From the very first glimpses of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, some struggled to align the show’s younger version of Galadriel with the one introduced in The Lord of the Rings (and immortalized by Cate Blanchett on film). Claims are still made that this new version is a break from the source material, a reimagining, or even a dismissal of Tolkien’s true vision. But ScreenRant’s The Rings of Power Podcast is going straight to Tolkien’s own unpublished writings for the truth.

As is the case when discussing whether or not The Stranger is Gandalf or a Blue Wizard, the idea of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘canon’ must be thrown out the window. The originally published books introduced the world to Galadriel, with details of her backstory released much later. But Tolkien continued to expand on his original vision, drafting new chapters, new versions, and even altering his Silmarillion in response to a growing and changing idea of who Galadriel is, was, and could become. So how do those ideas compare to the ones made real in The Rings of Power? These answers are found in the latest episode of The Rings of Power Podcast: “Young Galadriel’s Biggest Problem: is She Based on Tolkien’s Version?” embedded below:

Hosts Andrew Dyce and Stephen Colbert dive deep into the existing lore, ideas and potential stories scribbled or discussed by J.R.R. Tolkien across his life, and where the Rings of Power writers have room to fill in their own fiction. And when it comes to depicting the person Galadriel was long before she gained the wisdom to “pass the test” and refuse the One Ring offered by Frodo, the writers had plenty to work with.

Tolkien’s Full Vision for Galadriel is Shockingly Close To Rings of Power’s

The author’s unpublished writings tease an arc for Galadriel that matches the show

 

The version of Galadriel’s story may depend entirely on which of Tolkien’s writings, published in different collections following his death, one is looking to for details. From the moment she appeared on the page in The Fellowship of the Ring, to the very last days of Tolkien’s life, the idea of the ‘real’ story of Galadriel was constantly changing. But through it all, one thing remained clear: Tolkien pictured Galadriel as the brightest, boldest, strongest, and most exceptional of all the Elves of Middle-earth. And she knew it, too.

Those curious can listen to The Rings of Power Podcast episode above, or seek out Tolkien’s Unfinished Tales for more insights. But it’s the latter versions which shed the most light on The Rings of Power, when Tolkien envisioned Galadriel as mighty Elf on a mission of vengeance, her hatred driving her from Valinor to Middle-earth in pursuit of an enemy, determined to oppose him however she could… but blinded by the darkness that doing so cast across her own spirit. The enemy was Feanor, not Sauron, but the similarities grow from there.

For the full conversation and debate on this and all other topics related to the TV show, be sure to follow The Rings of Power Podcast in your favorite podcast app, and stay tuned to ScreenRant for all coverage of season two and beyond.