Why is Celebrimbor evil?
Celebrimbor was once revered among Elven smiths. As the grandson of the great Fëanor who created the Silmarils, Celebrimbor inherited exceptional crafting abilities. He helped forge the legendary Rings of Power, meant to preserve and protect Middle-earth. So how did such a gifted and noble Elf become a vengeful wraith consumed by power?
Deceived By Sauron‘s Lies
When the mysterious figure Annatar came offering knowledge, Celebrimbor welcomed him to the Elven smithy of Eregion. Believing Annatar‘s intent was good, Celebrimbor freely collaborated with him in crafting the Rings of Power. He did not know Annatar‘s true identity – Sauron, the Dark Lord himself.
Sauron manipulated and seduced Celebrimbor into crafting the Rings of Power, all the while sneakily forging his own in the fires of Mount Doom.
Source: Nerdist – Lord of the Rings Timeline
By the time Celebrimbor uncovered Sauron‘s deception, it was too late. Not only had Celebrimbor been tricked, but working so closely with Sauron meantexposure to his evil influence – the insidious power of ring lore itself.
Rings Of Power Corrupted Celebrimbor
The Rings of Power were never meant for evil ends, but prolonged exposure to their magic affected even their maker Celebrimbor. We see a similar corruption take place with Sméagol and Frodo when they carry the One Ring.
| Character | Effect of Ring Exposure |
|---|---|
| Sméagol | Corrupted into alter ego Gollum after owning the One Ring for centuries |
| Frodo | Grows increasingly obsessed with the One Ring despite resistance to its influence |
| Celebrimbor | Devolves from a gifted Elf into a vengeful wraith bent on domination |
Celebrimbor‘s obsession with crafting the Rings made him vulnerable to their sinister manipulation. By the time he resisted Sauron, the damage was already done – the noble smith‘s spirit irrevocably corrupted.
Betrayed And Killed By Sauron
Enraged at Celebrimbor‘s defiance, Sauron unleashed his wrath:
In revenge, Sauron murdered Celebrimbor‘s family before his eyes, then killed Celebrimbor with his own smithing hammer.
Source: IGN – Middle-earth: Shadow of War
But Celebrimbor‘s torment did not end there. His spirit refused to pass into the afterlife, instead enduring as a vengeful wraith filled with hatred:
This caused Celebrimbor to become a Wraith, a spirit of vengeance, forsaking the Halls of Mandos and dooming himself to an eternity in Mordor until the One Ring was destroyed.
Source: ShadowofWar Fandom Wiki
The Birth Of An Evil Wraith
Having suffered such cruelty, Celebrimbor‘s once pure spirit shattered completely. Consumed by bitterness and his warped ambition of vengeance, he became obsessed with gathering power to raise his own empire.
Thus the noble Elf who helped forge the Rings transform into the ruthless undead wraith known as the Bright Lord – cruel and merciless as the enemy he hates:
Consumed by hatred and a twisted desire for vengeance, undead Celebrimbor sought to gather power to replace Sauron as the "Bright Lord" of Middle-earth.
This echoes the paths of fallen heroes like Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars, who believed the ends justified their cruel means. Corrupted by forces beyond their control, their moral decay led to evil.
So Celebrimbor is evil because circumstances left his noble spirit broken and corrupted. His desire to punish Sauron is understandable, but his ruthless ambition to become the next Dark Lord himself makes him a dangerous threat.
The once renowned Elven smith Celebrimbor lived long enough to become the very evil he despised – a wraith as cruel and power-mad as the master he seeks to destroy. His story stands as a warning on how even the best can fall when deception and corruption poisons them to the core.
