With the commencing of the third episode of the Rings of Power series, the audience has been introduced to some new and pivotal characters for the story ahead. One of the most significant additions is Tar Miriel, the Queen-regent of Numenor, who gives fans their first glimpse into the world of men, and begins to elaborate on just why the people in the ship-wreck of episode 2 acted so harshly towards Galadriel as soon as they spotted her elf ears. With an instant tension between Tar Mirirel and Galadriel, it is clear that there has long been unrest between the 2 races, and many are curious to see how this power struggle will play out as the series develops.
Especially as, in early trailers of the Rings of Power, before the series first few episodes debuted, there were clips of what appeared to be Galadriel and Tar-Miriel working in alliance with one another, even trusting one another so far as to look into the Palantir together, to see the evil rising in the south. So the question remains to be seen: how do Tar Miriel and Galdriel go from insulting and despising one another in their first meeting, to striking back up a bond between elves and humans that has long been forbidden in Numenor?
Strangely, the answer is all tied up in Tar-Miriel’s cousin Pharazon, who can be seen advising the queen-regent during her meeting with Galadriel and Halbrand. According to Tolkien’s stories, Pharazon has his own designs on greed, wealth, and power, and has a huge part to play in the events that lead to the fall of Numenor. Therefore, Tar-Miriel must do everything she can to appear unwavering, loyal to the throne, the strong and harsh leader that her people, and her cousin, demand. Her position as queen regent is precarious, especially after her father was cast from the throne, so she must remain steadfast, and give no reason for people to become suspicious.
But, many believe that she is secretly already an ally to Galadriel, and to all elves, right from the beginning. It is made clear as the episode progresses, that Tar-Miriel’s father was loyal to the elves, despite the decades of bad blood between the two races, started long ago. Elendil later confirms this to Galadriel: “We forced him from the throne for it. They say he spends his days in the tower now, an exile in his own city.” And earlier in the episode, the audience could see Tar Miriel climbing to the top of a secluded tower, where she meets her father and tells him “it is here father. The moment we feared. The elf has arrived.”
It is possible that Miriel and her father know of Sauron’s return, and know that Galadriel will be crucial to his defeat. Therefore Miriel is already secretly on her side, but acts as the regal, pompous queen upholding her people’s long-held values against the elves, in front of everyone in the royal halls. She must play her cards carefully, and work out who can be trusted, before she makes her move to aid Galadriel and her mission.
This could also be why she charges Elendil with the task of minding the elf whilst she is in the city. She queries him about the meaning of his name, and when he explains the Eldarian meaning behind it she pressures him: “Are you? An elf friend?” Her tone is accusatory, she is clearly guarded, but again this may be a ploy. She is testing him, to find out his motives and intentions towards Galadriel, before she reveals herself to be on the elf’s side. Miriel is gauging his reaction as she says “The elves have been unwelcome on our shores since the reign of my grandfather’s great-grandfather. You chose to break with that precedent,” mentioning words like treason and punishment because she needs to know if he will cow down to authority and the law, or if he will defend and protect what he believes to be right, no matter the consequences.
Perhaps, once he has proven that he is indeed an elf friend, and that he is willing to put his life on the line in order to help Galadriel reach Middle Earth and stop Sauron, Miriel will join them in their quest, following in her father’s footsteps of trying to reunite the once strong alliance between elves and men. So, in this sense, Tar-miriel and Galadriel were never enemies in the first place (unknown even to the elf herself), it simply had to appear that way in order for the queen-regent to be able to best protect her and help her escape Numenor undetected, whilst still keeping up appearances as the ruler of the Numenorean people.