What if Galadriel Took the One Ring? Theory

[@MenoftheWest]

Hey guys, hope you enjoyed the video! I wanted to make this comment to apologize for the audio cutting out in my voice at certain points. Camtasia 9 is the software I've been using, but it is pretty terrible. I'm going to switch editing software, any thoughts on what I should switch to? Thank you!

[@briana208]

Men of the West no worries, I'll take whatever u got. The content is legit and I don't think many of us are prudes about perfection

[@MenoftheWest]

brian anderson Thank you, that's good to hear. I'll just keep trying to improve for you all!

[@riftbandit223]

Keep doing you Boo! I'm looking forward to the long list of What ifs you have c:

[@MenoftheWest]

Komninos Maraslidis I'd love to put on subtitles, but they would take a while to make, and unless I could get someone who speaks other languages, they would only be in English. But I'll keep thinking about how I may be able to make those, if I could I'd really like to! Thank you for the suggestion!

[@andresfp0128]

Men of the West concerning subtitles, let me tell you something: english, as you can see, isn't my mother tongue, however I have to say that you way of speak is completly clear!! I mean, sometimes I use the automatic captioning of youtube and works perfectly on your vids, except with the sindarin and quenya names hehehe. You're a great speaker, enunciate pretty good and for non-native speakers like me that it's appreciated! Keep it up!!

[@malcolmt7883]

If Pippin had the One Ring, would he turn the whole world into a brewery?

[@collectorshaven722]

Yes😆

[@cyberhobbit176]

With second breakfast

[@DrEgonCholakian]

Hmm so everyone would be drunks

[@andersforsgren3806]

That's the best world, lets create it! =)

[@BillyBoze]

Nay, the world will burn in the stone pipes of Pippin the Great.

[@garyk3478]

What if Shadowfax had taken the Ring? "The Men of Earth, mostly broken and resigned to the harness in an farming of oats, would nonetheless raise an occasional cry for mercy. And the Dark Stallion in his Stall would only snort, and say neigh."

[@DarthZevrel66]

Wow

[@Ekolishift]

He would be The Stallion That Mounts The World

[@simonmorris4226]

Lacking in fingers I think he would struggle to master the ring...................

[@Sionnach1601]

Hahahaha!!!! Very, very good!!! I commend you!!

[@colinmcdonald2499]

@@simonmorris4226 it expands to fit. Bombadil slid it on his massive finger. Clearly Sauron's hands were bigger than the Hobbits' . I assume it would be like an anklet or bracer on Shadowfax, the Horsec**k, King of the Mearas and Lord of the 4th age. Hahha.

[@elijahtalbot1149]

This starts off interesting but actually gets kind of creepy as it moves along.

[@CorekBleedingHollow]

"In place of a dark lord, YOU WILL HAVE A QUEEN! ALL SHALL LOVE ME AND DESPAIR!" I love her.

[@lonebattledroid4474]

"And I shall make all simp before me!" Truly the biggest threat to Middle Earth

[@DanceySteveYNWA]

@@lonebattledroid4474 Lots of Orcs log in and Join Galadriels 'Only Fans' to see her 'Ring'..

[@mingthan7028]

@@lonebattledroid4474 To love is to rule. She love the world

[@sidoney101]

I have to admit I was expecting another uninspiring "what if" scenario. Instead that was very good storytelling. You kept Tolkien's tone IMO. I could imagine him thinking of a similar scenario. Kudos.

[@MenoftheWest]

Sidney Bluemink Thank you! I'll try my best to keep them similar in tone!

[@jean-danielboudreau3190]

He does keep Tolkien's tone with every video he does!

[@spartanhuntergaming]

For all we know Tolkien may have thought of different scenarios of how the story could have ended and 'what ifs' It's what makes deep story universes like the Lord of the Rings so good with the different scenarios that could've happened

[@FreedomAndPeaceOnly]

Galadriel: _" Hahaha! And all will stand in awe at my beauty & despair!! "_ Simpelion: _" No my Queen, actually the world can't see you cause of all that damn tree's. "_ Galadriel: _" ... ... ... f°°k!! "_

[@Djanck000]

Idk, man... I think maybe Sauron would eventually strip Galadriel of her soul and her empty husk would become Sauron. I think she knew that and that is why she never took the ring. The whole deal with the ring is that it corrupts you, yes, but it doesn't corrupts you because it is what it does, no, it corrputs you because it is part of Sauron and it will serve Sauron and only him. Always. I guess, in time, she would love her new ring more than anything. Nature, elfs, men, dwarfs, hobbits, her own ring (which i think she would eventually discard) or anything else. As far as i understand the whole ring thing, Sauron would consume her or anything lesser than a maia (and even some maiar). I know that with her own ring she would last way longer than any normal elf, but in time. she woul either be able to see what the one ring was doing and destroy it or she would be slowly but surely corrupted to the point where Galadriel would be no more.

[@jonnymadbro]

Yeah respect this, only point I'd bring up is the separation of the elven rings from sauron's, possibly her control over the three was capable of denying the spirit of sauron, but still channeling its power. without the three, yeah she's fucked, but could see her maybe pulling through if she had them. maybe.

[@DreamMorpheus42]

I see her suffering the same fate as Ar-Pharazon. Sauron has literally an eternity to corrupt her. (since he's not dead) It's only a matter of time before she is convinced to wage war on the Valar. Could the Valar shut off the undying lands from her and Cirdan? She might be convinced to go into the west for other reasons, only to carry the ring with her and Sauron as well, where he could unchain Melkor before anyone noticed his presence.

[@evelynace388]

Djanck000 it's honestly the fact she's A: firstborn of illivitar B: has the 3 elven rings of power and C: has the one ring and Gandolf at her side. In this case the deck is stacked heveily in her favor

[@LaughWithMeh]

1. Galadriel predicted that she would replace sauron, not be controlled by him but somehow be her own evilness, the world loving her somehow but still despairing (maybe due to her being evil?) 2. Isn't the way it goes is that Sauron can be defeated with the ring but at the cost of the victor being just as evil? This would more imply that the ring is it's own being and while it mainly serves Sauron, that it's ultimately selfish and evil of itself, in which case it could probably accept a new master/ bond with someone else. After all, Sauron poured his evil into the ring not his own personality, so it probably developed it's sentience by itself.

[@Djanck000]

But the ring is not it's own and it is said, more than once, that it serves only one master. Sauron poured part himself into the ring and that is why the ring is sentient. This sentience is part of Sauron's sentience and that is why he is incomplete and weaker without the ring. Galadriel's predictions could ultimately be the ring toying with and tempting her, even if she was able to resist. The ring tried to convince her that she would be a queen because that is what it does. It plays with your desires, like it convinced Boromir that he could save Gondor by using the Ring as a weapon.

[@soluslutrinae]

Here's a what-if for ya... Smaug kills Bilbo and takes the One Ring. Previously obsessed with hoarded gold, Smaug becomes Sauron's power-mad ally in the north.

[@TheSwiftCreek2]

The ring doesn't create allies. It creates masters.

[@WashuHakubi4]

@@TheSwiftCreek2 No, It creates people who think they are Masters, because that is an inherent characteristic of It's Maker.

[@clzm90]

How would smaug wear the ring? His fingers are too big.

[@dwaynehardt7200]

@@clzm90 the ring can grow or shrink to any size, that is how it betrayed Isuldur, it grew to be too big for his finger and fell off allowing the orcs to see and kill him. However he wouldn't wear it he would simply consume it, as it is said as dragons consumed more and more magical items the larger and more powerful they became, a smaug that consumed the ring would have no reason to ally himself with sauron and would ultimately be saurons greatest enemy and greatest fear

[@madmouse1016]

wait- if that happened then ... who would raise Frodo?? Oh no- thats an AU where everyone DIES

[@deadringer-cultofdeathratt8813]

_intheplaceofadarklord_ *_YOU WILL HAVE A QUEEEEN_*

[@UnexpectedWonder]

Yes!!! 😁😁😂😂🤣🤣🤣

[@vi683a]

I heard gollums voice :)

[@FractalComputer]

ALL SHALL LOVE ME AND THIS BEAR!

[@jonathankennedy1963]

@@FractalComputer lol "and this bear" 😂😂😂

[@GenericUsername-qp1ww]

Jon Baggins: "you are my queen"

[@kreuzrittergottes9336]

Neat. One problem though, she could not bring back entwives. The ents predate even the eldar and are completely outside of their control, as the valar themselves created them.

[@Dragon-eu8cb]

Yes but the on ring was made by Sauron the servent of one of the valar morgoth so it might happen

[@gillianstapleton7741]

@@Dragon-eu8cb You make a very good point. But even Morgoth was unable to create life, only to corrupt other creatures into different forms. Elves into orcs, for instance. I believe this is detailed in the Silmarillion.

[@juanpablo3969]

Almost made it to the Council of Elrond chapter in Fellowship of the Ring, now that I heard this theory I just feel so uneasy about Galadriel. But it was one really well written piece, thank you for your hardwork!

[@evelynace388]

Michael Cordova yea I love this theory but don't trust her

[@nemisous83]

She would have certainly became powerful but you also have to remember that the ring literally is sauron's spirit so their is a good chance it would find away to betray her and get back to Sauron or there is the possibility Sauron would use her body as a vessel.

[@MenoftheWest]

Very good point, that is absolutely possible. Thanks for watching!

[@AlphaZaku]

Nick Graham The Ring doesn't contain Sauron's spirit, it contains his power. Souls cannot be divided in Tolkien's mythos, his spirit is 100% with him, within the body he's formed. The Ring's ability to abandon people is due to Sauron's own will forever acting on the Ring for its return, it doesn't have a will of it's own or any kind of sentience. If Galadriel were to truly wrest mastership of the Ring from Sauron it would ruin Sauron just as much as destroying it would do, and he wouldn't be able to return. Tolkien outlines as such had Gandalf done so: "Confrontation of Sauron alone, unaided, self to self was not contemplated. One can imagine the scene in which Gandalf, say, was placed in such a position. It would be a delicate balance. On one side the true allegiance of the Ring to Sauron; on the other superior strength because Sauron was not actually in possession, and perhaps also because he was weakened by long corruption and expenditure of will in dominating inferiors. If Gandalf proved the victor, the result would have been for Sauron the same as the destruction of the Ring; for him it would have been destroyed, taken from him for ever. But the Ring and all its works would have endured. It would have been the master in the end." Letter #246

[@ZarathustrasCrown]

It's possible, but this isn't just a Dunedain like Isildur or a guy like Smeagol here, I get the feeling that through sheer will and her long, long years and power she would hold control at least for awhile...eventually everything would go wrong of course, but I think she (and Gandalf for that matter) would at least hold it together and bend the ring to their will for the first few decades or even century. I'm not saying it wouldn't corrupt them, it undoubtedly would, but I think it would likely be a real subtle game the ring would play. Injecting small doubts and questions, small thoughts of control and order and those things that Saruman and Sauron had wanted at first for good, the idea of shaping things for the betterment of all, ultimately all those victories would turn to ash in their mouths but I think it would be one of those things where they felt they were doing good and maybe in a sense WOULD be doing good until, 50 years down the road they turned and looked back and realize they'd been slowly eaten from the inside piecemeal without ever really noticing it and by that point it would be too late. Sort of a similar idea to how the first kinslaying happened, it wasn't this sudden thing that happened and all of a sudden the Kinslaying at Alqualonde just happened, it was good people, or rather elves, all looking to do right by their people and then Morgoth planting this little seed that he fed for decades or centuries that gradually led to Feanor and his kin reaching the point where they could do such things, but by then they'd gotten to the point where an evil act SEEMED the "good" thing or "right" thing to do I can't remember the actual letter, but I remember reading a letter Tolkien wrote someone asking about Gandalf getting the ring and him saying he would become ultimately worse than Sauron because he'd make evil seem good and good seem evil, he wouldn't be aiming to hurt people but he'd work to control them in the interest of keeping them safe, ensuring they made the right decisions and so forth and it would be sort of like getting from the top to the bottom of a staircase, you don't jump from the top step all the way down, you move inch by inch until finally you've reached the bottom without even really thinking about the "how" of it, but when you're there you've still hit the bottom...as would they, just bottom of a different sort, and by then it would be too late to turn around.

[@AlphaZaku]

ZarathustrasCrown Its from Letter #246, the very next paragraph from the quote I posted "Gandalf as Ring-Lord would have been far worse than Sauron. He would have remained 'righteous', but self-righteous. He would have continued to rule and order things for 'good', and the benefit of his subjects according to his wisdom (which was and would have remained great). [The draft ends here. In the margin Tolkien wrote: 'Thus while Sauron multiplied [illegible word] evil, he left "good" clearly distinguishable from it. Gandalf would have made good detestable and seem evil']."

[@nemisous83]

AlphaZaku where does it state that spuls cannot be fragmented or split? Because the one ring is basically like Sauron's version of horocrux where so long as the ring survives he will endure. While sure if galadriel was to win control over the ring from Sauron it would spell the end of him outright but in doing so galadriel for one have be as powerful as Sauron which she is no where near so, and two assuming she did she would be so curropted by the ring that she literally would be pretty much Sauron 2.0. I mean Sauron is pretty much a continuation of Melkor's cruelty, hatred, and will to dominate all life. So Galadriel would be a continuation of that.

[@strider4life696]

Galadriel would've turned into Hela, the Asgardian goddess of death. see what I did there? lol

[@niccolomachiavelli8763]

aaahha same actor

[@Theodosius18]

me like

[@1.4142]

hella

[@chrispachuau4074]

@@1.4142 Hel

[@patrickglover7506]

Does that mean Thor's part of the lord of the rings?

[@krisp1871]

What if Saruman got the one ring? What if Gandalf joined Saruman? What if Saruman never betrayed the Free Peoples? Just a couple of suggestions. Love your videos and will wait with anticipation for your next 'what if?'.

[@OrangeUtan1]

I have a few ideas for videos What if Saruman had got the ring? What if the fellowship had taken the gap of Rohan? What if Gandalf had joined Saruman? What if Gandalf hadn't fallen in Moria?

[@sabrecatsmiladon7380]

What if Gondor had a brigade of Tiger tanks?

[@VV-xe4ym]

What if they had second breakfast? What if they had elevensies?

[@frankzhang7529]

I like the repetition of Galadriel seeming more fair but feeling more foul. Just like Frodo said an enemy would.

[@ThePowerofYeti]

You've really done a great job here! I think that this is exactly how the Evil inside the Ring functions. The Line between good and evil is also a line of restraint, wheter we desire to do good or not.

[@eduardalexandru563]

5:10 "You see those warriors from Lindon, Rivendell, Mirkwood, and Lothlorien? They’ve got curved swords. Curved. Swords."

[@maggiethetompug1409]

Lol

[@drewkulenguski3148]

I don't get the joke and it's pissing me off

[@MusicGamesEverything]

"In place of a Dark Lord you have a *Queen* ! Not dark but *beautiful and terrible* as the dawn! *Treacherous* as the sea! *Stronger* than the foundations of the Earth! All shall *love me* and despair."

[@jebsmoak925]

As the trees live thrive how could we say no??? *** humans could not adorn such innocence! God protect the woods of the earth and my soul who prays for their recovery while our earth lasts!!!!!!*

[@freddypedraza2066]

Oh no man the foundations are gone, sorry

[@tylersoto7465]

HAIL GALADREIL

[@TheRealPuffiP]

Then it turns out that Galadrial was one of Morgoths minions.....plot twist! XD but anyways a very interesting video

[@emperorkarl1933]

She was?

[@shehabgamal8640]

@@emperorkarl1933 nope

[@MasterMahan-qm8hu]

Great Storytelling!!! Fascinating theories, keep them coming!!! Cheers

[@jacobymt]

Great video Men of the West. I was completely captivated by your view and storytelling. I would even venture to say that Galadriel would eventually enslave the Dwarves for their ability to craft fine jewels and ban Man from cutting trees or harming nature in any way. Tributes to the queen would be mandatory. Eventually, Men and Dwarves would come together to battle the elves to end the tyranny of Galadriel. One of the best and fun "what if" videos to date.

[@TheSwiftCreek2]

They might have come together and that would be their end.

[@irontemplar6222]

Yes... but what an end it would be. to stand aginst the unbeatable knowing you cannot win, yet doing it anyway because it is simply the right thing to do. that is a hill any man or dwarf would gladly die on.

[@hatchhermit77]

Yay! My, and probably many other's, suggestion! This was a very interesting take and I like it a lot! The One Ring manifests the sorrow and shortcomings of its wielder and I believe you did a great job interpreting what Galadriel's affect on Middle Earth would be. Thanks for the entertaining story!

[@thesilentspectator927]

I love your channel, I love your vids because it's interesting. :)

[@ladychrya9379]

Your voice cuts at multiple points in the video. Still a nice "what if" scenario.

[@MenoftheWest]

LadyChrya Oh really? Ugh I'm done with Camtasia 9. Thank you for letting me know, I'll look for another software.

[@stevenirizarry1304]

Men of the West fantasy stories should consider making elves into the villians...not the cliche "dark elves" but more like the galadrial of this video...Believing themselves to be the only ones to protect the earth...thoughts?

[@jaketheberge1970]

Steven Irizarry Like the Thalmor from Skyrim?

[@brigidtheirish]

Except the Thalmor want to destroy the physical world because they believe it's preventing them from assuming their rightful place. Or something like that. The details are a bit muddy, but they generally seem to hate the world, especially humans.

[@grymstone]

Thank you for this. Can you make a "If Sauron got the one ring back" video? Would love to see your point of view on this

[@ZarathustrasCrown]

There's actually a pen and paper RPG that is basically that idea, just with names and contexts different (largely, I think, so that there was no copyright issues because you can see a lot of LOTR in the setting). Don't know if it's still in print, was called "Midnight", you're basically one of a few holdout peoples in this world basically under the fascist, tyrannical thumb of the dark lord, the forces of good and evil faced off and evil won cold a hundred years earlier en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight_(role-playing_game) It's, of course, it's own history and all, but there's basically equivalents to everything in LOTR, beings that are comparable to the Nazgul are ruling over most of the world, the dark church worshipping the equivalent to Morgoth is the only religion legally allowed, people are sacrificed to this dark god every day, magic is outlawed except in the priests devoted to this Morgoth-like being and so on. Very cool game if you like RPG's, it's kind of unique because there really isn't any "winning", you're just this little candle of light in a vast sea of darkness fighting to keep from being snuffed out and surviving for one more day and even basic enemies like Orcs are really tough opponents. Has this real tragic feel to it because you're in a losing situation and no matter how well you do you know you're ultimately going to fail or be so corrupted by Izrador that you'll become the evil you're fighting...it would only take minor tweaking if a DM were so inclined to play it as "Middle Earth after Sauron got the ring"

[@onnimannimaki8846]

The second age would come again

[@havoc6441]

.... Interesting

[@CrniWuk]

With Sauron geting the Ring, it would be the age of the Orcs, with the Nazgul ruling over most of middle earth and a few human races in their service all under Saurons command and of course everyone who opposed him would be either dead of fleeing to the western lands - if possible.

[@ViperDivinity]

The world is fu cked

[@thomasg.5818]

Love the video, it's a nice change of pace to see someone using the One Ring and not becoming pure evil. Your theory videos are the best, could you do a "What if Saruman acquired the One Ring" video in the future?

[@jianfernandes1249]

Dude your stories are awesome!

[@Athenian888]

Hey,nice theory and well written, I think you have a writer's talent. Alas,the ring answered to Sauron only.

[@invisiblejaguar1]

Great video, I love these what if scenarios. What if Aragon had taken the One Ring?

[@samuelhogan3673]

good question!!

[@Apollo1989V]

Leila Smith mortals have a hard time with rings of power. Even though Aragorn resembled Elendil a lot, he probably wouldn't have been able to master the one ring. Only the highest of the high elves, like Elrond, Galadrial, and Glorfindel could master the ring, and Maiar like Gandalf.

[@michaelcoulter1114]

Jason Motsinger Not sure about that - remember, Aragon carries the blood of Man, Elf and Maiar I think Aragon would have been able to use the Ring, but he would fall under its influence.

[@raptureorbust]

that would be a good one. M.O.W.s' "what if gandalf had taken it" is pretty good too.

[@ianblack3634]

Michael Coulter I think Isildur where more chronologically close to Elendil,still he was unable to master the ring

[@gduavitjr]

The ring answers to no one other than Sauron.

[@jippolito8059]

"BITCH that's my ring!"

[@jippolito8059]

The ring had part of his essence, so I in a way HE was the ring.

[@MaluluKeleGuiSila]

There are people in the books with great willpower than Sauron. Galadriel, Tom Bombadil, The Valar, the Lords of the Air, Milian to name a few...all more powerful than Sauron.

[@iljasidlun9096]

Not true, Galadriel was never more powerful than Sauron, nor Tom Bombadil, Tom stated he's not afraid of Sauron, he never stated to be more powerful.

[@gduavitjr]

Even without the one ring, Sauron is still superior to Galadriel.

[@Raz.C]

"She accepted her Queenship..." She already IS a Queen. Not only that, but she is rightfully the High Queen of all the Noldorin Elves left in Middle Earth, since as Finarfin's daughter, she is the ONLY surviving member of Feanor's family and the children of Finwe (Feanor's father). Feanor was her uncle, but he died almost as soon as he reached Middle Earth. Fingolfin became High King of all the Noldor after him. Through all the deaths that followed, Galadriel is the eldest surviving member of the Royal family and therefore the one with the best claim to the title of High Queen.

[@leatea167]

She's not a queen, she purposely renounced a title like that. Also Elrond has a better claim for the high kingship, being descended from Fingolfin.

[@Raz.C]

@@leatea167 Elrond isn't Calaquendi. Elrond isn't imbued with the power of Telperion and Laurelin. With the death of Elu Thingol, Elrond can't even call himself Sindar, he HAS to call himself Moriquendi; Dark elves who never saw the light. Galadriel, on the other hand...

[@halleck3]

@@Raz.C Good points, but wouldn't Gil-Galad also be Moriquendi? And he was the last High King of the Noldor.

[@Raz.C]

@@halleck3 I don't know much about his lineage, other than that he was of the House of Finarfin. Either his parents were Calaquendi, or he was. So if he wasn't directly Calaquendi; if he never lived in the light of Telperion and Laurelin, he would have been Sindar. It's almost 100% certain that he would not have been Moriquendi.

[@aaroncwiklinski8736]

These are awesome!! It seemed as though she actually did good with the ring at first. She led the forces of Middle Earth to a victory that just thrashed the evil that lived. But in the end, the ring proved treacherous even for her. Really liked this one, keep these coming!!

[@andresfp0128]

Wow interesting theory man!!! I'm amazed! The One Ring always win!!! I'd prefer this end instead of sauron's though..

[@stevenirizarry1304]

fantasy stories should consider making elves into the villians...not the cliche "dark elves" but more like the galadrial of this video...Believing themselves to be the only ones to protect the earth...thoughts on a story like this.

[@MenoftheWest]

Great idea! I really could see that happening!

[@stevenirizarry1304]

Men of the West imagine this story...mankind has risen and built a Industrial empire and is taking the lands of the countless variety of the non humans out of the religious belief that they are the the ones who rule and govern all creation. The elves are fading but instead of leaving they gather a army of non humans of countless variety and go against the industrial might of humanity with their superior magic in order to achieve social justice. countless people from both sides are forced to choose between 2 political ideologies....thoughts?

[@dvklaveren]

I plan on doing something similar for a roleplaying game. The above ground has been claimed by elves and those among them which lack purity and a desire for it have created an underground barrow den, along with other oppressed faerie-folk. The above ground is so sickeningly homogenous and orderly that one would instantly lose their way if they left the barrows, driving the oppressed ever deeper under ground, joining networks with other, more ancient tunnel systems and taking solace from the cold, moist depths.

[@steve8610]

Already done. They're called the Thalmor/ Aldmeri Dominion

[@Ugforg]

try to read the Witcher saga ;)

[@gianlucaborg195]

Hi, I like your vids first of all, and have just subbed. I was wondering if you'd consider making a video on "what if the One Ring was destroyed when Elrond told the King of Gondor to destroy it at the fires of Mt. Doom, so many years before, at the last alliance of men and elves" It would be interesting if you'd go into what would happen. Say, for example, Elrond had to kill him and kick the Ring and its barer into the lava below. I'd like to know what the men and elves would do, would they join together as one kingdom? would the elves leave to the West and leave man to advance technologically, and maybe fight each other (Rohan vs Gondor) in a civil war, with occasional massive incursions from Umbar, and the Eastern-lings, or the remaining orc hoards. Thx for the video once again. keep it up! looking forwards to seeing more!!! I love your story telling, your voice is suited for it IMO. Also, I'd like it if you add more pictures, as they help make the stories more alive and enthralling. One more thing, I'd like to commend you on our faithfulness to Tolken even in such what if scenarios. They add further depth, as I consider the events and texts from the trilogy, and how hard and important each decision as and how changed the world would be if a yes was said instead of a no. THX AND KEEP IT UP BROTHER!

[@SonOfHerodotus]

Nice intake on this theory. Now you got me curious as to what would happen if Saruman took the ring for himself ... I very much like to see that.

[@TheStrudelJonny]

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from reading books and watching movies, it’s that power will corrupt even the purist of hearts. Gladrial would turn to the dark side and seek out palaptine for an apprenticeship

[@palazard95]

Do you think you could do a video about "magic"? The difference between what each mage was capable of, where their magic came from, etc.?

[@theblackcross8932]

WHOA dude.last time i checked you had about 210 subs.now more than 25k.you're doing something very right

[@peredhilh3444]

Finally the video I requested! This is an incredible theory because it's very much how it would have been, victory at first for Galadriel, but then too much of a good thing for the free peoples. Thanks for this Men of the West

[@anthonyh.2957]

This is so cool, it gave me an idea for a story that I think I'll write at some point. I'll leave out the specific Tolkien stuff like the One Ring, so the Elves will have just kinda fallen to darkness on their own, but still! The humans, dwarves, & hobbits all becoming nomads really struck me. Thank you for making this video!

[@itzcloudy5672]

what if the men of harad rebelled and united against sauron?

[@puppetmasterey]

I love this one what if video. At least Galadriel wouldn't be as "fascist" as Gandalf would have been if he got the ring. I kinda wanna see what would have happened if the ring drifted to the ocean. Like would Sauron, just be like: oh well and give up. Or like would you get scuba orcs. Maybe evil Sea creatures looking for it. Makes me wonder.

[@daverhoden445]

LOL.. "scuba orcs" :)

[@TheSwiftCreek2]

Gandalf fascist? Twisted idea of Gandalf. Course Gandalf would have twisted himself had he chosen the ring. We don't ever see it having compulsion on him. He was compeltely decided. Galadrial was loose enough in her conviction to covet the ring, but not enough to take it. She's glad she turned her back to it, because if left with the temptation long enough she would fall.

[@Rkenton48]

Tolkien did cover at least one of these what if's. Sauron could not be killed while the ring exists, and no one would destroy the ring. Sauron would be taken as prisoner, just as in Numenor, and eventually, his evil would take over the new ring wielder, and eventually, he would win and get his ring back.

[@wizzlewazzle9202]

I seem to recall gandalf remarking on ancient sea beasts and primordial powers that would eventually return the ring to sauron

[@puppetmasterey]

@@wizzlewazzle9202 would the evil sea creatures be flanked by scuba orcs? I hope they are.

[@ErelasInglor]

This was pretty on par imho with how it would go up until the whole tree engulfing thing, Galadriel would be wise enough to enhance life where it needed enhancing and not let trees overrun the world. xD

[@IronRAVENxvx]

Sam's lines were quite convincing and genuine lol. Good take! I always admired Galadriel and this clearly is an interesting what-if.

[@DSas2300]

Late night LoTR

[@Dr_Cole]

I am many years late working my way through these "What if" videos (and many of your other fantastic Tolkien based stories). As I have not made my way through the entirety of these videos, forgive me if I am wrong. I feel as though we have assumed that there was only a single way for a positive result to come about, at least in terms of who possessed the ring throughout the end of the third age. Albeit, the story with Bill the Pony was awesome. However, in the universe of endless possibilities, I believe that there must be some alternatives that lead to an equally good ending (other than just using the eagles to quickly get there...). I also recall at least one of these "What if" scenarios where more than one ending was suggested. THIS is fantastic. I know you cannot create a myriad of alternatives for each character, but for ones like Galadriel, it seems like at least two variants are equally viable: this one is - undoubtedly - fantastic and befitting of what I know of the Lady of Light, and another option where, perhaps once Moria is cleared, she and her council take the ring to the fires of Mount Doom and destroy it (simple example). If this is my only complaint, it clearly means you have both impressed and created a need on my side to think about it more. Thank you.

[@edgardtheknowledgekeeper3119]

I find that to be a very fair and interesting theory, good job man. I would be very interested in a video on Ungoliant. I'm someone who hates spiders, but I find her fascinating. Also I have an idea for a theory video. What if Frodo Baggins had escaped with the ring when it had finally seduced him?

[@ZarathustrasCrown]

Honestly that wouldn't be all that long, the powerful in Middle Earth is one thing, but Frodo would be almost immediately grabbed once the small rag-tag band at the black gate was crushed by Sauron's massive forces and Sauron would then have the ring and all would be lost. Even if he did get "away", everyone at the gate would be dead by that point and he'd be the most hunted being in middle earth, he'd die if he was lucky, if he wasn't and stayed alive he'd just become something akin to Gollum eventually and be drawn back to the black land by some unconscious compulsion and be found that way...ultimately, no matter what he did if he'd kept it, it would end up back in Sauron's hands sooner or later

[@edgardtheknowledgekeeper3119]

ZarathustrasCrown True, but an Ungoliant video would still be cool.

[@ZarathustrasCrown]

It would be, it would be a bit of a scrounging video though, there really isn't a ton to say on the subject to be honest, just the little bit in the Silmarillion...she was...something...something powerful since she managed to hurt Morgoth, but it's never clarified what exactly she is, an Ainur of some sort that chose that form maybe? Or just something like the watcher in the water that was a part of the earth, albeit a dark and evil part or what. She's sort of like Bombadil in that way, kind of an enigma that's never really clarified. She makes a deal with Morgoth, nixes the trees, calls Morgoth on his bluff when he tries to keep the Silmarils and attacks him and gets driven off. Beyond that, and that she's the progenitor of things like Shelob (with what I'd wonder, is there a male giant uber-arachnid around we don't know about?) nothing much else is said. Her home was a place of webbed darkness no one who wanted to live went to...she was eternally starving...but where she went is only guessed at, where she came from, what she is, what her motivations beyond "me eat" are and so on are total unknowns. Unless I'm forgetting bits from that long History of Middle Earth or something that mentions her as it's admittedly been a long time since I read that... I'd be curious on theories of course, but there's so little material it would be a tough episode I'd imagine to stretch out to a solid length.

[@666Sephiroth666]

Awesome! TYVM for fulfilling my request! ;-) Keep up the good work! :-)

[@bethanyschofield2613]

This is an Excellent what if. Galadriel is one of my favourite characters.

[@Ytremz]

" _My decree is righteous, my words pure and my intentions unblemished, none shall cast reproach upon my judgement... for in all things, beyond all shadow of doubt... _*_I am beautiful._* "

[@frankcastleisdead7473]

What if the five Wizards were all bad? Maybe you could start a "What if" someone was good or bad series? That could be Interesting... 🤔

[@thomashughes5273]

I'm glad I found this channel. Good information and your voice isn't terrible. That's a good combo

[@jaketheberge1970]

What if Bilbo never found the One Ring? Meaning he was either never separated from the dwarves or Gullum somehow never loses it.

[@chriszablocki173]

I really liked this. The creepy music captured the dystopian feel of the story. Awesome.

[@erikrounds]

Thanks for the video! It's interesting to see how evil can be brought about by the hand of someone who loves nature. I would be interested in seeing a what-if video about Smaegol. What would have happened if Bilbo hadn't taken his ring? Or what would have happened if he didn't betray Frodo in the end and overcome his lust for the ring?

[@cemitchell6496]

Binge watching older vids and Dang this is sad. Thank goodness I'm not doing this on a weekend night. Great vid! Let's watch some more!

[@eyeless5787]

Thanks for This, Awesome video. Keep up the great work

[@jasonvanek]

That was a great video. Thanks for these theory videos. They are my favorite type that you do.

[@manicmechanic1881]

freaking awesome very well done down to the smallest details maybe you should consider writing your own fantasy works

[@jean-pierrefernandez2460]

This is a great alternate ending one of the best I've heard, I laud your creative vision

[@Imperator_Chrysalis]

I love your videos, they are so interesting.

[@MenoftheWest]

Thank you very much, I'm glad!

[@MaxTperson]

Alternative version, fanfiction of this fanfiction: Galadriel does not use nature to choke out anything, but is too wonderful in her power... gradually everyone, including each hobbit, dwarf, elf, and human, tree and mountain, is driven to madness by competing for her attention and praise. She does not make them to fight each other, just her very existence is so sweet, her approval so piercing, that no one can but help themselves to tear themselves apart trying to achieve more than others for her wise and wonderful smile. Palaces will shine with brighter light than even in the first age, forests and cities will rise, and in endless despair all tear themselves to shreds to please her wonderful brightness. Mountains of light will cry tears of brightest ice forevermore.

[@Edynol]

Great video! I've always wondered, what if the Men of the Mountains, the Oathbreakers who helped save Mini Tirith, made good on their first oath to aid Isildur? If they had lived and prospered as a kingdom, how different would things had been?

[@MenoftheWest]

I think they would have helped Gondor tremendously, but it wouldn't have been enough to save them. I think they helped more in an undead form than they would've had they been living. Great question!

[@Edynol]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing. Just wondered if you might have a different take on it. Thanks for the reply. :)

[@Jakblade]

This one was so very captivating!! The “what if’s” are dope. This one, might be my favorite however.

[@TheBirdOfParadox]

Interesting what if scenario. I would be most interested in the question what would have happened, if Fëanor never vowed his fateful oath to retrieve the simlaril. But I guess that is a question which has such widespread implications spreading through ages it would be very hard to answer...

[@animistchannel2983]

You called it basically right. Galadriel would have locked the world in a kind of historical stasis, where people continued as hunter-gatherers or basic farmers/herders -- and it would would have seemed apparently pleasant enough -- but basically nothing of interest would happen again. The peoples would have no more development. It would have taken longer than you described here, a slow slide into complacency and erosion of culture, but it would end up that way eventually. One detail that I would add to the story is that Galadriel would have retrieved the White Tree sapling from Gondor and spread its descendants among the Mallorn forests as well. Thus, in her mind, she would have restored the lights of the Two Trees of the primordial age. By their magic spread throughout the lands, people would indeed despair of making use of their own talents and drives, content to bask without purpose. They would succumb to entropy. For one like me, it's a little hard to complain about such a world, except that we know that life was meant to evolve. Innovation and development are the keystones of being truly conscious. To be stuck in an eternal loop of time, trapped in the snow-globe as it were, is not really living at all. Infinite unchanging repetition is perhaps the worst kind of death. By the corruption of the One Ring, Galadriel would never realize how she had doomed the lands to an infinite twilight without a new dawn.

[@tulkasastaldo4612]

5:14 that's Legit my desktop backround !!

[@ItsMeMattCarter]

I saw this title and said "oh god!!" out loud lol. I'm a new sub and want to say how much I love this channel. Thank you and keep up the amazing work!

[@akeelbrown7675]

Galadrial + the ring = hela

[@fraugaladriel5894]

hela?

[@Ariosor11]

the one who played gladriel is acting as hela in the thor ragnarok movie

[@xaphok2173]

Gheladriel

[@zyomer6855]

@@xaphok2173 👍

[@Jellyyy.m]

@@xaphok2173 💜

[@j.m.rhapsody]

Probably your best What-If. You get my Like, good sir.

[@MegumiMoo]

You're a really good storyteller. Maybe just add fewer asides comparing your stories with the books.

[@MenoftheWest]

Mary Moody Thank you and I really appreciate the feedback, thank you for that as well. I'll try to do those less in the future!

[@Kloddz]

Respectfully disagree. I think the asides are very helpful to put things into perspective and help see the broader context. Although I agree that they might be superfluous to someone with very deep knowledge of the story, to me they help me refresh my memory from time to time.

[@supremeleadersmeagol6345]

Kloddz same here ^^

[@kleoh1]

Great video. I am a big fan of the books and I watch your videos to practice my English. You're doing a great job. Thank you very much. My bests for you, from a Brazilian fan :)

[@tashayovanin3698]

I don’t think that Gandalf and Elrond would have accepted Galadriel using the One Ring, despite her intentions. Gandalf said to Treebeard in the Two Towers, “But you had not planned to cover all the world with your trees and choke all other living things.” Knowing the power of the ring, they would have tried to persuade Galadriel to destroy it in Mordor.

[@BramAPoe]

Joe Abercrombie plays with this idea a little in his "The First Law" trilogy, a great series of dark fantasy novels...The Gandalf character assembles a fellowship to go on an epic quest to retrieve a magical artifcat that his rival, the apparent dark lord of the series has sent his minions after....then Byaez (the Gandalf character) takes the object for himself when he finds it in the third novel and it's revealed it was his plan all along to basically dominate the world, and he uses the powerful magic from the artifact combined with blackmailing the Aragorn character into becoming King of a puppet Kingdom so that he can act as the power behind the throne....it's an interesting concept and Abercrombie's deconstructing of LOTR tropes is masterful

[@pedrocastaneda5398]

Ok Mr. West how about this: What if IF IIIIFFF the ring just stayed in the River where Smeagol's cousin found it. Also great video🙌🏾🙌🏾

[@masterofmythology]

That line of "All shall love me and despair" always got to me how deep this could go.

[@ArnoldTeras]

She would have become a Dark Lady...and we already have one of those, sadly. :(

[@Jarfargojones]

My word I've been here since you only had 2k subs never seen a channel grow like this

[@JonRowlison]

Can you do one called, "What if Gwaihir or Landroval had taken the one ring?" They could have just dumped it into Mt Doom pretty early on, I'd think.

[@markmoore4079]

Not a chance, Sauron would've seen it coming and sent the nine on fell beasts to kill Gwaihir

[@AimlessSavant]

0:44 instead she replied, "simp". And thus Samwise Gamgee was no more.

[@boldandbrash259]

Tbf Sam was a huge elf simp 🤣

[@Calebre_]

How about if Thorin received the arkenstone before he died

[@noblegas8485]

This is brilliant The Three have the power to preserve what the wearer cherishes For Galadriel, holding al three together, it would be the forests as they were in the Elder Days And of course the One would corrupt that love and yearning and turn it to evil It might have even made Galadriel more of a tyrant as time went on

[@christianh4723]

Hardly seems like a satisfying or believable ending, especially with the One Ring still existing. Without the ring being destroyed, darkness would return eventually. Galadriel might have been powerful, but there is no way she would have overcome the ring in the end. It had ONE master. Part of the reason no elf would ever touch it.

[@Sionnach1601]

That is such an EXCELLENT depiction of what could have happened. Very, insightful of you Josten (sorry, I don't know how to spell your name correctly). But seriously, a truly inspired forecasting of how the evil of the ring could covertly ensnare even such a good spirit as Galadriel.

[@Falstaff0809]

Very cleverly done.

[@dracodawnstars8245]

Oh my! What a dark and sad tale in the end. In this theory all did love Galadriel and despair....but the consequences of her powers conquered everything. Love how you told this. You gave it a feeling of such mystery and despair.

[@elric7415]

Elves really do love their epic one liners Galadriel: “All shall love me and despair” Celebrimbor: “All shall fear me and rejoice” We need more of them! Lol

[@WadcaWymiaru]

Galadriel: DIVORCE!

[@mokarokas-1727]

@@WadcaWymiaru - Are you confusing Celebrimbor with Celeborn?

[@ianholdinghausen695]

This video really started scaring me at 11:20, this whole thing was so unnerving, great job!

[@crazylegslife]

very very well done!!!

[@monikamargalike7387]

I love your videos! This theory was particularly good. And plausible.

[@wright534]

On the whole convincing, though I wonder why Sauron wouldn't immediately know Galadriel had claimed the One Ring for herself and launch his assault at once? She would likely still win, but Sauron could make that victory very costly even if she used the Ring to discern his plans. He could take Minas Tirith and make her divide her forces as one example, if he was given enough time. That said, in this timeline I can't see Sauron WINNING; Galadriel plus the One Ring is too potent a force, unless she gave him a lot of time to prepare and plot. And considering how long she's opposed him and his works, that wouldn't happen.

[@MenoftheWest]

Very good points!

[@TheSwiftCreek2]

I agree that it would have been more difficult, and would not have seeming victory at every step. Similar to what you're saying, Galadrial could have picked time and place and would have grown in power without Sauron being able to grow faster or beat her on her own turf.

[@WarriorOfDamnation]

This is flat-out chilling... So, what if this went on? Imagine that the wanderers, the refugees, eventually adapt to their tree-overrun world, and live more as the elves do, thus being accepted by this new rule. But eventually, as Galadriel had taken control of the Ring, and it had then taken control of nature through her, the ring began to dominate Galadriel as Sauron's fea reestablished a firm connection with the ring following his spirit's recovery and his plans drew nigh once again. Within these woods, this very odd and unnatural peace, which was once at least still a peace of a different kind, began to ferociously turn against the life which passed under its deep and all-encompassing canopy. Through Galadriel, and Sauron, the Ring began to manifest horrible perversions of nature. Tall, slender beings (no, not those kinds) with two elbows hovered through the dark woods, their arms raised above their heads with their forearms hanging just before their faces. They drift through the forests, their feet hovering just above the ground. These are the newly-resurrected orcs. Though not so physically strong and hovering quite slowly, they are ghastly to look upon and their very movements are far more menacing, their forms able to strike fear into even the elves, who had once smirked at orcs and even at Sauron. Aragorn and Arwen, even their children (this is some time later I would have to say), are brushed aside and run for cover. Gandalf and Radagast are greatly confused and disturbed by it all, and barely manage to maintain their minds against the horrors. Simply being touched by these floating horrors risks transformation into one. Gandalf, Radagast, Aragorn, Arwen, Eomer, Eowyn, Faramir, and even other elves such as Elrond and his sons, Glorfindel, Thranduil, Legolas, Cirdan and many others seek to confront Galadriel, but as they do, they find that she has murdered even her husband Celeborn. But she is not truly Galadriel any longer. For her to have put down such an elf so effortlessly was beyond terrifying, and the horror only intensifies. Other elves of Lothlorien, they cast off their hoods to reveal that they themselves have been transformed into the unusually tall, slender creatures. Their arms hang over their heads as they slowly drift towards the company, led by Galadriel who similarly hovers above the ground, her eyes red and her skin disturbingly pale. A great mace appears in her hand and she slashes at the most powerful of the company - Gandalf, Cirdan, and Aragorn are tossed like ragdolls but manage to recover, yet having sustained stifling wounds. Painful and horrified screams are heard through the woods as the hobbits come near to help their friends, though they realize they are too late and, in whatever desperate hope they have remaining, they use small crevices between trees and treelimbs to hide. But within these woods, which the Dark Lord now owns, they know there is no true way to hide, and that they merely delay the inevitable. Additionally, the bodies of the powerful who had been cast down now rise again in the forms of these horrors. Some manage to flee, their eyes manically moving from the corpses of Arwen, Legolas and even Glorfindel and Elrond. Gandalf, Radagast, and Aragorn had been transformed by this point, and had both found and slayed the Hobbitses! Of the original party, only Cirdan and Thranduil remain, mostly due to them being further away from Galadriel's reach at the time. Cirdan, oldest of the elves there, is also most experienced, yet still not so much as Gandalf who fell regardless due to him having led the defense. Eomer, Eowyn, and Faramir manage to escape only due to the fact that they were warded off by the others for their own protection. Cirdan does what he can to get as many elves and even humans onto a ship as he struggles to hail the Valar and grant them temporary passage to Valinor and thus protection from the immense horror he had witnessed back in Lothlorien. He reports Elrond's death to his wife Celebrian, who awaited him in Valinor. Though the spirits of the fallen elves and Maia would return to those lands again one day, from the Halls of Mandos, there would be some waiting for them to do regardless. The main issue now, though, was that the Dwarves, Hobbits, Men and Elves still remaining in Middle Earth are unavoidably in great peril. Seeing that the need was so great that Cirdan had risked long questioning from the Valar, Maia, and other elves in Aman in order to bring the men here, the Valar forgive him and quickly mount a plan to undo this evil in Middle Earth, even if it would mean the ending of the world. Manwe and Mandos take council in particular, and Mandos does indicate that these are the signs of his prophecy. Even the Wise were not above taking such evil artifacts for themselves and all manner of sanity had been lost in the free peoples to have allowed this to happen. So it was that the Sun was already under attack, the Doors of Night under heavy assault from some strange outside presence, and that even Earendil was forced to retreat and assume a defensible position, realizing that the Doors of Night would not hold under any circumstances. Varda and Manwe, being in each others' presence, were bidden to inform the survivors who had arrived of the fact that all life in Middle Earth had already perished. Now it was for the souls of the dead to engage Morgoth and his servants in the Dagor Dagorath, the Battle of Battles. Fortunately, the evil that had taken Galadriel had left her body and the Ring had left her as well; however, she was dead and the Ring back in Sauron's possession. Sauron had managed to possess her, but she was capable, with her final power and will as Galadriel, to dispel his presence from her, which had in turn brought Sauron in contact with his long-lost Ring. There had simply been no practical, or impractical, way to fight the Maia once known as Mairon. In the end, a new world is born, and Galadriel does get the chance to tell Celeborn, "my bad", for killing him. He shrugs as he is wise enough to realize she couldn't help it, but also slaps her for having been unable to resist the ring in the first place. The Valar shake their heads at her and she's all like, "shiiiiiiit..." Aragorn is shocked to hear her say something like that and he's like "no wai!" Gimli's all like "oh no she did-ent!" And Treebeard is like, "you rang?" Gimli's like, "got anymore bad puns?" So it was that Galadriel was bound to the new Halls of Mandos for three ages, for her part in all this nonsense. She considers it a good deal, after all that went on. I mean, three ages...the Valar were going easy on her, all things considered. The Hobbits come back to life, screaming, as the last thing they were able to recall was getting consumed by the horrors Galadriel had once unleashed upon them. Then they start laughing, realizing it's all good now.

[@leaderzweihander5222]

So I either choose to be a inevitable Conscript for one of the many glorious conquests of Arda or become a nomad in the mostly forest lands where I'll get killed by some mystical beast... Well we're screwed

[@magatrone100]

What a video! Absolutely brilliant

[@shawnmchaa721]

This was awesome

[@SharonKofoed]

Fantastic theory! And good choice of music!

[@gavinsmith9871]

Never give Noldor powerful artifacts, never ends well...

[@gustavopaez6368]

Great Theory, what I like the most is that she covered everything with Trees and she wasnt really destroying anything but redecorating the place