Why did the Rings of Power rework Adar?

Quick Links

Summary

  • Joseph Mawle, who played Adar in the first season of
    The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
    will not return in the upcoming second season.
  • Joseph Mawle left the series to pursue other stories, while Sam Hazeldine took over the role of Adar for future seasons.
  • The next season of
    The Rings of Power
    could explore Adar's origin story, his history with Sauron, and his inevitable end as Middle-earth falls into darkness.



The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power The second season officially debuts on Prime Video on August 29. The epic fantasy series based on JRR Tolkien's iconic world delves into the events of the Second Age, including the return of Sauron and the creation of the Rings of Power. The first season, although controversial among fans of Tolkien and Peter Jackson's original film series, was a huge hit with audiences, making Rings of Power one of the biggest new series in recent memory. Now, season two looks to up the ante as Middle-earth descends into chaos following the revelation that the supposed king of the Southlands, Halbrand, is actually the dark lord Sauron.


Season 2 of The Rings of Power will pick up several plot elements from the first season, including the terrifying transformation of the Southlands into the fiery wastes of Mordor. Leading the charge of the Orcs who wish to reclaim Mordor as their homeland is Adar, a corrupted Elf who became one of the first Uruks.. While Adar is confirmed to return as a villain next season, audiences will notice something different about the character. While Joseph Mawle played Adar in the first season of The Rings of PowerSeason 2 instead stars Sam Hazeldine in the role. This may surprise fans of the series, especially given Adar's role as one of the most significant villains. Why did Mawle leave the series, and what does it mean for his character moving forward?


Why Joseph Mawle Left the Rings of Power


Related

The Rings of Power Season 2 Will Feature a Key Villain from the Lord of the Rings Movies

The Rings of Power season two will bring back Shelob, the iconic villain from The Lord of the Rings, as Isildur fights for survival in Mordor.

Adar has quickly established himself as one of the most interesting characters in The Rings of Powerbreaking the mold of typical monotonous villains in The Lord of the Rings. While antagonists like Sauron and Saruman are categorically evil, Adar is a surprisingly caring general towards his Orc army, treating them almost as a father would his children. Joseph Mawle's calm portrayal added nuance to Adar's character, making it all the more surprising that the game of Thrones actor will not be returning for season 2. It appears that Mawle has decided to leave the series, with the actor explaining his departure on Twitter. In a post that followed shortly after announcing that he would not be returning for The Rings of Powernext season, Mawle said he enjoyed his time on the series, but felt the need to explore new characters and stories in his career.To ensure that there was no perceived animosity between him and the series, the actor gave his heartfelt support to the cast and crew of The Rings of Power before signing.


Mawle is not the only actor of The Rings of Powerfrom the first season who will not be returning for future episodes. Nazanin Boniadi is also gone The Rings of Power before the second season. Boniadi, who played Bronwyn in season 1, has reportedly stepped back from acting to pursue other aspects of her career. Unlike Mawle, Boniadi's character has not been recast for the upcoming season, with the series instead holding out hope for the actress to return at a later date. It could be that Adar was simply too important a character to leave out of season 2, forcing the showrunners to recast the actor rather than wait for Mawle's schedule to free up. As for his desire to pursue other stories and characters, Mawle has appeared in several episodes of the Taylor Sheridan series 1923 and will be the protagonist of the biblical epic The Way of the Wind.


Who is Sam Hazeldine?

Sam Hazeldine as Adar in season 2 of The Rings of Power

Memorable Sam Hazeldine Movies/Series

  • Peaky Blinders (2014)
  • Resurrection (2013-2015)
  • The Hunter: Winter's War Italian:
  • The Killer's Bodyguard Italian:
  • The Last Duel Italian: (2021)
  • The Sandman (2022)
  • The Witcher (2021-2023)
  • The masters of the air (2024)

Related

Every Episode of Rings of Power Season 1, Ranked

The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power has proven to be a successful television adaptation, and its first season sets the tone with several standout episodes.


Sam Hazeldine takes on the role of Adar in The Rings of Power Season 2, replacing Joseph Mawle after his stellar performance in the original season. Audiences may recognize Hazeldine from several of his performances in recent years. The actor has often played small roles in major projects, including The Hunter: Winter's War, The Killer's BodyguardAND The Last DuelHazeldine has also made guest appearances on numerous popular series, playing Eredin on Netflix's The Witcher and Barnaby Farrell in The Sandman. Most recently, the actor appeared in the Apple TV original series The masters of the air like Lieutenant Colonel Albert “Bub” ClarkNow, Hazeldine will put her talents to good use in the world of Middle-earth as she takes on the role of Adar, the leader of the Orcs.

What will be Adar's story in The Rings Of Power season 2?


THE The Lord of the Rings Franchising

Movie

Year

Italian:

Streaming

THE The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

2001

8.9

Maximum

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

2002

8.8

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

2003

9.0

THE Hobbits Trilogy

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

2012

7.8

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

2013

7.8

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

2014

7.4

Amazon Prime Video

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

2022-Present

6.9

Main Video

Spin-off films

The Lord of the Rings: The Rohirrim War

2024

Soon

Maximum

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum

2026

Soon

Related

“He Is Enigmatic”: The Rings of Power Star Teases Tom Bombadil's Arrival in Season 2

Tom Bombadil, a beloved character from JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings series, will make his live-action debut in the second season of Rings of Power.


It's unclear exactly what form Adar's storyline will take in The Rings of Power Season 2. It seems likely that the series will take some time to explore more of Adar’s origin story in future episodes. In the first season, there was a hint of a history between the Uruks and Sauron, who believes that Adar has wronged him in some way. Season 2 could finally reveal what Adar did to anger Sauron. Additionally, audiences may finally learn exactly how the Orc leader became corrupt in the first place, giving a better understanding of how the Elves could become the brutal Orcs seen in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

As Sauron prepares to conquer Middle-earth, Adar may find himself in a difficult position, especially given his history with the Dark Lord. Season 2 could be about Sauron taking control of the Orcs, which would almost certainly include the death of Adar.The end of the Orc leader is inevitable and the next season of The Rings of Power can finally show what happens when someone opposes Sauron.


The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 may feature a different actor in the role of Adar, but the future still looks bright for the Prime Video series. With Sam Hazeldine taking over the role from Joseph Mawle, audiences can expect to see much more of Adar in the upcoming season as Middle-earth continues to descend into darkness.

Leave a Comment