The latest Tolkien’s Rings of Power series got me on the edge of my seat; I can’t wait for the next season. As a fan of LOTR, I’ve always been fascinated with the development of each character.
The different races and peoples constantly live through peaceful and warring times, leaving me to wonder. Do we face these conflicting feelings inside too? How do these characters manage these feelings and thoughts? Most importantly, how can I learn from them?
Join me on an adventure of exploring these mysterious characters in our usual no-spoiler Shadee.Care fashion!
Galadriel: Commander of the North Armies, scarred by wars and heartache
As one of the mightiest individuals in Rings of Power, Galadriel is so intense you’d think the word “joy” has never appeared in her life! Galadriel’s life is darkened by the loss of her husband and brother.
To seek vengeance, she sought to hunt down the Dark Lord. Her experience with darkness and anger is best encapsulated in the line she says to Theo. As he suggested the idea of killing every Orc in sight, “it darkens the heart to call dark deeds good”.
As Elves, they seek light and hope when all is dark. Yet in this series, Galadriel experienced much darkness and temptation with evil. But she rose above all in the pains of war and loss. She became the fairest and greatest of all Elves, Lady of the Light.
Theo: the struggle is real for him and every other young adult
Son of a healer in the Southlands, Theo is literally the best representation of us in this magical world. As a young adult, he feels lost, not knowing his purpose in this war. Being bad or good isn’t that straightforward.
To complicate things further, he finds the blade of dark origins. As told by Waldreg, “it is a power, fashioned for our ancestors by his master’s own hands”. To save his and his mother’s lives, he felt a deep calling to feed his sword his blood, giving it form to kill the threatening Orc.
His act of self-harm in this instant isn’t even really his own! Compelled by an extreme external force, he felt pressured into sacrificing his blood. Self-harm can happen for many reasons, but don’t cave in. Help is all around you.
In Theo’s case, he spoke of his role in giving up the sword to Adar and empowering the dark ones. Still, the ever-wise one, Galadriel, enlightened him, “there are powers beyond darkness at work in this world. Perhaps on days such as this, we’ve little choice but to trust to their designs, and surrender our own.”
Nori: brave little Harfoot with a big appetite for adventure
Another young one in the show, Nori, is perhaps my favourite character. With so much tenacity, she never backed down from believing that The Stranger was good! Even when others doubted her, Nori welcomed The Stranger into her life. She’s such a bright person; she gave so much hope to The Stranger when he doubted himself.
What I love most about her is her fearlessness when exploring new places, a quality extremely commendable when Harfoots practise their mantra of always staying together.
When we move on to a new stage of our lives, we may face anxiety and get nervous. But Nori pushed on with her gut feeling alongside her newfound friend. How would you feel if you were in her shoes? Perhaps knowing your strength can give you much-needed clarity and confidence.
Let’s talk about you!
Galadriel, Theo and Nori unexpectedly became very relatable in this fictional world through their conflicting feelings. Like many of us, they faced self-doubt and became embroiled in the classic evil vs good.
At times, we may be tempted by the prospects of power, fame and whatever arises. The toughest challenge is making the decisions that best serve us, especially when it’s not the most fun or popular choice. No matter the circumstances, self-harm is never the solution. If your friend is self-harming, here’s how you can help.
Have you ever had to make difficult decisions? Could you share your experiences with us? If you need a listening ear, we’re here for you at Shadee.Care.
Emotions are real, even for the fictional folks in Rings of Power. Here’s how you can power up like them.
Dealing with the loss of a loved pain is just painful.
Self-harm is never the way to go.
Self-confidence: the best tool in the shed
Nerves getting the best of you?
Your strength is your best armour
Help! My friend is self-harming!
Image credit: Amazon Studios
