Thranduil's Elk

King Thranduil of Mirkwood uses a great elk as a steed.
== Characteristics ==
Thranduil's elk is of great size, and is unfazed in the presence of extraordinarily large creatures such as Smaug and Were-worms.
During the Battle of Five Armies, the elk seems brave, calm, and well-experienced with combat involving large numbers of foes, including smaller Orcs and Trolls. He was also marked by physical prowess and stamina to participate in a large battle without exhausting for considerable amount of time.
When the dragon Smaug attacks the Lonely Mountain, King Thranduil arrives astride his elk.
The elk's second and last appearance is in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, when Thranduil arrives in Dale to deliver food for Bard and his people. The elk, now older and greyer, accompanies the Elven-king throughout the ordeals at the gates of Erebor.
He is later seen assisting Thranduil when the battle breaks out around the mountain and the ruins of Dale - he uses his speed and massive antlers (while ridden) to trap, rout, and kill dozens of Orcs of the armies of Azog. The elk is eventually slain when charging into legion of orcs, shot twice with arrows in the neck and once in the head.