Does anyone else do this? - Page 2

[Smokering]

Yeah, I know; and even regular old humans lived longer than the current real-life human lifespan. But what I'm asking is, before the half-Elven chose to be mortal or immortal, how did their physiology work? Did they reach puberty/adulthood in 50 years like an Elf, or in 13-18ish years like a human? It seems like it'd make more sense for them to "default" to the Elf-lifespan, but I don't know if they actually did.

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by Smokering

Yeah, I know; and even regular old humans lived longer than the current real-life human lifespan. But what I'm asking is, before the half-Elven chose to be mortal or immortal, how did their physiology work? Did they reach puberty/adulthood in 50 years like an Elf, or in 13-18ish years like a human? It seems like it'd make more sense for them to "default" to the Elf-lifespan, but I don't know if they actually did.

Well when are they supposed to make that choice?

[Smokering]

I'm not sure. I don't know if they had a specific "choose by" date; but I recall some of them choosing in adulthood (Earendil and Elwing, was it?), so they must have had... some sort of childhood before then!

[MusicianDad]

Arwen chose a mortal life after the LOTR books, so well into adulthood by elf standards. I am guessing that it's not so much physiological as it is spiritual and emotional and they can make the choice at any time. One thing I think might be true is that the human partner has to die first before the elf starts going down hill. Maybe something similar that happens with the one ring?

[Smokering]

Arwen chose a mortal life after the LOTR books, so well into adulthood by elf standards. I am guessing that it's not so much physiological as it is spiritual and emotional and they can make the choice at any time.

But she still had to have had a childhood of SOME duration. Was it an Elf-length childhood, a human-length childhood or in between?

Also, just to be nitpicky, I believe she made that choice before the events of the War of the Ring. "I will cleave to you, Dunadan, and turn from the Twilight"... or whatever it was. Before they were married. I guess it's possible she aged like a human from then on - bearing in mind that humans had longer lifespans then too - but there may be a hint in the Appendices that she didn't age until Aragorn died, as you suggest. Something about how she became sad and grey after his death?

[MusicianDad]

Well Arwen was 2690 years old when Aragorn was born, so I am guessing she didn't chose a mortal life before that as she had no reason to.

(BTW: Arwen is Aragorns cousin 63 times removed.)

[sapphire_chan]

Oh, and Peppa Pig.

Y'know how Daddy Pig frequently falls down or makes a hole in the wall and such? Dh was wondering what was up with that.

And I figured it out. Mommy Pig curses him. And sometimes Peppa, but she's not as good at cursing as Mommy Pig.

Want proof? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwlOCVb0VuY 3:45 Mommy Pig controls the weather!!

[Smokering]

Well Arwen was 2690 years old when Aragorn was born, so I am guessing she didn't chose a mortal life before that as she had no reason to.

Good point. So I guess their physiology defaults to Elf, and it's not so much choosing between Elf and human from a "neutral" physiology so much as opting out of Elfdom. So they would have the 50-year childhood thing. That makes sense. See, now I know!

Also, that's not a bad deal for the half-Elven. They could live for 4000, 5000 years and then decide to be mortal at the last minute if they didn't fancy going to Valinor. They had more options than their full-blooded kin! Not fair.