According to official promo images and details revealed by Amazon, Galadriel will be one of the main characters in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, though this version of the Lady of Galadhrim is different from her older counterpart in Peter Jackson’s trilogies.
In a recent chat with Vanity Fair, showrunner Patrick McKay justified these changes by sharing his vision for her character arc. “She’s full of piss and vinegar and she’s got a sword that’s broken because she’s killed so many orcs,” McKay said. “This young hot-headed Galadriel… how did she ever become that elder stateswoman?”
As the showrunners have revealed, Galadriel will be the “commander of the Northern Armies” on a quest to find the people responsible for the death of his brother. That title alone would have most Tolkienists reaching for their copy of The Silmarillion to look up the events that transpired after the banishment of Morgoth, when Amazon’s new series takes place.
This younger Galadriel, portrayed by Welsh actress Morfydd Clark, will also wield a sword and use more than her magic as an Eldar to ward off enemies. And while this might unsettle Tolkien fans on the surface, these descriptions are actually in keeping with what the author revealed about the character’s young life.
In a 1973 letter, Tolkien writes: “She was then of Amazon disposition and bound up her hair as a crown when taking part in athletic feats.” That’s also how she got the name of Galadriel, which roughly translates to “maiden crowned with gleaming hair.”
There’s also a passage in The Unfinished Tales that describes Galadriel as having the keen eye of a commander. “[Galadriel] looked upon the Dwarves also with the eye of a commander, seeing in them the finest warriors to pit against the Orcs.”
Personally, we can’t wait to see this badass version of Galadriel in action when The Rings of Power premieres on Sept. 2.