[Iarhen]

I must say that I think I really am underestimating Elrond... Probably because of the fact that the movies have influenced me a lot, more than what the books did so far...<P>You are right, we should believe more what other characters say about the one we are analyzing than what the character says of him or herself.<P>Regarding the quotes, I must confess that much of the opinion I had from Elrond was changed when I read your quotes.<P>But as agreeing as I may be about them, we have to underline the fact that if Elrond is not inferior to Galadriel, he is, at max, her equal.<P>Because I do remember that in FOTR, Gandalf tells Frodo, after the quote were he states that Rivendell will fall after all is conquered, that outside of Imladris there are powers that still dwell.<P>JRRT says that Bombadil's house will be the last place to fall to Sauron's might. Then he says its Rivendell. Then he says that Lorien will stand against everything until the Dark Lord himself shows up in Loriens borders, because otherwise the forces of Evil would STILL not able to penetrate Galadriel's realm (without the physical presence and support of Sauron).<P>In the UT, Galadriel is stated to be "mightiest of the eldar" (in "Of Galadriel and Celeborn") and I suppose that in that part JRRT is counting out Luthien.<P>That and many more quotes state Galadriel's grandness among the Eldar. Even in the last lines of ROTK, it is stated that Galadriel is has a high position even among the Eldar in Valinor.<P>I think that probably the reason why JRRT said that Elrond would be especially capable, among the guardians of the 3, of weilding the One Ring was because Galadriel still had a terrible lust for power. With Elrond, instead, it would be a better Elf Lord with the one ring because his main goal was not power. And then the specially capable would mean capability in terms of elven qualities.<P>And my guess is that even in that point, Galadriel is closer to men than Elrond. She says that men are specially weak when tempted by power. And that comes from the woman that was one of the leaders of the Noldorin rebellion... a woman whos goal was to have a kingdom of her own...<P>And probably Sauron let Galadriel believe was reading his thoughts... but again, if he was just pretending to be defeated in their mental struggles, why did she have so much information that was used in the keeping and protecting of the elven realm of Lorien?