The long-awaited release of season two of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is nearly over, with the second season premiering on Prime Video on August 29, 2024. But with less than three months to go, fans are itching to know more about what The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has in store for them this time around.
Will audiences learn more about Galadriel’s past and her missing husband, Celeborn, who is thought to be dead? How much closer to its doom will Númenor come this season? What’s in store for The Stranger and Nori during their journey to Rhȗn? There are dozens of unanswered questions, most of which the series itself will have to answer. But one of the biggest questions is: what will Sauron be doing in season two of The Rings of Power?
Season one ended with Galadriel discovering Halbrand’s true identity as Sauron after the forging of the Elves’ rings of power. However, she didn’t reveal it to anyone. Once Galadriel knew his identity, Sauron returned to the Southlands, which had been destroyed by Mount Doom, turning it into the well-known realm of Mordor in The Lord of the Rings. With season two nearly here, what can viewers expect from Sauron with Mordor established and three rings of power forged?
Will Sauron Be Replacing His Disguise As Halbrand?
Although many questions can’t be answered for certain, the trailer for season two of The Rings of Power does confirm a few things. One of those is that Sauron has chosen to get rid of his rugged disguise of Halbrand, the lost King of the Southlands. This is definitely a strategic move on his part, as Galadriel would have easily identified him had he remained disguised as Halbrand. Instead, in the new season, Sauron sports a new and vastly different look. This time around, Sauron will be scheming and plotting for control of Middle Earth as an Elf.
Sauron’s Elf disguise is eagerly anticipated, since many fans expected to see his fair Elf form in season one. But the wait is finally over. Still, another question remains: will the Elf form Sauron takes in The Rings of Power be Annatar? This is a tricky question to answer, since Prime Video is legally limited regarding what they can and cannot use from Tolkien’s written work. Speculation and rumors claim confirmation that Sauron will use the name Annatar in the show. However, it won’t be certain until the release of season two.
How Many More Rings Of Power Will Sauron Craft?
Along with Sauron changing into his Elf disguise, The Rings of Power season two trailer also confirms that more rings will be forged. The new season will show the creation of the seven Dwarven rings. The trailer even shows King Durin holding one of the seven rings of power, which will lead to the fall of Khazad-dûm at the hands of the Balrog.
Although the trailer shows one of the seven Dwarven rings, this doesn’t necessarily mean the nine rings of power that are given to men will be forged this season. Still, it would make sense for all sixteen rings to be created at the same time, since Sauron intended all of them as gifts for the races of Middle Earth.
What Other Events Can Viewers Expect From Sauron?
In addition to changing disguises and forging more rings, there are a couple of other events the trailer hints at for season two. One of these is Sauron’s war with the Elves, and several battles that are likely to take place. Additionally, the creation of Barad-dûr, Sauron’s fortress, is one of the most significant events that will take place this season. This is the same fortress (although it had to be rebuilt) that appears during the Third Age of Middle Earth in The Lord of the Rings movies. In the films, it’s famous for having the giant Eye of Sauron on top, although the eye won’t be present just yet.
The presence of Barad-dûr is significant because it gives away a crucial bit of information about season two of The Rings of Power (assuming the show follows canon). In Tolkien’s written work, the building of Barad-dûr doesn’t take place until after the forging of the One Ring in Mount Doom. As the greatest fortress ever built in Middle Earth, it required a lot of work and a lot of power to construct. As such, Sauron used the One Ring to help with the building of Barad-dûr in Mordor. Unless the series takes creative liberties and changes the storyline, this means Sauron will indeed forge the One Ring during the upcoming season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
