Rings of Energy followers, it is time. Sound the alarms, mild the beacons, and get your fan theories prepared, as a result of we lastly know who Sauron is.
The Darkish Lord unveiled himself in dramatic vogue within the Season 1 finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Energy, which reveals that Center-earth’s Large Dangerous has been disguising himself as none aside from Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) this complete time.
Whether or not you had been blindsided by the reveal or had Halbrand pegged as Sauron from the beginning, we are able to all agree that Sauron’s resurgence — and his actions within the finale — could have a significant impression on The Rings of Energy going ahead.
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Energy’ would not outright inform us who the Stranger is — however now we have guess
How do we discover out that Halbrand is Sauron?
This dialog hits WAY in another way now.
Credit score: Prime Video
Halbrand has spent this complete season being allies with Galadriel (Morfydd Clark). So what adjustments within the finale to make her see the sunshine? (Or quite, the darkness?)
For starters, she brings him to Eregion, the place he meets different elves like Elrond (Robert Aramayo) and grasp smith Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards). Halbrand takes a right away curiosity in Celebrimbor’s last-ditch smithing challenge: utilizing what little mithril the elves should create a crown that can protect the sunshine of the elves and cease them from fading. Halbrand charms Celebrimbor, complimenting his legendary expertise, then presents an answer. If even a small quantity of mithril had been mixed with different ores, its powers might be amplified.
At a later assembly between the elves, Galadriel notices that Celebrimbor is behaving unusually. Not solely is he getting snappy with Excessive King Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker), he is additionally describing the crown in a mighty sinister method. In line with him, the crown would grant the bearer energy over flesh and the facility of the Unseen World. Sound acquainted? That is as a result of these are the precise phrases Adar (Joseph Mawle) used to explain the facility Sauron wanted Morgoth fell.
Galadriel realizes that Celebrimbor solely began speaking this fashion after talking with Halbrand, and she or he’s fast to place two and two collectively. Her suspicions are confirmed when a scroll from Eregion’s archives reveals that there actually isn’t any King of the Southlands. The road was damaged hundreds of years in the past, which means one factor: Halbrand is a liar!
‘We’re right here now’: The solid of ‘The Rings of Energy’ on the significance of the present’s variety
Besides he is not (aside from the entire “mendacity by omission” factor). As Halbrand factors out when Galadriel confronts him, he by no means outright said that that he was the king — solely that he stole the king’s image from a useless man. It was Galadriel who pushed him to take up the mantle of king, Galadriel who dragged him to Center-earth, Galadriel who launched him to Celebrimbor. She even advised him to be rid of any evil he could have dedicated earlier than they met, successfully absolving her worst enemy.
The results Halbrand-Sauron could have on Galadriel’s character arc will little doubt be fascinating. The revelation is a big blow to her. She’s devoted her life to killing Sauron, however in her dogged quest to rid Center-earth of darkness, she did what she feared most: She introduced Sauron again. How will she be capable to belief herself transferring ahead? How will she regain the belief of individuals like Elrond, who clearly senses that one thing is up together with her? The probabilities for angst are overwhelming, and I am unable to wait to see how Galadriel grows from this and tries to repair her appreciable mistake.
As stunned as Galadriel could have been to find that her closest ally was really her worst enemy, The Rings of Energy offers us a number of hints alongside the way in which that Halbrand is Sauron. For starters, his first phrases are actually, “seems could be deceiving,” which is shapeshifting Sauron’s principal tactic for manipulation. He’s additionally a robust and violent fighter, as seen in his brawl on Númenor; he loves smithing; and he has beef with Adar, who claimed he killed Sauron. Actually, the one factor that derails the Halbrand-Sauron principle is the truth that Halbrand is a brand new character, and that Sauron’s journey in J.R.R. Tolkien’s books is totally totally different.
How is The Rings of Energy‘s Sauron totally different from J.R.R. Tolkien’s work?
I see you, villain!
Credit score: Matt Grace / Prime Video
Halbrand would not exist in Tolkien’s legendarium, however Sauron most actually does. In The Silmarillion, he beneficial properties management of Mordor after which will get to work swaying Center-earth to his aspect. The simplest individuals to deceive are the people, and the toughest are the elves. To win the elves over, Sauron goes to Eregion disguised as Annatar, the Lord of Presents. He helps Celebrimbor and the opposite smiths achieve a good increased mastery of their crafts, however he leaves as soon as they start crafting the Rings of Energy. The Three Rings of the elves are made final.
Clearly, this all occurs fairly in another way in The Rings of Energy. There isn’t a Annatar; the Three Rings are made first, though they’re initially envisioned as crowns; and Halbrand is just at Eregion for a number of days as an alternative of three centuries (the present is working on a extremely condensed timeline, so this is not that shocking).
Nonetheless, The Rings of Energy does give a fast, but significant, nod to Annatar in its finale. When he advises Celebrimbor on the way to use the mithril, Halbrand says, “name it a present.” The road is clearly a reference to Annatar’s title of “Lord of Presents,” particularly given the emphasis Vickers places on it.
A rights subject would be the motive why The Rings of Energy might solely allude to Annatar as an alternative of painting him straight. Amazon has the rights to The Lord of the Rings, together with the appendices, and The Hobbit, however it doesn’t have the rights to The Silmarillion. Annatar by no means comes up in The Lord of the Rings or the appendices, so it is doubtless showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay needed to give you a artistic resolution to convey Sauron to Eregion. That resolution? Halbrand.
As a lot as Halbrand being Sauron breaks Tolkien’s canon, I’m intrigued to see what he’ll do subsequent. Will he try to seduce the dwarves and the people? Will he return to Númenor to sow extra discord? Or will he stay in Mordor and crush his rivalry with Adar? Similar to with Galadriel, Sauron’s future is broad open. And based mostly on that last shot of a smiling black-cloaked Sauron mountain climbing in direction of Mount Doom, I’ve to say: I am extremely excited to see him embrace his villainy.
Season 1 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Energy is now streaming on Prime Video.(opens in a brand new tab)
