In Tolkien’s universe, as well as in Peter Jackson’s “Lord of The Rings” Trilogy, Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) was a pacifying lady, exalted among all elves, but in “The Ring of Power,” she is depicted as a warrior. After the death of her brother, the series, in a slow burn, depicts how her determination assists her to take the next step, but whether she stays true to her goals, achieves them, or is defeated, you’ll ascertain that in the coming episodes as the tale unfolds. Just like how Galadriel’s solemn voice opens Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, in the same way, young Galadriel’s (Morfydd Clark) voiceover is heard in the light-filled setting of the western kingdom of Valinor, where little Elves are playing around a valley. Galadriel narrates how their world, which was once surrounded by happiness, where there was light and youth, turned to darkness, under the influence of the evil lord, Morgoth.
Galadriel was the greatest of Elves born in the year of the trees, before the Moon and the Sun, in Valinor to the Noldorian Elf king Finarfin and his wife, Erwen. She was called the Lady of Lothlorien. Galadriel had four elder brothers, of whom she was the youngest and only sister. Finrod was the eldest of his brothers and was a great warrior. The show depicts how Finrod teaches his only sister, Galadriel, to float like a ship, which does not sink like a stone, but finds guidance in the light that sets her in the right direction.
An evil Valar named Morgoth, also known as Melkor, seized all of Arda in his lust for power and extinguished the light of Valinor by destroying the two lamps or two trees. But in the terrible battle of the War of Wrath, he is defeated by the host of Valinor, resulting in his misdeeds being passed on to his chief servant Sauron. We see Galadriel in the aftermath of the War of Wrath, where she piles up a mountain of Elven helmets in the war-ravaged land, signifying that countless Elves died in the war, which breaks Galadriel’s spirits. But she sheds her calm self and takes on a warrior form when she sees her brother Finrod dead in front of her eyes. In this series, “The Rings of Power,” it’s said that Finrod took a vow to kill Sauron, but “Sauron found him first.” Finrod’s dead body sticks a dagger in his chest, which Galadriel holds because she believes that her brother died hunting Sauron, so it is now her responsibility to complete his unfinished work. We see many scratch marks on Finrod’s arm that indicate an animal bite. In The Silmarillion by J.R.R Tolkien, Finrod is said to have died when Sauron captured him and his friends Beren and Luthien and sent a werewolf to eat them up one by one. So, it’s very likely that the Werewolf’s scar may have been shown on the arm of the dead Finrod in the series as well.
Searching for the sign of Sauron, Galadriel crosses the icy mountain of Forodwaith with her companions and arrives at the fortress of Morgoth, where she finds the mark of Sauron’s trident, the same one she found on her dead brother’s chest, she finds a hope to proceed, but with the High King in disarray, one of her companions urges her to postpone her mission. But she is adamant. Galadriel and her army are now attacked by snow trolls, whom Galadriel eventually kills, but her army, putting down their swords, refuses to proceed further, as High King Gil-galad himself believes that evil no longer exists in this world. However, according to Galadriel, “Evil does not sleep; it waits.” Coming to the Elven Realm, Lindon, Galadriel discusses with her dear friend Elrond, by whom she is given a promise that Elrond will tell her as soon as he finds any trace of Sauron, but Elrond wants to give his friend a moment’s rest, which Galadriel does not have the heart to take. Although she is honored by the High King, she feels a responsibility to fulfill the task that she has taken on by herself. Elrond tells her to leave her thoughts of another bloody war and return home, that is, to Valinor. Reluctantly, Galadriel agrees, thinking of the innocent Elves of their realm. Beyond the borders of Lindon, we see Galadriel and her companions in a great ship crossing the hauntingly beautiful waters of the Sundering Sea, bathed in the holy light of Valinor, ready to return home. But then, Galadriel’s brother’s dagger reminds her of her vow, so she abandons the light of Valinor and leaps from the ship into the waters of the Sundering Sea.
After swimming for some time, she comes across a broken wooden raft on which some men had taken shelter. They are as lost in this sea as Galadriel. Being an Elf, the men throw her off the raft, assuming her a traitor, but when the monstrous sea serpent, the Worm attacks the broken raft, the rest of the men are lost in the water, leaving only one in the raft, Halbrand. He helps to lift Galadriel above the rafters. As his conversation with her progresses, he reveals that he fled from his home after being chased by Orcs. Galadriel gets a glimmer of hope when she hears the Orcs’ names spoken. She asks Halbrand to tell her his full identity and address, which Halbrand keeps completely secret. His secret is that he doesn’t trust Galadriel. When she evokes the deaths of her dead soldiers and Elves in the Battle of Wrath, Halbrand considers her selfish, saying that she may only be using him to exact revenge on the Orcs. Hearing that the Orcs will eventually be found in the Southland, Galadriel wants to leave towards that, but Halbrand wants to go on his own. Amid this conflict, a vicious storm blows over their raft, causing both Halbrand and Galadriel to separate and drown, but Halbrand saves her in the nick of time, allowing them to survive, but whether their raft reaches Southland or anywhere else remains a mystery.
Galadriel felt inspired when Finrod told her about how the ship floats, but her brother also informed her that one day Galadriel would have to find her own path because he would not always be there to guide her like a light. Little Galadriel later realizes the meaning of these words when she is truly struggling to determine the direction like a ship, but her brother’s sword guides her to her destination, clinging to the belief that one day she can rid all of Middle Earth of evil.
See More: ‘The Rings Of Power’ Characters Introduced In Episode 1 And 2, Explained
