What does Sauron really look like when unmasked?

byDaily Update Nation -

First, he was the Maia known as Mairon. The usual depiction of him is with long red hair

First, he was the Maia known as Mairon. The usual depiction of him is with long red hair

When he was around on Middle-Earth under the name Sauron, he probably looked mostly the same, though he was a shapeshifter that could take on any look.

Later on, he used the guise of Annatar, this is when he fooled the elves into creating the Rings of Power.

shapeshifter that could take on any look. Later on, he used the guise of Annatar, this is when he fooled the elves into creating the Rings of Power.

He also used a fair form in Numenor when he called himself Tar-Mairon

He also used a fair form in Numenor when he called himself Tar-Mairon

But after Numenor fell, he lost the ability to appear in a fair form. He could no longer appear beautiful to trick others.

This is the Sauron you’re used to seeing, who is usually completely armored.

But after Numenor fell, he lost the ability to appear in a fair form. He could no longer appear beautiful to trick others. This is the Sauron you’re used to seeing, who is usually completely armored

But under the helmet? He wouldn’t be beautiful, he’d be scary as hell. We don’t know much, he had a black hand that burned like fire and his face was shadowy.

The only real depiction of Third Age Sauron was done by J.R.R. Tolkien himself, in an unfinished watercolor.

The only real depiction of Third Age Sauron was done by J.R.R. Tolkien himself, in an unfinished watercolor.

This is what he is in the Third Age, a terrible shadow. This was likely the scene after The One Ring had been destroyed, moments before his form was blown away by a strong wind.

This is likely why he’s never depicted without his armor, he basically looks like a ghost.



Did Tolkien originally envision a physical form for Sauron?

Did Tolkien originally envision a physical form for Sauron? First Age Sauron Yes, although the original Sauron in The Silmarillion was a shape shifter, an ability he wouldn’t lose until the end of the Second Age. In the tale Beren and Lúthien, during his fight with Huan, the hound of Valinor bested him. Then Huan sprang. There befell the battle of Huan and Wolf-Sauron, and howls and baying echoed in the hills, and the watchers on the walls of Ered Wethrin across the valley heard it afar and were dismayed. But no wizardry nor spell, neither fang nor venom, nor devil's art nor beast-strength , could overthrow Huan of Valinor; and he took his foe by the throat and pinned him down. Then Sauron shifted shape, from wolf to serpent and from monster to his own accustomed form but could not elude the grip of Huan without forsaking his body utterly. Ere his foul spirit left its dark house, Lúthien came to him, and said that he should be stripped of his raiment of flesh and his ghost be sent quaking back to Morgoth; and she said: 'There everlastingly thy naked self shall endure the torment of his scorn, pierced by his eyes, unless thou yield to me the mastery of thy tower. Then Sauron yielded himself, and Lúthien took the mastery of the isle and all that was there; and Huan released him. And immediately he took the form of a vampire, great as a dark cloud across the moon, and he fled, dripping blood from his throat upon the trees, and came to Tar-nu-Fuin, and dwelt there, filling it with horror. Huan defeats Sauron At the end of the First Age … “When Thangorodrim was broken and Morgoth overthrown, Sauron put on his fair hue again and did obeisance to Eönwë the herald of Manwë, and abjured all his evil deeds.’ Eönwë and Sauron But it was not within the power of Eönwë to pardon those of his own order (Eönwë and Sauron are both Maiar), and he commanded Sauron to return to Aman and there receive the judgement of Manwë. Then Sauron was ashamed, and he was unwilling to return in humiliation and to receive from the Valar a sentence, it might be, of long servitude in proof of his good faith; for under Morgoth his power had been great. Therefore when Eönwë departed he hid himself in Middle-earth; and he fell back into evil, for the bonds that Morgoth had laid upon him were very strong. So he blew his one chance to redeem himself. Then, in the Second Age, he disguised himself as a super good looking Vanyarin Elf, called Annatar, or Lord of Gifts, and convinced the Elves of Eregion, particularly chief smith Celebrimbor, to accept his help. Elrond, Galadriel and Círdan, were wary, sensing something was off with him, and would not admit him to their realms. Celebrimbor happily let Annatar/Sauron’s help and together they made 16 Rings of Power. Sorry, Amazon, Annatar isn’t a human male in need of a shave and Celebrimbor isn’t a late middle aged human. Elves don’t age like we do, and book Celebrimbor is Galadriel’s half great-nephew. He should not look like her great-uncle, assuming Elves age like humans, which they don’t. Celebrimbor Annnatar/Sauron Sauron’s last act as a beautiful angel was to allow himself to be captured by the Númenóreans and go from prisoner to King Ar-Pharazôn’s most trusted advisor in less than two years. Sauron and Ar-Pharazôn After completing the corruption of the majority of the Númenóreans who were already corrupt, Sauron convinced Ar-Pharazôn and his corrupt minions to attack the Undying lands, believing Sauron’s lie that possessing the land of the immortals makes one immortal. He’s not called The Deceiver for nothing. The result was : But Ar-Pharazôn the King and the mortal warriors that had set foot upon the land of Aman were buried under falling hills: there it is said that they lie imprisoned in the Caves of the Forgotten, until the Last Battle and the Day of Doom. As for Sauron: And Sauron, sitting in his black seat in the midst of the Temple, had laughed when he heard the trumpets of Ar-Pharazôn sounding for battle; and again he had laughed when he heard the thunder of the storm; and a third time, even as he laughed at his own thought, thinking what he would do now in the world, being rid of the Edain for ever, he was taken in the midst of his mirth, and his seat and his temple fell into the abyss. But Sauron was not of mortal flesh, and though he was robbed now of that shape in which he had wrought so great an evil, so that he could never again appear fair to the eyes of Men, yet his spirit arose out of the deep and passed as a shadow and a black wind over the sea, and came back to Middle-earth and to Mordor that was his home. There he took up again his great Ring in Barad-dûr, and dwelt there, dark and silent, until he wrought himself a new guise, an image of malice and hatred made visible; and the Eye of Sauron the Terrible few could endure.

First Age Sauron

Yes, although the original Sauron in The Silmarillion was a shape shifter, an ability he wouldn’t lose until the end of the Second Age. In the tale Beren and Lúthien, during his fight with Huan, the hound of Valinor bested him.

Then Huan sprang. There befell the battle of Huan and Wolf-Sauron, and howls and baying echoed in the hills, and the watchers on the walls of Ered Wethrin across the valley heard it afar and were dismayed.

But no wizardry nor spell, neither fang nor venom, nor devil's art nor beast-strength , could overthrow Huan of Valinor; and he took his foe by the throat and pinned him down. Then Sauron shifted shape, from wolf to serpent and from monster to his own accustomed form but could not elude the grip of Huan without forsaking his body utterly. Ere his foul spirit left its dark house, Lúthien came to him, and said that he should be stripped of his raiment of flesh and his ghost be sent quaking back to Morgoth; and she said: 'There everlastingly thy naked self shall endure the torment of his scorn, pierced by his eyes, unless thou yield to me the mastery of thy tower.

Then Sauron yielded himself, and Lúthien took the mastery of the isle and all that was there; and Huan released him. And immediately he took the form of a vampire, great as a dark cloud across the moon, and he fled, dripping blood from his throat upon the trees, and came to Tar-nu-Fuin, and dwelt there, filling it with horror.

Did Tolkien originally envision a physical form for Sauron? First Age Sauron Yes, although the original Sauron in The Silmarillion was a shape shifter, an ability he wouldn’t lose until the end of the Second Age. In the tale Beren and Lúthien, during his fight with Huan, the hound of Valinor bested him. Then Huan sprang. There befell the battle of Huan and Wolf-Sauron, and howls and baying echoed in the hills, and the watchers on the walls of Ered Wethrin across the valley heard it afar and were dismayed. But no wizardry nor spell, neither fang nor venom, nor devil's art nor beast-strength , could overthrow Huan of Valinor; and he took his foe by the throat and pinned him down. Then Sauron shifted shape, from wolf to serpent and from monster to his own accustomed form but could not elude the grip of Huan without forsaking his body utterly. Ere his foul spirit left its dark house, Lúthien came to him, and said that he should be stripped of his raiment of flesh and his ghost be sent quaking back to Morgoth; and she said: 'There everlastingly thy naked self shall endure the torment of his scorn, pierced by his eyes, unless thou yield to me the mastery of thy tower. Then Sauron yielded himself, and Lúthien took the mastery of the isle and all that was there; and Huan released him. And immediately he took the form of a vampire, great as a dark cloud across the moon, and he fled, dripping blood from his throat upon the trees, and came to Tar-nu-Fuin, and dwelt there, filling it with horror. Huan defeats Sauron At the end of the First Age … “When Thangorodrim was broken and Morgoth overthrown, Sauron put on his fair hue again and did obeisance to Eönwë the herald of Manwë, and abjured all his evil deeds.’ Eönwë and Sauron But it was not within the power of Eönwë to pardon those of his own order (Eönwë and Sauron are both Maiar), and he commanded Sauron to return to Aman and there receive the judgement of Manwë. Then Sauron was ashamed, and he was unwilling to return in humiliation and to receive from the Valar a sentence, it might be, of long servitude in proof of his good faith; for under Morgoth his power had been great. Therefore when Eönwë departed he hid himself in Middle-earth; and he fell back into evil, for the bonds that Morgoth had laid upon him were very strong. So he blew his one chance to redeem himself. Then, in the Second Age, he disguised himself as a super good looking Vanyarin Elf, called Annatar, or Lord of Gifts, and convinced the Elves of Eregion, particularly chief smith Celebrimbor, to accept his help. Elrond, Galadriel and Círdan, were wary, sensing something was off with him, and would not admit him to their realms. Celebrimbor happily let Annatar/Sauron’s help and together they made 16 Rings of Power. Sorry, Amazon, Annatar isn’t a human male in need of a shave and Celebrimbor isn’t a late middle aged human. Elves don’t age like we do, and book Celebrimbor is Galadriel’s half great-nephew. He should not look like her great-uncle, assuming Elves age like humans, which they don’t. Celebrimbor Annnatar/Sauron Sauron’s last act as a beautiful angel was to allow himself to be captured by the Númenóreans and go from prisoner to King Ar-Pharazôn’s most trusted advisor in less than two years. Sauron and Ar-Pharazôn After completing the corruption of the majority of the Númenóreans who were already corrupt, Sauron convinced Ar-Pharazôn and his corrupt minions to attack the Undying lands, believing Sauron’s lie that possessing the land of the immortals makes one immortal. He’s not called The Deceiver for nothing. The result was : But Ar-Pharazôn the King and the mortal warriors that had set foot upon the land of Aman were buried under falling hills: there it is said that they lie imprisoned in the Caves of the Forgotten, until the Last Battle and the Day of Doom. As for Sauron: And Sauron, sitting in his black seat in the midst of the Temple, had laughed when he heard the trumpets of Ar-Pharazôn sounding for battle; and again he had laughed when he heard the thunder of the storm; and a third time, even as he laughed at his own thought, thinking what he would do now in the world, being rid of the Edain for ever, he was taken in the midst of his mirth, and his seat and his temple fell into the abyss. But Sauron was not of mortal flesh, and though he was robbed now of that shape in which he had wrought so great an evil, so that he could never again appear fair to the eyes of Men, yet his spirit arose out of the deep and passed as a shadow and a black wind over the sea, and came back to Middle-earth and to Mordor that was his home. There he took up again his great Ring in Barad-dûr, and dwelt there, dark and silent, until he wrought himself a new guise, an image of malice and hatred made visible; and the Eye of Sauron the Terrible few could endure.

Huan defeats Sauron

At the end of the First Age …

“When Thangorodrim was broken and Morgoth overthrown, Sauron put on his fair hue again and did obeisance to Eönwë the herald of Manwë, and abjured all his evil deeds.’

Did Tolkien originally envision a physical form for Sauron? First Age Sauron Yes, although the original Sauron in The Silmarillion was a shape shifter, an ability he wouldn’t lose until the end of the Second Age. In the tale Beren and Lúthien, during his fight with Huan, the hound of Valinor bested him. Then Huan sprang. There befell the battle of Huan and Wolf-Sauron, and howls and baying echoed in the hills, and the watchers on the walls of Ered Wethrin across the valley heard it afar and were dismayed. But no wizardry nor spell, neither fang nor venom, nor devil's art nor beast-strength , could overthrow Huan of Valinor; and he took his foe by the throat and pinned him down. Then Sauron shifted shape, from wolf to serpent and from monster to his own accustomed form but could not elude the grip of Huan without forsaking his body utterly. Ere his foul spirit left its dark house, Lúthien came to him, and said that he should be stripped of his raiment of flesh and his ghost be sent quaking back to Morgoth; and she said: 'There everlastingly thy naked self shall endure the torment of his scorn, pierced by his eyes, unless thou yield to me the mastery of thy tower. Then Sauron yielded himself, and Lúthien took the mastery of the isle and all that was there; and Huan released him. And immediately he took the form of a vampire, great as a dark cloud across the moon, and he fled, dripping blood from his throat upon the trees, and came to Tar-nu-Fuin, and dwelt there, filling it with horror. Huan defeats Sauron At the end of the First Age … “When Thangorodrim was broken and Morgoth overthrown, Sauron put on his fair hue again and did obeisance to Eönwë the herald of Manwë, and abjured all his evil deeds.’ Eönwë and Sauron But it was not within the power of Eönwë to pardon those of his own order (Eönwë and Sauron are both Maiar), and he commanded Sauron to return to Aman and there receive the judgement of Manwë. Then Sauron was ashamed, and he was unwilling to return in humiliation and to receive from the Valar a sentence, it might be, of long servitude in proof of his good faith; for under Morgoth his power had been great. Therefore when Eönwë departed he hid himself in Middle-earth; and he fell back into evil, for the bonds that Morgoth had laid upon him were very strong. So he blew his one chance to redeem himself. Then, in the Second Age, he disguised himself as a super good looking Vanyarin Elf, called Annatar, or Lord of Gifts, and convinced the Elves of Eregion, particularly chief smith Celebrimbor, to accept his help. Elrond, Galadriel and Círdan, were wary, sensing something was off with him, and would not admit him to their realms. Celebrimbor happily let Annatar/Sauron’s help and together they made 16 Rings of Power. Sorry, Amazon, Annatar isn’t a human male in need of a shave and Celebrimbor isn’t a late middle aged human. Elves don’t age like we do, and book Celebrimbor is Galadriel’s half great-nephew. He should not look like her great-uncle, assuming Elves age like humans, which they don’t. Celebrimbor Annnatar/Sauron Sauron’s last act as a beautiful angel was to allow himself to be captured by the Númenóreans and go from prisoner to King Ar-Pharazôn’s most trusted advisor in less than two years. Sauron and Ar-Pharazôn After completing the corruption of the majority of the Númenóreans who were already corrupt, Sauron convinced Ar-Pharazôn and his corrupt minions to attack the Undying lands, believing Sauron’s lie that possessing the land of the immortals makes one immortal. He’s not called The Deceiver for nothing. The result was : But Ar-Pharazôn the King and the mortal warriors that had set foot upon the land of Aman were buried under falling hills: there it is said that they lie imprisoned in the Caves of the Forgotten, until the Last Battle and the Day of Doom. As for Sauron: And Sauron, sitting in his black seat in the midst of the Temple, had laughed when he heard the trumpets of Ar-Pharazôn sounding for battle; and again he had laughed when he heard the thunder of the storm; and a third time, even as he laughed at his own thought, thinking what he would do now in the world, being rid of the Edain for ever, he was taken in the midst of his mirth, and his seat and his temple fell into the abyss. But Sauron was not of mortal flesh, and though he was robbed now of that shape in which he had wrought so great an evil, so that he could never again appear fair to the eyes of Men, yet his spirit arose out of the deep and passed as a shadow and a black wind over the sea, and came back to Middle-earth and to Mordor that was his home. There he took up again his great Ring in Barad-dûr, and dwelt there, dark and silent, until he wrought himself a new guise, an image of malice and hatred made visible; and the Eye of Sauron the Terrible few could endure.

Eönwë and Sauron

But it was not within the power of Eönwë to pardon those of his own order (Eönwë and Sauron are both Maiar), and he commanded Sauron to return to Aman and there receive the judgement of Manwë.

Then Sauron was ashamed, and he was unwilling to return in humiliation and to receive from the Valar a sentence, it might be, of long servitude in proof of his good faith; for under Morgoth his power had been great. Therefore when Eönwë departed he hid himself in Middle-earth; and he fell back into evil, for the bonds that Morgoth had laid upon him were very strong.

So he blew his one chance to redeem himself.

Then, in the Second Age, he disguised himself as a super good looking Vanyarin Elf, called Annatar, or Lord of Gifts, and convinced the Elves of Eregion, particularly chief smith Celebrimbor, to accept his help. Elrond, Galadriel and Círdan, were wary, sensing something was off with him, and would not admit him to their realms. Celebrimbor happily let Annatar/Sauron’s help and together they made 16 Rings of Power. Sorry, Amazon, Annatar isn’t a human male in need of a shave and Celebrimbor isn’t a late middle aged human. Elves don’t age like we do, and book Celebrimbor is Galadriel’s half great-nephew. He should not look like her great-uncle, assuming Elves age like humans, which they don’t.

Did Tolkien originally envision a physical form for Sauron? First Age Sauron Yes, although the original Sauron in The Silmarillion was a shape shifter, an ability he wouldn’t lose until the end of the Second Age. In the tale Beren and Lúthien, during his fight with Huan, the hound of Valinor bested him. Then Huan sprang. There befell the battle of Huan and Wolf-Sauron, and howls and baying echoed in the hills, and the watchers on the walls of Ered Wethrin across the valley heard it afar and were dismayed. But no wizardry nor spell, neither fang nor venom, nor devil's art nor beast-strength , could overthrow Huan of Valinor; and he took his foe by the throat and pinned him down. Then Sauron shifted shape, from wolf to serpent and from monster to his own accustomed form but could not elude the grip of Huan without forsaking his body utterly. Ere his foul spirit left its dark house, Lúthien came to him, and said that he should be stripped of his raiment of flesh and his ghost be sent quaking back to Morgoth; and she said: 'There everlastingly thy naked self shall endure the torment of his scorn, pierced by his eyes, unless thou yield to me the mastery of thy tower. Then Sauron yielded himself, and Lúthien took the mastery of the isle and all that was there; and Huan released him. And immediately he took the form of a vampire, great as a dark cloud across the moon, and he fled, dripping blood from his throat upon the trees, and came to Tar-nu-Fuin, and dwelt there, filling it with horror. Huan defeats Sauron At the end of the First Age … “When Thangorodrim was broken and Morgoth overthrown, Sauron put on his fair hue again and did obeisance to Eönwë the herald of Manwë, and abjured all his evil deeds.’ Eönwë and Sauron But it was not within the power of Eönwë to pardon those of his own order (Eönwë and Sauron are both Maiar), and he commanded Sauron to return to Aman and there receive the judgement of Manwë. Then Sauron was ashamed, and he was unwilling to return in humiliation and to receive from the Valar a sentence, it might be, of long servitude in proof of his good faith; for under Morgoth his power had been great. Therefore when Eönwë departed he hid himself in Middle-earth; and he fell back into evil, for the bonds that Morgoth had laid upon him were very strong. So he blew his one chance to redeem himself. Then, in the Second Age, he disguised himself as a super good looking Vanyarin Elf, called Annatar, or Lord of Gifts, and convinced the Elves of Eregion, particularly chief smith Celebrimbor, to accept his help. Elrond, Galadriel and Círdan, were wary, sensing something was off with him, and would not admit him to their realms. Celebrimbor happily let Annatar/Sauron’s help and together they made 16 Rings of Power. Sorry, Amazon, Annatar isn’t a human male in need of a shave and Celebrimbor isn’t a late middle aged human. Elves don’t age like we do, and book Celebrimbor is Galadriel’s half great-nephew. He should not look like her great-uncle, assuming Elves age like humans, which they don’t. Celebrimbor Annnatar/Sauron Sauron’s last act as a beautiful angel was to allow himself to be captured by the Númenóreans and go from prisoner to King Ar-Pharazôn’s most trusted advisor in less than two years. Sauron and Ar-Pharazôn After completing the corruption of the majority of the Númenóreans who were already corrupt, Sauron convinced Ar-Pharazôn and his corrupt minions to attack the Undying lands, believing Sauron’s lie that possessing the land of the immortals makes one immortal. He’s not called The Deceiver for nothing. The result was : But Ar-Pharazôn the King and the mortal warriors that had set foot upon the land of Aman were buried under falling hills: there it is said that they lie imprisoned in the Caves of the Forgotten, until the Last Battle and the Day of Doom. As for Sauron: And Sauron, sitting in his black seat in the midst of the Temple, had laughed when he heard the trumpets of Ar-Pharazôn sounding for battle; and again he had laughed when he heard the thunder of the storm; and a third time, even as he laughed at his own thought, thinking what he would do now in the world, being rid of the Edain for ever, he was taken in the midst of his mirth, and his seat and his temple fell into the abyss. But Sauron was not of mortal flesh, and though he was robbed now of that shape in which he had wrought so great an evil, so that he could never again appear fair to the eyes of Men, yet his spirit arose out of the deep and passed as a shadow and a black wind over the sea, and came back to Middle-earth and to Mordor that was his home. There he took up again his great Ring in Barad-dûr, and dwelt there, dark and silent, until he wrought himself a new guise, an image of malice and hatred made visible; and the Eye of Sauron the Terrible few could endure.

Celebrimbor

Did Tolkien originally envision a physical form for Sauron? First Age Sauron Yes, although the original Sauron in The Silmarillion was a shape shifter, an ability he wouldn’t lose until the end of the Second Age. In the tale Beren and Lúthien, during his fight with Huan, the hound of Valinor bested him. Then Huan sprang. There befell the battle of Huan and Wolf-Sauron, and howls and baying echoed in the hills, and the watchers on the walls of Ered Wethrin across the valley heard it afar and were dismayed. But no wizardry nor spell, neither fang nor venom, nor devil's art nor beast-strength , could overthrow Huan of Valinor; and he took his foe by the throat and pinned him down. Then Sauron shifted shape, from wolf to serpent and from monster to his own accustomed form but could not elude the grip of Huan without forsaking his body utterly. Ere his foul spirit left its dark house, Lúthien came to him, and said that he should be stripped of his raiment of flesh and his ghost be sent quaking back to Morgoth; and she said: 'There everlastingly thy naked self shall endure the torment of his scorn, pierced by his eyes, unless thou yield to me the mastery of thy tower. Then Sauron yielded himself, and Lúthien took the mastery of the isle and all that was there; and Huan released him. And immediately he took the form of a vampire, great as a dark cloud across the moon, and he fled, dripping blood from his throat upon the trees, and came to Tar-nu-Fuin, and dwelt there, filling it with horror. Huan defeats Sauron At the end of the First Age … “When Thangorodrim was broken and Morgoth overthrown, Sauron put on his fair hue again and did obeisance to Eönwë the herald of Manwë, and abjured all his evil deeds.’ Eönwë and Sauron But it was not within the power of Eönwë to pardon those of his own order (Eönwë and Sauron are both Maiar), and he commanded Sauron to return to Aman and there receive the judgement of Manwë. Then Sauron was ashamed, and he was unwilling to return in humiliation and to receive from the Valar a sentence, it might be, of long servitude in proof of his good faith; for under Morgoth his power had been great. Therefore when Eönwë departed he hid himself in Middle-earth; and he fell back into evil, for the bonds that Morgoth had laid upon him were very strong. So he blew his one chance to redeem himself. Then, in the Second Age, he disguised himself as a super good looking Vanyarin Elf, called Annatar, or Lord of Gifts, and convinced the Elves of Eregion, particularly chief smith Celebrimbor, to accept his help. Elrond, Galadriel and Círdan, were wary, sensing something was off with him, and would not admit him to their realms. Celebrimbor happily let Annatar/Sauron’s help and together they made 16 Rings of Power. Sorry, Amazon, Annatar isn’t a human male in need of a shave and Celebrimbor isn’t a late middle aged human. Elves don’t age like we do, and book Celebrimbor is Galadriel’s half great-nephew. He should not look like her great-uncle, assuming Elves age like humans, which they don’t. Celebrimbor Annnatar/Sauron Sauron’s last act as a beautiful angel was to allow himself to be captured by the Númenóreans and go from prisoner to King Ar-Pharazôn’s most trusted advisor in less than two years. Sauron and Ar-Pharazôn After completing the corruption of the majority of the Númenóreans who were already corrupt, Sauron convinced Ar-Pharazôn and his corrupt minions to attack the Undying lands, believing Sauron’s lie that possessing the land of the immortals makes one immortal. He’s not called The Deceiver for nothing. The result was : But Ar-Pharazôn the King and the mortal warriors that had set foot upon the land of Aman were buried under falling hills: there it is said that they lie imprisoned in the Caves of the Forgotten, until the Last Battle and the Day of Doom. As for Sauron: And Sauron, sitting in his black seat in the midst of the Temple, had laughed when he heard the trumpets of Ar-Pharazôn sounding for battle; and again he had laughed when he heard the thunder of the storm; and a third time, even as he laughed at his own thought, thinking what he would do now in the world, being rid of the Edain for ever, he was taken in the midst of his mirth, and his seat and his temple fell into the abyss. But Sauron was not of mortal flesh, and though he was robbed now of that shape in which he had wrought so great an evil, so that he could never again appear fair to the eyes of Men, yet his spirit arose out of the deep and passed as a shadow and a black wind over the sea, and came back to Middle-earth and to Mordor that was his home. There he took up again his great Ring in Barad-dûr, and dwelt there, dark and silent, until he wrought himself a new guise, an image of malice and hatred made visible; and the Eye of Sauron the Terrible few could endure.

Annnatar/Sauron

Sauron’s last act as a beautiful angel was to allow himself to be captured by the Númenóreans and go from prisoner to King Ar-Pharazôn’s most trusted advisor in less than two years.

Did Tolkien originally envision a physical form for Sauron? First Age Sauron Yes, although the original Sauron in The Silmarillion was a shape shifter, an ability he wouldn’t lose until the end of the Second Age. In the tale Beren and Lúthien, during his fight with Huan, the hound of Valinor bested him. Then Huan sprang. There befell the battle of Huan and Wolf-Sauron, and howls and baying echoed in the hills, and the watchers on the walls of Ered Wethrin across the valley heard it afar and were dismayed. But no wizardry nor spell, neither fang nor venom, nor devil's art nor beast-strength , could overthrow Huan of Valinor; and he took his foe by the throat and pinned him down. Then Sauron shifted shape, from wolf to serpent and from monster to his own accustomed form but could not elude the grip of Huan without forsaking his body utterly. Ere his foul spirit left its dark house, Lúthien came to him, and said that he should be stripped of his raiment of flesh and his ghost be sent quaking back to Morgoth; and she said: 'There everlastingly thy naked self shall endure the torment of his scorn, pierced by his eyes, unless thou yield to me the mastery of thy tower. Then Sauron yielded himself, and Lúthien took the mastery of the isle and all that was there; and Huan released him. And immediately he took the form of a vampire, great as a dark cloud across the moon, and he fled, dripping blood from his throat upon the trees, and came to Tar-nu-Fuin, and dwelt there, filling it with horror. Huan defeats Sauron At the end of the First Age … “When Thangorodrim was broken and Morgoth overthrown, Sauron put on his fair hue again and did obeisance to Eönwë the herald of Manwë, and abjured all his evil deeds.’ Eönwë and Sauron But it was not within the power of Eönwë to pardon those of his own order (Eönwë and Sauron are both Maiar), and he commanded Sauron to return to Aman and there receive the judgement of Manwë. Then Sauron was ashamed, and he was unwilling to return in humiliation and to receive from the Valar a sentence, it might be, of long servitude in proof of his good faith; for under Morgoth his power had been great. Therefore when Eönwë departed he hid himself in Middle-earth; and he fell back into evil, for the bonds that Morgoth had laid upon him were very strong. So he blew his one chance to redeem himself. Then, in the Second Age, he disguised himself as a super good looking Vanyarin Elf, called Annatar, or Lord of Gifts, and convinced the Elves of Eregion, particularly chief smith Celebrimbor, to accept his help. Elrond, Galadriel and Círdan, were wary, sensing something was off with him, and would not admit him to their realms. Celebrimbor happily let Annatar/Sauron’s help and together they made 16 Rings of Power. Sorry, Amazon, Annatar isn’t a human male in need of a shave and Celebrimbor isn’t a late middle aged human. Elves don’t age like we do, and book Celebrimbor is Galadriel’s half great-nephew. He should not look like her great-uncle, assuming Elves age like humans, which they don’t. Celebrimbor Annnatar/Sauron Sauron’s last act as a beautiful angel was to allow himself to be captured by the Númenóreans and go from prisoner to King Ar-Pharazôn’s most trusted advisor in less than two years. Sauron and Ar-Pharazôn After completing the corruption of the majority of the Númenóreans who were already corrupt, Sauron convinced Ar-Pharazôn and his corrupt minions to attack the Undying lands, believing Sauron’s lie that possessing the land of the immortals makes one immortal. He’s not called The Deceiver for nothing. The result was : But Ar-Pharazôn the King and the mortal warriors that had set foot upon the land of Aman were buried under falling hills: there it is said that they lie imprisoned in the Caves of the Forgotten, until the Last Battle and the Day of Doom. As for Sauron: And Sauron, sitting in his black seat in the midst of the Temple, had laughed when he heard the trumpets of Ar-Pharazôn sounding for battle; and again he had laughed when he heard the thunder of the storm; and a third time, even as he laughed at his own thought, thinking what he would do now in the world, being rid of the Edain for ever, he was taken in the midst of his mirth, and his seat and his temple fell into the abyss. But Sauron was not of mortal flesh, and though he was robbed now of that shape in which he had wrought so great an evil, so that he could never again appear fair to the eyes of Men, yet his spirit arose out of the deep and passed as a shadow and a black wind over the sea, and came back to Middle-earth and to Mordor that was his home. There he took up again his great Ring in Barad-dûr, and dwelt there, dark and silent, until he wrought himself a new guise, an image of malice and hatred made visible; and the Eye of Sauron the Terrible few could endure.

Sauron and Ar-Pharazôn

After completing the corruption of the majority of the Númenóreans who were already corrupt, Sauron convinced Ar-Pharazôn and his corrupt minions to attack the Undying lands, believing Sauron’s lie that possessing the land of the immortals makes one immortal. He’s not called The Deceiver for nothing. The result was :

But Ar-Pharazôn the King and the mortal warriors that had set foot upon the land of Aman were buried under falling hills: there it is said that they lie imprisoned in the Caves of the Forgotten, until the Last Battle and the Day of Doom.

As for Sauron:

And Sauron, sitting in his black seat in the midst of the Temple, had laughed when he heard the trumpets of Ar-Pharazôn sounding for battle; and again he had laughed when he heard the thunder of the storm; and a third time, even as he laughed at his own thought, thinking what he would do now in the world, being rid of the Edain for ever, he was taken in the midst of his mirth, and his seat and his temple fell into the abyss.

But Sauron was not of mortal flesh, and though he was robbed now of that shape in which he had wrought so great an evil, so that he could never again appear fair to the eyes of Men, yet his spirit arose out of the deep and passed as a shadow and a black wind over the sea, and came back to Middle-earth and to Mordor that was his home. There he took up again his great Ring in Barad-dûr, and dwelt there, dark and silent, until he wrought himself a new guise, an image of malice and hatred made visible; and the Eye of Sauron the Terrible few could endure.

Did Tolkien originally envision a physical form for Sauron? First Age Sauron Yes, although the original Sauron in The Silmarillion was a shape shifter, an ability he wouldn’t lose until the end of the Second Age. In the tale Beren and Lúthien, during his fight with Huan, the hound of Valinor bested him. Then Huan sprang. There befell the battle of Huan and Wolf-Sauron, and howls and baying echoed in the hills, and the watchers on the walls of Ered Wethrin across the valley heard it afar and were dismayed. But no wizardry nor spell, neither fang nor venom, nor devil's art nor beast-strength , could overthrow Huan of Valinor; and he took his foe by the throat and pinned him down. Then Sauron shifted shape, from wolf to serpent and from monster to his own accustomed form but could not elude the grip of Huan without forsaking his body utterly. Ere his foul spirit left its dark house, Lúthien came to him, and said that he should be stripped of his raiment of flesh and his ghost be sent quaking back to Morgoth; and she said: 'There everlastingly thy naked self shall endure the torment of his scorn, pierced by his eyes, unless thou yield to me the mastery of thy tower. Then Sauron yielded himself, and Lúthien took the mastery of the isle and all that was there; and Huan released him. And immediately he took the form of a vampire, great as a dark cloud across the moon, and he fled, dripping blood from his throat upon the trees, and came to Tar-nu-Fuin, and dwelt there, filling it with horror. Huan defeats Sauron At the end of the First Age … “When Thangorodrim was broken and Morgoth overthrown, Sauron put on his fair hue again and did obeisance to Eönwë the herald of Manwë, and abjured all his evil deeds.’ Eönwë and Sauron But it was not within the power of Eönwë to pardon those of his own order (Eönwë and Sauron are both Maiar), and he commanded Sauron to return to Aman and there receive the judgement of Manwë. Then Sauron was ashamed, and he was unwilling to return in humiliation and to receive from the Valar a sentence, it might be, of long servitude in proof of his good faith; for under Morgoth his power had been great. Therefore when Eönwë departed he hid himself in Middle-earth; and he fell back into evil, for the bonds that Morgoth had laid upon him were very strong. So he blew his one chance to redeem himself. Then, in the Second Age, he disguised himself as a super good looking Vanyarin Elf, called Annatar, or Lord of Gifts, and convinced the Elves of Eregion, particularly chief smith Celebrimbor, to accept his help. Elrond, Galadriel and Círdan, were wary, sensing something was off with him, and would not admit him to their realms. Celebrimbor happily let Annatar/Sauron’s help and together they made 16 Rings of Power. Sorry, Amazon, Annatar isn’t a human male in need of a shave and Celebrimbor isn’t a late middle aged human. Elves don’t age like we do, and book Celebrimbor is Galadriel’s half great-nephew. He should not look like her great-uncle, assuming Elves age like humans, which they don’t. Celebrimbor Annnatar/Sauron Sauron’s last act as a beautiful angel was to allow himself to be captured by the Númenóreans and go from prisoner to King Ar-Pharazôn’s most trusted advisor in less than two years. Sauron and Ar-Pharazôn After completing the corruption of the majority of the Númenóreans who were already corrupt, Sauron convinced Ar-Pharazôn and his corrupt minions to attack the Undying lands, believing Sauron’s lie that possessing the land of the immortals makes one immortal. He’s not called The Deceiver for nothing. The result was : But Ar-Pharazôn the King and the mortal warriors that had set foot upon the land of Aman were buried under falling hills: there it is said that they lie imprisoned in the Caves of the Forgotten, until the Last Battle and the Day of Doom. As for Sauron: And Sauron, sitting in his black seat in the midst of the Temple, had laughed when he heard the trumpets of Ar-Pharazôn sounding for battle; and again he had laughed when he heard the thunder of the storm; and a third time, even as he laughed at his own thought, thinking what he would do now in the world, being rid of the Edain for ever, he was taken in the midst of his mirth, and his seat and his temple fell into the abyss. But Sauron was not of mortal flesh, and though he was robbed now of that shape in which he had wrought so great an evil, so that he could never again appear fair to the eyes of Men, yet his spirit arose out of the deep and passed as a shadow and a black wind over the sea, and came back to Middle-earth and to Mordor that was his home. There he took up again his great Ring in Barad-dûr, and dwelt there, dark and silent, until he wrought himself a new guise, an image of malice and hatred made visible; and the Eye of Sauron the Terrible few could endure.
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