LOTR: Sauron Can Appear in Rings Of Power Season 1 (But Not How You Think)

Will Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power feature Sauron in its debut season – but Sauron taking a form much more subtle than the black armored, very-obviously-a-villain warlord we’re used to? Finally set for September 2, 2022, Amazon’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power promises an exploration of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth history. Set during the Second Age, thousands of years before Bilbo Baggins departs the Shire, The Rings of Power‘s exact timeline is unknown, since the Second Age itself spans almost 3500 years. That said, Amazon’s chosen title suggests we begin somewhere around SA 1500, when the devastating finger-bands are forged by the Elves of Eregion.

Whichever way you slice it, Sauron is integral to this era of Middle-earth lore. A millennium into the Second Age, Sauron began establishing himself from Mordor, building his forces, and growing as a threat in his own right after previously serving under the now-defeated Morgoth. As recounted at the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring, Sauron also instigated Celebrimbor creating the Rings of Power that give Amazon’s story it’s name. Sauron offered the Elves expert smith knowledge, and whispered dark ideas to motivate them before, of course, going behind their backs to craft the One Ring, then waging war through Middle-earth and beyond.

Though Sauron’s appearance in The Rings of Power is inevitable, there’s discourse over exactly when he might arrive. With multiple seasons lined up and a huge, unfamiliar era to establish, The Rings of Power may hold off on Sauron’s Amazon debut until season 2 – letting the villain spend season 1 devising his pre-Ring machinations behind the gates of Mordor. But calling a Lord of the Rings TV series “The Rings of Power,” only to then hide Sauron, is like making a movie of The Hobbit where Bilbo decides against leaving Bag End. Fortunately, Tolkien’s mythology allows The Rings of Power season 1 to unveil Sauron right away… whilst still keeping his veil of mystery unsullied.

When Sauron convinces the Elves to forge the Rings of Power, he doesn’t knock on Eregion’s door clad in spiky black armor, introduce himself as Morgoth’s lieutenant, then ask nicely if they’d mind making a few jewelry designs he sketched out. During the Second Age, Sauron still possessed the ability to shape-shift, so he took what Tolkien describes as a “fair” form, and infiltrated the Elves under the name Annatar, Lord of Gifts. Despite the suspicions of some (Galadriel and Elrond among them), Annatar’s charm, knowledge, and manipulations worked a treat, and the Elves only noticed their mistake when Sauron slipped on the One Ring. As Annatar, Sauron spent many years among the Elves, so when The Rings of Power begins, it’s possible he’s already well-established as an Elf-friend. That leaves us with the strong possibility of “Annatar” being the only guise of Sauron’s The Rings of Power season 1 provides.

The idea that Sauron will only feature as Annatar is The Rings of Power season 1 isn’t necessarily debunked by the recent onslaught of posters. Among the heavy-handed promotional images is a black glove covered in armor suspiciously alike the gear Sauron wore during The Fellowship of the Ring‘s flashback scenes. Taken at face value, this would suggest Sauron not only turns up in The Rings of Power season 1, but turns up as the Dark Lord we all know and love. Since The Rings of Power‘s latest marketing campaign doesn’t reveal any faces, however, the black glove isn’t 100% confirmed as coming from Sauron’s wardrobe. That hand could belong to Morgoth as part of a flashback sequence, or one of the Nine beginning to feel Mordor’s corruption. Or, should the poster depict Sauron after all, that familiar black form could foreshadow The Rings of Power season 1’s final sting, where the true nature of Annatar – who viewers have just waited 8 episodes to see in his full, evil glory – is finally unveiled.

The Rings of Power could even add some mystery by introducing two or three unnamed characters viewers suspect to be Annatar, but only revealing which one truly is the disguised Sauron during its finale. This way, Sauron is still present in The Rings of Power season 1, and Lord of the Rings fans can find their bearings with this significantly more talkative version of the baddie. But keeping Annatar unidentified for an entire season creates jeopardy – even for those familiar with the source material. Then, when The Rings of Power returns for season 2, the Amazon series can forge ahead showing Annatar as Sauron, pushing Celebrimbor toward creating the magical trinkets that ultimately bring ruin to Middle-earth.

About The Author

Craig Elvy
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Craig first began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016, several years after graduating college, and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. Having previously written for various sports and music outlets, Craig’s interest soon turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally came into its own.
Craig has previously been published on sites such as Den of Geek, and after many coffee-drenched hours hunched over a laptop, part-time evening work eventually turned into a full-time career covering everything from the zombie apocalypse to the Starship Enterprise via the TARDIS.

Since joining the Screen Rant fold, Craig has been involved in breaking news stories and mildly controversial ranking lists, but now works predominantly as a features writer.
Jim Carrey is Craig’s top acting pick and favorite topics include superheroes, anime and the unrecognized genius of the High School Musical trilogy.

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