The greatest Elf in the history must be Galadriel. Why? Because:
1) She's beautiful
2) she's strong
3) she's fair
4) She doesn't act out of what the best for her and her people is
5) she can see into the future and over long distances
6) She does what she can to help others.

Convinced? [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

~Asacglíniel, Maid of the Wild Woods

What is this! Nobody has mentioned my favorite elf. Well I wouldn't call him the "greatest" elf. (I go with Fingolfin on that). My favorite has to be the rnowned Beleg Strongbow,Warden of Doriath. He is one cool guy. Him and Túrin were great duo. And nobofy mentioned Turgon, founder of Gondolin. Alas, poor Gondolin. Well I know which elf is the worst. Maeglin by far or perhaps Eol.

*smacks self* I completely forgot Beleg Strongbow! He was awesome! I'm sorry...*begs forgiveness* Turgon was cool too...hmm.. how did I miss them? Guess it's been a while since I've read the Sil.

Gil-Galad, Galadriel, and Círdan are my top three greatest elves (not in that order). All were given rings, even if two of them gave thier rings away. This implies that those three were the greatest elves in the time the rings were given away.

If I had too choose one, I'd pick Círdan. I seems like he is always getting overlooked in favor of others (Galadriel, Elrond, Fëanor, etc.) He recognized that Gandalf was the greatest Maia that came to ME and so he gave Gandalf the ring. It also says somewhere in The Silmarillion that he was wise. Círdan did many great things. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Hey GreatWarg?

Vilya is not the only one that agrees Elrond is the greatest. I do TOO!!! Elrond is the best elf ever. All discussions I have about elves always lead back to Elrond!

Man I love this Elf!!!!

I have to side with those who named Finrod and Fingolfin. These two get my vote.

Finrod is one of the wisest and saddest characters. He is noble and gentle and forsees the importance of the role of man in Middle Earth.

I see Fingolfin as, hands down, the bravest elf in all of Arda. His un-faltering loyalty and love to his fellow Noldor is unmatched.

There are some who have disagreed that Feanor deserves such a title as "greatest elf". But, remember, great does not necessarily equal good. Feanor's deeds were indeed great, the stuff of legends. He was the most skilled craftsmen of his people, and the likes of his work will never be seen again. But, although he ranks high on my list, Finrod and Fingolfin take the top spots.

Well, since I have no idea who you guys are taking about (I haven't read the Silmarillion yet [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] ), I'll have to go with an Elf that I do know. Hmm...

Is there really a greatest?

I'll have to say Galadriel. Wise and compassionate, yet cold, as it is no longer her time on Middle-earth.

I don't really like Elves, though. [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

This is not a matter of debate. Luthien is the greatest, Tolkien said so.

This is a matter of debate Tolkien had the opinion that Lúthien was the greatest. Some of us disagree. We would like to explain our reasons for who we think is the greatest, not who Tolkien thinks is the greatest. [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img] [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Tolkien did not state on opinion. Is it an opinion that Thingol was the tallest of the Children of Iluvatar? No, it's a fact. It might have been an opinion if Tolkien had written "Beren thought that Luthien was the greatest," but that isn't what he wrote. He wrote "Luthien is the greatest." Tolkien was not lying to you, kaleidoscope.

Galadriel, definitely.
She is wise, fair, powerful and very far sighted. She helps others whenever help is needed. Without her ME would be COMPLETELY diffrent.
Even Tolkien name her "the greatest of Eldar".

Other elves are cool too. But they all seem a little... well not perfectly right. Elrond reads too much(LOL! joking) Finrod and Fingolfin were too short sighted to throw their lives away. I am sure Negrethond needs Finrod more than Beren needs him and Fingolfin abandoned his people just because of his rage. Glorfindel, well, I don't know that much about him. And Feanor is the one I hate most in the entire ME. I hate him more than either Morgoth or Sauron. But maybe I hate Denethor a little more than him but that's it.

The greatest elf that was ever in ME would be Ingwe. He was the king of all elves. [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

I was wondering when burrahobbit was going to pop up and put an end to this parallel thread.

There is no argument. The Professor is angry with most of you.

What you should have done is asked "Who is your favourite Elf?", put it in Novices and Newcomers, and watched as every single member contributed to it.

Luthien is the Greatest.

As for my favourite, Finrod Felagund.

This thread makes Tolkien cry.

burrahobbit and Eomer of the Rohirrim:

The thread asks who do you think is the greatest Elf in Middle-earth, not who is the greatest Elf in Middle-earth! There is a difference. It should be in Novices and Newcomers, though, since it is not really a discussion, but a matter of opinion. And I agree that it should be phrased 'favorite' instead of 'greatest.'

The title itself is an oxymoron.

Why is that?

My choice of greatest elf would have to be Erenion Gil-galad. In the time when his brethens were leaving Middle Earth in droves or were simply keeping to themselves, Gil-galad established the Kingdom of Lindon as a last bastion against Sauron and the dark forces of Mordor. Without his heroic and inspirational leadership, Sauron's legions would have extended all the way to the bays of Belfalas. Also, when Elendil and his sons were casted upon the shores of Middle-Earth as ship-wrecks, had Gil-galad not extended his hand of friendship, it would have been impossible for the exiled Numenoreans to establish their own Kingdoms.

Gil-galad looked through the disguise of the servants of Morder and even that of Annatar himself and realised his intends. Not only did he reject Sauron's advances, he even sent Elrond to persuade the elves of Eregion to reject Sauron too and later to aid in their defence when the Eregionians realized their folly. With the fall of Eregion, I believe he conmissioned Elrond to bulid Rivendell as a hidden refugee for not only the elves of Eregion but for all who are wreary and oppressed. By the time Sauron had created the one ring and enslaved the nine kings of men (and inturn their kingdoms), he was all-powerful. That didn't stop Gil-galad from creating a last alliance to defeat Sauron. Many would have fled before the might of the power-mad maiar but the High King knew that the time had come for the final struggle and did not shy from it. Gil-galad must have known that he would not come out alive from the land of Mordor and it was with this farsightedness that he left Vilya in the custody of Elrond and made him heir and regent.

Gil-galad's story was brief but pivotal. He was a fine example of how one can still bev great even though he had not seen the lights of the two-trees in Valinor. His accomplishments speak for themselves.

I still think it's Fëanor. Even though Tolkien wrote that Lúthien is the greatest, it's also written that no other like Fëanor has been born or will be born(I don't have the quote, but it was somewhere in the Silm, right? Only read the finnish version).

So I say Fëanor, even though Tolkien said otherwise.

Oh, I'm sorry. The title itself is not an oxymoron. Someone said that the opening post was "Who do you think was the greatest?"

It doesn't make sense as it doesn't matter what our opinion is.

Hi.

I'm new here and furthermore I'm from Germany, so don't expect my English to be good [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Hmm, my two favourite Elves were Fingolfin because of the fight with Morgoth and Beleg because .. he is just friendly, skilled and a friend of my favourite character Turin [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

What did Tolkieen know, anyway?

Tolkien didn't know how to complete his book before his death. If you're speaking of JRR. So isn't there a possibility that he would have changed this too if he would've lived long enough?

Everybody in Tolkien's books is the greatest or the mightiest or the best in something. Anyways, it could be that Tolkien thought that it looks cool if he says that Luthien was the greatest.

So I still think of Fëanor as the greatest. I think that some things shouldn't be listed as facts.

No. Have you ever seen his tombstone? Luthien was his wife, he was Beren.

Fëanor is the greatest elf I think, or probably Fingolfin.

Fëanor, Lúthien and Galadriel were described as being the three greatest of the Eldar. But my vote is for Thingol: He rocks!

I always liked Finarfin, because he kept his head when no one else did.

Burrahobbit: have you seen his grave? or a picture of it? Describe it, please! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Its prorbably Galadriel because she was the most beautiful (see Happy Elves). but don't you think that Aragorn must have had some Elven blood, because he was very weakly related to Elros, who was Elrond's brother, and thus the son of Elwing, who was an elf. A very loose link, but still some blood was there. after all, when he was on his deathbed in Minas Tirith, he said to Arwen (during the Lady Undomiel speach): 'Nay, lady, I am the last of the Numenoreans, and the latest King of the Elder days', bla bla bla. I should know, i read it every night before i go to sleep. and since all the Numenoreans Kings (i.e Aragorn) were descended from Elros, he must have had some elven blood.
Anyway, Galadriel was the best because she had the nicest hair, clothes and house. and she was older, and probably wiser. she had also seen the light of the two trees. But Legolas was most definitely the best looking and Finwe the coolest.

Glorfindel-the nazgul fear him, he saved the ringbearer and defeated a Balrog. Glorfindel wipes the floor with other elves