Sauron’s vastly different appearance in The Rings of Power season 2 sets up a major story from J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythology. Following months of speculation over the identity of Sauron in Amazon’s Middle-earth TV show, The Rings of Power season 1’s finale revealed Charlie Vickers’ Halbrand as Lord of the Rings’ famous Dark Lord. Sauron had been missing since Morgoth’s downfall at the end of the First Age, and many presumed the villain was gone forever. Alas, Sauron made his grand return under the guise of a mortal man with a claim to the Southlands. Halbrand would indeed rule the Southlands, but only after rebranding the realm “Mordor.”
Charlie Vickers’ Sauron returns in The Rings of Power season 2’s trailer, but only after a rebranding of his own. The Enemy first appears after Galadriel’s narration declares, “I think he has been here among us all along,” but this time he sports flowing golden hair even Legolas would be envious of, two pointed ears, and impressive new armor. Sauron resurfaces toward the end of the trailer wearing regal robes and surrounded by elves with swords pointed at his handsome face. Sauron’s style in The Rings of Power season 2 is certainly very far from the rugged aesthetic of Halbrand, but there is a canon reason behind that change.
why does sauron look different in season 2
In “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” Sauron’s appearance evolves as the story progresses. In Season 1, he disguises himself as Halbrand, a character with a more human-like appearance. By Season 2, his true form and darker, more menacing look are likely revealed, reflecting his nature as a powerful and corrupted being. This change symbolizes his rising influence and the shift in the narrative as the stakes become higher. It’s a visual representation of his character’s journey and the themes of power and corruption in the series.
Sauron Is Likely Using His “Annatar” Disguise In The Rings Of Power Season 2
The True Lord Of Gifts Looks Set For The Rings Of Power Season 2
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium, Sauron deceives the elves into crafting the Rings of Power by posing as an elf himself and going by the name “Annatar.” The Rings of Power season 1 remixed this story by having Sauron infiltrate Eregion as “Halbrand” instead, but he only managed to get three rings made via that method. Tolkien described Annatar as a beautiful, “fair” disguise, and the smooth, blond, angelic Sauron in The Rings of Power season 2’s trailer certainly fits that bill. The drastic change in appearance, therefore, is entirely down to Sauron switching from “Halbrand” to “Annatar,” masquerading as an elf instead of a man.
Sauron’s sudden makeover is possible because, up until the end of Middle-earth’s Second Age, the Dark Lord possesses an innate ability to shape-shift. This power is removed by Eru, the God of Tolkien’s universe, long before The Lord of the Rings, but that punishment has not yet been meted out during The Rings of Power’s era. Sauron’s full strength likely still hasn’t returned after Morgoth’s defeat, but the villain has enough juice in The Rings of Power to morph his appearance and enter Eregion to facilitate the remaining Rings of Power being crafted.
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Sauron’s goal in posing as “Annatar” is to finish the task he started in The Rings of Power season 1, when the three elven rings were forged. Seven rings for dwarfs and nine for mortal men are yet to be created, but Celebrimbor already knows to keep a watchful eye out for Sauron’s “Halbrand” form. The only way Sauron can get Celebrimbor cooking up more rings is by donning a new facade. Not only can the elven Sauron get the forge fired up again, it allows him to walk freely around Eregion without rousing suspicion.
Ultimately, of course, Sauron’s ploy is to then sneak away and create the One Ring back in Mordor, dominating the wills of the other Rings of Power. If The Rings of Power season 2 is covering Sauron’s transformation into Annatar, then the birth of the One Ring cannot be far away, making it feasible that the debut appearance of The Lord of the Rings’ famous gold trinket will be season 2’s shocking final scene to lead into season 3.
The origin of the Rings of Power and the One Ring itself is the core premise of Amazon’s “The Rings of Power” TV show, but season 1 left that premise largely unfulfilled. The three elven rings only became a narrative feature at the very end, and none of their counterparts in Sauron’s wider jewelry line were glimpsed. Annatar entering the chat in season 2 provides a strong indication that The Rings of Power is finally delivering on the promise of its name.
Watch Season 2
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Epic drama set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings’ follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth.
Web-Series
| Release Date | September 1, 2022 |
| Cast | Morfydd Clark , Charlie Vickers , Charles Edwards , Markella Kavenagh , Daniel Weyman , Ismael Cruz Cordova , Megan Richards , Robert Aramayo , Robert Strange , Cynthia Addai-Robinson , Lloyd Owen , Owain Arthur , Tyroe Muhafidin , Alex Tarrant , Benjamin Walker , Trystan Gravelle , Maxim Baldry , Sophia Nomvete , Ema Horvath , Nazanin Boniadi , Geoff Morrell , Peter Mullan , Sara Zwangobani , Lenny Henry , Leon Wadham , Dylan Smith , Thusitha Jayasundera , Maxine Cunliffe , Anthony Crum , Beau Cassidy , Joseph Mawle , Peter Tait , Sam Hazeldine , Bridie Sisson , Jed Brophy , Ciarán Hinds , Amelia Kenworthy , Kevin Eldon |
| Main Genre | Fantasy |
| Story By | Patrick McKay, John D. Payne |
| Writers | Patrick McKay , John D. Payne , J.R.R. Tolkien , Justin Doble , Jason Cahill , Gennifer Hutchison , Stephany Folsom , Nicholas Adams |
| Network | Amazon Prime Video |
| Streaming Service(s) | Amazon Prime Video |
| Franchise(s) | The Lord of the Rings |
| Directors | J.A. Bayona , Sanaa Hamri |
| Showrunner | John D. Payne , Patrick McKay , Louise Hooper , Charlotte Brändström , Wayne Yip |
| Character(s) | Galadriel , Halbrand , Lord Celebrimbor , Nori Brandyfoot , The Stranger , Arondir , Poppy Proudfellow , Elrond , Glûg , Queen Regent Míriel , Captain Elendil , Prince Durin IV , Theo , Valandil , High King Gil-galad , Pharazôn , Isildur , Princess Disa , Eärien , Bronwyn , Waldreg , King Durin III , Marigold Brandyfoot , Sadoc Burrows , Kemen , Largo Brandyfoot , Malva , Vilma , Ontamo , Dilly Brandyfoot , Adar , Tredwill , The Dweller , Vrath , Dark Wizard , Mirdania , Narvi |