The idea of seeing Charlie Vickers as Sauron donning the black armor of the Dark Lord in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has sparked much excitement and debate from fans. As the actor playing Sauron for Amazon's big-budget series, Vickers has shared his interest in portraying the armored version of the character.
Vickers in an interview with inews said,
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“It’s a bit of a dream to wear that.”
This would mean he is ready to go into this darker side of Sauron's character. With his excitement, it would seem that an armored Sauron is coming our way.
However, bringing this form to the screen calls for much thought on character and story development in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. As of now, his look is not confirmed.
Sauron's armored form in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Although The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power had given hints of an armored Dark Lord figure in its initial episodes, Sauron's full appearance in black armor is still to come.
Fans familiar with the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jackson's cinematic version are all aware of Sauron's armored form as a classic symbol of Middle-earth's Second Age conflicts.
In Tolkien's works, Sauron rarely exposes himself in this form unless he has no choice during the battle as he seems to enjoy cunning over brute force.
Additionally, the historical battles the main character ever caught him in always ended badly, such as when he was defeated by the hound Huan and later by the Last Alliance of Elves and Men.
Transforming into the armor of Sauron may be set to be a point of high-stakes warfare in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power because the character is diverted away from his two respective wears of Halbrand and Annatar which already carry a much darker and ominous characterization of Sauron.
The adaptation of Sauron's change faithfully is quite challenging, however. Sauron was portrayed in the Jackson films as an intimidating black-robed giant. Yet, Tolkien did not say how Sauron was attired. On the other hand, Sauron's former master, Morgoth, was clad in black armor.
The interpretation of the series draws directly from Jackson's portrayal, further blending cinematic influence with Tolkien's lore. However, Vickers's portrayal can follow suit exactly or evolve into something unique for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Vickers’ Sauron and the challenge of black armor on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
It is not merely aesthetic, but rather a choice on a deeper level to indicate character change. Vickers's Sauron, in the fair forms such as Annatar and Halbrand, has manipulated his way to getting what he wants - surely an approach rooted in the description of Tolkien as a master deceiver.
It risks losing that crucial characteristic if it puts on too much armor to Sauron too early on in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. On Reddit, @FrostPegasus speculates an armored Sauron only appears after the fall of Númenor because he no longer has a reason to hide his true self.
This would maintain the mystique of the character; only when everything else seems to fail does he transition into full armor. Tolkien had made it known that Sauron's physical form worsened as his corruption increased.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power could dramatically illustrate such a fall by having the Vickers' Sauron slowly deteriorate while in his armor, so he has blackened burnt flesh and other horrible qualities.
This dark visual enhancement of his final form should be one of the standout moments of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power if it is depicted.
The series has the chance to expand upon Tolkien's work and Jackson's vision, blending the influences into a portrayal of Sauron that is both visually striking and faithful to the complex lore.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is available on Amazon Prime Video.
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