One 'Lord of the Rings' Character Could Revive Peter Jackson's Trilogy

The world of J.R.R. Tolkien is expanding with Amazon’s The Rings of Power this fall, but Middle Earth fans want one last journey with Peter Jackson and his iconic The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Frodo Baggins catching One Ring on finger — Credit: New Line Cinema

Related: ‘Lord of the Rings’ in Danger, HBO Max Reportedly Pushing Landmark Layoffs

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings contains countless heroes and villains, many of which fans don’t even realize exist. From the revolutionary Rings trilogy by Peter Jackson to Tolkien’s classic novels, every Middle Earth fan wants to know the most about their favorite character, especially when they’re often considered the true “hero” of Tolkien’s universe.

Undoubtely the heart and soul of much of the Fellowship and popular enough to include in the live-action adaptations of The Hobbit, Legolas Greenleaf (Orlando Bloom) is a force not to be reckoned with.

Orlando Bloom as Legolas Greenleaf — Credit: New Line Cinema

As the son of the Elvenking of Mirkwood (Thranduil in live-action), Legolas lives on as one of the most significant figures in Middle Earth’s Third Age.

Though little is revealed about the wood elf in the films, Legolas’ journey alongside Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) doesn’t end with the Battle of the One Ring at Mordor.

John Rhys-Davies as Gimli — Credit: New Line Cinema

Though The Rings of Power is set to change the parameters of Middle Earth and future Rings content, here’s how Legolas could inspire a series of his own.

The Life of Legolas

Lord of the Rings wiki writes:

Legolas was a Sindar Elf who was part of the Fellowship of the Ring in the Third Age. Son of the Elvenking Thranduil of Mirkwood, Legolas was Mirkwood’s prince, a messenger, and a master archer. With his keen eyesight, sensitive hearing, and excellent bowmanship, Legolas was valuable to the Fellowship in their journey across Middle-earth. He was well-known for becoming friends with the Dwarf Gimli, despite their long-held differences.

Legolas was the only son of Thranduil, King of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood. His exact date of birth and mother’s name are unknown.

Legolas came to the Council of Elrond in Rivendell, the great meeting held by the Elf lord Elrond, as a messenger from his father to discuss the escape of Gollum. When the council was choosing the “Nine Walkers” to pit against the “Nine Riders,” Legolas volunteered to represent the Elves, and to become one of the members of the Fellowship that would set out to destroy the One Ring.

Orlando Bloom as Legolas — Credit: New Line Cinema

Legolas’ expertise in bowmanship and hunting proved an indisposable asset to the elf upon the Fellowship’s departure from Rivendell, something that would save Aragorn, Samwise Gamgee, Frodo Baggins, and Gandalf the Grey countless times:

During their journey, Legolas would stay at the rear due to his keen eyes. On Caradhras, Legolas was able to run nimbly over the snow, leaving behind little imprint, whereas his companions struggled to plough through it. When Gandalf gave his counsel, Legolas voted against passing through Moria. In the morning, the Fellowship was waylaid by Wargs and Legolas fought in their defence. After the battle, he picked up his arrows, save one which was damaged.

Gimli quarreled with him in Moria (which was not unexpected considering the ancient quarrel between Elves and Dwarves) – Legolas’ father Thranduil had once imprisoned Gimli’s father, Glóin.

Soon enough, Gimli and Legolas’ opinions toward one another softened, leading to a strong friendship formed by the end of the One Ring War:

He and Gimli became friends, however, when Gimli greeted the Elf, Lady Galadriel, with gentle words. Before the Fellowship departed from Lothlórien, Legolas was given a new Galadhrim longbow. While the Fellowship was travelling over the River Anduin, he used his new bow to shoot an overhead Nazgûl on a Fellbeast with one masterful shot in the dark.

In the Battle of the Hornburg, Legolas and Gimli engaged in an Orc-slaying contest[10] that Gimli won (the score being 42 to 43, respectively), though Legolas was not jealous, stating, “You have passed my score by one but I do not grudge you the game, so glad am I to see you on your legs.”

After the War

Upon the destruction of Sauron at Mount Doom, Legolas and Gimli reclaimed the fallen lands of Middle Earth side by side:

After the destruction of the One Ring and of Sauron, Legolas stayed for the coronation of Aragorn and his marriage to Arwen. Later, he and Gimli travelled together to Helm’s Deep, visiting the Glittering Caves, and then traveled through Fangorn Forest. Eventually, Legolas came to Ithilien with some of his people, with his father’s leave, to live out his remaining time in Middle-earth helping to restore the woodlands that had been war-torn. After Aragorn’s death, Legolas made a ship in Ithilien and left Middle-earth to go over the sea. His strong friendship with Gimli prompted Legolas to invite him to accompany him to the Undying Lands; making him the first and only Dwarf to do so. He was never seen again in Middle-earth.

Lord of the Rings — Credit: New Line Cinema

With so much of Legolas’ life still untold, a new streaming series focused on the back half of Gimli and the elf’s friendship could expand the tales of Middle Earth like never before.

Showcasing the dynamic duo snuffing out the remaining forces of Sauron from Mirkwood and other areas, the show could relay vital information about the retiring of the Fellowship that wasn’t present in The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003) and more.

Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn (left) and Liv Tyler as Arwen (right) — Credit: New Line Cinema

This Legolas series could turn into a whole franchise by allowing fans to see the marriage of Arwen and King Aragorn of Gondor.

With Orlando Bloom still having the agility of his younger self from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings (2001), it would be a landmark move to have an original Fellowship member return for a new adventure.

More about The Rings of Power

Taking place in the episodic Second Age of Middle Earth, Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power chronicles the construction of the One Ring worn by dark lord Sauron under Mount Doom:

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne in the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.

Morfryyd Clark as Galadriel — Credit: Amazon

The near $1 billion series is set to focus on the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, the historic alliance between Elves and Men (that transcended the entire franchise), the island of Númenor/Westernesse, as well as a look into Khazad‐dûm/Moria before the dwarven kingdom fell to hoards of goblins and the deadly Balrog/Durin’s Bane.

However, unfortunately, you won’t be seeing any of the legendary hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), Bilbo Baggins (Sir Ian Holm), Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin), Merry Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan), Pippen Took (Billy Boyd), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Gandalf the White (Sir Ian McKellen), Saruman (Sir Christopher Lee), Gollum (Andy Serkis), and more in Rings of Power.