Who is Gil-Galad?

[lightingstrike]

I know that everyone will think I am crazy here but, who the heck is Gil-Galad? Not the member of this Forum, but the Elf in the LOTR series. Please tell who he is and what role he plays.

 

[FoolOfATook]

In terms of LOTR, Gil-Galad is the great Elf warrior-king who, along with Elendil, led the Last Alliance of Elves and Men in war with Sauron and the forces of Mordor. After the battle of Dagorlad (which later became the Dead Marshes) Gil-Galad and Elendil engineered the siege of Barad-Dur, which lasted for seven years before Sauron finally emerged. Gil-Galad and Elendil engaged Sauron in combat on the slopes of Mount Doom, and Gil-Galad was killed by Sauron during this fight. In the film, you can see him, along with his spear Aeglos, reacting to the emergence of Sauron from Barad-Dur.

 

[Aulë]

Gil-Galad was one of the High Kings of the Noldor. The only son of High King Fingon, Gil-galad was born late in the First Age, and was still a child at the time of the Dagor Bragollach; his father sent him to Círdan at the Havens for safekeeping when Morgoth broke the Siege of Angband in that battle.

Fingon was lost in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, but the crown passed to Gil-galad's uncle Turgon in Gondolin, rather than Gil-galad himself (presumably because of his youth at that time). When Gondolin was lost, Gil-galad received the Kingship of the Noldor; he dwelt with the Exiles of the city at the Mouths of Sirion during the remainder of the First Age.

After the destruction of Beleriand during the War of Wrath, Gil-galad founded a kingdom in Lindon in the far northwest of Middle-earth, between the Blue Mountains and the Great Sea. There he and his people prospered, until Sauron returned; he came first to Lindon in the form of Annatar, the Lord of Gifts, but Gil-galad and Elrond rejected him. Soon after, the One Ring was forged, and there was war in Middle-earth between the Elves and Sauron.

After the Downfall of Númenor, Elendil and his sons came to Middle-earth and formed an alliance with Gil-galad, the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. They marched on Mordor and besieged Sauron's Dark Tower. Sauron was defeated, but Gil-galad met his death in that war.

 

[Mirabella]

The short answer is that Gil-galad was the last High King of the Eldar in ME. He was the original keeper of Vilya, the greatest of the Three rings, which passed to Elrond at his death at the hands of Sauron during the Last Alliance.

You can see Gil-galad in the Prologue of FOTR...he's the one skewering an orc with a spear. Some say he's also the dead Elf Frodo observes in the Dead Marshes in TTT.

LOL...looks like I was a little to slow in my reply

 

[Gil-Galad]

Originally posted by Pippin_Took
Gil-Galad was one of the High Kings of the Noldor. The only son of High King Fingon, Gil-galad was born late in the First Age, and was still a child at the time of the Dagor Bragollach;

Actually I'm not Fingon's son,though in the Sil is written so.Later Tolkien decides that my father is Orodreth.I didn't know that before,but 4 or 5 months ago I read it and I was really "knocked out" to find the truth.

 

[lightingstrike]

Thanx for the info. guys. All of it helped. I have been left in the dark everytime someone mentioned an Elf's name in a post and I could not keep up.

Thanx again,
Lightingstrike.

 

[LordOfMoria]

When did Gil-Galad die? If he ever did but i recall he does!!! and how does he die

 

[FoolOfATook]

Sauron kills him in battle in the last year of the Second Age (S.A. 3441).

 

[LordOfMoria]

In the battle at Mt. Doom?

 

[FoolOfATook]

In the battle at Mt. Doom?

Exactly.

 

[???]

You got it!

 

[lightingstrike]

Did Saroun kill him directly, or was he one of those that got knocked back when he swung his sword every where. Also, where was he burried? A lot of people keep telling me that he is the elf that Frodo sees in the Dead Marshes in TT, but you guys seem to think that is wrong.

 

[FoolOfATook]

Okay, the prologue of the film, while visually incredible, isn't really accurate. What happened wasn't an epic battle like that, but Sauron emerging from Barad-dur after a seven year siege, and engaging Elendil and Gil-galad. Sauron killed Gil-galad directly. As for Gil-galad in the Dead Marshes, that's impossible- they are outside of Mordor, while Gil-galad was killed on the slopes of Mount Doom, and are haunted by the dead from a battle fought seven years earlier.

 

[Gil-Galad]

How sad.I die so young.........only a couple of thousands years old.

 

[Kiroshar]

Isn't Gil Galad the guy who used to have an aerobics show called Bodies In Motion on ESPN?

It was on right before Body Shaping.

His real name is Gilad Janklowicz.

 

[FoolOfATook]

Gil-galad, you might have died young, but take some solace in knowing that you died well, and will forever be a name revered in song by the free peoples of Middle-earth.

 

[lightingstrike]

You died for a very noble cause too. To defend the free peoples of Middle-Earth. Thank you guys very much for the oodles of info that you have given me. That is a funny word huh? Oodles. I wonder...

 

[Kiroshar]

Well, elves never really die.

 

[Gil-Galad]

Originally posted by Kiroshar
Isn't Gil Galad the guy who used to have an aerobics show called Bodies In Motion on ESPN?

It was on right before Body Shaping.

His real name is Gilad Janklowicz.

No,my real name is completely different from the name you mentioned.