Legolas’ Lord Of The Rings & The Hobbit Kill Count Is Higher Than You Think

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As a gamer with a deep appreciation for both literature and movies, I find Legolas‘ kill count in the Lord of the Rings films to be quite intriguing. His character evolution from a wise and eloquent Elven prince to an unyielding warrior is captivating, to say the least.

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s tales, Legolas holds a pivotal position among the Elves. He serves multiple roles as a messenger, advisor, and confidant in the Forest of Mirkwood. Notably, he engages in heartfelt conversations with Frodo, contrary to popular belief. However, his most renowned character is that of a nimble-footed warrior, equipped with lethal ranged and melee fighting abilities. Across Peter Jackson’s six Middle-earth films, the Elven archer makes an appearance, resulting in a grand total of 177 foes eliminated. This data can be found in a clip aggregated on YouTube by Auralnauts.

As a gamer and fan of Legolas’ epic actions in the Hobbit franchise, I’d describe this nearly 10-minute video as follows: This video takes you on a nostalgic journey through every instance where I, Legolas, take down an enemy on the screen. Each kill is meticulously shown in the order they originally appeared, allowing me to showcase my action-hero skills from the Hobbit series. The second half of the video highlights these thrilling moments from this exciting prequel to “The Lord of the Rings” in-universe.

After taking into account some approximations for mass slayings and subtracting 13 kills due to Gimli’s contentious arguments over counting Oliphaunt casualties in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, the grand total comes to 177. Adding those disputed kills back to Legolas’ tally would raise his on-screen kill count to 190. Throughout the course of the action, we witness Legolas eliminating various foes such as orcs, goblins, Uruk-hai, men, trolls (yes, multiple), spiders, and wargs. The ultimate “boss battle” defeat is delivered against Bolg in “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.”

Legolas and Gimli’s kill count contest

As a devoted fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth lore, I can share that while Legolas’ kill count is more substantial in the movies than in Tolkien’s original writings, there are valid explanations for this discrepancy.

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Two Towers,” during the Battle of Helm’s Deep, Legolas and Gimli engage in a friendly competition to determine who can slay the most enemies. The contest commences when Gimli achieves two kills, prompting Legolas to remark, “I have surpassed that number, though now I must search for spent arrows; all mine are exhausted. Yet, I claim at least twenty victims.” However, upon hearing that Gimli has reached 21 kills, Legolas raises his count to 24, utilizing his knives. Following the battle’s conclusion, when they reunite, Gimli boasts of having eliminated 42 adversaries. In response, Legolas admits to 41 fatalities but expresses no envy towards his friend’s victory. Instead, he is elated by Gimli’s survival.

Peter Jackson and his team transformed the gentle camaraderie of the battlefield clashes into an intense experience in “The Two Towers.” It was enjoyable. However, they significantly increased the level of competition in “The Return of the King,” where Legolas showcases his exceptional combat skills by single-handedly defeating an entire Oliphaunt. In the Hobbit trilogy, Legolas’s knack for delivering decisive blows became even more prominent as he swiftly eliminated numerous adversaries, often within a short time span. While this departure from the original low-key depiction of friendly competition yields a high body count for one of the Fellowship of the Ring’s mightiest members, it undeniably results in thrilling and action-packed sequences.

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2024-07-14 19:00