The 20 Most Powerful Elves In The Lord Of The Rings, Ranked

The Lord of the Rings Elves vary in power and stature so figuring the strongest is difficult. When fans are introduced to the Elves of The Lord of the Rings, they’re on their way out of Middle-earth but “the time of the Elves is over.” At their height, the LOTR Elves accomplished some magnificent feats. They built kingdoms, crafted unique and powerful jewelry, and valiantly fought great evils. From their creation during the First Age up to their decline in the Third Age, the most powerful Elves in Lord of the Rings were (almost) always there to champion good and help those in need.

That said, some LOTR Elves like Legolas are not without their faults, something that is explored at a deeper level in the Amazon Prime series Rings of Power. Some Elves in Lord of the Rings were said to be greedy, and others partook in one of the biggest Elvish sins — kinslaying. Still, most of the Elves were heroic, and not just in the traditional sense. These Lord of the Rings Elves exhibited power in a myriad of ways. Some took on big bads and defeated Balrogs, but others made costly, personal sacrifices or tore down millennia-old barriers — all of which are acts that require great power.

20 Figwit

The Nameless Elf Spied By Fans In The Fellowship Of The Ring

Figwit doesn’t sound like an Elvish name, and there is a reason for this. Figwit is actually a fan-created acronym for “Frodo is great… who is this?” The acronym was created when, upon rewatching The Fellowship of the Ring, a fan noticed that after Frodo makes the heroic and selfless choice of offering to take the Ring to Mordor: the camera cuts to a random Lord of the Rings elf.

That random LOTR Elf is played by none other than Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Conchords fame. His character was brought back for a brief scene in The Return of the King and an even larger role in the Hobbit movies once Peter Jackson caught wind of Figwit’s popularity with the fans. However, Figwit has relatively little power. For example, when he tries to urge Arwen to press forward towards the Grey Havens, Arwen barely acknowledges his presence and rides past him.

19 Arondir

The Second Age Silvan Elf Responsible For Keeping Watch Over The Southlands

Created as an original character for Rings of Power, the LOTR Elf is technically a Silvan Elf and is not part of J.R.R. Tolkien’s canon. He may not be as powerful as some of the other Elves, but he was given the responsibility of watching over the Southlands of Middle-Earth, lest the inhabitants revert to their prior destructive ways. As with many Elves, he is an archer who defended the region from invading Orchish armies. He remained at his post in the Southlands for 79 years but hit a snag when he met Bronwyn.

Bronwyn, a human woman, became the object of the Lord of the Rings Elf’s affection. He was warned by Médhor about the many dangers involved with falling for a human, but this doesn’t stop him in the slightest. When the occupation of the Southlands came to an end, Arondir, rather than return home with the rest of the LOTR Elves, went once again to his love. Unfortunately, he was taken prisoner by Orcs and forced to dig.

18 Tauriel

The Captain Of The Mirkwood Guard In The Third Age

The addition of a non-canon LOTR Elf to the Hobbit upset a lot of Tolkien purists, but without Tauriel, the Hobbit trilogy would have been even more male-dominated than the Lord of the Rings trilogy, so the addition of a female Lord of the Rings character made sense. As captain of the Mirkwood Elven Guard, she proved to be a professional military warrior, and she led the armed forces from the Woodland Realm.

Tauriel repeatedly demonstrated her skill with her bow and her daggers, but her greatest strength was her intelligence and ability to realize the need for change. Long before Legolas was able to look past his own prejudices against Dwarves and decades before Elrond realized he couldn’t completely forsake the race of Men, the Lord of the Rings Elf opened her heart to the Dwarves and demanded that the Elves take an active role in the fight against the growing evils in Middle-earth.

17 Haldir

The Marchwarden Of Lothlórien

Haldir’s role as a Lord of the Rings Elf, along with his odd friendship in the movies, is much larger than what appears in the books. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, Haldir was tasked with guarding the forests of Lothlórien from invaders such as the orcs. While he does an admirable job of that, intercepting the Fellowship as they enter the forests of Lothlórien, he receives more responsibility in the movies.

In The Two Towers, at the behest of Galadriel and Elrond, Haldir was asked to lead an army of Lord of the Rings Elves in defense of the Rohirrim, who were being attacked at Helm’s Deep. He fought valiantly side-by-side with Aragorn, and while the Rohirrim suffered massive losses in the battle, Haldir’s presence and that of his fellow Elves helped Theoden’s people make it through the night until Gandalf and his reinforcements showed up.

16 Arwen

The Warrior-Bride Of Aragorn

Arwen’s role as a LotR Elf was considerably expanded for the movies. In order to give her a more significant role in the narrative, the writing team decided to have her help Frodo escape the Ringwraiths. In the novels, her role is much smaller, and her primary function is that of a love interest. While Arwen and Aragorn’s relationship is not as progressive as Eowyn’s character arc, Arwen still exhibits a lot of strength, just a different kind.

It would have been easy for her to choose to sail to Valinor with the rest of the LOTR Elves and bury her love for Aragorn. It was braver to stay behind while most of her people left Middle-earth. Yes, she chose to stay behind for love, but taking that kind of risk showed tremendous courage, making her one of the more powerful Elves in Lord of the Rings.

15 Thranduil

The King Of Mirkwood

Thranduil is King of Mirkwood, he rides a majestic elk into battle, and he has perfectly frosted eyebrows. While these are all admirable qualities, Thranduil is presented as a flawed father and ruler in The Hobbit. Under his rule, Mirkwood practiced isolationism. Despite the growing terrors just outside his kingdom’s borders, the Lord of the Rings Elf Thranduil stubbornly refused to help those in need.

While it would be easy to dismiss Thranduil and call him a selfish individual, he suffered many losses that may have contributed to his increasingly isolationist ways. Along with his father and many of his people, the LOTR Elf Thranduil fought against Sauron during the War of the Last Alliance. He lost his father and a third of his people during that war, which understandably, fed his fear of conflict. In the books, Thranduil can also use magic doors to protect his palace, which makes him a great defensive warrior.

14 Finrod

The Martyred Brother Of Galadriel

The Lord of the Rings Elf Finrod doesn’t appear much in Rings of Power, but as Galadriel’s older brother, he does play an integral part in the storyline. During the series premiere, Finrod’s story is told in full before his death during the great war of the First Age. Unlike Legolas, Finrod was a friend to the Dwarves as they aided him in founding Nargothrond, after which he ruled over his kingdom in Beleriand.

Will Fletcher also played Sgt. Potter in
Fear Below

Ever the ambassador, Finrod was the first to meet men in Ossiriand and became friendly with the House of Bëor, a favor which was later returned when Barahir of House Bëor saved his life during a battle with Morgoth. As a token of appreciation, he gave Barahir his ring (the same worn by Aragorn) and, later, Barahir’s son, Beren, requested Finrod’s assistance. He obscured their appearances with magic but was caught by Sauron and had to reveal himself to save Beren. Beren escaped, but Finrod suffered at the hands of a werewolf and died from his wounds.

13 Fingon

The High King Of The Ñoldor

Also known as Fingon the Valiant, this Lord of the Rings Elf doesn’t appear in any subsequent films or television shows, but nonetheless plays a part in the overarching Tolkien tale. After the death of his father, he was the King of the Noldor in Middle Earth during the First Age. He was responsible for leading or partaking in many of the elven LOTR battles of the First Age and played a huge role in bringing the Sons of Fëanor back together.

The issue with Fingon as a LOTR Elf lies in his family tree. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion, a collection of the ancient history of Middle-Earth, Fingon is listed as the father of Gil-galad. However, this was contested by Christopher Tolkien, son of J.R.R., and that it was the result of an error he made during the editing process of The Silmarillion. This is supported by the fact that Fingon’s brother Turgon assumed the throne after his death, but the topic is still disputed.

12 Celebrimbor

The Elf Craftsman Who Created The Rings Of Power

Although Celebrimbor isn’t mentioned in the Lord of the Rings movies, his handiwork appears throughout it. In LotR Elven history, Celebrimbor was an Elf who gained great renown as an expert craftsman and jewel-smith. With the help of the fair being Annatar (Sauron in disguise), he created 16 of the 20 Rings of Power. These were the Rings that found their way into the hands of Men and Dwarves. He also created the three Elven Rings of Power, but since he crafted these rings on his own, they were devoid of the corrupting power of the other Rings.

In addition to crafting a majority of the Rings of Power, the Lord of the Rings Elf also helped the Dwarf Narvi create the Doors of Durin, one of the doors that led into the Dwarven kingdom of Khazad-dûm. Celebrimbor was also the Elf who stood up and said he would create a new One Ring to beat Sauron – proving he was someone who knew he had to do the ultimate task to save his world until Sauron defeated him and absorbed his spirit.

11 Legolas

The Prince Of Mirkwood

Prince of Mirkwood and rider of shields, Legolas’ talents are many. The Lord of the Rings Elf is an expert bowman, he can gracefully slide down the trunk of an Oliphaunt, and he can even flip himself onto a galloping horse, all while keeping score of his kills, always showing he was one of the most powerful Elves in Lord of the Rings. Given his father’s hatred for Dwarves, a prejudice that Legolas inherits, Legolas’s ability to eliminate that prejudice is impressive.

Not only does he begin to tolerate Gimli, but, eventually, he and Gimli form one of the most profound and ground-breaking friendships in Middle-earth. The friendship between the LOTR Elf and Dwarf was so strong that once Legolas decided to leave Middle-earth for good and sail to the Undying Lands like most of his kind, he took Gimli with him, making Gimli the first Dwarf to enter this sacred Elvish haven. The Legolas in the books was not as powerful as he was in the movies.

10 Celeborn

Lord Of Lothlórien, Husband Of Galadriel

While Celeborn was a skilled warrior and thought to be one of the wisest Lord of the Rings Elves, perhaps his greatest accomplishment was marrying Galadriel, who, in The Silmarillion, is cited as being the “mightiest and fairest” Elf in Middle-earth. Even more impressive is his willingness to take on a supporting role while Galadriel remains powerful in every possible way. Whether this is how Tolkien intended the LotR Elf to be interpreted is irrelevant.

This is how he appears in the narrative, and, for a story that doesn’t have many female characters, and even less stable romantic relationships, Celeborn’s depiction as a supportive husband who’s not threatened by the strength of his female partner, is significant. The couple also sensed the growing evil and chose to oppose it, becoming protectors of the wood.

9 Glorfindel

Lord Of The Golden Flower

When The Fellowship of the Ring was released in theaters, many fans took to the forums and lamented the loss of the Elf Glorfindel, a character who had perhaps one of the most memorable scenes in the novel. That scene was the Ringwraith chase in which an injured Frodo is swiftly escorted to Rivendell for treatment. The scene is relatively unchanged in the movie, except it’s Arwen who helps Frodo escape the Ringwraiths or the Nazgul, and she’s the LotR Elf who summons the torrent of water that tramples the Nine.

In addition to escaping the Ringwraiths, Glorfindel has a number of heroic acts to his name. The Lord of the Rings Elf fought against the forces of Sauron’s master, Morgoth. It was Glorfindel who was a big reason the Witch-King of Angmar fell in battle. He battled and defeated a powerful Balrog — a fight that cost him his life. His actions in life were so noble that, upon his death, he was brought back to life and given, increasing in his rank as one of the most powerful Elves in Lord of the Rings.

8 Ecthelion

The Bane Of Gothmog

If the name “Ecthelion” sounds familiar it’s because it was mentioned numerous times throughout Return of the King, as Gandalf refers to Denethor as “Son of Ecthelion” while he and Pippin are in Minas Tirith on a quest to warn Denethor of Sauron’s intentions. Outside of having a son named Denethor (whose death was worse in the movies), the powerful Lord of the Rings Elf is one of the greatest heroes of the First Age and often fought alongside Glorfindel.

Lord of the House of the Fountain, the LotR Elf led a battalion with Turgon at the battle of Nírnaeth Arnoediad, but unfortunately faced defeat and was forced to retreat his Gondolin army. As well as Warden of the Great Gate, Ecthelion killed two dragons, orcs, and three Balrogs during the attack on Gondolin. During the Fall of Gondolin, Ecthelion faced Gothmog and defeated him by driving the spike of his helmet through the demon’s body. Unfortunately, both he and Gothmog fell into the Fountain of the King and drowned.

7 Eärendil

The Prince Of Gondolin & Lord Of Avernien

Eärendil is heavily referenced throughout Lord of the Rings, thanks to the Light of Eärendil and the Star of Eärendil. A phial containing the Light of Eärendil was given to Frodo during the Third Age, in order to help him defeat Shelob. However, Eärendil was also a historic figure in Lord of the Rings mythology and a half-Elf. The beginning of his famed journey began after slaying Morgoth’s mightiest dragon, Ancalagon the Black, and his fate was to travel the Great Ocean with the Silmaril that Lúthien and Beren had taken from Morgoth and guard the moon and the sun.

The Light of Eärendil is hugely significant in Lord of the Rings, and, consequently, the LotR Elf himself. Considering that Middle-Earth is only lit by the light of the stars, the Star of Eärendil remains a beacon of hope for the people of Middle-Earth. The last of the Silmarils that Eärendil carried across the Great Ocean in his ship, Vingilot, became the Morning Star, and by the time the Third Age rolls around, it is all that is left of the Light.

6 Fingolfin

The High King Of The Ñoldor & King Of Hithlum

Fingolfin’s journey to Middle-earth was fraught with hardships. His half-brother, Fëanor, had grown suspicious of Fingolfin after Morgoth, Sauron’s master, fed the LotR Elf lies about his younger brother. Fëanor did everything in his power to sabotage his brother and his followers. However, although Fëanor made it difficult for him, Fingolfin made it to Middle-earth.

The
Lord of the Rings
Elf was able to hold his own against Morgoth

It was in Middle-earth that Fingolfin performed his most heroic act — engaging Morgoth in single combat.Morgoth was a powerful being, more powerful than Sauron, and perhaps one of the most powerful beings in Tolkien’s universe. The Lord of the Rings Elf was able to hold his own against Morgoth for an impressive amount of time and even got a few licks in. He also struck Morgoth with a powerful blow that left him with a lasting limp.

5 Gil-Galad

The King Of The High Elves

Gil-Galad was the High King of the Ñoldor in Middle-earth and has many accomplishments to his name as one of the most powerful Elves in Lord of the Rings. With many wondering if he’s more powerful than Galadriel in Rings of Power, he was one of the few LOTR Elves who was able to see past Sauron’s attempt to earn the trust of Gil-Galad’s people by appearing to them in the form of a fair being. He was also entrusted with the safekeeping of two of the three Elven Rings of Power, one of which he gifted to Elrond.

While he doesn’t have a speaking role in the Lord of the Rings movies, the LOTR Elf Gil-Galad does appear briefly in the prologue scene fighting against Sauron’s forces. He, along with Elendil, Aragorn’s ancestor, formed the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. This alliance temporarily defeated Sauron until he regained power and returned during the events of The Lord of the Rings. To recognize his true power, he was able to cause enough mortal wounds to destroy the Dark Lord’s body.

4 Fëanor

Lord Of The Lights

Although the LOTR Elf Fëanor was, at times, selfish, paranoid, and a terrible brother, he accomplished some magnificent things during his life. For one, he created the Silmarils, which were undoubtedly the most precious gems in all of Arda. The Silmarils were priceless because they were made from the Two Trees of Valinor, two powerful trees that blessed and empowered any being who gazed upon them.

The trees were destroyed by Morgoth, a more evil and powerful version of Sauron, so the Silmarils were one of the few ways the gifts of the Two Trees of Valinor lived on. Fëanor was unique among LOTR Elves, as he was born with a greatness of spirit — his mother chose to literally pass on much of her spirit to her son during childbirth, presumably making him more powerful than other LOTR Elves. Eventually, Gothmog the Balrog killed Fëano.

3 Lúthien

Princess Of Doriath & Lady Of Tol Galen

In The Lord of the Rings, Lúthien is often referenced in relation to Arwen. She was considered to be one of the most beautiful LOTR Elves to exist, and Arwen, being one of her descendants, bore a strong resemblance to Lúthien. Not only that but like Lúthien, Arwen fell in love with a mortal being, a romance that caused both women much heartache. However, Lúthien’s deeds are far more interesting than the parallels between her and Arwen and make her one of the most powerful immortal Elves in Lord of the Rings.

She was considered to be one of the most beautiful
LOTR
Elves to exist

When Beren, the man she loved, was captured by Sauron, Lúthien rescued him, and, using her powers, the pair was able to sneak into Morgoth’s fortress. There, Lúthien enchanted Morgoth and his entire court into a deep sleep, which gave Beren the opportunity to cut one of the precious Simarils from Morgoth’s crown.

2 Elrond

Lord of Rivendell

Elrond is a stand-up LOTR Elf who is always there to help. When Aragorn’s father was slain, Elrond took the future king in and raised him like his own son. When the One Ring was found, he called for the Council of Elrond, encouraging beings from across Middle-earth to decide the Ring’s fate together. It is no surprise that Elrond is considered to be a wise leader, though a vastly different character in Rings of Power, not just among his own people, but by others, as well.

In addition to having tremendous strength of character, he’s also skilled in battle, playing a significant role in the first war with Sauron. He’s also the keeper of Vilya, the Ring of Air, which grants him many powers, including, it’s theorized, the power to preserve and heal, one of the most powerful Elves in Lord of the Rings. Elrond also helped his people by creating Rivendell as one of the last of the strongholds against Sauron and even protected Aragorn until he was ready for his fate.

1 Galadriel

Lady Of Lothlórien & Mistress Of Magic

According to the Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, “Galadriel was the greatest of the Noldor, except Fëanor maybe, though she was wiser than he, and her wisdom increased with the long years.” She aided the Fellowship on their quest to destroy the ring, as well as brought down and purified Sauron’s fortress, Dol Guldur. On top of that, she was able to resist the pull of the One Ring.

As the keeper of Nenya, the Ring of Water, Galadriel already had considerable powers in Lord of the Rings. With her ring, she was able to protect Lórien from attacks. Her wisdom granted the Lord of the Rings Elf the power of perception, as she was able to perceive Sauron’s deceitfulness when he appeared to the LOTR Elves in a different form. With the One Ring, she, undoubtedly, would be among the most powerful Elves in Lord of the Rings, as she herself proclaims, “All will love me and despair!“

How The LotR Elves Stack Up Against Other Powerful Elves In Fantasy Series

Most, if not all, modern fantasy is derivative of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien in some form, though nowhere is this more apparent than with Elves. Prior to Tolkien’s works, almost all depictions of Elfkind showed them as something closer to pixies, gnomes, or fairies. In fact, Dobby the house-elf from Harry Potter is probably the closest modern depiction to a pre-Tolkien Elf. The idea of Elves being immortal beings that are close to human in appearance but superior in almost every way comes pretty much exclusively from Tolkien, and the Elves of Middle-earth remain among the most powerful in popular fantasy fiction.

Elven immortality (or, at the very least, long lifespans) is a trait that almost every fantasy Elf shares, whether they’re an Elf in Tolkien’s Middle-earth, in Andrzej Sapokoski’s Geralt Of Rivia novels that The Witcher games and show are based on, or games like Warcraft or The Elder Scrolls (and the pointed ears also seem to carry across). Almost all settings follow Tolkien’s lead with the Elves being adept at combat, too, even down to nuances like Wood Elves being master bowmen.

However, Middle-earth is one of the few well-known settings in which Elves form such a crucial part of the establishment and maintenance of the land itself. While there are, of course, some settings that copy this specific aspect, few have Elves being so powerful and important that there’s literally an “Age of Elves” in the history of the specific lore and, when there is, fewer still focus on the ramifications of said age ending.

Of course, there are settings where Elves are more powerful than those devised by J.R.R Tolkien, though an important consideration for these is inevitably the scale of magic and sorcery. Magic exists in Tolkien’s writing, but it’s often quite subtle and a far cry from the reality-warping set of abilities most spellcasters in the Dungeons & Dragons or Magic: The Gathering tie-in novels can wield at the drop of a hat.

Because of this, there are numerous Elves in (as an example) the Legend of Drizzt novels, which place within the world of Dungeons and Dragons, who probably could face Legolas, Elrond, or even Galadriel in a 1 on 1 duel and come out on top. However, this is more of a comment on the different scale of magic compared to the way Tolkien portrayed sorcery in his writing. What’s more, these Elves aren’t powerful because they’re Elves, and in their own worlds there will be equally gifted characters from almost every other fantasy race. When it comes to the impact of the race as a whole and where they sit compared to other races in their universe, few settings have Elves as powerful as those in The Lord of the Rings.