Although there are many impressive and noteworthy elves in J.R.R. Tolkien‘s works, we have compliled a list of 9 Important and Powerful Elves in Middle-Earth who we think deserve a special mention.
Galadriel
Galadriel, born a Noldor princess in Eldamar during the Ages of Starlight, was the queen of Lothlórien. She was known as Altariel in Eldamar, which translates as “lady of the light” in the elven language of Sindarin.
Galadriel was one of the elves who joined the Noldor in their hunt for Morgoth and the Silmarils. She had the power of prophecy, using the Mirror of Galadriel to see into the future. In addition to that power, she also possessed one of the Three Elven Rings which she used to protect Lothlórien.
It was Galadriel who gave shelter and magical gifts to the Fellowship of the Ring during the time of the War of the Ring, in addition to cleansing Mirkwood and repelling invasions. After the war, she sailed to the Undying Lands.
Elrond
Elrond was a half-elven prince of Beleriand, born in Arvernien and grew up with his brother, Elros. After the War of Wrath, the Valar offered gifts to the two mortal heroes. Elros chose mortality, although he lived over five-hundred years, whereas Elrond chose to be an immortal elven prince.
Elrond led the survivors of the War of Sauron and the Elves to the foothills of the Misty Mountains, which is where he founded Rivendell, also known as “Imladris” in Elvish.
Gil-galad gave Elrond the Ring of Vilya (“ring of air”) before he died, which was the most powerful of the Three Elven Rings.
During his time in Rivendell, Elrond gave much assistance to the Dúnedain. He fostered Aragorn II who later fell in love with one of Elrond’s daughters, Arwen, and he forbade the marriage until Aragorn became High King of Arnor and Gondor.
Elrond helped to form the Fellowship of the Ring in 3018, and once the ring was destroyed he left Middle-Earth for the Undying Lands.
Fingolfin
Fingolfin was the elven king of Beleriant and the second son of Finwë. He had three children, Fingon, Turgon and Aredhel.
He was among the elves who pursued Morgoth to Middle-Earth after the Simlarils were stolen, although he was initially reluctant to do so. He was forced to lead his company across the Helcaraxë (“grinding-ice” bridge to Middle-Earth after Fëanor took the Elven ships of Alquelondë. This was a treacherous and difficult journey.
Fingolfin and his army faced off against Morgoth’s hordes as soon as they set foot on Middle-Earth. The enemy army retreated quickly. He later became the High King of the Noldor in Middle-Earth after Fëanor’s death and settled in Hithlum.
After seeing the death and destruction of the Battle of Sudden Flame in 455, Fingolfin challenged Morgoth to a duel at the fate of Angband. He gave Morgoth seven wounds with his sword, Ringil, before Morgoth killed him. The eagle Thorondor took Fingolfin’s body to the Encircling Mountains to be laid to rest.
Lúthien
Daughter of Thingol and Melian (of the Maia), Lúthien was the Elven princess of Doriath and born during the Ages of Starlight. In the First Age of the Sun, in the year 465, she met and fell in love with Beren, a mortal hero of Edain (the group of mankind that came to Beleriand from the Far East in the First Age).
King Thingol disapproved of the relationship so set Lúthien the impossible Quest of the Silmaril. Despite the many perils of this quest, she, along with Huan, defeated Sauron on the Isle of Werewolves and rescued Beren from its dungeons.
From there, Lúthien took Beren to Angband and cast spells of enchantment so that Beren could cut a Silmaril from Morgoth’s crown. The tragedy of her success in this quest was that it cost Beren his life. Lúthien faded and died from grief.
This was not the end, however, as Lúthien, standing before Mandos, sang a song of such sadness that he gave Lúthien and Beren a second mortal life. They went on to have one child, Dior, and lived happily and quietly in Ossiriand for forty years,
Gil-galad
Gil-galad was the elf King of Lindon and was born in Hithlum in Beleriand during the First Age of the Sun. He was made High King after the fall of Gondolin and the death of his uncle, Turgon, in 511.
Gil-galad riled over the surviving Noldor Elves in Lindon after the sinking of Beleriant. During the Second Age, he sent a force of Elves into the War of Sauron and the Elves, and after he joined the Last Alliance of Men and Elves along with the Dúnedain.
The Alliance went into the Battle of Dagorlad against Saron’s forces and they won, however Gil-galad and the Dúnedain king were both killed in the last duel.
Fëanor
Possibly one of the most important Elves on this list due to his impact on the world, Fëanor was an Elven prince of Eldamar and the creator of the Silmarils. Fëanor, meaning “spirit of fire was not his name at birth, as he was originally called Curufinwe.
Fëanor married Nerdanel and had seven sons. He was a genius and created many things, including the Elven-gems, which were crystals filled with starlight. Additionally, he created the Palantri, the “seeing stone”.
His forging of the Silmarils, three gems filled with the living light of the Trees of the Valar, would be his defining creations. They became a curse upon him and his people, as Melkor murdered Fëanor’s father and stole the Silmarils after destroying the Trees of Light. Melkor then fled to Middle-Earth.
Fëanor led the Noldor to Middle-Earth in pursuit of Melkor (who Fëanor renamed “Morgoth”, meaning “the Dark Enemy”) and the Silmarils.
When they arrived in Beleriand, Fëanor’s army defeated Morgoth’s orcs in the Battle Under the Stars, however he became reckless and got separated from his army. This led to him being surrounded by Balrogs, and being slain by Gothmog, the lord of the Balrogs and High Captain of Angband.
Finrod
Finrod was the Elven king of Nargothrond. He was born during the Ages of Starlight in Eldamar as the son of Finarfin. He married Amarië, a Vanya princess.
Finrod was amongst those who went to Middle-Earth in pursuit of Morgoth and the Silmarils, although he was initially reluctant. In Beleriand, he built an Elven tower on Tol Siron and then later the mansions of Nargothrons among the caverns on the Narog River. After this, he was known as “Finrod Felagund”, meaning “master of caves”.
Finrod was the first of the Elves to befriend mortal Men. He was rescued by Barahir of the Edain in 455 of the First Age, during the Battle of Sudden Flame. Because of this, Beren, Barahir’s son, received help from Finrod in his Quest of the Silmarils.
Finrod’s final days were heroic. He fought against Sauron and the army of Werewolves who occupied his tower on Tol Sirion, and engaged Sauron in a duel of songs and power. He was defeated and captured, later to be killed by a Werewolf while attempting to defend Beren.
Glorfindel
Glorfindel was an Elf lord of Rivendell, second in rank to Elrond during the time of the War of the Ring. In the Third Age, the year 3018, he met Frodo on his way to Rivendell and fought against the Ringwraiths at the Fort of Bruinen while astride his horse, Asfaloth.
We don’t know a huge amount about Glorfindel’s origins, but we do know that he led Elvish warriors into the Battle of Fornost in 1175 of the Third Age. This led to the destruction of the realm of the Witch-king of Angmar.
We can guess that he joined Elrond and the other elves in their final journey to the Undying Lands during the Fourth Age.
Fingon
Fingon was born in Eldamar, the son of Fingolfin, and was Elven king of Beleriand. He was also one of the Noldor elves who went after Morgoth and the Silmarils to Middle-Earth
In Middle-Earth, he claimed Dor-lómin as his own and also fought throughout the War of the Jewels. Fingon was one of the first to fight and drive off Glaurung the Dragon, and he also rescued Maedhros, Fëanor’s son, from his chains on the mountain of Angband, with the help of Thorondor the Eagle.
Fingon became the High King of the Noldor in 455 of the First Age after the death of his father, however his reign only lasted eighteen years. He was killed by Balrogs in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears in 473 and was succeeded by his brother Turgon, and then later by his son, Gil-galad.
References
All of the information from this article came from the following books. Have a read of them if you want a more in-depth look into these important and powerful Elves in Middle-Earth.
Tolkien’s World from A to Z: The Complete Guide to Middle-Earth
