Yes - I agree - very low in the pecking order at the Council - almost there by accident, really. Also young for an elf, I think - but, as you say, with all the right attributes, coming from Mirkwood rather than the, relative, safety of Imladris.
I gather that it occurred to Peter Jackson late-ish on in development and filming that Legolas didn't do much heroic stuff, and they added some of the superman (superelf?) stuff at that point - and it was much too much, I think! The 'flying' into the saddle and up onto the múmakil looked all wrong, to me. I ignore it!
As for making the other elves look like wimps - yes - there is an implication in the film that none of the Lorien archers survive Helm's Deep. Not surprising as he gives them crappy helms, has them using swords when they still have arrows... Clearly I ignore this implication(!) - I think my elves are a bit more equal than his...
I can see book Legolas being more confident by the time I start RoTK - the friendship with Gimli, as well as the rest of the Fellowship, helping him be more confident away from Mirkwood. He has enough self-confidence to decide that HE will bring elves and heal Ithilien by the end of the venture which gives me the excuse to let him 'lord it' a bit!
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I gather that it occurred to Peter Jackson late-ish on in development and filming that Legolas didn't do much heroic stuff, and they added some of the superman (superelf?) stuff at that point - and it was much too much, I think! The 'flying' into the saddle and up onto the múmakil looked all wrong, to me. I ignore it!
As for making the other elves look like wimps - yes - there is an implication in the film that none of the Lorien archers survive Helm's Deep. Not surprising as he gives them crappy helms, has them using swords when they still have arrows... Clearly I ignore this implication(!) - I think my elves are a bit more equal than his...
I can see book Legolas being more confident by the time I start RoTK - the friendship with Gimli, as well as the rest of the Fellowship, helping him be more confident away from Mirkwood. He has enough self-confidence to decide that HE will bring elves and heal Ithilien by the end of the venture which gives me the excuse to let him 'lord it' a bit!