LotR/Hobbit fic -- In the Service of the Elven King

[artaxastra]

A short gen story with Aragorn, Thranduil, and Gandalf. This takes place in the decades immediately after The Hobbit.

Comments

[artaxastra]

I'm glad you think Thranduil works. I'm very pleased with how he came out. Gandalf certainly has a history with Thranduil, I think, though Aragorn can't quite imagine what Thranduil is poking him about!

He was absolutely sulking around Bree! Unshaven! With beer! And tobacco! :)

[artaxastra]

That's a good point -- they really are on a different footing. Gandalf and Elrond are clearly very good friends. I love it in Unexpected Journey when Elrond dismounts and embraces him. Elrond isn't the huggy type. If he's greeting Gandalf that way, they actually are close. And Gandalf seems to (at least) have a big old thing for Galadriel. But he and Thranduil aren't close. It's really different.

[artaxastra]

I like that they did too. And yes, Thranduil is different, "less wise and more dangerous," more fey. A more elven elf, if that makes sense

[artaxastra]

The hobbits can't even really conceive of what the elves, particularly those three, have been through. The Lorien scene is a great example, because as 'magical' as the arrival is, and the whole grieving for Gandalf thing, the ethereal quality of it doesn't ring trueI think that scene is the weakest in the first movie, which I generally love. But I don't think it comes off, that particular scene, because there's not enough information for the viewer about what's really going on. There was mystery but it wasn't enough. i thought it needed to depart more from the book, actually, to make it work in a different medium

[artaxastra]

No, it's not just you. I read that was one of the first scenes filmed on the first movie, and I don't think they quite had it together yet. It's kind of overplayed? Like they're trying too hard to make this otherworldly and mysterious instead of trusting that the actors can carry it? I think that's something they do better later, but that scene just doesn't quite get there. IMO the cut scene with Celeborn and Aragorn is much better and has more focus.

The dark lord dress would be perfect! I hope for Celeborn, but I don't expect him. Though I hope there is more Galadriel/Gandalf shippiness to feed my soul! :)

[artaxastra]

I totally agree that Celeborn is the practical and down to earth one -- very literally, in touch with the earth in a very elf way. I mean, Elrond has walls and fireplaces. Celeborn lives in a tree!

[artaxastra]

I like both, but I admit I'm more likely myself to join Galadriel and Celeborn, the original tree-huggers! Arwen's hippie grandparents who live in their RV....