Tauriel

**Tauriel** was a Wood-elf of Mirkwood, and captain of the Elven guard of Thranduil's Woodland Realm.

## Biography

Tauriel first appears as a captain of the Mirkwood Elven Guard.

#### *The Desolation of Smaug*

She rescues Kíli after the Dwarves are ambushed by Giant Spiders as she leads a series of missions to clear Mirkwood of their growing presence. Under Legolas's orders, she and the other guards take the Dwarves back to the Elven cavern fortress and confiscate their weapons. There, Tauriel becomes curious of Kíli's talisman and they talk for a while. Legolas watches them talking from a distance.

Later, Thranduil confronts Tauriel, telling her that, as a captain of the guard, she must drive the Giant Spiders out of Mirkwood. She explains that new spiders continually enter the kingdom after the previous ones were wiped out. She suggests sorties to destroy the spiders' source outside the kingdom's boundaries near Dol Guldur, but this idea is quickly dismissed by Thranduil. When she asks what will happen to other lands after the spiders are driven from Mirkwood, Thranduil says that the other lands are not his concern. He mentions then that Legolas, his son, has grown fond of her but that she should not give him hope where there is none, because Thranduil would not allow his son to pledge to her being she is a "lowly" Silvan elf.

When the Dwarves escape, Tauriel and Legolas lead a band of Elf-guards in battle as Bolg and his troops arrive to attack the Dwarves. During the battle, Kíli is injured and is saved once again by Tauriel. She and Legolas take Narzug, an Orc soldier to the palace for interrogation. Narzug mocks Tauriel about the impending death of Kíli from a Morgul arrow, which enrages her. When she tries to kill the Orc, Thranduil orders her to leave him be. She then leaves the palace without the permission of the Elf-king to search for the Dwarves. Legolas confronts her and asks her to come back with him so that Thranduil may forgive her. But Tauriel insists that the fight also involves them, and argues that the king's isolationist policies blind them from larger issues affecting the entire world, and that since Kíli will die from the poisoned arrow if he is not helped, she must find him and tend to the wound. As a result of his growing affections for her, Legolas agrees to accompany her.

In Lake-town, the house of Bard is attacked by Bolg and his troops. Tauriel and Legolas arrive to rescue the Dwarves and kill the Orcs. As Legolas runs after Bolg, Tauriel takes some *athelas* obtained by Bofur and uses it to heal Kili's wounds, while chanting in Sindarin. Half in delirium, Kíli speaks of her beauty and wonders aloud whether she might someday love him. Tauriel tells him to lie still but is obviously affected, and Kíli moves his hand to hold hers.

#### *The Battle of the Five Armies*

Tauriel admits her love for Kili*.* Tauriel leaves Thranduil and accompanies Legolas and Bilbo to Ravenhill in order to warn Thorin, Dwalin, Fili, and Kíli of an upcoming attack led by Bolg. She successfully finds Kíli and the two battle against Bolg together. She is overpowered and almost killed by Bolg, but Kíli sacrifices himself to save her. Tauriel mourns over Kíli's body and kisses his lips, thus showing her fondness for him.

#### Tauriel's fate

Tauriel was banished from Mirkwood by Thranduil and returns to Mirkwood.