In watching The Rings of Power on Amazon, I was captivated by a pivotal moment that echoed the deeper, timeless themes J.R.R. Tolkien wove into his legendarium. In the scene, Celebrimbor, who now realizes Annatar is truly the Dark Lord Sauron, tries to protect the Rings of Men by hiding them. He tells Galadriel that he will stay behind to distract Sauron, giving her a chance to escape with the Rings. At this crucial juncture, Celebrimbor, once seduced by darkness, shares profound words that will not only shape Galadriel’s actions but will resonate throughout the future of Middle-earth. His wisdom, rooted in enduring truths, foreshadows the aid that Frodo Baggins, the unlikely hero, will later receive.
In this moment, Celebrimbor speaks a truth that will one day find its way to Frodo. His words are a testament to the belief that it is not through might, but through hope, love, and light, that the greatest darkness can be overcome. These intangible virtues are more powerful than any weapon or strength. Later, this same light, symbolized by the phial Galadriel gifts to Frodo, will illuminate his path when all other lights seem to fade, helping him when his strength alone would have failed.
Eregion is in ruins, reduced to ash as Galadriel laments her failure, apologizing to Celebrimbor for bringing Sauron into their midst. “I am sorry I brought him here. I’m sorry I was not stronger,” she confesses. But Celebrimbor, standing amidst the destruction and death of everything he has known, offers a greater truth. He tells her, “Neither of us were strong enough. There might not be anyone in Middle-earth who is. But perhaps the elves need only remember that it is not strength that overcomes darkness, but light. Armies may rise, hearts may fail, yet still light endures, and is mightier than strength. For in its presence, all darkness must flee.”
This message is more than just an acknowledgment of physical weakness; it is a profound spiritual truth. In Tolkien’s world, much like in the Christian faith, darkness cannot be defeated by brute force or strength alone. Rather, it is the presence of light—symbolic of grace, hope, and divine love—that dispels evil. Galadriel will carry Celebrimbor’s words with her throughout the ages. She will recall them when, thousands of years later, she meets Frodo Baggins, the bearer of the One Ring. When the darkness of Sauron once again threatens to engulf Middle-earth, Galadriel does not give Frodo a weapon to fight with. She gives him light—specifically, the Phial of Galadriel, which contains the light of Eärendil’s star. “May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out,” she says, echoing Celebrimbor’s ancient wisdom.
This scene is a powerful reflection of a core truth in Christianity. The Bible tells us in John 1:5 that “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Just as the light of Eärendil pierces the darkness for Frodo, so too does the light of Christ shine in a world darkened by sin. Darkness, no matter how strong it may seem, cannot stand against the light. In Tolkien’s world, the darkness of Sauron and Morgoth seeks to snuff out all light, just as sin seeks to overwhelm humanity. Yet, like Celebrimbor’s wisdom and the light of the Elves, Christians believe that Christ is the light of the world, and His light is far more powerful than any force of darkness.
Galadriel’s journey is also a reflection of the Christian theme of redemption. Throughout much of Tolkien’s work, Galadriel has struggled with her own pride, her desire for power, and her rejection of the light of Valinor. She, like all of us, has been tempted by darkness. In the same way that humans in Christian teaching are fallen, Galadriel turned away from the light for a time. But in this moment with Celebrimbor, she is reminded that redemption is not found in strength or power but in the light—a light that transcends all darkness. And years later, she will pass this understanding on to Frodo, just as Christ passed on His light to His followers, instructing them to be “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).
Ultimately, the theme of light versus darkness that permeates The Lord of the Rings mirrors the biblical narrative of Christ’s triumph over sin and death. In Tolkien’s mythology, Morgoth, the original Dark Lord, sought to extinguish the light of the world. He even tried to destroy the great lamps created by the Valar to bring light to Middle-earth. This echoes the biblical story of Satan, the adversary, who seeks to corrupt and darken God’s creation. Yet, just as Fëanor captured the light of the Two Trees in the Silmarils, preserving it for future generations, so too did God’s light remain present in the world, even after the fall.
Galadriel, who once fled from the light, is eventually able to embrace it. When she meets Frodo, she is no longer the same elf who was consumed by hatred and ambition. She has learned, through the wisdom passed down from Celebrimbor and her own journey, that it is not power or strength that will save Middle-earth—it is the enduring light of hope. In the same way, the Christian message teaches that salvation is not achieved through human effort or might but through the grace of God, who is Himself light.
Celebrimbor’s words, passed down through Galadriel, remind us of a truth that Tolkien infused into his work: darkness cannot overcome light. It is not by strength or power that evil is defeated, but by the enduring, unquenchable light of love and hope. This light, which guided Frodo in his darkest moments, is a reflection of the ultimate light—the light of Christ, which shines in the darkness and will never be extinguished.