The Rings of Power season 2, episode 4 sees Elrond and Galadriel setting out for Eregion, and the ending of “Eldest” forces Galadriel to abandon their company to face down Adar’s army of Orcs. This may seem like a noble sacrifice on Galadriel’s part, but Elrond notes something interesting about her decision. He tells the other Elves that she isn’t staying back to save them. Elrond believes Galadriel is more interested in protecting her Ring of Power, which she gives to him before engaging with the army of Orcs.

Whatever Galadriel’s intentions are, she puts up an impressive fight against the Orcs who attack her. But while they’d happily kill her, their master appears to have other plans for The Rings of Power‘s heroine. After Galadriel falls off her horse, she finds herself reunited with The Rings of Power villain Adar. Although she nearly shoots him with a fiery arrow, Adar seems pleased to see Galadriel. “A star shines on the hour of our meeting,” he tells her. This may seem perplexing to viewers, but it teases an alliance between the two characters in The Rings of Power season 2.

The Rings Of Power Season 2, Episode 4’s Ending Teases A Galadriel & Adar Team-Up

The Amazon Show’s Trailer Confirms It Will Happen

The Elves believe Galadriel is sacrificing her life at the end of The Rings of Power season 2, episode 4, but the installment’s ending suggests a different path for her character. Adar’s greeting isn’t nearly as aggressive as you’d think, especially after the circumstances of their first meeting in The Rings of Power season 1. Galadriel isn’t likely to warm to the villain right away, but he approaches her in a friendly manner. And from The Rings of Power season 2 trailer, we know the pair is going to form an alliance with one another.

Adar and Galadriel’s encounter in “Eldest” is the first step towards this end, but it might take time for Galadriel to come around to this team-up. In The Rings of Power season 2 trailer, Adar reminds Galadriel that they share a common enemy. Her desperation to undo her mistakes with Sauron might drive Galadriel to acquiesce to Adar’s request. This would mark the second time a Rings of Power villain manipulates Galadriel using her goals. The trailer also shows footage of Galadriel and Adar standing before an army, so it’s clear they will join forces in the coming episodes.

Galadriel Working With Adar Will Be Her Second Huge Mistake In The Rings Of Power

Trusting Sauron & His Rings Was The First

If Galadriel does team up with Adar, it will likely be her second huge mistake in The Rings of Power. The first, of course, is falling for Sauron’s deception. Galadriel is too quick to trust Halbrand in The Rings of Power season 1, and she continues to play into his hand during the second outing. Despite her realization that Halbrand is Sauron, Galadriel insists on using the Three Rings he creates with Celebrimbor. The series makes it fairly obvious that these rings are already corrupting her mind, as well as the minds of the other Elves.

Galadriel and Adar may share a similar enemy, but this doesn’t change the fact that the latter is a villain with his own interests at heart.

Galadriel and Adar may share a similar enemy, but this doesn’t change the fact that the latter is a villain with his own interests at heart. The Rings of Power season 1’s ending is more than enough proof that Adar can’t be trusted. Unless Galadriel has a plan up her sleeve, working with him may backfire for her and her people. Adar will prioritize the Orcs’ needs first, and the short-term gains of a partnership likely won’t justify the long-term consequences of furthering Adar’s goals.

Adar’s The Rings Of Power Origin Story Explains Why Galadriel May Trust Him

The Villain Was Also An Elf Before Morgoth Got To Him

Although Adar doesn’t seem trustworthy in The Rings of Power season 2, his backstory explains why Galadriel is willing to work with him. Adar was an Elf himself once, so Galadriel may feel some sort of kinship with him. At the very least, she probably empathizes with his circumstances. It’s only due to Morgoth’s torment that Adar becomes an Orc rather than an Elf. And unlike the other Orcs in The Rings of Power season 2, Adar bears the physical attributes of the Elves. This serves as a reminder of his origin, one that highlights the similarities between himself and Galadriel.

Additionally, Adar and Galadriel don’t just share an enemy in Sauron. Just as Adar suffered at the hands of Morgoth, Galadriel lost his brother to Sauron’s former master. The two aren’t bonded by their Elven backgrounds alone; they’ve also experienced pain and loss due to Morgoth’s reign during the First Age. This common ground could be part of the reason they’re willing to take on Sauron together, though it seems obvious that their alliance will end there.

How Sauron Is Manipulating Galadriel & Adar In The Rings Of Power Season 2

The Lord Of The Rings Villain Is Influencing Them From Afar

Sauron is a master manipulator in J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, so it’s fitting that he’s bending multiple characters to his will throughout The Rings of Power season 2. The villain’s influence over Galadriel is obvious from the beginning of this outing. By gaining her trust in The Rings of Power season 1, Halbrand wiggles his way into Galadriel’s mind, even before he creates the rings. The High King isn’t sure she can face him on her own, and the betrayal stings Galadriel enough that she’s desperate to fix her mistake. This directly feeds into her decision to team up with Adar.

Of course, Sauron is also manipulating Galadriel through her Ring of Power — something Elrond already suspects. Elrond refuses to trust the decisions Galadriel makes based on the ring, and she herself appears to notice its influence. This isn’t enough to stop her from wearing it or even sacrificing her life to save it. But her visions during The Rings of Power season 2’s three-episode premiere suggest Sauron can mess with her mind, even when he isn’t in her presence. This is worrying and could prove detrimental to her later in the series.

Sauron manipulates Adar in a less direct manner, and it’s difficult to say what his plans for the Elf are. We know from The Rings of Power season 1 that the two villains are at odds. Their bad blood is likely why Sauron shows up at Adar’s camp disguised as Halbrand during The Rings of Power season 2, episode 1. By informing Adar that Sauron lives, he’s toying with the Elf’s mind. To what end is unclear, but Sauron likely doesn’t want Adar in the Southlands — the very part of Middle-earth he intends to rule from.

Sauron may even welcome Adar’s alliance with Galadriel, as it gives him the opportunity to destroy two of his enemies in one fell swoop. They might even destroy each other, saving Sauron the trouble of moving against them. This sort of manipulation is precisely what gives the villain the upper hand throughout Middle-earth’s history, and the characters are playing right into it in The Rings of Power season 2.