Update: 2/22/2014 - The number of fanfictions that involve the non-canon character known as Tauriel has been increasing, not only in "The Hobbit" forum, but also the "LOTR" and the "Hobbit LOTR" crossover forums. So, it is with some trepidation that I enter the "Team Tauriel" or "Anti-Tauriel" debate. After all, anyone reading the fanfiction I have posted will quickly see that I have a very non-canon approach to Tolkien's Middle Earth, characters, and events.

In short, I am firmly anti-Tauriel as a character; she serves no point nor does she enhance in any appreciable way. Peter Jackson's excuse for inserting her was a poorly thought-out ploy to appeal to the same demographic of consumers as Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games". If the real reason (which I suspect is the case) Tauriel was introduced to The Hobbit was the romantic element, then it is a viable explanation for why she contorts the story line and plot.

Tauriel is no Katniss Everdeen. Tauriel is an awkward character and a poor movie draw.

The potential romances between Tauriel/Legolas and Tauriel/Kili are frivolous. While this may strike some of the members as being closed-minded and the counterargument being that the story lacks romantic/love elements present in LOTR, I must point out that Tolkien had already written Rosie, Eowyn, and Arwen into the original stories. The characters fit (even with Arwen stealing Glorfindel's thunder when rescuing Frodo from the Ring Wraiths) because they were already there and served important purposes at various points in the story - Sam marries Rosie and leads a normal life; Arwen follows her heart and destiny to be queen of Gondor, in addition to serving as Aragorn's motivation to continue; and Eowyn kills the Witch King before finding her own spark with Faramir.

Even the Mary Sues/Tenth Walker/extra Dwarf Companion OC characters (the vast majority, not the supernatural perfection that can do everything, use magic, and is the most enchanting and beautiful creature ever to grace Middle Earth type OCs) fit better into the fanfictions than Tauriel. Using Tauriel is taking an already poor, shallow character and further eroding her with pure speculation since there is no 'Bible' (aka Tolkien's books) to refer or reference for a true look at her character.

However, fear not, I have no intention of flaming or individually critiquing the stories that utilize Tauriel. I just do not read the vast majority of them. Too painful for my already tired eyes.

Fanfiction serves as an escape from the everyday, mundane life; relieves stress; and stimulates creative flow. At any given time I have at least four LOTR fanfictions in progress, gods know why ...

Nothing is more irritating than partially finished fanfiction. Many of the authors state they have grown bored or are simply too busy to finish, leaving their stories at a climax in the action or at a major turning point.

Favorite series:

The Mentalist

Supernatural

The Vampire Diaries

Reign

The Originals

Favorite movies:

Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Labyrinth

Short rants:

LOTR/The Hobbit: Too much SLASH, m/m, and mpreg.

LOTR/The Hobbit: Human girl falls into ME and becomes an elf; human girl falls into ME and learns she has always been an elf, though no one told her; and Mary Sues in general

LOTR/The Hobbit: Tenth, eleventh, twelfth walkers, etcetera.

Instances where the writer clearly demonstrates his or her ignorance of the difference between "their," "there," and "they're." Each word actually means something different.

Instances where the writer clearly demonstrates his or her ignorance of the difference between a plural noun and singular possessive noun.

Although I enjoy the fanfiction, apparently those who write it for "Reign" are unaware that the series is based in historical fact. SPOILER: Francis dies not too long after their marriage and Mary does not become queen of England.

A Brief Explanation of "There," "Their," and "They're"

There

: (n.) A word used to indicate a specific place, i.e. "I left the ball over there."

Their

: (n.) Plural possessive of "they", used to indicate the ownership or belonging of something to a group, i.e. "The boys formed a club. They held meetings every Monday. Their club was about books."

They'r

e: (n. v.) A contraction of "they" and "are", i.e. "The children built a sand castle. They created a moat around it. They are adding flags - OR - They're adding flags."