J R R Tolkien’s books will show you that his tales have a distinct distinction between good and bad. All three of them, whether they were Sauron, Morgoth, or Saruman had once been good before evilness corrupted and corrupted their hearts. Morgoth and Sauron were once good and followed Eru Ilúvatar’s demands, but their ambitions to rule the world or make it better led them to turn to the dark side. Saruman was once a wizard, but he wanted more power, and Nazgûls, who were once nine kings, soon became Sauron’s puppets.
READ ALSO ‘The Rings of Power’ review: Regrets and reflection take center stage in a slow-burn episode 7
You can clearly see the difference between heroes and villains. The Rings of PowerAdar can challenge this legacy. He was fashioned from the same Tolkien mold (someone who was once a good, but later became a baddie), but this series delves deeper into the complexity of why he chose the Tolkien mould.
Adar: Each one has a name. A heart.
Galadriel: Morgoth made a heart.
Adar: As creations of The One Master of the Secret Fire, we are just as you. As worthy of the breath and as worthy to be called home.#TheRingsOfPower pic.twitter.com/uAmBuQOSTJ
— Sweetrobin-Halbrand Guild VIP (@lotrropbrand) October 1, 2022
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One of the highlights of this episode was the explorations of these blurred boundaries between good and evil. Seeing adar’s inspirational speech to his children and the conversation between galadriel & adar— may 💌 (@ceIebrians) September 30, 2022
We see him as a foe at first, but as the series progresses we begin to see his human side. His madness serves a greater purpose than himself. He considers the orcs his children and wants to provide a home for them. While they might not agree with his methods, they may be open to his reasoning.
How Adar doesn’t fit Tolkein’s world of tragic villains
Tolkien was responsible for creating the most hated villains in Middle-earth: Sauron, Morgoth and Saruman. However, he also created a layer of lesser evils such as Gollum and Denethor. The former didn’t have much empathy, but the latter had many regrets that made them easy to sympathize with.
Adar may have wanted to build a home to house orcs because he cares about them. Sauron will not seize the chance to create such a home because he doesn’t care for them, but because he needs them for his plan to be realized. https://t.co/PWSCwpKclW
— Eärendil (@whitecachalot) September 30, 2022
Gollum, for example, is shown to have both good and evil sides. One part of him wanted Frodo to be saved, while the other wanted the ring. This duality made it easy for him to be accepted by the audience.
However, when you have the like of Adar in this equation, you realise he can never be a part of Tolkein’s world because he is far too gone in his ways and because his reasons are easier to relate to, unlike Sauron and Morgoth’s.
In Tolkien’s books, Denethor wasn’t as disloyal as portrayed in the movies. He, Gollum, Thorin, and he had a moral compass, even though certain parts were consumed in darkness. Thorin was even able redeem himself. Adar, however, is so consumed with hatred that he cannot be saved.
Why Adar’s arc works better for The Rings of Power
Adar’s storyline and RINGS OF Power’s approach to a question that Tolkien had to wrestle with all his life is one of my favorite parts of RINGS POWER.
— The Once and Future Shane (@ShaneMajszak) September 30, 2022
Sauron and his final arrival are the reason for this departure. We all know how brutal he is and how far he will go to reach his goal. Even if the show has not revealed him, it means that he is somewhere going through what Tolkein’s legendarium mentioned, a crisis. But Adar’s motives will be taken over by someone who does not give a damn. And thus, this ‘step-up’ in villainy pursuits will be worth a watch.
Secondly, Tolkein’s idea of good and evil was scrutinized, and Adar’s introduction delved into the details of it. Tolkien’s legends only vaguely mention Morgoth’s decision to take away the elves in order to create orcs. But The Rings of PowerThe story was told with layers of complexity and viewers were encouraged to feel more sympathetic for their cause. The Lord of the Rings.
