The Galadriel played by Morfydd Clark in The Rings of Power is nothing like the character introduced by J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, nor Cate Blanchett’s version from Peter Jackson’s movie trilogies. Upon departing Rivendell, one of the first (and, indeed, only) stops the Fellowship makes as a nine-piece outfit comes at the Elven refuge of Lothlórien. They’re greeted by the serene – but exceptionally formidable – Lady Galadriel, who glides gracefully between the trees. So enchanting is her magical aura, Gimli spends the rest of the trilogy periodically fawning over three strands of her hair (probably). Though she supports Frodo’s quest to destroy the One Ring, Galadriel remains in Lothlórien to protect her own realm from Sauron’s darkness, and whenever she does fight, it’s through magic alone.

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That’s not the Galadriel we’re getting in Amazon’s upcoming TV epic, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Set during J.R.R. Tolkien’s Second Age of Middle-earth, Galadriel is portrayed by Morfydd Clark – the one casting previously confirmed by this super-secretive big-budget production. During this era of Tolkien’s timeline, Galadriel has made the trip from Valinor to Middle-earth, witnessed the First Age defeat of the evil Morgoth, then opted to stay behind rather than return to her heavenly homeland.

New images from Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (released by Vanity Fair), show Morfydd Clark’s Galadriel in a light many Middle-earth fans will not be accustomed to. Described as “Commander of the Northern Armies,” Galadriel is shown in a suit of silver Elven armor, a hefty sword strapped upon her back. Dirty and exhausted from battle, Galadriel walks away from a burgeoning fireball (cool Elves don’t look at explosions, etc). The image is several worlds away from Galadriel as the enigmatic, ethereal force of nature in Lothlórien. Despite possessing a Ring of Power and considerable magic ability, Galadriel taking up physical arms and commanding on the battlefield isn’t necessarily something Lord of the Rings fans expected from The Rings of Power (even if they were hoping for it).

“Commander of the Northern Armies” isn’t a title Galadriel holds in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings mythology. With the few details we have, it’s not even clear what “the Northern Armies” refers to. Though there’s no explicit mention of Galadriel personally commanding any sort of military in established lore, maybe these battles take place during the long-running Second Age war between Sauron and the Elves, after the Dark Lord manipulated them into forging the Rings of Power. However, Galadriel spent much of that period safeguarding Nenya in Lothlórien. Perhaps, then, Galadriel’s war-faring days came while she was leader of Eregion earlier in the Second Age. Galadriel helped found this Elvish haven near the Misty Mountains, but likely would’ve encountered resistance from remnants of Morgoth’s followers. The Northern Armies could be an alliance against those remaining orcs and fell-beasts, and as the ruler of Eregion alongside her husband, Galadriel commands from the front.

Wherever Galadriel’s battlefield antics fall within Middle-earth mythology, they do honor her traditional characterization – albeit not necessarily her traditional characterization from The Lord of the Rings. During The Silmarillion‘s “Flight of the Noldor,” Galadriel was the only woman to champion the exile from Valinor. Though she eventually became the stay-at-home mythical Elf-queen checking what the Fellowship wanted for Christmas, the younger Galadriel was more rebellious, direct, and ambitious. It’s no surprise to see that version of Galadriel jumping into dirty, steel-to-steel combat, rather than just casting powerful spells during key showdowns.

With Galadriel armor-clad and packing steel, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power perhaps hints toward its character arc for Morfydd Clark’s elf. When Morgoth was up to no good in the First Age, Galadriel declined to fight, believing the enemy’s power impossible to overcome. Tolkien hints she came to question that inaction as the centuries passed, and that doubt may motivate Galadriel to fight as a commander in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

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About The Author


Craig Elvy
(3623 Articles Published)

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Craig first began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016, several years after graduating college, and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. Having previously written for various sports and music outlets, Craig’s interest soon turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally came into its own.
Craig has previously been published on sites such as Den of Geek, and after many coffee-drenched hours hunched over a laptop, part-time evening work eventually turned into a full-time career covering everything from the zombie apocalypse to the Starship Enterprise via the TARDIS.

Since joining the Screen Rant fold, Craig has been involved in breaking news stories and mildly controversial ranking lists, but now works predominantly as a features writer.
Jim Carrey is Craig’s top acting pick and favorite topics include superheroes, anime and the unrecognized genius of the High School Musical trilogy.

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