#polls I worry are insufficiently 'silly' for this account

[sillylotrpolls]

(Context below the poll.)

The First Age began with the Awakening of the Elves in Middle-earth. The gods weren't expecting them so soon, so the (already fully grown) elves just sort of stared at the stars for a while. Eventually, most of them (but not all) moved to Valinor, but then a bunch moved back to Middle-earth for reasons that involve an elf getting mad at the gods for wanting his shiny rocks.

The elves that moved back at this time were the Noldor, distinct from the Sindar, who had never left at all. Legolas and Thranduil are (mostly) Sindarian. Anyway, the First Age ended with the gods finally getting fed up and going full apocalypse on Middle-earth.

During the Second Age, a bunch of the Noldor moved back to Valinor, but many stayed, mostly in Rivendell with Elrond or Lothlorien with Galadriel. The Second Age ends with a big battle against Sauron (seen in flashbacks in the LotR movies).

During the Third Age, the remaining Noldor continue to leave. Sam and Frodo encounter such a group on their way to the Havens to get on a boat in the beginning of Fellowship of the Ring.

The Fourth Age (The "Age of Men") starts with Aragorn being crowned King of Gondor. You probably saw the relevant movie. A couple years into this age, Elrond and Galadriel leave for Valinor along with Frodo, Bilbo, and Gandalf. The few remaining Noldor leave within a century or so on the Last Ship. (Note: this is why Legolas, being Sindarian and also hanging around waiting for his friends to die before he leaves, has to build his own boat.)

There is no information about any other Ages, but there is a prophecy that eventually Sauron's old boss Morgoth will return and that will trigger Middle-earth Ragnarok. The dwarves have been promised by their creator god that at this time, they will help rebuild the world ("Arda Remade").