Celeborn Can’t Catch A Break — Why He’s Missing From Lord Of The Rings & Rings Of Power
The high Elf king Celeborn is a notable figure in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Legendarium; but despite his stature, he only appeared briefly in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and has yet to appear at all in Amazon’s The Rings of Power. One of the wisest Elves to have ever lived, the Lord of the Wood Elf kingdom of Lothlórien, and husband to Galadriel, Celeborn is one of the most powerful figures in Tolkien’s universe. He’s been present at nearly all the major events to take place in Arda, or the Earth, as it is known in Tolkien’s stories.
In the premiere of The Rings of Power, the shadow of Morgoth is briefly seen as the Valar descends upon the Two Trees, one of the few times the First Age of the Legendarium is referenced in the TV show. Celeborn was a grown Elf all the way back in those early years of the Earth’s creation, so he’s seen nearly all the history of the world. He married Galadriel sometime in those millennia and the two have been together ever since. The strength of their union makes it all the stranger that he has barely figured into either the major movie or TV adaptations.
Some Of Celeborn’s Scenes Were Cut In The Lord Of The Rings Movies
That isn’t to say that Celeborn doesn’t appear at all in The Lord of the Rings adaptations. He does make a very brief appearance in Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King, both times played by Marton Csokas. In the first film, he appears alongside Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) when the fellowship arrives at Lothlórien and inquires about the status of Gandalf (Ian McKellan). In the extended version, he also offers a dagger to Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) when the fellowship departs from Lothlórien.
He also appears at the end of The Return of the King, welcoming Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Bilbo (Ian Holm) to the docks at the Grey Havens. Celeborn was supposed to appear in The Two Towers to meet with Elrond (Hugo Weaving). The scene ended up being cut due to time restrictions (via CBR). While Celeborn is an important part of the fabric of Tolkien’s world, having much more of him in the movies would be unnecessary. Galadriel and Elrond provide the necessary “wise” Elven parts of the film. Having a third important lofty figure would be unwieldy.
Galadriel Believes Celeborn To Be Dead In The Rings Of Power
Celeborn has not appeared at all in The Rings of Power. While Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) stars in the series, her husband has yet to make an appearance, though he is referenced. In season 1, episode 7, “The Eye”, Galadriel mentions that she has not seen Celeborn since he fought in the War of the Great Jewels, an Age before. She presumes he’s dead. The Rings of Power has played fast and loose with the official Tolkien timeline of events, so just because Celeborn is alive in the official history, he could still be dead in the show.
Celeborn is a major figure in the Second Age of Middle-Earth when The Rings of Power takes place.
However, it’s just as possible that he’s alive and Celeborn will make his debut in season 3. Celeborn is a major figure in the Second Age of Middle-Earth when The Rings of Power takes place. He leads Elvish forces alongside Elrond to confront Sauron after the Rings are forged, but he’s defeated and has to retreat. Later, he is one of the leaders during the War of the Last Alliance, the battle shown in the prologue of Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring. If The Rings of Power ends on that battle as some expect, Celeborn will likely be there.
