Of all people, Sauron disappoints in the 3rd season of The Rings of Power, behaving like Edward and Jacob in Twilight

Season 3 of The Rings of Power has started, and MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes was able to preview 7 of the 8 episodes. Although it is the best season of the series, it still suffers from many problems. Especially Sauron was a disappointment.

On November 11, 2026, Season 3 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power started with the first 4 episodes. Prime Video has already shown us 7 of the 8 episodes in advance, and I struggled. I want to like the series, and the season actually improves on many aspects:

• The music is strong and well-utilized
• There is finally more action
• I like the dynamics of Gandalf and Durin with other characters
• And the most important: Finally something happens, and it feels like there is progress

But there are also similar problems again:

• The series still looks too digital, making locations lack magic
• There are too many subplots that constantly cut back and forth, making everything feel choppy
• And the worst: Sauron is a total disappointment

As Halbrand, he was the highlight of Season 1, but Season 3 turns him into a bland villain without aura or presence.

The Finesse of Evil is Missing

In the original trilogy, Sauron was a unique villain. Without a direct physical form like a Darth Vader, one could still feel his presence. He was not just a dictator. He was a symbol of evil itself – an element that could corrupt even the kindest beings. Not only through force or torture but through promises and a certain greed that can lie dormant in everyone. It was subtle and mystical, but that’s what made it so effective.

I love this portrayal of Sauron because it serves as a critique of totalitarian surveillance that is still applicable today.

Precisely this vein was struck by Sauron, or rather Halbrand, in Season 1 of The Rings of Power. Charlie Vickers embodied a charming, mysterious character who changed the dynamics of his surroundings with his mere presence. In Season 2 with Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards), he was already less subtle, but Season 3 completely removes this element.

That would not be a problem if Sauron had a certain aura and presence in his scenes, but he does not deliver that. He almost reminds me of cartoon villains who constantly force their henchmen to find the big superweapon. Moreover, I never felt his significant martial influence on the world, even though there was a 5-year time skip, and all characters constantly talk about how threatening and terrible he is.

It is never clearly depicted that Sauron truly corrupts the beings and the world. Either he acts through coercion and torture, or he shows rings that suddenly transform ordinary people into bloodthirsty killers. That can be told that way, but I miss the finesse to depict the discrepancy between good and evil as an element. Sauron is indeed quite nasty, but also interchangeable.

There are ideas that I find quite exciting. For instance, a scene that plays with addiction aesthetics and interprets this corruption differently. But that comes too late and is again too abrupt. In many places, it feels as if they have no idea what to do with Sauron apart from his original goal.

Sauron is Very Evil, But Somehow Not?

Basically, I have nothing against comic-book evil villains – I can have a lot of fun with that. But The Rings of Power wants to portray Sauron not just as a devilish being, but attributes to him an inner conflict. Again, it can work, but it struggles with the execution.

A controversial topic here is probably the relationship with Galadriel. I found the two a bit annoying before, but not particularly bad – in Season 3, it doesn’t fit at all anymore. Sauron does really horrible, cold-hearted things, but suddenly he becomes emotional and lets himself be ragebaited. A short time later, he is the cool villain again – that is inconsistent.

The tip of the iceberg is a conversation he has with another character about Galadriel. It felt like a fight between Edward and Jacob over who gets to be with Bella in Twilight.

This significantly damages his character, and when he tries to create a certain presence, I have to think of exactly those moments, and his entire aura disappears. In comparison: I find Ar-Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle) as an antagonist much more interesting and wish for a greater focus on Númenor, which also has interesting biblical analogies to the fall of Babylon.

One might argue now: He is just developing into the dark lord, you have to wait . But then I wonder why they stretch this story out in the first place. Sure, lore and all, but backgrounds from books do not make a series that poorly implements them any better. It must work without prior knowledge.

I can understand if fans enjoy The Rings of Power. Being back in Middle-earth and experiencing that feeling can be really nice, and there really are cool moments with Durin, Elendil, or Míriel in Season 3. The Rings of Power has a focus problem and an enforced length that doesn’t allow me to enjoy the latest adventures in Middle-earth.

But what do you think about the series and the episodes you have seen so far? Do you like The Rings of Power or do you have problems with it too? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments. If you’re interested in the elves, we have an article for you here: Why do so many elves leave Middle-earth at the end of The Lord of the Rings?