The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power addresses a common Galadriel complaint in season 2, and it seems this was the plan all along. The Prime Video series has begun to dive into the events of the Second Age, introducing a younger (though still ancient) version of the Lady of Lothlórien. Unfortuantely, this Galadriel differs significantly from the one seen in The Lord of the Rings, and this has inspired some backlash. Going into The Rings of Power season 2, a momentous event will take place that should change everything, and it may even alleviate some of the frustration surrounding Galadriel’s character.

At the end of Rings of Power season 1, Celebrimbor forged the Three Elven Rings of Power, which are outside of the control of Sauron’s One Ring (or will be, once this weapon is created). It was an impactful way to end the debut season, accompanied by the surprising reveal that Halbrand had been Sauron all along. Going into season 2, the Elven Rings will go to their owners, one of which is Galadriel. According to executive producer Lindsey Weber, Galadriel’s ring will inspire a lot of changes in the character, and this is great news.

Galadriel Will Go Through A Lot Of Changes When She Puts On Her Ring Of Power

The Ring Nenya Should Take Galadriel A Step Closer To Her LOTR Self

Galadriel is the bearer of the Elven Ring Nenya, Ring of Adamant, in The Lord of the Rings, and we will see her put on this ring for the first time in The Rings of Power season 2. Weber explained that this would occur early in the first episode, allowing the remainder of the season to explore how the ring’s power would affect Galadriel. Nenya has the power of preservation and concealment from evil, and with Sauron on the rise, this will undoubtedly give Galadriel an edge. However, Weber has teased a great deal of personal growth as well:

This season we get to play with some of the storytelling around what the rings do and, I think most importantly, what they do to our characters when they’re wearing them. They change people in ways that might be good, and ways that might be less good. [We see] a real different side to Galadriel.

She’s humbled. She’s had to own up to her mistakes. She’s had to accept that her intuition maybe isn’t always perfect. She’s had to face the question of whether she’s wrong and decide which way to go to set right what she’s had a hand in unleashing on Middle-earth.

Nenya also creates a change in Galadriel in Tolkien canon, and it is stated in The Silmarillion that, once she put it on, she longed even more for the sea and to return home to Valinor. Hopefully, this desire will be featured in The Rings of Power season 2, but Weber’s tease about Galadriel’s humility is the most intriguing. The character was far more aggressive, rash, and stubborn in the Prime Video series’ first season, and this was a frustrating contrast from her Lord of the Rings counterpart. However, such growth in season 2 demonstrates that these differences were intentional.

Season 1 Galadriel Was Meant To Contrast With Her LOTR Counterpart

Galadriel Being Different Before Getting Her Ring Of Power Makes Sense

In The Lord of the Rings, Galadriel is a powerful and serene being, which doesn’t align well with the version of her character in The Rings of Power. The aggressive and intensely focused warrior woman seen in the first batch of episodes was a topic of frustration, and Prime Video was accused of destroying the character for the sake of drama and flair. However, by presenting Galardiel this way in season 1, Prime Video can create some contrast regarding who she is after claiming her One Ring, thus giving her a compelling character arc.

The desire to redeem herself in Lord of the Rings wouldn’t have existed had Galadriel always been this perfect being.

While Galadriel’s desperate desire to find and destroy Sauron at any cost wasn’t a feature of Tolkien’s works, it’s in line with her canon character. Throughout Lord of the Rings, Galadriel believes that she must earn penitence before returning to Valinor, despite her exile technically ending long before. She felt she didn’t deserve to go home until she had done her part to eliminate Sauron. The desire to redeem herself in Lord of the Rings wouldn’t have existed had Galadriel always been this perfect being. Rings of Power has established its version of a younger, mistake-capable Galadriel to explain the character’s later remorse.

Could Rings Of Power Recreate Galadriel’s “Dark Queen” Moment From LOTR?

Another Big Moment Of Temptation Would Explain Why Galadriel Needed To Prove Herself In LOTR

Lord of the Rings demonstrated Galadriel’s imperfection when she was tempted to claim the One Ring from Frodo. It was a close call, and Galadriel had her notorious “Dark Queen” villain moment, in which she declared that she would take Sauron’s place with the One Ring and that “all would love [her] and despair.” Of course, she was ultimately successful in turning down the One Ring, stating that she had passed “the test” and could return West. Since the Valar had lifted the ban prohibiting Galadriel from returning to Valinor, rejecting the One Ring was her own requirement to be worthy of home.

The fact that Galadriel felt she needed to prove that she could resist Sauron’s power, combined with the tease that her Ring of Power could have adverse effects, implies that Rings of Power will explore a similar moment of temptation. Getting used to the power of her ring and learning that it is still susceptible to the One Ring’s influence (though it’s not entirely under its control) will likely require a learning curve, and it seems that Rings of Power is preparing to see this through. This may be a different interpretation of Galadriel, but she is on her way to becoming the elf we know and love.