When it comes to deaths in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Season 2 had quite a few. King Durin IV died in the Mines of Moria fighting the Balrog, capping a riveting Game of Thrones-style chapter in Khazad-dûm.

In addition, the finale focused heavily on the Siege of Eregion. There, Celebrimbor died, which was expected as it synced up with Lord of the Rings lore. However, the biggest death was that of Adar: the unpredictable new character created for the show. He was Sauron’s rival and someone who wanted him dead, as he didn’t think Sauron would honor Morgoth’s wishes. Unfortunately, Adar’s death does his character a massive injustice and makes Sauron’s journey even more bizarre.

Rings of Power’s Adar Didn’t Need to Be Betrayed

The Orcs Murder Their Leader And Switch to Sauron

Adar didn’t like how Sauron used the orcs as expendable pawns. It’s why he took them from him, became their “father” and led this band of Uruk in the Southlands. However, as the Siege of Eregion occurs, the orcs think Adar’s lust for war and to find Sauron in the Eregion Forge places him on the same level as Sauron. That’s not necessarily the case.

Sadly, Glûg (the main commander) finds Sauron, brokers a deal, and betrays Adar. Glûg pretends to be dead, comes back to Adar’s camp, and leads a revolt. The orcs stab Adar to death the way they did Sauron centuries before.

Had Adar willingly sent orcs to die, killed a dissenter, or been heard mentioning he would let orcs die until he found Sauron, it would have felt organic. All Adar’s character is used for is advancing the plot, creating this civil war in the Uruk, and then being used as fodder. It doesn’t honor his character who fought tooth and nail for them in the past. He even let his Elven form be warped for them. It’s very rushed, especially considering he wanted to protect orc women and children.

Adar Doesn’t Advance Sauron’s Position

Sauron Shows the Orcs He Still Hates Them

Now, Sauron sides with Glûg so that he can then come and claim Morgoth’s crown. But after he fails to take Galadriel’s ring, Sauron quickly stabs Glûg to death in front of the orcs. They panic, flee, and he becomes someone they won’t follow again. Thus, Adar being a sacrificial lamb is for nothing.

Sauron and the orcs are back to square one with him as a slave master. It’s very strange to use such a big swerve, and then discard it. This was a chance to divide the faction: Adar getting some followers, and Sauron having his orc cult. Instead, Sauron is in plain view as an oppressor — the very thing Adar warned of. Had Sauron killed Glûg in secret and blamed it on the Elves, it would have made sense. Sauron could have weaponized the orcs against the Dwarves from the Mines of Moria as well.

This way, he’d have them under control and thinking he wants revenge for every orc that dies. In that sense, he’d easily slip into the spiritual skin Adar wore, but as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. In the end, Sauron kills Glûg for shock factor, alienates the orcs, and makes Adar’s overall purpose meaningless. All Adar ends up being is someone for Sauron to gloat over, when real nuance could have been had if they directly come a possible Rings of Power Season 3.

Rings of Power Season 2 Doesn’t Pad The Movie Gap

Killing Adar Makes Sauron’s Orc Kingdom More Unbelievable

In The Lord of the Rings books, Sauron does have these orcs under his thumb. This is the foundation for him giving the rings to the nine Men to form his Nazgul. He’d then build his tower and create the Uruk-hai legion with Saruman for the Peter Jackson movies. But by killing Adar so brazenly and then insulting the orcs again, Sauron now has to work to win them over once more.

Simply put, it’s going to take a miracle for fans to believe the orcs love Sauron again.

The more the orcs blindly lean toward Sauron, the more Adar’s arc feels negated and useless. If Adar was cut out of the story, nothing much changes in the overall narrative. The orcs are still not trustful of Sauron to carry on Morgoth’s religion.

Alas, there is not much of an opening to fake this love and to pad to the movies. That creative gap has gotten bigger, not smaller, which is counterintuitive to the idea of a prequel. Simply put, it’s going to take a miracle for fans to believe the orcs love Sauron again. Adar dying makes for good drama, but it feels like it’s done too early. More time was needed for the rivalry to simmer and for Sauron to win the cult back. Adar’s potential is wasted, ultimately complicating the story about how Sauron baits the Uruk back to swear fealty to him.