Morfydd Clark Teases Galadriel's Future Journey In LOTR: The Rings of Power

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 1 ended on a cliffhanger of epic proportions, but season 2 of the hit Prime Video series is still a long way away. Eager audiences have plenty of source material from Tolkien lore to pore over while they make their predictions, however, and the talented cast and crew have shed some light on the portents of Sauron's return and the subsequent crisis on Middle-earth. Morfydd Clark, in particular, has some thoughts to share regarding the steps her character Galadriel must take to reach an enlightened state in the original trilogy

After all, The Rings of Power season 1 finale left Galadriel in a very difficult spot. After spending the prequel series thus far convinced she knew how to find and bring down Sauron, she discovered instead that he was beside her all along in the form of her friend Halbrand (played by the excellent Charlie Vickers). Though her righteousness prevented her from ing him in his evil deeds, her prowess could not stop the infamous Rings of Power from being created by her own Elven people.

Screen Rant spoke to Clark about what awaits Galadriel in Rings of Power season 2, how she and Vickers played off each other to great the Galadriel and Halbrand dynamic, and what answers she currently has to unanswered questions about her missing husband Celeborn.

Morfydd Clark on Galadriel's Story in Rings of Power

Galadriel looking worried in Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power episode 6

Screen Rant: Where are we with Galadriel after the end of season 1? What is her journey looking like?

Morfydd Clark: I think that when we started, she was very on her own and kind of arrogant. She [thought] she knew what needed to be done, and it went terribly for her because that's not how Elves should be. I think she's now at a point where she will learn to appreciate that she's part of something bigger than herself and realize that she can't be guided by her pain.

You and Charlie Vickers had too much chemistry, which made the reveal all the more shocking. Was this intentional, or was this accidental? Because he does ask her to be his dark queen.

Morfydd Clark: Yeah, I'm so proud that people loved mine and Charlie's chemistry. I'm also really proud that came from, basically, a really brilliant working relationship. Charlie is a fantastic man, and I felt so safe with him – and that safety meant that we could explore loads of different things that just would've happened if there wasn't that.

I think Galadriel is desperate to feel anything but pain, and Halbrand seemed to vibrate with an energy that is different and exciting; he makes her feel like there's a possibility to feel something other than grief. And then obviously, she was very wrong to think that they had as much in common as she thought they did. But it's really exciting as well because I think they're very different but they share power, and that's quite frightening when those two come together. Whether it be to make a union or to battle, both of them are terrifying.

I love the moment in episode 7, where we get a window into additional loss in Galadriel's life with Celeborn. But she didn’t actually see him die. Do you know the actual fate of Galadriel's familial relations and where that will end up in the timeline?

Morfydd Clark: She definitely thinks he's dead at this point. And this is what's so crazy about elves: they could not see someone for literally millennia, and then suddenly they see them again. And I think that's a deep sadness, and a big part of why she is so rogue.

Because I love thinking of where Galadriel ends up. She finds a semblance of peace, and she's with those she loves. I'm now rambling because I can't say anything on that, but it's very exciting to think about.

Speaking of where she ends up, Galadriel is one of the Rings of Power characters who – aside from Elrond – has the most material written about her. Does that make it more difficult for you when you're carving out your space for her, or easier?

Morfydd Clark: It's kind of interesting with Galadriel because there's a lot written about her, but he quite changed his mind about her quite a lot. And particularly with Celeborn and Galadriel, there are lots of different ideas of where he comes from and how they actually met. I felt really lucky that I had lots of stuff, but that also still granted quite a lot of freedom. She has such a duality to her; she is powerful and also so gentle.

But I think something I love about her is that Men are frightened of her. I mean Men as in the realm of Men. They're in awe and they're frightened of her. And that's something I really like.

Queen Miriel preparing for battle in The Rings of Power.

You are one of the characters that gets to travel the most in season 1, and really interact with the largest number of other characters. Which other character did you connect with most, or whose story did you find most invigorating?

Morfydd Clark: I love Galadriel and Míriel's relationship, and I think Míriel's a bit of a turning point for her because she can relate to her more than she can to anybody else. This is a person who is feeling alone and is carrying the weight of a people and a nation, and handling it with more grace than Galadriel. So, I really love that relationship.

Also, it was really exciting to meet Ismael's character, Arondir, because I didn't necessarily know that we were going to cross paths. That was really cool. It was also really exciting to do Galadriel coming to Númenor, where she would be like, "I can't believe that I'm actually here. Even someone as powerful as her has something that surprises her and awes her.

As an actor, what is it like to draw from different Elven lore and see it come to life?

Morfydd Clark: So much fun. I'd read The Hobbit and Lord the Rings, but I hadn't delved into The Silmarillion. I we had it at home, and my mom was like, "That is very hard. You'll struggle with that." I finally got into that, and I was just like, "The Elves are crazy." They did a lot of damage and crazy, crazy things.

Also, they're kind of stoic, but then they suddenly weep. I can't who it is now, but there’s one pair of elves that meet in a forest and just fall in love, and they stare at each other for 50 years. They're quite weird, and I love that aspect of them. I think she's apart from her Elvishness at the beginning, and she needs to get back to that vibe-y Elf way of being.

While we are waiting for more Lord of the Rings, where will we be seeing you next?

Morfydd Clark: I can't say exactly where you'll be seeing me, but I've been really excited by what we're exploring. There’s quite a lot of new villains, which is really fun. I think that Sauron’s the Big Bad, but there's loads of sketchy people in Middle Earth with bad intentions.

About The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness.

Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.

Check out our interviews with The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power cast at SDCC 2022, as well as with:

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 1 is now streaming on Prime Video.