Gimli
| Character | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Gimli, son of Glóin |
| Occupation: | warrior |
| Relationships: | Friend of Legolas |
| Fandom: | The Lord of the Rings |
| Other: |  |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Gimli is a major character in The Lord of the Rings. The son of Glóin, one of the Dwarves who accompanied Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, Gimli is the only Dwarf to be a member of the Fellowship. Gimli is a warrior, skilled with his axe. He starts out wary of Elves, but during the course of LotR he falls for the charms of Galadriel and develops an enduring friendship with Legolas. At the end of the war, he establishes a new Dwarf colony at Aglarond and later sails with Legolas to Valinor, the only Dwarf ever to do so.
Fans of the bookverse character were disappointed at his relegation to comic relief in the Peter Jackson films, where he is played by John Rhys-Davies.[1]
In Fanfiction
Fanfiction has usually concentrated on his relationship with Legolas, with abundant gen and slash works exploring the pairing. A little fiction explores his relationship with Galadriel. He is very rarely paired with anyone else. Some genderbending fanfiction riffs off the idea that, to other races, Dwarven women are indistinguishable from men. This trope can be associated with het (with Legolas) or femslash (with Galadriel).
Notable Works
Slash
- Back to the Beginning, by Adina -- unusual Legolas/Gimli premise
- They Say of the Elves (link), by Brancher -- A classic early example of the Legolas/Gimli pairing. Dwimordene writes: Until recently, this story was unchallenged as the most convincing Legolas/Gimli slash I had ever read.[2]
Het
- Durin's Day, by Halrloprillalar -- Gimli/Galadriel
- Sapphires set in Diamonds, by Deborah -- influential story, perhaps the first to explore the idea that Gimli might be a woman
Gen
- Antiphon to Light, by Thevina Finduilas -- Gimli & Galadriel
- Beyond This World, by Thundera Tiger -- Legolas-Gimli friendship. Dwimordene writes: This is angst done right for Legolas and Gimli, and a fitting depiction of their friendship at the end of Gimli's life.[2]
- Gift of Life, by Fileg -- Gimli & Merry; a rare story with one of the hobbits
- The Last Grey Ship, by ErinRua -- Legolas-Gimli friendship. Dwimordene writes: Probably one of the best fics dealing with the decision of Legolas and Gimli to sail for Valinor in terms of emotional impact.[2]
- Repairs, by Isabeau of Greenlea -- widely recommended character study which won a couple of Mithril Awards. According to one of the judges: The author really knows their stuff about smithing and it's great to see Gimli doing what a Dwarf does best.[3]
- Tell this Mortal[1], by Chathol-linn -- Legolas-Gimli friendship
Archives and Links
- Gimli (Son of Glóin) tag at Archive of Our Own
- Gimli at FanFiction.net
- Axe & Bow Fanfic Archive & Directory -- Legolas & Gimli; archive for the Axe_Bow Yahoo Groups list
- Axe and Bow -- Legolas & Gimli; old archive for the Axe_Bow list (no longer updated)
Communities
- Axe_Bow -- Yahoo Groups list for Legolas & Gimli
References
- ^ Tolkien Gateway: Gimli (accessed 13 October 2011)
- ^ a b c Henneth Annun Story Archive: Dwim's Legolas-Gimli playlist (accessed 1 October 2011)
- ^ Mithril Awards: Results 2003 (accessed 30 September 2011)