Episode 28: Celebrimbor Meets His Doom

In our last episode of Season 1, we finish up Celebrimbor's epic (and tragic) tale. We walk through his time with Annatar, analyze his Ring-making skills, and talk about some of the major ways this Elven hero impacts Middle-earth history, from befriending Dwarves to setting the stage for Sauron's ultimate demise.

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Transcript

Hi. Welcome to the Halfling. I’m your host, Jaron Pak, and this is Episode 28, Celebrimbor Meets His Doom. 

So far in our time with Celebrimbor, we’ve traced this Elven leader’s convoluted backstory, which one way or another leads to the Second Age, where he comes into the limelight as the leader of the thriving Elven kingdom of Eregion. This is the most eastern settlement of the craft-happy Noldor Elves and is primarily known for its leader, Celebrimbor, and his group of renowned jewel-smiths, the Gwaith-i-Mírdain. The region is located right next to Khazad-dûm, and there’s a unique and powerful friendship that springs up between the two peoples. At the end of the last episode, we saw Celebrimbor’s unprecedented artisanal glory reach its peak, just as a charming fellow named Annatar, the Lord of Gifts (it’s Sauron in disguise) arrives on his doorstep. The very knowledgable stranger offers to show the craftsmen of Eregion some cool things they didn’t know about crafting powerful jewerly and stuff, and they welcome him with open arms — even though the nearby Elven leaders Gil-galad and Elrond send messages warning Celebrimbor to be careful of the stranger. We’re going to pick up the story from here and take things to the bitter end. Of course, while we’re going to strictly be pulling material from the books, it’s worth pointing out that we’re in heavy spoiler territory here for anyone planning on either reading the book or watching the show. Celebrimbor is a character in “Rings of Power” and while there’s no doubt that his story won’t play out verbatim to the books, the stuff we hear in this episode will definitely factor into the show. What I’m saying is, this isn’t spoiling Celebrimbor’s on-screen story directly. But once we’re done today, we’ll have a very thorough understanding of what his fate is in Tolkien’s original writings — even if we won’t know what happens to him on screen for a few years still.

Alright, so, picking up where we left off, the Gwaith-i-Mírdain are restless in their little land. They don’t want to go back to the Blessed Realm away in the West where they could live glorious lives under the leadership of the angelic Valar. Like any rebellious teenage high school graduate giving up a comfy home life with their parents for an independent yet grueling one on their own, Celebrimbor’s people want to be free to forge their own paths. Buuuut, also like any high school graduate who wants to buy nice things even though they don’t have any money with which to do so, the Elves want to reproduce the glory of their old home in the West here in their new land. And, honestly, all things considered, I can relate to that concept. It doesn’t come from a bad place, even if it’s a bit childish. Although, to be fair, I do have to add here that in “Unfinished Tales,” we also get the line, in one of those earlier, unofficial versions of the story that “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.” So, at least in some versions of what Tolkien wrote, there is a personal pride element involved, as well. And Sauron plays on these fears and desires of Celebrimbor and the Gwaith-i-Mírdain by lending them his sage wisdom and help. And when I say that, I really do mean it. Like, he teaches them a bunch of stuff that they don’t know, and they reach the pinnacle of their civilization with his help. Of course, this is Sauron we’re talking about, and in “The Silmarillion” it adds the foreboding line “But Sauron guided their labours, and he was aware of all that they did; for his desire was to set a bond upon the Elves and to bring them under his vigilance.” And Celebrimbor goes right ahead and walks into that trap. And yes, folks, we’ve officially reached the part of the story where Sauron, in the handsome form of Annatar, teaches Celebrimbor to make some tiny little Rings of Power. The Dark Lord in diguise makes 16 rings with Celebrimbor’s help (and for those of you counting at home, that’s nine and seven …as in nine for Men and seven for Dwarves.) Critically, Sauron DOES NOT make the three Elven Rings. He teaches Celebrimbor how to make rings, but Celebrimbor makes those mighty three rings all on his lonesome — unspoiled by Sauron. They’re called Narya the Ring of Fire, Nenya the Ring of Water, and Vilya the Ring of Air. Even though they aren’t directly perverted by the Dark Lord, though, they’re still under the control of the One Ring …which Sauron sneaks off and makes in Mount Doom after the other nineteen rings are complete. “The Silmarillion” describes the relationship between the One Ring and the others thusly, “Now the Elves made many rings; but secretly Sauron made One Ring to rule all the others, and their power was bound up with it, to be subject wholly to it and to last only so long as it too should last. And much of the strength and will of Sauron passed into that One Ring; for the power of the Elven-rings was very great, and that which should govern them must be a thing of surpassing potency; and Sauron forged it in the Mountain of Fire in the Land of Shadow. And while he wore the One Ring he could perceive all the things that were done by means of the lesser rings, and he could see and govern the very thoughts of those that wore them.” 

Okay, so this is all terrible. Celebrimbor is tricked. Sauron works with him — for centuries no less — to teach him all of this lore. Celebrimbor finally branches off on his own and makes this trio of truly remarkable Elven rings … and then Sauron is revealed to be the long-term traitor that he is once he makes the One Ring. This happens because, unbeknownst to the Dark Lord, when he puts on the One Ring, the people wearing the other rings instantly become aware of him and realize his intentions. In fact, Celebrimbor, who really is a genuinely nice dude trying to do the right thing, is really angry about the whole situation and he hides the three Elven Rings before Sauron can do anything about it. And these three Rings really are a cut above the rest. They’re the top priority for the Dark Lord. And if you’re wondering why that is, it’s because these are special rings that can hold off decay and basically postpone the entropy of time. So, even though the whole Annatar schtick worked, Sauron is revealed a tad too early, and the Elves have a chance to hide the Three Rings that he really wants to find and bring under his control. And, I’ve gotta give Celembrimbor props here. Even though he has these incredible Rings, he recognizes that Sauron wants them, so he sends them all to other keepers. This last chapter of Celebrimbor’s story is summarized briefly in official books like “The Silmarillion.” But the only really detailed version is in “Unfinished Tales.” However, let me add the caveat that once again, this version isn’t an official one. It’s just one of Tolkien’s drafts, so take everything with a grain of salt. Still, here’s the basic outline of what happens after Sauron forges the One Ring.

When Celebrimbor realizes that he’s been duped, he sends Galadriel one of the Elven Rings, and he sends the two others to Gil-galad. When Sauron sees that his cover is blown, he goes nuclear and attacks the Elves with overwhelming force. Gil-galad sends troops led by Elrond to reinforce Celebrimbor in Eregion (who is right in the Dark Lord’s path), but they arrive too late. Sauron arrives first, and his armies lay waste to the region. Eventually, he captures the big prize: the House of the Mírdain where the Gwaith-i-Mírdain keep all of their treasures. This is when he captures his first set of Rings: the Nine Rings of Power that will later be gifted to the Nazgûl. Tragically, he also gets Celebrimbor who is captured after fighting Sauron himself on the steps that lead up to the treasury. Of course, Sauron isn’t content with just the Nine Rings, and he tortures Celebrimbor to figure out where the others are. The Elven lord reveals the location of the Seven Rings, but he never cracks or gives Sauron a lick of information about the Three that the Dark Lord never touched. 

And it’s here, friends, that the tragic tale of Celebrimbor comes to a close. And it’s not a pleasant ending, either. Kiddos, if you’re listening, cover your ears for a minute. In “Unfinished Tales” it says that when he can’t get any information about the Three Rings, Sauron has Celebrimbor put to death. Then we get this very unlovely epitaph of the Lord of Eregion’s end, starting with Sauron’s first move after Celebrimbor is killed, “In black anger he turned back to battle; and bearing as a banner Celebrimbor’s body hung upon a pole, shot through with Orc-arrows, he turned upon the forces of Elrond.” Yep, that’s it. A gruesome, undeserved ending for a heroic character who did his best to right the wrongs of his family.

Even though we’re at the end of Celebrimbor’s story, though, I don’t want to finish the series on that very depressing note. So, I’ve got one more thing to talk about before we go. Celebrimbor may have a tragic story that ends in despair, but let’s think about this for a minute. Sauron’s master, Morgoth, is so strong that he can only be stopped when the Valar themselves exert their supernatural power and defeat him (destroying an entire chunk of a continent in the process, by the way). In contrast, Sauron is eventually defeated …by a Hobbit. Why? Because he’s tied up to this Ring of Power business. He’s intimately tethered to this One Ring that he would never have made …if he hadn’t worked for centuries with Celebrimbor. While he may not have known it, Celebrimbor unwittingly sets up the scenario for “The Lord of the Rings” thousands of years later. He’s the one that makes it possible to resist Sauron, even if it’s only through the desperate journey of a pair of Hobbits straight into the heart of Mordor itself. Without the creation of the One Ring, the glimmer of hope that makes victory possible in “The Lord of the Rings” would never have existed in the first place. 

I also want to remind us all, especially after our last series on Narvi, that Celebrimbor is the other half of that special relationship. In the same way that Narvi becomes one of the first Dwarves on record to openly lay down his prejudices and become fast friends with an Elf, Celebrimbor is one of the first Elves to willingly befriend a Dwarf. He crosses that great divide. In fact, there’s even an apocryphal story in both “The Return of the King” and “Unfinished Tales” that the Dwarven Ring given to Durin III, King of Khazad-dûm, was the only one of the Seven Dwarven Rings that was gifted directly from the Elves to the Dwarves, rather than the others, which were captured by Sauron and given to the Dwarves as part of Sauron’s domination plan. Regardless of the accuracy of the folk tale, I like the fact that it emphasizes how special the bond is between the Elves of Celebrimbor’s realm and their Dwarven brethren in Khazad-dûm. 

As this episode airs, Amazon’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” show is days from coming out. Charles Edwards will be playing Celebrimbor on the show, and I actually had a chance to talk to him directly when I was attending a press event at San Diego Comic-Con. While the conversation was off the record, I will say that I’m very excited to see how Charles portrays Celebrimbor on the show. The actor is a tad older than many others vision the immortal Elven leader to be, but I kinda like the fact that his older, more regal look challenges my former perception of a macho, muscle-bound craftsman. Celebrimbor is a cerebral, ambitious, and skilled leader. He’s a jewel smith. A jeweler, not a mason. He has impressive magical skills. He’s a politician, a diplomat, and a faithful friend. He’s a tragic hero and a character that plays a key role in making the entire Middle-earth story the powerful tale that we all know and love so well.

Well, friends, it’s been almost a full year since I launched the podcast, and it’s here at the end of Celebrimbor’s tale that we’re going to wrap up season one. It’s been a long journey to the premiere of “The Rings of Power,” and I’m excited to watch the show together from afar. I will say that I was able to go down to NYC for the premiere last week and I saw the first two episodes. In fact, I’ve also got screeners at home, so I’ve seen them multiple times now. And, while I can only share sentiment at this point — these are really fun, guys. There’s going to be a lot to talk about as we all digest them when the show fires up less then a week from when this episode publishes. As for this show, if you’re worried about “The Halfling” going off the air just as the “Rings of Power” is starting, never fear. While Season 1 of this show is officially wrapping up, there’s actually quite a bit of content that will be coming your way over the next few weeks. I won’t be doing any more character-focused episodes until I officially launch season 2 (some time after Season 1 of “The Rings of Power” ends in October). But I’ve got a special treat for you guys in the meantime. I’ve lined up several prominent Tolkien influencers who have agreed to come on the show at various points during September and October. I’ll be interviewing each one to get their authoritative thoughts on their hopes and fears for the show as well as some more detailed breakdowns of the story itself. We’ll go over some of their favorite scenes, the stuff they didn’t like so much, and a whole lot more. So stay tuned as the show airs. We’re still in for a lot of fun over the next several weeks. Alright, that’s it for now. Until next time, friends.