Source
r/tolkienfans•
CastFromHitpoints

Was Ar-Pharazôn aware of who Sauron really was?

Who did he thought was kneeling before him at Umbar? Was he aware that his defeated enemy-turned hostage-turned high priest and chief counselor, was the same guy his ancestor Tar-Minastir had sent an army against, about 15 centuries before? Did he ever know that this Zigûr fella at the Temple, and the Annatar that had deceived the Elves of Eregion long ago, were the same guy, and that both of them were also Gorthaur, the servant of the Morgoth from the stories and legends of the previous Age?

Posted Dec 24, 2021, 9:21 PM UTC

326
BanefulBroccoli•

He probably did know those things, he just didn't see himself as beneath Sauron. Remember, Sauron didn't conduct himself as a god or anything, but as the King of Men. Like Morgoth, he didn't have to rely on his personal power, but on the strength of his armies. As such, from an in-universe perspective you wouldn't primarily care about his nature and more about him as a political leader.

Ar-Pharazon also had little reason to care about his enmity with the elves, as most of the Numenoreans of his time didn't particularly like them.

29
nycnewsjunkie•

He knew all those things. He was though arrogant.

23
Ok_Mix_7126•

It's kind of like Boromir - he knew the ring was made by Sauron and everyone warned that it shouldn't be used to try defeat him, but he still wanted to bring it back to Minas Tirith.

Ar-Pharazon probably knew who and he was and thought that he could control him and use him for his own ends.

19
IfuckedyourMom44•

And instead, he was the one being used, IRONIC.

1
plague042•

He probably knew all that, but reminder that Ar-Pharazôn' fleet was big and powerful enough to scare even Sauron himself, so he did see himself as powerful enough to conquer a Maiar (and he actually could have conquered him if Sauron didn't bow down to him instead).

16
harabanazof House Carc•

After some prodding by Sauron Ar-Pharazôn thought that he had a pretty good chance of defeating the Valar. Yerknow, the dudes who had once shaped the world by raising mountains and digging ocean basins and spreading stars all over the sky. The ones who had more recently built Númenor for the Númenóreans. And he would invade and defeat them on their own turf.

Given that enormous arrogance, I find it easy to believe that he knew that Sauron had once been Morgoth's highest servant, and still believed himself greater yet.

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