There’s just one episode left in season one of Amazon Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and the elusive villain Sauron is STILL not officially on the table as a character. Hinted at since the opening minutes of the series, the hunt for the character has largely been a huge part of the first season’s storyline, and we could very well be headed for a season finale reveal. Knowing there’s just one episode left in the show however our investigation into who the real Sauron is has taken a major turn after the latest episode. Check out our list of suspects for the big bad below. Spoilers for all six episodes follow!
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Adar – ELIMINATED FROM SUSPICION
Known only by the Elvish word for “Father,” Adar’s place in the world is one where he commands respect and also literally commands the orcs of The Southlands. All of these things stack up pretty heavily in the favor of Adar actually being Sauron. The most recent episode however reveals that Adar was actually one of the originally elves corrupted by Morgoth, largely eliminating him from being Sauron, especially since he reveals that he claims to have killed Sauron.
#8 Theo
Though he did admit that holding the Sauron sword/key made him feel powerful, immediately setting off alarm bells, Theo’s place as a person with a big and good heart was largely revealed in the seventh episode. It seems unlikely he’s Sauron at this point, but maybe that’s just what they want us to think.
#7 The Stranger
Since the first episode of The Rings of Power ended with Daniel Weyman’s The Stranger falling from the sky in a meteor, leaving behind a crater that looks A LOT like the Eye of Sauron, fans have speculated he might be the next coming of Sauron. The trouble there is that while the allusions are certainly clear, with the added bonus that he’s clearly a magic user; but there’s just as much (if not more) evidence that The Stranger is actually a wizard. There’s also continued evidence that The Stranger may very well be Gandalf in his early days, which is looking more and more likely.
#6 Waldreg
Still pretty low on totem pole for potential secret Saurons in The Rings of Power is Geoff Morrell’s Waldreg. The character no doubt will be a bridge to Sauron’s eventual rise to power since he’s been one of the only men in the series that is familiar with him as an entity. That Waldreg hails from The Southlands (this is exactly where Mordor will eventually be) and he at one point owned the Sauron-symbol sword means that we can’t rule him out entirely. As of the most recent episode the character is also responsible for making sure Mount Doom erupts, but that doesn’t really work in his favor.
#5 Kemen
Played by Leon Wadham, Pharazôn’s son may not be an obvious choice to secretly be Sauron but considering his place in the latest episode it makes for an interesting proposition. In the episode Kemen advises his father, influencing how he handles the situation with Galadriel on Numenor. This may seem innocuous but in the context of Tolkien’s Middle-earth Sauron was a major influence on Pharazôn, advising him and leading him down the dark path that lead to the nation’s ruin. By that extension, Kemen could very well be filling that space, perhaps influenced by Sauron himself.
Kemen has moved down in our suspect list largely because he has been absent for so many episodes in a row, knocking him down a spot.
#4 Mysterious New Character
Many assumed from the trailer for The Rings of Power that the figure above was Sauron, but the only evidence to that is that they look kind of evil. The latest episode reveals their name and actor, with Prime’s X-Ray revealing that the character is played by Bridie Sisson but no official name was given. All we know about them from the episode is that they’re looking for The Stranger, which doesn’t really confirm one way or the other if they are Sauron or even if The Stranger is Sauron. In any event, things just got more interesting.
#3 There Are Multiple Saurons
Think about it. Voldemort in Harry Potter, Dolores in Westworld, it’s a prime antagonist plan to split yourself up into multiple places/pieces/people in order to fully secure your place as the biggest and baddest in the land. Considering the sheer amount of suspects on this list alone, and the many places that Sauron fits into the larger Tolkien mythology, it makes sense that he might be operating in multiple places at once. We may not even know the full extent of his reach.
#2 Sauron Probably Isn’t Even Around
In the past it was teased that Sauron wouldn’t even be in the first season of The Rings of Power, this comign from a fan site report and not Amazon Prime Video themselves. To that end we’re now over halfway through the first season of the show and technically Sauron has only appeared in one shot in the series’ opening montage sequence. Three episodes remain in The Rings of Power’s first season and while the potential for a Sauron reveal is certainly within the realm of possibility, it could very well be something they’re building toward in the next batch of episodes (the rings of power themselves haven’t even been forged!)
#1 Halbrand
Ever since he appeared in the show’s second episode Halbrand and his mysterious past have largely spurred conversation that he’s actually Sauron. Let’s review:
- Hails from The Southlands that we know to be Mordor
- Doesn’t like people knowing too much about him
- Can handle himself in a fight
- Seemingly a lost king
- Still won’t divulge much about himself.
The latest episode sees Halbrand embrace his past and his potential future as the rightful king of The Southlands, sailing back for Middle-earth with Galadriel, Elendil, and the other soldiers from Numenor.
What makes the “Halbrand is Sauron” theories all the more interesting is the larger narrative potential it presents. The fact that Galadriel is so insistent on working him with, and even opens up to him about her brother’s death and her hunt for Sauron, the eventual heel turn by Halbrand revealing his true nature will ultimately be a devastating turn of events for her….if it’s true.
Post-Episode 6 update: Halbrand’s interaction with Adar made for some interesting scenes in The Rings of Power, further making his status as potential Sauron even more likely. He seemed to immediately harbor a grudge with Adar, perhaps even miffed that he wasn’t being recognized, which nearly puts him at the top of the list.
Post-Episode 7 update: Despite seemingly being mortally hurt after, Halbrand is being taken by Galadriel to the Elves to tend to his wounds. Who else is where the Elves are? Celebrimbor, the creator of the Rings of Power who is deceived into making The One Ring by Sauron. The reveal is surely coming.
