Is Talion in Lord of the Rings?
Talion is not a character in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings book series, but rather a game character in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Middle-earth: Shadow of War. He is a Ranger of Gondor in the Third Age, stationed at the Black Gate, the colossal gateway in the barren lands of Mordor.
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
- Is Talion one of the Nazgul in Lord of the Rings?: No, Talion is not one of the Nazgul in the Lord of the Rings book series, but in the game Middle-earth: Shadow of War, he eventually succumbs to the corruption of Isildur’s ring and joins Sauron’s forces as a Nazgûl.
- Where is Talion in Lord of the Rings?: Talion does not appear in the Lord of the Rings book series, but in the games, after the destruction of the One Ring by Frodo Baggins and the destruction of Sauron, Talion finally dies a true death, through which his spirit is freed and he moves on to the afterlife.
- Is Celebrimbor mentioned in Lord of the Rings?: Yes, Celebrimbor is mentioned in the Lord of the Rings book series, and he first appeared as a character in The Lord of the Rings and then had to be inserted into The Silmarillion, leading to multiple changes to his descent.
Character Background
- Is Talion in Shadow of Mordor?: Yes, Talion is the protagonist and main character in Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, a Ranger of Gondor in the Third Age, stationed at the Black Gate.
- What do the orcs call Talion?: Orcs and Orc Captains refer to Talion, a ranger of the Black Gates, as “the Tark“.
- What did Sauron think of Talion?: Sauron thinks of Talion the same way as he does of Celebrimbor, a sort of tool to be used, and also views him as a major annoyance and distraction.
Relationships and Interactions
- Who is older Galadriel or Celebrimbor?: Galadriel is older than Celebrimbor, as Curufin, Celebrimbor’s father, could have been born up to 250+ years after Finarfin, Galadriel’s father.
- Why did Celebrimbor betray Talion?: Celebrimbor betrays Talion because Talion disagrees with Celebrimbor’s plans of dominating the Nazgul and Sauron, and Talion wants to destroy Sauron but Celebrimbor wants to control Sauron and his army.
- Did Celebrimbor love Galadriel?: There is no indication in the games or books that Celebrimbor loved Galadriel, but it is mentioned that Celebrimbor had a certain level of admiration for her.
inspirations and Comparisons
- Is Talion based on Boromir?: The game’s protagonist, Talion, was inspired by Boromir, from The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
- Does Talion serve Sauron?: Talion serves Sauron unwillingly through the War of the Ring, and he’s even granted his own Fell-Beast, but when the One Ring is destroyed, Sauron’s power in the rings disappears, and Talion is finally granted death.
- Is Talion a Numenorean?: No, Talion is not a Numenorean, as he is a Ranger of the North without the powerful blood of Numenor running through his veins.
Power and Abilities
- Did Talion become a Ringwraith?: In the end of the game, after Talion put on Isildur’s ring, the narrator said Talion was able to resist the ring’s influence for decades before he finally gave in and became a Ringwraith.
- Is Talion more powerful than Sauron?: It’s unclear if Talion is more powerful than Sauron in combat, as Tolkien didn’t write in absolutes, but it’s possible that Talion could defeat Sauron with the right circumstances.
- Is Lord Celebrimbor evil?: In the games, Celebrimbor appears to be the mastermind behind the creation of the Rings of Power and is driven by evil and greed, making him an evil character, whereas in the books, his character is more complex and nuanced.