Adar in The Rings of Power Season 2The first season of The Rings of Power fleshed out the orcs as tragic creatures with Adar as their leader. Actor Sam Hazeldine teased the show will dive deeper into the character by depicting more of his backstory in Season 2.

The Rings of Power has cast a new actor for Adar in Season 2. Sam Hazeldine (Peaky Blinders, The Sandman) said his goal was to make sure audiences would immediately accept the transition from Joseph Mawle, who played the dark elf and orc leader in Season 1. “I know Joseph, I worked with him years ago,” Hazeldine revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “I think he’s a fantastic actor, and I really loved what he did in the first season. So it was actually a pleasure to take the baton from him. Obviously, we don’t look the same, but the character is instantly recognizable.” He said audiences will empathize with Adar’s motivations when Season 2 reveals his prior encounters with Sauron.

Galadriel in front of the Mordor hellscape in the Rings of Power Ismael Cruz Córdova in The Rings of Power
 Annatar the Lord of Gifts in The Rings of Power Galadriel stands with her knife in front of an image of elves in The Rings of Power
Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear) in The Rings of Power in his home Sophia Nomvete plays Disa in The Rings of Power Galadriel mourns over an Elven helmet on The Rings of Power

“There was an offer for power and for something else, which you’ll find out later on in the show, and Adar willingly took the deal,” Hazeldine hinted at Adar’s backstory. “It’s kind of like he took a red pill and was duped. He was horrifically tortured and maimed.” Showrunner JD Payne teased the same in an interview with Vanity Fair, saying “You’ve got Sauron, who is not cloaked behind the guise of Halbrand anymore. The audience knows he’s Sauron, so now we’re watching him maneuver as he’s manipulating Adar, who’s another big villain of the season.”

Adar’s Tragic Arc In The Rings of Power Season 2

Adar was integral to The Rings of Power‘s narrative in Season 1, which saw the character unwittingly fulfilling Sauron’s plan to dominate Middle Earth. Adar created a new home for the orcs by unearthing Mount Doom, not knowing Sauron would use its fires to forge the Rings of Power. The season ended by showing the Southlands transformed into Morder and Sauron heading out to Mount Doom. It’s interesting how Season 2 will show Adar’s internal struggles even as he continues to fulfill Sauron’s plans at every turn.

Hazeldine also teased that “Season 2 starts with a bang, and I was even surprised at how kind of bloodthirsty and violent it is.” The show is also set to debut a Lord of the Rings character fans never got to see in Peter Jackson’s adaptation of the trilogy.

Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premieres on Aug. 29 on Prime Video.