Lord of the Rings - [Amazon] *Spoilers*

PhiloCypher

I'm not a lorehead/canon lord or whatever , Im just someone whose read Lotr once and the movies a half dozen times , but I do know that Galadrial is meant to be one of the most powerful beings in middle-earth. Can someone please explain to me what are the nature of her powers. Are they explained in the books , can she smite orc armies with an incantation, does she smote them with a look, why is she so feared , and why is it so wrong for the writers to, thus far, interpret part of that "power" as being physical strength & fighting prowess ?

Nody

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570495#Comment_119570495

The majority of Galadriel's powers were said to stem from the artifact she controlled: Nenya, the Ring of Water. In some tales, she was also depicted with the powers of communicating over vast distances, predicting the future, and even cloaking her mind from other tremendously powerful beings (she once stated that Sauron could not perceive her mind, though she could perceive his). It is also possible that her powers of divination were either derived from or accentuated by her mirror, which could reveal events of the past, present, and future.

She also used this formidable power to destroy the very foundations of Dol Guldur (a fortress whose power was multiplied by Sauron's magic). Galadriel also possessed the skill of ósanwe (the ability to communicate with others through thoughts), this can be seen after the destruction of the One Ring, when Galadriel communicated mentally with Elrond and Gandalf on their return journey from Minas Tirith.

Besides her magical powers, Galadriel was also very wise and intelligent: she was one of the very few who were not fooled by Sauron in the Second Age, and therefore suggested to Celebrimbor to hide the Three Rings. She also refrained from using the powers of Nenya while the One Ring was in Sauron's possession, and only did so after the One Ring was lost (for it was only then that it was safe enough for her to do so).

Taken from here, in short one of, if not the, most powerful elf in the world and with the intelligence to apply it making her one of the most just people in the world but a leadership based focus (Queen of Queens). She is powerful however not a warrior who goes out playing soldier and slaying trolls with a sword...

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570616#Comment_119570616

But of her power comes from Nenya then she really isn't the Galadriel we saw in LotR because she doesn't have the ring yet.

Nody

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570662#Comment_119570662

Galadriel possessed a tremendous amount of magical powers, and was said to be the greatest of the Ñoldor after Fëanor.

When she still lived in the Undying Lands, she had been a pupil of Yavanna and Aulë, and she later became a friend of Melian the Maia. Hence, it can be deduced that she had learned her powers from these three illustrious personages, though the nature of her magic is still not well-understood.

Same source as above and given her age (she was born before the first age and hence by end of the first age has lived at least 1200 years (Tolkien used different ways to count the length of the years before first age between 9.7 to 134 years / year)), heritage and power base she's many things but a warrior princess is not one of them. However; worth noting the magic in LoTR is not D&D fireballs and poison clouds but more on the divinity / mental side of things in general (note how Gandalf had to go and get an army to free Helms Deep etc.)

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570495#Comment_119570495

Extreme TLDR

Her race of Elves is naturally wise, and she is classed as the wisest of all. She is also incedibly old and was thought by essentially gods while she was in Valinor.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119569964#Comment_119569964

She is immensly powerful but always presented as Elf "magic" and a sorceress, as far as I remember

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570495#Comment_119570495

Tolkien never really explained what powers anyone had really.

We know she was telepathic and her powers kept Lorien safe by by confusing enemies. That’s really it.

We don’t really know what Gandalf could do either, or Saruman etc.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570662#Comment_119570662

She was powerful before she got the ring, that’s why she got it.

Her uncle was able to match Morgoth in single combat for hours.

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570662#Comment_119570662

Nenya slightly boosted what she could naturally do.

After the ring is destroyed she tears down Dol Goldurs walls (Sarumans kingdom) by herself. Nenya was just a jewellery at that point.

Oh and Galadriel specifically saw through Sauron (Annatar). She did not know that he was Sauron but he could never hide his nature from her

breezy1985

Lots of people reading what they want to read.

Very little exists to say what Galadriel was or wasn't. Of all the things wrong with this show I can't understand why people are focused on this.

Elrond is far far worse but yet he seems to be getting a pass.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570937#Comment_119570937

Elrond isn’t great in the show. But they’ve taken one of the most powerful elves in the world and turned her into a plucky Tom boy.

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570832#Comment_119570832

She also correctly believed he was the "Necromancer" that took up residence in Dol Goldur in the 3rd Age (before Sauron actually revealed his return).

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570937#Comment_119570937

"Very little" is a strange way to describe reams of material but ok.

Galadriel is treated far worse than Elrond.

Dufflecoat Fanny

I can't unsee Elrond being Beavis

odyssey06

I always thought an element of 'power' as mental will power / moral courage, maybe a carryover from some board games I played. Being able to stand against Sauron, Balrogs etc without being reduced to a terrified heap of cowering uselessness, regardless of any physical combat skills.

Sauron is 'terrible' i.e. causing or likely to cause terror.

It is on a different plain to the physical.

Possibly Galadriel to orcs and other servants of the Dark Lord etc is as 'terrible' as the eye of Sauron is to humans.

e.g. Glorfindel standing against the Ring Wraiths in Fellowship.

With his last failing senses Frodo heard cries, and it seemed to him that he saw, beyond the Riders that hesitated on the shore, a shining figure of white light; and behind it ran small shadowy forms waving flames, that flared red in the grey mist that was falling over the world.

...

‘What about Rivendell and the Elves? Is Rivendell safe?’

‘Yes, at present, until all else is conquered. The Elves may fear the Dark Lord, and they may fly before him, but never again will they listen to him or serve him. And here in Rivendell there live still some of his chief foes: the Elven-wise, lords of the Eldar from beyond the furthest seas. They do not fear the Ringwraiths, for those who have dwelt in the Blessed Realm live at once in both worlds, and against both the Seen and the Unseen they have great power.’

‘I thought that I saw a white figure that shone and did not grow dim like the others. Was that Glorfindel then?’

‘Yes, you saw him for a moment as he is upon the other side: one of the mighty of the Firstborn. He is an Elf-lord of a house of princes.’

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571108#Comment_119571108

I nearly have to shut my eyes when he comes on screen... the only saving grace is his delivery of his lines is spot on, must have stage training to have that command of his voice.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570937#Comment_119570937

He's not the star. Nothing in writing ever paints her as the hand to hand warrior, rather the sorceress and general

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571235#Comment_119571235

If she was, no doubt it would have been mentioned, along with feared weapon X etc etc

liamtech

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570253#Comment_119570253

We just have to wait and see - i really do think that if the rumor is true - it will kill the show in a big way. I mean i will probably have signed off but having the big villain of LOTR be as evil as he is, because he was jilted ???????? I think even the casual viewer will call BS at that point

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571177#Comment_119571177

I’m really hoping we get to see a full powered Glorfindel in this series. If he can scare off the Nazgûl, imagine what he can do against a few orcs.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571235#Comment_119571235

Elrond has had just as much time as she has. Same goes for the halfling and elf soldier guy.

Nothing really paints her as anything really.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571072#Comment_119571072

Quote me some of these reams that tell us how Galadriel fought all the evil she did.

pjohnson

Its been said multiple times already and you simply cant comprehend it or just ignore it to keep things on repeat.

Once you commit to fully ignoring any and all source material this would be more enjoyable.

PhiloCypher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571235#Comment_119571235

What is in writing however is that Elves are pretty baddass warriors, certainly nobody ever complained about their portrayal as such in the LoTR trilogy. Given that, I don't really see the problem with her being shown to be similarly impressive , so long as they eventually show the other powers in her armoury. We do theoretically have 5+ seasons, she doesn't have to be everything all at once after all.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571846#Comment_119571846

Yeah, but she’s already 1200+ years old at this point and has spent most of that training with Valar or Maia. In the source material She’s queen of her own vassal state. It simply doesn’t work to use Galadriel this way, when they could have just slid in a new character.

They could have even made up a granddaughter of Feanor we never heard about. Why use Galadriel?

PhiloCypher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571919#Comment_119571919

If they had made up a character people would have complained about that too, let's be real here, plenty complained about Tauriel in the Hobbit if I remember and she wasn't even a main character.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571919#Comment_119571919

I assume they are banking on the idea that name recognition sells.

Essentially the same reason we got that utterly pointless Legolas cameo in the Hobbit.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571992#Comment_119571992

The whole Hobbit film series was a disaster. She was the least of the problems.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119572005#Comment_119572005

I get ye. But it’s poor IMO.

So poor I’m not even complaining about Lenny Henry being an Irish Hobbit.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571992#Comment_119571992

Inserting a character to pad time, in an already defined story? No

Creating a character from the 2nd Age? Makes much more sense than forcing Galadriel into the mould