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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Afrodyte" data-source="post: 4182807" data-attributes="member: 8713">I've heard this said a lot, and from my readings of Tolkien's works (and I mean everything, not just The Silmarillion and LotR), that's not precisely true.The choice of the Half-Elven refers to fate and destiny, not type.  The reasoning is pretty simple: You can't be both mortal and immortal.  Also, since both Elves and Men are Children of Eru, it's not exactly within the authority of the Valar to decide the fate of the Half-elven for them (that's more along the lines of what Morgoth or Sauron would do).  Hence, the irrevocable choice.  It's not like it went like this:VALAR: You gotta choose: the fate of Men or the fate of the Elves. ELROND: Elves. ELROS: Men. VALAR: Alright, then.  Elros, we need you to hand back the pointed ears.  Elrond, you give up testosterone.Tolkien didn't really elaborate about how the Half-Elven are similar to and different from "pure" Elves and Men, but if the Half-elven presented thus far are any indication, they seem to have gotten the best of both worlds.  As far as Elrond is concerned, Tolkien's description seems to imply greater virility than observed in most Elves.  Then again, the Elves of the First Age had big mithril cajones.  Even the women.</blockquote>