It appears the pitchfork wielders have retreated into the distance and the internet shaped uproar over the splitting of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit into not two films, but three by Peter Jackson and his team of co-creatives is over but that doesn’t mean the hoo-hah ends there.

One of the more controversial decisions made in the production was the invention of a new character, Tauriel, which should both enrage purist Tolkeinites but go some way to redress the male-dominance of the world. Evangeline Lilly, known to many as Lost’s Kate Austen, was picked to play the plucky Woodland Elf and we’ve got the first production picture for you today.

EW have debuted the pic, along with a short interview with the actress who seems all too aware of the controversy surrounding the origins of her character,

I know…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…I think if anyone knows how to respect Tolkien, it’s Peter, Fran and Phil. And Tauriel fits perfectly in that world

At least she knows what she’s letting herself in for, here’s the pic,

Tauriel The Hobbit