Generally, my primary feeling going into Season 2 of Rings of Power is scared. At the end of the Lord of the Rings prequel’s first season, Sauron was revealed, and now he’s no longer hiding and playing sly defense, he’s seemingly in full offense mode. So, between that and the reveal of the premiere’s opening sequence, I’m feeling even more terrified about what we’re going to see when the series premieres on the 2024 TV schedule on August 29, and I can’t wait!
The season will open on a flashback. While Season 1 focused primarily on the journeys of heroes, like Galadriel, these upcoming episodes will be more villain-centric. That will go into effect immediately, as co-showrunner Patrick McKay told Total Film (via Games Radar):
Do you want to hear the opening? We open in the darkness, an orc walks in, and we see there are thousands of orcs gathered. He’s about to be crowned, pitching his vision of Middle-earth, and right before they lay the crown on his head, his right-hand man, Adar, turns it upside down, and stabs him in the back. It’s the assassination of Sauron.
What this means is we’ll get a backstory about Sauron and Adar. Both characters are evil, with Sauron being a legendary villain and Adar being the scary big bad Orc from Season 1. I always assumed the two probably had a past, however, opening with this flashback not only connects them but does so in a dark way.
This is important and haunting information, and it points to the notion that the bad guys will be at the center of this season. McKay confirmed that point further, saying:
Right from the beginning, Sauron is the center of gravity. It’s an ensemble show, but the focus is starting to get pulled towards him. He’s driving everything.
In the Rings of Power Season 2 trailer, we got a taste of Sauron, his new look and his mission. This included him getting into Celebrimbor's to work on the rings. It also showcased the notably darker, sinister tone of this season, and had me thinking that what we’re about to see will feel like a horror movie.
Along with Rings of Power Season 2 adding more cast members and characters, to me, the most notable update to the show comes in the form of Sauron, his new look, and the clear prioritization of his story. While I know we’re going to get plenty of screen time with characters like Galadriel and The Stranger, this is Sauron’s show now. And the first scene being about his past with Adar will probably slap us in the face with that realization.
Now that we know Sauron’s identity, and he’s not hiding, Middle-earth’s biggest threat is front and center, and that scares me. However, it also is thrilling. To see the origins of this iconic big bad is fascinating, and I can’t wait to see how the other characters try to take him down.
We’ll get to see this opening scene and more when Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 premieres on August 29. All you need to watch is an Amazon Prime subscription.
