The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power stunt coordinator and action unit director Vic Armstrong discusses Galadriel and Sauron’s final fight in season 2. The Rings of Power season 2 ending sees the two powerful characters colliding after remaining separate throughout most of the season. While both characters are guaranteed to survive this conflict and return in The Rings of Power season 3 due to their larger roles in Middle-earth’s lore, there is still tremendous tension in their violent and long-awaited reunion.

In an interview with Screen Rant, Armstrong compares the fight to a piece of music and breaks down the behind-the-scenes process of bringing the showdown to life. He explains how Galadriel and Sauron’s expectations influence their fighting styles during this scene. Armstrong also expresses his admiration for Morfydd Clark and Charlie Vickers and how they deliver their impressive performances as Galadriel and Sauron while also carrying out the nuances of the action sequence. Check out his comments below:

Yeah, that’s worked out on the location to make it look slightly different, and feel different than everything else. And, as he says, keeping their characters alive, so one doesn’t dominate the other. He does to a certain degree, then she’ll help to domineer him. It’s just keeping that balance. It’s like music, really trying to get the right tones, and we’ve got all the right instruments there, but it’s getting the right ones to play the right tune at the right moments. It’s a lot of rehearsal for these guys, because they’re shooting 8-10 hours a day, nearly all the time, and she’s in a huge amount of the show, so she’s very busy.

So, it’s a case of being able to drag them away and do their rehearsal time and have them commit to it 100% in rehearsal time. You’ve got to concentrate, otherwise you do get your fingers bashed, or hit somebody over the head. It’s a lot of intense work for them, and they do earn their crust, I must say. I’m good at the action and everything else, but they do something which I could never do, and that’s act, and they’re so good at it, it’s wonderful.

What This Means For The Rings Of Power

The Fight Helped Deliver A Satisfying Season 2 Finale

The Rings of Power season 2 ending largely hinged on Galadriel and Sauron facing each other again. Armstrong, Clark, and Vickers ensured that this payoff was well-executed, as the combat was riveting to watch, while Galadriel and Sauron’s emotional conflict felt palpable. This made the fight feel as though it was worth the wait while also demonstrating Galadriel’s growth, as her sacrifice proves her belief in light over strength, and that Sauron no longer has the kind of hold over her that he had as Halbrand in season 1.

Galadriel and Sauron are in a class of their own when it comes to power, fighting prowess, and seeing the bigger picture of what is at stake in Middle-earth. This contributes to their fight needing to feel different from others depicted in the series, along with making sure that neither Galadriel nor Sauron appear too dominant. Sauron acquiring the nine rings that will corrupt men and Galadriel preventing Sauron from getting Nenya as well is another way of keeping the power relatively balanced between them, even after their fight ends.

Our Take On Vic Armstrong’s Comments

Galadriel Vs. Sauron Is When The Rings Of Power Is At Its Best

The Galadriel and Sauron fight was already thrilling to watch and is now even more compelling after Armstrong’s comments. Hearing about the intensive process behind the fight adds further weight to it, especially while Clark and Vickers balance their acting with the scene’s combat logistics. Many characters have fight scenes, including during the Siege of Eregion, but few of these clashes are as impressive as when Galadriel and Sauron duel in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.