The opening scene of the first episode of The Rings of Power Season 2 features a significant flashback set before Season 1. This moment marks the earliest portrayal of Sauron on screen, providing insight into his character and history.
In this season, Jack Lowden takes on the role of a younger Sauron, diverging from Charlie Vickers, who portrays Sauron in his Halbrand form. Lowden’s portrayal serves to illustrate Sauron’s shapeshifting abilities and presents a version of him with less control over Orcs. This shift sets the stage for a deeper understanding of Sauron’s journey.
The flashback occurs during the “Dawn of the Second Age” in a region referred to as “Forodwaith,” set roughly a thousand years prior to the main events of The Rings of Power. This period follows Sauron’s defeat of Morgoth, the original Dark Lord, and marks a pivotal moment when Sauron reflects, “Always after a defeat, the shadow takes another shape and grows again.” The setting, Forodwaith, had previously been noted in Tolkien’s appendices, and the new revelation connects this icy region to Sauron’s backstory, explaining its chilling climate as a consequence of Sauron’s battle with Adar and the Orcs.
This connection also enhances the narrative continuity, as Season 1 begins in Forodwaith, where Galadriel searches for remnants of Sauron’s forces. The flashback illuminates the subsequent events after the alleged defeat of Sauron, where he transforms into a dark, parasitic form before eventually adopting the identity of Halbrand, shortly before he encounters Galadriel.
In this way, the narrative develops a richer context for Sauron’s actions and motivations, bridging the storyline of the new season with the events of the first. By Episode 2 of Season 2, Sauron’s journey is brought into closer alignment with Tolkien’s lore, though the path taken to reach this point unfolds numerous new aspects not previously explored in any of Tolkien’s works.
The Rings of Power is available for streaming on Prime Video.