A flashback in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2, episode 1 saw Adar murder Sauron, and this makes a lot more sense after episode 6’s big Morgoth reveal. The Dark Lord Morgoth, who had been Sauron’s master, was the first villain of Middle-earth. He had initially helped create Arda (the world) but eventually turned down the path of evil instead. Morgoth became the self-proclaimed mighty king of the universe, but after his downfall, Sauron attempted to take this role instead. In Rings of Power‘s version of events, this didn’t go particularly well.

The beginning of Rings of Power season 2 revealed that, after Morgoth lost his war and was locked away by the Valar, Sauron stood before the Orcs and announced that he would be the Dark Lord instead. He demanded that Adar crown him, but the Dark Elf used a spiked iron crown to kill Sauron instead—literally stabbing him in the back. Sauron’s dark essence leaked from his body into the earth until centuries later, when he could finally take on a physical form. Now, Rings of Power has revealed why Adar’s murder weapon was so effective.

That Wasn’t Just Any Crown Adar Used To Kill Sauron In The Rings Of Power’s Flashback

Season 2 Reveals That It Was Morgoth’s Iron Crown

During Adar and Galadriel’s meeting in Rings of Power season 2, episode 6, it is revealed that the crown that Sauron had intended to wear is none other than Morgoth’s Iron Crown. This is a key artifact in Tolkien’s legendarium. Morgoth, an expert craftsman, forged the crown when he named himself the supreme ruler of all things and placed the three stolen Silmarils on each of its spikes. These stones were considered the most lovely objects in all of Middle-earth, and, combined with Morgoth’s Iron Crown, the Dark Lord became a terrible and beautiful sight to behold.

It’s now clear just how big a deal this crown is in Rings of Power. Sauron wasn’t just following in Morgoth’s footsteps—by taking the Iron Crown as his own, he attempted to step into his master’s shoes entirely. This also means that Sauron’s death was even more bitter and personal than it initially seemed. Being killed by the Iron Crown would have felt almost like a rejection from Morgoth himself. This was likely the only way that Adar could have actually done so much damage to Sauron since there was far more to the crown than met the eye.

Surviving Morgoth’s Crown Shows How Powerful Sauron Really Is

The Iron Crown Represents Morgoth’s Own Power

…a creator always places some of themself in their creation.

Adar says in The Rings of Power season 2 that Morgoth’s crown carries a certain kind of power. This was true of essentially anything made by the Valar in The Lord of the Rings lore. The Iron Crown might not have given Morgoth any additional powers, but it was forged by his own hand, and a creator always places some of themself in their creation. The Iron Crown was resistant to types of magic, as demonstrated with Beren’s knife, Angrist, in Beren and Lúthien. By surviving Morgoth’s crown, Sauron has proven his immense strength and determination in Rings of Power.

Why No One Used Morgoth’s Crown Against Sauron In The Books

Morgoth’s Crown Had A Different (Equally Ironic) Fate In Tolkien Canon

Morgoth’s crown being used as a weapon against Sauron certainly sounds like the type of story that would be found in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings books. There’s a kind of dark irony to it, and this was among the legendary author’s favorite literary devices. However, Tolkien took a different route instead. After Morgoth was defeated by the Valar, his Iron Crown was melted down and reforged into the chains used to imprison the villain (see the dark irony?). This means that Morgoth’s crown is no longer in Middle-earth by the events of Rings of Power—but the Prime Video series made a creative change.