[Boromir88]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Do Hobbits exist in the 2nd Age? Sure. Do they need to be in a story that literally has nothing whatsoever to do with them, and who Tolkien literally said do not appear until the middle of the 3rd Age? No, evidently they were only added as a sop for a certain demographic of LOTR film-fan who wants to see the Shire again but can't afford to fly to New Zealand.

I think that demographic is larger than you believe it to be, or I should say the demographic isn't just film-fans. It was either Milton Waldman, or one of publishers when Tolkien was trying to get the Silmarillion published that said one of the essential problems with the Silm is "it contained no hobbits." This was decades before the films were made, but I think proves a point that people wanted to read about Tolkien's hobbits long before Jackson's adaptation.

I stand by my previous comment about the 2 Harfoot characters (but because of Legate, I need to add the caveat "if only"). The show runners have said the harfoots are included to fill in a Rosencrantz and Guildenstern type role. If it's only that role, then they would have no direct involvement in resolving the plot or significant interaction with the characters in the series. They would essentially be travelers in the background, translating information to the audience, so their role would be directly passing information to the audience, and not the in-story plot or its characters. Similar to the fox passing through in the chapter Three is Company. In my opinion, that's a creative way to include characters, who are known to be able to avoid being spotted by the "big folk," and not be disrespectful to Tolkien.

Now if the Harfoots take a significant involvement in the battles, or events, interacting with characters, resolving the conflicts then that would be 2 middle-fingers to Tolkien. As well as make them liars, or seriously not understanding the roles of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in a story.

Galadriel, for instance, is demeaned as some impetuous Elven Valkyrie in plate armor (yeah, plate armor always cracks me up in Middle-earth), seeking some vengeful vendetta against foes who no longer exist. Given Galadriel is an Elda born in Valinor, who beheld the Two Trees, intuitively saw the malingering evil in Fëanor, crossed the Helcaraxë, and had a millenia-long stay learning at the feet of Melian the Maia, I don't see her as being impetuous, or needing to don armor to be like one of the guys, for that matter. Not to mention all of her brothers died in the 1st Age, Morgoth is locked away, the balrogs are destroyed or hidden away in the bowels of the earth, and Sauron is still Annatar (isn't he?)

There is more than one way to get to the same final location. Galadriel goes through a ton of growth, and is much different by the Lord of the Rings, the Galadriel that most people are going to be familiar with. A film or series doesn't have the same amount of time to expand and show growth in characters. It doesn't have the benefit of time to explain in a few sentences the passage of time and how a character changes...

'Galadriel was the greatest of the Noldor, except Fëanor maybe, though she was wiser than he, and her wisdom increased with the long years...and she grew to be tall beyond the measure even of the women of the Noldor; she was strong of body, mind, and will, a match for both the loremasters and the athletes of the Eldar in the days of their youth.' ~History of Galadriel and Celeborn

Now if one wants to show growth in a character from a movie or series, how can it be done to show that "Galadriel's widom increased with the long years?" Stories have to have their characters grow, as aggravating as it was to see a weak and uncertain Aragorn, one of your main characters has to grow throughout the story. You don't get the luxury of translating Aragorn's 80 year backstory in a few hours of screen time.

Sure I agree Galadriel in the 2nd Age is probably not the same Galadriel from her rebellion days, but showing how Galadriel does change as a character, that is she wasn't always the Galadriel from Lord of the Rings, would be an accurate portrayal of her growth. It doesn't fit the timeline, but the timeline has to be compressed, and characters in all stories have to show growth.

She fought against Feanor in the Kinslaying:

Even after the merciless assault upon the Teleri and the rape of their ships, though she fought fiercely against Feanor in defense of her mother's kin, she did not turn back. Her pride was unwilling to return, a defeated suppliant for pardon; but now she burned with desire to follow Feanor with her anger to whatever lands he might come, and to thwart him in all ways that she could.

Unless you can convince me that when Tolkien writes Galadriel "fought fiercely against Feanor", he doesn't mean she actually picked up arms "in defense of her mother's kin" then I see no problem with depicting Galadriel as being able to wield a blade, or any other type of weapon.

From her earliest years she had a marvellous gift of insight into the mind of others, but judged them with mercy and understanding, and she withheld her goodwill from none save only Feanor. In him she perceived a darkness that she hated and fear, though she did not perceive that the shadow of the same evil had fallen upon the minds of all the Noldor, and upon her own.

Yes she perceived the evil in Feanor, but also note her pride, her own anger, and the inability to perceive that some piece of Melkor's corruption had fallen "upon the minds of all the Noldor, and upon her own."

She tells Frodo when she's tested and offered the Ring:

"You begin to see with a keen eye. I do not deny that my heart has greatly desired to ask what you offer. For many long years I had pondered what I might do, should the Great Ring come into my hands, and behold! It was brought within my grasp."~The Mirror of Galadriel

This would have to be Galadriel talking about her 2nd Age self, because the One Ring wasn't made until the 2nd Age, and she admits her "heart has greatly desired" to ask for the Great Ring to come into her grasp and "many long years pondered" what she might do with it. Again, this proves a point she might not be a warrior who would fight "fiercely against Feanor," but she was still not the same Galadriel Frodo meets in Lothlorien.

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, and passing the last test departed from Middle-earth for ever.~The History of Galadriel and Celeborn

I'd make a case that 2nd Age Galadriel would not have rejected the Ring of Power if it had come within her grasp then.