As of The Rings of Power season 2, episode 7, Adar was shown leading the Siege of Eregion, a major event in Lord of the Rings’ Second Age. For much of season 2, The Rings of Power‘s timeline has sped toward this conflict as the elves seek to free Celebrimbor from Sauron’s grasp and Adar wishes to kill his former master once and for all. Although the show is seemingly setting up Adar to have many conflicts in The Rings of Power episode 8, his death may come from an unexpected source.
Why Adar’s Death Is Inevitable In The Rings Of Power
Adar Is Unlikely To Live For Much Longer
Image via Prime VideoUnfortunately for the father of the Uruks, Adar seems to be first in the list of potential character deaths in The Rings of Power season 2. The reason Adar’s death is so inevitable is primarily due to his status as an original character. Of course, original characters can be important in The Rings of Power, but the show is evidently trying to stick to Tolkien’s overarching stories of the Second Age with only minimal changes.
As such, it is unlikely that Adar, or any other original characters, will make enough of an impact on the overarching story of The Rings of Power. While elements like Adar orchestrating the Siege of Eregion or Arondir helping to defeat Damrod are big moments, they are still footnotes in comparison to the overarching plot points written by Tolkien. This way, the original characters of The Rings of Power do not rob Tolkien’s stories or other characters of their weight. As a result, though, it seemingly gives characters like Adar a limited lifespan.
The Rings Of Power Season 2 Is Teasing The Orcs Turning On Adar
Adar’s Children Do Not All Agree With His Quest For Vengeance
With Adar’s inevitable death looming, it is worth exploring how The Rings of Power season 2 has teased his demise will come. Many would assume that it would come at the hands of a major character like Galadriel, Arondir, or Sauron, yet The Rings of Power season 2 has seeded the idea of Adar’s orcs turning against him. This began as early as the three-episode premiere when Adar told his children to prepare to march on Eregion in order to dispatch Sauron once and for all.
The orcs under his command began to question Adar, wondering whether going to war so quickly after fighting another was wise. This coincided with the inclusion of a baby orc in The Rings of Power, slightly humanizing the typical Lord of the Rings villains with an element from Tolkien’s lore. Since then, the orcs have not been 100% on board with Adar’s plan to kill Sauro. This was evident in their looks of uncertainty as Galadriel shouted that attacking Eregion was what Sauron wanted and Adar unleashing Damrod without a second thought, knowing the troll would kill his own soldiers.
Why The Orcs Killing Adar Would Be More Fitting Than Sauron, Galadriel, Or Another Character Doing It
Adar’s Arc Would Be More Impactful If The Orcs Killed Him
Overall, Adar’s orcs killing him would be better than if he were to die at the hands of Galadriel. Sauron, Arondir, or any other Rings of Power character. This way, Adar could be painted as much more of a tragic future. As alluded to, Adar is not a complete villain in The Rings of Power. He has done evil things, but Adar is not the embodiment of darkness in the way Sauron or Morgoth are and instead wishes to give his children a home in which they can build their own lives free of servitude.
The Rings of Power season 2 is hinting at the orcs losing sight of Adar’s motives and killing him, likely with the reasoning that they assumed he was too hellbent on revenge against Sauron. If this came to pass, it would make Adar’s death more emotionally resonant than if he was killed by any of the aforementioned characters. The only other character whose story would benefit from killing Adar is Arondir, yet The Rings of Power season 2, episode 7 showcased this conflict, with Arondir seemingly losing.
It could be revealed that Sauron knew the orcs would eventually betray Adar, leaving the dark lord to swoop in and take control of them and Mordor afterward…
Furthermore, Adar being killed by his orc children would benefit Sauron’s arc. Sauron is a master manipulator and needs an army after the Siege of Eregion. It could be revealed that Sauron knew the orcs would eventually betray Adar, leaving the dark lord to swoop in and take control of them and Mordor afterward, leading into the War of the Elves and Sauron. This all points to the orcs killing Adar being the best conclusion of his story in The Rings of Power, one that could come sooner rather than later.