The funniest thing about LOTR is Aragorn constantly overstepping the Elves’ personal boundaries. They come from a race where touching your heart is one of the highest signs of affection and he’s over here pulling them into bear hugs and slapping shoulders like a brawny middle-aged dad
LMAO wasn’t Aragorn raised by Elves? He knows what he’s doing
True, but the momentary panic in Haldir’s eyes here is hilarious
Okay but what this potentially says about Elrond and the rest of the elves he was raised by is absolutely heartwarming. Because IRL humans need a certain amount of touch and affection and hugs and stuff. It’s particularly important for things like brain development and while it varies from person to person it’s still more than what elf kids need
And it honestly looks like Aragorn is not only comfortable with this kind of physical affection, he’s used to it.
Which makes me think that instead of looking at young Aragorn, and asking him to be more like an elf to fit in with those around them. Elrond looked at this kid and and thought to himself “how can I be more like what this child needs to thrive”
Aragorn has been raised by Elves since he was only 2 years old. So if we’re going by Piaget’s theories of child development, that puts Aragorn, (who would have been called Estel at the time) in the pre-operational stage. Or somewhere thereabouts. So Elrond is raising this kid when he’s learning to talk. When he’s constantly asking “why?” about everything.
Young Estel would have grown up surrounded by elves and elf children and just by virtue of not being an elf, he probably would have had to deal with feeling less capable than those around him. He wouldn’t have been able to do things like run across snow, and didn’t have the ability to see as far as they did with their “elf eyes” and I am imagining all manner of bruises and skinned knees as he tries to keep up anyway.
And it would take some getting used to his new surrounding, but I can’t stop picturing the first time tiny little Estel runs full tilt across the room and hugs Elrond’s leg.
And instead of scolding him or asking him to be more like an elf to fit in, Elrond consciously sets aside his own discomfort in the face of what this child needs to thrive. And if what Estel needs is hugs, then hugs he shall have.
Elrond picking up itty bitty Aragorn in a great big hug, and being just as uncomfortable about it, but hiding it well because this child was entrusted to his care and he will not let the boy grow up feeling unwanted or unloved.
And so Aragorn grew up surrounded by elves, but he grew up to be someone who naturally and unselfconsciously displays affection.
I think that speaks volumes about Elrond.
He raised this kid from age 2 to age 20 (so the majority of his formative years and well through his teens) and it was around then that Elrond’s own daughter gets back form visiting her grandmother Galadriel and meets this boy for the first time.
So I have NO IDEA what the various stages of child development would be for an elf, but I doubt their exactly the same.
Sure, Elrond might seem distant now, but there is no way Aragorn became the guy who is constantly overstepping elves personal boundaries to display affection without Elrond choosing to sacrifice his personal boundaries for the sake of a child’s well being.
This is the best possible addition to this post
Considering Elrond was born half-elven and was eventually made full elven by choice, while his twin chose to be human (and thus started Numenor) it makes sense, as Elrond didn’t grow up fully elven.
Elrond probably knows what it’s like to grow up as not-elven, around full blooded elves and knows what humans need. He’s probably the one elf remaining on Middle Earth that COULD comprehend what Aragorn needed growing up, as a human.
Aren’t children like, very deeply treasured by Elves?
What if Elves are incredibly affectionate with Elven children? And with Aragorn they’re like “well he’s only 150, we can’t stop cuddling him just because he got tall!”
^^^ This is also true.
