Legolas readied his bow to defend Gimli, but Aragorn was able to defuse the situation by explaining that they were friends of King Théoden.
This scene — including most of its dialogue — came directly from J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings novel, specifically the chapter “The Riders of Rohan” from The Two Towers. However, Jackson excluded a pair of quotes that recontextualized the heated argument. Though this was the only meaningful interaction between Gimli and Éomer in the film, their quarrel in the novel lasted nearly until the end of the story. Surprisingly, the source of their animosity towards one another was Galadriel, the Lady of Lothlórien.
Gimli’s Feelings Towards Elves Evolved Throughout The Lord of the Rings
Name
Gimli
Éomer
Race
Dwarf
Man
Birthplace
Blue Mountains
Rohan
Age in The Two Towers
140
28
Actor in Jackson’s Films
John Rhys-Davies
Karl Urban
At the start of The Lord of the Rings, Gimli disliked Elves, which was not unusual for a Dwarf. Throughout Middle-earth’s history, the two races were often at odds over both major conflicts and minor squabbles. Gimli was friendly towards the Elves of Rivendell — likely because Elrond had often helped his people, including his father Glóin in The Hobbit — but he did not extend this cordiality to the likes of Legolas or Haldir. Throughout The Lord of the Rings, Gimli and Legolas formed an unlikely friendship, and by the end, they were all but inseparable. Because of this bond, Gimli gained a much more favorable view of Elves overall. However, Legolas was not the only Elf who helped to soften his opinion.
In the chapter “The Mirror of Galadriel” from The Fellowship of the Ring, the Fellowship discussed what had happened in the Mines of Moria with Galadriel and Celeborn, during which Gimli was “glowering and sad.” But this changed when Galadriel used the Dwarves’ names for regions of Moria rather than the Elves’ names for them: “Dark is the water of Kheled-zâram, and cold are the springs of Kibil-nâla, and fair were the many-pillared halls of Khazad-dûm in Elder Days before the fall of mighty kings beneath the stone.” Contrary to Gimli’s expectations, Galadriel had a deep respect for Dwarven culture. Between this and her ethereal beauty, Gimli became infatuated with her. Tolkien wrote,
It seemed to [Gimli] that he looked suddenly into the heart of an enemy and saw there love and understanding. Wonder came into his face, and then he smiled in answer. He rose clumsily and bowed in dwarf-fashion, saying: “Yet more fair is the living land of Lórien, and the Lady Galadriel is above all the jewels that lie beneath the earth!”
As far as Gimli was concerned, this more than made up for the disrespect that Haldir had shown him when arriving in Lothlórien.
Éomer Believed Galadriel Was a Dangerous Sorceress
When Galadriel gave gifts to the Fellowship, Gimli asked only for a strand of her hair, and she chose to give him three. This was even more significant than it seemed on the surface, as it was not the first time someone had asked for her hair; Fëanor did so in The Silmarillion, and she refused, so it was clearly something that she did not do lightly. Gimli cried when he had to leave in the following chapter, “Farewell to Lórien,” because he thought he would never see such beauty again. He lamented, “Little did I know where the chief peril lay! Torment in the dark was the danger that I feared, and it did not hold me back. But I would not have come, had I known the danger of light and joy.” This reaction was especially surprising coming from a stoic and often grim Dwarf like Gimli. But what does any of it have to do with the Rohirrim?
Before the events of The Lord of the Rings, Éomer had never met Galadriel, but he had heard unpleasant rumors about her. To the people of Rohan and Gondor, Lóthlorien was a mysterious and dangerous place. In the chapter “Lóthlorien” from The Fellowship of the Ring, Boromir states, “Of that perilous land we have heard in Gondor, and it is said that few come out who once go in; and of that few none have escaped unscathed.” Éomer thought that Galadriel was a wicked enchantress, and when he met Aragorn in “The Riders of Rohan,” he insulted her: “Few escape her nets, they say. These are strange days! But if you have her favor, then you also are net-weavers and sorcerers, maybe.” This infuriated Gimli, who was quick to defend Galadriel’s honor: “You speak evil of that which is fair beyond the reach of your thought, and only little wit can excuse you.” This was what prompted Éomer to threaten Gimli in Tolkien’s version of the story.
Gimli and Éomer Both Came to Love Elven Culture
In “Farewell to Lórien,” Gimli said that he would place the strands of Galadriel’s hair within an “imperishable crystal” and make it “an heirloom of [his] house.”
Before the Battle of Helm’s Deep, Éomer told Gimli that he would not speak ill of Galadriel again and that he hoped they could be friends. Gimli accepted, but he noted that if Éomer ever saw Galadriel, he would need to admit that she was the most beautiful being in Middle-earth, or else Gimli would fight him. Éomer ended up meeting Galadriel, as well as her granddaughter, Arwen, at Aragorn’s wedding. Afterward, in the chapter “Many Partings” from The Return of the King, Éomer told Gimli, “There are certain rash words concerning the Lady in the Golden Wood that lie still between us. And now I have seen her with my eyes… I will not say that she is the fairest lady that lives.” Gimli replied, “Then I must go for my axe,” but Éomer was quick to add, “I will put Queen Arwen Evenstar first, and I am ready to do battle on my own part with any who deny me. Shall I call for my sword?” Like Gimli, he had been enamored by the beauty of an Elf, and Gimli found his answer acceptable.
Their feud ended on a sad note. Gimli told Éomer, “You have chosen the Evening, but my love is given to the Morning. And my heart forebodes that soon it will pass away forever.” Galadriel was leaving Middle-earth to set sail for the Undying Lands, and Gimli was pained to see her leave. From that point onward, he spent most of his life in the company of Elves, particularly Legolas. He eventually became the only Dwarf to sail to the Undying Lands, so he may have reunited with Galadriel there. Éomer, meanwhile, named his son Elfwine, meaning “Elf Friend” in Old English. This showed drastic character development for Gimli and Éomer. The former began The Lord of the Rings with a distaste for Elves, and the latter began in ignorance of them, but by the end of the story, both learned to respect them.
