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Thranduil
Biographical information
Physical description
Thranduil was a Sindarin elf, King of the Woodland Realm, and father of Legolas.
Biography
First and Second Ages
Born in 100 1A, Thranduil was the only son of Oropher and lived in Doriath with Thingol and Melian before its fall. At the beginning of the Second Age, Thranduil lived in Lindon with Gil-galad while his father lived in Greenwood. After Oropher died in the war of Last Alliance, Thranduil became the King of the Woodland Realm in Greenwood.
Third Age
Thranduil in Erebor, the Lonely Mountain
During the Third Age, Thranduil and his people formed a grand friendship with King Thrór and the Dwarves of Erebor. As he offered several blessings to the King, Thranduil was given jewels for him and his people as a good faith payment for their service.
When the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain were fleeing their home from Smaug in 2880 3A, Thranduil arrives with his army on an Elven Elk. Thorin sees them and asks for help, but Thranduil, realizing that he would just be leading his soldiers to their deaths, refuses, not wanting to risk the lives of his kin. This caused Thorin to develop a strong dislike of the Elves.
Dark Age
Sixty years later, Thranduil sits quietly on his throne after the capture of Thorin and Company. The Elvenking offers to release the Dwarves from captivity and help them in their quest to reclaim the Erebor if Thorin will give him a share of the treasure. Thorin refuses, recounting the time when Thranduil refused to help his people during the siege of Smaug. As Thorin continues his narrative, Thranduil looks horrified and angry. He demands that Thorin should not talk to him about the dragon fire for he has suffered from it himself, and asserts that it was Thror's greed that incurred the dragon's wrath. He then orders his guards to take the company to prison. Before sending Thorin away, he still gave his promise he would let Thorin and his company go if he ever changes his mind.
Thranduil learning the truth of Sauron's return
Thranduil confronts Tauriel, telling her that as a captain of the guard she must drive the spiders out of Mirkwood. As she explains that new spiders would soon enter the kingdom after the previous ones were wiped out, and suggests sorties to destroy the spider's source outside the kingdom's boundaries near Dol Guldur, but Thranduil quickly dismissed this idea due to his isolationist doctrine. He told her that he doesn't care about the other lands since the spiders and orcs would be driven from Mirkwood. He mentions that Legolas, his son, has grown fond of her but that she should not give him hope, because she is a common woodland elf and Legolas is the son of a king.
Thranduil is once again seen with Legolas and Tauriel who return with an orc hostage. The orc is interrogated but refuses to answer, mocking Tauriel about the death of a dwarf. Thranduil dismisses Tauriel after she threatens to kill the orc. The orc is interrogated but refuses to answer, mocking Tauriel about the impending death of a dwarf. Thranduil dismisses Tauriel after she threatens to kill the orc, commenting that he doesn't care about the death of one dwarf. However, when the orc begins to mock Thranduil about a upcoming war, saying his master serving Sauron, the Elf-king swiftly decapitates the captive with a stroke of his sword. Learning the truth of Sauron's return, Thranduil orders his son Legolas to double the guards and make her that the whole Woodland Realm is completely shut.
War of the Ring
Before the War of the Ring, Thranduil felt a great disturbance and realized that evil was growing due to the return of Sauron. Since the High elves of the West were planning to leave, Thranduil believed that there was still hope since he had a vision that Sauron's reign would come to an end. When he received word that the One Ring was found and kept safe in Rivendell, Thranduil sent his son and group of elven ambassadors to take part in the Council of Elrond.
On October 17, 3001 3A, Thranduil led a vast army of 25,000 Wood elves to aid the Dwarves and Men in battling and army of 200,000 Easterlings. During the battle, Thranduil and his elven soldiers led most of the Easterlings into Greenwood where they set up traps, killing about 50,000 Easterlings. The battle ended when an army of Great Eagles arrived later and killed as many Easterlings while the rest retreated and aided the Haradrim during the Battle of Pelennor Fields. Knowing that evil was still growing, Thranduil led an army of 6,000 Elven warriors and archers to Gondor and slew as many orcs that were retreating from the battlefield. After battle was over, Thranduil reunited with his son and ordered his soldiers to gather the wounded and bring them to Minas Tirith to be healed.
Later, Thranduil was among those that led the armies of the Free Alliance to prepare for their final strike against the forces of Mordor. He stood silent when the Mouth of Sauron came forth and insulted the leaders, asking who had authority to treat with him. Thranduil refused to answer and watched as Aragorn decapitated the Mouth. As the armies of Mordor march, Thranduil takes part in the Battle of Morannon and died when several Orc archers shot him before his son could intervene. After his death, Legolas took up his father's mantle as King of the Woodland Realm and would rule Greenwood during the beginning of the Fourth Age.