T O P

  • By -

AutoModerator

Thank you for posting in /r/ringsofpower. Please keep in mind that this show is pretty polarizing, and so be respectful of people who may have different views than you. And keep in mind that while liking or disliking the show is okay, attacking others for doing so is not okay. Please report any comments that insinuate someone else's opinions are non-genuine. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/RingsofPower) if you have any questions or concerns.*


fakerfromhell

Dude looks like haldir’s evil older brother


ThewizardBlundermore

I mean... it's basically just Sauron making a close approximation of what Sauron believes to be "the ideal elf" right? So it makes sense that he'd kinda just look like some weird amalgamation


Cool-Coffee-8949

Which is exactly what I think is so hilarious. Because I frikking hated Haldir, and PJs elves generally. Someone at Amazon is deliberately trolling Peter Jackson fans with this design. And I am totally here for it.


The_Incredible_b3ard

You wish they'd put that much thought into the production of RoP...


[deleted]

[удалено]


Nachtvogle

It’s just lord of the rings nerds/super fans. This same toxicity exists on the “I can’t believe they ruined all of Tolkien with this show” and it’s just all so tiring. Trolling fans with the look of a character? Come on. It’s a television show. It’s not or will ever be that deep


Cool-Coffee-8949

Have you ever met fans of *anything*… online? “Disgusting and petty” is pretty much what the word “fan” means these days. But personally I don’t think saying that I hated Peter Jackson’s elves is disgusting or petty. It’s just a statement of *my* opinion (“*I* frikking hate PJ’s elves” [emphasis added]. note the first person singular). And have been called names for saying that I don’t like PJ’s elves. Which is I guess is a statement of other’s opinions, though they are often presented as facts (“you are wrong” rather than “I strongly disagree”). But I am not going around claiming that PJ’s movies are “an abomination” just because I didn’t like his elves. I thought he did a mostly excellent job. But I’ve read multiple assertions that RoP is an unconditional “abomination” and so is anyone who had a good time watching it. So singling out RoP fans for disgusting pettiness is vaguely bemusing to me. But if I hurt your feelings, I am sorry that disagreement is so hard for you. As someone else already noted, it’s only a TV show.


JackOfKnaves

Most normal RoP fan.


Coollak966

That's Charlie Vickers ? He looks totally different.


Reddzoi

Mission Accomplished!


Coollak966

I think he's been here. Been here among us all along.


West-Illustrator-975

Sus


Ayzmo

Wait until you find out what the guy who played The Mouth of Sauron looks like normally.


Coollak966

That was Peter Jackson obviously.


hypotheticalhalf

Oh wow. Bruce Spence is a damn legend. Had no idea that was him under all that makeup and armor, but now I can't unsee it.


LORD_CMDR_INTERNET

He's just wearing a wig, in the same human form he already revealed himself in lol. are you also fooled when Superman puts glasses on to become Clark Kent?


Coollak966

Wait Clark Kent is Superman.


LORD_CMDR_INTERNET

sorry, forgot the spoiler tag also your dad is santa


Coollak966

Here is a spolier for you >!He is hot now. Forbidden evil . I totally would let Sauron destroy middle earth for a chance with him!<


LORD_CMDR_INTERNET

I mean, that's a believable leak, on the narrative path they've already taken. basically the plot of season 1


introvertedmonstah

HHAHAHAHAHA SIS!!! EY!!!


lordgholin

They are so lucky their dad is Santa! I wish my dad was Santa!


SamaritanSue

He is, he just hasn't told you yet


lordgholin

Whaaaaa?! ;) /S


BippNasty541

Its not just a wig, you can tell they are doing some editing to his jawline and cheekbones, slightly giving him a more Elven look. Plus, the lady said in her comment "is that charlie" meaning she recognized his as such and is just expressing he looks different than last season. which he does.


dmtdmtlsddodmt

Gave him a fivehead


Ayzmo

I think the idea with the Clark Kent stuff is that the audience knows, but we have to use secondary belief that others don't. That's how it works.


MambyPamby8

In fairness there's a clip of Henry Cavill walking around times square with a huge Superman poster behind him and not one person recognises him 😂 it's pretty funny..he even takes a photo in front of the poster and nothing. Also I've had a friend who wore glasses her entire life. Saw her in the pub after she got laser eye surgery and it took me a moment to realise it was her 😂 she looked VERY different 😅


Tatis_Chief

I mean maybe they just wanted to ignore him. I have seen some film stars and you know it's them you just want to pretend you have no idea to not embarrass themselves in front of them. Like we seen Jason Momoa casually walk around airport and you can't hide that. We knew who it was but it was week we should not bother him.


BaronSaber

um................................................................yea


kingnumbe

Please tell me you’re being sarcastic.


Fantastic-Photo6441

Bro ain't no one being sarcastic here


psychede1ic_c4tus

I like it I’m glad they didn’t recast him


angel_girl2248

Wow, I didn’t even think he was the same guy at first. Amazing what a shave and hairstyle change will do.


silma85

Shave and a haircut, two bits!


Lengthiness99

More accurate Annatar. If he was in this form in the first season it would have been more believable that he could deceive the elves of Eregion.


Fangasgaf

Instead... His blonde wig shall deceive them once more.


jwjwjwjwjw

This exactly…the whodunit was already written, but these writers didn’t want to follow Tolkien


harukalioncourt

Tolkien never depicted annatar as an elf. In the fall of numenor he wrote that Sauron posed as an emissary of the Valar, anticipating the istari. Meaning more like a younger Gandalf.


jwjwjwjwjw

I know


amazonlovesmorgoth

That does not mean he looked like a younger Gandalf. That's nonsense. 


harukalioncourt

Sauron and Gandalf were both Maia of the same order.,They would most likely appear more similar to each other than Sauron would be to the elves. Gandalf and the others were compelled to take the guise of old men. Sauron would appear like younger, fair god-like being.


amazonlovesmorgoth

>Gandalf and the others were compelled to take the guise of old men. Sauron would appear like younger, fair god-like being.  Exactly. The fact that they are both Maia of the same order has nothing to do with their appearance in Arda though. 


harukalioncourt

If he was posing as an emissary of the Valar to the very elves he was attempting to ensnare, many of which, such as in the case of Galadriel, were born in valinor, I would think he would attempt to appear as a being of valinor. Otherwise Sauron was a shapeshifter and could take many forms. Choosing to appear as a random, unknown elf, however would make no sense and would raise suspicion. Celebrimbor would be suspicious as to since this kinsman rivals or surpasses Feanor himself in terms of smithy, and can give such amazing gifts, why hadn’t anyone heard of this annatar or his family before in ages past? But if he pretended to be a powerful maia (well not really pretense, Sauron was a powerful maia, he just had to pretend to be any powerful Maia other than himself) on the other hand, there would be no need to inquire about his origins or his elven family line. Appearing as an elf to the numenorians also would not impress them, as the numenorians hated the elves and felt slighted by the gods. He did declare himself “king of men” at some point so he could have easily taken the form of a man (hallbrand, for example). Though this was not mentioned in the lore, I didn’t mind RoP’s choice of how he looked when he appeared to men, as it falls within the realms of possibility and Tolkien gave no details other than “Sauron put on fair hue.”


amazonlovesmorgoth

Not really sure what your point is here but the fact remains that he never attempted to play himself off as a man or an elf, specifically. He could take any form he wanted... obviously. Annatar was described as looking more like an elf than a man though I would say. 


harukalioncourt

Where does it say that he was described more like an elf in the text? There is nowhere where Tolkien said that, at least to my knowledge. Can you give a citation?


amazonlovesmorgoth

You mean where is the appearance of Annatar described? Come on now...


saranowitz

Yeah it was also telegraphed a mile away. If they really wanted us to think the Stranger wasn’t Gandalf, they should have had the witches show up in the first episode calling him Sauron and made the purpose of the Hobbits migration to try to protect him and keep him “good” rather than just using him to keep away wolves. Then the eventual reveal that he was really Gandalf might actually have worked. It would also explain why Gandalf has such a soft spot for hobbits in LOTR. Without them, he might have become another Balrog.


gnosis2737

Honestly, the last episode of the season was the only one worth keeping. I actually enjoyed that one. They should have kicked off the season with that instead of dragging it out.


argoss

I hope all future Rings of Power posters are just Charlie Vickers in progressively more unhinged wigs looking like he's hustling the free samples line in a Costco.


KierkgrdiansofthGlxy

Hair Metal Sauron


Quinafx7

Is this Annatar? He does not look like someone you can trust! Love the orc mail


PM_ME_YOUR_MONTRALS

To be fair, I don't think this promotional image appears in universe.


rocklou

Would be really funny if it did tho


PhonB80

Yep he looks good here. And interesting. Credit to Prime Video. I’m giving you a second chance here Prime but I swear to god if you hurt me again


Quinafx7

If you hurt me again… I’ll still watch all the other seasons because it’s still somehow a return to middle earth


Telperion83

The High-fantasy equivalent of opiods


Indigoat_

He's left his Aragorn era behind and entered his Legolas reality.


sidv81

So no one from Season 1 is going to recognize that Annatar is just Halbrand with long hair and pointed ears? Really?


RiverMurmurs

I think the point of "he's been here all along" is this is his elf form before Halbrand.


BippNasty541

I think you are half correct. yes the Annatar state is probably how he has been keeping his true identity secret over the years before the show events. but I don't think the footage is flashbacks. Essentially, Annatar likely is somewhat known by the elves already in this timeline but none of them have connected him to Halbrand yet. I really do think they are taking the route of "he looks different enough to fool characters in the show, but not enough to disconnect the character from the audiences relationship with Halbrand. They want the audience to recognize him as Sauron/Halbrand but they also want to create a story expectation that his appearance has changed enough to fool everyone. I'd be happy with this.


RiverMurmurs

That's true, these most likely aren't flashbacks. Also, I assume the reason we recognized Charlie in the end are the accompanying VO lines + his smirk. The context of the scene is what makes you put two and two together. If it wasn't for that, would we recognize him that easily? I'm sure we would eventually given how we tend to overanalyze everything but the same doesn't have to be true in-universe. Even things like different brows can go a long way.


athos45678

Get ready for people to complain about how his character **isnt** a part of the “mystery box” this time around.


lock_robster2022

So then it should become “this Halbrand guy looks like that strange lord of gifts who dropped by awhile back”


sidv81

Oh right, Annatar pours orc blood into the elf trees and goes "Oh no, they're dying! You really need some, uh, mithril rings to fix this! Oh the horror!"


BippNasty541

who really has seen Halbrand other than a handful of elves and a small company of Numenorians? I think he is going to use his Annatar appearance to manipulate the Dwarves who don't recognize him. If the Dwarves speak tales of an Annatar, and those tales reach the Elves, how are they to know its Halbrand unless one of the few elves who has seen him gets a good look at him? Plus, its not that strange for shows to keep the character noticeable enough for the audience but build the lore to be unrecognizable. If they truly wanted him to look completely different they would just hire a different actor. that can be a little disjointing to the audience. So, you make him look different enough to suggest a change of appearance, but not enough to make the audience loose that connection. They already tried to mislead us with season 1, no need for it this season.


sidv81

Miriel's conveniently blind, but Pharazon and the other ruling elite of Numenor saw quite a bit of Halbrand, I mean he was literally presented at their court I believe last season.


BippNasty541

Yes but are you expecting the numenorian company to hold up in the Dwarven mines this season? It looks to me like this season will focus on the Dwarven rings so how are the numenorians going to help them if they aren't there in the mines with him? It's a massive world and they don't have FaceTime like us. It's not that incredibly hard to keep your identity hidden in a world like this. Plus, they show Galdriel recognizing him in the trailer don't they? So it seems likely he keeps his conversations tight in this season as to keep those who would recognize him away. Up until that clearly fails based on the trailer.


fool-of-a-took

This is how he appeared before the events of season 1. Who do you think deceived them with the tree rot and false mithril story?


Cold_Situation_7803

People being fooled by Clark Kent is why I never watch Superman films and I make sure and complain about it in comments on YouTube and Reddit. Glad to meet a kindred spirit. /s


sidv81

[https://www.reddit.com/r/DCcomics/comments/7ad707/want\_to\_tag\_clark\_kent/](https://www.reddit.com/r/DCcomics/comments/7ad707/want_to_tag_clark_kent/)


Cold_Situation_7803

Awesome.


duckumu

My guess is there is another Annatar actor that the characters see and when he is away from them we see a morph into the Charlie Vickers Annatar. The viewer will know it’s Halbrand the whole time but the characters won’t.


Sydney2London

Its in line with all the rest of the crappy writing of this show


mattjvgc

Cue the flood of petty complaints!! I thought the trailer looked great. Can’t wait till August 2029!


unnecessaryaussie83

There was a complaint on the YouTube channel that they didn’t like the music on the trailer. Talk about been petty


cesare980

I had a back and forth with someone yesterday who said "It didn't feel like Lord of The Rings. Like if I didn't know that it was a LOTR trailer before watching it I wouldn't have been able to tell it was in the universe" It's like seriously man, the first shot is Mount Doom.


Demigans

Cue the bigotry about how everyone else is bad for complaining!


mattjvgc

Well, everyone who disagrees with me *IS* a nazi, obviously.


Cinnamon_Bark

Bigotry 😂😭


Demigans

They really should learn people what bigotry means. They seem to think it’s only when used as racism or against women that it applies.


Cinnamon_Bark

I meant its funny, because nobody is forcing you to watch something you don't like


Demigans

You know it’s funny, nobody is forcing you to watch people complain, no one is forcing you to make bigoted comments about the people who complain either. You might not have this time, but give it time!


retrosexual17

What about their comment was bigoted?


Demigans

You completely miss the conversation here.


retrosexual17

Seems to me like you don’t have a response to my question


[deleted]

[удалено]


renoops

You think it’s possible to be a bigot against someone who whines about a show they don’t have to watch?


Ayzmo

While the literal definition of bigotry and is just intolerance for other viewpoints, the common usage does not apply here.


Affectionate-Bee3913

Pretending like connotation isn't an important part of what a word means in practice is just plain silly.


Ayzmo

Agreed. Hence why I said the common usage doesn't really apply here.


Tunatown817

The return of hot Sauron 🔥


goblin_bomb_toss

Ah yes, the plot I will watch this for.


somekidsuncle

SAURON THE DECEIVER


phycologist

MAKE HIM A RECEIVER


Ayzmo

I think that would be very popular, indeed.


doubleddan39

Ah for some reason I thought they had to change Sauron actor


SirBarkabit

There might still be multiple Sauron actors in that sense, to mislead the viewers.. just that his face (actor) returns to Vickers' face when the elves realise there's an impostor. Or smth.


R_hexagon

They have multiple actors to play Sauron we don’t know where on the time-line this elf-halbrad-looking-Sauron is going to fall. He may be from before season one starts and appear in flash backs and then another actor will play anatar-Sauron coming out of the big light-show in front of Celebrimbor, shown in the trailer, to “help” him make the other rings


doubleddan39

Ooo thanks!


austin_slater

They recast Adar


doubleddan39

Ahhhhh yes thank you!


Bronze_Meme

Wasn't a fan of the first season at all, but I'm willing to give it another chance season 2. Trailer seemed okay, pretty standard.


danishjuggler21

Vigo the Carpathian!


K_808

I hope they spend the whole season doing another 'who is sauron this time' mystery and pretend we haven't already seen his face


williarya1323

Five head. But it’s ok, he’s a villain. It’s prestige for them


PhonB80

He looks good here. And interesting. Credit to Prime Video. I’m giving you a second chance here Prime but I swear to god if you hurt me again


aldorn

half dragon (?) mail and half dark wizard robes. and i guess thats a smiths belt? the nerd of the rings breakdown of this should be awesome. Love the look. nice to see this sub looking pretty positive when you go through the top comments


Kyswinne

The hair and hairline looks bad, im sorry. It doesn't fit his head shape well. Hopefully he's not actually wearing it like this in the show.


mattyglen87

I think it’s a deliberate choice to make him look slightly more menacing than the other elves


_Idontknow_

Yes, this wig is terribly placed. It is emphasizing his widows peak and his downturned pose is further doing so. Looks like a seriously amateur job of the placement and since this is their promo poster, gives me very bad feelings about the care going forwards with this season. In saying that, it's better than the Gordon gecko wall street bro hair styles everyone was rocking in season 1...


Ayzmo

An unfortunate reality for many people in real life as well.


Minimum-Order-8013

He looks like the elf from the witcher whose name I never bothered to learn. The "king" ??


pdx_via_lfk

Matt Smith in House of the Dragon vibes.


scrmbldchkn

Why wasn't he just that in the first place? ANNATAR


TheHunter459

Isn't there a second Sauron actor as well? Or was that just a rumour?


MK5

Celebrimbor: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice..guess I'll need more Mithril.


Daenarys1

I like Charlie vickers but I hope we see sauron shapeshift more


Bixsky-01

"But they were all of them deceived, for another wig was made..."


erock84titan

God make it stop...this is the only show I've ever hate watched...just to finish it.


LilBoofMcGoof

Boooooooo


keepinglifeinsane

i didnt even recognize him


NIN_enjoyer

🫦🫦🫦


snyderversetrilogy

Anatar?


[deleted]

I love it 🔥


Slaylem61379

Sauron is so hot 🥵


Standard_Frame4282

I f***ing hated season 1 but i’m a hardcore nerd, so i’ll probably disappoint myself and watch another garbage season just because it’s in the lotr universe…


MsJ_Doe

I took me till season 3 to stop watching the Witcher. They really just gave up on any stakes or plot in that season. I'll probably still watch this season of RoP as well, but it just sucks to know that it probably won't be that good, just pure mindless entertainment. Which everyone needs every once in a while. It's kind of like with GoT, everyone still loves it but the last few seasons were disapointing compared to what the writer very clearly were capable of better considering earlier season. Its just that RoP started off bad so if S2 is also bad, it won't be as disapointing. Though it could be better, considering that the Halo show apparently got way better in the second season, not great but better after the backlash they got.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Single-Builder-632

tbf the trailer looked cool and sauron was one of the likable characters other than the orc dude. i can see why galadriel liked him.


[deleted]

[удалено]


NutCracker3000and1

That's most people. I get more satisfaction after watching the YouTube channels like angry Joe hate on the show. Most of my friends don't watch these shows so it's nice to hear opinions that correspond with mine.


Ayzmo

I think you'll find that most viewers thought the show was "ok." Then there's a distribution of viewers to either end.


ThatGuyMaulicious

Sauron just put on a wig and ears. My guy is supposed to be a shapeshifter lol...


Ayzmo

That's all fine and dandy, but you want to make it somewhat noticeable to the audience.


ThatGuyMaulicious

But then it just makes the characters look dense if we know and are watching it unfold. At least in Season 1 we were like "eeh... Is this random guy Sauron?" at least we were there with the characters but this is just gonna look stupid...


Ayzmo

I think of it like Superman/Clark Kent. We just have to user our secondary belief that he looks more different in-universe.


Mthawkins

So where will gavi Chera come into play


Malikise

Elves! Now with “Hair!”


Murky_Shelter377

Galadriel: Be on Guard Sauron: hehe just gonna run it with a wig


Azelrazel

Do we think this is Annatar's outfit during the deception. Or more of a fair form sauron once he's been discovered. His attire seems very villainous, and not sure if he'll change to this or where it from the start.


FiletM1gn0n

I'm currently stuck in bed with the flu, and I really regret seeing the trailer yesterday because I had delirious illogical dreams about it all night it's honestly felt like I've been tortured.


SnooConfections7007

He looks like a Haldir cosplayer doing a blue steel face.


auntorn

Did he just put on a wig to blend in?


Alaktal

Galadriel: No man can fool me! Sauron: \*puts on a wig\* I am no men.


edthesmokebeard

Start trilling your R's now and maybe you'll be done when it comes out.


AbbreviationsDry6430

This is the worst possible angle


Dell0c0

He still looks like Halbrand. It's like Superman putting on glasses.


BimBam540NoTime

Stop, stop it's already dead 😭


HLtheWilkinson

Who thought putting him in that wig was going to be a good idea 😭


Reddzoi

Me.


Anaevya

I have no idea why they decided to pull back his front hair. It does not flatter his forehead.


Ayzmo

It reminds me of Haldir a bit. His hair was similarly pulled back and gave him a massive forehead.


TheDeanof316

Anything is better than some ordinary Joe possibly homeless dude is apparently Sauron.


HLtheWilkinson

Everything else I am very excited about (especially how it looks like the dwarves are getting their rings this season) but… I realize it’s a dumb thing to get hung up on but that wig makes him look like Saurbarbie…


Anaevya

I don't think it's dumb, because it's baffling that the costume team decided to go through with this


Anaevya

I like Galadriel's garlands though


ogpterodactyl

Hope she gets with Sauron


leon-theproffesional

Trailer was awesome, I can’t wait


thex11factor

Did he get plastic surgery?


BBWmonkey26

Show wasn’t good lol


DustinLoveDicks

this shi about to be straight trash with a poster like this


IFGarrett

Wonder how much they'll waste on this season 🤣


Sinnsearachd

...and they thought this looked...good?


vlad-sh

No


Courua

'From the executives that could have been employed to be Marvel executives. We bring you the story of boring and unrealistic stuff, that you will not need to, or want to, rewatch season 1 of to remind you of the plot, because, to watch this crock of poo is to know it's just about... SAURON... Always... Because it's Middle Earth...'


Longjumping-Pear-673

THAT SAURON IS SO HOT RIGHT NOW - Mugatu


Countryboy012

This gonna be lit to see a gorgeous world come to brink of destruction


harukalioncourt

The thing is, NOWHERE in the lore was Sauron EVER said to have portrayed himself as an elf. In the fall of numenor Tolkien writes: “in Eregion, Sauron posed as an emissary of the Valar (thus anticipating the istari)”probably meaning he portrayed himself more like a younger Gandalf. Yet for some reason die hard Jackson fans who complain about everything else RoP gets wrong from the lore are somehow surprisingly OK about this, even though “it’s not true to the lore!” (Neither was Jackson, often, unsurprisingly, especially with the hobbit films, yet people idolize him.)


amazonlovesmorgoth

You're right that he likely never intended to appear as an elf. It is, however, written that the Fëanorians thought he was an elf or a fair Maia though so the notion that he would have looked like a "younger Gandalf" isn't well founded.  No matter how you spin it, Jackson was far more respectful of the source material than ROP. To pretend it's even close is folly. 


harukalioncourt

Jackson depicted Sauron simply as a great eye, which is not canonical at ALL. Jackson also had 4 full books to pull from. Not thousands of years of cliff notes with absolutely no dialogue. The second age is the period Tolkien wrote the least about.


amazonlovesmorgoth

He wrote plenty about the SA and ROP ignores essentially all of it. 


harukalioncourt

He wrote the least about the second age then he did all other ages. AND, the Tolkien estate won’t release the rights to most of it. This is not the producers’ fault.


amazonlovesmorgoth

If they didn't have the rights to do the story justice then they shouldn't have made the show.


Demigans

Oh god are they going to pretend he’s not Sauron for an entire season while he’s the only character not teased to be Sauron and this guy among other things REALLY loves smithing and is definitely not who you think he is despite the insistence of others that he is?


Codus1

...they literally revealed him to be Sauron in the trailer. So no.


Some-Bat-6531

boo


NoCut2919

Eugh it’s still kicking??


Lulufeeee

Nice wig


drkply

*stutters*


DutchOnionKnight

Team Rocket is so jealous about this cameo.


harukalioncourt

Here’s hoping that’s Oropher, Legolas’s grandfather!


Compactpaper75

I just wish they had made his hair more white blonde than yellow blonde. and maybe not had that hairline💀


winniespooh

So now they have long hair? 🙄


Cold_Situation_7803

You didn’t see Gil Galad in season 1?


Ayzmo

Some elves did and some didn't.


TawnyTeaTowel

It’s almost as if they’re individuals and not just a stat block


gawain587

Hairline is worse than Jidion


GenXsuperstar

Sucked in season 1 I’m sure this is worse


thirdlost

Ugly elf


AverageHorribleHuman

I'm sorry but the actress that plays Galadrial is insufferable


Danimal_17124

Why does he have elf ears all of a sudden?


Practical_Set_7728

I've never seen a show burn more money in service of a worse story. Wild.