There has long been a debate among Tolkien fans as to whether or not elves can use magic. Those who follow the film franchise may notice examples like Galadriel blasting her enemies away with balls of light, Arwen summoning raging horses to wash the Black Riders away down the river, and Elrond looking into the future to see the death of Aragorn and the doom that may follow his daughter is she chose to stay in Middle Earth. But those who have read the books, and have delved deep into the lore of Tolkien’s works like the Silmarillion, know that it is a little more complicated than that.
The elves are certainly awarded some gifts, like the ability to walk very lightly, the ability to see events that haven’t happened yet, and the ability to enter a dream-state even in the waking world, so that they can rest while still staying alert. But the extent to which they can shoot beams of light out of their hands is questionable. There has definitely been some creative license taken in the movie adaptations regarding elven powers. This raises the question: how does Tauriel heal Killi of his wound from the poisoned orc arrow? Is it some kind of elven spell, or is it an ancient healing technique?
There are methods of healing that have been around for as long as Middle Earth was created, healing involving herbs and mixing agents that could be added into wounds to relieve the suffering of those who bore them. A great example of this lies in the healing hands of the king, which Aragorn demonstrates when he heals Eowyn, Merry, and Faramir in the Houses of Healing. In order to do this, he uses the Athelas flower, also known as kingsfoil, which is also the herb that he chews up and uses to poultice Frodo’s stab wound after the encounter with the nazgul on Weathertop. In healing the victims of war with these ancient arts, Aragorn proves that he is descended from the line that should rightfully rule Gondor. It is also thought that he may have picked up some of these healing herbs, potions and plants from his time in Rivendell. The healing houses of Elrond are also legendary as a place where people can come to find contentment of the mind, and relief from the ailments of the body.
But when Tauriel heals Killi, she doesn’t appear to be using any herbs or medicines whatsoever. Instead, she seems to be drawing the poison out in her hands, like sucking the venom out of a snake bite. No trace of Athelas or any other substance is present. There are two very noticeable things about the healing that she performs in this moment.
The first is that Tauriel is uttering a spell or incantation as she works over the wound, which many people think may be an ancient elven magic to heal those who have been hurt. The second thing is the strange light that seems to emminate from her entire body, as if her aura is glowing, or as if she is suddenly possessed by a light and radiant magic that she is channeling into the afflicted area. When it comes to second aspect, however, is difficult to tell if this is genuinely happening, or if this is just something that Killi is experiencing within the delirium of his poisoned state. Either way, by the end of it, he seems to be better. He strong enough to run, to move, and even to fight, when just moments before he was on the verge of death and in agony.
It is unknown if this sort of magic really exists within the elven race, but many argue that it’s probably possible, just as magic is possible for the wizards, like Radagast drawing the poison out of the hedgehog Sebastian in the sickness of Rhosgobel forest. Many others, however, feel that it is a little far-fetched to think that a simple silvan elf, whose sole purpose has been to guard the realm of Mirkwood, would have the knowledge or the gift of such a healing power, and that there must have been larger things at play than it seemed in the films, from Killi’s distorted perspective.
As Tauriel is a character invented solely for the films, and the scene never occurs anywhere in any of Tolkien’s original works, it is difficult to say one way or another. Perhaps it was a power that arose out of necessity, in order to save the love of her life in a desperate moment. Perhaps it is a power that lies dormant in all elves, but most of whom never realize that they have it, because they are never in such a terrible predicament that it rises to the surface.