Gil-Galad

[Balrog_of_Morgoth]

I don't recall seeing too much about this, but are any of you upset that Gil-Galad got dissed in the beginning prologue? Upon my very first viewing of FOTR, that was one of my few gripes - I thought he should have been shown having a part in the overthrow of Sauron. For the average viewer, it could have given the Elves more meaning. Their history would seem richer to the uneducated.

This rubbed me the wrong way worse than Arwen, etc. But, I am primarily a fan of the First and Second Ages, so I'm partial to the great Noldorin Kings.

[LuthienTinuviel]

he was cast, and they have shots and costumes for him, yet he doesn' appear in either cut of FotR.
he WAS there though, if it comforts you any.

[Bombadillo]

Yes that was one of my many gripes. I believe PJ did that only to make Isildur look more important or powerfull. Then that would make Aragorn also seem greater or more important or somethig. You know what I mean. I think the movies focused more on Aragorn than the books did, and PJ for some reason wanted to emphasise his grandeur.

[Shadowfax]

Originally posted by LuthienTinuviel
yet he doesn' appear in wither cut of FotR.

I assume you mean he's not in either cut. But actually he is. You just have to look reeeeally hard for him. You see him wave his spear around and then plunge it into an orc. At first I thought it was Elrond cause he also has no helmet, but it is Gil-galad. Yeah, he's only there for like three seconds, but he is in the movie.

[Wayfarer]

Gil-Galad was an elven king
of him, the harpers sadly sing
the last whose realm was fair and free
between the mountains and the sea.
his sword was long, his lance was keen
his shining helm afar was seen
the countless stars of heaven's field
were mirrored in his silver shield
but long ago he passed away
and where he dwells now none can say
for into darkness fell his star
in mordor where the shadows are.

[Millane]

ahhh yes Gil-galad... i was surprised at how much work they put into him for that 3 seconds... they did some awesome concept art for him and its in the fellowship concept art book and the extended dvd... anyway well Isildur was more important than Gil-galad in the books anyway needless to say i would have loved to see more Gil-galad...
ohh and he had his cool crown on instead of a helmet

[SamwiseGamgeeOTS]

I must say, i was dissapointed too....but, we can't change the movie...so what are you going to do, ya know?

[Balrog_of_Morgoth]

I guess we can't do anything about it. Still, considering the amount of disappointment concerning changes made from the books, I'm very surprised at the lack of passionate arguments regarding this subject.

They should have shown him kicking major butt, then maybe have Elrond mention him again at the Council. Oh well...

[LuthienTinuviel]

did you have to look that up wayfarer? or do you have it memorised?
either way, it's still a depressing bit of poetry, isn't it?

[Lizra]

Yeah, he's there, plunging the spear. I didn't care for the actor they choose. The look wasn't right for me. They spent an awful lot of money on some great prologue bits, yet only gave seconds to it in the film. Dumb!

[Baby-K]

Wow Liz, you actually saw the actor? I blinked and missed it - the appearance of Gil-Galad is still just a rumour to me

[Lizra]

There's a nice picture of him in my page a day calendar also! He and Elrond (his herald) are helmet-less, and looking good! Gil-Galad has these silver, leaf shaped things above each ear.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally posted by Millane
ahhh yes Gil-galad... i was surprised at how much work they put into him for that 3 seconds... they did some awesome concept art for him and its in the fellowship concept art book and the extended dvd... anyway well Isildur was more important than Gil-galad in the books anyway

Why do you say that? It was Gil-Galad and Elendil who threw Sauron down. All Isildur did was to cut the ring from his finger after he was dead, like a thief or a grave-robber.

[Bombadillo]

Originally posted by Wayfarer
Gil-Galad was an elven king
of him, the harpers sadly sing
his sword was long, his lance was keen
his shining helm afar was seen
the countless stars of heaven's field
were mirrored in his silver shield
but long ago he passed away
and where he dwells now none can say
for into darkness fell his star
in mordor where the shadows are.

Thank you Wafarer. I was hoping someone would post that.

Originally posted by Millane
ahhh yes Gil-galad... i was surprised at how much work they put into him for that 3 seconds... they did some awesome concept art for him and its in the fellowship concept art book and the extended dvd... anyway well Isildur was more important than Gil-galad in the books anyway needless to say i would have loved to see more Gil-galad...
ohh and he had his cool crown on instead of a helmet

Well I agree with your first statement. He had no purpose in the movies but to kill one orc. They could have easily left him out and it would hardly have made a difference. Or PJ could have gone about it in the right way and told the real story, but oh well.
And to your second statement: Isildur was of equal or less importance in the books, as far as the battle goes. But to the storyline, yes, he was very important; Gondor's king, Aragorn's kin, the ringbearer who launched LotR.

[Anglorfin]

Originally posted by Gwaimir Windgem
Why do you say that? It was Gil-Galad and Elendil who threw Sauron down. All Isildur did was to cut the ring from his finger after he was dead, like a thief or a grave-robber.

I can understand why they would have changed that part a bit, it just doesn't make for good theatrical or story involvement to see Isildur just hack away at a dead hand with half a sword. But I always thought the parts with Elrond shouting orders in the beginning and stuff should have been done by Gil-Galad. He should have been shown as more important and stuff. And PJ could have also at least shown him getting thwacked by Sauron's huge mace and THEN have Elendil rush in or something. It would have made a bit more book sense that way.

[Falagar]

Isildur says somewhere in the book (think it's in "The Council of Elrond):
"wasn't it I that dealt the enemy his death-stroke" or something similar...

[Shadowfax]

Originally posted by Falagar
Isildur says somewhere in the book (think it's in "The Council of Elrond):
"wasn't it I that dealt the enemy his death-stroke" or something similar...

What do you mean by that? Isildur wasn't at the council: he had been dead for hundreds of years!

[Rían]

(I don't mean to be picky, but you forgot lines 3 & 4, WF - I just have the first 4 lines memorized, but I've always liked the sound of them.)

Gil-Galad was an elven king.
of him the harpers sadly sing:
the last whose realm was fair and free
between the Mountains and the Sea.

And you can see a bit more of Mr. Galad in the first few seconds of FoTR, when the elves are looking at their pretty new rings and it says "Three were given to the elves" - it's (left to right) Gil-Galad, Cirdan, and Galadriel.

I don't think the actor fits, either, Lizra

And I don't think the poem is depressing - I think it's really lovely, altho sad.

[Rían]

I wrote out the first 4 lines in English-mode Tengwar here: gil-galad

*hopes to entice more people over to the Writing in Tengwar thread in the Middle Earth forum....*

[Falagar]

Why do you say that? It was Gil-Galad and Elendil who threw Sauron down. All Isildur did was to cut the ring from his finger after he was dead, like a thief or a grave-robber.

Thief or a graverobber? Gil-galad and Elrond wounded Sauron, perhaps, but:

"This [the ring] I will have as weregild for my father's death, and my brother's. Was it not I that dealth the Enemy his death-blow?"