The portrayal of Celebrimbor in The Rings of Power offers a mix of faithful adaptation and creative liberties, sparking both admiration and debate among Tolkien enthusiasts. The show captures his essence as a master smith, driven by ambition and artistry, while weaving new layers into his character that expand beyond the sparse details of the legendarium.
One of the show’s stronger choices is emphasizing Celebrimbor’s pride in his craft. His dialogue with Elrond about the purity of elven work and the desire to create something enduring aligns well with the lore. Tolkien’s Celebrimbor was a descendant of Fëanor, inheriting that lineage’s brilliance and hubris, and the series hints at this duality. The tension between his noble intentions and the lurking potential for folly is a thread ripe for exploration, even if the timeline and circumstances differ from the texts.
The forging process itself, though condensed for television, cleverly nods to the mystical aspects of Tolkien’s world. The use of mithril as a catalyst for preservation, while invented for the show, echoes the broader themes of decay and resistance that define the Second Age. It’s a playful but not unfaithful extrapolation, mithril’s rarity and significance in Middle-earth make it a plausible MacGuffin for rings of power.
Where the show stumbles slightly is in pacing and context. Celebrimbor’s collaboration with Annatar (or his stand-in, Halbrand) feels rushed, lacking the slow-burn manipulation described in the texts. The lore paints Annatar as a beguiling, patient tempter, while the series opts for a more immediate partnership. This choice sacrifices some of the subtlety but retains the core tragedy: Celebrimbor, for all his skill, becomes a pawn in Sauron’s game.
“It was Sauron who taught them, deceiving them with his fair visage, for under that guise he went among them, and his name was Annatar, the Lord of Gifts. And they learned much from him, for his knowledge was great. In those days the Elves made many rings; but secretly Sauron made One Ring to rule all the others…”
– The Silmarillion, “Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age”
Celebrimbor with Annatar
Visually, the show nails the elven aesthetic. Celebrimbor’s forge, with its luminous craftsmanship, feels like a living extension of Tolkien’s descriptions. The rings, when they finally appear, carry the weight and elegance one would expect. If the writing occasionally falters, the production design seldom does.
In the end, The Rings of Power presents a Celebrimbor who is recognizably Tolkien’s but reframed for a new medium. The broad strokes of his arc genius, pride, downfall, are intact, even if the brushwork is sometimes more bold than precise. For fans, it’s a chance to see the legendary smith in motion, flaws and all, and that’s no small feat. Whether the upcoming seasons will deepen his tragedy or smooth over the rough edges remains to be seen. Until then, the rings shine brightly enough on their own.
