¶ 8: Though the Time Was Brief
Beyond his hope she returned to him where he sat in darkness, and long ago in the Hidden Kingdom she laid her hand in his. Thereafter often she came to him, and they went in secret through the woods together from spring to summer; and no others of the Children of Ilúvatar have had joy so great, though the time was brief.
Finally, after the nine months I took to write it, we reach the end of this post. The rest requires little explanation.
Beyond his hope she returned to him where he sat in darkness, and long ago in the Hidden Kingdom she laid her hand in his.
The scene in the Númenórean forge (1×05) is the most consistent with this sentence, as well as everything we have theorized. To briefly break down each phrase:
BEYOND HIS HOPE SHE RETURNED TO HIM
If we believe that Sauron never wanted involvement in Galadriel’s quest to Middle-earth, nor an army from Númenor, we might logically conclude that after he urged her to leave him be, he did not expect her to return to him in the forge. In that case, she would return to him beyond his… expectation?
But hope is more than mere expectation.
By definition, hope is “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.” If any of Sauron’s reluctance was true, he would hope for Galadriel to stay away, rather than return. As we have said countless times, Sauron’s object was to appear reluctant, and we can now see through the guise.
He was playing hard to get. How many times does he say, “When are you going to get that army?” There’s a really good case to make where he was manipulating and deceiving her every step of the way.
Sauron knew that if he gave Galadriel his pouch, she would return it. He not only expected it, but hoped for her return; otherwise, he would not have given her the pouch.
WHERE HE SAT IN DARKNESS
The forge scene appeared to be a moment where Sauron sat in the most darkness, recalling the evil he had done, and even asking Galadriel, “What do you know of darkness?” You could even say that as he swept the floor, he was “wrapped in his black thought.”
AND LONG AGO IN THE HIDDEN KINGDOM SHE LAID HER HAND IN HIS
At the end of the scene, in the Hidden Kingdom of Númenor, Galadriel returned the pouch to Sauron, and later, an alliance was forged.
Thereafter often she came to him, and they went in secret through the woods together from spring to summer; and no others of the Children of Ilúvatar have had joy so great, though the time was brief.
