The Rings of Power chugs into its second season with an expanded role for Charles Edwards’ Celebrimbor (pronounced with a hard C). Though still a supporting role in the Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Sauron (mostly Charlie Vickers) love train, the quaffed Elven smith responsible for the titular rings of power steals the show as he becomes the sassiest elf this side of The Sundering Seas—and I cannot get enough.
As the elves come to terms with the deceit of Halbrand (a.k.a. Sauron), Celebrimbor is left to stew in Eregion, unaware that the sexy smith who helped him forge the three rings of power is, in fact, The Dark Lord. Stew he does, sashaying through his forge in glittering robes with a series of indignant looks at his underlings and foppish quips.
Elves in adaptations of The Lord of the Rings are an odd bunch. For the most part, thanks to Peter Jackson, treated as superheroes with Orlando Bloom’s Legolas in particular cast as a shield-surfing, Mûmakil-murdering super-elf despite being essentially useless in Tolkien’s novel. It’s something The Rings of Power maintained in Season 1, particularly in Galadriel’s fight choreography. In its sophomore season, Edwards gives a far more appropriate performance.
Tolkien’s elves are not so far removed from men in the books—least of all the men of Númenor. Yet, they are haughty and aloof, even sarcastic, in the face of mortals and their transient concerns. It’s something that Edwards captures with aplomb in ways that other elven actors perhaps do not.
Clark is as menacing and intense as last season as Galadriel, while Cirdan (Ben Daniels) gives Elrond (Robert Aramayo) an uncomfortable lecture on Death of the Author as it applies to Sauron while shaving with a seashell. All while Celebrimbor writes Gil-Galad (Benjamin Walker) a b—hy letter about closing his forge because people are being mean about his rings. He acts hard to get to Halbrand just because Galadriel told him to—and who of us haven’t iced someone out for a friend?—and even has this c–ty (also with a hard C) little umbrella he forces some elf to carry around, though it does nothing to keep him dry.
Elves are already divas in Tolkien’s work, but Celebrimbor is taking it to new and welcome levels in an otherwise tepid start to Season 2. Yet, for all the joy of watching Edwards tear it up with arrant indignation, I cannot stop thinking about his umbrella b—h. Is that his entire role in Eregion? Does that elf’s immortal life revolve around waiting for it to rain so he can carry a tiny umbrella around for his boss? Imagine being one of the few beings blessed to have seen the light of the Trees of Valinor and your eternity is spent holding an ineffective umbrella over a dude who is so insecure about being the grandson of the greatest smith in history that he shacks up with the devil’s best friend.
That said, that umbrella appears in a pivotal moment in the series. Celebrimbor is about to welcome Sauron, as Annatar, into his confidence once again. It’s a decision that will lead to the diminishing of the elves, the forging of the rings that will create the Ringwraiths, and the events of The Lord of the Rings. That I’m distracted by Celehimbo’s brolly-boy is certainly a me problem, but it’s also indicative of how the excellent production is consistently overshadowing the lackluster narrative of The Rings of Power.
Stretched over so much time—and we have a short battle stretched over three episodes to look forward to later—Sauron’s entrance into Eregion is entirely overshadowed by an extra and Celebrimbor sashaying through his courtyard. It’s great, Charles Edwards is relishing his bigger role, but loath as I am to say it, it may not be enough to save The Rings of Power.
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