Following last week’s cliffhanger, Adar is eventually introduced in LOTR: The Rings of Power episode 4. Although it is obvious that the unknown orc chieftain has sinister intentions, is he the story’s main antagonist?
Adar is portrayed by English actor Joseph Mawle (Benjen Stark in Game of Thrones), but are fans’ theories about him being Sauron accurate? Let’s look at this…
One of the first things we notice about Adar is that he has ears that resemble those of an elf, and the term “adar” is actually an elvish word that means “father,” as Arondir graciously pointed out in episode 3. Since Sauron was once one of the Maiar(opens in new tab) before coming under the sway of Morgoth, he is capable of changing his appearance to suit his needs.
The original Orcs, as Tolkien fans well aware, were actually corrupted elves, therefore it’s also plausible that Adar is just an elf who has turned evil and started building an army in an effort to win control. After all, we know that Southerners supported Morgoth during the previous conflict, so perhaps some elves were on his side as well.
The recovery of the black sword hilt that Theo is carrying about was revealed to be Adar’s ultimate goal in the Southlands toward the conclusion of this week’s episode.
Theo receives a foreboding message from the village’s innkeeper after making it to the watchtower, who obviously has feelings for the Dark Lord. In addition, after coming into contact with the black sword, they have both developed the mark of Sauron on their forearms. He informs Theo that the object he is carrying is not a sword but rather “a power that his master himself created for our forefathers. A lovely servant of the one who was missing and will be found.”
A few weeks ago, there was a meteor, or “starfall,” which, according to the innkeeper, is a sign that Sauron is returning to Middle Earth. Is it possible that Adar is really Sauron in this case? Or, if not, what links Adar, Sauron, and the stranger from the meteor?
When Sauron first arrived in Middle-Earth, he deceived elves into thinking he was one of them and convinced the great elven-smith, Celebrimbor, to craft the rings of power. Those who have studied Sauron’s background will know this.
Even though the Dark Lord is renowned as “Sauron the Deceiver,” we believe he needs a major makeover before he can fool the elves. Also, if he intended to sneak into Lindon, why would he disclose himself to Arondir and then release him?
In light of all the available data, we believe Adar is more likely to be one of Sauron’s lieutenants or merely a depraved elf attempting to win over the Dark Lord by locating the black hilt, but only time will tell.
Every Friday, The Rings of Power new episodes are available on Prime Video.
