in the opening moments of rings of power season 2 episode 1 The Narrative takes us to the dawn of the second age a critical period in Middle Earth's history here we are introduced to a younger version of Sauron portrayed by Jack Lowden who is attempting to assert his dominance over the Orcs Sauron with a vision of creating a new and perfect order to heal Middle Earth seeks to Rally the Orcs under his command however his speech while ambitious fails to inspire the Orcs the mention of significant sacrifices including the potential deaths of many Orcs for his cause leaves them cold and unimpressed this dissatisfaction among the Orcs creates a palpable tension setting the stage for a dramatic power struggle Adar a prominent and complex character among the Orcs steps forward in what appears to be an act of submission he presents a crown to Sauron seemingly accepting his leadership but in a shocking twist Adar turns the crown into a weapon using it to stab Sauron this act of betrayal triggers a fierce battle with the Orcs turning against Sauron despite sauron's strength and cunning he is overwhelmed and to all appearances killed by the Orcs Adar seizes this moment to reclaim control asserting himself as the true leader of the Orcs And marking a significant shift in the power dynamics however in the world of The Lord of the Rings sauron's defeat is never as straightforward as it seems his physical body may have been destroyed but his malevolent spirit is far from vanquished sauron's Essence escapes the scene taking on a spectral form that begins to feed on the life force of living beings to regain strength his first victim is a rat a small but crucial step in his path to Resurrection