All of Sauron’s Other Names in LOTR and the Rings of Power

This article contains spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.Middle-earth’s greatest villain, Sauron, is the main antagonist in The Lord of the Rings: THE Rings of Power, but the Dark Lord has several other names he goes by. Sauron is best known as the great evil of The Lord of the Rings, where he searched for the One Ring that Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship wanted to destroy. Set thousands of years before Peter Jackson’s trilogy, The Rings of Power follows the rise of Sauron and how he forged the 20 Rings of Power. In JRR Tolkien’s source material, Sauron is one of the oldest beings in Middle-earth.

Sauron assumed different guises during the thousands of years he lived. Using his powers as Maia, Sauron could change shape, which allowed him to deceive others and assume different names. His most famous name, Sauron, comes from the Elvish language of Quenya and translates as “the Abominable.” Rings of Power began delving into some of his other identities, while also adding some of his own inventions. Meanwhile, Tolkien’s Legendarium features a wide range of names assumed by the Dark Lord over the years.

Mairon, Maia de Aulë

Name Originating from the First Era

Tolkien’s linguistic journal Parma Eldalamberon published a text by Tolkien in issue 17 confirming that Sauron’s original name was Mairon before he turned to evil. By giving Quenya roots to this name, Tolkien implicitly confirmed was an Elvish translation of Sauron’s real namewhich would have been in Valarin, their first language. Sauron belonged to the Maiar order of the Ainur race, one rank lower than the 15 Valar, and Ainur spoke Valarin.

Tolkien gave little information about Valarin. Therefore, Sauron’s true name, used in the Timeless Halls, will remain unknown. However, some attempted reconstruction; for example, Amâyaraz (via Reddit). Mairon was obsessed with orderwhich later became his motivation for wanting to control Middle-earth. He admired Melkor, who later became Morgoth. Soon, Mairon became Morgoth’s most trusted servant.

Mairon was drawn to Vala Morgoth precisely because he could affect his designs more quickly by taking advantage of his hatred for unnecessary friction (The Letters of JRR Tolkien). His intentions were good at first. In fact, before falling into the hands of Morgoth, Mairon was a great disciple of Vala Aulë. His work was so significant that he “remained powerful in the tradition of that people“even after falling into evil (The Silmarillion).

Tevildo, Prince of Cats

Name Originating from the First Era

Surprisingly, in the earliest drafts of Tolkien’s Legendarium, Sauron was a cat named Tevildo. Although arguably more Cat than Sauron, this character was an obvious replacement for the character who became Thû in “The Lay of Leithian”, an epic poem referenced in The Silmarillion but incomplete. Tolkien retained this story and his son, Christopher, included it in The Silmarillionalthough the name Thû has ​​been removed.

Beren was made to be a slave in the kitchens of Tevildo in this story, which can be found at The Book of Lost Tales, Part Two. This is a very entertaining read for anyone familiar with Beren, the heroic Son of Barahir, humiliated as a kitchen slave. The Book of Lost Tales, Part Two is part of the 12 volumes The History of Middle Earth book series – Tolkien’s works published posthumously in various states of completion, from various eras.

Thû, Lord of Werewolves

Name Originating from the First Era

Ruler of the Isle of Werewolves, Thû was the dark sorcerer in the unfinished “The Lay of Leithian”, made before Tolkien pledged the name Sauron. Tolkien intended to finish the version, which can be found at The Ballads of Beleriand. “Thu“is based on an early Quendian root meaning”evil mist.“This suggests that, like”Sauron,” Thû was an elvish insult. Like Thû, one of Sauron’s titles was Lord of Werewolves.

Thû fought the semi-divine wolfhoundHuan, in the form of the Werewolf in this epic poem, but lost to the Hound of Valinor. This is one of the only times Sauron personally fought in The Lord of the Rings world. The only other instances offered are War of the Last Alliance and Sauron’s War. Unfinished Stories standoff with Celebrimbor after his cover on Annatar was blown.

Sauron, Lord of the Rings

Name Originating from the First Era

Meaning “the abominable“in Quenya, Sauron was the name given by the Elves to Mairon after his fall into evil. By far his best-known name, it remains a point of contention whether the Dark Lord Sauron ever accepted the name or not. Sauron was an elvish insultand Maia thought he was doing the right thing, no matter how tyrannical he was. So one would think he would have rejected the use of the name.

And indeed, Aragorn stated that Sauron doesn’t”use your correct name, nor allow it to be written or spoken” (The Lord of the Rings). However, the Mouth of Sauron used the name Sauron when introducing itself – possibly to ensure proper communication between the multiple races. In any case, Sauron’s name became a legend, most often associated with his last lordly epithet – the Lord of the Rings.

Gorthaur, the terrible dread

Name Originating from the First Era

After Sauron began to firmly establish himself as Morgoth’s second-in-command, he was described as “terrible fear“in Sindarin. This translates to “Gorthaur” (The Silmarillion). Sindarin became the common language of the Elven Kingdom during the First Age. So it stands to reason that although the Sindar called Sauron Gorthaurother Elves did as well. Sauron kept this name throughout the ages.

This is clear because, in the universe, The Silmarillion it was written in the Fourth (oldest) Age by scholars of the Eldar Elves. Predominantly known to the Elves and their allies such as Sauron and Gorthaur, Mairon embodied his Dark Lord form while holding these names. Sauron fought in the War of the Third Age of the Last Alliance as “an image of malice and hatred made visible” (The Silmarillion).

Annatar, Lord of Gifts

Name Originating from the Second Era

Sauron appeared in his righteous form, Annatar, in Rings of Power season 2. In lore, with Celebrimbor and the blacksmiths, Annatar forged the Rings of Power and secretly created the One Ring in hopes of controlling those who wear the other rings. Sauron made Celebrimbor believe that Annatar was an Emissary of the Valardemonstrating his impressive magical shape-shifting abilities. This explains why Celebrimbor accepted Annatar’s resemblance to Halbrand.

Annatar was Quenya for “Lord of Gifts.“It seems that Sauron had to be Lord of Something, and since he no longer had Werewolf Isle, he chose to be Lord of Gifts in the Second Age. The Lord of Gifts contrasts the Istarisent to Middle-earth as old men and forbidden by the Valar to reveal their power, lest they incite admiration and worship. Unlike any Istar, the Lord of Gifts was a person created to impress and seduce.

Zigûr, Mage of Númenor

Name Originating from the Second Era

In Númenor, Sauron was known as Zigûr, which means Wizard in Adûnaic, the Númenórean language. Possibly, Sauron will surrender to the Númenóreans in The Rings of Powerone way or another, using his cunning to quickly become an advisor to the king, Ar-Pharazôn. The Rings of Power it will likely show Sauron corrupting the King of Númenor and convincing him to attack Valinor.

This will end with the destruction of Númenor in the Second Age and the death of Sauron’s physical form, although his spirit must survive, leading to the events of The Lord of the Rings. Zigûr used his position to convert many Númenóreans into the darkness, and those who escaped the fall of Númenor became known as the Black Númenóreans.

Only the Rings of Power: Halbrand

Name Originating from the Second Era

The first name Sauron adopts The Rings of Power the first season is Halbrand, an Amazon original invention. Halbrand is a man, and Sauron uses this form to pretend to be a long-lost King of the Southlands.the region that ultimately becomes Mordor, in an explosion of source material. Sauron assumes this form immediately after his Jack Lowden form, used at the end of the First Age but murdered by Adar and the Orcs.

It seems Sauron took a long time to rebuild his body, and Season 2 showcased that process. Sauron’s regeneration process in Rings of Power it enveloped his spirit lingering around his remains, slowly reanimating his black blood. Capturing prey gradually, Sauron’s spirit was able to construct his dark matter until he could finally capture and consume a human. Finally, Halbrand emerged in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

Source: Reddit