‘The Rings of Power’ Reveals an Unseen Aspect of Sauron Never Featured in Peter Jackson’s Films

With just a few days until the release of The Rings of Power Season 2, fans can anticipate a shift in focus. While Season 1 centered on the heroes, the upcoming season will delve into the villain’s perspective, adopting a psychological thriller approach as Sauron takes on a new guise and name.

The source material reveals that Sauron possesses numerous powers and abilities that have yet to be fully explored in live-action. Although Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies are celebrated as some of the greatest fantasy adaptations, they barely scratch the surface of Sauron’s full potential.

In the first season of The Rings of Power, Sauron was introduced as Halbrand, portrayed by Charlie Vickers, a doomed King of the Southlands. It was later revealed that this was just one of many identities and forms Sauron can assume.

And when we say many, we truly mean it. Originally, Sauron was a Maia named Mairon, which translates to “The Admirable.” Over time, under Morgoth’s influence, he descended into darkness and assumed increasingly fearsome names and forms.

If you’ve been keeping up with the show’s marketing, you’re likely aware that in Season 2, Sauron, previously known as Halbrand, will appear under a new name: Annatar, which translates to “The Lord of the Gifts.”

After Morgoth’s defeat in the First Age, Sauron was commanded to return to Valinor for judgment by Manwë. Unwilling to face this, his pride and ego led him to hide in Middle-Earth. Sensing an opportunity, he began to reassert his influence, starting by deceiving the Elves in hopes of corrupting them.

To execute his plan, Sauron assumed a new identity and various other names. He went by Artano, meaning “high smith,” and Aulendil, “the servant of Aulë.” However, his most renowned alias was Annatar, the Lord of Gifts.

While most Elves managed to resist his manipulations, the Jewel-smiths of Eregion were less cautious. Among them was Celebrimbor, who unknowingly facilitated Sauron’s schemes. This period led directly to the creation of the Rings of Power. Celebrimbor, introduced in Season 1 of the show, will be a central focus in the upcoming season, particularly regarding his corruption by Sauron.

Regarding Sauron’s shapeshifting, the promos suggest we’ll see his younger form. Flashbacks will feature Jack Lowden portraying a Sauron from a thousand years earlier, when he appeared with an ethereal beauty akin to the Elves. We can look forward to seeing how Sauron evolved into the form we encountered in Season 1.

These new aspects of Sauron are ones we haven’t seen on-screen before. In Jackson’s films, Sauron was depicted primarily as a malevolent, omnipresent force, adding to his menacing aura. The portrayal in The Rings of Power will introduce a new dimension to the character, offering a fresh perspective that has intrigued fans who are less familiar with the books.

While the movies featured Sauron under various names, his shapeshifting abilities were not depicted, and his presence was mainly represented by the fiery Eye. The upcoming show will finally reveal more than just Sauron’s indirect influence, allowing us to explore how this embodiment of evil evolved into the form we recognize from the films.

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