Ok, here’s my take on the Galadriel & Tauriel thing that seems to be sweeping the fandom. Personally, while I can understand why people are angry, (and I do understand, I genuinely do), I happen to love their positioning and expressions. Why?
Women are disproportionately the ones affected by war. BoFA is a fantastical setting, yes, but women are often the unwilling victims/survivors of war. However, I do not think Galadriel & Tauriel are made out to be victims within the banner, in fact the opposite.
I’m thrilled they’re not holding swords and looking stoic as hell because, quite frankly, I’m sick and tired of female characters needing to hold up swords in order to be deemed ‘valuable’. Additionally, one of the major themes of The Hobbit is greed and how fucking stupid and awful war is. Give me Tauriel looking shell shocked over the horror and brutality of war than being sucked into an ‘epic pose’.
Give me Galadriel being shown fighting for something aside from gold and tangible, I’ll take her being outstretched and reaching towards Gandalf, towards an ally and friend, over reaching for the Arkenstone. I’ll take women representing the true horror of war and death over some epic poses, thank you very much.
http://bcfurs.tumblr.com/post/97590358599/boromirs-ok-heres-my-take-on-the-galadriel: