The Rings of Power Explained: Sauron, Númenor, and the History of the Second Age
Today, we dive deep into the story that truly sets the stage for *The Lord of the Rings*—the tale of Sauron and the rings he masterfully created. We'll explore just who the infamous villain Sauron was, how he became the new Dark Lord after his master Morgoth's fall, and how the Rings of Power, including the One Ring, came into existence. It's a story of immense power, deception, and the rise of the great kingdom of Men, Númenor, whose might once made even Sauron tread carefully. But the seeds of deceit planted by Morgoth would eventually sprout, bearing the bitter fruits of suffering and destruction. Let's begin this incredible journey into the Second Age. 😊
Table of Contents 📜
Sauron's Rise in the Second Age 👿
Originally a spiritual being known as a Maia, Sauron was corrupted early in the world's creation by the first Dark Lord, Morgoth. He became Morgoth's most trusted and dangerous lieutenant, a powerful sorcerer and a master of disguise. His greatest skill was shapeshifting, allowing him to assume a fair and beautiful form to deceive all but the most wary. After Morgoth's defeat in the War of Wrath, Sauron used this ability to feign repentance. He knelt before the Maia Eönwë, messenger of Manwë, and swore to forsake his evil ways. However, when ordered to return to Valinor for judgment, his pride took over. Unwilling to face humiliation and servitude, Sauron fled and hid in Middle-earth, biding his time and slowly beginning to weave his dark designs once more.
The Blessed Realm of Númenor ✨
As a reward for their loyalty in the fight against Morgoth, the Valar gifted the faithful houses of Men with wisdom, power, and greatly extended lifespans. They raised a great island-continent from the sea, situated between Middle-earth and Valinor. This land was called Númenor, the "Land of Gift." The Númenóreans became the greatest of all Men, living for centuries and free from sickness until their final days. Elros, the half-elven son of Eärendil, chose the fate of Men and became the first King of Númenor, granted a lifespan of 500 years. His descendants, the royal line, also lived for around 400 years, twice that of a normal Númenórean. They became masterful seafarers and craftsmen, establishing a magnificent civilization. However, they were given one prohibition: they were forbidden from sailing so far west that they could no longer see their own shores, a command meant to prevent them from desiring the immortality of the Undying Lands.
The Elves of Eregion & The Lord of Gifts 🎁
In Middle-earth, the remaining Noldorin Elves established new kingdoms. Gil-galad became High King in Lindon, while Galadriel and Celeborn founded the realm of Eregion, near the Dwarven city of Khazad-dûm (Moria). In Eregion, the greatest of the Elven-smiths gathered, led by Celebrimbor, the grandson of the legendary Fëanor. Their thirst for knowledge and craft was immense. It was this ambition that Sauron chose to exploit. He appeared before them not as a dark lord, but in a beautiful form, calling himself Annatar, the "Lord of Gifts." He claimed to be an emissary from the Valar, sent to share his vast knowledge to help the Elves beautify Middle-earth. While Gil-galad and Elrond in Lindon distrusted him, the smiths of Eregion, eager to learn, welcomed him with open arms. Sauron's influence grew, and he eventually sowed dissent that led to Galadriel being pushed from power, leaving Eregion under his sway.
Forging the Rings of Power 🔥
Under Sauron's tutelage, the Elven-smiths of Eregion began their greatest work: the forging of the Rings of Power. Sauron guided their craft, teaching them arts and magics previously unknown. Together, they forged sixteen great rings, each intended to amplify the natural powers of its bearer. However, Celebrimbor, now the greatest craftsman after his grandfather, also worked alone in secret. Without Sauron's direct influence but using the knowledge he had taught, Celebrimbor forged three more rings, the most powerful of the Elven rings: Narya (the Ring of Fire), Nenya (the Ring of Water), and Vilya (the Ring of Air). These three rings were untainted by Sauron's evil touch and were meant for preserving beauty and resisting the decay of time.
The One Ring to Rule Them All 💍
While the Elves worked in Eregion, Sauron retreated to his dark land of Mordor. In the fires of Mount Doom, he secretly forged a master ring—the One Ring. Into this ring, he poured a great measure of his own power and will, binding the fate of the other sixteen rings to it. The moment Sauron placed the One Ring on his finger, the Elves who bore the other rings became aware of him, his true identity, and his malevolent purpose to dominate them. In fear and anger, they took off their rings. Enraged by their defiance, Sauron launched a devastating war against them. He overran Eregion, captured Celebrimbor, and tortured him to learn the location of the sixteen rings. He recovered them, but Celebrimbor died without revealing the whereabouts of the three Elven rings he had made alone. Sauron would later distribute nine of these rings to mortal Men and seven to the Dwarf-lords to enslave them to his will. The nine Men became the Nazgûl, or Ringwraiths, his most terrible servants. The Dwarves proved more resistant to domination, but the rings amplified their greed, leading to their ruin.
The Downfall of Númenor 🌊
Centuries later, the power of Númenor was at its zenith, but its people grew arrogant and fearful of death. Their latest king, Ar-Pharazôn the Golden, was the proudest and most powerful of all. Hearing that Sauron had declared himself King of Men in Middle-earth, Ar-Pharazôn was incensed. He assembled a mighty armada and sailed to Middle-earth to challenge the Dark Lord. Such was the might and majesty of the Númenórean host that Sauron's own armies fled without a fight. Sauron, ever the strategist, saw that he could not win by force. So, he humbled himself, allowing Ar-Pharazôn to take him back to Númenor as a prisoner. This was his greatest deception. Within a few years, Sauron went from prisoner to the king's most trusted advisor. He corrupted the Númenóreans' hearts, playing on their fear of death and promising them eternal life through the worship of Morgoth. He convinced Ar-Pharazôn that the Valar were liars, hoarding the secret of immortality for themselves. Ultimately, the aging king, terrified of his own mortality, listened to Sauron and committed the ultimate blasphemy: he built a great fleet to attack Valinor itself and seize immortality by force.
The Last Alliance of Elves and Men ⚔️
When Ar-Pharazôn's fleet set foot on the Undying Lands, the Valar called upon the one true creator, Ilúvatar, who changed the shape of the world. A great chasm opened in the sea, swallowing the Númenórean fleet and the entire island of Númenor itself. The world was made round, and the Undying Lands were removed from the physical circles of the world forever. Sauron, caught in the cataclysm, had his physical body destroyed. However, his spirit, being a Maia, endured. He fled back to Mordor as a dark wind, carrying the One Ring with him. He could no longer assume a fair form, and from then on, ruled through terror and force alone. A faithful few Númenóreans, led by Elendil and his sons, Isildur and Anárion, escaped the destruction and were washed ashore in Middle-earth. They founded the kingdoms of Arnor in the north and Gondor in the south. When Sauron arose again and attacked Gondor, Elendil formed the Last Alliance of Elves and Men with the Elven-king Gil-galad. The Alliance marched on Mordor, laying siege to Sauron's fortress for seven years. In the final battle at the slopes of Mount Doom, both Elendil and Gil-galad were slain, but Sauron was also cast down. In that moment, Elendil's son, Isildur, took up his father's broken sword, Narsil, and cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand. Sauron's spirit was vanquished, but the Ring—and with it, his life force—was not destroyed. Against the counsel of Elrond, Isildur claimed the Ring as his own, ensuring that the shadow of Sauron would one day return.