Set during the Second Age of Middle-earth, the Prime Video show charts the creation of the Rings of Power as laid out in J.R.R. Tolkien’s writing, namely the appendices of The Lord of the Rings.
In this period of Tolkien’s novels, Sauron is in disguise, hiding after the defeat of his master, Morgoth, and while hidden he helps elven smith Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) to create the aforementioned rings —three for the elves, seven for the dwarf lords, and nine for men— as a means to seduce the rulers of Middle-earth to evil. Sauron also secretly makes the One Ring for himself.
The show has had four contenders to be Sauron: Halbrand (Charlie Vickers), The Stranger (Daniel Weyman), Adar (Joseph Mawle), and Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin). Here is all you need to know about who was revealed to be the villain in The Rings of Power.
‘The Rings of Power’ Ending Explained: Who Is Sauron?
At the start of The Rings of Power finale, the Mystics, The Dweller, Nomad and Ascetic, find The Stranger and declare him to be Sauron, this it turns out is a bluff.
As the episode goes on it becomes increasingly more obvious that the opening reveal won’t actually be true, particularly for those who have read Tolkien’s work and know the lore he set out.
For those aware of Middle-earth’s history and lore it’ll be clear before it is revealed who Sauron will be, particularly when the story turns to Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), Halbrand, Elrond (Robert Aramayo), and Celebrimbor in Eregion because this is where Sauron first meets Celebrimbor and works with his smiths to make the Rings of Power.
Halbrand is brought to the elven city by Galadriel, where he later comes to visit Celebrimbor’s workshop and starts to suggest ways in which the elf can use mithril to create something of importance.
Celebrimbor takes this suggestion to High King Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker) and they agree to use the mithril to make a crown, but Galadriel begins to suspect Halbrand for the way in which he suggested Celebrimbor use the ore.
This suspicion turns out to be warranted, because when she confronts him about there not being a king of the Southlands for generations, Halbrand unmasks himself as Sauron.
He explains that it was because of her that he was able to return to Middle-earth even though he wanted to remain in Númenor and that her people will never forgive her for it, but he suggests that he could make Galadriel into a queen if she chose to just join him.
He puts her into a trance while making this offer, making her see visions of her brother and her time with Sauron/Halbrand in the Sundering Seas. The elven leader is able to resist the pull of his will, though, and when she wakes she finds that the Dark Lord has escaped.
In the dramatic closing moments of the show, Sauron is seen in Mordor making his way to Mount Doom where he will no doubt forge the One Ring.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 1 is available to watch in full on Prime Video now.
