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An irritating little Legolas trend
http://www.arwen-undomiel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=19124		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Freya Baggins [ August 23rd, 2008, 8:15 pm ]
Post subject:  An irritating little Legolas trend
Before I start, I apologize if I unwittingly offend anyone in the following statement. This is my personal opinion and I don't expect others to share in my beliefs, but...

I was looking for Legolas realated stuff recently, and was shocked :blink:, irritated :disgust: , and slightly embarrassed :confused2: at what I found. There is an overabundance of effeminate Legolas stuff out on the internet these days: slash fics, slash pics, random whining, and general sissiness. Legolas always struck me as a more macho character, generally handsome, but definately not a sissy pretty-boy like everyone else says he is. I mean, what self-respecting elf male likes to be compared to a bunch of females? Not many I suspect. So, does anyone else want to see poor Legolas get his dignity back?
Author:  ~RinielAranel~ [ August 25th, 2008, 9:26 pm ]
Post subject: 
It's true; ever since the movies everyone has made fun of Legolas as being girly, mainly because of his ever-perfect hair and not very intelligent additions tot he conversation.

This goes back to my initial frustration with how Legolas was portrayed in the movies; he should have been given a larger role other than Captain Obvious; it would have been especially nice to see him take a role of leadership, as in the books, instead of being Aragorn's sidekick; and a side conversation with at least one of the hobbits in the fellowship might have been appreciated.

As for the perfect-hair-and-stuff issue, yes, it would have been nice to see a bit more dirt on Legolas. But nevertheless, HE'S AN ELF. Being somewhat-perfect and slightly-aloof is sort of a part of who they are. Did any other elves suggest differently? Elrond may have had more facial expressions and been quicker to anger, but certainly they can't complain about Legolas' 'emotionlessness' when compared to, say, Celeborn.

So again. I wish they had portrayed Legolas differently, and the foundation for such teasing is certainly present, but Really. Get mature already. When you look at Legolas through the lenses of Middle-Earth he is in no way effeminate.
Author:  Aredhel Ar-Feiniel [ August 25th, 2008, 9:28 pm ]
Post subject: 
I blame Orlando Bloom and PJ for this mess. The book Legolas wasn't that ditzy.
Author:  Miriel [ September 9th, 2008, 10:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
The slash and teasing have indeed gotten out of control. Personally, I am sick of this whole thing. I am not pleased with the complete portrayal of Leggy in the movies, but come on! When I first saw him, the thought of him being a sissy never even crossed my mind. On the contrary, I thought he seemed super macho and manly, even more so than he had sounded to me when I read the books. From the cave troll to the oliphaunt at the end...I don't know where the sissy stuff is coming from.

Besides, don't blame Orlando. PJ, maybe, but not Orlando because he was doing what he was told and he delivered his lines and acted his actions in a very non-sissy way! :yes:
Author:  Esteleth [ September 9th, 2008, 10:13 pm ]
Post subject: 
I guess I'm torn on the issue. I come from that strange breed of person who likes to make fun of all their favorite book/movie characters, and seeing them acting the total opposite of their character can be amusing, if done in good taste. But sometimes--as with the sissy-Legolas stuff, it gets annoying and overdone. Legolas is definately not a sissy.
Author:  Aredhel Ar-Feiniel [ September 9th, 2008, 11:07 pm ]
Post subject: 
Miriel wrote:
Besides, don't blame Orlando. PJ, maybe, but not Orlando because he was doing what he was told and he delivered his lines and acted his actions in a very non-sissy way! :yes:

I felt otherwise.
Author:  Miriel [ September 10th, 2008, 9:42 am ]
Post subject: 
What do you want? And what did you think was sissy about him? I'm listening...
Author:  Aredhel Ar-Feiniel [ September 10th, 2008, 10:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
Miriel wrote:
What do you want?

Huh?

Miriel wrote:
And what did you think was sissy about him? I'm listening...

Everything.
Author:  ~RinielAranel~ [ September 11th, 2008, 7:44 pm ]
Post subject: 
By 'what do you want' I think Miriel meant, how would you prefer Legolas to have been portrayed? (I think. Am I right Miriel?)

As for me I don't think everything he did was sissy but Legolas neither came out seeming particularly 'macho'. Macho doean't describe elves, really It sounds like a football player or a caveman. :P Elves naturally have a gracefullness and calmness that sort of doesn't give that picture, IMHO. Not that Legolas wasn't 'manly', just not in the human sense of the word. (But I agree that the portrayal in the movies could have been better. There are times that I cringe while watching because I know all of the horrible jokes that can be made from one line or picture.)
Author:  Miriel [ September 15th, 2008, 5:04 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yes, that was what I meant. I agree with you that macho doesn't sound right describing elves...I used it to describe the movie Legolas because with all the fighting and stuff he did...you know. Orlando's personality coming through at times.
Author:  Johnny's Fan [ September 15th, 2008, 8:00 pm ]
Post subject: 
I am one of the first people to say that Legolas in the films could have been much better. I even started a thread about it. Pointing fingers at who is to blame isn't going to really help.

I actually think, it is we, the audiences fault that LOTR does contain some imperfect characters. For PJ and everyone else to have spent so much time creating every single character as they were in the book, ultimately, there would have been cries from everyone "it's too long, get on with it, we don't need this character to say as much or do as much just for added character".

Basically, whatever or whoever does not have a direct impact on the journey of the Ring, had to be cut down. Legolas is ALWAYS with Aragorn. Aragorn is the hope of Men and Middle-earth. It is really going to work, that his Elven friend is this super cool character who everyone just wants to be like? No, it's not, because Aragorn is who we should be focused on.

Now, I'm not saying that is any excuse for the character of Legolas in the films. But, it does seem to me, that he is almost superficial when you compare him to other characters within the 12 hour timeframe who actually do have a major impact on the story. Like, Gimli, he is just a character who goes along and helps. If LOTR had been 4 hours films each, I'm pretty sure Legolas would have been more like he was in the book. But if his book character was going to drag down a film or make you watch him more than Aragorn, that was not going to happen.

Orlando Bloom. Ah. PJ didn't mess up once with the casting of LOTR, so I believe Orlando Bloom did the best he could, with the character given. Perhaps now he is much more experienced, he may have made him into something more. A bad character can be given a bit more ooomph, by a very good actor.

I don't hate Legolas. I wouldn't call him a sissy. He took down a whole mumakil for goodness sake. He got right into the fighting, it was hardly like he sat on a rock combing his hair. :eyeroll:
Author:  Miriel [ September 16th, 2008, 3:49 pm ]
Post subject: 
I always say that there are already a few long, drawn-out, unnecessary parts that they could have cut down if they needed more time. But whatever, it's no use complaining cause it's too late now obviously.
Author:  Vána Anwamanë [ October 11th, 2008, 12:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: An irritating little Legolas trend
Movie-Legolas =
Freya Baggins wrote:
a sissy pretty-boy


They fecked up his character pretty good, I'll say.. it's depressing.
Author:  Jax Nova [ October 12th, 2008, 10:19 am ]
Post subject: 
lol this is actually a kind of a musing subject for me. (no offense to anyone)


But on one side you have die hard Legolas fans (mostly girls I think)

And on the other you have a lot of people who for some reason don't like legolas.

My personal opinion is that a lot of people think Legolas is sissy because first, he has avery slender build (but elves are suposed to) Also he has verry "pretty" (so to speak) hair that is almost girly... but again... elves are suposed to.

So I'm gonna say from a human perspective he may seem a litt... girlish. But you have to keep in mind he is not human, he's an elf.

*shrugs* thats my take on the whole thing.
Author:  Zandaïn [ October 20th, 2008, 4:25 am ]
Post subject: 
..while reading this thread, I was getting a little heated under the collar
..until I read JN post, phew!
Thank goodness, someone thinks the same way I do..exactly!

- Leggie is supposed to be a lithe, elegant, willowy male...with long hair and pointed ears - how is that not going to be girlish, in RL?
- but Leggie isn´t RL, he is from one of the greatest written adventures, ever!
Author:  Jax Nova [ October 20th, 2008, 11:10 am ]
Post subject: 
*nods*

It's kind of like saying a male dog is petite... the ord petiet actually means small... (ogs are small)

But you have to keep in mind the context of the race and factor in the fact that that IS masculan for an elf. :)
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