One of the very most complicated themes in The Hobbit movies may be the love triangle that exists between Tauriel, Legolas and Filli. This is definitely a plot device used by director Jackson, to elongate the flicks into a trilogy, and also to increase the depth and drama into the characters, and it is in no way a part of Tolkien’s original books. Tauriel doesn’t exist in the written text, she was invented solely for that onscreen adaptations, and Legolas doesn’t feature in The Hobbit book, and wasn’t written until much later, when Tolkien published the Lord of the Rings books.
However, despite these characters being non-canonical within the original story, fans worldwide were sucked in through the romance and also the drama, and were keen to determine the outcome of which strapping man the she-elf would choose. Although in many ways, the love story takes away from Tauriels otherwise strong and immeasurable character, it did in some ways make her far more steely and determined when it came to the disapproval of Thranduil, Legolas’ father. Despite his obvious scorn of her like a suitable partner for his son, Tauriel’s resilience and tenacity shone through.
It does seem strange though, the king don't want his son to become betrothed to such a beautiful, skillful, and commanding warrior, a jewel among their people. Thranduil shows absolute disdain with this idea, warning her ‘do not give him hope where there is none.’ Not too Tauriel ever intended to, it appears clear that she doesn’t see Legolas by doing this, which she's the best admiration and respect for him like a friend and also the prince, rather than as a romantic interest. Why does the king of Mirkwood seem so against Tauriel, and so unnecessarily snide and cruel with regards to the thought of her being in love (with anyone, not really just his son). There are some possible reasons, though of course it is difficult to say for definite because this is an exchange that never happens anywhere in Tolkien's books.
There is really a sort of in-movie explanation given, but it is one which many fans who have explored the how to go about the texts fundamentally disagree with. When Thranduil first broaches the subject of Legolas’ feelings for the she-elf, which are becoming frequently more apparent, Tauriel stammers ‘I don't think you would let your son to pledge himself to some lowly Silvan elf’ to which he replies ‘No, you're right, I wouldn't.’
This is an oversimplification of the much wider context that doesn’t sit well with many, because although it holds true that Thranduil and Legolas are Sindarin elves, and that the Sindar helped to lead and guide the Silvans (which might claim that they're superior) the Sindarin actually grew and developed alongside their counterparts, adopting elements of their language and culture as they went. There is not at all this disrespectful arrogance forwards and backwards races as suggested by the movies. Actually, later within the films, Legolas tells Tauril ‘my father has protected you, favored you.’ which shows that it isn’t necessarily to do with her race, but is explicitly to do with her thought of love.
This leads straight to another point, which is those of Legolas’ mother. It's clear that Thranduil has suffered great pain in losing his wife. Although hardly any is known concerning the identity of Legolas’ mother, she's referenced a few times in The Hobbit films, along with a big area of the supply of contention between Taurial and Thranduil is the fact that she thinks him cold and unfeeling, and he thinks her naive and foolhardy. However in part, Thranduil is so aloof and distanced because losing the romance of his life has left him with a few trauma, and Tauriel is inexperienced within the realms of love up until this time because she's always focused on her responsibilities using the guard, but that doesn’t mean she's not capable of recognizing what love looks like if this finds her, that is something that Thranduil can’t appear to grasp.
It may also have something related to her social standing within their society, that they is in essence a ‘working class’ elf, and that he is really a prince, and for that reason may possibly not be deemed appropriate or appropriate for these to court. Perhaps Legolas was intended for a marriage with an elf maiden of some other realm or kingdom, to bolster alliances and further his bloodline, but he will not do marry, even after the War from the Ring, and retires towards the Undying Land alongside Gimli, his dear friend, when all the other elves diminish of Middle Earth, and the Chronilogical age of Men begins.
