# LOTR age question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 21, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716 "2012-11-21T13:43:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crab007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c0e974/32.png) [@Crab007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crab007)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/1 "2012-11-21T13:43:39Z")
How old is Legolas and Aragorn in Return of the king? and How old is Thorin in the Hobbit? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/2 "2012-11-21T13:57:20Z")
Legolas’s exact age is never given by Tolkien, as I recall, although he once refers to the others in the Fellowship as “children.” Studio promotional materials at the time the LOTR movies were released said he was over 2000 years old. Aragorn was 87 at the time of LOTR (as he tells a stunned Eowyn in an outtake from _The Two Towers_). Thorin would’ve been 195 at the time of _The Hobbit_ (born 2746 of the Third Age, died 2941). > **[Legolas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legolas)** > > Legolas (pronounced \[ˈlɛɡɔlas\]) is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. He is a Sindar Elf of the Woodland Realm and one of the nine members of the Fellowship who set out to destroy the One Ring. He and the Dwarf Gimli are close friends. > Commentators have noted that Legolas serves as a typical Elf in the story, demonstrating more-than-human abilities such as seeing further than anyone else in Rohan and sensing the memory of a long-lost Elvish civilisation in the s... > **[Aragorn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aragorn)** > > Aragorn is a fictional character and a protagonist in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. Aragorn was a Ranger of the North, first introduced with the name Strider and later revealed to be the heir of Isildur, an ancient King of Arnor and Gondor. Aragorn was a confidant of the wizard Gandalf, and played a part in the quest to destroy the One Ring and defeat the Dark Lord Sauron. As a young man, Aragorn fell in love with the immortal elf Arwen, as told in The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen. Arw... > **[Thorin Oakenshield](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorin_Oakenshield)** > > Thorin Oakenshield (Thorin II) is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's 1937 novel The Hobbit. Thorin is the leader of the Company of Dwarves who aim to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from Smaug the dragon. He is the son of Thráin II, grandson of Thrór, and becomes King of Durin's Folk during their exile from Erebor. Thorin's background is further elaborated in Appendix A of Tolkien's 1955 novel The Return of the King, and in Unfinished Tales. > Commentators have noted that Thorin is Old Nor... See also: [The Encyclopedia of Arda - Thorin II Oakenshield](http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/t/thorin.html) ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/3 "2012-11-21T13:59:34Z")
It’s never really stated how old Legolas is. His father was a sindarian elf that moved to Mirkwood (then Greenwood the Great) in the 2nd age. It isn’t mentioned that Legolas was with him so you could infer that he was born afterwards. That makes him over 3000 years old. Aragorn is easier, born in 2931 of the Third Age making him nearly 90 durring the War of the Ring. Thorin was born 2746 of the Third Age and the Quest for Erebor took place in 2941 making him around 195 years old. ETA : Curse you spell check you took too long! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/4 "2012-11-21T14:36:14Z")
And that puts the lie to all the “No way Legolas could pull off all those crazy stunts and insane marksmanship!” in the movies. Oh yes he can, given literally thousands of years of constant drill-imagine an elite pro athlete who never ages-after even 200 years he’ll be routinely pulling off the most wild and crazy of moves. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/5 "2012-11-21T14:54:10Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > And that puts the lie to all the “No way Legolas could pull off all those crazy stunts and insane marksmanship!” in the movies. Oh yes he can, given literally thousands of years of constant drill An interesting point, if it does have a faint whiff of fan-wankery about it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/6 "2012-11-21T14:56:05Z")
He could probably get to be a pretty mean pianist and card thrower, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/7 "2012-11-21T15:31:16Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > He could probably get to be a pretty mean pianist and card thrower, as well. Well, his dad was a piano _mover_, so… ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/8 "2012-11-21T15:55:55Z")
JRRT’s earliest manuscripts mention an elf named Legolas who dwelt in Gondolin. That was at least 6600 years before the events in FOTR. No evidence of continuity with our later Legolas, however. And I doubt JRRT meant the LOTR Legolas to be the same one he mentioned in writings he’d done 2 or more decades earlier. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/9 "2012-11-21T18:09:35Z")
I seem to remember Legolas being about 800. I think I got it from the now defunct Iron Crown Enterprises, the company officially liscensed to create LOTR role-playing products. ---
**Author:** ![heathen\_earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/13edae/32.png) [@heathen\_earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heathen_earthling)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/10 "2012-11-21T18:37:56Z")
The actors who played Legolas and Aragorn were approximately 23 and 41 when it was filmed. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/11 "2012-11-21T19:25:32Z")
So I know he doesn’t appear, but how old was Aragorn during the time of _The Hobbit_? Could he have been some little kid running around Rivendell? I have it in my mind that those events are about 80 years or so before Bilbo’s eleventy-first birthday in _LOTR_. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/12 "2012-11-21T19:30:19Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > So I know he doesn’t appear, but how old was Aragorn during the time of _The Hobbit_? Could he have been some little kid running around Rivendell? I have it in my mind that those events are about 80 years or so before Bilbo’s eleventy-first birthday in _LOTR_. I believe you’re correct, although he probably would have been out amongst the Rangers at that time. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/13 "2012-11-21T19:30:37Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > So I know he doesn’t appear, but how old was Aragorn during the time of _The Hobbit_? Could he have been some little kid running around Rivendell? I have it in my mind that those events are about 80 years or so before Bilbo’s eleventy-first birthday in _LOTR_. Bilbo is 50 when he sets out at the beginning of _The Hobbit_ and 51 when he returns. It is sixty years from there to the beginning of _Fellowship_ and another seventeen before Frodo sets out for Rivendell. So Aragorn was about 10. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/14 "2012-11-21T20:17:33Z")
Yeah, Legolas was a pup… The films never really made clear how freaking old the elves were (I guess they showed that Elrond was there as part of the Last Alliance when Sauron fell at the end of the second age.) Arwen Undómiel (Evenstar) Born: 241 of Third Age Age at start of The Lord of the Rings: **2777** Elrond Born: 132 of First Age Age at start of The Lord of the Rings: **6517** Galadriel Born: Before the First Age Age at start of The Lord of the Rings: unknown, but more than **7000** [http://www.squidoo.com/lord-of-the-rings-characters-ages](http://www.squidoo.com/lord-of-the-rings-characters-ages) ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/15 "2012-11-21T20:18:56Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > So I know he doesn’t appear, but how old was Aragorn during the time of _The Hobbit_? Could he have been some little kid running around Rivendell? I have it in my mind that those events are about 80 years or so before Bilbo’s eleventy-first birthday in _LOTR_. That’s an interesting point, and one I’d never considered. It could explain Aragorn’s deep love of Hobbits, and the reference to him and Bilbo being old friends. I doubt it was ever intentional, but it’s a nice thought that they were friends from Aragorn’s childhood. I believe Bilbo returned to Rivendell many times in the time between the books. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/16 "2012-11-21T20:33:21Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > And that puts the lie to all the “No way Legolas could pull off all those crazy stunts and insane marksmanship!” in the movies. Oh yes he can, given literally thousands of years of constant drill-imagine an elite pro athlete who never ages-after even 200 years he’ll be routinely pulling off the most wild and crazy of moves. Maybe so, but Gandalf still can’t dps worth a damn. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/17 "2012-11-21T21:18:38Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > I believe you’re correct, although he probably would have been out amongst the Rangers at that time. He was raised at Rivendell after his father Arathorn was killed by orcs. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a young Aragorn cameo in _The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey_ movie, coming out next month. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/18 "2012-11-21T22:59:35Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Maybe so, but Gandalf still can’t dps worth a damn. 😃 What does “dps” mean? I assume it’s some sort of D&D thing, or a video game thing, but as everyone knows I do not know how to use Wikipedia or Google. ---
**Author:** ![Unpronounceable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9de0a6/32.png) [@Unpronounceable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unpronounceable)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/19 "2012-11-21T23:01:46Z")
damage-per-second ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716/20 "2012-11-21T23:20:58Z")
> [@Unpronounceable](#): > > damage-per-second And…I still don’t understand how that can be a verb. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-age-question/641716.md?page=2)