The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power presented Galadriel as the main character of season 1, for better or worse, but Rings of Power season 2 offers a different focus, which is paying dividends for the show. Morfydd Clark was exceptional as Galadriel, and it would be unwise to begrudge her season 1. Clark’s chemistry with Sauron actor Charlie Vickers captured the hearts of 25 million viewers on the first day of season 1’s release of its first two episodes (via Amazon). Indeed, their connection drove a lot of the show’s opening press and still drives a lot of interest in the show. In fact, it was the prototype for season 2’s focal relationship.

Now that Sauron’s true identity has been revealed, Rings of Power season 2 is free to unleash the villain on its other characters with full transparency. This means viewers get to witness the deception of characters before their very eyes while being in on the con. Letting the audience get close to Sauron in season 1 while his identity was withheld was a genius move in many ways, just close enough to being a dangerous betrayal of Tolkien’s character to be astonishing and just Tolkienian enough to be insightful. Season 2 allows Sauron to embrace his canonical relationships fully – including with Galadriel’s replacement character, Celebrimbor.

Charles Edwards Is Portraying The Rings Of Power’s Conflicted Celebrimbor Perfectly

Charles Edwards Has A Tough Role

As The Rings of Power season 1 finale revealed, Halbrand was actually Sauron. Sauron and Galadriel’s relationship didn’t contradict lore but wasn’t described in it at length either, while the Halbrand persona was an invention of the show. Meanwhile, Sauron’s season 2 Annatar disguise is pulled straight from The Silmarillion, and his manipulation of Celebrimbor even more so.

In portraying his conflict, arrogance, and tragedy, Edwards is creating a fascinating character around which the drama can revolve.

Celebrimbor actor Charles Edwards has his work cut out balancing Celebrimbor’s faith in the Valar (therefore, Annatar) with his own pride, and also with a gut instinct and common sense that tells him to stop and think. This nuance is the key to bringing the show’s story to life, and it’s a balancing act Edwards is successfully managing to pull off. In portraying his conflict, arrogance, and tragedy, Edwards is creating a fascinating character around which the drama can revolve.

Celebrimbor’s Story Is What The Rings Of Power Should’ve Always Been About

Rings Of Power Is Coming Into Its Own

When The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power burst onto screens in 2022, no one quite expected Galadriel’s revenge arc, but Celebrimbor’s corruption arc is just as prophesied by Tolkien’s Second Age material. It can be a nice surprise when adaptations take the story in an unexpected direction, and there was a lot to be said for Galadriel’s hunt for Sauron. It fit the bill in many ways, despite moving the Second Age narrative away from Rings of Power. Galadriel and Sauron’s multilayered relationship now provides an intriguing backdrop for Celebrimbor’s downfall, which is what Tolkien’s story is really about.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Amazon Prime Video, with new episodes out every Thursday.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Second Age narrative is really about Sauron’s rise and the folly of the Elves and Men that allowed it to happen. At its core, the story is a cautionary tale about reaching for life and power beyond what is naturally available, as in the novel The Lord of the Rings. Now that the show is presenting Celebrimbor’s conflict, it can start to really lean into Tolkien’s message – life is sacred without extending it unnaturally. Celebrimbor is now embodying the key themes of the source material more than ever in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, proving himself a worthy Galadriel replacement.