The Many Forms of Sauron on THE RINGS OF POWER

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As a lifelong fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, I can’t help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation as I delve into the world of Amazon’s The Rings of Power. Having spent countless hours immersed in Middle-earth’s rich lore, I find myself eagerly awaiting the arrival of the enigmatic figure we all know as Sauron.

In Tolkien’s mythos, Sauron possessed a terrifying skill – the ability to transform into various forms. This shape-shifting trait enabled Sauron to trick and battle numerous adversaries, even going so far as to fabricate The Rings of Power. He disguised himself among the elves, winning their trust with false promises of wisdom and riches. During ‘The Rings of Power’ season one, this chameleon-like quality sparked much confusion over Sauron’s true persona. In the end, it was revealed that Sauron had assumed the guise of King Halbrand during the series, carefully crafting an appearance he believed would be most attractive to Galadriel.

Despite the fact that season two of “The Rings of Power” doesn’t air until August 29, a series featurette hints that Halbrand is actually a disguise used by Sauron at some point in his past. Although Charlie Vickers will not be replaced as Sauron, the showrunners confirm that multiple actors portray different aspects of the Dark Lord on “The Rings of Power”. Moreover, we have been given hints that Charlie Vickers will embody more than one form of Sauron throughout the series. However, it remains to be seen exactly how many times Sauron has shape-shifted in “The Rings of Power”. Let’s explore this further.

Sauron’s Earliest Form, Played By Jack Lowden

In the opening act of The Rings of Power season two, I step into the role of a Sauron variant. This Sauron is from a time around a thousand years prior to the series’ events, right after Morgoth’s downfall in the War of Wrath. My Sauron appears determined to seize power and continue where Morgoth left off in his quest for dominion over Middle-earth. However, as we all know, this incarnation of Sauron won’t be around for the next thousand years on The Rings of Power.

Sauron’s Halbrand Form, Played By Charlie Vickers on The Rings of Power

Following this, we’ll see Charlie Vickers portraying Sauron in his Halbrand guise next. Farewell, Halbrand. In the guise of Halbrand, Sauron adopted a form that Galadriel desired, ruling as a king over the Southlands and feigning loyalty. He attempted to embody the heroic leader his people needed, one who could stand with Galadriel against the encroaching darkness. Using a necklace adorned with a royal crest of the Southlanders, Sauron convinced Galadriel and the Southlanders that he was their rightful King, though he confessed to Galadriel, “I took it off a dead man.” In the finale of The Rings of Power season two, Sauron’s deception towards Galadriel ends, but his Halbrand form persists for a while longer.

In scenes from season two of The Rings of Power, we witness Sauron using his influence over Halbrand to deceive Adar. He feigns being the King of the Southlands and hints in Adar’s ear that Galadriel has allied with Sauron. The duration of Sauron’s disguise as Halbrand remains to be seen as we progress through season two.

Sauron’s Annatar Form, Played By Charlie Vickers on The Rings of Power Season 2

In an interview for the second season of “The Rings of Power”, Charlie Vickers reveals that one of Sauron’s main abilities is shape-shifting. Additionally, Vickers will be adopting different roles in the second season of “The Rings of Power”. At some point during season two, Halbrand, a character played by Vickers, may be abandoned. Instead, Sauron assumes the identity of Annatar, which is an elvish term meaning “Lord of Gifts” in Quenya.

In “The Lord of the Rings” universe, Vickers points out that the benevolent appearance of Annatar we witness this season serves Sauron’s purposes as he requires Celebrimbor’s intelligence, skills, and methods to create the rings. Sauron, through his cunning deception, will go to any lengths to rule Middle-earth. In “The Rings of Power,” while the storyline varies, there’s no doubt that Sauron’s Annatar guise will be persuasive enough for Celebrimbor to craft more than a few rings. It seems shape-shifting is an effective tactic indeed.

Other Sauron Forms We Might See on The Rings of Power

In the prime of his strength during the First Age of Middle-earth, Sauron was known to assume various forms, such as a serpent, a vampire, and even a wolf. It’s fascinating to imagine these transformations being depicted in The Rings of Power. Though we’ve moved past the First Age, we believe Sauron could still demonstrate his shape-shifting abilities by turning into a wolf for a brief segment, perhaps an entire episode. This would certainly deceive his adversaries.

Regardless of how Sauron intends to transform, he should act swiftly, for soon his ability to alter forms will be irrevocably lost on the Rings of Power. After that, he’ll be confined as a malevolent spirit, struggling to find a body to exist in.

Will We Ever See Sauron in Eye Form on The Rings of Power?

Fans of “The Lord of the Rings” films may be wondering if they’ll catch a glimpse of the Eye of Sauron in the upcoming series “The Rings of Power”. The possibility is indeed quite high, as in the book “The Silmarillion”, the first mention of Sauron’s eye occurs after the sinking of Númenor.

J.R.R. Tolkien describes that Sauron was not a mortal being, but instead, he existed in a form that had caused immense evil, which was now lost to him so that he could no longer appear beautiful to human eyes. Nonetheless, his spirit surfaced from the depths and moved as a dark shadow over the sea, returning to Middle-earth and Mordor, his native land. There, Sauron reclaimed his powerful Ring in Barad-dûr, residing there in darkness and silence until he fashioned a new form for himself – an embodiment of wickedness and hatred, which became physically visible once more. And the Eye of Sauron, the Terror itself, few could withstand.

In Tolkien’s mythos, Sauron may not exclusively appear as an Eye during his dark phase. However, considering the eye’s symbolic significance, it might be incorporated into “The Rings of Power” as another potential manifestation of the malevolent character, Sauron the Dark Lord.

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2024-08-22 23:03