The Lord of the Rings: “Almost like a loving parent,” Galadriel and Gil-galad’s complicated relationship explained

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER

August 28, 2024 at 18:35

In “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” High King Gil-galad and Galadriel have a complicated relationship. Actor Ben Walker exclusively explains the complexity to us!

In “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” we meet High King Gil-galad. He is played by Ben Walker and is one of the wisest and most politically powerful elves of all. He rules over the elven kingdom of Lindon and, as High King, also has authority over the other kingdoms.

Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) repeatedly defies her High King in Season 1 and ultimately even ensures that Sauron is brought to Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) in the elven kingdom of Eregion. As Halbrand, Sauron (Charlie Vickers) deceives the elf, who puts all of Middle Earth in danger through her misjudgment.

The relationship between the two elves is accordingly tense and while Galadriel is shown as the clear protagonist in “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”, Gil-galad almost seems like her antagonistic counterpart.

Gil-galad is not a villain for Galadriel, but like a strict parent

For book fans who know Gil-galad more as a shining king and wise elf, it may be surprising that Gil-galad embodies some kind of antagonistic force. For actor Ben Walker, this is basically “a healthy starting point for their relationship, considering how far [Gil-galad und Galadriel] according to the books still have to go.”

I also think it’s clear to people who know the literature that Galadriel is technically older than me and that we’re both qualified for each other’s position.

Ben Walker (Gilland)

“Accordingly, the leadership or mentoring role has to be conflictual because we are in some ways equals,” explains Ben Walker, “but the hierarchy dictates a certain level of behavior and decision-making.”

“But I also think that [Gil-galads] Experience, especially at the beginning of our series, [Galadriels] ambitions, and he is almost like a loving parent who allows her to make mistakes, tries to guide her, but ultimately gives her the space to develop into the person we all [aus den Filmen] to know.”

We’ll see even more of that, especially in season 2. “She made some massive mistakes,” Walker sums up the situation for the new season. “Now go to your room, you’ve been naughty,” he jokingly reprimands Galadriel as Gil-galad.

As High King, Gil-galad is of course above Galadriel, even though he is several thousand years younger than her. It is unlikely that he will really reprimand her like a parent, but it is probably inevitable that he will have to use his position to some extent to assert his own experience as a younger person.

Streaming service Amazon Prime Video is showing “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” in its program. The second season of “The Rings of Power” revolves around the rise of Sauron with a focus on the creation of the Rings of Power. He strives to lead Middle Earth into a dark future. The peoples of Middle Earth must face new threats and forge alliances that will have a decisive influence on the fate of the world in the Second Age.