In the book, Elves in general are described as having eternal youth, and thus, generally having somewhat immature personalities.

Legolas is no different, he is also the peron who lightens the ever-darkening mood. (In the movies, this role is instead taken by Gimili, and by Legolas’s bickering with him.)

In one instance on the mountaintop, Legolas goes to scout the area.
” “I go off to find the sun!” With that, he ran off, as surefooted as a runner over sand. ”

In another, he stops them for the night at the edges of Lorien, and tells them to climb trees, not knowing that Hobbits have a great fear of heights, and rarely even sleep on the second floor of their home. Either Pippin or Merry (I can’t remember which.. argh… message me if you remember) raises a complaint that they cannot sleep in trees, even if he can. He replies with:
“Then dig a hole in the ground, if it is more the fasion of your kind. But dig swiftly, and dig deep, for the Orcs are commng tonight.”
Something he would NOT have said in the movie.

Also, his last name is NOT Greenleaf, instead Greenleaf is the translation of his name. Elves have no equivilent of the surname, if something is placed after the name (and I stress if, because many Elves do not have this, such as Elrond and his sons) it is either a translation of their name (Legolas “Green-leaf”) or some sort of title (Arwen Evenstar, she is the Evening Star of her people).

And if you REALLY wanna give poor Legolas a surname, it would be Thrandurillian, since Thrandurill is his father, and surnames were like that in the middle ages. It’s just another way of saying “Legolas, son of Thrandurill”. Since Elves live such a long time and have such exellent memories, it is understandable why no form of the surname is needed.

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