In Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, it’s suggested that Galadriel did not fight in the War of Wrath, but the Prime Video series doesn’t explain why. Galadriel is initially introduced as a child in her home of Valinor, and quickly her narration describes the Elves leaving their blessed realm to wage a retributive war in Middle-earth. When Galadriel is fully introduced as an adult, she is a fierce, determined warrior and commander, so it seems odd that she would not have participated in the War of Wrath against the true villain of The Lord of the Rings: Morgoth.

The Rings of Power is set in the Second Age of Middle-earth and draws from several sources of J. R. R. Tolkien’s writing as inspiration for its narrative and characters. These include The Hobbit and the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, which Amazon has the rights to adapt, and more tangentially The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales, which Amazon does not have to rights to adapt. Because of this, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a mixture of elements old and new and is both indebted to the canonical versions of its characters and unable to recreate their stories exactly, which in a way is very liberating for an adaptation.

According to Tolkien’s writing, Galadriel didn’t fight in the War of Wrath because she didn’t believe Morgoth could be defeated without the help of the Valar. The Rings of Power skipped The Silmarillion’s myriad intricacies about the War of Wrath and why the Elves fought or didn’t fight, but ultimately Galadriel, and her husband Celeborn (who is absent in The Rings of Power) believed it to be a losing battle. They were right in the end, as the Valar had to intervene for Morgoth to be cast down.

Why Galadriel Didn’t Return To Valinor After Morgoth’s Defeat

Tolkien writes in both The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales on Galadriel’s reasoning for staying in Middle-earth after Morgoth’s defeat. Her pride played a part, and she was unwilling to “forsake the Hither Lands where they had suffered and long dwelt,” but additionally, she chose to stay for “love of Celeborn, who would not leave Middle-earth.” However, in The Rings of Power, Galadriel’s brother Finrod is her reason for turning down a return trip to Valinor, as she swears to finish his mission and avenge his death by Sauron’s hand.

Regardless of the source, Galadriel is an Elf to be reckoned with. Her wisdom, might, and beauty are all second to none, and her choices of action or inaction tend to make history in Middle-earth. While The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power may take Galadriel’s stance on the War of Wrath in a new direction from Tolkien’s writings, it can be certain that her effect on Middle-earth is not by any means diminished.