Perhaps one of the most lasting questions surrounding Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy has to do with one of its characters, Tauriel. Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's mystical world of Middle-earth were altogether surprised, and a bit confused, to see Tauriel in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, as her character simply does not exist in Tolkien's extensive lore. For such a significant character in Jackson's movies, Tauriel seems to be entirely made up.

Fans may be left scratching their head as to why Jackson would make up a new fictional character when Tolkien's original work is chock-full of characters he can use at his will. But Jackson's decision to include Tauriel proves to not only be a smart decision but a successful one as well.

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Who Is Tauriel in The Hobbit?

Tauriel the Wood Elf with her bow in The Hobbit.

Tauriel first appears in The Desolation of Smaug and is introduced as a Woodland Elf whose name translates to "Daughter of the forest." She's the head of the Mirkwood Elven guard, a prestigious role amongst her people, serving Elven King Thranduil. His son, Legolas, made infamous in The Lord of the Rings, even shows signs of affection towards her, though she believes herself to be too lowly to suit the son of the King. Thranduil ends up agreeing and warns her not to lead on his son, despite Legolas' protests.

She proves herself to be a powerful and intelligent warrior in battle, which explains why she was given the head of the guard so easily. Like any other elf, she shares a disdain for the Dwarven people, but this mindset starts to shift when she meets Kili, one of the Dwarfs on the quest to retake Erebor alongside Thorin Oakenshield and Bilbo Baggins. Throughout the three Hobbit movies, Tauriel's resentment towards the Dwarves fades as she starts to gain romantic feelings towards Kili. After his unfortunate death at the end of The Battle of the Five Armies, Tauriel weeps over his body, confirming that an Elf can, in fact, love a Dwarf.

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Why Peter Jackson Created Tauriel for The Hobbit Films

Tauriel Crying The Hobbit

Tauriel plays such a significant role in The Hobbit films, and her relationship with Kili left quite the lasting impression, so it's confusing as to how she wasn't in Tolkien's original work. Jackson ultimately created her alongside his writing team for several reasons. Firstly, they wanted to expand the world of the elves of Mirkwood Forest. One thing that is so compelling about Tolkien's work is the rich detail of the fictional world, so when Jackson expands on that universe in a visual way for his audience, it only enriches the story. By expanding the world of the Mirkwood Forest and its elves, Jackson's decision only adds richness and vibrancy to the world of The Hobbit.

Secondly, Tauriel was added to bring another woman into a cast that was heavily dominated by men ever since his previous Lord of the Rings movies. Even though Tolkien's original work is male-dominated as well, having female characters creates new dimensions, conflicts and complexity. As shown through her relationships with Kili and Legolas, having a woman around creates a source of comedy, intrigue and story that simply couldn't have existed before. While Tauriel may be a new addition to the world of Middle-earth, her inclusion certainly didn't hinder the success of The Hobbit movies -- it may have actually contributed to it.

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