Galadriel’s husband in Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, explained

A lot of people like Theo, the rambunctious Middle-earth scamp from Middle-earth, who is a bit crazy, The Lord of the Rings – The Rings of PowerOne key reveal in episode 7 is shocking to viewers: Galadriel now has a husband. As a true husband, they exchange vows and sign the papers.

You can be forgiven for not knowing about his existence, or even knowing that he’d be around (SomewhereLike so many others, he is also a smuggler. Rings of Power’s narrative) during the events of the show. Celeborn doesn’t do much in J.R.R. Tolkien’s history. He’s a character who is so boring that Tolkien basically forgot to write him.

Galadriel and him met after Valinor left. They fell in love, married, then continued to have a lot of drama throughout the First Age. There’s no canonical basis for him going to war — mostly he and Galadriel just traveled around leading different groups of elves and eventually settled in Lothlórien until after the War of the Ring.

That’s it! That’s the whole bit of his lore. And while it’s absolutely possible that The Rings of PowerAlthough Celeborn may be made to appear more like a character on the screen, Polygon does not want him to remain an obscure figure. He deserves to be known for what he is — Mr. Galadriel — and also some goofy ideas about how he earned the moniker.

Celeborn isn’t just any guy

Later in life Tolkien experimented with a big retcon that would have made Celeborn into a Noldorin elf like Galadriel — another shiny high elf born in heaven. But I like Celeborn’s origins as they made it into The Silmarillion: He’s just some wood elf (OK, he’s related to some important people or whatever) that Galadriel decided was hers now. He never does anything in canon, except the occasional diplomatic mission outside of Lothlórien. In modern times he’s perhaps most memorable as the guy who says, “Tell me, where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him,” in the “They’re Taking the Hobbits to Isengard” viral video.

It’s a great idea. —Susana Polo

Celeborn’s a hardworking elf who changed the game

You know the reason we don’t see Celeborn in The Rings of Power? Because he’s a self-made man, a rich guy who’s off living life after making his money the old-fashioned way: inventing tree houses. What are the Keebler Elfs? He is their entire company.

So while his wife is off on her passion project (stopping the dark lord and his promised armageddon), he’s off donating to charitable elven causes, waiting for his wife to come home so he can continue to support her in all her endeavors and start their elf family someday like the dutiful, loaded, off-screen husband he is. He’s not as powerful as his wife, but he has other uses. This is Middle-earth’s Army Wives and he is Sterling K. Brown, is what I’m saying. —Zosha Millman

Celeborn actually is the Dark Lord Sauron, so why not?

Galadriel’s husband grew up a great craftsman and an elf of virtue, with a great love for the perfect things in life. However, his path to corruption and darkness led him to follow the Morgoth line, betraying Valar.

That’s right — Galadriel’s husband is Sauron. You are so pretty! Twisted, isn’t it??? That’s two mysteries solved in one. I await my check, Amazon. —Pete Volk

Celeborn’s a party animal who loves to call himself “Tom Bombadil”

I’m not saying Celeborn has a problem, I’m just saying he really loves appletinis and when he has a few too many appletinis he really loves to put on a big blue hat and dance around on bartops. I don’t blame him or Galadriel — it was really fun shtick in college. And I don’t blame Galadriel for going off and doing her own thing, either. She knows her priorities. Celeborn can fuck about with his “Hey dol! Merry dol!” chants. I believe he cheated on Goldberry by the Third Age. The heart is a fiend, so it’s possible that he would have been with Galadriel if there were limits. —Matt Patches