As the release of Amazon's The Lord of the Rings approaches, discussion is heating up about which elements of J.R.R. Tolkien's works may appear in this new envisioning of Middle-earth. From multi-ethnic Hobbits to powerful High Elves, the series' Second Age setting and big-budget production values bring countless possibilities to the forefront. No discussion of these matters would be complete without the inclusion of the titular Dark Lord himself.
Sauron is known primarily as the menacing antagonist of The Lord of the Rings, but his long and complicated history stretches back through the ages of Tolkien's fantasy world, as detailed in works like The Silmarillion. However, Sauron wasn't always a formless shadow embodied by a blazing eye or the imposing, armored figure depicted in the prologue of Peter Jackson's 2001 adaptation The Fellowship of the Ring. During the Second Age, long before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Sauron actually took on a beautiful appearance for some time, which he used to deceive the Noldorin Elves of Eregion.
What Was Sauron's 'Sexy' Form During the Second Age?
This attractive -- some might say sexy -- disguised form of Sauron's was named Annatar, which means "the Lord of Gifts" in Quenya. Presenting himself as an emissary of the Vala Aulë, who presides over craft and smithing, he taught the Elven jewel-smiths how to forge Rings of Power. Galadriel, Elrond and Gil-galad were suspicious of his intentions, but his knowledge was too enticing for the Elves of Eregion to turn him down.
He went on to gift Rings to the rulers of the various races of Middle-earth -- but, as fans know, he secretly forged a master Ring of his own, in a diabolical scheme to rule the world through its overarching influence. This, of course, was the famed One Ring, the driving force behind the events of Tolkien's best-known work, The Lord of the Rings.
Eventually, Annatar's true identity and intentions were revealed, and the Elves hid their three Rings from him. Considerable damage had already been done, however, and the conflict erupted into the destructive, but unimaginatively named, War of the Elves and Sauron. With his might diminished by the raging battles of the war, Sauron retreated for some time, but his ambitions could not be contained. He went on to corrupt the mighty land of Númenor, leading to an exceedingly rare direct intervention by Eru Ilúvatar, the Creator, who sank the island beneath the waves. Caught in the punishing flood, Sauron lost the ability to appear in fair form. This, along with his later defeat by the Last Alliance, is the reason behind his disembodied Third Age appearances, including his stint as the Necromancer in Dol Guldur.
Sauron's Annatar Form Almost Appeared in Jackson's Adaptation
Jackson actually included an appearance from Annatar in an earlier cut of The Return of the King. He intended for Aragorn to fight this apparition at the Black Gate of Mordor during the climactic final battle of the film. However, as editing progressed, he realized that highlighting this direct conflict between Aragorn and the Dark Lord took too much away from Frodo's heroism. It also watered down the true value of Aragorn's actions in that moment, which was to throw all his might, and his own body, into a distraction to allow Frodo to finish his quest. In the end, Annatar was cut and replaced with the troll that Aragorn is shown fighting in the final version.
A depiction of the Annatar form also appears in the video game Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. Both Jackson's version and the game's portrayal have classically beautiful male Elven looks, with silky flowing blond hair and angelic features.
Could 'Sexy' Sauron Appear in Amazon's Lord of the Rings Series?
Seeing as Amazon's Lord of the Rings will be set in the Second Age, there is a very real possibility that Annatar will appear on the series. Since the confirmation of the casting of Joseph Mawle (best known for playing Benjen Stark on Game of Thrones), some fans have theorized the central villain he reportedly play might be none other than Annatar. It's certainly interesting to compare Mawle's looks to previous interpretations of Annatar from Jackson's film and Shadow of Mordor. There is definite potential in the actor's face shape and features for a beautifully sinister Elven appearance.
Annatar is only one of several instances of Sauron assuming a fair form for deceptive purposes. As mentioned above, one of his most egregious acts of evil in the Second Age was corrupting Númenor, which he achieved by presenting himself as a high priest and adviser to the king. Tolkien described this priest form, named Zigûr, as "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."
Taking advantage of the slide toward arrogance that was already casting a shadow over the prosperous kingdom, he manipulated the Númenoreans into forming a cult of Melkor and engaging in human sacrifice. The downfall of Númenor is likely to be a potent plot point in the Amazon series, so there is an equally strong possibility that Mawle (or whoever is actually playing the antagonist) will portray Zigûr rather than Annatar. Depending on how vast the scope of the series turns out to be, both versions of Sauron could even appear. Either way, some variation of sexy Sauron is almost guaranteed to be hitting screens next fall, meaning fans' hearts may well be in danger of falling under the Shadow.