This post contains detailed spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Read our spoiler-filled finale review.
Since the very first episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, fans have been asking one question: Who is Sauron? The Season 1 finale finally gave us our answer. But it was not as simple as one may have thought in the beginning. The finale had some twists and turns before truly revealing the big bad of the season. So let's break it down, talk about that supersized cold open fake out, and ponder what it all means for The Rings of Power.
Is the Stranger Sauron?
That's what the show wants you to believe as its cold open reintroduces the Stranger (Daniel Weyman). We find him in the lush landscape of Eryn Galen the Greenwood, also known in Tolkien's lore as the Mirkwood. It's here that he finally comes across the Dweller (Bridie Sisson) in disguise as Nori. And in the moments before the episode credits begin to roll, the trio of wizards tell the Stranger that they are there to serve him as he is "Lord Sauron." If it seems like The Rings of Power has blown its magical load incredibly soon then don't despair as the truth is not actually that simple. As the three spooky cult leaders try to remind "Sauron" who he really is through strange magic and peer pressure, we start to learn some very suspicious truths about the supposed King of the Southlands (Charlie Vickers).
Who or What Is Istari?
Isn't that the big question! While the finale does answer the question of Sauron's identity — we'll get to that imminently — it also seems to open up an entirely new mystery. Long ago in our first big Rings of Power breakdown we suggested that the Stranger seemed similar to Gandalf. But there's one big problem with that theory: in the Tolkien timeline the Istari (wizards) didn't appear until 1000 years into the Third Age. The show is set in the Second Age around 1500 - 1701, so we put that one to bed. But in the final episode of Season 1, The Rings of Power throws fuel back onto that particular fire. As the Stranger protects the harfoots from the Dweller and her evil companions, the trio realize he isn't Sauron. They then state that "he is the Other" and one of them whispers "Istari." So what does it all mean?
Well, at the very least it means that The Rings of Power is moving things around and apparently introducing a wizard early. As we mentioned above, there are some serious discrepancies with the timeline as we know it. Not only are the wizards not supposed to show up for millennia but Sauron is also a little tardy seeing as we meet him this week. In the books he was supposed to have shown himself to the elves in 1075 of the Second Age, but he appears to them here instead. The show has been playing fast and loose with the canon and timing, but this is definitely the biggest change from what we know yet, and that leads to the Stranger's identity.
While they never say the word Gandalf, the further into the episode we go the more clear it becomes that's the takeaway they want us to have. In fact, as the Stranger heads off on his quest to Rhûn with his new harfoot friend, he tells her: "If in doubt, Elanor Brandyfoot, always follow your nose." This is word for word what Gandalf says to Merry in The Fellowship of the Ring. So at this point we're pretty sure that's who they want us to think he is.
So Is Halbrand Sauron?
Remember our very fun ranking from the last episode? Well, it turns out that we were correct. Number one on that list was none other than Halbrand, a character who we were told was newly created for the show, but was actually just another guise of the Dark Lord Sauron. Though it's not until halfway through the episode that this is confirmed, there are some major clues that pop up as Halbrand and Galadriel arrive back in the elvish kingdom of Lindon. After being healed, the very chirpy Halbrand seeks out Celebrimbor and charms him with flattery. He also convinces the elder elf to tell him about Mithril and soon is "gifting" him advice about how to forge it. Yep, it seems like Halbrand is a reimagining of Annatar the Giver of Gifts. In a very short span he teaches Celebrimbor how to forge the rings and gains his deep trust. It's here that book readers likely cottoned onto what Galadriel took so long to understand: Halbrand is Sauron.
He confirms this to his traveling companion as he proposes something shocking: Galadriel should reign alongside him. Together, the two can balance the dark and the light. Obviously Galadriel is not having any of it, but she's also loath to tell anyone that she brought Sauron into the heart of the elves' home and kingdom. So she doesn't. Seems like that'll end badly.
Wait a Minute, the Rings of Power Were Forged This Episode?
Well, three of them were. The powerful elven rings that--in book canon--were never touched or corrupted by Sauron were forged by good old Celebrimbor after Halbrand/Sauron's departure. It was Galadriel who suggested making three so that they couldn't be pitted against one another, and Celebrimbor and Elrond agreed, claiming it would create a certain balance. This is seemingly a big change from what we know in the books as the elves' rings were the last to be forged there. Seeing as Halbrand and Celebrimbor were only chilling for a very brief amount of time it seems unlikely that the other rings that would eventually be given to the dwarves and men were forged at all. So perhaps we'll see that come to pass in later seasons. As we leave Halbrand arriving at Mordor, we can assume he's about to forge the One Ring to Rule Them All as soon as he gets home to his smoggy homeland. Wonder how Adar will feel about that?
That's where we leave the cast of The Rings of Power as the first season comes to an end. We'll have to wait until next season to catch up with Bronwyn, Arondir, Theo, and the Southlanders. As for what's happened to Isildur, your guess is as good as ours. But seeing as he still has to chop off Sauron's ring finger in the ages ahead, we assume that he'll be back next time. However, as the second season has just gone into production, that may be a long wait!
Rosie Knight is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything from anime to comic books to kaiju to kids movies to horror flicks. She has over half a decade of experience in entertainment journalism with bylines at Nerdist, Den of Geek, Polygon, and more. Rosie is a published comics author who has written titles including Godzilla Rivals vs. Battra and The Haunted High-Tops. She co-hosts the weekly Crooked Media pop-culture podcast X-Ray Vision.
