Two Sides of the Same Coin: Sauron and Adar's Relationship
This analysis is not romantic or emotional in nature following human standards. But I treat this analysis as an overview of the relationship between two immortal beings who spent centuries at war.
So we start at the beginning. When Arda was created and Eru Ilúvatar allowed the Valar to enter the world, accompanied by immortal beings of lesser power.
In the first season, Galadriel begins her prologue by stating that not everything in the beginning is bad. Not even Mairon (later Sauron) was. He began in Arda as a Maia of the Valar Aulë. One of the most powerful and renowned Maia. Something that clearly attracted the interest of Melkor, Morgoth.
Betraying the Valar, Mairon accompanies Melkor on his dark path to rule Arda. His knowledge gained from Aulë proves to be of great value and regret in the future. And Sauron served his new master masterfully.
So we come to the main point, where does Adar fit into the story? We know from the books that the Orcs were created in different contexts, the forms vary according to the book. In some, the Orcs were elves corrupted by Morgoth, in others he just created them/or they already existed, but we also find reports that the Orcs are a mockery of the elves, which Morgoth hates more than anything.
Adar still possesses elven traits, even if his appearance is distorted. So, in my view, Adar is possibly one of the elves of Beleriand captured and damaged according to Morgoth's designs.
But there had to be something special about Adar. He was of a higher rank than the Orcs, yet lower than Sauron. Who is Adar among Morgoth's followers? Perhaps an ally of Sauron, an aide or captain of Orcs, a spy of great value, perhaps.
Without Morgoth, someone needs to take control, and that person could only be Sauron. And for some reason, he trusts Adar enough to keep him by his side. Sauron has lost yet another master and is alone in the world, he only has the Orcs by his side, and of course, Adar.
On a twisted level, I would say, but in the prologue of the second season we see a certain camaraderie between Sauron and Adar. Perhaps, without Morgoth, Sauron saw himself with the new Melkor and Adar as a new version of himself.
When the first Orc attacks, it seemed to me that Adar hesitated, as if an intrinsic part of him, corrupted by centuries, was ready to protect Sauron, with whom he had lived for so long, even if that was not his plan.
But to Adar, his children are more important than Sauron. And he knows that Sauron will destroy his children if he has power in his hands. He knows that deep down, Sauron is as cruel as Morgoth and that the Orcs do not matter to him. Just small pieces in the great game.
This is the point of no return between Sauron and Adar. I wonder, when the Orcs started attacking Sauron and Sauron killed so many of them in self-defense, why didn't Adar fight back?
Why did Adar, the Father of so many Orcs, who suffered at the hands of Morgoth and Sauron, not attack his oppressor? Was he simply delivering vengeance and justice into the hands of his children, or was he ultimately not capable of ending Sauron forever? Yes, he struck him with Morgoth's crown, but would he be able to destroy Sauron forever?
Sauron looks at Adar as the crown hits him, and you can see the betrayal in his eyes. He certainly did not expect Adar to hurt him, to turn against him.
Centuries have passed since Sauron's death, and he has spent many long years struggling to regain his new form, while Adar has increased his influence and power among the Orcs.
Sauron has returned and now he is Halbrand. Vengeance emanates from him and he needs to reclaim his kingdom and everything he lost to Adar's betrayal. So he is on the ship with the mortals, to a better place. And we wonder if this could be the beginning of his redemption.
I still think a lot about the mortal's words "What haunts you so?"
Yes, Sauron, what haunts you? Is it the loss of your power? He is alone in the world again, weaker after his recovery, stripped of his power and his servants, forced to start over. Or is he haunted by Adar's betrayal that took everything from him? Like a stab in the back from a long-lost friend.
In drifting with Galadriel, Halbrand talks about the Orcs taking everything from him. We know he's the Great Deceiver, but he's not genuinely lying to her at this point.
In his conception, the Orcs, his servants, betrayed him and took everything from him, but it is not as Galadriel thinks and he is satisfied with that. He needs to regain his lost kingdom, so he lets her believe that he has lost his mortal kingdom to the Orcs.
Galadriel has deep wounds caused by Morgoth, Sauron and the Orcs, unconsciously she takes Halbrand's side and embraces his suffering. The meaning is the same, Sauron/Halbrand have been betrayed, lost everything and are alone.
Galadriel understands him and suffers for him, but not for who he really is. And he knows it. Sauron has learned that no one will stand by him, not knowing who he really is. So, he is who Galadriel thinks he is, if it means gaining her help and sympathy.
Our "brothers in Morgoth" are now going their separate ways.
In Númenor, Galadriel insists that Halbrand reclaim his throne. Whether it is a deception, a strategy, or not, Sauron insists that it is best not to return. Better for everyone, right? For Middle-earth, for the Orcs, for Adar, even for Galadriel.
The flame of vengeance still burns in Sauron and Galadriel manages to conquer his will. "Because I cannot stop." These are Galadriel's words to Halbrand. But it is a very intimate question, perhaps a reflection of Sauron's inner self and vulnerability.
He has lost everything, why does he continue to fight? Because just like Galadriel, he cannot stop. He would never be able to find redemption and I believe this phrase defines it well.
Let's now analyze Middle-earth. Arondir is captive and talking to Adar. Adar speaks of "lies so deep," lies that will never be cleared up until the world is remade by the gods. And even though he claims he is not yet a god, he still holds the gods in some regard, perhaps in his still elven part.
Sauron and Adar share similar worldviews, even if they don't agree. Sauron wants to heal Middle-earth, either by ruling or saving it, but he believes that his path is the right one and that light will come through the darkness, as Galadriel told him. I think he has thought deeply about this.
It is similar with Adar. He believes that he can find a safe place in Middle-earth for his children, away from Sauron and his destruction, away from the humans who have never accepted them. In any case, Adar and Sauron's vision of healing and helping is just as corrupt. Always seeking a form of evil in order to achieve good.
“Do you remember me?” Sauron, I don't think you're capable of forgetting.
Together in Middle-earth, we have Sauron and Adar fighting on opposing sides. As he confessed to Galadriel, he is not fighting for humans against the Orcs, but fighting against his own enemies.
He thought about this a lot. Did Sauron expect recognition? Even after centuries and a new beautiful form, did he hope that deep down, Adar would recognize who he was facing?
Adar's words don't really affect me that much. He believed Halbrand was mortal, so it's only natural that he believed his revenge would be completely mortal. A wife or children are usually what motivates many men to go to war. But he doesn't realize that he's dealing with the only person who trusted him and who has been betrayed by him.
Sauron wants to kill Adar, and it takes a lot of control and calm in his plan to not take the next step. Which was good, obviously, because it convinced Galadriel.
Galadriel also believes in Adar's beliefs, trusting that Halbrand is a mortal who lost his loved ones to the Orcs, like her. Her pity for Halbrand also represents how she sees herself.
Did Sauron fear that Adar would know the truth? I don't think so. He must have noticed that he was not recognized. So Adar is focused solely on Galadriel. Halbrand has been forgotten. Their paths are now long separated. Sauron leaves for Eregion after the attacks of Adar and his sons.
Their paths separate once more. The elves know the truth about Sauron, though not all. But his deception remains. The people of Middle-earth still believe in the lost king. But does Adar really believe?
In Númenor, when Halbrand sends Galadriel to find another head to crown, when she insists that she could place that crown there herself. Did Sauron remember Adar's betrayal? Maybe. He reacted extremely angrily. Or was it a lie?
In the second season we glimpse an interesting twist. Sauron, once so powerful and feared alongside Morgoth, then a revered mortal king, has now been stripped of everything, again by Adar. And Adar is now the king of Mordor. Something Sauron has not achieved.
Does Sauron envy Adar's relationship with the Orcs? Sauron has gone through many changes in his life. From a kind master in Valinor, to a tyrannical and cruel master in Middle-earth. And Adar has managed to have servants who are not servants, but sons who follow him and will stand by his side.
Adar tells of his transformation at the hands of Morgoth, of his torment and pain. Then there is Sauron, his light in the darkness, a salvation after so much pain. Why did Sauron cry? Was it a deception? Or a reminder of his own sufferings at the hands of a god?
Waldreg says that pain must be something Halbrand enjoys. And Annatar confesses to Celebrimbor that sometimes pain was a reward. Was that the reason for her tears?
In different ways, Sauron and Adar suffered at the hands of Morgoth. Like sons suffering at the hands of a tyrannical father, one is rewarded and the other destroyed. But in the end, both know only suffering.
If Adar suspected Halbrand, why did he let him go? Like centuries ago, when his Orcs killed Sauron, did he stand still out of fear or because he was unable to face Sauron? Not out of fear, but because of their long history together.
Love and hate do indeed go together.
By fate or the Valar, Sauron and Adar are doomed to fight each other. Sauron departs as Halbrand and enters at the calm and peacefull Eregion. It is time to begin his deception and obtain what he desires most in the world, The Rings of Power.
While Sauron pursues his goal of creating the rings and dominating Middle-earth, he leaves Adar in the background. He has not forgotten him and will still destroy his forces, but now his attention requires elsewhere.
In this time, Adar and his Orcs grow stronger and seek enemies against Sauron. Galadriel is once again entangled in the story of these two long-time enemies.
I believe that Adar was sincere in his words. He wants to destroy Sauron and is willing to ally himself with the elves. But Adar is very powerful, he has many followers. He does not need the elves and their help, he needs The Rings of Power. With the ring, he would be able to face Sauron.
Why does he need Galadriel? Perhaps because, like her, he understands the emptiness that Sauron's departure leaves, the grayness that consumes everything until only he and his absence remain. Is Adar capable of destroying Sauron and never getting rid of the grayness? Maybe yes, maybe no. But he believes that with Galadriel by his side, he will be able to.
With the Siege of Eregion, Sauron loses his temper and his plan is almost discovered. There is Adar again, hindering his glory. But he is patient, he is intelligent. He has spent centuries thinking about his revenge, planning his sovereignty over all beings in Middle-earth, this time, Adar will not be his downfall.
Adar fighting the elves was very beneficial to Sauron. Adar thinned the armies, separated the elves and murdered them. Sauron's path is almost clear. He is like a king of the world, sitting on his throne watching his enemies fight. Like an emperor in an arena, waiting for everyone to destroy each other for his glory and amusement.
It was hilarious, I must say, see Adar to believe he was winning. That he was being wiser and more intelligent than the elves. To Adar, the elves had fallen into a trap. But wasn't it the other way around?
"Never make war in anger."
Honestly, Adar, is this about you or Elrond? Because Sauron got what he wanted and Adar fell for his deception.
Here the curtain closes and the play is at an end. Eregion has fallen and Sauron is still free. The Great Deceiver returns for his final revenge, for now, of course. Adar has Galadriel's ring. And he looks so tired. Fighting Sauron for centuries has finally defeated him, he has given up. He wants to live in peace with his children, far from Sauron and his power.
Adar spent centuries with his children, but he seems to me a very lonely man. He had children and nothing else. The gray remained there. Perhaps, in some twisted and painful way, he missed Sauron's company. Once, many centuries ago, they had served the same master and were relatively equal.
"They are not children any more."
That sounded terribly cruel. That was Sauron’s goal, wasn’t it? When he says those words to Adar on his deathbed, Sauron is removing the last shred of joy from Adar. Decimating the goodness and innocence that Adar had tried to instill in his children. Sauron took away from Adar the last thing he cared about. This was his ultimate betrayal. An eye for an eye, you might say.
Did Adar think of Mairon as he died? How in the Elder Days, Marion was there to be the cure when Morgoth was the disease? How he offered him wine and helped him in his own sick and cruel way. Did he think of his beautiful face?
Or did he think of the beautiful face of Annatar, who is Halbrand, who is Sauron, who is Mairon, as he killed him and took his revenge? Their deaths were similar and I am sure it was no accident.
May the Valar have pity on them, because my analysis does not. Sauron and Adar are like characters in a Greek tragedy. Condemned to solitude and suffering until the end of days.
Last words: English is not my first language and it is quite tiring to write a long text in my language and then have to translate it into English, paying attention to mistakes and spelling. But I do it so that more people can read it and appreciate it.
I posted this analysis after the hate I received, for all the people who voted for the suggestion for the next analysis, and for all those who supported me when I vented. To those who follow me and are happy with my writing, this long text is for you.
