*Please note that this article, like any other tweet or blog about Galadriel’s character, is highly subjective—it provides some degree of analysis, but in the end, it is still a subjective opinion article. Feel free to discuss and debate the article!*
Released on September 2nd, 2022, “The Rings of Power” is a Prime Video television show inspired by J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth. It is set thousands of years before the Twenty Rings of Power were forged. More notably, one of the show’s main leads is the elven queen Galadriel, a woman venerated in the Lord of the Rings trilogy for her beauty, compassion, and insight.
The show's depiction of Galadriel has left fans divided. On one hand, some fans enjoy the show’s portrayal of the elven woman. One fan on Twitter, for instance, enjoyed actress Morfydd Clark’s portrayal of the elf, asserting that audiences are able to “see Galadriel go through the full range of emotions” and Clark was able to “hit every beat with precision.”
On the other hand, some fans think the characterization of Galadriel was ill-conceived and badly written. For instance, one Redditor protested that Galadriel acted “like the worst immature teenager” and another Redditor on the same thread wrote that she “came across as a dumb brute.”
As a fan of Tolkien’s Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy myself, it is impossible to ignore the Galadriel question.
That is why I address it in this blog post.
So, how well did 'The Rings of Power' depict Galadriel’s character? Was it a refreshing extension of Tolkien’s lore or a blatant distortion of it?"
It was a bit of both, actually.
Galadriel’s Characterization
In the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Galadriel is renowned for her gentleness, strength, and knowledge. In the first book of the series, she was described to have footsteps that sounded “like a stream falling gently downhill over cool stones in the quiet of night,” and the trilogy's main protagonist, Frodo Baggins, praised her for being “wise and fearless and fair.”
While in Lothlorien, Galadriel hosted and counselled the Fellowship of the Ring, a group of people that accompanied Frodo Baggins to help him dispose of the One Ring. In doing so, she provided Frodo and the company with gifts and advice, all while overcoming the temptation to take the One Ring and rule Middle Earth herself.
Some Tolkien fans may argue that Galadriel's characterization in the books is essentially the polar opposite of the way she was characterized in “The Rings of Power;" instead of being the serene, insightful elven queen audiences were already familiar with, the younger Galadriel in the television show was a strong-willed warrior and commander. Yearning to avenge her deceased brother, this new version of Galadriel defiantly sought to find and kill Sauron, who was presumed to be dead by those around her.
That said, does this contradiction in character make the TV show’s portrayal of the elf illogical?
Not necessarily.
While the characterization may be puzzling at first, the TV show's depiction of Galadriel is a fascinating interpretation of the journey Galadriel took to become the woman she was in the books.
When I first learned that Galadriel was going to be one of the show’s leads, I was genuinely excited. Like any other Tolkien fan, I wanted to understand how Galadriel obtained so much power and became the compassionate, omniscient elf we all know and love.
Indeed, Galadriel’s omniscience and serenity are awe-inspiring, but how did she even obtain that godlike omniscience and serenity in the first place? How can anyone expect her to be omniscient and serene all her life?
She had to have started somewhere. One cannot expect her to be a peaceful, immaculate epitome of perfection thousands of years before Bilbo discovered the One Ring. Something had to have happened to her in order to help her obtain that god-like serenity and wisdom.
I think the show takes an interesting route when it comes to portraying Galadriel’s warrior character, as it addresses the tragic events that could have shaped her into the perceptive pacifist she was in the series: the death of her brother, the havoc of Sauron, and the violence and destruction she witnessed as an elven warrior could have all helped motivate her toward wisdom and pacifism, and helped transformed her into the elf we know from the series.
In order to have been so compassionate and insightful amid the war plaguing Middle Earth in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it only makes sense for Galadriel to have already been exposed to war prior to that moment. With the trauma of all the events in the show, it only made sense for it to have been easier for her to understand the magnitude of war and the need to help people in Middle Earth live the peaceful lifestyle she could not live herself.
That said, though, I do empathize with some of the criticisms other fellow Tolkien fans have about "The Rings of Power’s Galadriel:" her character is difficult to relate to and it does still depart from some aspects of lore.
As I said previously, I was very excited to watch a show with Galadriel’s backstory—something that could explain what was behind the strength and power she had in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. However, while the show was able to explain what could have shaped the strength and power she had in the trilogy, it still struggled to explain the strength and power she already had in the show.
Fans can say what they want about Galadriel, but I think we can all agree that in "The Rings of Power," Galadriel's strength was highly elevated: she had the bravery to slay orcs, the instinct to understand Sauron was still alive, and the boldness to flee the Undying Lands in pursuit of Sauron. The question is, how did she do all of that so easily, and so often? I understand that the death and violence she witnessed as a warrior could have motivated her to kill Sauron, but while the show provides some possible explanation for Galadriel’s serene and omniscient character in the trilogy, it struggles to provide explanation for Galadriel’s brave and quick-witted character in the actual show.
This is entirely subjective, but from my vantage point, it appears the TV show's Galadriel was powerful for the mere sake of being powerful—she was almost like a plot device. She consistently manifested boldness and instinct, which are excellent traits in a protagonist, but the very consistency of her boldness and instinct almost made her appear more like a video game character—for the sake of advancing the storyline, she needed to always maintain those traits. She could not manifest fear, vulnerability, or anything other than archetypal heroism.
Additionally, while I did say that the show explained the tragedies that could have shaped Galadriel into the person she was in the trilogy, I do admit that the show does not seem to be going in that direction. This is another entirely subjective viewpoint, but from what I can tell, the show barely even hints at the person Galadriel becomes in the trilogy. She does not seem to be gaining the characteristic wisdom and knowledge she had in the trilogy. In fact, the traits she already has in the show seem to be the very reason her her status is elevated and the plot is driven. Hence, at that rate, transforming her into the person she was in the books would be abrupt.
The show struggles to unfold Galadriel’s growth and transformation into the person she was in the trilogy; this is why I understand why some fans may think the show departs from Tolkien's lore when it came to characterizing Galadriel*
So, how well did “The Rings of Power” depict Galadriel’s character?
Did the show extend Tolkien’s lore or abuse it?
It did a bit of both, actually. While I do believe the show provides a fascinating reinterpretation of Galadriel's character by integrating war and tragedy into her backstory, it is not entirely flawless. It still struggles to emphasize the changes and nuances in her character. It makes sense why fans are skeptical about the future of the show. There were both notable highlights and blatant flaws in the show's portrayal of Galadriel.
What do you think?
How do you feel about "The Rings of Power's" Galadriel?
She's great!!
She's an interesting character.
She's alright.
Her character is terrible!
*This, however, may be due to there only being one season so far in the show; we cannot know for certain how Galadriel’s characterization may develop in the next seasons.
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