The Rings of Power finale ripped open the mystery box to promise a stronger season 2
We come to it at last: the great season finale of our time… or of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 1, at any rate. Written by Gennifer Hutchison (Breaking Bad) and showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay and directed by Wayne Che Yip, the Prime Video series’ eighth episode, “Alloyed,” provides long-awaited resolutions to two big mysteries set up in the premiere and challenges J.R.R. Tolkien’s source material along the way. While satisfaction may vary as far as payoffs go, the implications of the reveals are welcome promises for season 2 and beyond.
[Ed. note: This story contains major spoilers for The Rings of Power through the finale.]
“Alloyed” sees Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) outed as Sauron and the identity of the Stranger (Daniel Weyman) confirmed as an istar (or wizard), which means he’s likely to become the one and only Gandalf the Grey. How well does this fit with established Middle-earth lore? In keeping with The Rings of Power’s approach to the canon thus far, the broad strokes of both plot twists are more or less fine; it’s the specifics that will have Tolkien purists hyperventilating.
Of these two developments, Halbrand’s heel turn is more continuity friendly. Tolkien’s writings describe Sauron as a supremely talented smith who gave Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) pointers on crafting magic rings while disguised and was ultimately exposed — all of which applies to Halbrand in the show. He also manifested a “fair-seeming” appearance, which arguably applies here too, depending on how highly you rate Vickers’ sex appeal. And while the “Halbrand” alias itself is an invention of Payne and McKay, a line of dialogue in “Alloyed” references the name Sauron adopted in the books, Annatar (or “Lord of
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