Sauron seemed to be rebuilt at the end of the first season.
“Always after a defeat and a respite, the Shadow takes another shape and grows again. […] His plans are far from ripe, I think, but they are ripening. […] The Enemy still lacks one thing to give him strength and knowledge to beat down all resistance, break the last defences, and cover all the lands in a second darkness. He lacks the One Ring.”
Gandalf, The Lord of the Rings: The Shadow of the Past
Gandalf gave a pattern by which we may discover how Sauron rebuilt himself in the Second Age. There was a defeat, there was a respite, he took another shape, and grew again. He had plans that were not yet ripe, but were ripening nonetheless.
“I’ve got my own plans, Elf” (Sauron, 1×02).
According to the pattern, he lacked something that would give him strength and knowledge to beat down all resistance. He made the One Ring with his own power, so what would have given him necessary strength and knowledge before the One Ring?
Someone asked a question in response to Sauron Unchained, which I would like to thoroughly investigate:
The Lúthien incident surely wouldn’t have gone unpunished! But could Morgoth afford to permanently ban him? Physically enslave him and risk turning Sauron against him?
The risk becomes greater when you consider Sauron’s subsequent aversion to Morgoth, implied by the enmity he exhibited each time Morgoth was mentioned in the first season. Of course, we know the end from the beginning, but Morgoth did not. Would he have taken the risk?
Would it have even mattered? Morgoth was defeated, but Sauron, in all his bitterness, did not sever his attachment even in later years. As he sought his own supremacy, he convinced Númenor to worship Morgoth instead of himself.
Let’s examine the nature of Sauron’s attachment to Morgoth.
“While Morgoth still stood, Sauron did not seek his own supremacy, but worked and schemed for another, desiring the triumph of Melkor, whom in the beginning he had adored.”
Morgoth’s Ring: Part Five: Myths Transformed
Sauron adored Morgoth in the beginning. However:
…Evil, defiantly chosen, can no longer imagine anything but itself.
W.H. Auden (the quote that Charlie Vickers has referenced a few times)
His devotion would have lost all good components associated with adoration. He first defiantly chose evil in the beginning of Arda when he allied himself with Morgoth. Some may say he was not entirely evil at the end of the First Age; but it was then that he immediately chose evil in defiance for the second time. “Nothing is evil in the beginning,” but that was not the beginning. How long had it been since the actual beginning, when he was Aulë’s apprentice?
Ages.
It is difficult to determine exactly how much time passed between the two instances of Sauron’s defiance. The first was before Time itself, before the creation of Arda, before the First war, and many ages before the Battle of the Powers.
The Battle of the Powers
Long before the Great War, before the darkening of the Two Trees, before the Elves ever came to Valinor, Morgoth and his servants lost in a war against the Valar. The events of the outcome were almost exactly like the War of Wrath.
“The lands of the far north were all made desolate in those days; for there Utumno was delved exceeding deep, and its pits were filled with fires and with great hosts of the servants of Melkor. But at the last the gates of Utumno were broken and the halls unroofed, and Melkor took refuge in the uttermost pit. Then Tulkas stood forth as champion of the Valar and wrestled with him, and cast him upon his face; and he was bound with the chain Angainor that Aulë had wrought, and led captive; and the world had peace for a long age.”
Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor
In Sauron Unchained, we established a difference between slaves and servants—the slaves were Elves and Men who emerged from deep prisons after the War of Wrath. But in this war, the Battle of the Powers, notice that the pits were filled with “the servants of Melkor,” instead of slaves. The Elves knew nothing but rumors about the Battle of the Powers. Morgoth had taken many of them captive to be tortured and twisted into Orcs, but we do not read of any emerging; they remained wherever they were.
Sauron would once again be in the deep pits of his master’s stronghold, but not as a prisoner this time. He was working, free to engage in the fight, and free to escape the Valar if necessary.
“Nonetheless the Valar did not discover all the mighty vaults and caverns hidden with deceit far under the fortresses of Angband and Utumno. Many evil things still lingered there, and others were dispersed and fled into the dark and roamed in the waste places of the world, awaiting a more evil hour; and Sauron they did not find.”
Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor
Morgoth was imprisoned in the Halls of Mandos for three ages before he was permitted to sue for pardon again. Sauron, who had a part “in all the deeds of Melkor the Morgoth upon Arda, in his vast works and in the deceits of his cunning,”* had ample time to reflect on the many evils he committed since the beginning, which were no insignificant acts. After all, it was he who accomplished the worst:
*The Silmarillion: Valaquenta
“This it may be was the vilest deed of Melkor, and the most hateful to Ilúvatar.”
Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor
“We may assume, then, that the idea of breeding the Orcs came from Melkor […] The details of the accomplishment of this wickedness were, however, left mainly to the subtleties of Sauron. […]
“When Melkor was made captive, Sauron escaped and lay hid in Middle-earth; and it can in this way be understood how the breeding of the Orcs (no doubt already begun) went on with increasing speed during the age when the Noldor dwelt in Aman;”
Morgoth’s Ring: Part Five: Myths Transformed
Sauron hid for three ages after Utumno was overthrown. And instead of suing for pardon, what did he do?
“It was Sauron, also, who secretly repaired Angband for the help of his Master when he returned; and there the dark places underground were already manned with hosts of the Orcs before Melkor came back at last, as Morgoth the Black Enemy, and sent them forth to bring ruin upon all that was fair.”
Morgoth’s Ring: Part Five: Myths Transformed
The War of Wrath
The Battle of the Powers and the War of Wrath are so similar, and Sauron had so much time to think about repentance when Morgoth was chained, why did he continue Morgoth’s work?
In both cases, rather than honestly seeking to turn away from all his dark deeds, per se, perhaps Sauron noticed he would be screwed if the Valar caught him. He fled after the Battle of the Powers, but was unable to do so after the War of Wrath. Here is why:
Sauron was not a prisoner during the first war, so he was free to escape unseen. But if he was a prisoner during the second war, he could not escape. Why?
Because Eönwë was right there.
“…out of the deep prisons a multitude of slaves came forth beyond all hope into the light of day, and they looked upon a world that was changed. For so great was the fury of those adversaries that the northern regions of the western world were rent asunder, and the sea roared in through many chasms, and there was confusion and great noise; and rivers perished or found new paths, and the valleys were upheaved and the hills trod down; and Sirion was no more. Then Eönwë as herald of the Elder King summoned the Elves of Beleriand to depart from Middle-earth.“
Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath
Then…
“…Sauron put on his fair hue again and did obeisance to Eönwë, the herald of Manwë, and abjured all his evil deeds. And some hold that this was not at first falsely done, but that Sauron in truth repented, if only out of fear, being dismayed by the fall of Morgoth and the great wrath of the Lords of the West. But it was not within the power of Eönwë to pardon those of his own order, and he commanded Sauron to return to Aman and there receive the judgement of Manwë.”
Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age
Think of Eönwë’s perspective for a moment. Sauron, being captive among those enslaved Elves as punishment for his crimes, would be in a very pitiful state (one reason to use that tale to garner sympathy from Galadriel; and Eönwë would have witnessed Sauron coming out of those prisons). Unable to retreat, Sauron decided to kneel at the feet of Eönwë and ask for forgiveness.
We can pull direct parallels from Morgoth, such as the below excerpt of his plea before Manwë, after his release from a prison. Additionally, we see an exchange in episode 3 of season 1 that potentially echoes Sauron’s plea to Eönwë, after his release from a prison.
“Before the gates of Valmar Melkor abased himself at the feet of Manwë and sued for pardon, vowing that if he might be made only the least of the free people of Valinor he would aid the Valar in all their works, and most of all in the healing of the many hurts that he had done to the world.“
Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor
Sauron: “I will shovel coal if needs be. I’ll splinter wood. I will shape a sea anchor for you, free of charge. Sturdier than anything you have ever seen. How’s that? I’m here to start anew. Lend me that chance. Please” (1×03).
Sauron: “And I knew, if ever I was to be forgiven, that I had to heal everything that I had helped ruin” (1×08).
Perhaps Eönwë did pity Sauron, but there was nothing he could do.
“But it was not within the power of Eönwë to pardon those of his own order, and he commanded Sauron to return to Aman and there receive the judgement of Manwë.”
“You have a stout heart, lad. But until you’ve earned your guild crest, you can’t forge steel in Númenor” (Smithy, 1×03).
“Then Sauron was ashamed, and he was unwilling to return in humiliation and to receive from the Valar a sentence, it might be, of long servitude in proof of his good faith; for under Morgoth his power had been great.”
As previously stated in Sauron Unchained, Sauron had just escaped prison, and Manwë would be able to perceive what was in his heart. He knew he would not be pardoned, and he did not want to return to another (possibly more severe) form of captivity, for an even longer sentence.
“Therefore when Eönwë departed he hid himself in Middle-earth; and he fell back into evil, for the bonds that Morgoth had laid upon him were very strong.“
Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age
Circle back to our original point.
Sauron’s Attachment to Morgoth
An effective inverse comparison for Sauron and Morgoth is the relationship between Elrond and Galadriel. Sauron adored Morgoth on account of his ability to accomplish things quickly.
“Though of immensely smaller native power than his Master, [Sauron] remained less corrupt, cooler and more capable of calculation. […] He thus was often able to achieve things, first conceived by Melkor, which his master did not or could not complete in the furious haste of his malice.”
Morgoth’s Ring: Part Five: Myths Transformed
He said this about the same trait in Galadriel (Morgoth’s mirror image, in this comparison):
“As much as I admire your habit of charging at every obstacle in your path like a colt in full gallop…” (1×04).
The direction of his admiration is consistent. But like Morgoth, Galadriel’s haste was chaotic, rendering her unable to accomplish certain things, and she found herself in compromising situations. Sauron was a much more calculated being. He wanted Galadriel at his side because:
I can use you to get what I want and effect my designs faster.
Now that he would be in charge, he would more easily quell Galadriel’s storm, as he did with Morgoth, and demand patience. He did this a few times in the first season when she charged forward.
Elrond (Sauron’s mirror image) adored Galadriel, but his admiration was fueled by love and friendship. In the afore section, we saw that “evil, defiantly chosen, can no longer imagine anything but itself,” and the gap spanning several millennia would not have changed the fact that Sauron’s admiration for and attachment to Morgoth lost any wholesome element (if it ever existed).
It appears from The Silmarillion* that the attachment was a very strong bond that Morgoth (more or less) afflicted upon Sauron.
“Only blood can bind” (Adar, 1×05).
Sauron’s adoration led him to irreversibly bind himself.* Thus, he was the most loyal and devoted servant, and even after the relief of Morgoth’s defeat, he fell back into evil, “into the folly of imitating [Morgoth], endeavoring to become himself supreme Lord of Middle-earth.”*
“Be careful, Elf. The heir to this mark is heir to more than just nobility. For it was his ancestor who swore a blood oath to Morgoth” (Sauron, 1×03).
* “…[Sauron] fell back into evil, for the bonds that Morgoth laid upon him were very strong.” * Waldreg is similar. In the beginning, he truly adored Sauron and wanted to serve him. But he bound himself to Adar in desperation, believing him to be Sauron. Since his oath was by blood, where will his loyalties lie when he meets Sauron? *Morgoth’s Ring: Part Five: Myths Transformed
QUICK SIDENOTE: I believe that line has more meaning than it first appeared, because Sauron never lied. He has no ancestor. He would be the one to swear the oath.
He spoke of “the heir to this mark” in the third person—an early hint that the heir to whom he referred was not himself (Halbrand). Galadriel said: “The last Man to bear your crest died over a thousand years ago. He had no heir.” But Sauron, whose knowledge of the history of the Southlands would presumably surpass Galadriel’s, mentioned the heir in the present tense. This implies that there was a living heir; but it was not Halbrand. Look at the grammar.
It appeared that Sauron referred to himself as the heir, since we instinctively connect “The heir to this mark” to “I am not the hero you seek.” He is Morgoth’s Successor. However, the subject of the second clause in the first sentence is not “the heir,” but rather “his ancestor.”
“…it was his ancestor who swore a blood oath to Morgoth. I am not the hero you seek.”
Is he the ancestor…?
At length, we can infer that a blood oath was the reason Sauron had no hope of leaving, denouncing, or escaping Morgoth even if he wanted to; even if he was sometimes frustrated by Morgoth’s desire for utter destruction.
Conclusion
Would Morgoth risk imprisoning Sauron?
Thanks to the blood oath, he would not have been concerned. He did not know the end from the beginning, but he would have known that Sauron was ultimately unable to be free of him.
As far as being able to afford Sauron’s absence: imprisoning him would not be without its benefits. As we read in the case of Húrin, Morgoth had no pity towards anyone, but would feign pity to use a person to his advantage.
“When therefore [Morgoth] judged the time to be ripe, he released Húrin from his bondage, bidding him go whither he would; and he feigned that in this he was moved by pity as for an enemy utterly defeated. But he lied, for his purpose was that Húrin should still further his hatred for Elves and Men, ere he died. Then little though he trusted the words of Morgoth, knowing indeed that he was without pity, Húrin took his freedom.”
Of the Ruin of Doriath
Morgoth would not even pity his own Successor. The prisons were in the deep mines. Sauron, a smith, a former apprentice of Aulë, a sorcerer of dreadful power, would be very useful in them. Morgoth could certainly take advantage of Sauron’s abilities while making him suffer for his crimes.
First, note that his indirect answers to questions are never arbitrary. They tend to have hidden meanings. For example, his intentions below involved more than allowing Galadriel to understand who he was.
Galadriel: “Tell me your name.”
Sauron: “I’ve been awake since before the breaking of the First Silence. In that time, I have had many names” (1×08).
Charlie Vickers emphasized I in “I’ve been” and that in “in that time,” showing that Sauron intentionally put one of Galadriel’s previous statements to shame—a belated response, as it were.
“I have pursued this foe since before the first sunrise bloodied the sky. It would take longer than your lifetime even to speak the names of those they’ve taken from me” (Galadriel, 1×02).
“I’ve been awake since before the breaking of the first silence. In that time, I have had many names” (Sauron, 1×08).
to hear his emphasis — Galadriel (1×02), Sauron (1×08)
Specifying that he had been awake instead of alive showed he was aware of and confirmed Galadriel’s belief that Evil does not sleep. But most importantly, he established superiority—I was awake eons before the first sunrise. In my lifetime, I’ve probably had more names than the number of people you’ve lost.
Sauron was directly asked for his name only twice: once by Galadriel, seen above, and earlier by Tamar in episode 3. To Tamar, he gave a universal rule:
Tamar: “What are you called, again?”
Sauron: “Depends.”
Tamar: “Depends on what?”
Sauron: “How close we are.”
This rule (that the relationship determines the name) was consistent through the whole first season, and it applied not only to how others referred to himself, but also how he addressed them.
What is He Called?
SAURON
Sauron, coined by the Noldor, means “abhorred,” and although it is his most popular name, he would never name himself “Sauron,” nor would he permit his servants to use it.
“‘Nay!’ said Legolas. ‘Sauron does not use the Elf runes.’ ‘Neither does he use his right name, nor permit it to be spelt or spoken,’ said Aragorn.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Departure of Boromir
Twice, Galadriel referred to him as “Sauron” in his presence: first in the forge, then in the vision. In both instances, Sauron was visibly disgusted and/or angry.
Galadriel: “He was killed in a place of darkness and despair, by servants of Sauron. Is that enough for you?”
Sauron: “Oh, so this is about vengeance!” (1×05).
Galadriel: “Your task was hunting Sauron.”
Sauron: “My task… was to ensure peace” (1×08).
He spoke the name twice himself, but the context keeps his character consistent. Immediately after composing himself in the second instance above, he said it because that is what Finrod would call him, and Finrod’s was the form he had taken. At the end of the vision, he spat out the name angrily and in the third person, merely quoting what Galadriel would tell her fellow-Elves.
What of his self-proclaimed servants?
The Mystics and Waldreg called him Sauron, but they had never met or associated with him directly. If Waldreg called the real Sauron by that name to his face, his punishment would be far worse than that which Adar gave him, almost by proxy.
“I pledge my loyalty to Sauron. […] You are Sauron, are you not?” (Waldreg, 1×05).
Imagine if the Mystics had been speaking to Sauron when they essentially said, “You are abhorred.”
“For you are Lord Sauron” (the Mystics, 1×08).
Sauron would never want to be called “Abhorred” by his closest associates, so he would never give the name.
SAURON — USED BY HIS ENEMIES AND THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY SAY.
ADAR
It is ironic (and speaks to the veracity of her account in the prologue) that Galadriel said, “They [the Orcs] called him Sauron.” Because it seems that they did not, even according to Adar:
“After Morgoth’s defeat, the one you call ‘Sauron’ devoted himself to healing Middle-earth” (Adar, 1×06).
Adar is a Morion, a Son of the Dark, as Galadriel said in the barn.
“You are one of them, are you not? The Moriondor. The Sons of the Dark. […] Even Moriondor take orders from a master” (Galadriel, 1×06).
According to Charlie Vickers, he was also once one of Sauron’s fiercest lieutenants, so they knew each other well. They once lived in a fortress called Dúrnost (dûr–Nost), which translates to “dark house/family” and could be termed “House of the Dark.” Sauron, as master of the Orcs, was the head or father of the House of the Sons of the Dark.
“I am not the hero you seek, for it was my family who lost the war” (Sauron, 1×03).
Galadriel was a “daughter of the Golden House of Finarfin.” Adar was a “son of the Dark House of Morgoth,” with Sauron as the successor. What would a Morion call his “father”?—Adar.
“Sauron was said to have many names in days of old. Perhaps [Adar] is one of them” (Revion, 1×03).
ADAR — USED BY HIS “SONS.”
HALBRAND
Despite appearances, the name “Halbrand” does not denote a humble man. It falls comfortably within the category of “names Sauron would give himself” for good reason.
After he gave Tamar the rule that his name depended on how close they were, he violently subdued the four Númenóreans, then said: “Call me Halbrand.” And yet, he readily introduced himself by the same name to Galadriel, with no need for a fight. He named himself in Míriel’s Court, “Halbrand of the Southlands,” without demonstrating his physical prowess. What made his confrontation with Tamar similar to those introductions?
Sauron hates the Elves and Númenóreans above all. “Call me Halbrand” was no formality or request, but a command; an assertion of dominance. It was a name he took for those whom he despised and considered beneath him (which can include everyone).
“Halbrand” essentially means “one who is superior.”
hall = exalted, high brand = towering; tall and massive
He fared better on the sea than one of the Noldor. To her, he was Halbrand.
Sauron: “What are you called?”
Galadriel: “Galadriel.”
Sauron: “I’m Halbrand” (1×02).
Translation: “I’m superior.”
In the Court, Míriel did not ask, “What is your name?” She ordered, “Name thyself.” Galadriel listed her titles, but Sauron, a Maia of few words, simply named himself “Halbrand” to establish the Númenóreans’ inferiority.
Míriel: “Speak, Elf. Name thyself.”
Galadriel: “Galadriel of the Noldor. Daughter of the Golden House of Finarfin. Commander of the Northern Armies of High King Gil-galad.”
Sauron: “Halbrand… of the Southlands” (1×03).
Translation: “Exalted One.”
Finally, he single-handedly defeated four Númenórean guildsmen in his near-lowest state. To them, he was Halbrand.
Sauron: “Please. Don’t do this.”
Tamar: “Why not, LOWMAN?”
[fight]
Sauron: “Call me Halbrand” (1×03).
Translation: “Because I, the opposite of a lowman, will always conquer.”
Sauron is also a narcissist, so to everyone, he is Halbrand.
HALBRAND — TAKEN WHEN ASSOCIATING WITH INFERIOR BEINGS, A.K.A. EVERYONE.
ANNATAR
“Annatar” (Lord of Gifts) is very similar to the name “Halbrand” (Superior/Exalted One). Though its direct translation differs, Sauron took the name when posing as someone divine or holy—almost the definition of “Halbrand.”
“In Eregion Sauron posed as an emissary of the Valar, sent by them to Middle-earth (‘thus anticipating the Istari’) or ordered by them to remain there to give aid to the Elves.”
Unfinished Tales: The History of Galadriel and Celeborn
He maintained the pattern of dominance. On the surface, “Annatar” is perhaps less subtle than “Halbrand”in establishing superiority, but it is ironically more friendly, whereas “Halbrand” is imposing.
“But elsewhere the Elves received him gladly, and few among them hearkened to the messengers from Lindon bidding them beware; for Sauron took to himself the name of Annatar, the Lord of Gifts, and they had at first much profit from his friendship.”
Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age
Friendship. His friends called him Annatar.
ANNATAR — USED BY FRIENDS IN EREGION.
Each time Sauron gives a name, he places himself above all beings: Father, Superior, Lord. Even when Galadriel demanded a name, a simple “I have had many names” evoked the same effect. Now, things from here become ominous because Sauron’s rule applies vice versa.
What Are They Called?
The names Sauron calls his associates depend on how close they are, were, or how close he wants to be with them. In fact, he hardly referred to anyone at all in the first season, let alone by their name.
The people in Míriel’s Court, he placated.
“My friends! It seems to me that our leaving presents… some complications” (1×03).
Míriel he hardly knew, so he only used her titles as a formality.
“Perhaps it’d be better if we stayed […] long enough… good queen… to give you and your advisors adequate time to weigh our request” (1×03).
“You called for me, your majesty” (1×06).
Elendil he addressed only once.
“Captain! My gratitude” (1×03).
Finrod he knew, being responsible for his death, but he had to speak as a Man who should not have known who Finrod was.
“I’m sorry for your brother. For all of it. I’m sorry” (1×05).
Continuing to speak as a Man who should not have apprenticed to Aulë, he concealed the identity of the Vala he betrayed in ages past.
“The master I apprenticed to used to speak of the wonders of your craft” (1×08).
This simple lack of name usage was not insignificant. In all of season 1, Sauron used the names of only four people; and not just any random selection of four people.
GALADRIEL
In response to Sauron giving the rule, Tamar’s question was:
“And how close are you and the she-Elf?” (1×03).
Let’s answer that. The first question Sauron asked Galadriel was, “What are you called?” Yet, he refused to use her name and called her “Elf” derogatorily, until episode 5.
“Look, Elf. You didn’t cause my suffering, and you can’t fix it. […] I’ve got my own plans, Elf” (1×02).
“What the Elf means—” (1×03).
“If there’s one of us that doesn’t belong here, Elf, it’s you. […] Be careful, Elf. […] All I see is an Elf who won’t put down her sword” (1×03).
The first time he said her name, he was just quoting Míriel (above image): “Galadriel informed us.” He did not call her by her name until he cornered and interrogated her in the workshop.
“Whose dagger was it, Galadriel? Who is it you lost?” (1×05).
The two quickly came to an understanding in that conversation. They antagonized each other, then suddenly formed an alliance. Even so, Sauron only used her name one more time in order to prevent her from killing Adar.
“Galadriel!” (1×06).
Although Galadriel had used the name “Halbrand” seven times, Sauron would not use her name again until after she said:
“Well, my friend, it seems fate has in store for us one more raft” (1×07).
Once she vocally deemed Sauron a friend, everything changed. Suddenly, after using her name only twice over the course of a whole season, he dropped it ten times in episode 8 alone.
“Is Galadrielhere?”
“Thank you, Galadriel.“
“Galadriel! We found it. […] Galadriel, I’m afraid I don’t—”
When he took the form of Finrod in the vision, he first called Galadriel “sister.” But he obtained her attention with her name (as he did in episode 6).
Sauron as Finrod: “Lost your footing again, sister? It was just a little tumble, is all. On your feet, now.”
Galadriel: “Get out of my mind.”
Sauron as Finrod: “Please, sister. Look at me. Galadriel” (1×08).
He then tried to maintain her attention with her name.
Galadriel: “No, you died. Along with countless others because of him.”
Sauron: “No, Galadriel. He was seeking a power.” […]
Galadriel: “My brother is dead because of you.”
Sauron: “Galadriel. Why would you say that? Why would you say such a thing? Galadriel, come back to me. Galadriel! LOOK AT ME!”
And the last time he said her name, he reminded her of what she deemed him in episode 7.
“Galadriel, look at me. You know who I am. I am your friend.“
MORGOTH
“You are a friend of Morgoth’s” (Galadriel, 1×08).
No one was closer to Morgoth than his most devoted servant, Sauron.Nevertheless, Sauron might have harbored some hatred, so he spat out the name as distastefully as his own.
“The heir to this mark is heir to more than just nobility. For it was his ancestor who swore a blood oath to Morgoth” (1×03).
“When Morgoth was defeated, it was as if a great, clenched fist had released its grasp from my neck” (1×08).
Halbrand was a Man speaking to an Elf, and no one who was against Morgoth had used the name “Melkor” for millennia; so he had little choice but to use the name “Morgoth,” no matter how he felt. However, while he was in Morgoth’s service, he likely would not have used that name, for it was given and used by the Elves.
“Then Fëanor rose, and lifting up his hand before Manwë he cursed Melkor, naming him Morgoth, the Black Foe of the World; and by that name only was he known to the Eldar ever after.”
Of the Flight of the Noldor
Sauron would have continued to call him “Melkor,” at least until the end of the War. And he might call him “Melkor” again.
In prison, he aimed to retain Galadriel’s trust by emphasizing “Morgoth” as the common enemy. But in the future, he will try to gain Pharazôn’s trust by building up “Melkor” as trustworthy. He may switch from saying that Morgoth held him captive to saying that Melkor is the Giver of Freedom.
“Then behind locked doors Sauron spoke to the King [Pharazôn], and he lied, saying: ‘It is he whose name is not now spoken; for the Valar have deceived you concerning him, putting forward the name of Eru […] But he that is their master shall yet prevail, and he will deliver you from this phantom; and his name is Melkor, Lord of All, Giver of Freedom, and he shall make you stronger than they.’”
Akallabêth
It is as Galadriel said. He is still a friend of Morgoth. Contrast this against his friendship with Adar, which was not dissimilar to that which he had with Morgoth.
Sauron knew Adar’s real name, but never used it. He barely even spoke to him one time.
“Do you remember me?” (Sauron, 1×06).
Their dynamic is unique, shown by Sauron’s reaction to Adar asking him who he was, allowing Sauron to give any name at all. If he wanted to uphold the idea that he was just a Man, he might have repeated the name Galadriel used in the forest (Halbrand). If he felt particularly bold, he could have subtly given the name Adar may have used in the past (Adar—if we are right about that). Instead, he remained silent, and walked away.
This was because after Adar betrayed him, he and Sauron were about as far from friendship as two people could possibly be, even more so than Sauron and Morgoth.
CELEBRIMBOR
We have seen what Sauron called (and will call) Morgoth, with whom he was once close, and still is, if you consider the Shadow. We have seen that he did not use Galadriel’s name normally until after she deemed him her friend. Now, we will see what he does when a future friendship is his goal.
It is not complicated. Sauron and Celebrimbor had never met. The name usage was no sign of a previous friendship, but of Sauron’s objective to quickly build trust. He wasted no time.
Celebrimbor: “This was the workshop of Celebrimbor.”
Sauron: “TheCelebrimbor? He’s not here, is he?”
Celebrimbor: “Well, as a matter of fact, he is.”
Sauron: “Celebrimbor!” (1×08).
Sauron achieved his goal, and even Galadriel remarked on the abnormal speed at which the friendship developed.
Sauron: “Don’t be afraid! Celebrimbor will find a way. I’m certain of it.”
Galadriel: “All of a sudden, the two of you seem quite familiar” (1×08).
Now, we must discuss the fourth name. First, if what Sauron calls a person depends on how familiar he is, was, or wants to be in order to further his designs, what could it mean for the only other name he used in season 1?
Míriel: “But if you would like some relief in carrying [your burden], I may be able to help.”
