Warning: Major spoilers for Ring of Power Season 1 below. Prime Video ring of power Its secrets are revealed slowly, but the biggest of them was revealed in the season one finale. Halbrand, played by Charlie Vickers, first appeared in the second episode and has been Sauron all along. From Númenor to the Battle of the Southlands that saw Mount Doom and the origin of Mordor, Sauron waited, slowly making his way to Eregion and convincing Celebrimbor to begin forging the Ring of Power.last moments ring of power In the Season 1 finale, Celebrimbor, Galadriel, and Elrond did just that, creating three elven rings that sparked a war between the dark lords and the elven races.
However, while Galadriel was playing with the precious metals, Harbrand (who we now know as Sauron) messed with her head and abandoned Eregion for Mordor, sparking a rift between Sauron and Adar. confrontation. ring of power second season. While viewers have long suspected there was something more to Halbrand, ring of power As much as possible to dispel misinformation, the Stranger is a prime candidate for Sauron. As secrets are revealed, rings are cast, and journeys begin, ring of power The Season 1 finale left many clues worth exploring for Season 2.
But first, screen roar caught up with the Dark Lord himself to talk about Sauron’s reveal, what it was like for Vix to keep the secret hidden for so long, and all the intricacies of playing Middle-earth’s biggest villain since Morgoth.
Charlie Vickers goes all out to explain Sauron
Screen Rant: Now that you can speak freely, don’t you feel like you can breathe a sigh of relief?
Charlie Vickers: That’s great. I had to carry this with me for a long time. So glad it’s over. It’s out now.
What was your reaction when you found out you were playing Sauron? You’ve signed up for this show, so you’re like,”Oh, shush, like, I’m in this for the long haul now“?
Charlie Vickers: That’s really cool because it’s nice to know that this character has a lot planned for him. But honestly, I feel the weight of responsibility and a real sense of privilege. It’s great to be able to portray this character at this stage of his journey because we’ve never seen him like this before. I made sure I took my role really seriously and learned as much as I could about the character. But it was more thrilling and exciting than anything else.
You and Morfydd [Clark, who plays Galadriel] Clearly spending a lot of time together. Do you remember her reaction or what she said to you when she found out you were essentially playing her nemesis?
Charlie Vickers: I can’t remember exactly what she said, but I think she was more excited for me. Because we always have doubts in all our audition scenes. She was auditioning for Galadriel and we tested chemistry together a few times. We’re always talking to each other, like, “If we both put so much effort into getting the two of us together, there must be more to my character. There must be more to Halbrand than just a guy from the South.“So we were sus, but when we actually learned it, we both thought it was pretty cool.
Did you change the way you played Halbrand when you found out you were Sauron before Episode 3, or have you started playing with that now that you’ve had those doubts?
Charlie Vickers: It’s tricky because I don’t want to arouse too much suspicion [in] At first it was because I didn’t know if they were true. So that was actually a real challenge as an actor. I look back and think, “Wow, that was an anxious moment for me,” Because I felt like I was walking a tightrope. Like, am I? Am I not? I think people hid it from me because they really had the best intentions. To be honest, when I actually studied, it didn’t change my approach to the day that much, it just changed the fact that I was able to dive into more knowledge and more books.
Now I’m on Tolkien and the letters on Morgoth’s ring Silmarillion. So, I can really pinpoint what Tolkien had in mind for Sauron. I then hope that the subconscious work I do will influence my decisions for the day. I played Harbrand with all my heart, just as Sauron played Harbrand with all my heart, in order to convince someone like Galadriel who is not easily deceived.
We know she was one of the first people in the legend to figure out Sauron’s true identity. So, on this show, she’s one of the first to figure that out.Just what Tolkien said, and this is what I really narrowed it down to, is Tolkien said the word “finally.“He said that eventually Galadriel figured it out. To me, that meant she didn’t know for a while. I think that’s what the show did really well, creating some kind of context for their relationship. and backstory.
As you say, there is room for interpretation in the source material. I love that you are digging into it. Is there anything you encountered while reading, or is there anything you’re excited to explore in the future?
Charlie Vickers: Absolutely. We know that Sauron took on a different form during this era. All I can say is maybe that’s it. Maybe we’ll do those things. But I’m super excited to explore these things that he does that we know he does. He had a bunch of rings to make, he was going to Númenor, and he orchestrated the downfall of Númenor. Then he must take another form to participate in the final alliance battle. The battle at the end of the Second Age.
I think this is the final alliance. I think you are right.
Charlie Vickers: I’m always confused because it always seems to be the final alliance at the end of every era [laugh]. Finally there is another alliance. [But] The producers had a very specific plan and I have no idea how their plan was going to unfold, but I loved playing him in this stage of repentance. Whether repentance is sincere remains to be explained. But I think now that he shows up, it’s going to be really cool. Like, I’m back. I’ve been wandering. I came back very slowly. Now, thanks to Galadriel, I’m back. I’m so excited to play this.
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You did a great job of pulling off the evil transformation at the end of that episode. Speak with Galadriel, then rule Mordor. How fun is it to finally be able to put on a hooded robe and look evil?
Charlie Vickers: That’s disgusting. I just love that, man.Filming that scene by the river where he did the transition [and] She threw the scroll to the ground. It just took him a moment and then he said,”Well, the game is over and I’m going to recommend it to you.“I loved being able to play him when [Galadriel] tried to stab him [and] It’s just effortless power. This is the first time you see this because he’s hitting the target. He’s not quite there yet, but he’s back to being truly powerful.
Likewise, when I stood on the top of the mountain looking out at Mount Doom, it was the worst lockdown scenario in the world. Just a giant rock in the middle of the studio parking lot. And I can be seen everywhere.But like wearing that cape… Luca [Mosca], we’re in the last few episodes and he designed this beautiful piece. It’s such an epic feeling to put it on and just let it blow in the wind. It was just a wild moment for me.
Do you think Sauron truly believed that his reign wouldn’t be as evil or dark if Galadriel was by his side? Or do you think he just wanted to win her over and have the companion he had from the beginning?
Charlie Vickers: I think it’s a bit of both. I think he thought he could influence his designs faster if she was with him. That was why he loved Morgoth. For Morgoth will finish it. With her by his side, I think ultimately, because of who he is, he’s going to be the one in charge and he’s going to decide what happens. It will spiral. But if she joins him, he gets elf ears. He had a way of getting into this game that he hated. If he had one of their most powerful men by his side, he could use them. But again, I think when she turned down his pitch, I thought everything was fine. It’s just like, “Well, now you’ve shown me what I need and want to do. So, whether you’re with me or not, I’m going to make it happen.“He was angry that she said no. But I don’t think it was a huge surprise to him.
Thinking back on the show as a whole now, knowing you were Sauron in your interactions with Adal…did Joseph know you were Sauron when he was filming that episode or was he completely in the dark? Will we see more competitive exploration? Apparently, he was in Mordor, and now you are in Mordor…
Charlie Vickers: I think Joseph knew when we were shooting this episode that we spent a lot of time researching our backstories based on the information the showrunners provided and what we were going to see next season. We see the relationship between Adar and Sauron. So it was a very complex and long-term relationship that came to a head in that moment. I think a big part of Sauron, Halbrand, is like this; “I look different, but damn, I want you to remember me so you know I’m going to kill you“I think that’s an example of him – in that alley too. You see his fanaticism and the fact that he’s really an evil bad guy. It comes out and it’s uncontrollable because there’s nothing Doubt, Sauron…he is an evil fellow.
About The Lord of the Rings: The Ring of Power
Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Ring of Power brings the heroic saga of the Second Age of Middle-earth history to the screen for the first time. Set thousands of years before the events of Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings,” this epic drama will take viewers back to a time of great power and unlikely kingdoms. The age of heroes. With hope hanging on the thinnest thread, Tolkien’s greatest villain threatens to plunge the entire world into darkness.
The series begins in a period of relative peace and follows a cast of familiar and new characters as they face the re-emergence of a long-feared evil in Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the Elven capital of Lindon, to the stunning island kingdom of Númenor, and to the farthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will create lasting legacies. They’re gone.
Check out our interview The Lord of the Rings: The Ring of Power SDCC 2022 cast, plus:
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The Lord of the Rings: The Ring of Power Season 1 is now streaming on Prime Video.