Fanon

Fanon is a portmanteau of "fan canon", referring to interpretations, explanations, or even subversions of fictional works that widely permeate a fandom. These can originate from fanfiction, parodies, adaptations (such as the The Lord of the Rings film series), or even misconceptions. Their permeation means their non-canonical nature is not always clear to fans.

Examples of non-canonical concepts considered common in fanfiction by the TV Tropes community are, among others, the usage of terms like “dwarfling” and “elfling”, the notion of Elves being strictly vegetarian, and usage of modern military ranks.

A major fanon undertaking in the Lord of the Rings fandom is the New Notion Club Archives, which is a project that seeks to weld together a coherent, denser and complexer Arda, using concepts from various adaptations reinterpreted and adjusted for consistency. It, in turn, was used as a source for other fan projects such as The Lord of the Rings: Realms in Exile.