When The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiered on Prime Video in 2022, many Tolkien fans were upset when it was revealed that Galadriel, played by Morfydd Clark, would not have her husband, Celeborn, by her side.
The first season went by without his presence, and as we enter Season 2, we are still waiting to learn what happened to Celeborn in this version of Middle-earth.
Though Celeborn appeared in Peter Jackson’s films, portrayed by Marton Csokas, he hasn’t been shown in any flashbacks or in the present timeline of the Second Age in The Rings of Power. This is a significant loss to the story.
Galadriel Mentions Celeborn Once in The Rings of Power, Which Isn’t Enough
It isn’t until Episode 7 of the first season, titled The Eye, that Galadriel mentions Celeborn. After the eruption of Mount Doom, she tells Theo (played by Tyroe Muhafidin) how she and Celeborn met in the First Age and were married quickly after falling in love.
Though the two didn’t play major roles in the First Age, she says Celeborn never returned from the War of the Great Jewels, which was a battle between Elves and Morgoth.
Though Tolkien’s writings don’t specify that Celeborn fought in this war, it’s possible he did. However, The Rings of Power portrays him as having died, which is a significant difference from the original stories.
Unlike her brother Finrod, Galadriel has not found Celeborn’s body, and because he is involved in the larger Lord of the Rings saga, it’s clear he isn’t truly dead. So, where is he? Why hasn’t Galadriel gone to the ends of the earth to find him, just like she pursued Sauron (Charlie Vickers)?
Given her determination and the long lifespan of Elves, it’s strange that she wouldn’t do so. It seems like the writers are hinting at Celeborn’s return in the future.
There are theories about where Celeborn could be. Some think Sauron or Morgoth corrupted him and is now Adar, a character created for the show and played by Sam Hazeldine. Hopefully, this isn’t true, but there must be a solid explanation for his absence.
Could Celeborn be trapped in an unseen world? This idea came up in the first season with the broken sword Theo found in the Southlands. Maybe Celeborn is struggling to return to Galadriel. Or perhaps Sauron did something to him that hasn’t been revealed yet. Right now, there are more questions than answers.
Celeborn Is Important to the Second Age, Despite What The Rings of Power Shows
Tolkien’s writings, especially The Silmarillion, show that Celeborn played a key role during the Second Age, and his absence in The Rings of Power goes against much of what we know about him. After the War of Wrath, which ended Morgoth’s reign of terror, Celeborn and Galadriel lived in Lindon for a while. They eventually moved to Eriador and later Eregion, where they lived under Celebrimbor, the Elf-smith.
At one point, Galadriel and Celeborn separated, though not due to any issues in their marriage. Galadriel went to live with the Wood-elves, while Celeborn remained in Eregion.
According to Tolkien’s timeline, Celeborn may have been in Eregion when Sauron, disguised as Annatar, tricked Celebrimbor into forging the Rings of Power.
The TV show has already changed the order of how the Rings were created, starting with the three Elven rings instead of ending with them, so it’s not surprising that Celeborn’s involvement has also been changed. When Sauron attacked Eregion, Celeborn, with Elrond’s help, fought back, but they eventually lost the realm to Sauron.
Celeborn later joined Elrond, Elendil, Gil-galad, and Isildur in the War of the Last Alliance against Sauron. Afterward, he and Galadriel lived in Rivendell for a time. In the Third Age, they became the Lord and Lady of Lothlórien, and they helped the Fellowship of the Ring in their quest to destroy the One Ring.
During the War of the Ring, they defended Mirkwood from Sauron’s forces. After Galadriel left for the Undying Lands at the beginning of the Fourth Age, Celeborn stayed behind for some time before eventually joining her.
The Absence of Celeborn Raises Questions About Celebrían’s Fate
One big problem with Celeborn’s absence in The Rings of Power is that it brings into question the existence of their daughter, Celebrían. Without Celeborn, what happened to her?
It might seem easy to ignore these family ties to make Galadriel’s storyline more focused on her pursuit of Sauron, but removing her family, especially Celeborn, has huge consequences for the future of Middle-earth. Without Celebrían, there would be no Arwen, who would later marry Aragorn at the end of the Third Age, uniting the races of Elves and Men once again.
Why does Celebrían matter so much? She’s Elrond’s wife and Arwen’s mother. Elrond marries Galadriel and Celeborn’s daughter in the early Third Age, and they have three children together, including Arwen. Without Celeborn, Celebrían doesn’t exist, leaving Galadriel and Elrond without their families.
Celebrían’s story is tragic. She was attacked by Orcs in the Third Age, and though her sons rescued her and Elrond healed her wounds, she never fully recovered and eventually left Middle-earth for the Undying Lands.
While Celebrían’s major story events happen in the Third Age, she should still be alive when we meet Galadriel in The Rings of Power. This makes us wonder how the writers plan to handle this situation. Celeborn and Celebrían must appear soon, or the entire future of Middle-earth will be altered.
Without them, the Aragorn and Arwen storyline can’t happen. Furthermore, Galadriel is without the emotional support that her husband could provide during these challenging times. Their love and loyalty are well-documented in Tolkien’s lore, and it would be a great loss if we never see that in the series.
Let’s hope the showrunners bring Celeborn back soon. Adding Tom Bombadil won’t be enough; there are still key elements of Tolkien’s timeline that need to be honored, and Celeborn’s presence is one of them.
