What would have happened if Galadriel took the One Ring?

[Iarhen]

As Tolkien says in the book, only the ones that hag big power of their own, and a trained will in the command of others, could successfully use the ring for their own purposes.

In this case, Galadriel had enough power. Not only the one that came from Nenya, but her own as a Noldorian, from the royal house, and oldest among the Eldar. And she had enough will and mental power to see what Sauron thought and to, with her mental abilities, keep Lorien as a safe place.

So, what would have happened if she took the ring? Would the ring betray her and lead her to her fall, in favour of Sauron? Or would the ring become truly hers and in time, would she take the place of Sauron as the Dark Lord (or Queen???)? If she had taken the ring when Frodo offered it to her, would she had enough power to destroy Sauron & Mordor?

Thanks for the answers...

[HCIsland]

I think her dialog in the book makes it pretty clear that she thinks she would have.

"Instead of a Dark Lord, you would have a Queen ..."

Sauron seemed to fear certain individuals aquiring the Ring. I think it's fair to assume Galadriel would be one of them.

H.C.

[obloquy]

Galadriel may have become a Dark Queen and overthrown Sauron, but she would not have destroyed him. The Ring was Sauron's anchor -- as long as it was intact, he could never be destroyed. Everything Galadriel would have done with the Ring would have been twisted to Sauron's will, because that will existed in the Ring and was stronger than Galadriel's. Though she would have been overcome gradually, she would nonetheless have been overcome. The Ring would likely then be taken from her by Sauron, and she would have been treated perhaps more cruelly than anyone before her -- unless Sauron wished to keep her unharmed as his Queen.

[Naldoriathil]

She would have become a hideous Dark Queen. It is lucky that Frodo didn't see her in Lothlorien earlier, because I doubt that she would have passed the 'Test' that she mentions in the book. If she did get the Ring, it would definetly have been interesting! Anymore thoughts on that one? [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[Jurion]

She would have become a queen, but not a 'dark queen'. Instead she would have become a queen of light, but this light would be so bright and strong that none could stand in it.

Though she would do good things with the power given to her by the Ring, through her the Ring would do evil, and thus all things she does would eventually be evil.

Also, Sauron could not be defeated permanently and eventually he would fight her to gain control of the Ring once again. He would be triumphant at the end.

[Bill Ferny]

I agree with obloquy. From the hints given in the books, it seems that the ring works upon the characters’ greatest temptations. Those who have great power to begin with, apparently are tempted to gain even greater powers, in the beginning to do good, but ultimately these greater powers only work toward the will of the ring’s true master, Sauron. To Galadriel’s credit, she perceived the temptation for what it was, self-aggrandizement. Once the temptation, itself, was dispelled she was able to allow the ring to pass from her reach. This “test” is further highlighted by Boromir’s inability latter in the book to overcome the exact same temptation.

[Inderjit Sanghera]

I excpect that she would eventually become a new 'Dark Lord' (but of the female variety) and that Sauron would be enslaved, under her rule.

Tolkine hints somewhat at something like this in the Prologue. (If someone with enough power to control the ring, and got hold of it) I think that the only people left in M-E who could control the ring (apart form Sauron),were problably Saruman, Gandalf,Elrond and Galadriel, and maybe Cirdan.

[ February 10, 2003: Message edited by: Inderjit Sanghera ]

[ February 10, 2003: Message edited by: Inderjit Sanghera ]

[Iarhen]

I agree with the last reply. I think that the reason Sauron was so desperately seeking the ring was not only to launch the attack against ME. He already had enough power to do it, thats why he was already attacking Gondor, Rohan and Lothlorien.

So, if he didnt needed the ring for that, what was the urgency? The biggest reason I can imagine is his fear that a great power in ME, an opossing power to him, could get his ring.

Just imagine the picture. If Galadriel was already strong enough to see what Sauron thought, and could make advanced moves to his actions in her own benefit, then imagine what could happen if she got the One Ring.

She has power enough to keep Sauron and his forces out of Lorien. With the One Ring, she could ensnare the will of men and orc alike, and with elves already submitted to her will, she could take over Mordor and banish Sauron.

Taht all the good work she would do at the beggining turn towards evil, thats correct. But the feeling I get from Tolkien's words is that she would become the Dark Lady for ever, dominating Sauron and diminishing him to a mere shadow, but all the good things would turn eventually to evil thanks to the enormous power she would use.

As the saying says, Total power corrupts Totally.

[Angry Hill Troll]

Possible outcomes of Galadriel as well as other potential claimants using the Ring are also discussed in this thread. As you will see there are different opinions expressed. Kuruharan points out that Tolkien says in one of his Letters that only Gandalf could have actually claimed the Ring for himself (even so, it would have corrupted him). Also, he points out that one must be careful in quoting something a particular character says, since Tolkien might not have conceived of that character possessing a complete and accurate knowledge of the situation.

In spite of the statement in the Letters, I still see the situation with Galadriel as somewhat complicated. In the introduction to (the several conflicting accounts of) "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn" in the Unfinished Tales, Christopher Tolkien states that

There is no part of the History of Middle-earth more full of problems than the history of Galadriel and Celeborn...the role and importance of Galadriel only emerged slowly, and...her story underwent continual refashionings.

In what Christopher Tolkien describes as "a very late essay" about Galadriel, the following statement is made:

It was not until two long ages more had passed, when at last all that she had desired in her youth came to her hand, the Ring of Power and the dominion of Middle-earth of which she had dreamed, that her wisdom was full grown and she rejected it,...

The wording of this last sentence makes it sound like Galadriel could have successfully claimed the Ring for herself. Otherwise the dominion of Middle-earth didn't come to her hand, only a false promise of it did. It's possible that this question is one of the things regarding Galadriel about which Tolkien changed his mind.

[Gorwingel]

All I can say is that if she got the One Ring, it would not have been good, it would have been terrible. It is a very good thing that she was able to resist it and not get her hands on all that power.

[Yavanna Kementari]

But in place of a Dark Lord you would have a queen,not dark, but beautiful as the dawn, treacherous as the sea, stronger than the foundations of the Earth. All shall love me and Despair.

~~GALADRIEL
The world would pretty bad!
But let us Thank Iluvatar that she overcame that temptaion! -(~<~>Yavanna

[Kuruharan]

I agree that the situation of Galadriel was unique and complicated. She was a strong character. However, the fact that she is non-Maia is a heavy blow against her.

the Ring of Power and the dominion of Middle-earth of which she had dreamed, that her wisdom was full grown and she rejected it,...
----
The wording of this last sentence makes it sound like Galadriel could have successfully claimed the Ring for herself.

It's possible, maybe. (However, I strongly doubt it.)

The first thing that leaps to my mind is that it was her full grown wisdom that caused her to understand that it was a false promise of power.

[drigel]

An interesting scenario:

Galadriel takes the ring for herself, but is eventually corrupted. She defeats but does not (or can not) destroy Sauron. Sauron becomes what Gollum is in LOTR. Macro vs. Micro allegory... hmmmmmm Would he eventually become her doom?

[Maédhros]

I agree with Kuruharan statement, as he pointed out that in the Letters of JRRT, it clarifies this view.
From the Letters of JRRT # 246

Of the others only Gandalf might be expected to master him – being an emissary of the Powers and a creature of the same order, an immortal spirit taking a visible physical form. In the 'Mirror of Galadriel', 1381, it appears that Galadriel conceived of herself as capable of wielding the Ring and supplanting the Dark Lord. If so, so also were the other guardians of the Three, especially Elrond. But this is another matter. It was part of the essential deceit of the Ring to fill minds with imaginations of supreme power. But this the Great had well considered and had rejected, as is seen in Elrond's words at the Council. Galadriel's rejection of the temptation was founded upon previous thought and resolve. In any case Elrond or Galadriel would have proceeded in the policy now adopted by Sauron: they would have built up an empire with great and absolutely subservient generals and armies and engines of war, until they could challenge Sauron and destroy him by force. Confrontation of Sauron alone, unaided, self to self was not contemplated.

It seems that she would have been unable to control the Ring in the way that Gandalf could.

[Legolas]

Letter No. 246:

Of the others only Gandalf might be expected to master him – being an emissary of the Powers and a creature of the same order, an immortal spirit taking a visible physical form. In the 'Mirror of Galadriel', 1381, it appears that Galadriel conceived of herself as capable of wielding the Ring and supplanting the Dark Lord. If so, so also were the other guardians of the Three, especially Elrond. But this is another matter. It was part of the essential deceit of the Ring to fill minds with imaginations of supreme power. But this the Great had well considered and had rejected, as is seen in Elrond's words at the Council. Galadriel's rejection of the temptation was founded upon previous thought and resolve. In any case Elrond or Galadriel would have proceeded in the policy now adopted by Sauron: they would have built up an empire with great and absolutely subservient generals and armies and engines of war, until they could challenge Sauron and destroy him by force. Confrontation of Sauron alone, unaided, self to self was not contemplated. One can imagine the scene in which Gandalf, say, was placed in such a position. It would be a delicate balance. On one side the true allegiance of the Ring to Sauron; on the other superior strength because Sauron was not actually in possession, and perhaps also because he was weakened by long corruption and expenditure of will in dominating inferiors. If Gandalf proved the victor, the result would have been for Sauron the same as the destruction of the Ring; for him it would have been destroyed, taken from him for ever. But the Ring and all its works would have endured. It would have been the master in the end.

Gandalf as Ring-Lord would have been far worse than Sauron. He would have remained 'righteous', but self-righteous. He would have continued to rule and order things for 'good', and the benefit of his subjects according to his wisdom (which was and would have remained great).

[The draft ends here. In the margin Tolkien wrote: 'Thus while Sauron multiplied [illegible word] evil, he left "good" clearly distinguishable from it. Gandalf would have made good detestable and seem evil.']

Galadriel did not have the strength of Gandalf, and would not have succeeded in defeating him as Gandalf might have had. Even in the event of her victory, while great, her thoughts of power with the Ring were more imagined than realistic, as noted by the statement "It was part of the essential deceit of the Ring to fill minds with imaginations of supreme power," and she would've fallen sonner than Gandalf.