The high king of Lorien, Gil-galad has very quickly become a character in the Rings of Power that many fans dislike. He is too proud, too demanding of respect that he has not earned, and too concerned with his own people to help defend the rest of the world that needs him. All of these traits are much like another elven monarch: Thranduil. There are many characteristics that these two characters have in common, that have made them some of the most hated of the Tolkien adaptations. These include things like arrogance, stubbornness, and the ability to use those around them as if they are meaningless pawns to get what they want.
From the first episode of the series, Gil-galad is set up to be the person standing in the way of the true hero (Galadriel) achieving her purpose. He looms over her, staring her down, daring her to challenge his authority as he prepares to send her away forever. This refusal to hear her out, to let her speak in case it challenges his position, is exactly the opposite of what a good Monarch should be. A good king should listen to his most loyal followers, trust their intuitions, and take on board their advice. This is especially true if, as in the case of Galadriel, it is in the best interest of not only the kingdom, but the whole world. This is reminiscent of Thranduil’s decision at first, to keep his Mirkwood warriors out of the battle for the Lonely Mountian, despite there being much more at stake than just the treasure of Erebor. A good monarch should put their people first, but not at the risk of all else.
Instead of heading Galadriel’s misgivings, Gil-galad tries to get rid of her by sending her back to Valinor. This is a self-serving action. He wants to be rid of her so that he can maintain this illusion of peace among the elves, even if that means abandoning the other races to a terrible fate. He explains this under the guise of concern when he tells Elrond:
“We foresaw that if it had, she might have inadvertently kept alive the very evil she sought to defeat, for the same wind that seeks to blow out a fire may also cause its spread.”
But secretly, he and Celebrimbor have created a plan to protect the elves. In doing so, they plan to leave the other, more vulnerable peoples, like the men in the Southlands, to deal with Sauron’s rising evil alone. This can also be seen in the most recent episode, in which Gil-galad send Elrond to Khazad-Dum with a duplicitous purpose. This is all veiled in the guise of friendship and pleasantries, including Elron’s visit and the toast that is made around the table in Lindon. But in fact, the king is only jovial and friendly because he wants something from Durin’s people.
He commends the dwarven prince on the expansion of Khazad Dum, and asks what has prompted their prosperity:
“In recent months, your furnaces are said to be burning as bright as the eyes of Aule himself. Your mines delving ever deeper. To what do you credit this new invigoration?”
Of course, Gil-Galad already knows the answer. He only asks because he is desperate to get his hands on Mithril, the ore that the dwarves have secretly been mining from the mountains. But again, he places this under the guise of an honest inquiry. He acts as though he is simply being friendly or making polite conversation with an ally, rather than aiming to get something out of it. Yet again, this is another similar trait he shares with Thranduil. The latter offers the same sort of ‘friendship’ and bargain to Thorin’s companions, who he currently has locked in the prison of Mirkwood. Like Gil-galad, Thranduil only offers to work together because he desires the white gems of Lasgalen. When he is refused, he quickly turns nasty, and threatens to lock the dwarves up for 100 years.
Both of these kings have all the lofty heirs and graces of an elf of their standing. But instead of being noble and just, they are self-serving and cold to anyone who doesn’t fall in line with their expectations. Gil-galad manipulates Elrond in the same way that Thranduil manipulates his son Legolas, and it can make for very uncomfortable viewing. But by the end of The Hobbit trilogy, Thranduil begins to reconnect with the world, own up to his errors, and fight for what is truly important. And knowing that Gil-galad is one of the people who fights against and defeats Sauron in the Battle of the Last Alliance, it seems as though this high king will eventually do the same. Many fans are looking forward to seeing just how this extraordinary change of character will take place within the high king.