Warning! SPOILERS for The Rings of Power season 1, episode 8.The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episode 8 unveiled Halbrand's true nature and seemingly prompted Galadriel to oppose the creation of the Elven Rings of Power – yet, she still let Celebrimbor go through with it, and here's why. The Rings of Power season 1 finale posed more questions than it answered, while solving some season-long mysteries, like what form Sauron took. The reveal that Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) was actually Sauron in disguise shocked Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), especially as she had led him straight to Elrond (Robert Aramayo) and Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards), who were actively working against the evil stemming from Morgoth and Sauron's endeavors in Middle-earth.
Galadriel's suspicions of Halbrand were already present when they reached Eriador at the beginning of The Rings of Power episode 8. However, the Sauron disguising as Halbrand discovery propelled her to stop Celebrimbor's forging of the mithril-infused rings. The reason why Galadriel still suggested they had to go through with it and forge three rings depended on multiple things. The vision Halbrand induced when Galadriel confronted him on his identity confirmed the High King's worry that it couldn't be just one object – and that even two wouldn't be enough. What's more, The Rings of Power season 1 meticulously established the fading light of the Eldar as manifested by the Great Tree decaying. Something needed to be done about that, otherwise the only way for the Elves to survive would have been to move far away from Middle-earth, making it impossible to actually defeat Sauron.
The Reason Celebrimbor Made 3 Elven Rings Of Power
Although Celebrimbor's first suggestion was to use the little amount of mithril they had to forge a crown for High King Gil-galad, The Rings of Power episode 8 highlighted the Elven king's opposition to that, labeling his proposal as risky, as "perilous are these whisperings." Indeed, the idea that all that power could have corrupted the sole being carrying it brought Celebrimbor and Elrond to believe two rings were the best option, as the burden would be shared. However, fresh off her disappointment from learning she saved Sauron instead of defeating him, Galadriel suggested three rings would be the best chance for success. After all, "with three, there is balance," as Celebrimbor observed.
What Is Galadriel's Plan For The Rings?
Galadriel's involvement in restoring the light of the Eldar proved essential, as without her brother Finrod's dagger and its pure gold and silver from Valinor, the Elven Rings of Power couldn't have been forged from mithril. Galadriel was up for the rings' creation on the condition that the powers they would have bestowed were for the Elves alone, "untouched by other hands." Galadriel's main plan for the rings then catered to the Elves' needs as forging them would preserve Elven outposts in Middle-earth, but it also tried to establish as much independence as possible from Sauron's influence.
Although the Elven rings' independence was partially guaranteed by Celebrimbor and his Elven-smiths forging them in the presence of only Elrond and Galadriel, the process was nevertheless helped by Halbrand's knowledge. J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings revealed how Galadriel's plan only partially worked in the future, as the rings were still bound to Sauron's One Ring as long as he wore it. Secretly making the Elven Rings of Power in The Rings of Power season 1's ending might have stopped the Elves from fading in the Second Age and limited Sauron's connection to them, but it was still only made possible by Galadriel's unwitting involvement in saving Sauron, something she will necessarily have to come to terms with in The Rings of Power season 2.