Forodwaith explained – history & location in Lord of the Rings

Rings of Power Season 2 takes viewers back in time to a Middle-earth location we’ve never seen before: Forodwaith, Sauron’s frosty, frightening home.

Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series takes place all across Arda, following the political dealings of Númenor (the ill-fated island kingdom), the Dwarven drama of Khazad-dûm, the ring-forging and Elven debates of Lindon and Eregion, and the mysterious Southlands – transformed into Mordor following Mount Doom’s Eruption.

The show’s scope widens even further in Rings of Power Season 2, with the Stranger and Nori journeying to a mysterious, mostly uncharted part of the map: Rhûn, the far east of the continent.

However, Season 2 Episode 1 briefly transports viewers to somewhere you’d never want to visit: Forodwaith.

Where is Forodwaith?

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Forodwaith is located in the northernmost part of Middle-earth, home to dragons, a mysterious race of “snowmen”, and formerly Morgoth.

Unsurprisingly, it’s cold – really cold, rarely hotter than 10°C at any given time. It’s a vast area, stretching all the way to the peaks of Orocarni. This stems from it being closest to the Ilmen (the world’s atmosphere, basically) and Morgoth’s cold influence.

The region was created in the wake of the War of Wrath, taking Dor-na-Daerachas’ place, with dragons also populating the area. By the Third Age, its people were known as the Snowmen of Forochel, said to glide across ice with bones tied to their feet.

What does Forodwaith mean?

Forodwaith is a Sinarin name, roughly translating to “Northern Waste.” It was given this name in the First Age, referring to any land north of the Iron Mountains.

However, in Tolkien’s Legendarium, the Forodwaith were also written as Middle-earth’s equivalent of Vikings, with Ponórir representing Scandinavia. But it gets pretty confusing if we consider all of the author’s alternate meanings and terminologies, so just stick to what we know for sure.

Sauron’s connection

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Morgoth had a base in Forodwaith, which is where Rings of Power Season 2 opens with Sauron, Adar, and the Orcs.

After Morgoth’s defeat in the War of Wrath at the hands of the Host of Valinor, leaving him to dwell in the Timeless Void, Sauron attempts to gather the Orcs and take the Dark Lord’s place.

As Morgoth’s most trusted lieutenant, Sauron is no stranger to power, and his ambition to dominate Middle-earth remains undiminished. Having survived the collapse of his master’s reign, he now seeks to manipulate and corrupt anyone who can aid his ascent to power.

“Doubt me at your peril… you have nowhere else to turn. The Valar will never forgive you, Elves will never accept you, men will never look upon you with anything but horror and disgust,” he warns.

Sauron’s manipulative nature, showcased throughout Rings of Power, reveals his expertise in exploiting fear and insecurity, particularly among the Orcs.

When one attempts to flank Sauron, he brutally murders him in front of everyone, screaming, “I am your only future.”

Adar, the “father” of the Orcs, seems to ignore the concerns of his children and willingly crowns Sauron as their new ruler… but it’s all an elaborate ruse.

As Sauron lowers his head, Adar plunges the crown into his back and the Orcs ambush him. It isn’t an easy fight, but they eventually overpower him and savagely stab him over and over again until Adar tells them to stop.

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However, Sauron’s mastery of dark magic and his ability to cheat death – honed over centuries – mean he isn’t killed. With black blood spilling out onto the floor, scorching light blasts out of his eyes and mouth. An enormous blast shakes Forodwaith and covers the area in frost, and his body disappears.

He’s later shown rebuilding himself as a symbiotic lifeform. As a shapeshifter, Sauron is a master of disguise in Lord of the Rings lore. In the books, he took on a different form to trick the elves into making the Rings of Power.

This was changed slightly in Rings of Power, with Sauron instead disguising himself as Halbrand before appearing to Celebrimbor as Annatar, the “Lord of Gifts”, although his evil intentions remain the same.

Check out our recaps Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, and Episode 6. If you’re unsure when Rings of Power takes place in the Lord of the Rings timeline, we’ve also got you covered.