How did Thranduil know Aragorns father Arathorn?

[Phuc Do]

In the Thranduil scene with Legolas he says:

"His father Arathorn was a good man, his son might grow to be a great one."

I am pretty sure they never crossed path. With the dunedain being where they are and Thranduil locking himself in his own kingdom.

So was this just fanfiction that they somehow crossed path with each other?

 

[CirdanLinweilin]

In the Thranduil scene with Legolas he says:

"His father Arathorn was a good man, his son might grow to be a great one."

I am pretty sure they never crossed path. With the dunedain being where they are and Thranduil locking himself in his own kingdom.

So was this just fanfiction that they somehow crossed path with each other?

PJ painted himself in a corner here. In the movies, you don't have the timeframe of the books, where it is really drawn out. This is basically PJ's bad example of tying in the movies. It seemed more like a tie in to LOTR for the sake of tying in to LOTR than actually believing it.

As for your question, I don't think they ever crossed paths, or how Thranduil will know about Arathorn and Aragorn, he wouldn't! He was probably the most solitary elf in the Third Age of Middle-earth.

All in all, this is just a poorly done tie-in.

Hope this helps,
CL

 

[Phuc Do]

Thanks for the reply.
Even if we don't have much information about Thranduil
I think that PJ did a great choice in casting Lee Pace.
He did such a magnificent job portraying an Elf Lord
with years of life...

 

[CirdanLinweilin]

Thanks for the reply.
Even if we don't have much information about Thranduil
I think that PJ did a great choice in casting Lee Pace.
He did such a magnificent job portraying an Elf Lord
with years of life...

Welcome, and I agree. Lee Pace was perfect casting for this part.

 

[Laineth]

In the Thranduil scene with Legolas he says:

"His father Arathorn was a good man, his son might grow to be a great one."

I am pretty sure they never crossed path. With the dunedain being where they are and Thranduil locking himself in his own kingdom.

So was this just fanfiction that they somehow crossed path with each other?

This was created by the filmmakers, but it's still reasonable. Thranduil is an ancient King, he would know about the Rangers and other political players. We also know that the Rangers are secretive, wandering, and nomadic. I highly doubt that Aragorn was the only one to travel across the Misty Mountains. Alternatively, this line doesn't necessarily mean Thranduil and Arathorn met in person, it could easily be that Thranduil knew of and heard good things about Arathorn.

 

[Yalerd]

Well said everyone. No one really knows as no tie between Thranduil and Arathorn was ever made. Where it's more possible Thranduil encountered one of the Dûnedain of Isildur's line, Arathorn lived a significantly shorter life than most, making an encounter unlikely.

 

[Olorgando]

Just checked the scene. Thranduil also says something about a "young ranger" (the sound of my notebook leaves much to be desired). That's a big stretch! It's 2941 TA at this time, and Aragorn is just 10 years old! Arathorn has been dead for 8 years - entry 2933 TA in Appendix B, which also states "his [Aragorn's] ancestry is concealed [in Rivendell, where his mother has taken him for fostering by Elrond]". As CirdanLinweilin states above: "All in all, this is just a poorly done tie-in."

 

[Morcotulco]

There is also to mention that 'Aragorn' bears in 2941 TA the official name 'Estel' in Rivendell given by his mother Gilraen. So the name 'Aragorn' was not known in 2941 TA. And even worse the name 'Strider' (what is heard by Thranduil in PJ's BOFA) was not known in 2941 TA, because Aragorn got this nickname later when he was a well known fighter. And also in the scene Thranduil tells Legolas to go into the North, but Erebor is located East of the region where the rangers dwelled. North of Erebor are the Grey Mountains where the dragons lived.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

I must have blocked that out, or just never noticed -- having watched the movie only once. It makes even less sense, as the "Strider" sobriquet was applied only by the inhabitants of Bree.

Raises a question, though: would they have known him as a "fighter"? I sort of doubt it, given what Barliman says about him, and what he says about Barliman at the Council.

And welcome to the forum, Morcotulco! 😊

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

BTW, Morcotulco, if you'd like to introduce yourself -- and perhaps the areas of Tolkieniana that interest you, there's a forum for that here:

https://thetolkien.forum/forums/new-members.58/

Either in the "Hi's" thread, or, if you don't feel like wading through that, you can make a new one.

I've suggested putting the Hi's thead into reverse chronological order, if possible, but it hasn't happened yet (hint). 😉