The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power star Charlie Vickers explains why Sauron chooses to spare Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) in the season 2 finale. Created by Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne, the hit Prime Video Lord of the Rings show recently returned for its sophomore outing, building up to an epic showdown between Sauron and Galadriel. The Rings of Power season 2 finale sees Sauron try one last time to recruit her as his queen before stabbing her, with Clark’s character then throwing herself from a cliff to keep Nenya out of his hands.

In a recent interview with Screen Rant, Vickers delves into why Sauron didn’t immediately kill Galadriel in The Rings of Power‘s season 2 finale, despite having the opportunity to. According to the actor, Sauron still saw the potential to get Galadriel on his side, which has been his hope since season 1. After the events of the finale, however, he won’t be giving her this opportunity again, with the divide between them now too great to overcome. Check out Vickers’ comment below:

I think it’s because he wants to have this conversation with her. Maybe there’s a part of him which still thinks and says, “The door is still open.” There’s a part of him which still thinks he can still get her, and I think that’s the big difference between where we end this season and where we ended the first season.

I think after this confrontation, he knows that there’s no hope. She’s resisted him again, and he will have to have some conflict with her again in the future, but there’s no chance of her joining him, and he’s almost taunting her, in a way, and wanting to punish her for, like, “Look what I’ve become. This could have been you, had you joined me in the first place.” So, there is this element of him which wants to make her feel bad and take revenge, almost, for her not listening to him.

What Sauron & Galadriel’s Fight Means For The Rings Of Power Season 3

Where Does Their Dynamic Go From Here?

Image via Prime Video

Sauron spends almost all of season 1 deceiving Galadriel, meaning she’s angry and on a path for revenge in The Rings of Power season 2. Now that it has become clear to Sauron that Galadriel will never be his queen, future episodes can more fully explore the antagonistic dynamic between them. This desire to partner with Galadriel, however, also meant that Sauron held back during their fight. Presumably, any future fight between the two characters will be more ruthless and less restrained.

The Rings of Power season 3 is not yet officially confirmed, but creators Payne and McKay have previously revealed that they have a 5-season plan for the show.

The events of The Lord of the Rings do mean that some of what lies ahead for Galadriel and Sauron is already clear. Galadriel, for example, will never strike Sauron’s physical form down, as it is Isildur who ends up accomplishing that during the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, which closes out the Second Age. The Rings of Power season 3 and beyond may actually feature fewer Galadriel and Sauron showdowns as a result, as, now that they are fully established as enemies, there may be fewer places to take that relationship to in the future.

Our Take On Sauron & Galadriel’s Storyline In The Rings Of Power

Why The Two Characters Don’t Need To Fight One Another Again

As is seen in one scene in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), Galadriel has the potential to be corrupted by the Rings of Power. Deep inside her, there is a desire for power, and this is seemingly what Sauron detects and has latched on to. It’s this quality and this internal struggle that could keep the Galadriel/ Sauron dynamic interesting moving forward, even though it’s clear she will never actually join him.

As The Rings of Power‘s season 2 finale also makes clear, however, there may not be much more value in having Sauron and Galadriel actually physically fight one another. Sauron has the ability to best her in combat, and if he no longer holds himself back, the show will have to find new ways to explain how Galadriel survives these encounters, which could strain credulity. Even without fighting, though, both Sauron and Galadriel are evidently key to The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power‘s future.