Blackstar

Adar in every episode - s02.01

The Rings of Power | Season 2 | Aug 29 - Oct 3, 2024 Benjamin Walker as High King Gil-galad

"Do you swear allegiance to Adar, Lord-father of the Uruks?"

"Adar is the name I earned. Help me earn it back."

MIRIEL and ELENDIL in The Rings of Power 2x08

MIRIEL and ELENDIL - stars

"My children... you are free."

Sam Hazeldine said that he thought that Sauron probably presented himself to Adar as something of a savior from Morgoth's torments, when in fact Sauron was in charge of carrying them out.

And I would love a whole series of Adar's backstory dedicated to this because can you imagine? Sauron shows Adar some mercy and acts sympathetic. Maybe he even pretends to be little more than a victim, too, telling Adar that he thought Morgoth was kinder than he was, but now things have gotten so bad he can't stand it. Yet he's trapped.

Sauron would probably use the bruises from his and Morgoth's implied BDSM sessions to sell this narrative. And look, I do believe Morgoth was at times abusive to Sauron, but I don't think Sauron was helpless or had battered spouse syndrome. I think these were two very twisted individuals in a toxic relationship. And I don't think he minded hurting people at all under Morgoth's commands.

And for years, maybe centuries or even millennia, Adar and Sauron build this rapport and trust on the fact that they are both victims more or less forced to carry out Morgoth's whims. Adar notices Sauron is much darker and sadistic than he is. But he dismisses it because Adar knows he, too, is becoming corrupted. He's losing his morals and himself, but he can't help it. He figures it's just that Sauron's been Morgoth's thrall for longer.

Then at some point, Adar sees or hears something he wasn't meant to and begins to realize that it's not quite as simple. He doesn't want to believe it, but overtime, he starts to realize that the version if Sauron he thought he knew never existed and that some atrocities he blamed Morgoth for were done by Sauron all along.

Adar + sitting on his thrones

Sam Hazeldine are Adar, The Rings of Power S02E01

✦ GALADRIEL & HALBRAND ✦ THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER S1E6 "Udûn"

#look how far they've gotten 1x06 | 2x08

SAM HAZELDINE AS ADAR, THE RINGS OF POWER S02E01