Trees, trees...and more trees

Any Tolkien fan recognizes the importance of trees in his works. From the Two Trees of Valinor – precursors of the sun and the moon – to the golden mallorn trees of Lothlórien, from Nimloth, the White Tree of Númenor to its succession of descendants in Gondor, from the mallorn gifted to Sam by Galadriel and the Party Tree in Hobbiton, trees are scattered all across Tolkien’s Middle-earth, more than just props in the background. Their various significances, their symbolism, their importance make them characters in their own right. Middle-earth would not be the same without its trees.

In fact, trees are so important in Middle-earth that their absence strikes a discordant note in the reader, pointing out that something is wrong. The phrase “No tree grew there” is used to describe a land of evil and corruption. Whenever the Enemy – be it Morgoth or Sauron or even Saruman – makes his presence known, one of the things that he does is tear down the trees or ruin any other form of vegetation. The Brown Lands were once green and full of trees and believed to be the gardens of the Entwives until Sauron sets them ablaze in the War of the Last Alliance. No tree grows in Mordor. Saruman cuts down the trees of Isengard and moves on to Fangorn, incurring the wrath of the Ents. The conquering armies of the corrupted Númenóreans conduct a deforestation operation that is so thorough, the forests hardly recover, even years after they are gone. The absence of trees in Tolkien’s world is a signal of evil of corruption. The presence of trees – although not always comforting, if we think of places such as the Old Forest – at least shows that the world is as it should be.

The Rings of Power understands Tolkien’s love of trees and makes use of it to the fullest extent. Almost every storyline has its own tree. We have the Great Tree of Lindon and its sapling given by Elrond to Dúrin the Fourth. We have Nimloth in Númenor and the tree of the Stoors. Arondir, the silvan Elf, is forced to cut down a tree and later finds redemption by asking Winterbloom the Entwife for forgiveness. The people of Pelargir vow to keep the forests around them safe, a vow they will not be able to fulfil, because Kemen is about to start the deforestation of Middle-earth in Númenor’s name. The Harfoots witness the Stranger’s power as he tries to heal a withered tree. Eregion is tied to trees through its very name, which can be translated as land of the holly trees.

In fact, the only storylines that lack trees are those of Sauron, the Dark Wizard, and the orcs. And that is quite telling. Corruption and evil, in Tolkien’s world, imply a disconnection from nature. No tree grows in Mordor, remember?

For a better understanding of how Rings of Power tackles the symbolism of trees, I will discuss three of the most important trees present in the show – offering interpretations about their significance but also speculating on their future (therefore be wary of spoilers, both for the show as well as for Tolkien’s own writings).

The Great Tree of Lindon

Although an original invention of the show, the Great Tree of Lindon feels like it was meant to be present in Middle-earth. It is a significant part of the story through its connection with the Elves.

When our attention is first drawn to the Great Tree, it seems to be suffering from some kind of blight, as its leaves are blackening and falling. We later learn that this is tied to the weakening of the Elves, who must return to the Blessed Realm of Valinor or else undergo a dwindling and an eventual “fading” in Middle-earth. The fading of the Elves is something that Tolkien explains in his notes and was already beginning to happen in the Second Age. Although the process in the books is much slower than in the show – a normal choice, as the viewer would need to feel a sense of urgency – this is, canonically, one of the reasons why the Elves made the Three Rings – they wished to preserve their realms, to have them unchanged and untouched by time. In the show, this manifests itself with the help of the Great Tree of Lindon – now ailing and in need of healing.

Although it is never explicitly mentioned, it is highly likely that the blight of the Great Tree – and the accelerated fading of the Elves – was caused by Sauron’s return in physical form. In Tolkien, the presence of evil often causes an imbalance in the natural world. The sickness of the Great Tree worsens after the eruption of Mount Doom – nature suffering under an evil so great that the entire world seems to rebel against it.

The healing of the Great Tree in the first episode of season 2 is an emotional and visually stunning scene. The shift from despair and melancholy to hope and joy is poignant. We finally see the Great Tree of Lindon in all its glory.

The healing of the Great Tree of Lindon, a moment of light and hope. Image credit: Amazon Prime/ The Rings of Power

The choice to tie the fading of the Elves to the fading of the Great Tree shows a thorough understanding of Middle-earth. The Elves are deeply connected to the natural world – in fact, they are bound to it, very much a part of Arda for as long as Arda lasts. This symbiotic bond is reflected in the story of the Great Tree, which seems to be almost a sacred symbol for the Lindon Elves.

We do not know what the ultimate fate of the Great Tree of Lindon will be. Unfortunately, it might not be a happy one. In the Third Age, we do not hear anything about a great tree, and at the end of The Lord of the Rings, when people flock to see Sam’s mallorn, they refer to it as “the only mallorn West of the mountains and East of the Sea.” Whether the Great Tree dies when Gil-galad perishes in the battle of the Last Alliance, or whether it is destroyed earlier, during Sauron’s attacks on Eriador, we do not know yet. It might be that the Great Tree of Lindon will not survive the third season of Rings of Power.

Still, like with many of Tolkien’s stories, hope can be glimpsed amid despair. The Great Tree will live on through the mallorn trees of Lothlórien, a land which Galadriel will probably establish in the following seasons. It could be that Gil-galad sees the writing on the wall and entrusts Galadriel with a seedling of the Great Tree to ensure it lives on. New life, in defiance of death.

Nimloth – an inconvenient witness to the changes in Númenor

The White Tree is one of the most well-known symbols of Tolkien’s Legendarium. From Telperion’s silver leaves to Númenor’s Nimloth, to the succession of White Trees in Gondor, the image appears again and again. The banners of Gondor include a White Tree. So does the uniform of the Guards of the Citadel. Arwen sews a banner with a White Tree, a crown, and seven stars, which Aragorn will unfurl at his arrival to the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. It is a shame the scene was not included in the Peter Jackson movies. I have a feeling it would have been visually epic and heart lifting.

In The Rings of Power, we have Nimloth, a gift from the Elves to the men of Númenor. From the start, Nimloth is presented as more than a tree. Given that it comes from the West, Nimloth appears to be almost a representative of the Valar or, at least, of the Valar’s goodwill towards the Númenóreans. In the third episode of season 1, Míriel reminds Elendil of the Faithful belief that, whenever the petals of the White Tree fall, it means the Valar are displeased. The imagery of the falling petals associated with the tears of the gods brings about the concept that nature rebels against evil. Given how tightly connected Nimloth is to the Númenóreans, this idea of Nimloth weeping as the Númenóreans lose their wisdom, is not far-fetched at all.

So far, we have seen Nimloth’s petals falling twice (discounting Míriel’s dream-vision from episode 4 of season 1). The first time was in season 1, when Míriel was ready to send Galadriel back to Middle-earth, refusing to help the beleaguered Southlands. Whether Nimloth was weeping because of the Númenóreans’ blatant rejection of their previous alliance with the Elves or because of their callous dismissal of the suffering of the people of Middle-earth, it is hard to tell. It might be that the petals falling had something to do with Halbrand staying in Númenor – foreshadowing the role he will play in Nimloth’s destruction.

Whatever the reason, the message is heard and understood. Míriel and Elendil, who had earlier on held a conversation about the significance of the petals of the White Tree falling, exchange horrified looks. They both see this event as a clear sign from the Valar, and while Elendil had previously warned Míriel against living one’s life according to signs and portents, he understands very well that they are veering away from the correct course. The Queen Regent’s previous decision is withdrawn. Galadriel is called back, and Númenor goes to war. This will have devastating consequences on the Númenórean soldiers, but lives are still saved. In the end, the right thing is done.

The second time the petals of the White Tree start falling is in the final episode of season 2. This time, the reason is quite clear. In a desperate move to maintain his grip on power, Pharazôn has branded the Faithful as traitors and has ordered their arrest. It’s nighttime, and guards burst into innocent people’s houses, forcibly dragging them away. It’s already an uncomfortable scene for the viewer, who knows what they are witnessing is not right. All throughout this scene the petals of the White Tree are falling, heightening the sensation of discomfort and outrage at the persecution of the Faithful. The Valar are weeping at the injustice, at the sorrow and disgrace they are witnessing. The falling petals of the White Tree here feel like an outward manifestation of the viewer’s own indignation – and an unmistakable sign of the corruption creeping over the Númenóreans.

Nimloth in the evening of the arrest of the Faithful. The almost reddish tint could be a foreshadowing of her fate. Image credit: Amazon Prime/ The Rings of Power

Even more heartbreaking – no one heeds the falling petals this time. No one even looks at them. This marks Númenor’s break from who they are – if, before, they seemed to care about their past identity and what the Valar thought of them, now they are starting to care only about themselves. And it will only get worse from here.

We know that Nimloth’s days are numbered. The White Tree will be cut down. Given what I’ve seen from the show so far, I expect an emotionally charged scene both visually and musically.

A part of the White Tree will live on. In the Akkalabêth, Isildur rescues one of its fruits, nearly getting killed in the process. Given that the story of the White Tree is tightly bound with that of Gondor and its kings, I am sure we will see a variant of this rescue in the show – and the beginning of this bond. A scene I most certainly look forward to.

In many ways, I suspect the stories of the White Tree and the Great Tree of Lindon will mirror each other. They will both perish, but a part of them will continue to live on – a very clear message that hope always exists in Middle-earth.

The tree of the Stoors

 Another invention of the show, the tree of the Stoors is seen in season 2. We find out its significance from Gundabale – the tree symbolizes the permanence of a stable home, the importance of tangible mementoes in one’s life, the relevance these things have for one’s identity. In the real world, we associate background and identity with “roots” – a very telling expression that seems to literally manifest itself in the story of the tree of the Stoors. The tree represents the identity of the Stoors. Everything they are, everything they’ve built, the people they’ve loved and lost, the things they will become.

Gundabale explains this to Nori when Nori suggests that they leave the village and escape the tyranny of the Dark Wizard. They cannot simply flee, Gundabale insists. She points to the tree and explains all the things it is to her: it’s the tree that she has tended as a child, it’s the place where she married her husband, it’s also the place where she can mourn him, and the place where she hopes he will be buried by his side. Gundabale’s entire identity is tied to the tree. Leaving is not easy when you have such strong roots.

Nori, who has been a nomad all her life, cannot understand this. The Harfoots do not have trees to call their own. They do not have roots. Their existence is fleeting – they’re paths “set to the passing seasons”, as Marigold so aptly puts it. They have each other, but they cannot build the same tangible memories as the Stoors. And, in many ways, Nori might envy this.

Sadly, the tree of the Stoors is destroyed, along with all the mementoes of the people living there. The Stoors must take up wandering, just like the Harfoots. There will be no trees for them, not for a long time. However, perhaps the tree of the Stoors will gain a sort of descendant through the Party Tree of Hobbiton. And, since the hobbits will know all about putting down roots and the importance of a comfortable home, it seems that some of Gundabale’s lessons will not be forgotten.

Conclusions

The Rings of Power makes full use of the importance of trees in Middle-earth. By giving almost every major storyline its own trees, the show reminds us of how deeply connected the characters are to the natural world. The trees are the personification of Middle-earth, and a love of trees means a love of the world itself. We will continue to see this connection, I am sure of it – in the storyline of the Ents and Entwives, in the tree of Khazad-dûm and the mallorns in Lothlórien, in Nimloth’s epitaph and the stories of the White Trees that come from her. And - who knows? – there might be many other trees waiting for us along the way.