5 Best Rings Of Power Villains So Far, Ranked

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power chronicles Middle-earth’s Second Age fight between good and evil, and the show’s villains keep that conflict interesting — though some prove more compelling than others. While Sauron is The Lord of the Rings’ main villain on the heels of Morgoth’s First Age defeat, there are a number of antagonists introduced over the Prime Video series’ first two seasons. Some of them have a greater impact on The Rings of Power‘s central story than others, making them more memorable in the long run.

Even the minor villains introduced in The Rings of Power prove intriguing though, with the Lord of the Rings series even going so far as to humanize the Orcs. This may deviate from J.R.R. Tolkien’s portrayal of such figures, but it’s interesting to see how the fantasy series depicts Middle-earth’s biggest threats and their motivations. While there’s no question about whom the series’ strongest villain is, the others add necessary layers to the world, fleshing it out more fully through their quests for things like immortality, vengeance, and recognition.

5

Kemen

Played By Leon Wadham

The Rings of Power’s Kemen resembles Game of Thrones’ Joffrey Baratheon, as he’s cowardly, eager to claim power and respect he hasn’t earned, and has few redeeming qualities to speak of. This is precisely what makes him such a good villain, as a few moments on-screen is enough to elicit frustration and annoyance in viewers. Kemen fully serves his purpose in the Lord of the Rings show, as viewers aren’t meant to like him any more than the other characters do. And it’s nearly impossible to find sympathy for him after he kills Valandil in The Rings of Power season 2.

This is a double-edged sword for Kemen, however, as it proves he’s doing his job as a villain — but it also makes him less compelling than figures like his father or Adar, whose motives feel less one-dimensional. Kemen is a character viewers love to hate, but he needs more depth to rank higher among The Rings of Power‘s antagonists. Perhaps diving deeper into his tense relationship with Ar-Pharazôn and feelings of inadequacy in The Rings of Power season 3 would make him more interesting to watch, even if he’s still unlikable.

4

Rhûn’s Dark Wizard

Played By Ciarán Hinds

The Rings of Power has yet to reveal much about Rhûn’s Dark Wizard, but season 2 does show the villain in action — and he’s obviously a daunting foe, much more than someone like Kemen. His power makes him far less easy to dismiss, and the series has only shown the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this character. He’s clearly someone to be feared, and he has a lot of potential. This is particularly true if the suggestion that he’s one of Tolkien’s Blue Wizards proves correct.

Introducing one of the Blue Wizards would give the Amazon series a chance to dig deeper into these mysterious figures from Tolkien’s lore. The Rings of Power could also explore the cults that form around them, which would likely prove an interesting and insightful storyline. Unfortunately, while Rhûn’s Dark Wizard has a lot of potential, we simply don’t know enough about this Rings of Power villain for him to rank any higher. He has yet to show the complexity that characters like Ar-Pharazôn and Adar benefit from, and he hasn’t proven anywhere near as intimidating or entertaining as Sauron.

3

Ar-Pharazôn

Played By Trystan Gravelle

Ar-Pharazôn is nearly as frustrating as his son in The Rings of Power seasons 1 and 2, yet it’s easy to see how he seizes power within Númenor so quickly. Unlike Kemen, Pharazôn is clever, and he knows how to manipulate people. He’s a convincing politician, and Trystan Gravelle sells the character every time he’s on-screen. Even though viewers can see how hypocritical and self-serving Pharazôn is, he has a magnetism that’s difficult to deny. And his motives are clearly fleshed out, with his resentment towards the Valar making him all the more interesting.

Related

What Happens To Ar-Pharazôn In Lord Of The Rings

Ar-Pharazôn was a legendary figure in The Lord of the Rings lore, with a whole section of Tolkien’s The Silmarillion to tell his dramatic story.

Ar-Pharazôn is poised to go down as one of the most memorable and believable villains in The Rings of Power, and he’s likely to leave an even stronger impression when the Fall of Númenor is brought to the screen. He’s certainly more fascinating and fun to watch than the Orcs, Kemen, and even Rhûn’s Dark Wizard — though two villains surpass him, mostly because they’re given more time and material to shine.

2

Adar

Played By Joseph Mawle/Sam Hazeldine

Adar is probably the most sympathetic Rings of Power villain we’ve seen so far, as it’s easy to understand why he despises both Sauron and the Elves. This position, which pits him against the Lord of the Rings show’s heroes and its main villain, makes his perspective one of the most interesting to surface. Adar highlights the hypocrisy that exists even among Middle-earth’s heroes, pushing viewers to question black-and-white depictions of good and evil.

Adar’s backstory and commitment to his “children” make it difficult to dislike him fully, even though many of his actions are indefensible. Adar’s complexity makes him shine more than almost any other villain, and his redemption at the end of The Rings of Power season 2 cements him as one of the show’s strongest antagonists. There’s only one character that tops him, and that’s to be expected. After all, Sauron is the most important villain in the Lord of the Rings show. That said, it’s a testament to Adar’s characterization that he even comes close to Tolkien’s Dark Lord.

1

Sauron

Played By Charlie Vickers

There’s only one character who could be the best villain in The Rings of Power, as the series revolves around Sauron’s rise to power. Fortunately, the Amazon show doesn’t disappoint when bringing Sauron’s Second Age persona to life, even if it takes some liberties with his introduction in season 1. Sauron’s disguise as Halbrand may not be pulled from Tolkien’s source material, but it manages to keep things interesting as Galadriel searches for a villain who is right in front of her. It also endears viewers to Charlie Vickers’ character before dropping the heartbreaking revelation that he’s not who we thought.

And any doubt about Vickers’ portrayal of Sauron is squashed by The Rings of Power season 2, which masterfully depicts the villain’s fair form and his deception of Celebrimbor. Vickers’ performance strikes the perfect balance between frightening and charming, and it’s consistently a joy to watch. Vickers’ villain also has great chemistry with the other prominent characters, driving home why Sauron could so easily deceive people. The Rings of Power deserves praise for bringing Sauron’s Second Age story to the screen, regardless of the show’s other criticisms.

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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

7/10

Release Date

September 1, 2022

Network

Amazon Prime Video

Showrunner

John D. Payne, Patrick McKay, Louise Hooper, Charlotte Brändström, Wayne Yip

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