This article contains spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, and were used to his mature and distant melancholy. But Aramayo's chirpy youth makes more sense now.

Elrond is beginning to show some interesting signs of character development, and The Rings of Power season 3 will keep this up. Unfortunately, Charles Edwards' role in the show is over, but Aramayo's is only just beginning. Celebrimbor died at the end of The Rings of Power season 2, as per his story in The Silmarillion. Elrond, on the other hand, is gearing up to become one of the only three bearers of Elven-rings in Middle-earth and one of Middle-earth's most powerful leaders. Recent showrunner comments highlight how Aramayo's casting plays into his character development.

Elrond's Youth And Optimism Are There To Be Broken In Rings Of Power

Elrond's Chirpiness Will Fade In The Rings Of Power

Showrunners of Amazon Prime Video's The Rings of Power, J.D. Payne and Patrick Mckay, spoke out on Elrond's casting choice and offered some clarity on their reasoning. Speaking to The Rings of Power season 1. However, this optimism will fade.

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The showrunners stated, "We're going to take him on a journey, we're going to break him because that's the story of Elrond." This clarifies that the peppy young Elrond portrayed by Robert Aramayo will fade into the miserable, powerful, elegant specter that he is in the Third Age in the book and movies. The Rings of Power season 2 built on its optimistic Elrond but started breaking him down with the Siege of Eregion. The contrast between Elrond at the start of the show and Elrond by the end of it will make his fall into despair more powerful.

Elrond Is A Tragic Figure That Loses Everything In Lord Of The Rings

Elrond Is Stoic But Tragic Underneath His Strength

Robert Aramayo as Elrond looking determined after picking up a ring in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 finale

Elrond may seem stoic in The Lord of the Rings, but this is the veneer of all the ancient Eldar still remaining in Middle-earth, and the truth of his interior landscape is difficult. As Patrick McKay rightly commented to Rings and Realms, "That's the story of Elrond, he's this incredible force for good who loses everything." Despite sharing a bold (and non-canonical) kiss with Galadriel in The Rings of Power season 2, Elrond's bravado won't last for much longer. Elrond's part in the Siege of Eregion started his troubles, already beginning Aramayo's apt character development.

Tolkienian Age

Event Marking The Start

Years

Total Length In Solar Years

Before time

Indeterminate

Indeterminate

Indeterminate

Days before Days

The Ainur entered Eä

1 - 3,500 Valian Years

33,537

Pre-First Age Years of the Trees (Y.T.)

Yavanna created the Two Trees

Y.T. 1 - 1050

10,061

First Age (F.A.)

Elves awoke in Cuiviénen

Y.T. 1050 - Y.T. 1500, F.A. 1 - 590

4,902

Second Age (S.A.)

The War of Wrath ended

S.A. 1 - 3441

3,441

Third Age (T.A.)

The Last Alliance defeated Sauron

T.A. 1 - 3021

3,021

Fourth Age (Fo.A)

Elven-ring bearers left Middle-earth

Fo.A 1 - unknown

Unknown

By the time the Second Age of Middle-earth ends, Elrond should have a wife, which will make him happy for a while. However, trauma will befall Elrond's wife, seeing her depart from Middle-earth, leaving Elrond behind. Elrond will have no parents around to him after he was separated from them by the sack of his childhood home. Although alive, they remain absent. Elrond's hard life will eventually turn him from bright hope to quiet tenacity, and Aramayo's youthfulness and joyfulness in season 1 will emphasize this change in the coming seasons of the show.

Casting Celebrían Will Be Key To Elrond's Journey In Rings Of Power

Celebrían Is Elrond's Wife In The Lord Of The Rings

Elrond (Robert Aramayo) is in shock upon learning that Durin's army will not  them in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 7

Elrond's wife in Lord of the Rings is called Celebrían, and she has not yet been cast for The Rings of Power, but this will be vital to Elrond's journey. The Rings of Power's showrunners confirmed at SDCC that Celeborn will the show, despite his absence thus far. Celeborn's appearance in Rings of Power is essential to Celebrían's because he is her father. Galadriel and Celeborn had Celebrían, who married Elrond and had Arwen. Celebrían needs great chemistry with Elrond for his journey to shine, making good casting key.

Galadriel's future status as Elrond's mother-in-law made their kiss in season 2 uncomfortable for some, but it was a fair military ploy, in-universe.

It is true that Celebrían's traumatic run-in with Orcs is just one small part of Elrond's tragedy, but Elrond can never be truly "broken" without the desertion of his wife. Celebrían's choice was more than fair, but Elrond must experience the slow, gradual exit of all those he loves from his life, including Arwen, to become the tragic figure that he really is. It is a relief that most Elves never truly die in Lord of the Rings - hopefully, Elrond will see his parents, wife, and daughter in Valinor. Until then, Aramayo is the perfect actor to show Elrond's increasing loneliness.

Ring

Title

Gem

Final Bearer

Narya

Ring of Fire

Ruby

Gandalf

Nenya

Ring of Water

Adamant

Galadriel

Vilya

Ring of Air

Sapphire

Elrond

Elrond will eventually leave Middle-earth with the other two bearers of the Elven-rings of Power in The Lord of the Rings. This will mark the end of the Third Age, proving the cataclysmic significance of the Three. Elrond's status as bearer of one of the Three is ahead of him in the show and will be the real turning point for him. Receiving Vilya, Elrond will inherit great power, which will add to his increasing maturity and development into Third Age Elrond. Robert Aramayo is poised to embody this transformation in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

Source: Rings and Realms

Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power Season 2 Poster Showing Charlie Vickers as Sauron

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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Release Date
September 1, 2022
Network
Amazon Prime Video
Showrunner
John D. Payne, Patrick McKay, Louise Hooper, Charlotte Brändström, Wayne Yip

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien's classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.

Directors
J.A. Bayona, Sanaa Hamri
Writers
Patrick McKay, John D. Payne, J.R.R. Tolkien, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, Gennifer Hutchison, Stephany Folsom, Nicholas Adams
Seasons
2
Main Genre
Fantasy