What Happens to the Wood Elves?

[Lolidir]

there have been discussions on what happens to the elves as a result of their rings losing their power, but what happens to the Wood Elves of Mirkwood and other places? we know that it was Galadriel, Elrond, and Gandalf had the three eleven rings. but the wood elves didnt have one and therefore were not bound to the fate of the One Ring. so if they werent bound to it then would they still leave? they didnt really have a reason to other than the fact that everyone else was.

my theory is that they would stick around for a considerable amount of time before eventually going across. after a while all the other elves would be gone so they would see that the time of the elves was over. how long they stay i dont know, but seeing that especially in Mirkwood, they dont run the chance of men invading their territory because no one wants to live in a dark forest like that, so they would be able to continue to live the way they have for some time.

thats my theory but what do all of you guys think?

[Fingolfin II]

but the wood elves didnt have one and therefore were not bound to the fate of the One Ring. so if they werent bound to it then would they still leave? they didnt really have a reason to other than the fact that everyone else was.

Well, the Third Age was the decline of Elves and the set-up to the Fourth Age, which was the time of the Dominion of Men and the decline of other speaking-folk (i.e. Elves, dwarves, etc.). So that's why the Elves were leaving for Valinor. Besides, the Elves were leaving for Valinor throughout the Second and Third Ages- before the Ring was destroyed.

For an answer to your question, try looking in the Appendices of LotR. Briefly, the Silvan Elves of Mirkwood remained untroubled by the departure of their kin and as far as I know lived with Thranduil and either passed over Sea or stayed in Middle-Earth to an unknown fate (with the exception of Legolas, who's longing of the Sea was brought out by the gulls he saw). As for the Elves of Lothlorien, only a few remnants of their people 'lingered sadly' in Lorien (see 'The Tale of Arwen and Aragorn' in the Appendices).

EDIT- Here are the quotes:

'Then she said farwell to Eldarion, and to her daughters, and too all whom she had loved; and she went out from the city of Minas Tirith and passed away to the land of Lorien, and dwelt there alone under the fading trees until winter came. Galadriel had passed away and Celeborn also was gone, and the land was silent.' -Appendix A, The Tale of Arwen and Aragorn

Also, a more substantial quote from Appendix B-

In the Greenwood the Silvan Elves remained untroubled, but in Lorien there lingered sadly only a few of its former people, and there was no longer light or song in Caras Galadhon -Appendix B, The Tale of Years

[Celebuial]

From reading The Book of Lost Tales I got the impression that the Silvan elves remained in Middle-earth but "faded". As Fingolfin II said, the fourth age was the dominion of Men, and I think that the elves kept their affairs to themselves and so became shadows of their former selves. I think that they became diminished and so all record and memory of them was lost. I'm sure that Tolkien explains it better. You should check out the book.

[Lalaith]

I've often wondered about this - and also the related subject of the Avari and their fate. There have been threads on this,

http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=1468
http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=1626

These are the ones I can find but perhaps there are more...

[Finwe-89]

Legolas is a wood elf, prince of Mirkwood. And I've read that Legolas stayed forever on Middle-Earth. But maybe he's just an exception

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

Legolas went off to sail the high seas.

The change in 'climate' would have been uncomfortable for the Elves. Unappreciative neighbours becoming more apparent, less care for the arts, a more substantial litter problem (if I may be allowed a license to roam); it all adds up to a deeper longing for the Sea.

Plus, the ghost of Tolkien would have been giving them grief; haunting their halls, telling them to "Get a move on..."

Maybe. Authors can do that. Or so I've heard.

[drigel]

I could have sworn i caught a glimpse of one just the other day :smokin:

[Elladan and Elrohir]

Galadriel said that the destruction of the One Ring would mean the Elves had two options: either to pass over the Sea, or to remain in Middle-earth, slowly dwindling to a rustic folk of dell and cave (don't remember the exact quote). It would seem to me that the Wood-elves chose the latter option.