The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power faced controversy for some of its casting choices, but one choice, at least, is starting to make a lot of sense. While Charles Edwards’ Celebrimbor appeared older than some expected, Robert Aramayo’s Elrond appeared a little younger than expected. Fans of The Lord of the Rings had seen Hugo Weaving portray Elrond masterfully in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, and were used to his mature and distant melancholy. But Aramayo’s chirpy youth makes more sense now.
Elrond is beginning to show some interesting signs of character development, and The Rings of Power season 3 will keep this up. Unfortunately, Charles Edwards’ role in the show is over, but Aramayo’s is only just beginning. Celebrimbor died at the end of The Rings of Power season 2, as per his story in The Silmarillion. Elrond, on the other hand, is gearing up to become one of the only three bearers of Elven-rings in Middle-earth and one of Middle-earth’s most powerful leaders. Recent showrunner comments highlight how Aramayo’s casting plays into his character development.
Elrond’s Youth And Optimism Are There To Be Broken In Rings Of Power
Elrond’s Chirpiness Will Fade In The Rings Of Power 
Showrunners of Amazon Prime Video’s The Rings of Power, J.D. Payne and Patrick Mckay, spoke out on Elrond’s casting choice and offered some clarity on their reasoning. Speaking to Rings and Realms, they confirmed that Elrond’s youthful and optimistic aura is there to be broken. This makes more sense than this aura being there to stay. McKay commented, “We cast him to play the most optimistic character in the show,” describing the version of Elrond that they created for The Rings of Power season 1. However, this optimism will fade.
The showrunners stated, “We’re going to take him on a journey, we’re going to break him because that’s the story of Elrond.” This clarifies that the peppy young Elrond portrayed by Robert Aramayo will fade into the miserable, powerful, elegant specter that he is in the Third Age in the book and movies. The Rings of Power season 2 built on its optimistic Elrond but started breaking him down with the Siege of Eregion. The contrast between Elrond at the start of the show and Elrond by the end of it will make his fall into despair more powerful.
Elrond Is A Tragic Figure That Loses Everything In Lord Of The Rings
Elrond Is Stoic But Tragic Underneath His Strength
Elrond may seem stoic in The Lord of the Rings, but this is the veneer of all the ancient Eldar still remaining in Middle-earth, and the truth of his interior landscape is difficult. As Patrick McKay rightly commented to Rings and Realms, “That’s the story of Elrond, he’s this incredible force for good who loses everything.” Despite sharing a bold (and non-canonical) kiss with Galadriel in The Rings of Power season 2, Elrond’s bravado won’t last for much longer. Elrond’s part in the Siege of Eregion started his troubles, already beginning Aramayo’s apt character development.
Tolkienian Age
Event Marking The Start
Years
Total Length In Solar Years
Before time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Days before Days
The Ainur entered Eä
1 – 3,500 Valian Years
33,537
Pre-First Age Years of the Trees (Y.T.)
Y.T. 1 – 1050
10,061
First Age (F.A.)
Elves awoke in Cuiviénen
Y.T. 1050 – Y.T. 1500, F.A. 1 – 590
4,902
Second Age (S.A.)
The War of Wrath ended
S.A. 1 – 3441
3,441
Third Age (T.A.)
The Last Alliance defeated Sauron
T.A. 1 – 3021
3,021
Fourth Age (Fo.A)
Elven-ring bearers left Middle-earth
Fo.A 1 – unknown
Unknown
By the time the Second Age of Middle-earth ends, Elrond should have a wife, which will make him happy for a while. However, trauma will befall Elrond’s wife, seeing her depart from Middle-earth, leaving Elrond behind. Elrond will have no parents around to support him after he was separated from them by the sack of his childhood home. Although alive, they remain absent. Elrond’s hard life will eventually turn him from bright hope to quiet tenacity, and Aramayo’s youthfulness and joyfulness in season 1 will emphasize this change in the coming seasons of the show.
Casting Celebrían Will Be Key To Elrond’s Journey In Rings Of Power
Celebrían Is Elrond’s Wife In The Lord Of The Rings
Elrond’s wife in Lord of the Rings is called Celebrían, and she has not yet been cast for The Rings of Power, but this will be vital to Elrond’s journey. The Rings of Power’s showrunners confirmed at SDCC that Celeborn will join the show, despite his absence thus far. Celeborn’s appearance in Rings of Power is essential to Celebrían’s because he is her father. Galadriel and Celeborn had Celebrían, who married Elrond and had Arwen. Celebrían needs great chemistry with Elrond for his journey to shine, making good casting key.
Galadriel’s future status as Elrond’s mother-in-law made their kiss in season 2 uncomfortable for some, but it was a fair military ploy, in-universe.
It is true that Celebrían’s traumatic run-in with Orcs is just one small part of Elrond’s tragedy, but Elrond can never be truly “broken” without the desertion of his wife. Celebrían’s choice was more than fair, but Elrond must experience the slow, gradual exit of all those he loves from his life, including Arwen, to become the tragic figure that he really is. It is a relief that most Elves never truly die in Lord of the Rings – hopefully, Elrond will see his parents, wife, and daughter in Valinor. Until then, Aramayo is the perfect actor to show Elrond’s increasing loneliness.
Ring
Title
Gem
Narya
Ring of Fire
Ruby
Gandalf
Nenya
Ring of Water
Adamant
Galadriel
Vilya
Ring of Air
Sapphire
Elrond
Elrond will eventually leave Middle-earth with the other two bearers of the Elven-rings of Power in The Lord of the Rings. This will mark the end of the Third Age, proving the cataclysmic significance of the Three. Elrond’s status as bearer of one of the Three is ahead of him in the show and will be the real turning point for him. Receiving Vilya, Elrond will inherit great power, which will add to his increasing maturity and development into Third Age Elrond. Robert Aramayo is poised to embody this transformation in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
