In the sixth episode, Adar reveals to Galadriel that he is an Uruk - one of the Elves who was corrupted by Morgoth into becoming the first of a new kind, the Orcs. The character is not seen until the end of the third episode and even then, is shown out of focus as we learn Arondir is being brought to him by the Orcs.
The Moriquendi (singular Moriquendë; also named the Hisildi, Kaliondi, and Lembi) were the Elves of Darkness: those who did not embark on the journey over the sea to Aman and behold the light of the Two Trees of Valinor.
In the Southlands of Middle Earth, we are introduced to an Elven warrior named Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova). Arondir and a battalion of Elves watch over the human peasants that reside peacefully in the rural area. There is tension between the two species.
Adar is an elf who was manipulated with evil magic. He served under Morgoth and claims that he killed Sauron. He does not seem to recognize Halbrand as Sauron, and yet he carries out what we can assume is his master's evil bidding by setting in motion the events that burn the Southlands and create Mordor.
Who Is Adar? The Mysterious Leader Of The Orcs Who Looks A Lot Like An Elf! Theories Explored
Why did Adar betray Sauron?
After Morgoth's defeat, Adar at first served Sauron in the latter's mission to discover a way to subdue other forms of life. However, disillusioned by Sauron's cruelty to the Orcs, Adar turned on Morgoth's successor and struck him down, believing for centuries afterward that he had slain Sauron.
Turns out, Adar was one of the first orcs ever created — explaining why the orcs call him "father" in Sindarin. As Galadriel explains, in the First Age, the Dark Lord Morgoth captured and tortured elves, turning them into twisted, ruined creatures that would later become the orcs as we know them.
As soon as the Mystics realize the Stranger isn't Sauron, they label him an "Istar." With this label, and several other hints throughout the episode and the season, The Rings of Power has all but confirmed that the Stranger is everyone's favorite wizard: Gandalf the Grey.
At some point prior to The Rings of Power, Sauron conjured a fresh physical form. He then seized the Southlands' crest from its last known king (who died 1000 years prior to the TV show's timeline) and assumed the identity "Halbrand."
Theo's father is a bit of a mystery in all of this as well--the obvious implication is that he's actually half-elven and Arondir is his dad, which is certainly plausible.
When Halbrand and Galadriel captured Adar, Adar seemed not to recognize Halbrand as Sauron. Adar also claimed to have killed Sauron after watching Sauron experiment on the orcs, whom Adar sees as his children. It's possible Adar was pretending not to recognize Sauron as part of a ruse.
It revealed Adar no longer serves Sauron, as we initially thought the mutilated elf might. Throughout The Rings of Power, we've slowly uncovered Adar's true identity. The show has offered us insight into the one-time elf, his origins, and why the otherwise hateful orcs adore Adar as they do.
If Adar was an Elf captured by Morgoth, he must've been one of the earliest Elves to awaken in Middle-earth. As the Enemy's prisoner, Adar and his fellow captives would've been tortured, twisted and corrupted into the very first Orcs - the Moriondor.
After Orodruin is awoken by the flood, Adar somehow escapes his confinement though unknown means. Later, as the Orcs get used to not needing their sun-cloaks, Adar is proclaimed the Lord of the Southlands by his followers.
Melkor is the most powerful of the Valar but he turns to darkness and is renamed Morgoth, the primary antagonist of Arda. All evil in the world of Middle-earth ultimately stems from him. One of the Maiar of Aulë betrays his kind and becomes Morgoth's principal lieutenant and successor, Sauron.
As for whether Halbrand actually loved or romantically desired Galadriel is to be determined. Sauron is an expert manipulator and likely sees Galadriel and her power as an asset. In line with the old adage, "Keep your friends close; keep your enemies closer," he'd rather have her on his side than against him.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 1 concluded shortly after Galadriel learned that Halbrand had actually been Sauron in disguise, but she didn't tell anyone.
"So I think in his pitch to Galadriel, it cannot mean that he loves her or that there's any kind of romantic relationship. There should be no ambiguity around the fact that Sauron is evil — he's terrible, and he's using Galadriel to enhance his power."
It's that friendship with Nori that develops throughout the season, according to Weyman, that shows the Stranger the path forward to becoming (we assume) Gandalf.
While The Rings of Power season 1 includes no overt clues to suggest a direct link between Harfoot characters and the Fellowship Hobbits in The Lord of the Rings, several subtle details indicate that Nori Brandyfoot could potentially be an ancient relative of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins.
You probably already know about Gandalf the Gray, the wise and kind wizard, friend to hobbits, who was among the fellowship of the ring. He defeated a Balrog.
When Galadriel calls Adar's kind — captured Elves tortured and twisted into becoming Morgoth's evil minions — “Moriondor,” which translates to “sons of the dark” in Elvish, Adar says he prefers the term “Uruk,” which is the word for “Orc” in the Black Speech of Mordor.
Although it's possible Adar is a weakened version of Sauron who hasn't yet recovered his full power, Joseph Mawle's character is more likely a follower of the Dark Lord than the man himself. The Rings of Power's scene between Adar and Arondir actually leans more toward the villain being a fallen elf.
Finally Sauron came out to fight Elendil and Gil-galad face to face. When Elendil fell, his sword Narsil broke beneath him. Isildur took up the hilt-shard of Narsil and cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand, vanquishing Sauron.
