Why is 🧝Galadriel so powerful in the Third age - power of a 🧙Maiar?

1stvermont said:

In “flotsam and jetsam” Aragorn named Galadrial as one of the three that could stand up to the maiar Sauruman.

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Who would the other two be?

hamstar said:

She's basically a living Silmaril, having absorbed light from the 2 trees from the elder days.

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When did she do that?


Also unrelated question, with all of these mentions of high kings, is Galadriel ever referred to as a high queen or whatever its substitute would be?

CheriptheRipper said:

When did she do that?

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Supposedly just as a passive effect, for the duration. I'm not clear on the details.

ZehnWaters said:

Galadriel herself stated that unless Sauron, WITH HIS RING, came against her, none could enter her realm. Luthien overpowered Sauron and Morgoth, Gil-Galad and Elendil overpowered Sauron in combat. It's not unreasonable to assume Galadriel, with a Nenya, was more powerful than Sauron.

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Tolkien stated that only Gandalf could control the ring and Galadriel couldn't, so Gandalf Grey (and all other istar ) is clearly more powerful than Galadriel, and
Gandalf White was still lesser to Sauron.
How is Galadriel even close to Sauron? Even Gandalf with full control of one ring might be able to defeat Sauron.

Sauron => Gandalf Grey + Ring > Gandalf White > Gandalf Grey > Galadriel.


Also, Lúthien didn't overpower Morgoth or Sauron. If she had been capable of overpowering Morgoth, she wouldn't have danced around, trying to wait for Morgoth to fall asleep. She would have handled Morgoth, which is far more important than getting a Silmaril.

ZehnWaters said:

Not in the book. Sauron was overthrown and Isildur just cut off his ring.

That's still overpowering. Morgoth was literally at her mercy. Though, at that point, Morgoth wasn't even half of what he used to be.

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Morgoth was not at her mercy .If he was, she would kill melkor and everything would be over.

ZehnWaters said:

Galadriel herself stated that unless Sauron, WITH HIS RING, came against her, none could enter her realm. Luthien overpowered Sauron and Morgoth, Gil-Galad and Elendil overpowered Sauron in combat. It's not unreasonable to assume Galadriel, with a Nenya, was more powerful than Sauron.

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Nenya, as the other elven rings was not an instrument of combat or power, it was intended to help heal and preserve things and would slow down the fading of the elves in Middle Earth.

I don't believe any elf, even Feanor or Fingolfin were even close to the Maiar.

Sauron's power was diminished and still, it was needed the combined power of one of the most powerful elves (Gil-galad) and one of the most powerful men (Elendil) to defeat him, yet, even though Isildur cut the ring off the hand of Sauron, he wasn't completely defeated.

As per Galadriel, she was a high-elf, not many remained in Middle Earth in the third age. She was very old, had learned a lot from Melian and she was a descendant of a house of Kings. Daughter of Finarfin, granddaughter of Finwe, no wonder she was powerful but more powerful than the Maiar? I don't think so.

Also, the powers and abilities of elves and maiar are not all the same, some excel at one area, some at others.

Galadriel had a lot of wisdom, she could communicate with her mind (but so could Celeborn and Elrond). She could read Sauron's mind while shielding hers from him. In that sense she was incredibly powerful and I guess a lot of it came from her time with Melian.

But Glorfindel was more powerful in battle, and Elrond in healing.

Among all elves no-one was more skilled in mind and body than Feanor, nobody was stronger in battle than Fingolfin. Finrod, Galadriel's brother also had amazing magical powers as well as combat strength (he killed a werewolf with his bare hands).

So, no doubts that because of age and genealogy Galadriel was likely the most powerful elf left in Middle Earth, but she wasn't more powerful than many elves of the first age.

I don't think there is a clear match-up between elves and Maiar. Sauron against Gil-Galad but Sauron wasn't at the top of his power. Melian clearly outclassed anybody else in Beleriand. Eonwe was the best warrior the Valar could send (since Tulkas was kept away to not make to much of a mess) Arien was feared even by Morgoth.

The Istari don't count as they were weakened.

Osse and Uinen demonstrated their powers, way beyond what any elf could do.

Others like Ilmare, or Tilion weren't ever involve in any kind of fight.

Artanis Nerwende Galadriel slays Morgoth in my mental version of the Dagger Daggeroth.
and there's no sneaking up on her



'Nuff said.

Ricardo said:

Nenya, as the other elven rings was not an instrument of combat or power, it was intended to help heal and preserve things and would slow down the fading of the elves in Middle Earth.

I don't believe any elf, even Feanor or Fingolfin were even close to the Maiar.

Sauron's power was diminished and still, it was needed the combined power of one of the most powerful elves (Gil-galad) and one of the most powerful men (Elendil) to defeat him, yet, even though Isildur cut the ring off the hand of Sauron, he wasn't completely defeated.

As per Galadriel, she was a high-elf, not many remained in Middle Earth in the third age. She was very old, had learned a lot from Melian and she was a descendant of a house of Kings. Daughter of Finarfin, granddaughter of Finwe, no wonder she was powerful but more powerful than the Maiar? I don't think so.

Also, the powers and abilities of elves and maiar are not all the same, some excel at one area, some at others.

Galadriel had a lot of wisdom, she could communicate with her mind (but so could Celeborn and Elrond). She could read Sauron's mind while shielding hers from him. In that sense she was incredibly powerful and I guess a lot of it came from her time with Melian.

But Glorfindel was more powerful in battle, and Elrond in healing.

Among all elves no-one was more skilled in mind and body than Feanor, nobody was stronger in battle than Fingolfin. Finrod, Galadriel's brother also had amazing magical powers as well as combat strength (he killed a werewolf with his bare hands).

So, no doubts that because of age and genealogy Galadriel was likely the most powerful elf left in Middle Earth, but she wasn't more powerful than many elves of the first age.

I don't think there is a clear match-up between elves and Maiar. Sauron against Gil-Galad but Sauron wasn't at the top of his power. Melian clearly outclassed anybody else in Beleriand. Eonwe was the best warrior the Valar could send (since Tulkas was kept away to not make to much of a mess) Arien was feared even by Morgoth.

The Istari don't count as they were weakened.

Osse and Uinen demonstrated their powers, way beyond what any elf could do.

Others like Ilmare, or Tilion weren't ever involve in any kind of fight.

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Galadriel must be more powerful than all elves of the First Age because Galadriel's might and greatness was compared to Fëanor and second to Fëanor.
I don't think there is a third word that indicates power other than might and greatness for elves.
She wasn't just most powerful elf that remained in Middle-earth. She was the greatest of all Noldor after Feanor.

remyzero said:

Galadriel must be more powerful than all elves of the First Age because Galadriel's might and greatness was compared to Fëanor and second to Fëanor.
I don't think there is a third word that indicates power other than might and greatness for elves.
She wasn't just most powerful elf that remained in Middle-earth. She was the greatest of all Noldor after Feanor.

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Feanor was the most skilled, but Fingolfin was stronger.

Finrod also comes to mind as an equal to Galadriel if not above.

as I said, there are many ways to evaluate an elf's power, Galadriel (and Feanor) excelled at some, others excelled at different ones.

As accomplishments, I don't see Galadriel doing anything as impressive as Fingolfin, Finrod or yes, Feanor.