So, it finally happened. We spent weeks squinting at every bearded man and shady blacksmith, trying to figure out who was lying and who was just really bad at socializing. The Rings of Power season finale didn't just drop a few hints; it basically threw the whole lore book at us. It’s a lot to process, especially if you aren’t the type of person who keeps a copy of The Silmarillion on your nightstand.
Honestly, the reveal of Sauron was both the most expected thing and the most stressful. We all kind of knew, right? But seeing the manipulation play out in Eregion was a different beast entirely. It wasn't just about a name; it was about the shift from a mystery show to a full-blown tragedy.
The Halbrand Problem and the Sauron Reveal
Charlie Vickers played the "low man" version of Sauron with a specific kind of oily charm that made the reveal sting. When Galadriel finally realizes she’s been tricked, it isn't just a plot twist. It’s a devastating personal failure for her. She brought him into the kitchen, basically. She gave him the keys to the kingdom.
The Rings of Power season finale hinges on that confrontation by the water. Sauron doesn't just say "I'm the bad guy." He tries to gaslight her. He suggests they could "save" Middle-earth together. It’s a classic manipulator move, and it recontextualizes every single scene they had together throughout the season. When he tells her he’s been looking for a way to heal the world, he probably believes it. That’s what makes this version of the Dark Lord so much more dangerous than a giant flaming eye on top of a tower. He thinks he’s the hero of his own story.
Note: For those tracking the timeline, the show is compressing thousands of years into a very short window. Galadriel’s choice to keep his identity a secret from Elrond and Celebrimbor—at least initially—is a massive gamble. It’s a messy, human (or elven) mistake. She’s embarrassed. She’s terrified. And because of that silence, the three Elven rings are forged under a cloud of deception.
Why the Three Rings are Different
Let’s talk about the jewelry. Celebrimbor is obsessed. He’s a craftsman who just wants to make something beautiful, but he’s being nudged by a master manipulator. The forging of the three rings—Vilya, Narya, and Nenya—is the climax of the Rings of Power season finale.
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Most people assume all the rings are evil. Not quite.
In Tolkien's actual lore, the three Elven rings were forged last, and Sauron never touched them. The show flips this order a bit. Here, they are forged first. They need "alloy" to make the mithril work, and that alloy comes from the gold and silver of Finrod’s dagger. It’s poetic, sure, but it also means these rings are tied to Galadriel’s personal loss.
- Nenya: The Ring of Water, kept by Galadriel.
- Vilya: The Ring of Air, eventually held by Elrond.
- Narya: The Ring of Fire, which eventually finds its way to Gandalf.
The show makes it clear that these rings aren't meant for world domination. They are meant for preservation. The Elves are fading; their light is dying. These rings act like a pause button on time itself. But because Sauron provided the "knowledge" on how to make them, they are still fundamentally linked to his later creations. It’s a "gilded cage" situation.
The Stranger is exactly who we thought (mostly)
While the drama was popping off in Eregion, we had the Harfoots wandering around getting chased by creepy cultists in white robes. The Rings of Power season finale finally confirmed that the Stranger is an Istar—a Wizard.
"Always follow your nose."
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If that line didn't settle it for you, nothing will. While the show hasn't explicitly shouted "HIS NAME IS GANDALF" at the top of its lungs, the clues are heavy enough to sink a boat. He’s kind, he likes small folk, he talks to moths, and he uses the exact phrasing Ian McKellen made famous in The Fellowship of the Ring.
However, there is a catch. In Tolkien’s writings, the Blue Wizards arrived in the Second Age, while Gandalf didn't show up until the Third Age. The show is playing fast and loose with the calendar. It’s possible he’s a "proto-Gandalf" or just a combination of several wizard archetypes to satisfy the audience's craving for familiarity. The mystery of Rhûn is where he’s headed next, and that’s uncharted territory for most fans.
The Fall of Númenor is Looming
The death of King Tar-Palantir is the quietest but most ominous part of the Rings of Power season finale.
Pharazôn is standing there, looking at the succession, and you can practically see the gears turning in his head. Númenor is a society on the brink of a civil war between the "Faithful" (those who still like the Elves) and the King’s Men (the nationalists who want to live forever).
The black sails returning to the harbor, the mourning, the political vacuum—it’s all setting up a massive downfall. If you know the lore, you know that Númenor doesn't have a happy ending. It’s basically Tolkien’s version of Atlantis. The finale does a great job of making the island feel fragile, despite its towering stone statues and massive navy.
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What Everyone Gets Wrong About the Finale
A lot of people complain that the timeline is "broken." It’s true, the showrunners are squashing about 3,000 years into what feels like a few months. But from a narrative perspective, you can't have a TV show where the human characters die of old age every two episodes while the Elves just keep vibing.
Another misconception: Sauron is "pure evil" from the start. In this version, he’s in his "repentant" phase—or at least, he’s convinced himself he is. He wants to order the world. He wants to fix the mess Morgoth made. The Rings of Power season finale shows us the exact moment he stops trying to "heal" and starts trying to "rule." There’s a subtle difference, and Charlie Vickers nails that transition in the final shot as he walks into Mordor.
Actionable Insights for the Wait for Next Season
If you’re left reeling after that ending, there are a few things you can do to prep for the next chapter.
First, go back and watch Halbrand’s scenes in the earlier episodes. Look at his face when he’s at the forge in Númenor. Look at how he treats Pharazôn. It’s all there. The "Easter eggs" aren't just background noise; they are clues to his psychological state.
Second, read "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age" in the back of The Silmarillion. It’s a relatively short read compared to the rest of the book and it covers the exact events this show is dramatizing. It will give you a much better sense of why the rings were made and what Sauron’s actual plan was.
Lastly, keep an eye on the chemistry between Elrond and Galadriel. Their friendship is the emotional anchor of the show, and the Rings of Power season finale puts a massive strain on it. Elrond knows she’s hiding something. That tension is going to drive the political drama in the seasons to come, especially as the remaining rings—the seven for the Dwarves and the nine for Men—are forged.
The board is set. Sauron is in Mordor. The Elves have their rings. The wizards are wandering. It’s about to get much, much darker.