Family Tree Trivia

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Urwen

Neither can I. LOTR has three books, and each book is split into two more books...

Well, and all of the legendarium is many more books than that, shall we count how many you now don't have to consider?

All of the characters involved are major characters (ie not some obscure Brandibuff Bobbins at Bilbo's party or something like that). I will tell you that this speculation is said out loud, not just thought in the narration. Said by a hobbit, about two non-hobbits (also major characters).

And if I give you any more info right now, in return I would be asking for you to quote the exact passage instead of just paraphrasing the event.

[Urwen]

Okay. I will give the others until morning to make some guesses before I start guessing in earnest.

[Morsul the Dark]

There’s something rattling around in my head so they’re mistaken for kin... I feel like Faramir is compared to Gandalf at some point but I don’t think it amounts to thinking kinship.

But something else. Aragorn and one of the men of Gondor Boromir? At Rivendell? By frodo

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Morsul the Dark

There’s something rattling around in my head so they’re mistaken for kin... I feel like Faramir is compared to Gandalf at some point but I don’t think it amounts to thinking kinship.

Sam tells Faramir at Henneth Annun that he reminds him of Gandalf, but I do not believe he ever implies kinship.

Originally Posted by Morsul

But something else. Aragorn and one of the men of Gondor Boromir? At Rivendell? By frodo

They are said to look alike on more than one occasion, I think, but again I can't recall any instance of implied kinship. It should go without saying, but if you provide a quote that proves me wrong, I would accept it as an alternative answer.


I suppose to make you focus less on all the people who look alike - these two don't actually look alike. Their physical appearances are described quite differently.

[Morsul the Dark]

That’s good to know, I don’t think I’ll have the answer I’m more brainstorming and hoping it sparks the answer in someone else’s mind.

[Huinesoron]

This is a really good one. I find it fascinating that you've got such a specific spoken quote in mind, and yet none of us can remember it existing.

I shall have to go digging. (Wonder how fast I can reread all of LOTR...)

hS

[Urwen]

Found it.

Pippin remained behind. 'Was there ever any one like him?' he said. 'Except Gandalf, of course. I think they must be related.

Aragorn and Gandalf.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

This is a really good one. I find it fascinating that you've got such a specific spoken quote in mind, and yet none of us can remember it existing.

You know, I wonder if it has anything to do with the mindset in which we read it. As a post-Silm read, that quote slips your mind like a silly hobbit inanity, typical Pippin. But the pre-Silm me was fascinated with it, because I was much closer to Pippin's level of knowledge and it seemed a legitimate proposal. I mean, we barely know anything about who Gandalf is just from the LOTR texts! I spent hours wondering who he could be, and what makes a wizard.

So this made me realize something too. Though The Sil and LOTR interact a lot, for them to keep their own magic they must also be separated from each other every now and again. Reading The Sil with the eyes of LOTR takes away from the grandiosity and the desperation, and reading LOTR with the eyes of The Sil takes away from the magic and the mystery.

Though, just to be sure, I did skim The Sil for mentions of Gandalf just to make sure he wasn't related to Melian. While they are said to haunt Lorien together, I didn't see anything that implied brother/sister.

Sorry, that was a bit of a tangential ramble. Back to you, Urwen.