I adore the elves of Tolkien, because you read The Hobbit and you think oh, they're a little weird and fey-like. Then you read The Lord of the Rings and you're like they're very alien, but Thranduil just seems to be Like Thatâą. Galadriel, Celeborn and Elrond are pretty chill actually. Yeah Glorfindel is like the strongest fighter ever and Cirdan's a little off-putting but they're most likely outliers. Legolas forgets he is surrounded by non-elves half the time and trolls the rest of the time, but otherwise he is not weirder than Aragorn.
And then you get to the Silmarillion. And you encounter the Noldor.
FĂ«anor "spirit so strong his body cremated itself" and Maedhros "got amputated for reasonsâą being suspended on one of the highest moutains and probably tortured by Evil Incarnate but got over it in a week". Fingolfin "calling Morgoth to a 1v1 seem like a reasonable solution" and Fingon "climbed Melkor's highest mountain right after having survived the most hostile, icy, treacherous cliffs in existence while singing, to rescue his estranged situationship". Finrod "teeth count as a plausible weapon against a werewolf" Felagund and Galadriel "just in it for the possible crown and this very pretty Sindar I just met".
And that's not even touching ElwĂ« "will marry a goddess at the first opportunity" Singollo or Luthien "sang so well the notoriously inflexible keeper of souls & Judge of the Valar let her and her man have another chance at life". Or whatever Ăarendil was on.
Reading about the elves of Tolkien when your first encounter with them is the Third Age brings the slow realisation that they are not wise and good and all-knowing. The most batshit crazy ones are just already in Mandos or Valinor (except Glorfindel, he cannot be Contained). They are actually the most chaotic people in the lengendarium and are trying very hard to leave behing a dignified image, and it's the funniest thing ever.
