Tolkien's Early Legolas Concept: A Premonition of Peter Jackson's Retcon
Discover how J.R.R. Tolkien's original ideas hinted at a Legolas retcon long before Peter Jackson's controversial decision in The Hobbit movies. Dive into the intriguing connection between Tolkien's early vision and Jackson's adaptation, shedding light on a fascinating narrative twist.
Peter Jackson decided to include Legolas in The Hobbit trilogy, even though the character was not originally in J.R.R. Tolkien's book. Interestingly, Tolkien himself almost made this change. Initially, Tolkien had not planned for The Hobbit to connect with The Lord of the Rings series, leading to inconsistencies between the two stories. This inspired Tolkien to consider rewriting The Hobbit to align better with his popular continued story, but he never completed this revision.
Tolkien's first book set in Middle-earth was published in 1937, long before he connected the ring in The Hobbit to the Dark Lord Sauron in The Lord of the Rings. Due to the unplanned connection between the two stories, there were discrepancies in the details. In the 1960s, Tolkien attempted to rewrite The Hobbit to address these inconsistencies. However, he ultimately abandoned the project after only completing a few chapters, as detailed in the book The Hobbit: Mr Baggins and Return to Bag-End by John D. Rateliff.
Tolkien (Probably) Would Have Added Legolas Into The Hobbit Before Jackson's Movies
Legolas fighting in The Hobbit. - Tolkien (Probably) Would Have Added Legolas Into The Hobbit Before Jackson's Movies
It's impossible to know for sure what changes Tolkien would have made in his rewrite of The Hobbit. However, considering his aim to connect it with The Lord of the Rings, it's probable that he would have included more details about Frodo's journey. This focus would likely have been on the Ring, possibly showing a stronger influence it had on Gollum. Additionally, hints about the impact of the One Ring on Bilbo by the end of the story would have been necessary.
Apart from the One Ring, another link between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings was Legolas. With Legolas being confirmed as the son of King Thranduil and Mirkwood being a setting in the prequel, it would make sense for Tolkien to mention Legolas in The Hobbit. It's logical to assume that the future member of the Fellowship of the Ring could have been present during Bilbo and the Dwarf's encounter with Thranduil.
Legolas may not have had a major role in Tolkien's revised version of The Hobbit, but the author would have definitely included the Elf in the story. This suggests that the fantasy genre's pioneer had already changed this detail about the Hobbit fifty years before Jackson, preventing the director of The Lord of the Rings from negatively impacting the character.
All three movies based on The Hobbit are now streaming on Max and Hulu.
Why The Hobbit Trilogy Including Legolas Still Didn't Work
Evangeline Lily and Orlando Bloom as Tauriel and Legolas in The Hobbit series - Why The Hobbit Trilogy Including Legolas Still Didn't Work
Tolkien's love for family trees and meticulous consistency makes it easy to picture him including Legolas in a rewrite of The Hobbit's Mirkwood scenes. This explains why Jackson decided to add Legolas to his 2012 movie. However, the problem wasn't the decision to include Legolas, but rather how Jackson executed the character's involvement in Bilbo's story.
If Tolkien had included Legolas in his version of The Hobbit, the Elf would have likely played a minor role. He might have been simply identified as Thranduil's son, with no dialogue or interaction with Bilbo or the Dwarves. This would have maintained better coherence between the two stories without straying too far from the original. However, Jackson's choice to bring in Orlando Bloom as Legolas was probably influenced by the character's popularity in the Lord of the Rings movies, leading him to handle things differently.
In Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy, Legolas played a significant role in the story and appeared frequently. Bloom's presence in this prequel movie seemed even more prominent than in the original Lord of the Rings films, which was quite frustrating. It can be assumed that Tolkien would not have allowed this character to completely dominate the plot, especially not in a love triangle competing with a Dwarf. Ultimately, Jackson's choice to expand Legolas' role in The Hobbit felt more like a money-making scheme rather than staying true to Tolkien's original vision.
Editor's P/S:
The article provides interesting insights into the evolution of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings stories. Tolkien's initial intention to keep them separate led to inconsistencies, prompting him to consider revisions. The inclusion of Legolas in Jackson's Hobbit trilogy, while inspired by Tolkien's potential rewrite, was executed differently, resulting in a more prominent role that clashed with the intended minor presence in Tolkien's vision.
It's intriguing to speculate what changes Tolkien would have made if he had completed his rewrite. The focus on the Ring's influence and foreshadowing its future impact would have enriched the connections between the stories. While Legolas' inclusion in a revised Hobbit might have been logical, it's likely that Tolkien would have handled it with more restraint, avoiding the overblown role he played in Jackson's adaptation. The article highlights the complexities of adapting beloved literary works to film, where creative liberties can sometimes stray from the author's original intent.
