Rings of Energy followers, it is time. Sound the alarms, gentle 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 style within the Season 1 finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Energy, which reveals that Center-earth’s Huge Dangerous has been disguising himself as none apart from Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) this complete time.
Whether or not you have 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 — may have a significant influence 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 we’ve got guess
How do we discover out that Halbrand is Sauron?
This dialog hits WAY in a different way now.
Credit score: Prime Video
Halbrand has spent this complete season being allies with Galadriel (Morfydd Clark). So what modifications 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 direct curiosity in Celebrimbor’s last-ditch smithing mission: utilizing what little mithril the elves need to create a crown that may protect the sunshine of the elves and cease them from fading. Halbrand charms Celebrimbor, complimenting his legendary expertise, then gives an answer. If even a small quantity of mithril have been mixed with different ores, its powers may very well be amplified.
At a later assembly between the elves, Galadriel notices that Celebrimbor is behaving surprisingly. Not solely is he getting snappy with Excessive King Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker), he is additionally describing the crown in a mighty sinister approach. 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 he or she’s fast to place two and two collectively. Her suspicions are confirmed when a scroll from Eregion’s archives reveals that there really 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!
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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 lifeless 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 instructed him to be rid of any evil he could have dedicated earlier than they met, successfully absolving her worst enemy.
The results Halbrand-Sauron may have on Galadriel’s character arc will little question be fascinating. The revelation is a large 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 have the ability to belief herself transferring ahead? How will she regain the belief of individuals like Elrond, who clearly senses that one thing is up along with her? The chances 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 truly her worst enemy, The Rings of Energy provides us a number of hints alongside the best way that Halbrand is Sauron. For starters, his first phrases are actually, “seems will be deceiving,” which is shapeshifting Sauron’s essential tactic for manipulation. He’s additionally a powerful 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 concept 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 facet. The best folks 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 Items. He helps Celebrimbor and the opposite smiths acquire 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 a different way in The Rings of Energy. There isn’t any Annatar; the Three Rings are made first, though they’re initially envisioned as crowns; and Halbrand is barely at Eregion for just a few days as a substitute of three centuries (the present is working on a extremely condensed timeline, so this is not that shocking).
Nevertheless, The Rings of Energy does give a fast, but significant, nod to Annatar in its finale. When he advises Celebrimbor on tips on how to use the mithril, Halbrand says, “name it a present.” The road is clearly a reference to Annatar’s title of “Lord of Items,” particularly given the emphasis Vickers places on it.
A rights difficulty stands out as the motive why The Rings of Energy may solely allude to Annatar as a substitute 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 seemingly showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay needed to provide you with a artistic answer to carry Sauron to Eregion. That answer? 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 and 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? Identical to with Galadriel, Sauron’s future is extensive open. And primarily based on that closing shot of a smiling black-cloaked Sauron climbing in the 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)
