Editor's Note: This article contains spoilers for 'Rings of Power' and the works of J.R.R. Tolkien."I have many names." How many times has Sauron (Charlie Vickers) actually said that inThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power? A deceiver by nature, one would expect Sauron to have many names, indeed, andhis exhaustive repetition has turned this quote into a meme already. In the Season 2 finale, "Shadow and Flame," he says it to the Orc Glüg (Robert Strange) after killing Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards), and, now, the question is inevitable: just how many names does Sauron really have?
Sauron Is Not His Preferred Name, Actually
InThe Rings of Power, the main antagonist calls himself Sauron many times, especially after his identity is discovered by Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) at the end ofSeason 1. That's not his original name, however, and neither is it his preferred name. The being we know as Sauron is a Maiar, an angelic being that apprenticed as a smith underthe Valar Aulë when the universe was still young. Back then,his name was Mairon, and that's what he still likes to be called. It's easy to see why; "Mairon" is a Quenya word that translates to "the admirable," or "the excellent."
Soon, though, he is corrupted by Melkor, theevil Valar also known as Morgoth. Mairon followed his master into Middle-earth, and, some time later, theElves started referring to him as Sauron, which translates to "the cruel," or "the abhorred." As evil as he might have become, he has always seen himself as a champion of order and efficiency first and foremost, so it's easy to see why being called that would upset him. Unfortunately, the monikers we hate the most are usually the ones that stick, and that's what happened to Sauron.
When He Served Morgoth, He Had Two Other Names
Sauron spends more than a whole age serving Morgoth. Inthe First Age, he has many altercations with the Sindarin Elves,who refer to him as Gorthaur. It's with this name that he becomes Morgoth's most trusted lieutenant. The name itself combinesthe Sindarín elements "gor," meaning "horror," and "thaur," meaning "abominable." Other translations speculate it could mean "Mist of Fear" or "the Cruel."
Another name that stuck to Sauron around the First Age is Thû. This is a lesser known moniker, present inJ.R.R. Tolkien's early drafts ofThe Silmarillion, particularly in the part of the Legendarium surrounding the tale ofBeren and Lúthien. Its meaning is less explicitly detailed than some of Sauron's other names, but it is often associated with a sinister, shadowy presence. In later versions of Tolkien's writings,Thû was replaced by more familiar names, like Sauron and Gorthaur, but the name still survives in some of the older texts.
In ‘The Rings of Power,’ We Learn Two of Sauron's Names
The Rings of Power takes the liberty ofcrafting a brand-new name for Sauron in Season 1: Halbrand. Although the proper etymology of the name was never revealed, it probably combines the Sindarin element "hall," meaning "tall and massive," and the Noldorin "brand," meaning "exalted, high." It aligns both with his tale of coming from an ancient line ofkings of the Southlands, and with his not-so-modest sense of self.
'The Rings of Power' Season 2 Ending Explained: Devastating Deaths and Power Shifts
It is light, not strength, that defeats darkness.
The next one is used in Season 2. In Episode 2, "Where the Stars Are Strange,"Sauron disguises himself as an emissary from the Valar named Annatar to convince Celebrimbor to forge the Rings of Power. It translates to "Lord of Gifts" in Quenya, using the elements "anna," meaning "gift," and "tar," meaning "lord." Another name he has in the Second Age may yet be used in Season 3;Ar-Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle) eventually invades Mordor and brings Sauron back to Númenor as a prisoner. He quickly becomes the king's advisor, however, known as Zigûr, the Wizard. It's in this period that he influences Númenor, resulting in their destruction.
Sauron Is Also Known by Some Dreadful Titles
Sauron is known not only by many names, but he also carries many titles.The Dark Lord is the most common of Sauron's honorifics, but the list that comes afterward is long. For example, in the Third Age, he settles in the abandoned fortress of Dol Guldur toreclaim as many Rings of Power as he can and regain his strength (as seen inThe Hobbit). During that time,he disguised himself as a dark sorcerer known as the Necromancer, and even after he left Dol Guldur, some continue to call him that. Decades later, Sauron creates the iconic sigil ofthe Eye of Sauron, leading many to simply call him the Eye when talking about him.
The most epic of Sauron's titles, however, has to be the one that gives the whole franchise its name.Due to his influence over the Rings of Power, he is known as the Lord of the Rings, something thatCelebrimbor calls him both in pity and mockery, before finally dying in the Season 2 finale. As epic as it may sound, this title also reflects Sauron's own dependency on the rings, highlighting how he has become incapable of separating his own self from them.
Season 2 ofThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.
- Release Date
- September 1, 2022
- Network
- Amazon Prime Video
- Showrunner
- John D. Payne, Patrick McKay, Louise Hooper, Charlotte Brändström, Wayne Yip
- Directors
- J.A. Bayona, Sanaa Hamri
- Writers
- Patrick McKay, John D. Payne,J.R.R. Tolkien, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, Gennifer Hutchison, Stephany Folsom, Nicholas Adams
- Franchise(s)
- The Lord of the Rings
Cast
Galadriel
Charlie VickersHalbrand
Epic drama set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings' follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth.
- Seasons
- 2
- Streaming Service(s)
- Amazon Prime Video
