I don't know about last word, but maybe 'official story' rather.
As Celeborn as one of the Sindar is what JRRT himself decided to publish, or 'tell his Readership' (twice), so to speak, then that is the official tale then, to my mind anyway. In the contest of textual parity, draft text (of any date) and letters cannot compete here in my opinion.
I find it interesting to note the variant ideas here, but generally with Tolkien's work we have been given a rather unique vantage point due to Christopher Tolkien, and I think this should be kept in mind at least when there is Tolkien-published text on the other side of the scale.
BTW
Mr. Hicklin can you elaborate on your comment on Celeborn as an Avar -- at what point, or to what text do you refer to with
'at the time of writing' -- do you mean when writing the Epilogue, or when writing the early chapters for instance?
On that note I'll note (just for interest maybe) that when working on
Many Partings, Celeborn's words were first:
'Kinsman, farewell, but your doom is like to mine; for our treasure shall outlast us both.'
This interested me in any case, from H&S's new book; especially the date.
Quote:
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'(...) These comments imply that Celeborn could have left Middle-earth with Galadriel if he had wished, and Tolkien's replies to queries from readers seem to confirm this. In his unpublished letter to Eileen Elgar, begun 22 September 1963 he comments that Celeborn and Galadriel were of different kin: Celeborn was of that branch of the Elves that, in the First Age, was so in love with Middle-earth that they had refused the call of the Valar to go to Valinor; he had never seen the Blessed Realm. Now he remained until he had seen the coming of the Dominion of Men. But to an immortal Elf, for whom time was not as it is to mortals, the period in which he was parted from Galadriel would seem brief.' Hammond And Scull, Reader's Companion
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