Adar has a very specific reason for hating Sauron in The Rings of Power.

Adar has made it clear throughout The Rings of Power that he hates Sauron, but many still wonder what exactly the dark lord of Middle-earth did to the elf-turned-orc.

The Rings of Power Season 2 has dove deeper into the Second Age of Middle-earth, specifically focusing on multiple plotlines and characters.

One of the biggest plotlines that has been featured since the early episodes of Season 1 is the rivalry between Adar and Sauron (played by both Charlie Vickers and Jack Lowden). Season 2 opened by showing viewers just how sour their relationship turned in the past, revealing that Adar killed Sauron at one point.

Adar’s Hatred For Sauron in The Rings of Power

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Adar may be an Orc, but that does not mean he likes or even agrees with Sauron and the dark lord’s actions. Instead, Adar proved multiple times that he directly opposes Sauron on every level, meaning it is no secret the two hate each other.

In Season 2, Episode 1, it was revealed that Adar killed Sauron sometime near the beginning of the Second Age.

Although the series showed viewers Sauron’s spirit lived on and inhabited another physical body, Adar, for all of those years, believed Sauron to be undisputedly dead.

The early episodes of Season 2 made it clear that Adar still believed Sauron hadn’t returned, but it seems as though with each passing appearance of Adar on-screen, he has grown more unsure of that belief.

Adar and Sauron’s rivalry has gone on for a long time in Middle-earth. It is important to remember that Adar was thought to be one of the Moriondor by Galadriel in Season 1.

The Moriondor (which directly translates to “Sons of the Dark” in Quenya) were among the very first generation of Elves corrupted by Morgoth and then turned into Orcs.

Seeing as how Sauron was a servant of Morgoth and then desired to take his place as the dark lord (read about why Sauron turned evil), it would only make sense for Adar to loathe Sauron since his master essentially tortured him and then turned him from an immortal, beautiful Elf into an Orc.

While Adar’s past is likely one reason he hates Sauron, the biggest sin Sauron committed against him was the way he treated the Orcs.

Sauron is a Maia, meaning that he is an immortal being who, in real-world terms, is similar to a god.

Being a corrupted version of a god historically gave Sauron the idea that he was far superior to worldly beings, especially Orcs.

It was explained in Season 1, Episode 1 when Galadriel traveled to Durnost that Sauron was trying to tap into the unseen world.

For reference, the unseen world is where wearers of the One Rings are transported when they put the ring on their finger.

Not wanting to harm himself or anyone else of importance, Sauron chose to experiment on the Orcs to see just how he could enter the unseen world. These experiments often included horrific torture and cruelty that was impossible to physically and/or mentally bear, so most of the Orcs that were used died.

Being the so-called father of the Orcs, Adar hated seeing his “children” tortured and used as pawns by Sauron, and it eventually boiled over to the point Adar tried to kill the dark lord once and for all.

Will Adar and Sauron Ever Meet Again?

Since Adar and Sauron have such a rich history with one another and such a huge rivalry, many fans hope to see the two come face to face one more time.

The Orcs in The Rings of Power have a lot of respect (and some may even say love) for Adar.

As many know, Sauron has control over the Orcs by the time the Third Age rolls around and the War for the Ring begins.

So, at some point between Season 2 and that time, Sauron will have to separate the Orcs from Adar since they are so loyal to him.

Adar has made it clear that he wishes to rule Mordor, which is unironically the same place Sauron will eventually build his own kingdom and army.

The most likely outcome of Sauron and Adar’s rivalry is that they will meet once more, most likely in the heart of Mordor, and have a major battle that Sauron will ultimately win.

That would give Sauron revenge for Adar killing him, and would then allow Sauron to force Adar’s Orcs into serving him until Sauron himself is defeated in the Third Age.

So, that would not only explain how Sauron comes to be in possession of Mordor but also how he obtains his army of Orcs.

The Rings of Power is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, and new episodes are released every Thursday at 3 a.m. ET.