Rings of Power’s Bear McCreary Teases Sauron’s Theme in Season 2 (Exclusive)

Sauron has arrived. Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power spent its entire first season building up to the return of Middle-earth’s Dark Lord, as it was revealed in the Season 1 finale that Charlie Vicker’s Halbrand was actually Sauron in disguise. Considering Sauron was secretly on screen for seven episodes, The Rings of Power creators were never shy about emphasizing that he was hidden in plain sight. While most of those teases were only evident in hindsight, one recurring hint was actually flipped on its head when Sauron made his official entrance.

Speaking to ComicBook.com, The Rings of Power composer Bear McCreary revealed that the music that accompanied Halbrand’s scenes in Season 1 is actually an inverted version of Sauron’s theme.

“One of the things that I had the most fun with was the Sauron theme. Spoiler alert, he is another character in season one. It turns out he’s teased, but we also get to know him before we realize it’s him and that character has a theme as well. That character’s theme is the Sauron theme backwards,” McCreary revealed. “You’ve been hearing these notes. You already have this duality, this built-in subconscious trick that I used to sort of teach you that Sauron’s here. You know him even if you don’t know that you know him.”

While McCreary stayed quiet on Rings of Power Season 2 specifics, he teased that fans have not heard the final product of Sauron’s music.

“Going into Season 2, all I can say is that there’s some really great twists and turns and his theme is going to continue to evolve,” McCreary continued. “Sauron is a shape-shifter. As he changes shape to manipulate in the surroundings to his own ends, his music is going to have to adapt. What I think is really cool is I’ve already conditioned the audience to expect that. I’ve already conditioned the audience. Whether you know it or not, your brain understands that this certain shape of notes, which is itself a little circle. It’s this ring. It’s the only theme that has this circular repeating thing. I think you’re going to hear other variations of that in the next season that are going to be pretty cool.”

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 1 is currently streaming on Prime Video.