Glorfindel

Glorfindel was among the mightiest Elves, and once the lord of the house of the Golden Flower in Gondolin. After a valiant death in the First Age, he was re-embodied by the Valar and returned to Middle-earth millennia afterward.
== Biography ==
=== First Age ===
Glorfindel was born in Eldamar sometime during the Noontide of Valinor, and was descended from a house of princes.The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I: The Fellowship of the Ring, Book Two, Ch. I: "Many Meetings" He followed the House of Fingolfin during the Flight of the Ñoldor, but he took no part in the Kinslaying at Alqualondë.In exile, Glorfindel fought in the Battle of the Lammoth, as he followed the House of Fingolfin, and was in the host of Turgon at the Dagor Aglareb. After the battle he followed Turgon to Gondolin, where he was appointed as the lord of the house of the Golden Flower and one of the captains of the King. He was popular and well-loved by the Gondolindrim.
When Aredhel wished to depart Gondolin to seek the Sons of Fëanor, Turgon appointed Glorfindel, Ecthelion, and Egalmoth as her escorts. They were denied entrance to Doriath, and instead turned north where the escort lost Aredhel near Nan Dungortheb. They later returned to Gondolin without her.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XI: The War of the Jewels, Part Three: The Wanderings of Húrin and Other Writings..., III. Maeglin
Along with King Turgon, Glorfindel fought in the Nírnaeth Arnoediad, holding the King's flanks as they retreated towards the Pass of Sirion.The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XX: "Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad"The Children of Húrin, Narn i Chîn Húrin, The Tale of the Children of Húrin, II: "The Battle of Unnumbered Tears"
==== Fall of Gondolin ====
In FA 510, the forces of Melkor attacked Gondolin, with the help of Maeglin's treachery. Glorfindel and the last of his followers held the Great Market from the Orcs, in pursuance of ambushing the enemies. However, they themselves were ambushed and fought until a fire-drake arrived. Glorfindel and his people cut their way out, but were pursed by the Orcs. The house of the Harp arrived to help after disobeying their deceitful lord, Salgant. The house of the Golden Flower regrouped at the Place of the Fountain and was one of the last houses to fight.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. II: The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, III: "The Fall of Gondolin"
Glorfindel joined Tuor in defending the Square, until Egalmoth arrived and Ecthelion was slain during his fight with the first Lord of Balrogs, the High-Captain of Angband Gothmog. When King Turgon was also slain, the Gondolindrim escaped through Idril's secret way, with Glorfindel holding the rear manfully and lost more of his followers there.
As they made their escape through Cirith Thoronath, a Balrog commanding an Orc-contingent came upon the refugees. Glorfindel leapt forward to face the demon, while his followers watched from afar. He fended himself from the Balrog's whip and claws, and successfully hewed its iron helm. At the last moment, he pierced the demon's belly and it fell backwards towards the cliff, but the Balrog grabbed Glorfindel by his hair such that he fell with it. Glorfindel's body was later borne up by Thorondor, King of the Eagles, who flew down into the abyss to rescue Glorfindel's broken body, returning it to his people who buried him high on the cliffs of the mountains that surrounded Gondolin. It was said that yellow flowers (possibly celandine) grew on his mound, despite its rocky location. The fiery combat sparked the phrase "Glorfindel against the Balrog" among the Eldar, on occasions when a power of good was hopelessly outmatched by powers of evil.The Fall of Gondolin (book)
=== Second Age ===
==== Return to Middle-earth ====
Glorfindel's spirit departed to the Halls of Mandos, where he passed a short time. Due to his noble actions that had saved many Elves in the Fall of Gondolin, he was re-embodied and dwelt in Valinor.
Many years later, in SA 1600, Manwë sent him back to Middle-earth as an emissary of the Valar and granted him powers nearly as strong as those of the Maiar.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XII: The Peoples of Middle-earth, XIII: "Last Writings"
=== Third Age ===
It is possible that Glorfindel remained for a time in Lindon along with other noble Elves, such as Gil-galad, Círdan, and Elrond, a descendant of Tuor and Idril. However, by the mid-Third Age he dwelt in Rivendell.
==== Battle of Fornost ====
In the Battle of Fornost, Glorfindel turned the odds against the Witch-king of Angmar and his host. After the battle finished, and the Witch-king had fled, it was Glorfindel who predicted that no mortal man would ever destroy the Witch-king. This prediction was fulfilled a thousand years later at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, when Éowyn of Rohan and Meriadoc Brandybuck, a hobbit, slew the Witch-king.The Lord of the Rings, Vol. III: The Return of the King, Book Five, Ch. VI: "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields"
==== War of the Ring ====
Nearly a thousand years later in TA 3018, Glorfindel was sent by Lord Elrond to search for Frodo Baggins and his companions. He attacked some of the Nazgûl and drove them away from the Last Bridge, pursuing them for awhile. He then found and led the company for days stopping only briefly to let the Hobbits rest. When the Nazgûl approached again, Glorfindel put Frodo on his white horse Asfaloth, and bade the horse take Frodo to Rivendell. Asfaloth outran the black horses of the Nazgûl and managed to cross the Ford of Bruinen which led to Rivendell. A severely weakened Frodo, conscious but delirious due to the wound he bore from the Morgul-knife, turned back to defy the Riders who pleaded for him to come with them. The Nazgûl entered the shallow ford but were there un-horsed and swept away by a torrent of enchanted water which guarded the entrance to Imladris charged with the power of the Half-elven and indeed by Gandalf the Grey.The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I: The Fellowship of the Ring, Book One, Ch. XII: "Flight to the Ford" He later led the injured Frodo and the rest of the company safely to Rivendell.
At the Council of Elrond, Glorfindel sat in a position of honour alongside Elrond and Gandalf. He suggested that the One Ring should be either sent to Tom Bombadil or cast into the depths of the Sea, but Gandalf believed that the One would resurface on land after a hundred or thousand years. He was briefly considered to be a member of the Fellowship of the Ring, but was later ruled out: his power would be of no use in a mission of secrecy to Mordor.The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I: The Fellowship of the Ring, Book Two, Ch. II: "The Council of Elrond"
==== After the War ====
After the Ring's destruction, Glorfindel, along with Erestor and the sons of Elrond, witnessed the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen.The Lord of the Rings, Vol. III: The Return of the King, Book Six, Ch. V: "The Steward and the King" His ultimate fate is not known, but it is reasonable to assume that he eventually sailed to Valinor with the rest of his kin.
== Character ==
Glorfindel was known for his golden hair, described once as yellow. He was an Elf of great bodily strength and heroism. The Gondolindrim loved him dearly and wept upon witnessing his passing at Cirith Thoronath. He was a capable leader, as seen when he led his House during the Fall, and loyal to his King and brothers-in-arms. He was very courageous and mindful of the refugees of Gondolin as they escaped; he chose to protect the escaping Gondolindrim (especially Tuor and Idril), but "would have defended them even had they been fugitives of any rank". He displayed more of his power and courage when, millennia later, he faced against the Nine Riders to save Frodo. 
== Powers ==
Glorfindel was a very capable fighter, with great endurance; he fought for hours during the Fall of Gondolin and managed to face against a Balrog on his own. His weapon of choice was an Elven sword and dirk (dagger) forged in Gondolin. Glorfindel's dirk was lost during Gondolin's fall.After his re-embodiment, Manwë had given Glorfindel powers nearly equal to the Maiar, to help him in his mission in Middle-earth. He was considered one of the most powerful Elves from Rivendell, given by his powerful and almost "angelic" presence, which had made the Black Riders flee many times. He also had medicinal knowledge, as seen when he tends to Frodo's wounds.
== Etymology ==
His original name is said to have been Laurefindil, Quenya for "Golden-haired" from laurë ("golden") and findilë ("head of hair").The History of Middle-earth, Vol. V: The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies" Glorfindel is simply the Sindarin translation of Laurefindil, from glaur ("golden") and fîn or find ("lock of hair").The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin namesParma Eldalamberon, Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
== Parentage ==
Glorfindel was said to be descended from a house of princes and one of the noble Elves in Gondolin. Due to his golden hair, he might be descended from a Ñoldorin-Vanyarin intermarriage, like Finrod and Galadriel. His loyalty and following Turgon also indicated that he could be one of Turgon's kin, despite Turgon and the House of Fingolfin having dark hair. In The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, it is suggested that Glorfindel is a member of the House of Finarfin.The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, entry G
==In other versions==
In J.R.R. Tolkien's early drafts, there were two separate Glorfindels: a Glorfindel of Gondolin and a Glorfindel of Rivendell. These two were initially thought to be different individuals. While writing The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien borrowed a name from one of the earlier Elves. As the legendarium grew more diverse, however, Tolkien decided that an Elf who had fought in many wars might be a good companion for Gandalf. He explained in The Last Writings that the Glorfindel of Gondolin and Glorfindel of Rivendell are one and the same:
Upon deciding Glorfindel's return to Middle-earth, Tolkien came up with the following options: SA 1200 (during Annatar's appearance in Númenor), SA 1600 (the completion of Barad-dûr), or TA 1000 (with the five Istari). Although all were probable, Tolkien favoured the SA 1600 date.
In the first draft of the Council of Elrond, Glorfindel became a part of the Fellowship of the Ring, along with Durin son of Balin (who later became Gimli son of Glóin) and Trotter (later named Strider or Aragorn).The History of Middle-earth, Vol. VI: The Return of the Shadow, The Story Continued, XXIII: "In the House of Elrond"
== In adaptations ==
Glorfindel was left out of Ralph Bakshi's version of The Lord of the Rings, with Legolas in place of him when Aragorn is supposed to meet him before the attack at the Ford of Bruinen.
=== The Lord of the Rings film trilogy ===
In The Fellowship of the Ring, Glorfindel's role in guiding Frodo Baggins to Rivendell is filled by Arwen, though he does appear during the prologue when Sauron is defeated. In The Return of the King, Glorfindel is seen walking next to Arwen as she is having her vision of her son Eldarion during the journey to the Grey Havens. In his last appearance, he is seen at the crowning of King Elessar, behind Legolas and in front of Arwen. In all appearances in the movies he has no speaking lines.
=== Radio versions ===
He was included in the BBC's The Lord of the Rings radio serial in 1981, and was voiced by John Webb.
=== Video games ===
In The Lord of the Rings Online, Glorfindel is featured in an extended flashback sequence depicting the War of the Last Alliance. During this time, he is the leader of the Bright Company, a group of High Elves who fighting to rid Middle-earth of Sauron's evil long before that war and who continue their duty long after. In the present day, Glorfindel can be found in Rivendell just south of the Last Homely House. He is involved in the campaign against Angmar during the main story and also talks to the player after defeating the balrog Thaurlach. Glorfindel disappears in the final weeks of the War of the Ring and the player tracks him across Middle-earth to summon him to the Council of Elf-lords between Thranduil, Celeborn, and Galadriel. He joins the procession that escorts Lady Arwen to Minas Tirith for her wedding; along the way Glorfindel and Elrond assist Gandalf and the player in uncovering a mystery within the Gladden Fields.
Glorfindel is mentioned in the Wii and PlayStation 3 version of The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest, particularly in the sixth level, Helm's Deep. In that level, the player can open a chest containing his quiver, which will increase Legolas' firing rate.
===== The Battle for Middle-earth II =====
== Trivia ==
*At one stage, Tolkien considered whether Glorfindel was one of the Blue Wizards, but later decided against this.
*In July 2007, 3-D entertainment model producer Gentle Giant Studios, Inc., headquartered in Burbank, California, released an exclusive sculpted Glorfindel bust, limited to 500 pieces, for the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con. Licensed under New Line Cinema's The Lord of the Rings franchise. GLORFINDEL BUST - Gentle Giant Studios
== Gallery ==
==Translations==
Foreign Language 	Translated name
Amharic 	ጝሎርፊንደል
Arabic 	جلورفينديل
Armenian 	Գլորֆինդել
Belarusian Cyrillic	Гларфіндэйл
Bengali 	গ্লোরিফান্ডেল
Bosnian 	Glorofindel
Bulgarian Cyrillic 	Глорфиндел
Catalan 	Glorfíndel
Chinese (Hong Kong)	葛羅芬戴爾
Georgian 	გლორფინდელი
Greek 	Γλορφινδελ
Gujarati 	ગ્લોફિન્ડલ
Hebrew 	גלורפינדל
Hindi 	ङ्लोर्फ़िन्देल
Japanese 	グロールフィンデル
Kannada 	ಗ್ಲೋಫಿನ್ಡೆಲ್
Kazakh 	Глорфиндел (Cyrillic) Glorfïndel (Latin)
Korean 	글로르핀델
Kyrgyz Cyrillic 	Глорфиндэл
Macedonian Cyrillic	Глорфиндел
Marathi 	ग्लोर्फ़िन्देल
Mongolian Cyrillic 	Глорфíндел
Nepalese 	ङ्लोर्फ़िन्देल ?
Pashto 	علورفیندېل ?
Persian 	گلورفیندل
Punjabi 	ਗਲੋਫਿੰਡਲ
Russian 	Глорфиндель, Всеславур, Гореслав
Sanskrit 	ङ्लोर्fइन्देल्
Serbian 	Глорфиндел (Cyrillic) Glorfindel (Latin)
Sinhalese 	ග්ලොර්ෆිඳෙල්
Tajik Cyrillic 	Глорфиндел
Tamil 	குலாபின்டேல்
Telugu 	గ్లోరిఫైన్డ్ల్
Thai 	กลอร์ฟินเดล
Ukrainian Cyrillic 	Глорфіндел
Urdu 	گلورفنڈل
Uzbek 	Глорфиндел (Cyrillic) Glorfindel (Latin)
Yiddish 	גלאָרפינדעל
==References==
Category:Ñoldor
Category:Elves of Gondolin
Category:Elves of Rivendell
Category:Deaths in battle
Category:The Silmarillion characters
Category:The Lord of the Rings characters
Category:Sindarin names & words
Category:Major characters (The Lord of the Rings)
Category:Characters in The Children of Húrin
Category:Characters in The History of Middle-earth
Category:Lords of the Gondothlim houses
Category:Elves
ca:Glorfíndel
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Category:Elves of Beleriand