In The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2, fans are witnessing the full game that Sauron played in Middle-earth’s past. It’s rewriting J. R. R. Tolkien’s lore, expanding the story of his shape-shifting to Annatar. This allows him to work in a different form at the Eregion Forge and make the mystical rings.

Ironically, Season 2 confirms the most irredeemable character in the show isn’t Sauron, but the master Elven forger, Celebrimbor. There’s also a huge reason why Celebrimbor is to blame for what transpired down the line with the One Ring, no matter how evil Sauron is.

Rings of Power Confirms Celebrimbor Knows of Sauron’s Manipulation

Celebrimbor Keeps Making Evil Rings Against His Better Judgment

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Celebrimbor is accosted by Durin IV in Rings of Power Season 2. He’s told that the ring King Durin III is wearing is corrupting him. Celebrimbor addresses the issue with Annatar, and admits he knows that Annatar — as “Lord of Gifts” — has been manipulating him. There is mind-reading and manipulation at play.

Celebrimbor can tell he’s a puppet on a string, making rings that spell doom and gloom. Yet he doesn’t kick Annatar out of the Forge. Nor does he let the other Elves know they have a sinister person in their midst. Instead, Celebrimbor leaves Annatar to make the rings for Men on his own. It’s his shop, so he should be doing more than just downing tools. The fact he lets Annatar go off on his own and work with his minions speaks to how Celebrimbor wanted to see the end result.

Celebrimbor’s Actor Profile

Actor Name
Charles Edwards

Date of Birth
Oct. 1, 1969

Place of Birth
Surrey, England

Notable Movies
Batman Begins, The Witches

Notable TV Shows
The Terror, The Crown

Even after watching a student transported to the invisible realm by a ring, Celebrimbor doesn’t stop the project. Deep down, he wants to learn more. It speaks to his curiosity about the arts, but there is arrogance at play. Celebrimbor enables the villain at a time when he poses a major threat to Middle-earth in both the present, but in the future as well.

Rings of Power Has Celebrimbor Wanting to Outdo Sauron

Celebrimbor’s Ego Keeps Sauron’s Plan in Play

Part of Celebrimbor’s ego is hurt by not being able to perfect the rings, which makes this endeavor a vanity project. He is disappointed when Sauron admits Celebrimbor’s lies corrupted Durin’s ring. It’s worth noting that Celebrimbor sent word to his king, Gil-galad, that the Forge was down, and Sauron confesses this lie poisoned the metallurgy.

Celebrimbor grows jealous at seeing Sauron’s group working on making the process as pure as possible. He intervenes and takes the bait when Annatar says they need to finish all the rings together to counter the mistakes of old. It’s not logical as lies haven’t been erased. In fact, they’re growing bigger by the melt, but Celebrimbor wants to be the one to crack the code. His apprentices cannot outdo him, and he is obsessed with earning the mantle Annatar bestowed upon him: the Lord of the Rings.

It’s reckless and selfish, as Celebrimbor understands his failures will seed out evil and destruction. But he perseveres because he wants recognition. Sauron plays him like a fiddle, which is true to his very nature. Celebrimbor, however, is supposed to be a hero and an Elf with sense. Instead, he comes off like a child, allowing Sauron to use him like an instrument. Ultimately, the master forger ignores all red flags, which will inevitably lay the foundation for all the death and carnage that will unlease during the Sauron and the One Ring saga.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power streams Thursdays on Prime Video.