Where there’s Sauron, there’s deception; What does the Dark Lord’s grand plan entail in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power? Sauron could be the greatest villain of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Second Age and past, however his function in The Rings of Power season 1 is extra of a precursor to this, with the sorcerer as a substitute depicted as an unseen spirit spoken of in hushed tones throughout Middle-earth. As revealed in The Rings of Power season 1’s ending, nonetheless, Sauron shouldn’t be as unseen as initially believed. Charlie Vickers’ Halbrand was his fair-looking alter ego all alongside.

The Rings of Power‘s massive Halbrand-Sauron twist raises many questions, none extra urgent than the extent of Sauron’s plan. Fans of Peter Jackson’s trilogy and Tolkien’s books will know of Sauron’s intention to craft The Lord of the Rings’ One Ring already, however how lengthy was he working towards that aim? In The Rings of Power‘s season 2 story, Sauron’s plan reaches its subsequent stage as extra of the titular items of knickknack are crafted. But with a lot of Sauron’s plans and motivations shrouded in shadow, what does he need, and the way does he intend to attain this?

The Rings Of Power Teased How Sauron’s Plan Began

Season 1 Outlined The Beginning Of Sauron’s Grand Plan

The Rings of Power was teasing the genesis of Sauron’s Second Age plan as early as episode 1’s opening scenes. When Galadriel’s firm investigated Forodwaith, she found a chamber the place Orcs had been brutally subjected to darkish magic experiments. Later within the season, Adar confirmed this science challenge was Sauron’s, meant to convey him “power over flesh.” An entranced Celebrimbor later utters this identical line, which confirms forging the Rings of Power is a continuation of Sauron’s unique experiments. Adar additionally confirms Sauron failed at cracking the formulation and purports to have killed him to forestall extra Orc topics.

Dying was not a part of Sauron’s plan – the vengeful anger proven in direction of Adar proves as a lot. However, Sauron’s energy meant he didn’t die as a mortal would, however renewed his power and took a brand new bodily type. The Rings of Power season 1 didn’t affirm how lengthy Sauron spent recuperating, nor how lengthy he lived below the Halbrand disguise, however this era of reflection will need to have been the place Sauron realized his quest for “power over flesh” would require the form of knowledgeable forging he couldn’t handle alone; He wanted the Elves of Eregion.

Was Meeting Galadriel Sauron’s Plan?

Galadriel’s Coincidental Meeting May Have Been Orchestrated

A key level The Rings of Power leaves ambiguous is whether or not Halbrand’s likelihood assembly with Galadriel on the Sundering Seas was, in reality, a deliberate ploy by Sauron. A crystal-clear reply shouldn’t be supplied in The Rings of Power season 1, although the upcoming continuation of the present might reveal their likelihood assembly was based on Sauron’s design. If Sauron had already selected soliciting Elven help earlier than The Rings of Power‘s timeline started, he would have additionally guessed that one doesn’t merely stroll into Eregion and would want an Elf-friend to vouch for him.

However, infiltrating such an insular and untrusting group is not any easy feat, and this is the reason Galadriel made for the proper candidate. Already feuding together with her personal form, Galadriel was full of rage, grief, and guilt, and determined for an ally who felt the identical. Sauron knew of this and knew that if “Halbrand” might allow Galadriel’s revenge plot to proceed, then he might earn her belief. There can be no good motive the Dark Lord himself must be half-drowned on a damaged raft whereas combating off a sea monster, if not for the aim of “encountering” Galadriel.

Even if Galadriel was Sauron’s ticket into Eregion and The Rings of Power season 1 was largely spent gaining her belief, Morfydd Clark’s Elven warrior was not only a software to her new buddy. From their closing scene collectively in The Rings of Power‘s season 1 finale, it’s apparent that Sauron feels considerably of an affinity in direction of Galadriel and hopes they will rule Middle-earth collectively. The Rin gs of Power season 2 will seemingly proceed exploring this, revealing whether or not Sauron nonetheless wishes Galadriel or whether or not he feels scorned by her rebuke of his advances.

The Rings Of Power’s Numenor Visit Had A Secret Purpose

The Island Kingdom Of Men Factored Into Sauron’s Plan

Another considerably unclear component of Sauron’s plan is whether or not he banked on being picked up by Númenóreans and brought again to their island. Floating a raft in entrance of an Elf is one factor, however discovering a Númenórean boat that just-so-happens to have the Elf-friendly Captain Elendil aboard feels much more unlikely. On the opposite hand, Sauron achieved many key goals throughout his time in Númenor. Galadriel found Halbrand’s pretend heritage as King of the Southlands, whereas the Elf additionally satisfied Queen Regent Míriel to lift a military in opposition to Adar within the Southlands.

Sauron even discovered time to stoke dissent amongst Númenor’s inhabitants whereas there that means that, absolutely, this was not all simply coincidence. Watching Halbrand’s The Rings of Power scenes again, his time on Númenor feels much more deliberate. In episode 5, Galadriel argues with Halbrand over his reluctance to rescue the Southlanders, saying, “I have just convinced Númenor to send five ships and 500 people to aid your people and place a crown upon your head. Many might assume YOU used ME.”

In hindsight, Galadriel’s phrases had been more true than she knew. One of Sauron’s nice manipulative skills is convincing a sufferer that his concepts are theirs, and that is seen later with Celebrimbor in episode 8. Sauron needed Galadriel to find his pretend connection to the Southlands and equally needed her to rally a Númenórean military. After all, it’s the jailed Halbrand who subtly tells Galadriel methods to win Queen Regent Míriel over after her early makes an attempt fail.

Two factors concerning Sauron’s time in Númenor stay unanswered heading into The Rings of Power season 2. From his cell, Halbrand whispers recommendation to Chancellor Pharazôn, planting seeds for Tolkien’s future tales involving these two villains. It is tough to say whether or not Sauron is planning, hedging his bets, or merely stirring up bother for bother’s sake right here, although Rings of Power season 2 guarantees to reply this with extra Pharazôn tales coming. Secondly, after Galadriel pleads for Halbrand to hitch the Southlands mission, he deliberates over whether or not to just accept. Was Sauron simply method-acting, or did he really take into account staying in Númenor?

Sauron Orchestrated The Creation Of Mordor

The Southlands Became Mordor In The Rings Of Power Season 1

The Rings of Power leaves a level of ambiguity over whether or not the plan to show Middle-earth’s Southlands right into a steaming wasteland of fireside and ash got here from Adar, who needed a house for the Orcs, or Sauron, who wanted a brand new HQ after Morgoth’s downfall. All clues level towards Mordor’s creation having a spot in Sauron’s plan in The Rings of Power season 1. Perhaps Adar was behind the Southlands’ image Galadriel discovered at Forodwaith – an indication for the place fellow Orcs ought to collect – however the identical mark was burned into Finrod’s corpse too.

This suggests the plan originated with Sauron himself. Someone extra highly effective than Adar additionally constructed Ostirith’s water launch system throughout the First Age. Furthermore, when discussing the Southlands’ assault plan in The Rings of Power episode 5, Halbrand well guesses Adar’s Orcs would head from Tirharad to Ostirith. This suggests he knew concerning the black sword and the havoc it will wreak by inflicting the eruption of Orodruin, later generally known as Mount Doom in The Lord of the Rings.

Bringing these clues collectively, Sauron in all probability deliberate to make use of the Southlands as his new stronghold earlier than Adar killed him. Adar then carried on Sauron’s plan, however solely as a result of he needed the Orcs to have a house with out daylight. Knowing this, Sauron willingly allowed the eruption to go forward, because it benefitted his personal motivations. After all, it’s Halbrand and Galadriel who seize Adar and reclaim the pretend sword hilt.

Due to his affinity for darkish magic, Sauron will need to have identified the bundle Adar held was a decoy, however didn’t point out this element to his new mates, additional implying Mordor was a part of the Dark Lord’s bigger design. Another potential motivation Sauron could have for letting the panorama change is understanding he’ll want Mount Doom to forge the One Ring additional down the road. With The Rings of Power season 2 promising the crafting of extra rings, this might come into play.

How Sauron Influenced Celebrimbor’s Rings Of Power (& Why)

Sauron Pushed Celebrimbor Into Crafting The Rings

In The Rings of Power season 1, Sauron efficiently good points Galadriel’s belief, tacitly convinces her he’s the Southlands’ rightful king, recruits a military to crush Adar in revenge for killing him centuries prior, and permits Mount Doom’s reawakening. Now, it’s lastly time to infiltrate Eregion and start creating the Rings of Power as a way of gaining the aforementioned “power over flesh.” First, Halbrand emerges from the volcanic explosion having suffered an harm that solely Elves can heal.

The Rings of Power season 1, episode 7 confirms that Southlanders discovered Halbrand already wounded, that means nobody witnessed him getting damage. It is protected to imagine this harm is designed to pressure Galadriel into driving Sauron straight by the gates of Eregion. Safely inside and healed, Sauron wastes no time searching for out Eregion’s grasp smith, Celebrimbor, and appeals to the Elf’s ego by pure flattery. Next comes the recommendation on methods to craft magic rings, however reasonably than merely provide all his arcane data immediately, Halbrand offers Celebrimbor simply sufficient hints to achieve each conclusion himself.

The secret motive Sauron helps Celebrimbor is defined in The Lord of the Rings. Middle-earth’s villain plans to weave his personal magic into the Rings’ design, thereby giving his soon-to-be-created One Ring mastery over the others. As such, influencing Celebrimbor into crafting Rings of Power is how Sauron ultimately casts his dominion over dwarves and males, although not over the elves whose rings had been crafted in secret.

Sauron’s Plan In The Rings Of Power Season 2 Explained

Sauron’s Plan For Domination Continues

As the legendary Lord of the Rings poem goes: three for the elven kings below the sky, seven for the dwarf lords of their halls of stone, 9 for mortal males doomed to die, and one for the darkish lord. These rings ultimately all find yourself being crafted, tying into The Lord of the Rings trilogy with Sauron making an attempt to regain his energy, and the One Ring, to finalize his plan for dominance. As The Rings of Power season 1 ends, solely the three elven rings exist.

In The Rings of Power season 2, the remaining seventeen rings will develop into a significant plot level, particularly because the Rings of Dwarves and Men are those Sauron helps forge immediately. A confirmed component for The Rings of Power season 2 is that Sauron will take the type of Annatar, not Halbrand. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s story, Annatar is the shape Sauron takes all through his time in Eregion, a fair-looking gift-giver. In season 2, Vickers will play this type of Sauron and start his manipulation of Celebrimbor.

The varied trailers for The Rings of Power season 2 have confirmed this storyline. For instance, one scene sees Prince Durin, performed by Owain Arthur in The Rings of Power’s forged, pleading together with his father to “take off the ring.” This confirms the seven dwarven rings can be crafted in Rings of Power season 2. Later, Annatar is proven telling Celebrimbor “You will give me the nine,” talking of the 9 rings of males. All of this proves what Sauron’s aim is in season 2 – the ultimate development of the rings he intends to dominate.

What Sauron Does As Annatar In J.R.R. Tolkien’s History

Annatar Manipulates Celebrimbor

In the tales of J.R.R. Tolkien, Sauron’s function as Annatar is solely one among deceit. Similar to how Halbrad was used, Sauron makes use of the type of Annatar to worm his approach into the belief of the elves, furthering his personal plans. The important topic of Annatar’s deceit is Celebrimbor, the elven smith liable for crafting the Rings of Power. Annatar seems as a so-called lord of items and teaches the elves of Eregion methods to craft extra rings of energy earlier than infusing them together with his personal darkish magic with out their data.

After Annatar’s deceit of Celebrimbor is profitable, Sauron unveils himself upon Middle-earth. This begins the War of the Elves and Sauron, a battle within the Second Age of Middle-earth. As such, The Rings of Power season 2 is anticipated to start this part of the story by together with Sauron as Annatar, the fair-looking visage that can proceed his grasp plan meant to end result within the full dominion of Middle-earth.