From warrior elves to dwarf princesses or queens and soldiers, there are quite a few incredibly empowering women in The Lord of the Rings franchise. Across the films and the prequel series Rings of Power, characters like Galadriel, Éowyn, Disa and more have displayed admirable and inspirational qualities, and they’ve proven time and time again that they are some of the strongest characters in Middle-earth.
Éowyn – Lord of the Rings
When I rewatched Return of the King, I was especially touched by Éowyn's story. All she wanted was to stand up and fight for her people, but the men wouldn’t let her. However, that didn’t stop her. With Merry by her side, the two defied expectations and found their way onto the battlefield.
Then, in an epic applause-worthy moment, Miranda Otto’s character found herself up against the Witch King. Not only did she defeat him, she also gave us this glorious and empowering line:
Witch King: No man can kill me. Die now.
Éowyn: I am no man.
It’s always amazing to see a woman find her strength and stand up for herself and others. Éowyn got to do that in these movies, and it was nothing short of inspiring.
Galadriel – Lord of the Rings and Rings of Power
Watching the Lord of the Rings movies, specifically Fellowship of the Ring, Galadriel – who is played by the ethereal Cate Blanchett – is a powerful and graceful elf who occasionally assists Frodo and co, especially in the wisdom department. However, in Rings of Power, we get to see a totally different side of her.
Played by Morfydd Clark, who leads the Rings of Power cast, Galadriel is a tough warrior who is on the frontlines in the prequel series. While she was deceived by Sauron in Season 1, she showed off her resilience as she worked her way back to the elves. Then, in Season 2, she goes on an incredible journey of redemption as she works to do what she knows is right – take down Sauron.
Now, Galadriel, Gil-galad and Elrond are getting the elves together to fight the evil taking over Middle-earth, and it’s so empowering to see her leading this charge.
What I love about Galadriel is how strong-willed she is. Even though she’s down big time during Season 2, she never stops fighting and she’s so determined to try and do what’s right.
Nori – Rings of Power
While Nori has been assisting The Stranger (AKA Gandalf) on his journey to find his name and identity, she’s also on her own quest of self-discovery.
The Harfoot played by Markella Kavenagh is so caring, loving and kind. Throughout Rings of Power, we see her use those qualities to care for her loved ones and The Stranger.
Overall, though, I think Nori’s curiosity is what makes her extra empowering. She’s not afraid to ask questions, and she deeply considers topics she doesn’t know much about. For instance, when The Stranger arrived, while she and Poppy were scared in some ways, ultimately Nori approached him with an open mind and heart. He wouldn’t be where he is now without her, and this trio’s friendship and love for one another are inspiring.
Disa – Rings of Power
Sophia Nomvete’s Disa might be a princess of Khazad-dûm (for now), but in my mind, she’s a queen.
You can stream Rings of Power with an Amazon Prime subscription. The OG trilogy is also available on Amazon or with a Max subscription.
I adore Disa and Durin so much. They’re a healthy couple who love to bicker. They’re equal partners in their relationship, and they are both so strong, both physically and mentally.
For Disa specifically, she’s self-assured and strong-willed. As a stone singer, it’s her job to speak with and understand the caves and mines, and she’s very confident in her skills, so much so that she’s not afraid to stand up for herself and her fellow singers, which is always amazing to see.
On top of that, Disa is also a mother of Gerda and Gamil, and she’s caring for them, Durin and their other loved ones (like Elrond).
Overall, this dwarf is fabulous, funny and inspirational. Seeing her help Durin try to save Khazad-dûm is equal parts thrilling and awe-inspiring, because there’s nothing better than seeing a healthy couple working toward a common goal – even if said goal is as extreme as saving their civilization.
Míriel – Rings of Power
Queen Míriel has been through it. She lost her eyesight in Season 1 of Rings of Power, and then in Season 2, her throne was taken from her. However, that hasn’t stopped her. She has fought tooth and nail to save Númenor and those she loves, and through all of that, she’s proven her mental and physical strength time and time again.
Going into Season 3 of Rings of Power, Míriel is in a tough position as she’s been arrested by Pharazôn – despite passing the sea trial that everyone thought she’d fail. However, she knows she needs to do whatever she can to protect Númenor.
While speaking with CinemaBlend about Míriel and Elendil parting ways after she gave him Narsil and was taken into custody, Cynthia Addai-Robinson also told me her hopes for her character and her inner strength:
I'm very hopeful that her journey is really about working from within, that she's not just going to be sort of thrown into a jail cell that she's still planning.
If I’ve learned anything about Míriel, it’s that no matter what happens to her, she’s going to fight for her people. And I can’t wait to see her continue doing that, despite the adversity she’s facing.
Arwen – Lord of the Rings
Liv Tyler’s elf Arwen is ethereal, beautiful, incredibly smart and very strong-willed. Throughout The Lord of the Rings, the daughter of Elrond and Celebrían, is seen supporting her love, Aragorn.
During the LOTR films, we see how driven Aragorn is to get back to her and their relationship. On the flip side, we also see Arwen defend her partner as her father nervously cautions her not to marry a mortal.
Ultimately, Arwen and Aragorn get married and rule together, and we love to see two incredible people in positions of power.
Overall, there are quite a few empowering women in the world of Lord of the Rings, however, there’s always room for more. Thankfully, with upcoming projects like the animated The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim and Season 3 of Rings of Power, we’ll get even more of that. And I, for one, can’t wait to see more strong, powerful women in the wonderful world of Middle-earth.
