As a shape-shifter, Sauron often uses different forms as disguises throughout his tenure as a villain in The Lord of the Rings. One of these disguises is Annatar, his fair, Elven form, which he uses to trick the Elves of Middle Earth. However, in The Rings of Power, Sauron is seen taking a different form. Halbrand is the guise Sauron wears in the show, appearing as the human king of the Southlands.

Despite the fact that Sauron is taking the form of a human in The Rings of Power, there’s much debate surrounding whether this form is meant to be Annatar. The simplest answer to this debate is no, Halbrand is not Annatar. Halbrand doesn't even exist in Tolkein's original work. Instead, he is a form of Sauron created specifically for The Rings of Power series.

Related

Rings of Power: What If Galadriel Had Joined Halbrand To Rule Middle Earth?

Whose will is stronger?

Although Halbrand was made for The Rings of Power, this doesn’t mean he’s any less significant than Annatar. The two forms are entirely different, yet they are related.

Who Is Annatar?

Annatar is a significant form that Sauron takes in the written work of Tolkien. After Morgoth was defeated by the Elves, Sauron resurfaces during the Second Age of Middle Earth as Annatar, his Elven form. Annatar is often called his "fair form," referring to him as a handsome Elf. The name itself translates to “Lord of Gifts,” which Sauron chose to further deceive the Elves. As Annatar, Sauron promised the Elves many forms of gifts, such as knowledge and glory, which many fell for. But Sauron didn’t take this form just to give false promises to the Elves. There was a lot more in it for him than he let on.

Annatar was created to specifically travel to Eregion, an Elven realm where the best smiths were said to live. He deceived many of the Elves, and they welcomed him into their home. Here, Annatar tricked the Elven smiths into crafting the 16 rings of power (later given to nine men and seven dwarves), which he corrupted with his dark magic. Much like in The Rings of Power show, the three Elven rings were crafted by Celebrimbor with Sauron’s influence.

Although many of the Elves fell for Annatar’s tricks, some never did. Elves like Elrond, Gil-Galad, and Galadriel were always suspicious of Annatar. Many other Elves never trusted Annatar, but none suspected he was Sauron in disguise until it was too late.

How Are Halbrand and Annatar Different?

Like he did with Annatar, Sauron uses his disguise of Halbrand to trick the Elves into crafting the three Elven rings of power in the TV series. But the two disguises have notable differences, making it clear that Halbrand is not Annatar.

The first significant difference between the two disguises is that Halbrand is a human meant to be the king of the Southlands. On the other hand, Annatar is an Elf that comes to offer gifts. The second most noticeable difference is that Halbrand shows an interest in Númenór, which Annatar never did in the written works of Tolkien. Annatar’s only purpose was to deceive the Elves in Eregion so that he could craft rings of power. He never showed any type of interest in Númenór.

Although Sauron eventually does end up in Númenór after the crafting of the rings of power, and is heavily involved in its downfall, the form he takes while there remains a mystery. But it’s likely this form wasn’t Annatar, because there is no record of Sauron ever taking that form while in Númenór.

Is Halbrand Supposed To Replace Annatar?

Since it’s known that Halbrand is not meant to be Annatar, that leaves the question up in the air: is he supposed to be a replacement for or interpretation of Annatar in The Rings of Power?

Although it can’t be said for certain, the fact that Sauron has already crafted the three Elven rings of power as Halbrand could suggest that Halbrand is meant to replace Annatar. If The Rings of Power continues on this path, there’s a chance Annatar may never make an appearance in the series. This would make Halbrand the likely form of Sauron seen crafting all the rings of power.

On the other hand, it's possible that Halbrand is not meant to replace Annatar at all. Instead, Halbrand could be the answer to one of Tolkien’s greatest mysteries: the unknown form Sauron takes while influencing Númenór. Halbrand has visited Númenór before, but in The Lord of the Rings, Sauron returns to give out some of the rings of power to Númenóreans and stir more trouble, leading to the fall of Númenór. If Halbrand is the one to return to Númenór, then it’s safe to say he is the mysterious form Tolkien wrote about.

The Lord of the Rings

Created by

J. R. R. Tolkien

Current Series

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Where to watch

HBO Max