Warning: This article contains spoilers for “The Rings of Power” season 2. Read at your own peril.
In episode 2 of “The Rings of Power” season 2, Sauron (Charlie Vickers) finally leaves his Halbrand persona (which was invented for the show) behind. While there is some reasoning behind the show’s non-canonical mortal iteration of the Dark Lord, in my opinion, it’s about time we move on to bigger, more book-accurate stuff. Instead of Halbrand, the show is resolving a Sauron-size plot hole by having the villain embrace his book-accurate role as Annatar, Lord of Gifts, to deceive Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards).
At the end of the episode, right before he sheds his mortal appearance, Sauron/Halbrand/Annatar says, “There are forces in this world beyond evil, Celebrimbor, and sometimes they send aid in the form of an envoy, a messenger, sent to bring guidance to the ears of the wise.” In the midst of the slick gaslighting, it’s easy to miss the comment, but it raises the question: An envoy of who, exactly? Isn’t he the Dark Lord by this point? Morgoth, Sauron’s old boss, is gone. Who is Sauron representing via his fancy immortal Annatar shenanigans? We know it isn’t the treacherous Adar.
It turns out that Sauron deceiving the Elves by referring to himself as an ambassador is a concept that is lifted right from Tolkien’s texts. In the book “Unfinished Tales,” Tolkien writes, “In Eregion Sauron posed as an emissary of the Valar, sent by them to Middle-earth (‘thus anticipating the Istari’) or ordered by them to remain there to give aid to the Elves.”
So, Sauron’s claim to be an envoy is actually him masquerading as a messenger of the Valar, the god-like guardians of Middle-earth who live away in the Undying Lands in the West (the area where Frodo goes at the end of “The Return of the King”).
The mention of “Istari” helps clarify what Tolkien is saying here. The Istari, or “Wizards,” of Tolkien’s world are incarnate Maiar — powerful spiritual beings who are basically lesser versions of the Valar. They are sent by the Valar to protect Middle-earth against Sauron and are encapsulated in bodies to limit their ability to break bad (see: Saruman). By posing as an envoy of the Valar in bodily form, Sauron is anticipating the Wizard concept and pretending to help the Elves against their enemies, much like Gandalf will actually do later in the Third Age.
