Charles Edwards as Celebrimbor looking sad while impaled on a spear and arrows sticking out of him in The Rings of Power season 2 finale

Celebrimbor may have died in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2, but this isn’t the last we will see of his character. The Lord of Eregion was a primary feature of the Prime Video show and faced a tragic and brutal death in the season finale. Unfortunately, this means he will no longer be a character of interest for Rings of Power‘s remaining three seasons. His time as Sauron’s plaything is over, but Tolkien’s Second Age story dictates that Celebrimbor will make one last appearance in Rings of Power season 3—but it won’t be pretty.

Sauron played Celebrimbor like a fool in Rings of Power season 2, manipulating the expert smith into making the titular Rings to his own design. In the end, however, Celebrimbor held his own, ultimately succeeding in getting the Nine Rings for Men out of Eregion and holding up against Sauron’s torture to discover their location. The Elf served Sauron some biting words in his final moment, telling the Dark Lord that the Rings he brought into being would be his downfall (an entirely accurate prophecy). In a rage, Sauron killed his “friend,” but this isn’t likely the end of his revenge in Rings of Power.

Celebrimbor’s Corpse Will Return In The Rings Of Power Season 3

Sauron Isn’t Done With Celebrimbor

Sauron impales Celebrimbor and kills him in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 8

In Tolkien’s account of the follow-up to the Siege of Eregion, Sauron uses Celebrimbor’s corpse as a banner as his army marches to the Grey Havens for their next attack. The Elf’s body poked full of arrows, will hang from a pole and be lifted above the heads of the Orcs so that all those in the defending army can see Sauron’s evil deed. While it’s unclear whether a march for the Grey Havens will begin in Rings of Power season 3, it seems likely that the Prime Video series will incorporate this gruesome event into the coming episodes. It’s a notoriously dark, albeit iconic, Middle-earth moment.

Marching directly for the Grey Havens may be a strange move for Sauron in Rings of Power ‘s version of events. So, Celebrimbor’s corpse may instead be used as a banner as the Orcs march back to Mordor – or mounted above Eregion as a reminder of what happened there.

The Rings Of Power Season 2’s Ending Already Took A Big Step Toward Celebrimbor’s Corpse Scene

Sauron & Celebrimbor’s Relationship Will Have A Lasting Impact

Charlie Vickers as Sauron crying in Rings of Power season 2 finale with Celembrimbor woundedCustom image by TC Phillips

Rings of Power season 2 already began to set up Celebrimbor’s fate as Sauron’s bloody banner. Though a bit different from how Tolkien described it, Celebrimbor’s death involved being tortured by Sauron and struck with several arrows before being speared and raised above the Dark Lord’s head. The Elf’s corpse is destined to remain full of arrows as it is hung above the Orc army. What’s more, Rings of Power has managed to make this horrible moment all the more bitter since the relationship between Sauron and Celebrimbor was explored in further depth.

Though incapable of being a real friend, Sauron was disappointed by Celebrimbor’s rejection in the end and stung by the Elf’s prophecy regarding his downfall.

Tolkien stated in The Silmarillion and the Appendix of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King that Annatar deceived Celebrimbor, but Rings of Power dove much deeper. The friendship formed here was personal and evolved despite Celebrimbor’s secret knowledge that things weren’t quite right. Though incapable of being a real friend, Sauron was disappointed by Celebrimbor’s rejection in the end and stung by the Elf’s prophecy regarding his downfall. This rage leading to Sauron’s grotesque treatment of Celebrimbor’s corpse will make the end of this era in Rings of Power far more impactful.