#tolkien headcanon
I’m aware that occasionally there’s some debate about whether or not Tokiens Elves sleep or not. Since Tolkien has described several instances of elves sleeping and dreaming (for example, Turgon and Finrod are both described as sleeping and dreaming of the secret elven cities they would one day found.) As far as I’ve seen, the main argument against the elves actually sleeping is the somewhat popular belief that Tolkiens Elves might partake in some sort of deep meditative trance.
This seems largely due to the fact that Elves are also described as sleeping with their eyes open and remaining aware of their surroundings and the happenings around them. They’re also described as needing comparatively short rest periods compared to mortals. So I can definitely see where the idea of them meditating rather than sleeping comes might come in.
HOWEVER,
That is not what I personally believe and since I’m physically incapable of keeping my opinions to myself I’m here at 2:09 AM on this fine Thursday night blatantly ignoring the fact that if I were to fall asleep right now I would only get 4 hours and six minutes of sleep before I have to get up again to explain my hypothesis to the void.
I think that Elves (and maybe other immortal creatures) use a similar sleeping tactic as several aquatic mammals and various bird species, which is a phenomenon called “Unihemispheric Sleep” or “Slow Wave Sleep.” The idea is extremely interesting and there’s tons of super cool info that you can look into if you’re interested, but I’ll try to explain what it is as short and sweet as I can.
Brains are generally considered to be divided in half down the middle into two hemispheres; the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere. Each hemisphere is in charge of sending or receiving messages to half of the body, while the other hemisphere is in charge of the other side.
During normal sleep, BOTH hemispheres of the brain ‘turn off’ and rest simultaneously. This is why for most creatures we’re completely unaware of our surroundings and everything going on while we sleep because our entire brain went on its lunch break. We don’t process any sensory information unless it’s exceedingly disruptive. (For example, we probably won’t hear somebody walking through a room if we fall asleep on the couch but would wake up to them calling loudly to us.)
During Unihemiphseric Sleep only one side of the brain (one hemisphere) rests at a time. Basically, it means that one side of your brain can still remain aware of the environment and ensure that body movement/function isn’t repressed so that if the need arises you can react quickly to things such as threats.
Aquatic Mammals use this specific pattern of sleep most often to ensure that they don’t accidentally drown while they sleep or drift away from any family or pod that they might be a part of. Birds use it most often during long flight migrations so that they can still fly on course while also getting some rest or when they’re in an area where they feel unsafe or threatened.
There have also been several studies that indicate most birds are able to choose if they want to rest both halves of their brain simultaneously or if they want to rest each hemisphere separately. In my personal headcanons (and writing) I also believe that Elves would have the same ability to decide how they want to rest since the quality and benefits of sleep are better when both sides of the brain rest at the same time.
I beleive that the Elves would switch between the two sleeping styles depending on the situation the same way that birds can.
For example, while Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas are chasing after Merry and Pippin I think that Legolas would have been capable of doing something similar to the migratory birds and kept on running after them even while half his brain slept.
Meanwhile, I think that when elves are injured, sad, or just really tired they’ll sleep ‘normally’ and rest both hemispheres of their brain for the added benefits.
I rewatched the Hobbit films recently and honestly the way the movies treat the Arkenstone is insane. I know it’s also central to the book but film is a visual medium and it really plays up just how goddamn shiny the stone is. Is it magical? No. Does “heart of the mountain” refer to anything specific? No. Thorin is just willing to die for this rock because it’s just THAT shiny.
lowkey my heart will always believe that the Arkenstone was the Silmaril that Maedhros swan dived into a lava pit with and at this point I don’t think any concrete logic or evidence can ever change its mind
One of the many, many, things that confuses people about Galion and Thranduil’s overall relationship - and perhaps the most jarring of them all - is usually the way that Galion speaks to and with Thranduil. He isn’t aggressive or anything, but he also certainly doesn’t speak to Thranduil the way that somebody who’s entire job is to LITERALLY be at his beck and call. Around company he formalizes a bit, addresses him by a few fancy titles here and there, maybe a bow or two.
But when there is no company the only time that he refers to Thranduil with officality is when he’s mad at him. Like when couples fight and call each other by their first name instead of nicknames.
Also, generally speaking he is basically the only one who can speak to Thranduil with an attitude or disrespect. Except for Ferdan, but it’s physically impossible for him to NOT say something with an attitude.
Some of the various sentences Elrond has heard over time that nearly made him explode with anxiety at what Thranduil’s response would be only to be extremely underwhelmed each time include but are not limited to:
“What? Why would you do that? You’re so stupid sometimes.”
“Excuse me? Speak to me like that again and I’ll pour this entire pot of tea over your head.”
“Stop talking, I don’t care what you have to say.”
“You’re not the boss of me.”
“What is your problem? Huh?”
“Absolutely not, and if you try anything I’m gong to get your own army to lock you up in your own dungeon until you come to your senses.“
"If I didn’t hate starting new jobs so much, I would have poisoned you long ago.”
Whenever it’s reasonably feasible Thranduil always has Avaleina greet the elven visitors at their border, especially if it’s a Noldor elf, and not because he thinks she will always do the best job at being the ambassador between different peoples.
It’s because with her short stature, dark complexion, green eyes, and multiple tattoos Avaleina couldn’t physically look any more ‘Silvan’ unless she wrote “Hello, I’m a Silvan Elf,” onto her forehead. She also has a negative ninety-seven percent chance/intention of purposefully changing her mannerisms, personality, accent, or general presentation to appar less ‘Silvan’ for any reason.
Especially if the visiting Elves show any signs of disdain or judgment.
The reason this is important is that Thranduil likes to know how other elves treat his Silvan Elves when there’s nobody ‘equal or better’ around to see it. He likes to know their reactions to having to listen to every syllable commanded by a Silvan elf. He needs to know if they feel disrespected that it was ‘only’ her that was there to greet them, and it wansn’t at least Farlen (who is a Sindar elf) regardless of the fact that Legolas, Farlen, and Avaleina are essentially equal and interchangeable in the overall chain of command in Greenwood.
Thranduil wants to know each and every underhanded comment their visitors might make, or be pleasantly surprised by genuine respect for Avaleina and the rest of the Silvan people.
Avaleina is also probably one of the only elves that would send any visitor packing back to the border of the forest regardless of who or what they are outside of the forest if she feels their disrespect is enough to warrant such an action. She’s essentially a bigotry and superiotority sniffing bloodhound that filters out all the elves that Thranduil probably wouldn’t have the patience to deal with anyways.
Ava has 100% sent Celeborn and his escort back to the border because of something one of the warriors said and didn’t allow Celeborn back into the forest until he agreed to leave that warrior behind. One time she sent Elladan and Elrohir back to the forest edge four entire times before they finally learned their lesson.
She’s basically the Sphinx of Greenwood and you have to answer her riddles correctly to even step foot into the forest and especially to make it all the way to the stronghold.
