The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is set within the Second Age of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth universe. Although this is an era that has been hinted at in the opening flashback sequence of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the series will tell the full story of the first War of the Ring. The armies of men, elves, and dwarves unite to defeat the ultimate enemy: Sauron. Before he became the monolithic eye perched on the top of Mount Doom, Sauron took on a mortal form.
Sauron’s backstory is well-documented in Tolkien’s novels. Beyond The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Tolkien explained how Sauron first rose to power in The Silmarillion. The Silmarillion includes details about the entire history of Middle-earth, from its inception to its fall. Although Sauron becomes the “ultimate evil” that unites the heroes, he’s actually connected to an even older force of malevolence.
Sauron Has a History With Another Evil Immortal Being of Middle-earth
Middle-earth is a continent in a fictional realm that Tolkien refers to as “Arda.” The god-like figure Eru creates this universe by creating immortal beings called the “Ainur.” Sauron is among the Ainur that first receive the word of Eru. However, Sauron falls under the influence of another immortal being named Melkor. Melkor is the most powerful of the Ainur, and the source of all evil within Middle Earth.
Sauron is attracted to the knowledge that he gains from Melkor. While Eru wanted to see beings like elves and men grow and evolve, Melkor sought to create unity through a fully assimilated culture. Tolkien’s experiences serving in World War II served as a primary inspiration for his stories. Melkor and Saurons’ desire to create “order” through unity can be compared to the global rise of fascism. The union of men, elves, and dwarves is thought to be a metaphor for the Allied Forces.
Sauron ultimately leaves the land of Valinor, so he can serve Melkor in Middle Earth itself. Valinor is the “Blessed Realm” of the Tolkien universe, and where the elves head towards at the end of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Melkor (who is cursed, and renamed “Morgoth”) guides Sauron to become his chief lieutenant. Sauron begins experimenting on Eru’s creatures, and creates the Orcs, trolls, and other villains within the franchise. During the “War of Wrath,” Sauron takes on many forms, including that of a vampire bat, a werewolf, and ultimately a “Dark Lord.”
Sauron Creates the One Ring in Secret
Although Morgoth is defeated and imprisoned within Valinor, Sauron manages to escape and names himself as Morgoth’s successor. In order to prepare for his next conquest, Sauron convinces the Elven blacksmiths to forge the Rings of Power. Unbeknownst to the elves, he secretly creates the One Ring to control the other rings. This is one of the main themes of The Lord of the Rings; although ring-bearers are granted power, they are doomed to become corrupted.
The “War of the Last Alliance” serves as the main storyline in The Rings of Power. Although it’s not entirely clear where the story is headed, the series will show Sauron’s destruction of Númenor, the city of men. It’s this event that forces mankind to form an alliance with the elves. Even if there are multiple seasons planned, we already know how the story ends; Sauron is defeated and thought to be dead. However, the human Prince Isildur refuses to destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom, allowing Sauron to stay alive.
Sauron is only referred to as the “Necromancer” in The Hobbit, but Peter Jackson’s film trilogy went into more detail explaining this discrepancy. Sauron’s existence cannot be revealed until The Lord of the Rings. Gandalf (Ian McKellen) senses that a great evil is rising in the East, and tracks down this mysterious “Necromancer.” He’s nearly killed, but Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), Elrond (Hugo Weaving), and the wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee) come to his aid. It’s ultimately Saruman who allows Sauron’s existence to remain a secret; he secretly desires the One Ring, and wants to serve at Sauron’s side. During the years between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Saruman helps Sauron raise a massive army and take control of the fortress Isengard. Gandalf knows that Bilbo (Ian Holm) has a magical ring, but he doesn’t realize that it is actually the One Ring until the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring.
Sauron's Power Lies in His Ability to Corrupt Others
The only way to rob Sauron of his power is to destroy the One Ring itself; Frodo is selected by the Council of Elrond because he has the strength to resist its powers. Dwarves, elves, and men can all be seduced by its power. Even Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) and Galadriel fear that they couldn’t resist the One Ring’s influence. Unlike Isildur, Frodo ultimately decides to cast the One Ring into the fiery volcano of Mount Doom and destroy Sauron for good. With nothing to retain his lifespan, Sauron is destroyed and vanquished from Middle-earth for eternity.
The character of Sauron is heavily metaphorical, and thus, has taken many forms in Tolkien’s novels. Jackson’s films have found different ways of depicting him. He appears as a mythical shadow in The Hobbit trilogy and a towering warrior in the flashbacks. Aragorn even duels with a literal “Mouth of Sauron” prior to the battle at Mount Doom. It will be interesting to see how The Rings of Power manages to reinvent this character’s storied history.
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