The Rings of Power star was surprised by how "bloodthirsty and violent" season 2 of Lord of the Rings prequel is

The Rings of Power season 2 begins later this year and welcomes a whole host of newcomers to the show. Among them is Sam Hazeldine as Adar, the fallen elf leader of the orcs who was played in season 1 by Joseph Mawle.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the actor teased a bit about his character’s arc in the second season, as well as what viewers can expect from the tone of the fantasy show’s return. "Season 2 starts with a bang, and I was even surprised at how kind of bloodthirsty and violent it is," he told the publication before revealing we’ll find out more about his origins going forward.

"There was an offer for power and for something else, which you'll find out later on in the show, and Adar willingly took the deal," Hazeldine added, nodding to Sauron’s previous influence on him too. "It's kind of like he took a red pill and was duped. He was horrifically tortured and maimed."

As we’ve seen in the first trailer for The Rings of Power season 2, the second outing of Prime Video’s fantasy hit will focus heavily on Sauron’s rise to power. In the early teaser, we see him in disguise as an elf in what looks like his Annatar form as Middle-earth prepares for its biggest battle yet.

It seems Adar too will be facing battles of his own come the new season. "For me, the appeal was that he's a dark character, but he doesn't see himself as a villain. He's just trying to protect his children, the Uruk," Hazeldine added of this arc. "So he's doing what he feels he has to do to save them from the genocide, whether that would be from Sauron, who sees them as cannon fodder, or from the elves."

The Rings of Power season 2 begins on August 29. For more upcoming series, here’s our guide to new TV shows on the way in 2024.