For those who have listened to The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, or any of J. R. R. Tolkien’s other related works about Middle-earth, the saga’s vast and varied array of characters may not be new to you. But as Prime Video’s The Rings of Power series takes place during Tolkien’s Second Age—thousands of years before The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings pick up—a refresher might be in order. Some of the story's background or briefly mentioned characters, like the Elven-smith Celebrimbor, have now taken their place in the spotlight onscreen. But this great Elf is anything but unimportant: In fact, it is his skills that set into motion a war for Middle-earth.
Who is Celebrimbor?
Celebrimbor is an Elf of Noldor, born in an unidentified year during the Years of the Trees. His mother was never named, but his father, Curufin, was the fifth son of Fëanor and Nerdanel. Celebrimbor’s name means "silver fist" or "silver hand" in Sindarin, or Elf-Tongue.
Celebrimbor is ambitious and eager to live up to, or even surpass, the accomplishments of his grandfather before him. It is noted that he did not inherit the temper of his grandfather and father, though. Instead, he is friendly and seeks to do good. Under his rule, the relationship between the Elves of Eregion and the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm is the best it ever was, and his efforts with Narvi to create the Doors of Durin reinforce that. Tolkien writes that he had an “almost Dwarvish obsession with crafts,” becoming one of the most masterful in his field.
Celebrimbor's efforts to achieve greatness were also his weakness. He was willfully ignorant of the trickery of Sauron, leading to the creation of the Rings of Power and the chain of events in The Lord of the Rings. Once he realized his mistake, Celebrimbor did the best he could to keep his people safe, standing up to Sauron and even enduring torture without ever revealing the location of the Three Rings.
What happened to Celebrimbor in the First Age?
Fëanor, Prince of the Noldor Elves, was a renowned craftsman who created the Silmarils, gems that captured the light of the Two Trees of Valinor. After the Silmarils were stolen, Fëanor and his sons vowed the Oath of Fëanor, a promise to fight anyone and everyone who possesses the Silmarils no matter the cost. Celebrimbor, however, does not vow the Oath of Fëanor, though his reasoning is not explained. These events are depicted in The Silmarillion.
Celebrimbor, therefore, is part of the Noldor lineage and the only son of Curufin. He inherited the craftsmanship and ambition of Fëanor and his father before him. His character is vital for many reasons discussed below, but also as a direct connection between the events of The Silmarillion and the later Lord of the Rings books.
What happened to Celebrimbor in the Second Age?
In the Second Age, Celebrimbor parts ways with both his father and his grandfather after he learns of the atrocities they committed in the effort to retrieve the Silmarils, and while his direct path isn’t clear, he soon crosses paths and becomes close with Galadriel and Celeborn in the Second Age. After hearing that the Dwarves discovered an ore called Mithril near Moria, the trio, along with other Noldor, establish a new realm called Eregion nearby.
While the exact story varies, what is known is that Celebrimbor eventually becomes the Lord of Eregion, and under his reign it thrives. While he is in power, the relationship between the Elves of Eregion and the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm is the strongest it has ever been. Together, Celebrimbor and his friend, the Dwarf Navi, build the Doors of Durin, also known as the West-gate, a place of connection that facilitates communication and collaboration between the Elves and the Dwarves. It’s noted in Unfinished Tales that Eregion became stronger and Khazad-dûm became more beautiful than either would have been had the Elves and Dwarves not had such a strong relationship.
Celebrimbor is thought to be the greatest of the guild Gwaith-i-Mírdain, a group of Elven craftsmen dubbed the “People of the Jewel-smiths,” who were the most talented, second only to Fëanor. Their ambition to become great craftsmen, however, became their downfall when Sauron used it to manipulate them into helping him forge the Rings of Power.
Why did Celebrimbor create the Rings of Power?
While it’s true that Celebrimbor and the other Gwaith-i-Mírdain helped Sauron create the Rings of Power, they didn’t do it wittingly. After the fall of Morgoth, Sauron evaded the Valar and instead sought power in Middle-earth. Sauron, pretending to be an Elf named Annatar sent by the Valar to help them, preys on their eagerness and offers to teach the Gwaith-i-Mírdain the art of ring-making. Celebrimbor, desperate to make a name for himself that will rival his grandfather's, welcomes Annatar in along with the other Gwaith-i-Mírdain. Galadriel, however, is suspicious of Annatar’s intentions. In a version of events put forth by Unfinished Tales, Annatar influences the Gwaith-i-Mírdain to revolt against Galadriel and Celeborn, causing Galadriel to leave Eregion with her daughter and relocate to Lorien.
Annatar, it turns out, has a wealth of knowledge to share, and the Gwaith-i-Mírdain soon master the art of ring-making. Under the guidance of Annatar, they create the 19 Rings of Power. Celebrimbor, the most masterful, forges his own three rings of power, called the three Rings of the Elves, untouched by Sauron and therefore uncorrupted. Sauron then creates the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. Celebrimbor, realizing they’d been tricked, seeks guidance from Galadriel and, on her advice, sends his three rings, named Nenya, Vilya, and Narya, away for safekeeping. One he sends to Galadriel, one to Gil-galad, and the third to Cirdan.
When Sauron realizes their betrayal, he is furious and begins attacking Eregion. Celebrimbor and the Elves of Eregion stand their ground and refuse to give up the rings to Sauron once they learn his true intentions. However, his wrath would prove too much for them to withstand.
What happens to Celebrimbor?
Sauron launches an attack against Eregion, beginning the War of the Elves and capturing Celebrimbor. Then, Sauron tortures Celebrimbor to get him to reveal the location of the hidden rings. He does eventually reveal where the Seven Rings are, but Celebrimbor refuses to disclose the whereabouts of his Three Elven Rings. After sustained torture, Celebrimbor dies and Sauron hangs his body on a pole as a sort of banner carried during battle.
Celebrimbor’s story is said to be a repeat of Fëanor’s story, one of ambition so great it leads him to ruin. It is never stated whether Celebrimbor marries or has children and, as such, the direct line of Fëanor appears to end with him.
What does Celebrimbor look like?
In Tolkien’s texts, the author does not describe what Celebrimbor looks like. Fëanor is described as being tall, with bright eyes and raven-dark hair. Curufin is said to resemble his father. While Celebrimbor may well resemble his grandfather and father, it is not explicitly stated anywhere. In the television series The Rings of Power, Celebrimbor is played by Charles Edwards, an English actor. In the show, he is depicted as light-haired and light-eyed.
Who are the major allies of Celebrimbor?
Narvi, the Dwarven-smith: As touched on before, Celebrimbor had a close relationship with the Dwarf Narvi, and together the pair designed the Doors of Durin to open trade and collaboration between the Elves of Eregion and the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm, a testament to their relationship and that of their people. According to The Fellowship of the Ring, the doors say, “The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter” and underneath, “I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs.” (Eregion was later renamed Hollin.)
Galadriel and Celeborn: Though the story of the creation of Eregion differs, Galadriel, her husband Celeborn, and Celebrimbor all played a part in establishing the realm together. Galadriel was the niece of Fëanor, and Celebrimbor sent her one of the Three Rings, Nenya, for safekeeping.
What alternate histories of Celebrimbor exist?
As sometimes happens with a world as detailed as J. R. R. Tolkien’s, the history varies depending on the text. In an essay called "Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals" from 1968, Celebrimbor was one of the Teleri of Aman and was not a descendant of Fëanor. In this version of events, Celebrimbor was still a renowned smith who defended Eregion against Sauron. Another essay, titled "Of Dwarves and Men," changed Celebrimbor’s history yet again to a descendant of Daeron rather than Fëanor.
In Unfinished Tales, Celebrimbor is noted to be from Gondolin, not a descendant of Fëanor, who was in the company of Galadriel and Celeborn. In this version of events, he creates the second Elessar for Galadrel, which she then passed down to her daughter until it made its way to Aragorn.
Tolkien’s son, however, noted that Tolkien went so far as to underline Celebrimbor’s lineage to Fëanor in a personal copy of the appendices to The Lord of the Rings and possibly forgot he had already established Celebrimbor’s lineage.
Does Celebrimbor appear in any adaptations?
Outside of the Lord of the Rings books, Celebrimbor appears in video games and, of course, Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power television series.
In the video games Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Middle-earth: Shadow of War, Celebrimbor is a wraith who helps Talion fight against Sauron and his proxies out of guilt for creating the Rings of Power. In this storyline, which takes some liberties with his backstory, Celebrimbor created all of the Rings of Power rather than just The Three and doesn’t resist the influence of Sauron after capture, helping him reforge the One Ring.
Celebrimbor also appears in The Lord of the Rings Online in scenes that show his relationship with the “Lord of Gifts” (Annatar) and his attempt to stand up to Sauron when he attacks Eregion.
Quotes about Celebrimbor
“Celebrimbor had 'an almost dwarvish obsession with crafts'; and he soon became the chief artificer of Eregion, entering into a close relationship with the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm, among whom his greatest friend was Narvi.” —Unfinished Tales
“But Sauron had better fortune with the Noldor of Eregion and especially with Celebrimbor, who desired in his heart to rival the skill and fame of Fëanor.” —Unfinished Tales
“For in the day that Sauron first put on the One, Celebrimbor, maker of the Three, was aware of him, and from afar he heard him speak these words, and so his evil purposes were revealed.” —The Fellowship of the Ring
“They say only: The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. And underneath small and faint is written: I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs.” —The Fellowship of the Ring
