He first appears as a supporting character in The Hobbit, where he is simply known as the Elvenking, the ruler of the Elves who lived in the woodland realm of Mirkwood. The character is properly named in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, and appears briefly in The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales.
Thranduil's earliest appearances are during the War of the Last Alliance. He can be found during the Battle of Dagorlad and later is seen during the Siege of Barad-dûr. In the present time, Thranduil is first encountered fighting in Mirkwood during the last days of the War of the Ring.
The woods are better known as "Mirkwood" to film viewers, as the name was changed in the Third Age due to the dark power of Sauron falling over the woodland. In the Second Age of The Rings of Power, one character from the films would be alive in this area, Thranduil, the Elvenking.
Although they are never portrayed as meeting in any of the books, it is reasonable to infer that they were at least acquainted. Thranduil accompanied his father Oropher to the War of the Last Alliance. Even though Oropher was “ill-disposed” to place himself under Gil-galad's command, he would have had to deal with him.
We don't get any scenes of Thranduil meeting Aragorn, but one is implied. They probably met since Aragorn took the newly captured Gollum to Thranduil's kingdom.
Where Was THRANDUIL During The Lord of the Rings? | Middle Earth Lore
Did Galadriel meet Thranduil?
In the present time, Thranduil is first encountered fighting in Mirkwood during the last days of the War of the Ring. He joins the forces of Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel and after a brief discussion their combined host moves on Dol Guldur where Galadriel brings down the fortress.
Thranduil would be older than Elrond. When Doriath was destroyed and the child Elwing (Elrond's mother) was brought to the Havens of Sirion where he met Earendil and eventually wed when they got older, and had then conceived Elrond and Elros.
There is no record of any relationship between the the houses of Thranduil and Galadriel. Surely Galadriel would have mentioned it when she met Legolas. No, Legolas was a Silvan Elf whereas Galadriel was Noldorin.
In contrast to other prominent Elves, such as Thranduil, the Elvenking of Mirkwood, or his son Legolas, the Prince of Mirkwood and expert archer, Elrond was still more powerful due to his involvement during keys events of Middle-earth and possessing a Ring of Power.
Sauron sent an army to attack King Thranduil, as well as Dale and Lothlorien. King Thranduils son was a member of the fellowship. He helped indeed. If you're wondering why he didn't send his army to the aid of Minas Tirith, he knew Sauron was going to attack his home, and Sauron did just that.
This doesn't make Thranduil any more powerful than the other two, even though he has a higher title. In fact, Galadriel is probably the most powerful elf in Middle Earth in the Third Age, but she chooses to put that power to the life and vibrancy of her forest, rather than to establish her right to rule.
While Thranduil didn't have a problem with Dwarves, he didn't care for a lot of Elves. In the book, Thranduil was an isolationist and with good reason. Thranduil was a Sindarin Elf, which meant that he had never been to Valinor, and he grew up in Doriath under the leadership of King Elu Thingol and Melian the Maia.
After his death, his son Thranduil would become King of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood. Formerly, the stately title had been "King of the Woodland Realm," but as Greenwood became Mirkwood, the elves no longer had the geographic footprint in the forest they once did.
Legolas is a Sindarin Elf from the Woodland Realm of Northern Mirkwood. His father, Thranduil, is the King of the Silvan Elves living in that realm, making Legolas the Prince of Mirkwood.
When meeting with Thranduil, Thorin says, “Imrid amrâd ursul” – “Die a fiery death.” When Thorin then recounts the meeting to Balin from his prison cell, he states that he told Thranduil “to 'Ishkh khakfe andu null'” – “pour my excrement on his head.” Another dwarvish insult came from Gimli in The Fellowship of the ...
Thranduil most definitely met Gandalf. They were both present together at the Battle of the Five Armies, and were clearly well-acquainted, as they leave Erebor together, andwhen they part on their ways home at the edge of Mirkwood, Thranduil says: “Farewell! O Gandalf!” said the king.
Though neither is someone you'd wish to annoy, Galadriel is generally considered more powerful than Elrond in Lord of the Rings. Not only is she older than her Rivendell counterpart, but Galadriel witnessed the light from Valinor's Two Trees, giving her a mystic quality.
Who would win in a fight between Elrond and Thranduil? There isn't a competition, Elrond is superior. I know Thranduil and Elrond both fought in the Last Alliance and both are respectable fighters. But Elrond is a specialty in that he's a high-elf and he has one of the Rings of Power [Vilya].
Legolas came to the Council of Elrond in Rivendell, the great meeting held by the Elf lord Elrond, as a messenger from his father to discuss the escape of Gollum.
TL;DR: Thranduil inherited the title of King. Neither Elrond nor Galadriel pursued the high kingship of the Noldor after Gil-galad's death. Galadriel declined to call herself Queen of Lothlórien.
It is later mentioned that Tauriel is a talented warrior and was therefore made leader of the Mirkwood border guards. Legolas, the son of Mirkwood's Elven king Thranduil, is indicated to be attracted to her, but as she is a lowly Silvan Elf, she does not believe herself worthy of him.
The key difference between Elrond and Thranduil are the elven societies they rule - Elrond's people seem to be largely Noldor (high elves), while Thranduil who is one of the Sindar (middle elves) rules a community of the Silvan (middle to low elves).
No, Thranduil does not have a ring of power in The Hobbit. There are three Elven rings of power, and they are worn by Elrond, Galadriel, and Cirdan. All three are powerful rulers in the Elven Kingdom. Thranduil, as the King of the Woodland Realm, is not considered important enough to possess a ring.
Yes. After the crowning of Aragorn, Legolas returned to Mirkwood and recruited a group of elves to migrate to Gondor and populate Ithilien so that the land could be made fair again. He must have seen his father and obtained permission to lead some of his father's people to Ithilien.
The oldest elf in LoTR is Círdan the Shipwright, the oldest Elf still remaining in Middle-Earth, who appears at the end of Return of the King to sail to Valinor.
