Legolas

Legolas was a Sindar Elf, the prince of the Woodland Realm of Mirkwood. His grandfather Oropher was of the Sindar of Doriath, and his father Thranduil was king of Mirkwood (Greenwood the Great). His exact date of birth is not known, nor are his earliest exploits, but his most important recorded role is that which he played in the War of the Ring, during which he was the Elven representative in the Fellowship of the Ring. His Elven giftings, such as superior sight and hearing, lightness of foot, and skilled archery, were valuable assets to his eight companions.
Legolas was counted unusual for his strong friendship with a Dwarf, Gimli son of Glóin. Such a friendship was rare between the two races, on account of the long-standing grievances between Dwarves and Elves dating back to the Elder Days. Also, friendship between these two was unlikely because of the grudge between their two particular houses for the rough treatment given Glóin and the rest of Thorin Oakenshield's company by Thranduil on an earlier occasion.
== History ==
Legolas was born at some point many years before the War of the Ring to Thranduil and his mother. During an unknown conflict Legolas' mother was killed in the land of Angmar. Thranduil barely spoke of her again.
=== Necromancer ===
Legolas served under his father and commanded the guards of Greenwood the great. He fought alongside his comrade Tauriel on many occasions and the two became accustom to each other's fighting skills and were both great fighters. Legolas witnessed the fall of the forest from Greenwood to Mirkwood. The Necromancer poisoned the forest and let giant spiders loose. For a while Legolas and Tauriel were responsible for hunting down and stopping the spiders from reaching their borders.
=== Company of Thorin Oakenshield ===
As Thorin and Company are attacked by spiders, Woodland Elves led by Legolas and Tauriel help rescue the Dwarves. They take the Dwarves into custody and confiscate their weapons. Legolas' attention is attracted by Orcrist, which he recognizes as a sword from Gondolin. Upon reaching Gloin, Legolas confiscates a locket which showcases his wife and son Gimli, and speaks insultingly about both of them.
In the palace, Legolas remarks that Kíli has been looking at Tauriel in a different way, to which Tauriel only smiles and remarks that Kíli is tall for a Dwarf. Later, Thranduil confronts Tauriel and remarks that Legolas has grown fond of her and that she should not give him hope where there is none, since he is the son of a king and she is only a common woodland elf, even if she is captain of his guard. Later, Legolas watches from the far as Tauriel stands outside Kíli's cell and talks with him.
After the Dwarves escape Thranduil's caverns, Legolas leads the Mirkwood guard after them. Along the way, they encounter Bolg and his troops who have killed the Elven guards by the bridge and are attacking the doors. Legolas and his elves manage to kill most of the Orcs and drive off the rest, but Thorin and Company are able to escape.
Legolas and Tauriel return to the palace, bringing Narzug, a hostage Orc for questioning. They interrogate the orc about Thorin Oakenshield but the enemy does not answer properly, prompting the Elven king to slay Narzug himself. Thranduil then orders that no one enter or leave his kingdom without his knowledge. As Legolas gives out the orders, a soldier informs him that Tauriel has left the forest. Legolas goes after her.
In Lake-town, Legolas and Tauriel arrive just in time to rescue Kíli, Fíli, Bofur and Oin from being killed by Bolg. Legolas runs after the escaping Orcs, decapitates Fimbul and confronts Bolg himself, using Thorin's sword Orcrist. Amidst the fight, Legolas has to fight several Orcs who intercede, which allows Bolg to escape. After dispatching the other Orcs, Legolas, only slightly wounded, takes a horse and pursues Bolg.
Legolas and Tauriel travel to Gundabad and discover that Bolg is leading a great army of Orcs, Trolls, and Bats from the north. They later return to Dale in order to warn Thranduil and the other armies. When Tauriel confronts Thranduil, she is defended by Legolas, who further establishes his independence by accompanying her to warn Thorin, Dwalin, Fili, and Kili. Legolas separates himself from Tauriel and assists Thorin by shooting down foes from a tower. When he finds Tauriel being attacked by Bolg, Legolas rescues her and confronts Bolg in her stead. After a hard-fought battle on a collapsing tower, Legolas emerges victorious and returns Orcrist to Thorin.
After the battle, Legolas is once again confronted by his father, who allows him to be on his own. Thranduil suggests that Legolas must meet one of the Dunedain called Strider, and encourages Legolas to learn Strider's real name on his own.
While at Gundabad, Legolas makes a reference to his mother to Tauriel. Apparently, she had died during an ancient battle between the Elves and the Orcs, and that there was nothing to remember her by, given how there was no grave, and his father never spoke of the matter. However, before Legolas left to find Strider, Thranduil assured him that his mother loved him more than life itself.
=== War of the Ring ===
Legolas came to the Council of Elrond in Rivendell, the great meeting held by the Elf lord Elrond, as a messenger from his father to discuss the escape of Gollum. When the council was choosing the "Nine Walkers" to pit against the "Nine Riders," Legolas volunteered to represent the elves, and to become one of the members of the Fellowship that would set out to destroy the One Ring.
During their journey, Legolas would stay at the rear due to his keen eyes. On Caradhras, Legolas was able to run nimbly over the snow, leaving behind little imprint, whereas his companions struggled to plow through it. When Gandalf gave his counsel, Legolas voted against passing through Moria. In the morning, the Fellowship was waylaid by wargs and Legolas fought in their defense. After the battle, he picked up his arrows, save one which was damaged.
Gimli quarreled with him in Moria (which was not unexpected considering the ancient quarrel between Elves and Dwarves) - Legolas' father Thranduil had once imprisoned Gimli's father, Glóin.
He and Gimli became friends, however, when Gimli greeted the Elf, Lady Galadriel, with gentle words. Before the Fellowship departed from Lothorien, Legolas was given a new Galadhrim longbow. While the Fellowship was travelling over the River Anduin, he used his new bow to shoot an overhead Nazgûl on a Fellbeast with one masterful shot in the dark.
After the breaking of the Fellowship, Legolas and Aragorn sang a song of lament for the fall of Boromir. He then led the way as he, Aragorn and Gimli raced through Rohan after the Uruk-hai who had taken Merry and Pippin. During that week, he acquired a grey horse named Arod, on which he and Gimli would often ride together, from the Riders of Rohan. In Fangorn Forest, Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli were reunited with Gandalf, now called Gandalf the White. In the Battle of the Hornburg, Legolas and Gimli engaged in an Orc-slaying contest that Gimli won (the score being 42 to 43, respectively), though Legolas was not jealous, stating, "You have passed my score by one but I do not grudge you the game, so glad am I to see you on your legs."
In Rohan, he and Gimli followed Aragorn, Elladan and Elrohir to the Paths of the Dead. His horse, Arod, refused to enter the paths, but Legolas calmed him. Their company rode on, with Elladan on the last, but Legolas turned back and saw the Dead following the Grey Company.
Legolas fought in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields with Gimli. After the battle, he and Gimli entered Minas Tirith; Legolas sang an elven-song as he walked, and suggested that the city needed more gardens. They met Prince Imrahil and went to the Houses of Healing.
=== After the war ===
After the destruction of the One Ring and of Sauron, Legolas stayed for the coronation of Aragorn II Elessar and his marriage to Arwen. Later, he and Gimli travelled together to Helm's Deep, visiting the Glittering Caves, and then traveled through Fangorn Forest. Eventually, Legolas came to Ithilien with some of his people, with his father's leave, to live out his remaining time in Middle-earth helping to restore the woodlands that had been war-torn. After Aragorn's death, Legolas made a ship in Ithilien and left Middle-earth to go over the sea. His strong friendship with Gimli prompted Legolas to invite him to go to the Undying Lands; making him the first and only Dwarf to do so. He was never seen again in Middle-earth.