# Elrond : MIA after his council?



## RangerStryder (Dec 1, 2008)

After Elrond send off the 9 ....then what?

When the Elves of Mirkwood, and Lothlorien are in the thick of battle vs Sauron's forces, whats going on with Elrond and his Elves (except his 2 sons) in Rivendell?



Any answers?


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## Ithrynluin (Dec 2, 2008)

Well, he had a lot of packing to do, you see...


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## Gordis (Dec 5, 2008)

Had the assault against Lorien succeeded, Rivendell would have been next.

Elrond had to stay at home to protect Rivendell with the aid of his Ring - Vilya. There were not enough fighters in the Last Homely House to protect Rivendell without magic, and most of their defences (floods on the rivers etc.) likely couldn't work without Elrond. 

Note that back in TA 1975, it was Glorfindel who led the combined forces of Lorien and Imladris against Angmar, not Elrond. The latter likely stayed home, guarding the borders. Moreover, by the end of the TA, Elrond was mostly loremaster and healer, not a warrior.


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## Lady_of_Gondor (Feb 4, 2009)

Wasn't Elrond primarily concerned with the elves retreat into the West? Perhaps he decided the task was no longer that of the elves. Could that also be the reason that the elves did not come to the aid of the Rohirim at Helm's Deep? 

Clearly, the firstborn had to step aside in order for the second-born to take up their proper place in the Fourth Age of Middle Earth. So, regardless of whatever personal reason Elrond may have had for stepping aside, his absence after the Council of Elrond in The Lord of the Rings is, literarily speaking, meant to support the idea that the time of the elves had passed.


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## Illuin (Feb 4, 2009)

> Originally posted by Lady of Gondor
> _Wasn't Elrond primarily concerned with the elves retreat into the West? Perhaps he decided the task was no longer that of the elves. Could that also be the reason that the elves did not come to the aid of the Rohirim at Helm's Deep?_


 
He was involved. He sent Elladan, Elrohir and the Grey Company, and through them he suggested that Aragorn should consider taking the Paths of the Dead.


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## Alcuin (Feb 5, 2009)

Illuin said:


> He was involved. He sent Elladan, Elrohir and the Grey Company, and through them he suggested that Aragorn should consider taking the Paths of the Dead.


Galadriel was responsible for the riding of the Grey Company, but there is no doubt that Elrond was heavily invested in it: Elladan and Elrohir were two of only about 30 people who rode south, and Elrond also gave up his beloved daughter, Arwen. The Elves in Middle-earth were slowly become less and less effective even if their physical “fading” had been delayed by the power of the Three Rings. Tolkien said that of all the Company of the Ring, Legolas accomplished the least. (I can’t immediately locate the citation: I’m looking.) Elrond fostered Aragorn as if her were his own son; he held in reserve what might be preserved throughout the Third Age, which ended with his departure from Middle-earth: without his efforts, there would likely have been no Heir of Isildur.


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## Úlairi (Feb 5, 2009)

Alcuin said:


> Galadriel was responsible for the riding of the Grey Company, but there is no doubt that Elrond was heavily invested in it: Elladan and Elrohir were two of only about 30 people who rode south, and Elrond also gave up his beloved daughter, Arwen. The Elves in Middle-earth were slowly become less and less effective even if their physical “fading” had been delayed by the power of the Three Rings. Tolkien said that of all the Company of the Ring, Legolas accomplished the least. (I can’t immediately locate the citation: I’m looking.) Elrond fostered Aragorn as if her were his own son; he held in reserve what might be preserved throughout the Third Age, which ended with his departure from Middle-earth: without his efforts, there would likely have been no Heir of Isildur.


 
Throwing the need for textual evidence aside here for the sake of continued discussion - you've raised quite a cogent point about Aragorn and Arwen here. I personally (and if RangerStryder wishes to begin a thread about this feel free to do so) believe that Elrond himself was (almost single-handedly) responsible for the reinstitution of Númenor in Middle-earth. Tolkien throughout _The Lengendarium _continually writes his history in a circular manner (the repetition of history through the Ages) and Aragorn could be considered as the Reincarnation of not just Beren (and Arwen as Lúthien) but as the Reincarnation of Elros (Elrond's brother - are there any quotes where Elrond calls Aragorn brother? - that would be interesting to know) the First King of Númenor who was Half-elven (perhaps a better analogy might be Eldarion, their son). More to the point, however, Elrond taught Aragorn Sindarin (and Quenya?) and acquainted him with the customs of the Eldar. He re-forged the shards of Narsil (now I hope that just isn't in the damn movie...). Elrond is responsible for re-establishing the sovereignity of the bloodline of Númenor and (as aforementioned) reluctantly allows this to be done so through the union of his daughter with Aragorn. Gondor (and Arnor) is then said to have ruled Middle-earth for the next one hundred generations. No small feat there, Elrond! 

*Cheers,*

*Úlairi.*


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## Bucky (Feb 6, 2009)

I don't think that's the question, Ulari....

I think it's 'What was Elrond doing while everyone was at war?'

Forging a sword - which I doubt Elrond actually did himself - was done before the Fellowship ever left Rivendell on December 25. That leaves almost 3 months where Elrond sits on his butt in Rivendell.

What was Elrond supposed to do? Abandon Rivendell?
It obviously had to be kept occupied until any threat was removed & he was the wielder of the Ring that would protect Rivendell like Galadriel's Ring protected Lorien - remember the River Bruinen rising in wrath when the Black Riders tried to cross? 

So, elrond was 'holding down the fort' in Rivendell.....

Not to mention all the stuff about the Elves becoming observers & not proactive.


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## RangerStryder (Feb 6, 2009)

I might add to what Bucky said.

What about Glorfindel, and Cirdan?

He is with Elrond at the time when everybody needs another hero/heroes. Think about it, its not going to hurt if these 2 lead some of the remaining Elves in Imladris to Rhovanion, or to the south. (Even the dwindling Dunedain can muster 30 Rangers.) 

If Cirdan went ahead to attack Pilargir with his Elves and then there is a possibility that Aragorn went into Gondor with the army of the dead, then that saves more lives for the FoL (Forces of Light) and lessening the day of fighting or went straight to Mordor and be done with it.

C'mon, its desperate time, its do or die, damn if you do and damn if you dont. If Frodo failed in his mission, at least everybody died fighting. Do you agree?

...now I need your opinion.


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## Firawyn (Feb 22, 2009)

Good question. And while I hate to think of Elrond as a "sit and wait" kind of guy, perhaps he was right in doing so. 

Perhaps, like Tom Bombadil, Elrond knew that it was not his place to interfere anymore than he already had. He knew the time of the elves were coming to an end, regardless of if Sauron was defeated or not. Perhaps Elrond was just giving men a chance to step up to the plate.


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## Withywindle (Jul 20, 2009)

I know this thread's gone a bit cold, but I was just browsing over it and saw the funniest bit of Tokien-parody I've ever read:



Ithrynluin said:


> Well, he had a lot of packing to do, you see...


 
Of course, there's also some excellent parody on Elrond's draft-dodging in the Bored of the Rings.

Actually, whether Tolkien intended it or not, I think Elrond's attitude throughout the LotR is a sort of joke that everyone is thinking, and no one dares voice. The way everyone respects him and says he's so wise, and how good his counsel is, but you can tell they're thinking "wise words, Elrond, but how about getting your hands dirty for a change".

I suppose Elrond is just war-weary, he was probably already shell-shocked after the last-alliance (a close brush with Sauron would do that) and the torment of his wife must have finally broken his nerve. This is something Gandalf probably understood and so he knew he couldn't count on him for much. 

After all, he might be half-elven, but he's only human.


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## childoferu (Jul 20, 2009)

Withywindle said:


> I know this thread's gone a bit cold, but I was just browsing over it and saw the funniest bit of Tokien-parody I've ever read:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
lol, nice post indeed Withywindle, but I agree to the point that all high-elves were just...tired, from the first age to the third age is a _LONG_ time to be worrying about the threat of the "Enemy"


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