When die-hard fans of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings learned that Prime Video would be creating a prequel series, The Rings of Power, detailing the events of the Second Age of Middle-earth, most were ecstatic, despite some reservations about the adaptation. While this does not necessarily impede the renewal of The Rings of Power, avid fans of Tolkien’s writings are still confused regarding certain crucial events from the books.

The Rings of Power, adapted from the appendices (outlining Tolkien’s imagined history) of The Lord of the Rings novel, is set thousands of years before the events of the trilogy and primarily focuses on the emergence of the rings. However, we’ve only seen three Elven rings in Season 1. Despite being a great series in terms of visual storytelling, The Rings of Power fails to please The Lord of the Rings lore enthusiasts, who seem to notice several changes to the original text.

In particular, the mysterious disappearance of Celeborn, Galadriel’s husband, has yet to be disclosed, which, in a way, contradicts the canon, given the way the plot is currently progressing. This brings us to the main question: what exactly happened to Celeborn in The Rings of Power? More importantly, does the story even follow Tolkien’s writings as far as Celeborn’s existence is concerned?

Is Celeborn Dead in The Rings of Power?

Celeborn’s fate is one of the most discussed topics in The Rings of Power fandom, with many questioning if the canon elf lord of Lothlorien is dead. Thus far in the series, we haven’t seen Celeborn, except for the fact that Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) mentioned him during the seventh episode of the first season, “The Eye,” when the eruption of Orodruin (the volcanic mountain now known as Mount Doom) forces the remaining survivors to seek refuge.

Throughout the episode, Galadriel wanders the deformed terrain with Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin), who strikes up a conversation with her, asking if she has ever lost anybody to Morgoth and Sauron (Charlie Vickers). As she shares the apparent death of her brother, Finrod (Will Fletcher), she also drops a major hint about how the darkness took away her husband, Celeborn. However, Galadriel has not seen Celeborn since he left for war, and she may assume that he is dead after all these years. However, like any project, if you don’t see a body, presume it’s alive, especially in fantasy films and TV series that play around with the concept of immortality.

Speaking of immortality, J.R.R. Tolkien specifically stated in his writings that Elves are immortal, further highlighted in The Silmarillion, a compilation of myths and legends from The Lord of the Rings partly written and edited by his son, Christopher Tolkien. According to The Silmarillion, when the Elven spirit, known as fëa, is separated from the body, it proceeds to the “Halls of Mandos,” where it will be reborn with a new, identical body. However, this scenario depends on whether they wish to regain their physical form.

So, even if Celeborn is physically killed in his battle against Sauron, he is unlikely to die in the Second Age. Furthermore, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, set during the Third Age, confirms that Galadriel met Celeborn after the War of the Elves and Sauron. This adds another perspective on the subject, with The Rings of Power squarely contradicting the iconic trilogy if Celeborn is to die permanently.

How Does Celeborn’s Story Compare Between the Series and the Books?

It’s hardly surprising that The Rings of Power hasn’t been entirely faithful to the novels, both in terms of lore and characters. This is partly because very little has been written in detail concerning the Second Age, prompting the series to draw inspiration from Appendix B, “Tale of Years,” as well as other Appendices of The Lord of the Rings. However, Galadriel’s claim about losing Celeborn is one thing you would not see in the original books.

To be more specific, Celeborn, born as a Sindarin prince of Doriath, married Galadriel during the First Age, albeit both played minor roles in this era. During the Second Age, they conceive a daughter named Celebrian, who has yet to appear in The Rings of Power. The family eventually travels to Eregion, ruled by Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards), grandson of Fëanor and distant half-cousin of Galadriel, and stays there for a while. However, the pair part ways for the time being, with Galadriel deciding to relocate to Khazad-dum, where the Wood-elves reside, and Celeborn remaining in Eregion because of his enmity with them.

According to Tolkien’s writings, Celeborn may have been in this region at the same time when Sauron deceives Celebrimbor into forging the Rings of Power. Surprisingly, Prime Video’s series changes the order in which the rings are created since they are supposed to end with the three Elven rings rather than start with them. It should be emphasized that The Rings of Power may continue to alter several key events from the original books, including Celeborn’s existence during this period.

Having said that, after the War of the Elves and Sauron is over, Galadriel reunites with her significant other to journey again and find a place where they can live peacefully as a family. This concludes Celeborn’s part in the Second Age, but the writers of The Rings of Power seem to have a completely different idea. By establishing Celeborn’s potential death, they are changing the entire mythology of Tolkien’s writings and contradicting the character’s appearance in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Will Celeborn Ever Appear in The Rings of Power?

Since The Rings of Power has yet to introduce Celeborn into the story, it is too soon to speculate on his role in future events, that is, assuming he will return. Even though Galadriel clearly states that she lost her husband after he left for war, she never really saw his body. If he is, in fact, alive, there is the likelihood that we will see Celeborn in the forthcoming episodes or seasons, with the writers building up to a huge reveal.

On the other hand, fan theories suggest that Celeborn may have been held captive by Sauron and would either reunite with Galadriel in the future or become a wanderer similar to The Stranger (Daniel Weyman), with no memory of his past whatsoever. In any case, given the current course of The Rings of Power, it is too early to know what Celeborn’s fate will look like, and with five seasons planned, there is plenty of time to bring him back. The Rings of Power is now streaming on Prime Video.