Galadriel

**Galadriel** was the Elven queen of Lothlórien. She was one of the oldest Elves in Middle-earth and one of the most important figures in elven history. Lady Galadriel was the co-ruler of the Elven Kingdom, Lothlorien, along with her husband Celeborn. She was originally born in Valinor during the height of its bliss. As such, she was the highest ranking and one of the most powerful elves of the Third Age. She was the keeper of Nenya, one of the three Elven rings. She possessed the Mirror of Galadriel, which could reveal potentially future events to its viewer, as well as the Phial of Galadriel, which held the light of Earendil's star.

## Character introduction

Galadriel was the Ruler of Lothlórien before, during and after the Company of Thorin Oakenshield and the Fellowship of the Ring. During the summer of TA 2941, Galadriel later entrusted Gandalf and said he was right to Help Thorin Oakenshield. Galadriel later rescued Gandalf from Dol Guldur.

By the last few years of the time of Sauron, she housed Frodo Baggins and his companions and showed him the true meaning of the ring bearer. Three years later, Galadriel left with her husband, son-in-law, Gandalf Frodo and Bilbo to live in the Undying Lands.

## Background

### Years of Trees

Galadriel was born in Year of the Trees 1362 to Eärwen and Finarfin and had three brothers: Finrod, Angrod, and Aegnor. She was the niece of the dark elf, Fëanor, who was the paternal half-brother of Finarfin, whom Galadriel kept her distance from. Even at a young age, Galadriel was known for her athletic abilities and wisdom and desired to see Middle-earth. Later, she joined the rebellion of the Noldor wanting to see the great landmass, but didn't join Fëanor who went on to lead a Kinslaying of Teleri Elves in order to comandeer ships. Instead, she went with Fingolfin who crossed the Helcaraxë in the far north.

### The First Age

In Beleriand, Galadriel and Finrod came to Doriath as guests of Elu Thingol, the King of Doriath, where in F.A. 52, Galadriel met and fell in love with Celeborn, a very distant relative of Thingol. They eventually married and had a daughter named Celebrían and befriended Melian, the Maia.

When her brother Finrod departed to the Caverns of Narog to establish the stronghold of Nargothrond, Galadriel did not go with him and remained in Doriath with her husband, though she occasionally visited her brother in Nargothrond.

She played a relatively insignificant part in the wars of the First Age, as she thought that defeating Morgoth was beyond the power of the Eldar, and when Morgoth was defeated by the coming of the Valar out of the West she, having played no part in the Kinslaying, was offered safe return to Valinor. But Galadriel, being prideful, chose to remain in Middle-earth.

### Second Age

Galadriel and Celeborn ruled Harlindon under Gil-Galad before leaving to lake Nenuial and later to Eregion. Galadriel would have been present during the forging of the Great Rings, and had suspected the motives of Annatar, who helped Celebrimbor forge the Rings. Celebrimbor gave her Nenya, the Ring of Adamant.

She and Celeborn eventually went through the mines of Moria to Lorien, ruled by Amdir. Afterwards, Annatar revealed himself as Sauron, the Dark Lord, slew Celebrimbor and laid waste to Eregion. At this time, many Noldor of Sindarin speech migrated to the realm of Amdír, escaping from the destruction of Eregion, and Celeborn fortified it against Sauron's attempts to cross the Anduin. Soon thereafter, the White Council (not to be confused with the first White Council of the Third Age) was held in the newly-found realm of Imladris, where Elrond met and fell in love with Celebrían, her daughter.

But at some later time, Galadriel and Celeborn departed from Imladris and went to the little-inhabited lands between the mouth of the Gwathló and Ethir Anduin. There they dwelt in Belfalas, at Edhellond, near the place that was afterwards called Dol Amroth; and their company was swelled by Silvan Elves from Lórinand.

In time, Amdír, King of Lórien, was slain in the Battle of Dagorlad during the War of the Last Alliance. Celeborn may have participated in the war, but the greatest effect it had on the twain was the destruction of Sauron and the loss of the One Ring. Galadriel was now free to use her ring.

### Third Age

When King Amroth son of Amdír perished, Celeborn and Galadriel left Edhellond to rule Lindórinand jointly, and were called the Lord and Lady of Galadhrim. Galadriel planted the mallorn seeds brought with her from Lindon, the only mallow east of the Sea, and afterwards the realm was called Lórinand (Valley of Gold) which through some transformations turned into the later name of Lothlórien or Lórien.

They established Caras Galadhon, and the realm of Lothlórien was one of light and life. With Nenya, the Ring of Water, Galadriel made the realm of Lórien even greater. With the power of her ring, she protected it from the intrusion of evils throughout the Third Age.It was during their days of power and glory in Lothlórien that Celebrían, their only child, married Elrond. But Celebrían was waylaid and tortured by Orcs in T.A. 2509, and passed West over the sea.

Galadriel formed the White Council with Elrond and the Wizards of the order of the Istari. A great friend of Gandalf the Grey, she proposed him as the head of the Council, but Saruman, the head of the Istari order, took the place instead.

## An Unexpected Journey

Informed by Gandalf about the approach of the company, Elrond summoned Saruman who in turn sent for Galadriel. Worried about the implications of the Quest, the White Council convened. Gandalf argued that darkness is rising, with Orcs and Trolls roaming freely through Eriador and a Necromancer settling in Dol Guldur and seemingly freeing the Witch King from his tomb. Galadriel silently agreed with Gandalf, and informed him that if he should need her help, she would come.

## The Desolation of Smaug

Galadriel psychically encourages Gandalf to go investigate the High Fells of Rhudaur, which he does. She is later informed by Radagast to come to Gandalf's aid in Dol Guldur, and she calls upon the other members of the Council.

## The Battle of the Five Armies

Galadriel arrives to rescue Gandalf from Sauron's dungeon keeper, whom she disintegrates with her powers. She is cornered by the nine Ringwraiths but Elrond and Saruman show up to her aid. She hands Gandalf to Radagast who rescues him, and she uses her power, as well as the Light of Earendil contained in her phail to banish Sauron, diminshing her own power in the process. Elrond takes her back to Lorien.

## The Fellowship of the Ring

Galadirel is the narrator of the film, introducing the time of the Elves, Men, and Dwarves where they were given three Elven rings. Galadriel psychically senses Frodo's approach and informs him that he brings great evil to her realm.

She welcomes the Fellowship while psychically investigating them, sensing the temptation of Boromir, the fear of Frodo, the guilt of Gimli and the loyalty of the other members of the company. She later shows Frodo to her mirror where he sees the potential Scouring of the Shire by Sauron. She tells him the same will happen to Lorien if he should fail. She tells him the Fellowship is breaking, with Boromir all but poised to try and take the Ring.

Frodo presents Galadriel with the Ring, and while she's tempted - appearing once again as a dark queen - she is able to deny it, accepting her fate to diminish and go West. She shows him her Ring of Power and tells Frodo that to be a ringbearer is to be alone. Galadriel also tells him that even he can change the course of the future.

Galadriel farewells the Fellowship and gives them useful gifts: cloaks to all nine, a belt to Boromir, Noldorin daggers to Merry and Pippin, Elven rope to Sam, a Galadhrim bow to Legolas, her phial to Frodo and, by his request, three strands of her hair to Gimli. She has nothing to give Aragorn which is greater than the Evenstar Arwen gave him (although Celeborn gives him a dagger) and informs him that he must either rise above all his fathers since the days of Elendil or fail and that they will never meet again.

## The Two Towers

Galadriel briefly appears in the second part of The Lord of the Rings. She received the revived Gandalf, giving him his white robes and new staff.

She later communicates with Elrond, informing him of developments in Rohan and Gondor and encouraging him to command her forces to aid Aragorn in Rohan. He sends Haldir and his men to Helm's Deep, where they are slain but able to buy time for Gandalf to arrive and defeat the Uruks.

## Return of the King

Galadriel appears to Frodo, encouraging him to get up and press on in Cirith Ungol.

After the Ring was destroyed and Sauron defeated, Galadriel's ring loses its power. Instead, she leaves Middle earth with her husband, son-in-law, Gandalf, Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, never to be seen again.

### *The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power*

In the TV series *The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power*, Galadriel is a major character, portrayed by Morfydd Clark.

#### Season One

She is first seen as a child, while dwelling in Valinor, making a paper ship as her brother Finrod taught her. Finrod gave her counsel after preventing her from striking another child as retaliation for destroying the ship.

Many years passed, and following the catastrophe in which Morgoth destroyed the Two Trees, Finrod joined his kindred in sailing to Middle-earth and waging war against Morgoth. Though the Dark Lord was eventually defeated, his chief servant Sauron escaped, and Finrod took the lead in finding him. Sauron killed Finrod, however, and Galadriel pledged to continue his mission.

By the middle of the Second Age, Galadriel had led an expedition into Forodwaith to search for evidence of Sauron's whereabouts. Despite her companions' hesitancy and the harsh environment, an abandoned fortress of Morgoth was found, within which Galadriel and Thondir discovered evidence of dark magic and an anvil bearing Sauron's sigil, still hot after centuries. Her company was attacked by a snow-troll, which Galadriel quickly slew. Upon announcing her intent to continue the expedition farther north, the others of her company refused, and she unwillingly returned with them to Lindon.

On returning to Lindon, she was met by her friend Elrond, who, though glad to see her, warned her that the High King Gil-galad disapproved of her insistence that Sauron still posed a threat to Elf-kind. Galadriel agreed to hold her tongue, and was honored with the rest of her companions by the king, who gave them the gift of returning to Valinor. Galadriel left on the ship to Valinor with the others, but at the last moment before leaving the mortal realm, changed her mind and dove into the sea. After some time, she was found by several castaways on a makeshift raft, one of whom identified himself as Halbrand. The castaways were terrified of the great sea-serpent that had destroyed their ship, and soon their fears were realized when the serpent returned and killed all but Halbrand, who retained the raft. Halbrand tolerated Galadriel while remaining silent about his own story. Yet when a fierce storm arose and Galadriel was dragged under the surface by a weighted rope, Halbrand rescued her and the two survived, though the exertion left them weak. They then drifted helplessly until they were found by a ship of the Númenóreans.