The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been barreling impressively through Tolkien’s Second Age in its first and second seasons, but not without some major changes to Tolkien’s canon. The Rings of Power season 1 finale confirmed that the original character Halbrand had been Sauron all along, exemplifying the show’s approach to writing. The mystery box of Sauron’s identity was paralleled in season 2, with the season 2 finale confirming that the Stranger had been Gandalf all along. Nonetheless, much of the show’s original material has remained just that.
