TAR-ALDARION AND GIL-GALAD
I am trying to understand the friendship between Gil-galad and Tar-Aldarion. As we know, Tolkien wrote that Aldarion was Gil-galad's friend and advisor, and Tolkien emphasizes the word “friend” several times. This means that their relationship was indeed warm.
We don't know how Aldarion and Gil-galad interacted, or what adventures Aldarion had in Middle-earth, because the story “Aldarion and Erendis” doesn't mention any of that, and it's mostly told from Erendis's point of view. According to Tolkien's plan, this is the only story that has survived from all the legends of Númenor, and the legends of Aldarion's travels in Middle-earth have been lost, which is, of course, very sad.
Tar-Aldarion is a controversial character. He is a wise, far-sighted ruler, but as a person he is selfish and neglects his family.
If I can imagine how two elves with conflicting personalities, such as Finwë and Thingol, could have been friends before the Great Journey of the Elves, how did Gil-galad, who seems to me to have a more noble character, become friends with Aldarion?
At first, I think it was a genuine friendship. Aldarion first arrived in Middle-earth with his grandfather, still young, without any grand, far-reaching plans, not even being the heir to the throne. Just a young man whom his grandfather, in honor of his coming of age, decided to take with him on the first journey in the history of Númenor to Middle-earth.
So Aldarion appeared before Gil-galad and Círdan. A young man with an open heart, ready to learn everything new about shipbuilding. And I am 100% sure that Círdan and Gil-galad saw Eärendil in Aldarion. Aldarion, being a descendant of Eärendil, did indeed resemble him: fair hair, blue eyes, and a longing for the Great Sea.
Gil-galad showered Aldarion with gifts, as can be seen in the story of Aldarion and Erendis. Aldarion, in turn, also gave gifts to Gil-galad.
Gil-galad listened to his advice regarding the languages of mortals and their culture. He saw in this young man a gift of foresight and wisdom, qualities dear to Gil-galad as a ruler.
But Gil-galad saw in Aldarion the personality that he displayed in Middle-earth. But did Gil-galad know how Aldarion's behavior was criticized in his native Númenor, how his wife suffered, how his father worried, how Aldarion left his daughter too early by Númenórean standards and set off on another voyage?
Perhaps Aldarion did not mention this in his conversations with Gil-Galad, but if he did mention that he had left his young daughter and wife for the Sea, did this cause Gil-galad some disappointment?
What really must have caused tension for Gil-galad was Aldarion's plans for Middle-earth. Massive deforestation and the indigenous peoples fear of the Númenóreans.
I think that in the end it was pure friendship, but as Aldarion grew older, it may have become more political than sincere. Gil-galad valued Aldarion's advice, but already understood that he had to be more cautious with him. However, Gil-galad also took into account the need to maintain friendly relations with the Númenórean prince as a future ruler and possible ally against Sauron. Therefore, deforestation was permitted, as was the construction of the harbor of Vinyalondë. This investment ultimately paid off in the future war against Sauron.
But did Gil-galad ever learn that Aldarion was driven not by the Great Sea, but by something else, something even the prince himself did not understand? It was a desire for greater dominion, for the glory of Númenor. I think Gil-galad saw this in Aldarion's descendants.
