Unmasking Adar: The Dark Elf’s Secrets in The Rings of Power
By August Tales Comics
Strap on your elven boots and ready your orcish grunts—Amazon’s The Rings of Power isn’t done unraveling its mysteries. Throughout its debut season, we witnessed the grotesque transformation of Joseph Mawle’s character, Adar. Despite Sauron being the central villain of Middle-earth during the Second Age, he was curiously absent at the start of the series. Instead, Adar, the commander of the Orc army, emerged as the dark force causing chaos in the Southlands. But who is he, really?
The Origins of Adar: Elf or Orc?
Adar is both a paradox and a puzzle. Once an Elf, Adar was twisted into something neither fully Elf nor Orc. His real name remains elusive, lost to time, much like a hobbit’s second breakfast. Captured by Morgoth, the dark lord who once sought to conquer Middle-earth, Adar endured a horrific transformation. The once noble Elf was warped into the first Orc—also known as Moriondor—by Morgoth’s cruel hand. Galadriel, ever wise, recalls tales of such twisted fates from her youth, hinting that Adar has likely been around for centuries.
The series touches on Morgoth’s early attempts to corrupt Middle-earth, long before the arrival of Elves. When they finally appeared, Morgoth captured many, experimenting on them to create the Orcs. If Adar was among those unlucky Elves, the horrors he experienced are unimaginable. His very existence is a slap in the face to Eru Ilúvatar, the creator of Elves.
Powers of a Moriondor: What Does Adar Bring to the Battlefield?
Adar’s unique status as a Moriondor—neither fully Elf nor fully Orc—grants him a mix of abilities from both races. He retains the extreme longevity of the Elves and the keen senses that make him a formidable commander. Despite his grotesque appearance, Adar holds on to remnants of his Elven past, as seen in the ritual he performs before battle. But that’s where the similarities end. The Moriondor are a tragic mockery of Elves, stripped of their grace and connection to nature, filled instead with Morgoth’s hatred and love for destruction.
Are There More Like Adar?
Morgoth’s corruption created many Moriondor during the First Age, but whether any survived into the Second Age is a mystery. Adar might be the last of his kind, a relic of a dark time in Middle-earth’s history. If there are others, they’ve remained well-hidden, much like Adar did among the Orcs. The survival of any Moriondor after the War of Wrath is uncertain at best. In the world of The Rings of Power, they are nothing more than whispered rumors.
Adar vs. Sauron: A Clash of Dark Titans
Adar’s ambitions are far less grandiose than those of Sauron or Morgoth. All he desires is a safe haven for his Orcs, free from the sun’s burning light. Unlike his former masters, Adar refuses to treat the Orcs as mere cannon fodder. His history with Sauron is complicated, marked by betrayal and a broken pact that left Adar transformed into an Orc. After Morgoth’s defeat, Sauron sought to experiment with flesh and blood, leading to a confrontation with Adar. Believing he had vanquished Sauron, Adar is unaware of the dark lord’s potential to rise again.
What’s Next for Adar in The Rings of Power Season 2?
Season 2 promises to dive deeper into Adar’s story. Promotional material teases his involvement in a plot alongside Galadriel to take down Sauron. With Celebrimbor in the mix, these three characters will be key players. Despite his animosity towards Sauron, Adar controls the Orc army, raising questions about whether he will once again fall under Sauron’s influence or if he’ll become a secret adversary.
Season 2 is set to explore these dynamics, with Adar’s role in the ongoing battle between good and evil taking center stage. Will he remain a pawn, or will he rise as a formidable player in the power struggles of Middle-earth? Only time will tell.
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