Haldir was an Elf of Lothlórien, one of those who kept watch on its borders from platforms high in the mallorn trees. With his brothers Orophin and Rúmil he kept the flet where the Fellowship spent its first night in the Golden Wood, after their flight from Moria.1
He was one of the few of his people who spoke the common tongue, since he sometimes went abroad to gather news. He agreed to lead the Company into Lórien, though the law of the land forbade it to strangers and he insisted that Gimli go blindfolded. When Gimli refused, Aragorn ruled that the whole Company would go blindfold, Legolas too, and Haldir led them so through the woods until word came from the Lady that they might see, and then to Cerin Amroth and on to Caras Galadhon.1
On the way Merry asked whether he would see fair Lothlórien at all, and Haldir answered him.1
The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair.
On screen
Where the best-known adaptation departs from the books. Nothing in this section is evidence for the books themselves.
In Jackson's The Two Towers Haldir leads a company of Elves from Lórien to fight at Helm's Deep, and dies there. In the book no Elves come to Helm's Deep, and Haldir is last seen in Lórien.2,3
Sources
Citations name the chapter rather than the page, so they work in any edition. The colour of each note shows what kind of source it is.
- Published story The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings as Tolkien published them.
- Adaptation Films and other adaptations. Never evidence for the books.
- Published story The Fellowship of the Ring, Book II, ch. 6, “Lothlórien”
- Adaptation Peter Jackson's film trilogy (2001–2003), The Two Towers (2002)
- Published story The Two Towers, Book III, ch. 7, “Helm's Deep”