Elves actually aren't as perfect as you think. For one thing, they can still die if stabbed through the heart or their heads are cut off. They're only immortal so long as nobody goes out of their way to kill them first.
Second, the elves of Mirkwood actually have kinda sucked when it comes to leadership. I mean, that forest you saw the spiders in used to be a beautiful, green haven with travelers going through all the time. And yet over the centuries, King Thranduil and his predecessors did little to stop the darkness from coming in and corrupting the forest. He also suffers from extreme bigotry, though his animosity towards the dwarves is understandable, considering how Thorin's grandfather screwed him over some centuries ago.
(Keep in mind that not all elves in Middle-Earth are like the ones in Mirkwood, and as you saw with Legolas and Tauriel, not all of them have the same viewpoint as their king).
Another area elves are not perfect is, they don't always win battles. There have been times in Middle-Earth's history when they lost against an enemy, though it was usually due to the elves' poor choices and overwhelming numbers on the enemy's part.
Elvish magic also isn't that powerful. While they're good at some magic, much of it is limited to subtle stuff like medicine, healing, enhancing a skill like combat or making something, stuff like that. In fact, one reason they started heading to the Undying Lands of the West was because their power was fading over the centuries.
But the worst weakness elves have suffered, is that they are prone to magical corruption just as much as any other humanoids when it comes to relics such as The One Ring.
So I wouldn't exactly call them "Mary Sue's" per se, but it's easy to be blinded by their beauty and awesome weapons, fashion, and architecture.
reply
share