Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for The Rings of Power.Though it takes place thousands of years before the events of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power features some familiar characters from J.R.R. Tolkien's Legendarium. Chief among them is the Elven queen Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), whose presence in the series is far different from the regal being she's usually depicted as. And it provides a great hook for the series, particularly when it comes to the presence of the Dark Lord Sauron.

The first episode, "A Shadow Of The Past," wastes no time in setting up Galadriel's role. She is on the hunt for Sauron, as her brother Finrod perished while hunting the Dark Lord after the fall of his master Morgoth. Galadriel's hunt takes her across Middle-earth, ending at an abandoned fortress located in the frozen wasteland of Forodwaith. But she has to contend with the other elves, who are constantly urging her to put aside her quest and join them in the heavenly realm of Valinor.

Galadriel's relationship with her brother helps to give a more human side to the elf warrior, as the prologue that opens "A Shadow Of The Past" features a glimpse into how close she and Finrod were. Though elves live far longer than humans do, they can die — and they can love, very deeply. That love serves as Galadriel's guiding star — no matter how many false ends or obstacles she runs into, she is determined to seek justice for Finrod. She even denies passage to Valinor in order to complete her quest, leaping into the sea before her boat reaches the heavenly realm. To put that in perspective: Galadriel refuses to go to Heaven so that she can send Sauron to Hell. That's a mission that injects a bit of metal into Middle-earth.

rings of power social featured
Image via Prime Video

RELATED: 'Lord of the Rings': The Most Powerful Weapons in Middle-earth

Galadriel Is Consumed by Vengeance

Galadriel and Elrond
Image via Prime Video

It also hews fairly close to the source material, as Sauron was well aware of the threat Galadriel posed. Tolkien wrote of the emnity between the two in The Silmarillion, stating, "He perceived at once that Galadriel would be his chief adversary and obstacle, and he endeavored therefore to placate her, bearing her scorn with outward patience and courtesy." That emnity looks to fuel Galadriel's plotline through the main series, especially since Sauron's presence resonates throughout the first two episodes. A strange symbol connected to him was carved into Finrod's flesh, and a young boy named Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin) discovered the hilt of a sword that possesses a malevolent energy.

Galadriel's quest bringing her into conflict with other elves also shows a more rebellious side to the future elf queen. Despite their pleas, she refuses to stop hunting for Sauron, both because of the fate that befell her brother and because it's become the only life she's known. This is driven home during a conversation with her friend Elrond (Robert Aramayo), as he begs her to go to Valinor. "You have fought long enough, Galadriel. Put up your sword," he says, to which she replies: "Without it, who am I to be?" And even though Elrond says she'll be his friend, the look on her face says it isn't enough.

Finally, Galadriel encounters a group of men while lost at sea, including Halbrand (Charlie Vickers), a man who doesn't take too kindly to her presence at first. It's a far cry from the unity that the various races of Middle-earth show while fighting Sauron, and even though Halbrand saves Galadriel from drowning that tension still lingers. Future episodes will no doubt build upon this strange bond, especially as Halbrand claims that "the enemy" is in the Southland. It's possible that the two could run into Sauron later in the series, or maybe even his followers as Halbrand and his friends were attacked by orcs.

In the end, the revelation of Galadriel's rebellious nature and her desire to slay Sauron not only hews true to Tolkien's text, but it adds more dimension to her character. Though only two episodes of The Rings of Power have dropped, they've shown the road that the Elven queen will travel before she becomes the regal figure fans know and love.