Quote:
Originally Posted by Boromir88
I'd also just like to point out the criticism of depicting a young Galadriel being an armored up fighter smells of sexism when the same criticism isn't made that depicts Elrond as a fighter.
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Um, sorry, but no. What you are saying is that the reason I am a number of others have taken badly to the idea of Valkirie-Galadriel is because she is a woman, and had Elrond been in the same spot, we would not be equally as disgusted with the idea. Sorry, but I think that misses the point entirely.
The issue is not that Galadriel is a
woman who is swinging a sword; the issue is that the story we can piece together is
Galadriel throwing a
hissy tantrum, and the sword and armour just happen to be part of the package. She is
absolutely a woman who can wear armour and wield weapons - if there is a woman who can do that, it is her. She wasn't named Nerwen for nothing. But, at the same time, she wasn't named Nerwen for her physical prowess alone; the name reflects more than her tendency to masculine hobbies, but a more masculine frame of mind. Hard. Stubborn. Ambitious. Knows her mind. Has it her way. Stern. Perhaps quick to anger in her younger days. Cunning. Proud. You want to start not with the already calmed and grieved Second-Age Galadriel but the more fiery First Age Nerwen - fine, start with Nerwen. But she is not Nerwen because she can swing a sword. She is Nerwen deep inside her soul, a leader, a player of the big game, a strong-minded and strong-willed person, more full of strength than subtlety, but a strength of will as much as of body. She doesn't
need a sword to be Nerwen, she just
is; she would still be Nerwen if she never rode a horse or held a weapon. Does Nerwen throw a hissy-fit and go on some lonely revenge-quest against non-existent enemies? Especially a Nerwen who has lived through the Wars of Beleriand? Sorry, that's not Nerwen, that is not even Eowyn, that is... I don't know what. A glorified tomboy? But let's not condemn criticism of the butchering of her character to sexism. It's being unfair first and foremost to Galadriel herself. If anything, it's more sexist to reduce a complex female character to an empty suit of armour and claim that this somehow enhances her.
As for Elrond - have we actually seen him fighting in any of the promo materials? Yes, I expect him to be fighting at some point or other, and I expect to see him standing by Gil-Galad. I don't recall seeing any ridiculous Elrond fighting scenes as yet though, so not sure what you are expecting the audience to criticize. I am happy to criticize the ridiculous Silvan Elf stunt-fighting style - but where has Elrond appeared fighting? Or did I block out a whole scene from my memory? If you just mean that he stood wearing armour in Gil-Galad's forces in the LOTR films - I thought that was actually pretty close to how he comes across in the books, and there's no reason to assume someone would
not don armour when expecting to be in the midst of a battle. I just thought it was silly that he didn't have a helmet, but I suppose you need your character to be identifiable by the audience. And he
is Gil-Galad's herald, and stood beside him in the Last Alliance. It is less natural to argue against his participation than to argue for it. Had he been portrayed as a bloodthirsty butcher - that would be a different story. A reluctant but competent fighter, and a loyal and reliable lieutenant, and a level-headed leader of his men - that is not at all out of keeping with his character. I don't think we see that in the LOTR movies, but as we don't see the contrary either, so why complain there. I think that the argument you've made is pretty weak - or perhaps I have misunderstood it, and if so, my apologies.
Elrond's character is also being butchered, but in his case it's with the role of a "wily politician". I think we've complained enough about that to not have to rehash why it makes me cringe. Can we say that both characters seem to be utterly misunderstood so far - but that we are only given the very beginning of their tales, so there is still a sliver of hope that after the first couple of episodes things will get less ridiculous? And, now that you've brought up Elrond as a mirror for Galadriel (
), I realize that it would not be half as cringeworthy to portray
Galadriel as a wily politician in the Second Age and early Third Age. She is the ambitious one looking out for her interests and her kingdom's interests, who seeks independence and builds alliances, who initiates the Council of the Wise and is involved with wheels turning in the background of many of the great events of those Ages.