The following contains spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 1, Episode 6, "Udûn," now streaming on Prime Video.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is creating an extensive story surrounding Galadriel and her hunt for Sauron. Throughout her journey, Galadriel has been painted in a new light, giving more depth and emotion to this pivotal character. Interestingly, the show is also proving that Galadriel isn't actually hero. While her actions are not heroic in nature, they are well-intentioned, and each move that she makes presents her as a stronger, more compelling protagonist.
As originally established in The Lord of the Rings world that J.R.R Tolkien created, Galadriel is a significant figure and is seen as one of the biggest threats to Sauron. The Rings of Power has expanded upon Galadriel's role in Middle-earth and made her the central figure of the series. It does this by focusing on her journey from warrior and commander, to the serene Elf Queen that is seen in The Lord of the Rings. The idea of heroes and villains is alive and well in The Rings of Power, but Galadriel is neither, and Episode 6, "Udûn," builds on this very idea.
The Rings of Power Takes Galadriel on a Dark Journey
The Rings of Power has shown that Galadriel can be reckless, vindictive and even cruel at times. At the beginning of the series, she is shown to be pushing her soldiers far beyond their limits, to the point that they even mutiny against her. She cares little for the feelings of others and is solely focused on her own goals and ambitions. A hero can be complicated, and go on a journey of self-discovery, but typically ends up in a place where they are the absolute best version of themselves. Galadriel is becoming a better person, but in the end, she is still ambitious and will make any sacrifice for that ambition.
One way this aspect of Galadriel's character is explored is when she is interrogating Adar. During this scene, Galadriel becomes very cruel and threatens to seriously torture Adar. Her torture in this case wasn't going to be physical or immediate, but it was going to be slow and psychological. Her wanting to kill all the Orcs and make Adar watch his offspring die is equally twisted and sadistic. Even after a great victory over the Orcs, Galadriel can't see past her mission and her hate. This darkness prevents her from being a full-blown hero, but makes her journey as a protagonist deeper and more impactful for the audience.
The Rings of Power Clearly Defines Heroes & Protagonists
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Many modern franchises have changed the meaning of "protagonist" and "antagonist" to make them synonymous with "hero" and "villain," but these two terms are very different. While heroes are always depicted to do the right thing and have perfect moral judgment, protagonists can be far more complicated. They may not always make the right decision and their choices can be questionable, as well as exist within a moral grey area.
Within the context of The Rings of Power, Galadriel makes for a terrible hero due to her tendency to make morally questionable choices and is shown to be vengeful and full of anger. Despite these flaws, however, Galadriel is still a great protagonist for The Rings of Power due to the way the series expands her story, and gives her character more layers. As such, she is able to carry the series and gain the audience's support, even if what she is doing isn't heroic or always right. Viewers can similarly still question her actions and be wary of her choices.
New episodes of The Rings of Power stream on Fridays on Prime Video.