“Give me the meat and give it to me raw”
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¡spoiler from ‘The Rings of Power’ below!
‘The Lord of the Rings’ is gay with G for Gandalf, and anyone who disagrees is clearly not reading the same books or watching the same movies as us.
There are several relationships with habits queer in Middle Earth. The most obvious, the one between Frodo and Samwise, which has captured the imagination of LGBTQ+ fans for decades. And this was only intensified when Peter Jackson’s trilogy of films brought our lovable Hobbit couple to life on screen.
Ok, yes, their relationship has never been confirmed. But lots of kissing, tons of cuteness, and the way they both make it to eternal life together suggests that these little buddies found themselves under the covers at night.
In a 2013 interview, in The TimesIan McKellen, who came out as gay as early as 1988, mentioned that he was no longer the only cast member of the LGBTQ+ collective, as he was when the movies were made. And during the conversation, he determined that the same could be said for his own character, Gandalf:
“Now there are two gay midgets. There is a gay elf. There are six openly gay actors. Who says Gandalf isn’t gay? He seems quite asexual.”
Intentionally or not, it could be argued that many of the characters seem quite asexual, as desire is reduced to mere symbolism, especially when it comes to everyone’s favorite ring. But, some glances between some protagonists of the same sex, certainly give it a more carnal touch, or at least, allow it to be interpreted with a different perspective. queer.
We haven’t even begun to discuss how Frodo defies the classic “male” action hero prototype in the movies. So between that, and Legolas’ classic gay crisis platinum hair, it’s pretty easy to see why fans queer They love ‘The Lord of the Rings’.
Whether the religious JRR Tolkien actually intended to generate these interpretations or not is irrelevant at this point. For those used to reading between the lines to see their own stories reflected, ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is inherently gay, to be sure.
But, Has that tradition continued in ‘The Rings of Power’, Prime Video’s much-desired prequel?
At first glance, no, absolutely not. Despite drawing praise and anger for diversifying Middle-earth in matters of race, there is still no representation queer, not even now in 2022.
Nevertheless, That hasn’t stopped eager fans from suggesting that Elrond, the elf played by Robert Aramayo, might be gay.
Yes, his skin is made by the gods – please share your skincare routine – and yes, he is impeccably dressed in a way that often eludes straight men. Also, there’s definitely a “gay best friend” energy whenever Elrond talks to Galadriel.
But the main reason for fans to suspect that he may be gay has to do with his friendship with Durin.
From the premiere until now, the elf and the dwarf king have continuously shared arguments, becoming the most appreciated friendship in the series. Of course, Durin has a woman whom he loves, but the affection these two men share certainly strikes a chord with FroSam. And who says Durin can’t be bisexual?
Despite their differences, the respect between Durin and Elrond is rooted in a love that could be platonic, of course, but could also be something more. Every time we have seen them together, suspicions about this have arisen, until episode 5, where Durin said the following to Elrond:
“Give me the meat and give it to me raw.“
Mention a single straight guy who would say this to his best friend, and we’ll tell you a straight guy who should ponder a thing or two.
Of course, we are kidding. Well, in part, because it’s impossible to ignore this subtext when it’s fighting so hard to come out. Of course, the writers’ room knew what they were doing at this point, right?
A decoy problem arises here, assuming the writers would know this relationship would turn into a I ship among the fans. Maybe we should give them the benefit of the doubt.
After all, there’s a slim chance the writers didn’t mean to book this meat reference, or maybe, just maybe, there are plans to develop it into something real later on.
It’s entirely possible that Elrond and Durin share a secret past beyond the friendship we’ve seen so far. The series marks the first time Elrond meets Durin’s wife, Disa, confirming that she was not in their lives when they grew up together…
So maybe there’s hope for fans of “Elrin,” as we’ve come to call them. Or, “Durond”, if you are darker.
For now, the closest we’ve come to any sort of LGBTQ+ representation is barely implied. And unfortunately, that’s part of the usual in ‘The Lord of the Rings’.
One of the most repeated quotes as an example of gay code in ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ occurred because Ian McKellen proposed it directly to the actors on the set:
“When I suggested to Sean that he hold Elijah’s hand,” commented Ian in an extra content of the DVD, “it was because i thought that [esto] it could go unnoticed by two decidedly straight actors who might not appreciate that gay people, like me, saw in a touch something, perhaps, more significant than what others might see.“
Two decades later, ‘The Lord of the Rings’ continues to gloss over this aspect of fans in ‘The Rings of Power’, which is not gay with G for Gandalf, Galadriel, or any other name that starts with G. And it’s a shame, because in 2022, it could and it should. LGBTQ+ fans have waited long enough.
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ airs weekly on Fridays on Amazon Prime Video.
Source: Fotogramas
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
