#Annatar trop

[apoloadonisandnarcissus]

They

Are

All

The

Same

Immortal

Spirit

There is no “Halbrand vs. Sauron”. Halbrand is Sauron. Annatar is Sauron. The goo is Sauron.

Mairon can take whatever physical form he wants, and it has no consequence in what he is. He’s still the same immortal spirit, because that’s his true self. He’s not a physical being; he’s a spirit from the Unseen world (spirit world) who can chose his physical form in the Seen world (material world). So he can chose to appear as “Halbrand”, “Annatar”, Galadriel, Celebrimbor, Elrond, whatever. These physical forms (“fair forms”) are like “suits” to him.

His “true self” is what Mirdania saw, in 2x04:

It was tall and its skin was made of flames, it came towards me, breathing, reeking of death. And I saw-- I I saw its eyes pitiless and eternal. I think it's been here I think it's been here among us all along..

And Galadriel is very much aware of this, as is every character in the both the show and the legendarium.

Side note: Mairon is not a “fire spirit” per say, in the lore. The “fire spirits” (Maiar of Fire) corrupted by Morgoth were the Balrogs. Mairon was a Maia of smithing, order, perfection and beauty. He’s connected to the fires of the forges, yes, but he’s not, in fact, a Maiar of fire. Actually, there’s a on-going debate that Gandalf might be a Maia of fire (and this seems the angle “Rings of Power” is exploring).

[5ummit]

Mean Girls (2004) || The Rings of Power (2024)

[myrkky]

Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss

[saubrimbor]

Celebrimbor made a super tiny set of elf armor for his favorite forge mouse, equipped with a trademark Feanorian star on his lil' shield. Annatar is not impressed.

Inspired by this fic from the POV of the mouse: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59500966

Happy TROP!Day! Every Thursday I'm gonna post some TROP artwork! I was going to do a serious hardcore artwork, but I wanted to make this doodle about the mouse so bad, so I did this instead.

[winterswake]

#when you gaslit too close to the sun

[swan2swan]

Okay, also, the cinematography of that last episode of The Rings of Power....did this, apparently?

Sure, you go ahead and have the whole set dim to transition. This would be easy enough to do digitally, but, sure, you can use The Volume and a practical set to just...turn off the lights in a day-to-night shift. Have extras start running around in a panic. Make the camera crew walk around with him. Account for the firelight. Sure. Fine. Yeah. Totally. A movement I could conceive of in cinema. Why not?

[goodsirs]

The Rings of Power 2.02 "Where the Stars Are Strange"

[haladrielgifs]

Galadriel and Sauron having a staring contest instead of fighting

[fukutomichi]

The Rings of Power ∙ S01 ∙ Charile Vickers as Halbrand / Sauron "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age" is the fifth and last part of The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien.

[leotanaka]

durin really was like, 5 seconds away from calling annatar a bitch to his face lol

[whumpybobbert]

Shakespearean prophecy my beloved

[apoloadonisandnarcissus]

Sauron new physical form for Season 3?

I kind on the fence with this one.

When he [Sauron] felt himself to be secure he sent emissaries to Eriador, and finally, in about the year 1200 of the Second Age, came himself, wearing the fairest form that he could contrive. (Unfinished Tales)

This “fairest form” Sauron could conjure up is Annatar; which we already saw in Season 2.

Overall, Tolkien doesn’t gives us much physical descriptions of his characters. We also don’t know for sure if Sauron took on a new fair form after Annatar or not.

We already saw Sauron in Annatar form wearing a bit of military regalia (breastplate), for when he takes command over the Orc armies and fights Galadriel in 2x08:

About Sauron’s “fair forms” in the Second age:

“[…] he [Sauron] could assume many forms, and for long if he willed he could appear noble and beautiful, so to deceive all but most wary” (The Silmarillion)

“In his earlier incarnation he [Sauron] was able to veil his power (as Gandalf did) and could appear as a commanding figure of great strength of body and supremely royal demeanour and countenance.” (Tolkien Letter 246)

In 2x06, Ar-Pharazôn sees a vision of the Eye of Sauron and Halbrand, when he touches the Palantír. This is the physical form of Sauron, Ar-Pharazôn is familiar with.

Can this mean the Halbrand form will return in Season 3? Possibly.

From what we know from Tolkien legendarium, Sauron might take on this form, again, when he allows himself to get captured by Ar-Pharazôn, because we are told that Sauron humbles himself before the Númenórean king. And what better way to appear humble than to take on the form of a “low man”?

This would also make sense with Sauron’s description in Númenor:

Upon that ship which was cast the highest and stood dry upon a hill there was a man, or one in man’s shape, but greater than any even of the race of Númenor in stature… And it seemed to men that Sauron was great; though they feared the light of his eyes. To many he appeared fair, to others terrible; but to some evil. (History of Middle-earth)

However, I’m not sure Sauron will return to the Halbrand form before this event (which will probably happen in Season 3 finale). Mostly due to this description from Sauron from the War of Sauron and the Elves (Season 3):

Now Sauron's lust and pride increased, until he knew no bounds, and he determined to make himself master of all things in Middle-earth, and to destroy the Elves, and to compass if he might, the downfall of Númenor. He brooked no freedom nor any rivalry, and he named himself Lord of the Earth. A mask he still could wear so that if he wished he might deceive the eyes of Men, seeming to them wise and fair. But he ruled rather by force and fear, if they might avail; and those who perceived his shadow spreading over the world called him the Dark Lord and named him the Enemy; and he gathered under his government all the evil things of the days of Morgoth that remained on earth or beneath it, and the Orcs were at his command and multiplied like flies." (The Silmarillion)

I wouldn’t exactly describe the “Halbrand form” as “wise and fair”. He’s also considered a “low man”, and we are told Sauron takes rule over Mordor by fear and force (military), not necessarily by his usual methods of manipulation and deception.

These are the “Dark Years”, when Sauron starts his conquest of Middle-earth, and he’s now Lord of Mordor and has control over the Orc legions (R.I.P. Adar). The Black Gate and Barad-dûr get built. Sauron wants to show off his power, not conceal it. Every other character is now aware that he has returned and what his goal is (conquer all of Middle-earth). He’s out in the open.

Sauron gives Nine rings of power to Men; warriors, kings and sorcerers. From the legendarium, we know one goes to a man from Rhûn (who will be known as Khamûl, the second in command of the Nazgûl, after the Witch King of Angmar); three to great Númenóreans lords, and the other five ring-bearers are unknown. He gifts the Nine as promises of power, so Sauron most likely didn’t conceal his true identity from them, especially when he’s securing dominion over Middle-earth.

Taking all of this into consideration, I’m inclined to think Sauron might keep the Annatar form until the end of Season 3, and then change into Halbrand to get captured and brought to Númenor as a prisoner (Season 4).

[sauronism]

celebrimbor pointing out the imperfection in sauron's fabricated reality, as both of them match in skills as a creator. sauron can craft the most appealing illusion in the entire world, but celebrimbor will always sees right through the deception, due to sauron's need for order. the reality he crafted is perfect. too perfect. nothing in this world is perfect. the patterns of the mouse, and the candle is the flaw within his works. celebrimbor merely critiques it.

[martanis]

🎀 SAURON'S HAIR BOW APPRECIATION ⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡ The Rings of Power 2.06 "Where is He?"

[sailon-ishmael]

Has this been done already

[winterswake]

CHARLIE VICKERS as Sauron in THE RINGS OF POWER "Doomed To Die"