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Challenge #2
In your own space, write a promo, manifesto or primer for your fave character, ship or fandom. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.
Because he's been disappeared from Amazon's Rings of Power, I'll do my favourite elf, Celeborn.
Not in any order
1. Look at him
2. The hair of the Lord Celeborn was of silver, long and bright.
3. Prince of Doriath, one of the very few named characters to have known Middle-earth before the sun and moon, and yet to potentially still be here on earth with us. He would have known Elu Thingol as a beloved relative, to have seen the invention of writing by Daeron, would have belonged to an ancient oral culture that evolved in complete separation from the cultures in Valinor
4. Or was he actually a Nandor elf who had lived in Lothlorien since the world was made? Wouldn't that make for fascinating reading, considering how much racism the Valinorian elves have for even the Sindar. That would make him a really controversial choice of husband for one of the proud Noldor's princesses!
5. Or was he a Teleri prince who returned to Middle-earth with Galadriel with the Valar's blessing? That's a whole new raft of stories.
6. Hot tempered (look at the way he blows up at Gimli) and yet known as 'The Wise.' How does that work? What does wisdom look like when it's coupled with a temperament that's prone to offend people? Given that he's wise, does anyone actually listen to him? Can we find examples of places in canon where Celeborn's wisdom makes a difference? (In fact we can, for example when he stays behind in order to be the one who takes charge of the evacuation of Eregion, meaning that though the kingdom is destroyed by Sauron, a lot of the people get away.
I love the fact that he is ancient and wise, and yet still fiercely engaged with the world. I love the fact that he comes from a culture that is routinely treated as second rate by the Noldor, and yet one which has its own values and heroes. I love the fact that his marriage to Galadriel is in essence a mixed marriage with all the tensions that causes, and that he has to navigate first, second and third age in that awkward middle place. That's worth writing about!
And to be a little more coherent, here are two pieces of meta I prepared earlier:
Prince Valium? (A book-based character study of Celeborn).
That tall fellow next to Galadriel: A short essay about Celeborn
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-01-04 10:38 am (UTC)From:LOL! Yes exactly. And (with Gandalf apparently dead,) this time it sure seems like the one who's going to have to fight the Balrog in the upcoming war is Celeborn. So this is very definitely an 'oh fuck' moment for him.
It is a shame that those who clear up the messes don't seem to get as much fame or glory as those who make them. That's definitely the story of C&G's lives.
I did watch a good chunk of the first episode of Rings of Power, and while I was irritated by all the things I thought it got wrong (perils of being too engaged with the source material) the real damning thing for me was that I also thought it was kind of boring.
I gave it another go recently but didn't last as long as the first time. I might come back if Celeborn ever does turn up, but it's too much like fanfiction for me to bother with it if my favourite character isn't in it.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-01-04 10:51 am (UTC)From:Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-01-04 10:57 am (UTC)From:Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-01-04 11:15 am (UTC)From: