GB was right about what I meant by militia, I was drawing on the definition I've always heard used in the sense of "minutemen" and the like: ordinary citizens who take up arms and form a non-professional army to deal with an immediate threat. The Elven warriors seem to me to be more professional, or at least a standing force.

As for how the training happens, I really wouldn't know. It could very well be a military academy of sorts or it could be less formal, maybe more like an apprenticeship. Just because I think training must happen doesn't mean I know the details though.

Yes, we could nly ever speculate as to what any tring might have been. But being elves and all, "must" they have had to have had any training in the first place?

Odo

I don't think Elves are born with the ability to wield the sword, spear, or bow; and I still think that the demonstrate a level of professionalism and quickness of response that suggests they were a standing group with formal training of some unknown sort.

And judging by Legolas, they also Surfed, and had Extreme Sports Warrior Training .

GB

If the elves Surfed and had Extreme Sports Warrior Training, they kept it secret and that's why not even T knew about it. It was a very conservative time and other folk might have frowned at such new-fangled notions. Maybe they would have thought them works of the Dark Lord, who knows?

Odo

NB Have you heard of a show called The Mighty Boosh? (Hilarious!)

The answer to that question lies in the desires of the studio production team. If they wish to entice all of Orlando Bloom's fangirls into the theaters again, then yes, Legolas should make a brief appearance. It would also make the friendship between Gimli and him more remarkable in reference to the films. After all, the races of Dwarf and Elf have had some back history to overcome, and this would be some of it...

The book got by without all those fangirls! (Are fangirls anything like fandangles btw?)

Odo

You don't seriously think the filmmakers care about the book, do you Odo?

Yes Odo, but fangirls take a Geek-out Film and turn it into a blockbuster . Which is a good thing. Becasue then it makes gazillions of dollars, which means more awesome Fantasy Flms and thus possibly more Tolkien films .

GB

GB, while LOTR (the book) is fantasy it's hardly a geek-only phenomenon. It's made hundreds of millions of dollars over decades (much of this before the films were even a twinkle in PJ's eyes. It also topped at least three book of the century polls in the UK alone and a Book of the Millennium poll on Amazon.com, all before the films came out!