Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards), in his Sauron (Charlie Vickers) manipulated obsession to create the rings as his magnum opus in The Rings Of Power, inadvertently passes essential lessons on to Sauron, who applies this knowledge to the crafting of the Nine, and the eventual creation of the One Ring. Although these teachings were vital to crafting the One Ring, one specific lesson may have contributed to Sauron’s eternal destruction.

In season 1, episode 2 of The Rings Of Power, Celebrimbor has a conversation with Elrond over Fëanor’s hammer. Fëanor, using this very hammer, crafted the Silmarils (three beautiful jewels that contained the essence of Valinor) by capturing the light of two trees that illuminated the land. Eventually, these stunning gems were stolen by Morgoth (the greatest of the Ainur), leading to their attempted recovery in the War of the Jewels. Elrond comments on the pain caused by such beauty, and Celebrimbor states that “true creation requires sacrifice.” It’s this line that holds the key to Sauron’s destruction.

Celebrimbor Accidentally Taught Sauron That True Creation Requires Sacrifice

Custom image by Nick Bythrow

Celebrimbor’s process of creating the Rings of Power centers around the concept of sacrifice. When crafting the Three Rings of the Elves, Galadriel (Morfydd Clarck) is required to sacrifice her brother Finrod’s blade to enhance the mithril. Celebrimbor also pours all his efforts and purpose into crafting his masterwork, the Rings of Power, an act similar to that of Fëanor in the crafting of the Silmarils.

Sauron quotes back to Celebrimbor that true creation requires sacrifice, leading to Sauron putting his own blood into the Nine.

Sauron, standing by the side of Celebrimbor and intently observing the master smith’s work, gleaned these very lessons. In season 2, episode 7, Sauron quotes back to Celebrimbor that true creation requires sacrifice, leading to Sauron putting his own blood into the Nine. This helped him exercise control and ultimately meant his dreams of Middle-earth conquest could become a reality. However, it also intrinsically bound his fate to the fate of the rings – something that would eventually be used to destroy him for good.

Did Celebrimbor Actually Save Middle-earth In The Rings Of Power?

In Tolkien’s The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring, Gandalf tells Frodo of the One Ring, and how Sauron poured much of his former power into it. Sauron, learning the lesson of creation and sacrifice from Celebrimbor, placed much of his own power into the ring, ushering in his control over the other Rings of Power (the three rings of the Elves excluded) and Middle-earth. This act, however, contained his power into a single object that, once destroyed, would, in return, end him. Had it not been for Celebrimbor’s advice, it’s doubtful Sauron would have taken such a step that ended up holding the key to his defeat.

During Celebrimbor’s conversation with Elrond over Fëanor’s hammer, he mentions that Fëanor’s work nearly turned the heart of Morgoth himself. Celebrimbor then questions what his own work has ever accomplished. In the end, although Celebrimbor’s creation caused great destruction and sacrifice, it ultimately brought about the means of Sauron’s downfall, leading to a long period of beauty and peace throughout Middle-earth. It may have been accidental, but Celebrimbor’s message about creation in The Rings of Power influenced everything that would follow in The Lord of the Rings‘ story.