Reply To: The Taproom

Yes, I’d forgotten about the Imrahil/Eowyn vambrace moment – which is odd, since I’ve pointed it out to other people on many an occasion (memory like a lumber room, etc…). But I agree with Gavin re this incident not being an excuse to go full-frontal Gothic on us. Early medieval – maybe c.1220-1240 in this instance in ‘real’ world terms – seems more appropriate, when the most plate armour that tended to be seen generally consisted of pieces to protect the outside of the arms, the front of the legs and sometimes (but way less often, and frequently made up of quite small plates attached to a foundation) the breast; and even these pieces were often hardened leather rather than metal.

All in all, though, I suspect it’s the overall ‘feel’ of a Mithril figure’s appearance that dictates whether or not it gets away with wearing ‘heavy’ armour. For instance, I dislike the armoured LR Ringwraiths intensely, but feel the mounted Elrond and Gil-galad figures somehow get away with wearing pretty much the same kit. Odd, that.