In 2022, Prime Video released the TV the first season of the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power series, and fans were eager to see how the show’s characters would translate from J.R.R Tolkien’s written articulations of Middle-earth history to the screen. Now that Season 2 has arrived, fans are wondering if Sauron, the show’s primary antagonist, is going to make a return.
In the first season, he did a lot of malicious work: he went to war with the Elves for their rings of power, left Lindor to attempt to overthrow Mordor, and it was revealed in the finale that Halbrand (played by Charlie Vickers) was, in fact, Sauron in disguise. When Sauron’s true identity was unveiled, audiences were unsure whether or not the villain would make his return as Vickers or as another character. Now that Season 2 has arrived, the answer is clear. But is it what fans expected?
Speculation About Recasting Sauron
The notion that Sauron might be recast in Season 2 gained traction due to the character’s unique history. In Season 1, Halbrand is introduced as a seemingly simple human with a murky past. Though it initially appeared that Sauron’s arc would include some redemption, this perception was turned on its head by the finale as his powers were made clear. In Tolkien’s lore, Sauron is a master deceiver who can alter his physical appearance to serve many purposes, leading to the first season’s dark twist.
Fans were eager to see if this would play out in the second season, specifically who would play Sauron if he did appear as someone else. Some viewers assumed that Vickers would be returning to play the mischievous role, while others speculated that other actors would play Sauron when he shapeshifted. Before the new season’s release, Vickers himself had been coy about the role, as he refused to confirm or deny his reappearance for the second season.
In an interview with Schön! Magazine, Vickers offered a bit of insight into his approach for the role of Halbrand, stating, “I think that there was this character that had this kind of ambiguity and darkness in his past, which I liked, and was interested in. I loved that he had this kind of hidden nobility. It was sold to me as he’s an heir to a great army.” This quote suggests that Vickers sees Sauron as more than just a villain; he’s a complex figure with his own motivations, and Vickers is eager to continue exploring those layers in the new season. It was clear that there were several aspects of the character that had the potential to be explored if he were to return. So, let’s see what Sauron’s return actually entailed.
Sauron’s Appearance in Season 2
After the release of the new high-tension season on Prime Video on August 29th, 2024, it is confirmed that Sauron has returned to the show, but in a different way than most had predicted. In fact, the first episode begins with the origin story of Sauron, where he is played as an evil elf by Jack Lowden before being reborn into an evil version of himself, where Charlie Vickers is back to portraying the villain. In an interview with Variety, showrunners Payne and McKay described their intentions for the character for Season 2, stating:
“He wants a home; they’re refugees, in a way. Sauron wants to help everybody, but he wants to do that with the ultimate power and the ring. He is getting into everybody’s head and manipulating everybody. This season is really about how Sauron is going to accomplish what he’s going to do. He’s starting off with nothing, he’s by himself, no army. He’s all alone. How is he going to basically conquer Middle-earth and also have Celebrimbor make the ring for him?”
It’s evident that the creative team of the show is striving for a nuanced and complex depiction of Sauron in this next season. Sauron’s presence is likely to become a central aspect of the story, as further conflicts with characters such as Celebrimbor and Adar continue to be unraveled. For fans who were hoping that Vickers would be the primary actor for the role of Sauron, this is good news: we’ll be able to see the psychological aspects of Sauron come to the front as he navigates complex battles. Vickers, who takes his responsibilities as Sauron seriously, will likely be able to portray these aspects authentically.
New Characters and Sauron’s Expanding Influence
Season 2 also introduced a range of new characters, most of which are interwoven with Sauron’s storyline and the dark scope of Middle-earth. While Vickers takes on the role of the villain, there are new faces that he interacts with and manipulates. One of the new castings includes Círdan, an elderly elf (Ben Daniels) who is aware of the conflicts in Middle-earth. Other new characters include Tom Bambadil (Rory Kinnear), and Rian, an elven archer from Lindon (Selina Lo). In their own respective ways, these additional characters add intricate and specific elements to Sauron’s narratives the heavy truths about the Rings of Power make their way to the forefront.
Now, audiences have had the chance to express their own ratings on Sauron’s character in Season 2. Overall, Sauron’s appearance has been full of new twists and discoveries. Charlie Vickers’s portrayal of Sauron in the second season focuses on the mental and emotional changes that the character is going through, which serves as great context for the character’s past and a launching pad for the future. Stream on Prime Video.
