Hi, everyone, this is my first post on here although I have been a fan of the SBG since they first came out. Anyway on to my question:

Legolas isn't directly mentioned as being present at the Battle of Five Armies by Tolkien. However, at the same time there is no evidence to suggest that he wasn't there, especially considering that his father was. Legolas will be appearing in The Hobbit movies and I would imagine that PJ will involve him in the battle.

What do you think?

I think the chances of him being there would be pretty big. However the only reason to doubt that is the fact he never mentions that battle.

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It is entirely likely that he was, but as you say, the book doesn't specifically mention him.

Including Legalos in the movies is somewhat confusing because he needs to have a big enough part to justify getting Orlando Bloom to come back and to satisfy the Legalos fans, but you can't just add a whole new major character into the story without seriously changing the plot.

Possibly Legalos is the main elf in the forest during the party that the Dwarves stumble into. I could see some screen time being devoted to establishing the elves and their character before they get interupted by the Dwarves. Then possibly some discussions with his father about what to do with the Dwarves once they capture and are holding them, all done with invisible Bilbo eavesdropping. Then some suitably epic shots of him fighting at the battle. That might be enough screen time for him.

It is also possible that they are modifying the story to the point that it is not Thranduil but Legalos who leads the Elf army at the battle. If they add some reason why his father can't come himself, and he gives his son charge of his army. Then all the stuff negotiation with the Dwarves and the Arkenstone stuff and whatnot would involve Legalos.

There is also all the additional material involving the attack on the Necromancer. Perhaps Legalos is involved in that, explaining why he isn't where the Dwarves are.



edit: Interesting. I just noticed that Orlando Bloom is not listed in the credits for the second movie. If the first takes them out of Mirkwood, perhaps his part is limited solely to Thranduil's halls.

We had Elves at Helms Deep, so given that, I have no doubt they can make Legolas into a major role in the Hobbit.

I believe thats a very big possibility and actually I wouldn't mind if they changed that.

Was Legolas at Bot5A? Probably. No reason he wouldn't be.
No reason for him to talk about it, either: Before Lorien, he & Gimli are struggling to keep peace for the sake of the Fellowship. Afterward, they're fast friends. Bringing it up would just be tacky.

"Gimli, my friend. I killed your cousin at Erebor."
Oh yes, dear princeling? Well I killed yours there, too."
No matter how you try to present that, it's still a party killer.

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if legolas is no mentoined directly i would find it hard to believe he was at the battle of five armys, because if he was tolkien would have mentioned him "one does not simply" forget the prince of mirkwood, but i believe as legolas was alive at the time being at least 500 that thandiul must have stopped him ether by forcing him to stay in mirkwood or by cornoring him by naming him his sole heir and placing him directly in charge of the protection of mirkwood when he was away after all sauron was still in dol guldur and the white council were about to attack it.

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hobbits are small in stature yet huge on spirit

I don't think Tolkien had invented Legolas at the time of the Hobbit being written which explains why he isn't mentioned. Personally, I think it is open to interpretation.

Legolas was not yet a character when Hobbit was written, but he was definitly old enough to be in it. He said that he had seen oaks grow from an acorn to ruinous age. Ruinous age implies 500-700 years. I fully support him being in the movie, it'll help tie the 2 sets of movie together.
As to whether he was there or not, there are only 2 reasons he wouldn't be. 1. He's in charge of the Kingdom of Mirkwood while daddies killing goblins or 2. He was sent as part of a task force to attack the Necromancer. The chances that he wasn't there in the book is incredibly slim, even though he was never mentioned as being there.
And the elves never attacked the dwarves during BoFA OneRider. I know you're joking, but whatever.
Hobbitlord, as I said, he wasn't invented yet, it's not that he was forgotten.

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The Elves and Dwarves were on the same side in the Battle of Five Armies.

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"... Telchar wrought it in the deeps of time."
-On Andùril, The Lord of the Rings

That's true. Neither side actually spilled blood before Gandalf rallied them against the Goblin assault under Bolg.

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I don't have my copy of The Hobbit to hand but I'm sure it mentions 'arrows singing' and similar descriptions of battle between Elves and Men, and Dain's Iron Hills Dwarves. As mentioned, Gandalf soon spotted Bolg and his Goblin/Wolf/Bat horde and bellowed at them to stop, whereupon they had a quick council of war and prepared to fight the common foe. I'm sure that it was no coincidence that the two armies were placed on opposite sides of the valley!

Incidentally, since Gandalf was able to make his way from Dol Guldur to Dale in time for the battle, so too could Legolas and other key figures. I actually placed Thranduil at my refight of Dol Guldur, as well as Legolas, but that was as much for interest's sake as theme.

The elves and dwarves didn't fight. They were about to, but Gandalf just in time warned them for the approaching goblins and wargs.

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The love of Arda was set in your hearts by Ilúvatar, and he does not plant to no purpose.

truthfully the elves and dwarves couldn't have fought even if gandalf hadn't step in because they weren't there, the dwarves hadn't arived, only the army's of men and elves, and bilbo and friends, were there dain and his dwarven army hadn't arrived, they arrived that night, just before bilbo gave the elves the jewel thing.

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hobbits are small in stature yet huge on spirit

There was definately a battle about to begin between the dwarves and elves and men. If I remember correctly there already flew some arrows and the dwarves were charging forward. But then suddenly Gandalf intervened and stopped them, as the goblins and wargs, the enemies of all, were attacking.

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The love of Arda was set in your hearts by Ilúvatar, and he does not plant to no purpose.

oh... i really need to read the hobbit agian

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hobbits are small in stature yet huge on spirit

From what I hear Sauron will be present at the Battle of the Five Armies in the movie. If that's true I see no reason why Legolas can't be written in as well.

Wait, what?

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"... Telchar wrought it in the deeps of time."
-On Andùril, The Lord of the Rings

Whaaaaat that just can't be true!

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The love of Arda was set in your hearts by Ilúvatar, and he does not plant to no purpose.

I have heard nothing to that effect and I suspect such a rumor probably came about from someone mis identifying the Dol Gulder stuff as the Battle of Five Armies