In the buildup to the highly anticipated premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Amazon has kept an air of secrecy surrounding the series. Among the undisclosed details is the identity of the actor who will bring to life Sauron, Middle-earth’s second Dark Lord, in this epic prequel. Even now, J.R.R. Tolkien fans have yet to discover when and how Sauron will make his appearance in The Rings of Power.
Nevertheless, fans have not been short of theories regarding Sauron’s potential identity in the Amazon series. As we eagerly await the show’s debut this Friday, let’s explore the three characters from The Rings of Power Season 1 that fans believe could secretly be Sauron.
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3. The Stranger (Daniel Weyman)
Daniel Weyman’s character, known as The Stranger, has been prominently featured in the early promotional materials for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. His mysterious arrival in Middle-earth via a meteor has earned him the unofficial moniker “Meteor Man” among Tolkien aficionados.
While Amazon has managed to keep The Stranger’s true identity under wraps, Lord of the Rings fans strongly suspect that he might be one of the Istari, such as Gandalf or one of the Blue Wizards, or even Sauron himself. His supernatural powers and ability to convince the inhabitants of Middle-earth that he’s a divine envoy make a compelling case for his potential connection to the Dark Lord’s manipulative ways.
On the other hand, it’s not entirely impossible that The Stranger could turn out to be Tom Bombadil. Now, wouldn’t that be an unexpected twist?
2. Halbrand (Charlie Vickers)
When it was announced that Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) would be crossing paths with the enigmatic Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) in the first season of The Rings of Power, Tolkien fans immediately began speculating that he might secretly be Sauron in disguise. Although this possibility seems less likely now, it has not been entirely ruled out.
Imagine the cruel irony if Galadriel were to unknowingly befriend the very Dark Lord she has been relentlessly searching for. While we can only speculate on the outcome in The Rings of Power, revealing that Halbrand has concealed his true identity as Sauron would undoubtedly make for a dramatic and impactful reintroduction of the Dark Lord in Middle-earth.
1. Adar (Joseph Mawle)
Among the characters of The Rings of Power, one figure has been noticeably absent from the show’s early trailers: Adar, portrayed by Joseph Mawle. Expected to be the main antagonist of the first season, Adar is seen as the leader of the growing orc army in the show.
Early glimpses of Adar suggest that he may be a corrupted Elf, which seemingly negates the possibility of him being Sauron. However, as Sauron possesses the ability to change his appearance, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that he is merely posing as a corrupted Elf in The Rings of Power Season 1.
The Inverse Analysis – At present, the identity of the actor playing Sauron in Season 1 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power remains unknown to many. It is even conceivable that the show’s creators, J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, have intentionally saved Sauron’s grand entrance for the second season.
However, if Sauron were to appear in Season 1, it is highly likely that his introduction would be tied, in some way, to either Halbrand, The Stranger, or Adar.
Don’t miss the premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Friday, September 2, exclusively on Prime Video.
Image Source: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
