Uploaded a 11 image fanpack of the lotr art I’ve made the past month or so. it’s all on my twitters already but if you’d like to print stuff for at home or you’d like to yeet me a couple bucks you can buy the pack here https://gumroad.com/mto
Depending on what year you end up seeing this post it might not be available anymore.
Omg, it’s done!! Everyone who likes Legolas x Gimli and warm gentle post-war fics will like this, I feel. :) Gimli has been watching Legolas struggle with the sea longing, and finds a roundabout way to ask him a question. ❤️
here’s ten of my favourite under 15k recs for those just getting into this pairing! i made this for @lyndeth-halfelven but it’s here for anyone who wants it.
gimli x legolas is so good because its like. its about finding hope and love in the darkest times and places, its about the inherent tragedy of falling for a mortal when you yourself are not, but its worth it, its about the parallels with beren and luthien, its about having the most important person in your life be another unmarried man, so much so that you break all the rules of reality to go to heaven together in a book published in the 50s, its about cultural sharing and overcoming prejudice and opening doors and making better choices than your ancestors. and its also about braiding each others hair and feeling really weird bc your companion wont stop brushing up against you when you ride a horse together.
Yes, exactly! Tolkien might not have known he was writing an epic gay romance, but boy did that not stop him from doing it. They’re forever my lotr otp.
I know it’s probably been said before, but Gimli would be SO popular in Valinor:
- He’s Legolas’ best friend, obviously, and Legolas won’t let you forget it—he’s constantly telling people about Gimli’s accomplishments in the War of the Ring, and how they met, and how they became friends, and their adorable Middle-earth road trip
- He’s Frodo’s and Sam’s friend, and Bilbo went on the quest of Erebor with Gimli’s father, so Bilbo would obviously dote on him—basically all three Ringbearers adore him
- Galadriel absolutely loves him, obviously, and she’d probably take him everywhere with her, and help him feel at ease in an unfamiliar land, and if Gimli ever started feeling homesick, she would talk to him about the starlight on Kheled-zâram; she understands missing Middle-earth
- Aulë would be SO EXCITED TO MEET HIM! He hasn’t seen a Dwarf in who knows how long—let him spend time with his child!!!!!!!!! They would have so much in common, they could go exploring caves in the Pelóri together and talk about how pretty the rocks are
- Celebrimbor also hasn’t seen a Dwarf in ages—he’d be excited to meet him! They’d have so much to talk about! Gimli would get to hear stories about Narvi and what Khazad-dûm was like at its height! They could compose new verses to Gimli’s song about it
- Finrod would be obsessed with him, like, can you even imagine? Finrod was such close friends with the Dwarves that they gave him a name in Khuzdul, and this Dwarf specifically is friends with his sister AND fought against Sauron in the War of the Ring? He’d be jumping for joy! Plus Finrod also loves caves, so they’d have a great time talking about the ideal cave city
- Literally everybody would be fighting over who gets to hang out with Gimli
- Legolas is over in the corner like, hello, he’s MY best friend, let ME spend time with him!
You know… I’ve said a lot before about Thorin’s company mistaking Thranduil for Thingol. Blah blah blah, information is hard to come by, it’s not like they could Google it. One elfking must seem very alike to another.
But. Glorfindel has got me thinking. What if the dwarves know that Thingol died? What if they just also think that elves - all elves - come back from death to middle earth, give or take a little time? It’s not such a big leap when you think about it.
If they think Thranduil is literally Thingol-resurrected, back and with a hell of a grudge against dwarves, no wonder they didn’t want to talk to him.
Thranduil sends over a letter that’s like “I can’t make it to the meeting so i’m sending my son :) be nice to him and give him snacks.” and they’re like oh fuck holy shit fuck oh no ok WHAT do we expect here
and then it’s
its legolas.
Omg.Yes. They’re pouring frantically through old histories being like ???? Did Luthien have a brother? Is it Daeron?? And someone figures, okay, if he’s back from the dead he can probably have more kids, right? Also this means that Melian is back too. They might not know what to expect, but Luthien’s the baseline so you know it’s gonna be wild.
Then Legolas shows up in understated green and brown with leaves in his hair like. Hi. :)
Legolas shows up after the war engaged to Gimli and is very confused by the dwarf who just throws up her hands and goes “oh of course you are!” And storms off. Many comments are made about keeping up with a sister??? He’s completely lost.
getting emotional at how inseperable legolas and gimli are the entirety of return of the king…tolkien probably just didnt want to bother with them anymore but its so cute how its always legolas and gimli as a single unit
aaaaa this is late but here’s my full piece for @lotr-zine!!!!!! this was such fun to work on and if u haven’t already go check out the full zine to see all the other lovely pieces by some fantastic artists and writers!! ✨
tiny previews of my piece for @lotr-zine which should drop like tonight!!! it’s a free digital zine w/ a lot of fantastic pieces by some gr8 artist and writers so be sure to check it out!!! ✨
Forever obsessed with the fact that even the in-universe annotation in the appendices talking about how Legolas brought Gimli along to Valinor with him is like “We don’t actually know how they managed this. By all accounts, it doesn’t make any sense”
Gimli: So you know I’m on board with this, obviously, but like. If the world is flat for you, and it’s NOT flat for me, and the boat is only supposed to be able to get there the flat way…
Legolas:?
Gimli:What happens if we’re both on the boat?
Legolas:I don’t know, but we’re gonna find out
[Insert title card reading MYTHBUSTERS: ARDA EDITION]
For reference:
Appendix A:
“Gimli Gloin’s son is renowned, for he was one of the Nine Walkers that set out with the Ring; and he remained in the company of King Elessar throughout the War. He was named Elf-friend because of the great love that grew between him and Legolas, son of King Thranduil, and because of his reverence for the Lady Galadriel.
After the fall of Sauron, Gimli brought south a part of the Dwarf-folk of Erebor, and he became Lord of the Glittering Caves. He and his people did great works in Gondor and Rohan. For Minas Tirith they forged gates of mithril and steel to replace those broken by the Witch-king. Legolas his friend also brought south Elves out of Greenwood, and they dwelt in Ithilien, and it became once again the fairest country in all the westlands.
But when King Elessar gave up his life Legolas followed at last the desire of his heart and sailed over Sea.
Here follows one of the last notes in the Red Book
We have heard tell that Legolas took Gimli Gloin’s son with him because of their great friendship, greater than any that has been between Elf and Dwarf. If this is true, then it is strange indeed: that a Dwarf should be willing to leave Middle-Earth for any love, or that the Eldar should receive him, or that the Lords of the West should permit it. But it is said that Gimli went also out of a desire to see again the beauty of Galadriel; and it may be that she, being mighty among the Eldar, obtained this grace for him. More cannot be said of this matter.”
Appendix B:
“1541 – In this year on March 1st came at last the Passing of King Elessar. It is said that the beds of Meriadoc and Peregrin were set beside the bed of the great king. Then Legolas built a grey ship in Ithilien, and sailed down Anduin and so over Sea; and with him, it is said, went Gimli the Dwarf. And when that ship passed an end was come in Middle-Earth of the Fellowship of the Ring.”
Several Notes:
Firstly: Gimli was named Elf-friend because of the great love and friendship that grew between him and Legolas, ‘greater than any that has been between Elf and Dwarf’
Secondly: It is, indeed, considered absolutely baffling to everybody that Legolas could have successfully managed to smuggle a dwarf into elf heaven, and that Gimli would have been willing to go (that a dwarf would go ‘for any love’)
Thirdly: Best guess anyone has is that they maybe flattered Galadriel enough for her to successfully bully gods into letting them in
Fourthly:Legolas built the ship. Legolas. The landlocked forest elf who’s never sailed an ocean or seen the Undying Lands in his life, and neither have any of his people. Now, granted, there was about a hundred years between the Quest and them sailing, so probably, hopefully, there was enough time for Legolas to learn ship-building and navigation and all that, but still. Legolas learned how to build himself and Gimli a ship, from scratch, to sail across an unknown ocean to an elf heaven that mortals cannot reach in hopes of staying together
Fifthly:Gimli went along with this. Gimli son of Gloin got into Legolas’ homemade boat and sailed across an ocean neither of them knew on the hope that Legolas could somehow smuggle him into elf heaven against all precedent and history at the end of it. Like, either Gimli just had complete and utter faith in Legolas and in the elves he’d known who’d gone before them, OR Gimli considered it worth it to die lost on the ocean just to accompany Legolas as much of the way as he could
I love these two so much, because on the one hand I’m crying about the faith and friendship, and on the other hand I’m just reconsidering once again that, in Gimli’s old age, when pretty much all their other friends were dead or gone west, this pair of idiots decided to build a ship from scratch, sail an ocean, and smuggle a dwarf into elf heaven, because fuck it, what’s the worst that could happen? Gimli’s going to die eventually regardless. Might as well at least attempt the impossible on the way, you know?
They were resolutely ridiculously right up to their literal (un)dying day, and I adore them
Enjoying the image of galadriel successfully bullying gods to get gimli into elf heaven
I don’t know what’s funnier, that Legolas tries to solve Gimli’s “I will NOT have a horse under any circumstances!!” with “What if the horse was technically mine?”…… or that it actually works
gimli: i do not like Horse
legolas: will you feel better if you can hug me while you ride the horse
gimli: Yes
[ID: An excerpt from LotR, reading:
‘It may be well enough for this lord of the race of Gondor, as he claims,’ he said, 'but who has heard of a horse of the Mark being given to a Dwarf?'No one,’ said Gimli. 'And do not trouble: no one will ever hear of it. I would sooner walk than sit on the back of any beast so great, free or begrudged.’ But you must ride now, or you will hinder us,’ said Aragorn. 'Come, you shall sit behind me, friend Gimli,’ said Legolas. 'Then all will be well, and you need neither borrow a horse nor be troubled by one.’ A great dark-grey horse was brought to Aragorn, and he mounted it. `Hasufel is his name,’ said tomer. 'May he bear you well and to better fortune than Garulf, his late master!’ A smaller and lighter horse, but restive and fiery, was brought to Legolas. Arod was his name. But Legolas asked them to take off saddle and rein. 'I need them not,’ he said, and leaped lightly up, and to their wonder Arod was tame and willing beneath him, moving here and there with but a spoken word: such was the Elvish way with all good beasts. Gimli was lifted up behind his friend, and he clung to him, not much more at ease than Sam Gamgee in a boat.
Happy Holidays! At last it’s time to post for @officialtolkiensecretsanta and I have some soft Gigolas for @guileheroine, with Legolas taking a moment to realize how he feels while they’re on a break during a hike in the woods. I hope it brings you joy, and that your New Year is a promising one!
