Sauron’s identity as Halbrand will be explored in Season 2 of The Rings of Power. The showrunner hints at a fresh perspective on Sauron’s story and his evil plans. Season 2 premieres on Prime Video on August 29, 2024, with answers to Season 1’s questions.
A Fresh Take on Sauron
In an interview with Empire Magazine, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power showrunner, Patrick McKay, has given an exciting update on what to expect from Season 2. He explains that audiences are in for a new understanding of Charlie Vickers’ Sauron. McKay notes, If you had to pick one reason to make this show and set it in this era of the mythology, that’s it. From minute one, we talked about Milton’s Paradise Lost, Walter White and Tony Soprano, and how Sauron has the potential to be like these great villain-heroes – hero meaning protagonist.
Sauron’s Transformation
The tale of Sauron’s terrifying mastery of Middle Earth made up the prologue of The Fellowship of the Ring, with many wondering since the first announcement of the prequel whether the story would be unpacked in detail. The end of Season 1 saw Sauron reach Middle Earth and plenty of questions left ready to be answered.
Season 2 presents us with a transformed Sauron taking on a new identity—the elegant Elf, Annatar. This shift is particularly significant as Sauron’s new disguise resembles a character from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Legendarium named Annatar, the Lord of Gifts. Annatar comes to the elves and helps them forge rings of power, acting benevolent but actually intending to use the rings to dominate the different races of Middle-earth.
The Narrative Unfolds
Sauron’s new guise as Annatar allows viewers to experience his manipulation from a fresh perspective. According to McKay:He was hiding amongst our story. The opportunity now with Season 2 is: the audience is in on the con. We know who he is. We have a pretty good sense of what he wants. The fun is watching other people get ensnared in the web. As the season unfolds, the plan starts. One hammer after another starts to fall until, by the last couple of episodes, you realise the level and extent of how evil he is and how deeply he’s strategised this whole thing out.
This portrayal promises that as Season 2 progresses, we will see more layers unfold regarding how deeply embedded Sauron’s plans are within Middle Earth’s fabric.
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