Part 4/8:
While Orlando Bloom's Legolas is conventionally attractive, Tolkien's description of Elvish beauty deviates significantly. Tolkien's elves possess beauty associated with strength rather than delicacy. His letters emphasize that elves are beautiful yet terrifying, embodying power and grace. In interviews, Tolkien rejected the notion of referring to Legolas as “pretty,” instead emphasizing that a formidable warrior should not be called cute. Thus, Legolas’s portrayal in the films shapes him into a more delicate figure than Tolkien intended.