‘The Hobbit 2′ First Look: Evangeline Lilly’s Tauriel in ‘The Desolation of Smaug’

When the second chapter of Peter Jackson's epic adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' rolls into theaters later this year, audiences will meet a character created specifically for the film. 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' will introduce an elven warrior named Tauriel, who will be played by Evangeline Lilly of 'Lost' fame, and our first look at the character has arrived!

The image reveal comes through EW, who also spoke with Lilly about her sure-to-be-controversial character:

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there are going to be people who will totally hate Tauriel, think that she shouldn’t be in the movie, that it’s a betrayal of Tolkien, and no matter what I do it won’t be right. There will be everything between that and people who adore her and think it’s such a fun thing to have added to the film.

Lilly goes on to say that she has a thick skin from her years on 'Lost,' and if there's anyone out there who knows how to deal with enraged internet nerds, it's someone from that show. Of course, Lilly didn't spend all of her time defending her new character; she also gave us a taste of what to expect from Tauriel:

She’s slightly reckless and totally ruthless and doesn’t hesitate to kill...She’s a Sylvan Elf, which means she’s of a much lower order than the elves we all became acquainted with in 'The Lord of the Rings.' She doesn’t hold the same kind of status that Arwen or Galadriel or Elrond or Legolas do — she’s much more lowly. She sort of goes against the social order of the elves a little bit.

EW goes on to speculate that the character may have a romantic relationship with a certain 'Lord of the Rings' character (who may or may not be named Legolas), an assumption Lilly doesn't deny. That would be a creative choice that makes sense, since it would immediately tie a brand-new character into this beloved world.

'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' arrives in theaters on December 13, 2013.