Sauron gives Celebrimbor a new stash of mithril in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2, episode 6—but didn’t they run out? The events surrounding the Lord of Eregion are beginning to get rather confusing, between his own mental decline and the illusions created by Sauron. While audiences are privy to much of what is real and what is not, some small details are beginning not to line up. Some of these, such as Sauron (as Annatar) suddenly producing more mithril out of nowhere, may hint at what is really happening in Rings of Power.

So far in Rings of Power season 2, Celebrimbor and Annatar have completed the Seven Dwarf Rings, and the Dark-Lord-in-disguise has been pushing to finish the Nine for Men. However, the effort and resources that went into the existing Rings of Power were extreme, and Sauron has grown increasingly frustrated as obstacles continue to get in his way. In Rings of Power season 2, episode 6, the lack of mithril was the primary issue, so Annatar headed to Khazad-dûm to get more. The problem is that King Durin III was feeling too greedy to share.

Sauron Gives Celebrimbor More Mithril, But The Dwarves Refused To Give Him Any

King Durin III Wouldn’t Trade With Annatar In Episode 6

When an almost exasperated Annatar went to Khazad-dûm to ask for more mithril, he was turned down. King Durin wanted to hold out until the Elves of Eregion were truly desperate since he could then trade the mithril for something far more valuable than the lumber Annatar offered. This meant that the Lord of Gifts had to return to Celebrimbor empty-handed. Despite this, Annatar whipped out a vessel filled with ground mithril and handed it to Celebrimbor after convincing him that the only way forward was with their Nine Rings of Power.

This was a rather abrupt solution to this Rings of Power episode’s big problem, implying that it never was much of an issue to begin with. There’s not much to indicate anything nefarious is going on here, and Celelbrimbor certainly has no reason to think that Annatar hadn’t gotten the mithril from the Dwarves. However, considering the big “no” that King Durin gave, this is a rather confusing change of gears.

Sauron’s New Mithril Is Likely Another Of Celebrimbor’s Hallucinations

Sauron’s Eregion Illusion Hints There Is More Trickery At Work Here

In the scene in which Sauron gave Celebrimbor the mithril in Rings of Power season 2, episode 6, there were far stranger things going on than just this that could provide a clue. Eregion had just fallen under siege by Adar and his Orcs, which left the city in an eerie panic. However, when Celebrimbor went to investigate, Sauron worked a little magic to make the city outside his forge appear peaceful and entirely safe. As the two stood talking in the glorious sunshine surrounded by laughing children, Sauron handed over the mithril and told Celebrimbor what it was.

It’s likely that, just as with the surroundings, the mithril was only an illusion.

It’s likely that, just as with the surroundings, the mithril was only an illusion. Sauron needed Celelbrimbor to get back into the forge and get to work, and assuring the Elf that he had secured mithril was an effective way to do so. The Lord of Eregion was still in the planning stage and wasn’t quite to the point of actually beginning to craft the Nine Rings. So, Sauron might plan to replace the illusion of mithril with the real thing once he finally gets it. Or, perhaps he decided on some other substance to make the Nine with but doesn’t want Celebrimbor to know he did a switch.

Sauron Could Have Stolen The New Mithril From The Dwarves

One Way Or Another, Sauron’s Mithril Surprise Is A Bad Omen

It’s also possible that what Sauron gave Celebrimbor really is mithril. After all, King Durin III is wearing one of Sauron’s Seven, so it might have been relatively easy to pull one over on the dwarf and grab a stash of mithril before leaving Khazad-dûm. The Dark Lord certainly wouldn’t have been above doing so, knowing that Celebrimbor would never be the wiser. Of course, if this is the case, then King Durin III is sure to find out about it. He was holding out on trading mithril, hoping for a better deal, and thievery from someone he perceives to be an Elf of Eregion would be sure to lead to catastrophe.

Whether Sauron’s mithril stash is real or not, his gift to Celebrimbor hints at the conflicts to come. If it was an illusion, then Sauron is likely sneaking something else into the recipe for the Nine. If Annatar stole the mithril, it may set up the centuries of hate that will exist between the Dwarves and Elves going into The Lord of the Rings—an end to the friendship the Doors of Durin represents. Regardless, none of this bodes well for Eregion or Khazad-dûm going forward in Rings of Power.