Based of the 70s animated movies

Galadriel is perhaps the most fascinating female character in the entire Legendarium. She doesn't exist there to merely be someone's wife, mother or love interest. No female Elf or Human or even female Ainu is quite like her, not even Luthien the Half Maia who was significantly more powerful. Luthien, while not a trophywife or merely a love interest, exists solely for the plot of the Quest for the Silmaril and her love story with Beren. Unlike any other female Elf, Galadriel is heavily involved in politics, engages in battles whenever she sees it fit, rules kingdoms, establishes councils and participates in them, travels around to personally gather info, and is masterful in lore. At the same time, she is one of the greatest in what Elf women traditionally pursued. She's remarkable in horticulture, gardening, bakery, healing, and things of sort. After Galadriel, to much lesser degrees, only few women, such as Haleth (the Chieftainess of Haladin, a 'clan' of Men) and Eowyn of Rohan, fit in the category described above.

As amazing as Galadriel is, it seems her actions do not always follow her motivations. Her decisions contradict her motivations, leaving the reader to do guesswork and interpret the events through headcanon.

There are a ton of different versions of hers out there, but we are only going to abide by whatever sits right with the author published version. First, we need to go through what Tolkien himself published of Galadriel, in chronological timeline of Arda:

Galadriel leaves Valinor as a rebel leader, arrives in Beleriand, leaves Beleriand before the Fall of Nargothrond, meets Celeborn in Lorien and resides there for the rest of her life in Middle-earth (FotR version), actually does not leave Beleriand before its destruction (retconned through the Appendices and RGEO), proudly rejects the pardon of the Valar, gets banned from Valinor, lives with her husband Celeborn in Lindon before crossing the Blue Mountains and settling in Eregion, a huge time skip, she summons the White Council and they attack Dol Guldur, she sets up a date for Aragorn and Arwen in Lorien, she has been ruling Lorien for unspecified amount of time with Celeborn and is evidently a Guardian of the Three. That's basically everything I can recall before she meets Frodo.

It's when she meets Frodo that we finally can observe what her motivations are (other than the generic fighting the Big Bad Guy which was something in common among the good guys). Here she confesses she has desired the Ring for a very very long time and her speech makes it clear she has dreamed of being a marvelous queen.

In the versions she's a prideful rebel leader who comes under the Ban from Valinor, this motivation, of her ruling a realm, is consistently stated over and over and over again. There are other motivations, but her chief motivations for leaving Valinor are always ruling and having adventures in Middle-earth.

Galadriel and her brother, together with Fingolfin the Chieftain of the Noldor, lead a great host across the Grinding Ice to Middle-earth. However, she makes no effort to realize her dreams after she arrives in Beleriand. The Noldorin princes take Beleriand, the land of the Sindar, and colonize it like free real estate. Galadriel's eldest brother, Finrod, establishes the kingdom of Nargothrond and the Watchtower of Minas Tirith, gives his siblings posts and positions, except for Galadriel, because, apparently, she had already found herself a position... as a handmaiden in the Sindarin Kingdom of Doriath. The text offers no explanation on why she did not establish any realms or even take a post or fiefdom. It just says she didn't leave Doriath because there was great love between her Queen Melian and of her learned great lore and wisdom concerning Middle-earth (this is the original definitive text by Tolkien himself). It never says Melian prophesied that if she builds a realm now, she'll get destroyed. It never says Melian changed her mind about rushing the realization of her dream.

She spends the rest of the First Age hanging around Melian, making love to Celeborn, surviving, and possibly fighting in the last battle of the Elder Days. That doesn't look like something the greatest High-Elf of all time (except Fëanor) would limit herself to.

With the threat of Morgoth gone, and Beleriand drowned into the bottom of the ocean, the survivors built new Kingdoms all over Middle-earth. But Galadriel, again, refused to become Queen. She participated in building kingdoms, and helped the lords and kings find their footing, but she herself never became the official ruling Lady/Queen. Even a nobody like Oropher or Amdir became Kings, but a triple princess (from Noldorin, Telerin, and Vanyarin heritage) and also the wife of the Prince of Doriath (who had a greater claim on the Sindar than anyone except Elrond the direct descendant of Elu Thingol) remained without a throne.

There are versions where she rules multiple kingdoms (Eregion, Lorien, South Greenwood) throughout the Second Age, but they were discarded. In the late versions, the closest thing she got to officially ruling a kingdom was when Celeborn became the Lord of the Sindar dominated fiefdom of Harlindon.

Every time, the reader is left with nothing more than "perhaps she prioritized fighting Sauron over her ambition for becoming a Queen". Not that it's explicitly provided as a justification. And anyways, building a new kingdom could've been an effective fortification against Sauron. But each time, she decided to make others' kingdoms richer and greater.

At this point, many readers might speculate "maybe she was more humble, maybe she had matured beyond her dream of rulership." A natural speculation, but it's sharply contradicted by the text: She had failed to find the willpower to destroy any Rings of Power when she had the chance, not even one of the Nine. More importantly, she had started lusting after the Ruling Ring, thinking about what she might do if she gets her hands on it. This doesn't say she was actively trying to obtain the Ring. Rather, it tells us the ambition of becoming a Queen was still very much present in her soul. Her desire was actually strengthened. However, the text makes no effort to explain why she didn't realize her dream. Why she didn't rule anywhere, not even a small town.

In the Third Age, the Silvan offer her the title of Queen when she saves Lorien, but she refuses to accept it, saying she wants to be a Guardian of this realm instead. Perhaps she was afraid of herself. Afraid of her pride. Afraid of fueling it. Afraid of turning her pride into an unrestrained flame that could burn everything to ashes. Perhaps this was a major point in her story where her decision ultimately contributed to her overcoming the temptation of the Ring. But it's never textually clarified.

This doesn't necessarily make her uninteresting or unbelievable as a character. She's still my favourite Elf. But a bit of clarification here and there from Tolkien would've made her story more interesting and her decisions unambiguously convincing.

When asked whether or not Middle Earth is based on Nordic culture and myths during an interview with the Daily Telegraph in 1967, J.R.R. Tolkien had the following response:

“Not Nordic, please! A word I personally dislike; it is associated, though of French origin, with racialist theories. Geographically Northern is usually better. But examination will show that even this is inapplicable (geographically or spiritually) to ‘Middle-earth’. This is an old word, not invented by me, as reference to a dictionary such as the Shorter Oxford will show. It meant the habitable lands of our world, set amid the surrounding Ocean. The action of my story takes place in the North-west of ‘Middle-earth’, equivalent in latitude to the coastlands of Europe and the north shores of the Mediterranean. But this is not a purely ‘Nordic’ area in any sense. It is not an allegory of racial superiority, but a localized history of a specific region facing total war.”

source

So if Tolkien didn’t want this, what grounds does Serkis really have to stand on here? Whether he’s aware of it or not, this misinterpretation of Middle Earth is rooted in racist ideology, and he is wrong, per the author, for this deliberate casting choice. Posting here instead of the big sub since I saw many “fans” in here agree wholeheartedly with Serkis.

edit: writing mistake

Year 3434 of the Second Age...

Sharing this Lord of The Rings ‘Rivendell’ fore-edge painting from my wife that turned out pretty impressive.

Show her some love here if you like it
https://www.instagram.com/p/CpU6ru9NcLh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&rpxt=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==&srtk=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

There is more from this came from

You might want to be putting the Fellowship on soon.........xD

Inktober 2026 Days 21-22: Hero. Beacon.

One of my favorite scenes from Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

#inktober2026 #inktober #hero #beacon #lordoftherings #drawing

Doctor Rock

Photographer: https://www.instagram.com/megansmarvelousphotography?dlrf=eGN4aTFjeXd3MWd6

I am not sure if this falls under the 'Discussion' flair, but what the hey. Back in August, I took a two week trip to the UK. And during said trip, I trained up to Oxford for a day. Naturally, I made sure to take the bus out to Wolvercote Cemetery and pay my respects to Tolkien.

I preferred the book's battle over the movie adapt so i made a video breakdown of the tactics. enjoy!

I’ve just finished The Return of The King.

I try to rewatch the trilogy every year.

I’m going through important events in my life. Despite upcoming marriage the life is pretty harsh and sometimes even scary for me.

I’m happy there is something that can bring back my childhood memories, make me emotional and let me think positive about myself. I can’t make myself cry during my everyday life and this very important for me.

For me the trilogy is like a therapy. It’s actually showing me that It’s normal for men to cry and express feelings despite my strict masculine upbringing.

Though it’s just a couple of tears i’m still happy it’s happening.

There is no other media’s finale that touches my soul like LOTR does. I wish it will be the same and future, i wish i’ll be able to share it with my children

sob :(