Celebrimbor’s death was among the most tragic moments in The Rings of Power’s finale, and there’s a lot there to unpack. The Amazon Prime Video Lord of the Rings prequel examines a condensed version of J.R.R. Tolkien’s history of the Second Age of Middle-earth. Of course, given the show’s title, the creation of the Rings of Power is the defining event of this age, and demonstrating how Sauron did so was absolutely crucial. His and Celebrimbor’s storyline in season 2 was one of the most important to the show as a whole, and it was handled excellently.

Sauron and Celebrimbor engaged in a game of cat and mouse for the bulk of the eight episodes before The Rings of Power season 2 ending brought it to a close. Taking an Elven form under the guise of Annatar, Sauron manipulated Celebrimbor by convincing him he was sent from the Valar to help heal Middle-earth. What ensued was a fascinating character study of the show and franchise’s main villain, with the ending offering a ton of insight into how Sauron truly thinks and feels.

Why Sauron Kills Celebrimbor

Celebrimbor Goads Sauron By Mocking & Insulting Him

The Rings of Power season 2 finale finds Sauron having already pelted Celebrimbor with arrows, with the Elven smith damaged and weakened on the ground. This allows for their final dialogue exchange, and Celebrimbor begins speaking his mind to Sauron. While he may have ultimately lost their power struggle throughout the season, Celebrimbor now knows Sauron more intimately than practically anyone else, and he knows what makes the Dark Lord tick.

In response to Celebrimbor’s verbal torment, Sauron suggests he can keep the Elven smith alive through various means, extending his torture. At this point, Celebrimbor hopes for death, ready to embrace an expected peace in the afterlife. Sauron threatens him with torture but is eventually overcome by Celebrimbor’s goading and kills him out of anger and emotion.

“Shores Of The Morning:” Where Celebrimbor Goes When He Dies

Celebrimbor Speaks About Entering Valinor After Death

In Celebrimbor’s final scene, he speaks fondly about “Shores of the morning,” considering his course for the afterlife. Elves may be immortal, but their bodies can still die from battle or other means, so Celebrimbor being killed by Sauron sets him on another path from those who traveled West in boats. Elves who die are sent to the Halls of Mandos, where their spirits are assessed before they’re reincarnated and sent to Valinor, the Undying Lands. The Elven soul is what’s immortal, so they can be brought back with new bodies. However, they won’t return to Middle-earth after this.

Celebrimbor Crowns Sauron As The Lord Of The Rings

Celebrimbor Mocks Sauron With The Franchise Title

Celebrimbor’s best dig at Sauron involves him using the franchise’s name, referring to the Dark Lord as the “Lord of the Rings.” While this line is true, it’s also said with a touch of irony. Celebrimbor refers to the fact that Sauron has invested so much of himself (his blood and soul) into these rings that while he may control them, they also control him. This statement acknowledges that Sauron has won and made the Rings of Power as he pleased, but also threatens that they will bring his downfall.

Celebrimbor Predicts The One Ring & Sauron’s Death

Sauron Has Invested Too Much Of Himself Into The Rings

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Sauron’s creation of the One Ring will be a final test of hubris

Celebrimbor’s next zinger is to say, “In the end, I foresee one shall prove your utter ruin.” Sauron may be in control at this moment, but as audiences know from the season’s opener and how Adar betrayed him at the start of the Second Age, defeat is still fresh in his mind. Despite everything, he values and respects Celebrimbor’s thoughts, so for him to essentially predict his death is notably moving for him. And knowing what happens in The Lord of the Rings, he’s absolutely right.

Sauron still hasn’t made the One Ring in The Rings of Power, but he will. Celebrimbor directly tells him that one of the rings will prove to be his downfall, meaning Sauron’s creation of the One Ring will be a final test of hubris. He knows that he’s already invested himself deeply in the 16 rings of Dwarves and Men, and he goes all-in on making the One Ring, binding himself to it. Thousands of years later, the destruction of the One Ring will prove to be the lasting death of Sauron.

Why Sauron Cries After Killing Celebrimbor

Sauron Is Upset With Himself For Losing Control

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After killing Celebrimbor, Sauron has a rare emotional moment where tears begin to flow down his cheeks as the orcs arrive to do his bidding. This is a critical moment for understanding Sauron’s psyche, especially given the conceit he’s displayed all season; demonstrating sorrow feels incredibly off-putting. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter following The Rings of Power season 2 finale, actor Charlie Vickers had this to say about his character:

Sauron needs the rings, yet Celebrimbor wants to die before he tells Sauron where these rings are. And Sauron says, “There are many ways of keeping you alive,” something like that. So he clearly wants to torture him until he finds out, but it’s just like the way Celebrimbor tells him that he’s now a slave to these creations. I think it probably hits home for Sauron, and he loses control and kills him. And I think that makes him really angry and upset, because it’s so un-Sauron to be out of control.

First of all, it’s important to note that Sauron’s tears in this scene weren’t scripted and were something Vickers described as coming naturally to him in the moment. In his statement, he explains why they readjusted the scene surrounding the tears, examining how Sauron is handling the emotion of the scene. Sauron had some respect for Celebrimbor, so there is genuine sorrow in everything that’s happening, but the real emotion comes from his losing control and recklessly killing the Elven smith.

How Celebrimbor Can Come Back In The Rings Of Power Season 3

Sauron Uses Celebrimbor’s Body As A Banner While Waging War On The Elves

After the Siege of Eregion, the war between Sauron and the Elves continues, with the Dark Lord leading his new force of Orcs west to continue attacking Elven territories. In these conquests, he’s described in the books as using Celebrimbor’s physical body as a banner, which is teased by him skewering the Elven smith on a pole to kill him. Other possibilities that aren’t mentioned in Tolkien’s history include Sauron seeing visions of Celebrimbor, or perhaps Celebrimbor existing as some sort of wraith, similar to how he’s portrayed in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor.

How Celebrimbor Dies In The Lord Of The Rings Books

The Rings Of Power Accurately Depicts Celebrimbor’s Death

Custom image by Yailin Chacon

The Rings of Power may have a reputation for making many book changes, but it actually keeps Celebrimbor’s death largely as it’s described in the text. He’s tortured, shot by Sauron wielding a bow and arrow, then hung up on a pole. The main difference in The Rings of Power is that the whereabouts of the rings are different, and Sauron doesn’t seem to have as much desire for the three Elven rings in the TV series. But otherwise, the scene captures the essence of how Tolkien describes Celebrimbor’s death in the books.