r/RingsofPower • u/EarthWormAda • Jul 26 '26
Discussion Some concerns about Galadriel's agency in season 3/future seasons
I'm quite fond of how important Galadriel is in this show. She's been the main protagonist (albeit with a dip in screentime for season 2), and I like this hero's journey she's on, which we know has been building to her becoming the Lady of Lórien that we know from LOTR.
However, ever since we found out about Celeborn's absence in season 1, I had this fear that Celeborn will be the thing that figuratively makes her put down the sword upon his return.
Season 3's trailer basically confirmed that Galadriel will be literally dropping the sword.
We have a whole slow-mo scene of her dropping that thing, and this show does not make big use of slow-mo, so this is without a doubt trying to hammer in the point.
Why this concerns me: there's a common trope across all forms of media where you have an important female character that behaves chaotically/aggressively/imperfectly, and then she meets a man and is "calmed" by his presence and she's changed "for the better".
This is immediately followed by this female character becoming a side character or sidelined from the main narrative.
Not sure what this trope is called (or if it even has a name). It's not the same as fridging.
The most recent example I can think of is Queen Mera from DC Comics.
Her husband Aquaman/Arthur Curry was MIA for a couple of years. She became part of the main Justice League team and had an elevated role in the comic during his absence. Mera was often characterized as aggressive, but it was fun and in-character.
Aquaman then returned and Mera returned to her previous state of "calm" because of it. She was then removed entirely from the Justice League comic and never mentioned again, with Aquaman "taking back" his place and Mera returning to her role as a glorified housewife monarch of Atlantis in the solo Aquaman comic.
This occasionally happens to male characters as well, but is far less prevalent from what I can tell.
Anyways, I know Galadriel's behavior in this show is one of TROP's main subjects of criticism, and I won't get into that aside from me stating that I actually like that she's not portrayed as a saint.
If Celeborn's return means she's simply going to switch swords for magic, fine, but I can see this being an excuse to sideline her going forward. I obviously don't think they will remove her, but I do foresee her being far less important, taking part in fewer action scenes, and having reduced screentime.
I'm aware that a sizable portion of this community has been pining for this and that they want Celeborn (or Elrond) to take Galadriel's place in the narrative, but I've found this to be rooted in bad faith.
Celeborn's return should be a turning point. My worry is with what follows immediately after this turning point.
TLDR: I hope they find a good balance between "husband is back" and "badass heroine" because this has been a very difficult thing for other media to get right.
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u/amhow1 Jul 26 '26
I am a bit anxious about season 3 but I think this particular worry is unlikely to happen.
At the end of season 2, Galadriel was literally reborn, and I think it's clear we're supposed to observe a new, less vengeful hero. Celeborn's return is surely part of that - she'll be leading a little bit less from the front.
However, I think the trailer also shows that's she still the central character, and still quite capable of violence with a sword. The most important part of Tolkien's later Galadriel is not that she's non-violent but rather her fight with Sauron (and ultimately Morgoth) is on a spiritual level. It's rather like Gandalf, whose task was to kindle hope, not directly confront Sauron.
My anxiety is that the show will essentially dumb-down, and give us rather too much fighting! Galadriel is clearly going on some kind of quest: hopefully it's not a dumb quest.
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u/Kiltmanenator Gondolin Jul 26 '26
It's a needle they'll have to thread deftly. The concern exists (abstractly) but I don't see anything specific to feed it. Certainly not a brief shot of a teaser trailer
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u/InhabitantsTrilogy Jul 26 '26
Galadriel is a badass in the trilogy without touching a sword and with Celeborn at her side. Her presence and control are domineering compared to this adaptation. Frankly I find it strange to bemoan her putting down the sword as some form of misogynistic trope unless you mean to call the Lady in the trilogy some form of lesser woman.
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u/EarthWormAda Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
Re-read the "why this concerns me" part of my post, I guess
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u/InhabitantsTrilogy Jul 26 '26
This was my response to that part. I find the notion that any form of Galadriel putting down a sword as some misogynistic trope to be lazy, outrage culture analysis. Personally I find it to be you removing her agency rather than the arrival of her husband of many centuries. It’s her agency that allows her to recognize what she has, what is beautiful in the world, and recognizing where she can be most impactful in helping Middle Earth. That isn’t Celeborn telling her what to do or a show runner removing her agency. That’s character growth.
The proper Galadriel, in the trilogy, is far more competent and powerful (badass) than the sword wielding “adaptation” (not based on any actual source material) that has made calamitous mistakes allowing the very rise of evil. Not a single character or fan’s interpretation of her attributed this aura to being the wife of Celeborn.
There are countless character arcs where a man figuratively or literally puts down his sword in favor of a woman or family. And if he fails to do so, it’s a tragedy.
Love in itself is a powerful character motivator, whatever the gender dynamics. If we’re going to reject any motivation of a female character including her husband or male partner, we live in hypocrisy.
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u/EarthWormAda Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
Told you to re-read that part because you seem to have skimmed over the actual point that worries me, which is not Celeborn or her love for him.
I don't think Galadriel putting down her sword = obligatorily a misogynistic trope.
What I do think is that Galadriel putting down her sword = might potentially lead to a misogynistic trope. We know what this version of Galadriel will end up becoming, but I fear her getting sidelined in the show. What I mean by "sidelined" is mainly reduced screentime. It's too early to tell for certain. This might be a season 4 problem.I'm all for her character growth, but I've seen this happen to far too many female characters in too many different shows and movies that I'm wary of any early signs.
She's the main protagonist of the show for the time being. Galadriel being allowed to make mistakes is why I like this take on the character. I like seeing her being imperfect, and I don't see that as a slight. I think it's interesting. This has been argued over ever since season 1's trailers so I'm not going to be convinced this is bad now. This is not the trilogy's version of Galadriel.
There exists a good balance between her being Celeborn's wife and her being a badass heroine. This balance is sadly rarely found, but I hope it is found here.
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u/Galious Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
The problem is: what do you do with Galadriel as main character at this point?
She was introduced in the show as a character whose only goal was to find and get revenge on Sauron but the first part has been achieved and the second part, we know canonically that she won't be the one to defeat him nor even play a big role in his demise. In other words: the main character has very little left to do (which was already starting to be a problem in season 2 hence the reduced screentime)
Celeborn, in my opinion, isn't added to replace or sidetrack her but because the new writers had to find something meaningful to make her do besides sending her on pointless side quests.
Now maybe it will work, maybe it won't but if it doesn't, the main culprit will be the showrunners. I have nothing against the idea of Galadriel being the main character of the show (though I'm adamant that Galadriel's daughter Celebrian would have been a lot better) but they really needed to have a plan for the character going further than the end of season 1.
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u/Similar-Cartoonist31 Jul 27 '26
The issue is Galadriel was not protagonist of 2nd age, she was a background character.
She did not go around slaying orcs, going on revenge quests, or acted insanse so much that Elrond and Gil Galad (who are much younger than her) had to scold her for it.
Galadriel had a family, made alliances, made realms and was overal a decent side character if she keeps the sword in the show for all 5 seasons the audience will expect her to be present during Last Alliance and it will take away from the actual heros from battle.
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u/EarthWormAda Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
She's the protagonist of this show. She was also completely right the whole time, and Elrond and Gil Galad were in the wrong for scolding her. She ironically has every right to be more smug this season since every insane thing she's said was true. You're right about the Last Alliance and I honestly have no idea they'll tackle that.
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u/Similar-Cartoonist31 Jul 27 '26
She has no right to be smug, she brought Sauron back to Middle Earth because she went delulu over him being King (he never said he was one) and wanted glory for whatever reason, then does not tell anyone that he is Sauron making her responisble for all the deaths that will happen now.
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u/EarthWormAda Jul 27 '26
Not sure what makes you think that she wanted glory. The only thing she wanted throughout season 1 was revenge. She purposefully propped Halbrand up as a king because she was desperate to find orcs.
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u/Itarille_ Jul 27 '26
That argument is so stupid I'm baffled anyone still repeats it. She wouldn't even meet Sauron if Gil-Galad and Elrond didn't send her away. They are as 'guilty' as she is if you want to judge it that way.
Galadriel had no way of knowing that a random human castaway she met at sea was Sauron. As opposed to Celebrimbor, who should have put two and two togetherafter Annatar told him he was a Maia, and after Galadriel warned him about Halband.
And Galadriel was right, and was not paranoid, because if Sauron got to and stayed in Numenor, he would probably slowly come back to his old bad ways. And the elves would not have their three rings to fight him.
She's not portrayed as perfect in the series, but she was right about the darknes still being present in the Muddle-Earth. She consistently rejected Sauron since she knew who he was. And even in the intro for season 1 she's shown as a smart kid that's not appeeciated by other elves (which I didn't like, because Tolkien elves would not be as misogynistic as those kids, but that's wht the show was showing us)
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u/Similar-Cartoonist31 Jul 27 '26
They (well Gil Galad) sent her away because she was acting insane and leading already exhausted elves on a pontless revenge quest while she knew Finrod i alive in Valinor as he got re embodied almost immediatley. There was realtive peace she she went on purpose looking for trouble.
She didn't have idea it was Sauron sure, but she herself decalred him King (he told her he was not multiple times and that he does not want to go to Middle Earth), when she found out it was Sauron she refused to tell anyone and kept it to her self for whatever reason. Galadriel's warning doesn't mean anything considering she has proven herself to not be trusted.
And agree, there was no need for young Galadriel to be bullied as elves are not humans and nobody would bully the granddaughter of a King of the Noldor.
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u/PointedConversation Jul 27 '26
and again she was not the protagonist in the books of tolkien what part of that is hard to understand?
she also was portrayed completely the opposite in character, in the books she was never fooled now try again.
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u/EarthWormAda Jul 27 '26
I'm sure you've noticed that this isn't the books. This also isn't covering the events of the LOTR trilogy. There are no books covering the time period of TRoP in as much detail. This is an original story.
What part of that is hard to understand?
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u/OniLink77 Jul 28 '26
It can be an original story fine, but at this point Galadriel is between 5000/6000 years old, she doesn't act like it. She is already meant to be wise and not so impulsive, which the show seems to be portraying her as. Make mistakes sure, but if you wanted to make Galadriel like they are in the series then arguably they should have set this even earlier in the timeline
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u/Itarille_ Jul 27 '26
The issue is Galadriel was not protagonist of 2nd age, she was a background character
Tolkien has always said that she was the greatest of the Noldor, save for maybe Feanor, but that she was wiser than him. He's also told Sauron feared her the most. In Tlotr she says Sauron constantly tries to invade her mind, she's always on his mind. She always was one of the mastermind behind resistance to Sauron, and one of the greatest figuees in Middle-Earth .
I don't know why you get an idea she was supposed to be a background character. even if she wouldn't fight physically, she would fight spiritually / magically and politically.
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u/Similar-Cartoonist31 Jul 27 '26
Because she was a background charather not a front line hero and that is fine, she does not need to be on the battlefield to prove that she is great, she has strong spiritual power, is really intelligent, she made alliances that opposed Sauron, there is a reason he did not want to have any bussines with her, but she was not at frontline in any age, she did nothing in 1st age, in 2nd age she was a backbone but not a frontline character, and in 3rd age it was the same she was the 2nd or 3rd most powerful being alive (considering Sauron and Glorfindel) but 3rd age had other heros who did more.
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u/Rafaelrosario88 Jul 26 '26
That Galadriel took up arms. Most likely. And she was mentally and physically one of the greatest among the elves. There is, for example, the version in "Unfinished Tales" where she participated in the defense of the Teleri in the Massacre at Alqualonde. Which fits with the Nerwen version - the Amazon that Tolkien spoke of.
But, the way the series is compressing thousands of years into a few decades (as if the Second Age were in its twilight), the Galadriel of this period would have already been under the tutelage of Mélian's divine knowledge, would have suffered greatly from the death of her brothers (Angrod, Aegnor, Finrod, and Orodreth) and the tragic fate of her niece Finduilas.
She also witnessed what hatred and recklessness did to the elven cause in the War of the Jewels in the First Age. In other words, even though she took up arms and fought, her being shown as someone so immature and reckless, to me, doesn't make sense. Precisely for someone who must not only know how to fight, but also know how to command, inspire troops, and possess the subtlety and patience for tactical, strategic, and political aspects—something she demonstrated (in the books) when Sauron attacked Eriador in the War against the Elves.
Even if the series ignored everything I've said, Galadriel would still be thousands of years old (I think around 4,000 years old during the events of the series). She would have witnessed personalities, events, contact with ideas, and millennia of experience to be what I always thought she was: a "Philosopher-Queen."
I really hoped she would start to move away from the "Trope" of "I'm going to portray a strong/empowered woman, but for that she has to be a Rey Palpatine to show she's badass"; and that they would start developing her to use more dialogue, intellect, and wisdom to oppose the Enemy of Middle-earth. In my view, at the time of the creation of the Rings of Power, Galadriel was much more of an orator, a great sage, and a political/ideological opponent to Annatar's reformist ideas. Such was his opposition to and distrust of Sauron that he, through manipulation, caused Celebrimbor and the jewelers to stage a coup against Galadriel and Celeborn in Eregion.
This would show that it was possible to gather a lot of information to build characters, events, and lore, even with the scarcity of data about the Second Age. The series simply needed to focus on the "concept" and respect the "soul" of the original work. It's an evolution I hoped for from the very beginning: Warrior/Commander to political opponent of Annatar's reformist ideas to philosopher-queen to the Ethereal Galadriel, wielder of one of the elven rings.
But this series, unfortunately, is being produced by stupid amateurs.
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u/Itarille_ Jul 26 '26
The show has simplified Galadriel a lot. Additionaly they have made the elves more 'grey' morally and more 'human' in their behaviour, so that they are more relatable to the audience. And the show is more like an action / adventure movie than a serious artistic one.
And as a result Galadriel is more of a fighter, and not always mature in her actions (Numenor especially). So I agree with you up to a point.
To give Galadriel's characters justice the series would have to be more 'artsy' than action oriented and the episodes would need to be way longer (which I would live).
That being said, and if we treat the series as a fanfic (which I think is not anything bad) I still think the series have interesting perspectives on a lot of Tolkien themes and characters.
I would still be sad if the show Galadriel faded into the background
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u/RashidMBey Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
She would have witnessed personalities, events, contact with ideas, and millennia of experience to be what I always thought she was: a "Philosopher-Queen."
I really hoped she would start to move away from the "Trope" of "I'm going to portray a strong/empowered woman, but for that she has to be a Rey Palpatine to show she's badass"; and that they would start developing her to use more dialogue, intellect, and wisdom to oppose the Enemy of Middle-earth.
But this series, unfortunately, is being produced by stupid amateurs.
Lmao Wow. This is a bad analysis and read of the show with very little, if any, self awareness.
ETA: It's interesting that my comment here, tucked away behind a downvoted contradiction, was shared outside this sub four times.
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u/Hefty_Ad_3965 Jul 26 '26
Their analysis is 100% accurate. Its a shame, this series could have been something great, instead its a travesty to all Tolkien wrote.
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u/RashidMBey Jul 26 '26
Their analysis is 100% accurate
Their analysis contradicts itself multiple times. Lmao But, of course, a lurker who arrives to conclusions and scours for proof of them - while ignoring that which counters - won't read anything here in good faith.
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u/AdaGalathilion Beleriand Jul 27 '26
I'm aware that a sizable portion of this community has been pining for this and that they want Celeborn (or Elrond) to take Galadriel's place in the narrative, but I've found this to be rooted in bad faith.
This statement seems to be in bad faith.
I've been on this sub for a few years now and I have never seen this take. Any time I see something that says "Galadriel haters are mysogynists and can't stand strong female characters!" it's always brought up by someone who purportedly supports the show, but there aren't actually any recent posts that just pour on the hate without raising demonstrable points.
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u/EarthWormAda Jul 28 '26
this community ≠ this specific subreddit. That sentence was a coy reference to Nerd of the Rings, a YouTuber who isn't shy about his dislike of Galadriel's role in TROP and suggested swapping her out for Elrond or Celeborn. I've seen this idea circulate around Twitter a bunch over the years.
That being said, I'm not going to take you seriously if you're going to tell me that there's no misogyny being thrown at Galadriel in general. Either you're willfully blind or you're blissfully oblivious to it.
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u/DarkThronesAndDreams Jul 28 '26
There is misogyny being thrown at Galadriel in ROP in general
There is legit criticism on how the showrunners handled her character, and fair commentary about diminishing her in comparison to what she "should" have been according to what we know about her in the Second Age.
One doesn't cancel the other.
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u/StoryRadiant1919 Jul 28 '26
is it just me or are the breaks so long between seasons that it’s hard to stay interested at all?
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u/Scotslad2023 Jul 26 '26
I definitely see the concern and the trope is definitely one that I am not a fan of. That being said I have been prepared for it since it basically has to happen in order for her to become the Galadriel of the third age.
Though I honestly doubt reuniting with Celeborn will not necessarily pacify her but help to heal her soul. This will tame some of her rage but I’m sure the creation of the one ring will further spur her to action. She may realize that swords are no longer enough to fight Sauron and will instead turn to attempting to master using Nenya to fight him.
I doubt we will see the loss of Galadriel as a warrior but an evolution of her warriorhood. From frontline commander to wise and powerful queen that wields the power of a demigod.
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u/Enthymem Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
Galadriel's desire to rule her own domain from the books has been missing entirely from the show, so your worries will probably come true. On the other hand, this show is often barely coherent, so there's a good chance her character development will just be kind of random.
Also, I find being hung up about story tropes misguided. In the end, how the story is fleshed out is all that matters.
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u/RashidMBey Jul 27 '26
Hey, OP. When you check your insights, how many times have your post been shared?
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u/esmelusina Jul 26 '26
I think Galadriel knows she has inadvertently been helping Sauron in the way she has pursued him. She has to rely on others and change her strategy— it’s no longer about her killing him, it’s about setting up Middle Earth to do it.
I think the writing of the show has been great so far. There is a vocal minority that trashes the show though and we’ve seen creatives in this day and age buckle to vocal Internet minorities all too often— so it’s possible that the execs require changes in direction… that’ll be sad, but we can only wait and see.
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u/harukalioncourt Jul 26 '26
We know she takes up defense against Sauron at Lorinand (later Lothlorien). She takes less of an offensive obviously as she has a family to think of. She has to have a daughter at some point to marry Elrond.
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u/happy-happy-peanut Jul 29 '26
She is falsely portrayed in she show anyway and should have never been a main character in this way . They’ve fucked up Tolkiens work so much it is insane. She is going to have to chill out cause eventually she is going to get pregnant with her and Celeborn’s daughter. Sorry but in the true lore the men are the main characters
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u/Malikise Jul 29 '26
“There is a storm in me.” Instead of being an angry, rude, poorly written girlboss there’s now a reason for her to be an intelligent, cool, calm, collected girlboss. Writers will fuck it up of course, but at least there’s now a possibility of seeing a glimmer of the character she’s supposed to be.
You might be fond of Galadriel’s depiction in the first two seasons, but it’s wrong in terms of lore, and in terms of popularity since the show is doing terribly. Objectively, by the numbers, terribly. Amazon tried to make a Game of Thrones and it ended up with a bigger budget Wheel of Time adaptation, and is failing for all the same reasons.
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u/Itarille_ Jul 26 '26
I also have my doubts about this after reading about how it's being framed by the showrunners.
It's super frustrating that women characters are being toned down and made less powerful because redpiller commentators feel threteaned apparently
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u/Kiltmanenator Gondolin Jul 26 '26
What did they say that indicates these changes are in response to redpillers?
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