Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 1, episode 7.Lord of the Rings fans have taken to social media to express their disappointment with how the latest episode of liberties being taken with official Tolkien canon.
In the penultimate episode of season one, Morfydd Clark’s Galadriel finally addressed the whereabouts of her husband Celeborn. In Tolkien lore, Celeborn and Galadriel met during the First Age of Middle-earth, and would eventually depart for the Undying Lands together at the end of the Third Age. Yet, while wandering the desolated Southlands with Theo in the wake of the eruption of Mount Doom in episode 6, Galadriel is asked if she has ever lost anyone close to her. She replies by naming her brother Finrod, and, surprisingly, her husband Celeborn whom she explained that she has not seen since the war against Morgoth.
With the latest episode implying that Galadriel believes her husband to be long dead, several fans were quick to take to social media to express their incredulity over the show's controversial move. While some fans took issue with what Celeborn's death would mean for Tolkien canon, others were just as quick to point out that his character could not possibly be dead. Check out some of the responses below:
Is Celeborn Dead In The Rings of Power?
While Galadriel may seem to believe that her husband is dead, the decision to kill off his character would mark a major departure from Tolkien lore with serious implications for future continuity. While The Rings of Power has taken the liberty of inventing several new characters throughout its first season, such as Charlie Vickers’ Halbrand and Ismael Cruz Córdova’s Arondir, the decision to kill off an original Tolkien character in direct contradiction of the established lore seems like an unlikely move from Amazon. Instead, it is probably far more likely that Celeborn has been lost or imprisoned and his reunion with Galadriel will serve as a major plot point for a future season.
Moreover, having Celeborn’s continued presence revealed to Galadriel offers the show’s creative team an interesting way to further complicate her evolving relationship with Halbrand. With the previous episodes already teasing the possibility of romance between the unlikely pair, Celeborn’s sudden return could potentially be used for strong dramatic effect. Meanwhile, fans will be waiting to see what other reveals are coming their way in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season one finale coming on October 14.
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