillity to build boats and ships? I mean, if the elves all leave, and the rest are left to the doom, Sauron will first conquer Middle-Earth, but when he finally gets enough power, he will surely try to conquer the whole planet, or am I wrong?

Anyways, maybe the elves makes some magical storm outside their new land, so that no one can get to them or something, I don't know. And besides this, why don't they defeat Sauron once and for all, so that everyone can live in peace? Seems so strange...

Here's a quote from www.glyphweb.com/arda that answers where Valinor is :

Valinor:

"The land founded by the Valar after Melkor's destruction of their ancient dwelling of Almaren. Originally part of the World, Valinor could be reached by ship from Middle-earth. After the rebellion of King Ar-Pharaz

[number6]

Aha okay. But why then don't all the races go there? I mean, why don't the elves like build the ships for everyone so they can go to Valinor (reminds me of Valhalla, the Nordic Vikings' "heaven")? Then Sauron could rule Middle Earth and everyone else would be happy in Valinor... or am I wrong?

I believe only immortal beings, like elves, may enter Valinor.

[Dude_Doc]

Okay, that was the answer. Now it makes sense to me why the elves leave, and how Sauron can't reach them, AND why the rest who is left behind on Middle-Earth are in danger...