How THE RINGS OF POWER Connects Sauron’s Crown to Morgoth’s

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As a long-time Tolkien enthusiast and a connoisseur of Middle-earth lore, I find myself intrigued by the speculations surrounding Sauron’s Iron Crown in The Rings of Power series. While some might argue that the show is bending the rules a bit too much, I see it as an intelligent expansion on established traditions within the Tolkien universe.

Adar told Galadriel his plan for defeating Sauron forever during episode six of The Rings of Power season two. The Uruk leader wants to combine the strength of the three elven rings with something just as powerful. He has the Dark Lord’s own crown. Only, Adar said that crown once belonged to someone else. He claims it was reforged from the Iron Crown Morgoth used to carry the famed Silmarils. Is Adar telling the truth? Or does he only think he’s telling the truth because “the deceiver” lied? To find out we must dig into J.R.R. Tolkien’s lore to see how The Rings of Power is connecting Sauron’s to Morgoth’s, either in truth or deception.

Among the divine beings known as the Valar, Morgoth was the strongest and introduced evil into the world. You can learn more about him in our introduction titled “Who is Morgoth“. He reigned as the Dark Lord during the First Age, which predates the time period of “The Rings of Power”. Sauron, a trusted servant of Morgoth, served him faithfully and was chosen as his successor. Although Sauron gained more notoriety, Morgoth remained even more powerful.

In the heart of the fiery Thangorodrim, I forged my very own Iron Crown – a masterpiece crafted in the crucible of volcanic flames. This crown was no ordinary accessory; it was designed to secure the three legendary Silmarils I had managed to pilfer. The Silmarils, you see, were not mere jewels, but rather vessels containing the radiant light from the Two Trees of Valinor, crafted by none other than Celebrimbor’s esteemed grandfather, Fëanor – a master artisan beyond compare, whom Celebrimbor has aspired to emulate tirelessly throughout our shared journey in season two.

In the tale of The Iron Crown, it wasn’t simple to bear this artifact, yet Morgoth stubbornly refused to remove it. Fate, however, decreed that he would be bound to wear it for all eternity. When, in the War of Wrath, Morgoth met his downfall, the Valar took his Iron Crown and transformed it into a collar, which they placed around his neck. With Morgoth subdued, they cast him into the Timeless Void, a realm beyond space and time. As per The Silmarillion, this is where remnants of Morgoth’s crown continue to reside. It’s probably this story that Galadriel had in mind when Adar interrupted their conversation during dinner.

In a different account, Arad claims that the Iron Crown’s destiny unfolded in various ways following the removal of the Silmarils from its orbs. However, he personally witnessed Sauron reforging the crown to suit his own needs. According to him, it was during this same event that Sauron knelt to be crowned, and it was Arad who used the very same crown to ultimately defeat Sauron.

As a devoted viewer, I recollect witnessing Adar’s valiant attempt to eliminate Sauron in a prologue of season two, but alas, he was unsuccessful. This implies that a fragment of his narrative might be authentic. However, the scene didn’t show Sauron locating and seizing Morgoth’s crown, nor did it depict the Valar transforming it into a collar. So, is Adar’s story accurate? Yes, but we’re yet to discover how that transpired.

In simpler terms, “The Silmarillion” is an authoritative text, while “The Rings of Power” is a loose adaptation that isn’t tied to the strict rules of Middle-earth lore. Unlike filling gaps or using a lack of information to tell its story, this series often makes significant changes to J.R.R. Tolkien’s original works, like altering the order in which Celebrimbor forged the rings of power (he created them without Sauron in the books, but first with him in the Prime Video series). In the context of the show, Adar may have told Galadriel a completely accurate story, though this might differ from what’s written in Tolkien’s work.

Adar might be speaking accurately without violating Tolkien’s lore given the known facts about Morgoth’s Iron Crown. The crown had to be enormous since Morgoth himself was massive, ranging from twice to thrice the height of the seven-foot elves he confronted during the First Age. In the Prime Video series premiere, his scale seemed just as imposing. According to “The Silmarillion,” Morgoth towered over an elf king and cast a shadow like a storm cloud, which is consistently how he’s portrayed.

Was it necessary for the Valar to use all of Morgoth’s massive, extended spiked crown to create a single collar? What if they only required some of its iron and discarded the rest? That amount would have sufficed for Sauron, who was roughly one-third the size of his master, to fabricate his own crown from the remnants of Morgoth’s.

To those who appreciate detail, this approach might appear as a clever way to avoid violating lore while still having some leeway with it, but it harmoniously aligns with other Middle-earth adaptations. Sauron’s crown, even in Peter Jackson’s movies, is modeled on Tolkien’s description of Morgoth’s. Given that Sauron was his designated heir, this has always been logical. The Amazon series “The Rings of Power” is extending this tradition in a significant manner. This season, Annatar has manipulated Celebrimbor into creating the rings of power. He’s managed to do so because the elven craftsman is eager to surpass his grandfather and the Silmarils, an object that Morgoth’s crown was designed to contain. The history of Middle-earth, the elves, and evil are all intertwined.

In discussion about Adar’s story, it’s plausible that Sauron might be fabricating the truth since he has a history of deception. Sauron could easily assert his claim to the crown by linking it to Morgoth’s lineage, as this would bolster his credibility and power, making him appear as Morgoth’s true successor. Furthermore, such a connection could create an intimidating image for others, providing both the perceived might of Morgoth and the enigmatic allure of the Silmarils, much like mithril in popular lore.

Perhaps the original Dark Lord’s chosen one was never truly vulnerable to Morgoth’s crown.

Regardless of whatever the truth may be, whether intriguing or significant, it won’t alter a single fact: Sauron is making his return to reclaim his crown, and that outcome seems inevitable.

Mike Walsh serves as a staff writer at TopMob. He’s usually skeptical of Sauron, but this time could be an exception. You can keep up with him on Twitter and Bluesky @burgermike. Additionally, you can find him in discussions ranking the Targaryen kings, wherever they may occur.

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2024-09-19 10:34