The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power director Charlotte Brändström and director of photography Alex Disenhof explain Adar’s dark fate in the season 2 finale. Prime Video’s hit The Lord of the Rings show – created by Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne, has just concluded its sophomore outing, seemingly wrapping up Adar’s storyline. After playing an important role as a villain in most episodes thus far, The Rings of Power‘s season 2 finale sees Adar (Sam Hazeldine) betrayed and killed by the Orcs he calls his children after they fall under Sauron’s (Charlie Vickers) control.

In a recent interview with Screen Rant, Brändström and Disenhof delve into how they shot Adar’s final scene with Galadriel in The Rings of Power‘s season 2 finale, with the moment coming just before his death. The creatives explain that they mirrored a filming technique they employed during the barn scene between Galadriel and Adar in season 1, episode 6, using Dutch angles to convey the instability between them. Check out their comments below:

Charlotte Brändström: We actually mirrored something that we had done in the first season. There is a scene in episode 6, at the end of episode 6, there is a confrontation between Adar and Galadriel in the barn. It’s been quite a while, but we remember that, right? [Chuckles] That day, we went Dutch, completely Dutch, the whole scene. So, Alex saying, “It would be cool to just redo the same thing and to go Dutch again.”

Alex Disenhof: Yeah, it’s kind of a remembering how their relationship is, and it’s off balance. We knew that it was the final moment between them.

Charlotte Brändström: We knew he was going to die in that moment.

Alex Disenhof: Yeah, kind of a full-circle moment between them.

A Dutch angle uses camera tilt to convey instability, uncertainty, or disorientation within a scene.

What Adar’s Death Means For The Rings Of Power Season 3

Sauron’s Hold Over Middle-earth Grows Stronger

The Rings of Power season 3 hasn’t been confirmed just yet, but McKay and Payne have made clear that they have a 5-season plan for the show. The magic in the world of Middle-earth means that it’s possible that Adar’s role in the story may not be over just yet, but his final scene certainly looked quite definitive. If Adar is indeed dead, it opens up the story to go in some interesting directions in the future.

Most of the Orcs in Middle-earth had previously been following Adar in an attempt to carve out a place for themselves, but they will now be following Sauron. This brings The Rings of Power closer to the events of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which feature Orcs as Sauron’s main soldiers. With Adar dead, the land of Mordor can now begin to take shape, and Sauron may not need to use his Annatar disguise any longer. He now has an army at his disposal, and he will certainly be looking to use it to achieve his dastardly goals.

Our Take On Adar’s Death In The Rings Of Power’s Season 2 Finale

Adar Has Been A Show Highlight

Image via Prime Video

Adar has consistently been one of the most interesting figures in The Rings of Power‘s cast of characters. Even with Hazeldine taking over for original Adar actor Joseph Mawle, who left after season 1, the character has remained captivating and tragic. Adar may have been willing to do evil things, but he was also a character with a great deal of compassion for his family of Orcs, and he was willing to do anything to ensure a better life for them.

Though Adar’s absence will be felt moving forward, it also arguably felt like the right time to conclude his arc in order to push Sauron’s forward. Sauron, after all, is the show’s main villain, and Adar’s death is a crucial stepping stone in his continued rise. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power may not feature Adar in the future, but his mark on the show’s larger story will certainly live on.