A medieval arms expert has praised the authenticity of Sauron’s battle armor in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring prologue. When Sauron is first introduced, he makes a formidable entrance as the Last Alliance marches on Mordor. Once the Last Alliance appear to have the upper hand, Sauron enters the battle, clad in his imposing battle armor and wielding the One Ring and a giant mace, with Sauron using these weapons to kill Isildur’s father Elendil and countless others.
While speaking with Insider, medieval arms expert Tobias Capwell analyzed the historical accuracy of medieval weapons and armor scenes in movies, including The Fellowship of the Ring. He explained what stands out about Sauron’s battle armor in The Fellowship of the Ring prologue and why the armor is impressive enough to earn a perfect score. Read Capwell’s comments below:
That is metal. Nothing else looks like metal but metal in close-up. All that decoration is etched into the steel with acid. This is film armor as good as it gets.
He walks into the battle, and you know everything you need to know about this guy, and it’s all coming out through his gear. They’ve taken real 15th century armor styles, mostly German, and then turned it up to 11.
Why The Fellowship Of The Ring’s Prologue Is So Iconic
Sauron’s battle armor is one of the many elements that makes The Fellowship of the Ring prologue iconic. From longtime The Lord of the Rings fans to those learning about Middle-earth for the first time, the prologue not only provides necessary background information, but also effectively communicates the stakes and scale of the story in riveting fashion. Lady Galadriel’s haunting narration shares everything the viewer needs to know to understand the creation of the rings, how these rings impacted the people of Middle-earth, and what became of the One Ring.
The War of the Last Alliance provides a taste of the ultimate good and ultimate evil in Middle-earth. The image of Sauron effortlessly hurling soldiers to their deaths and striking down Elendil is unforgettable, acting as a constant reminder of the power Sauron will wield again if he is reunited with the One Ring, and if Frodo and the Fellowship fail to destroy it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the prologue teases what the races of Middle-earth can achieve if they find a way to unite again.
The prologue also plants the seeds for characters who are important later in the story. Lady Galadriel is not only heard, but is seen in the prologue, as is Lord Elrond, but their importance to Middle-earth, and Elrond trying to convince Isildur to destroy the One Ring isn’t shown until later. There is also a glimpse of Gollum, who is integral to the One Ring eventually being destroyed. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring prologue establishes key characters, the stakes, and Sauron’s villainy, with his battle armor being a key piece of his memorable introduction.
