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To this.

How hauntingly tragic his "Halbrand" era was. It was the closest thing to peace he had found in thousands of years and he got to that place by doing something so uncharacteristic. He took a chance. This Maia, who is obsessed with control and order...he gambled. And won. Until he lost. Why and how the hell did he think pretending to be a mortal king, offering to bind himself to his sworn rival, allying himself with Light would possibly succeed? He had to know it was a near impossible feat. The path he had taken before was probably charted with logical, measured decisions and weighed with statistical probabilities. But not this one. It wasn't hubris or arrogant ambition. It was hope. He believed and that belief was sparked and buoyed by Galadriel.

This is why this shot right here is so symbolic and poetic of this period in his life. Look at Halbrand here. As so many times before where it concerns Galadriel, he looks unsure. Vulnerable. Look at how he holds the pouch and how he stares at it. It's as if his fate rests inside. This is a crossroads. Then he throws it on the table like dice or a coin toss. He seems to have made up his mind. Probably because he had estimated and concluded that following Galadriel was probably not going to work. But then, at the last moment he changes course.

The fact that the camera stays on the pouch for several beats emphasizes that 1) this is a pivotal moment 2) it was impulsive. Sauron had already left and then came back. (12 seconds-- I counted). Just like the raft on the Sundering Seas, he came back for Galadriel. He makes a bold choice. Again! One not even the gods would have expected. He takes a chance. A monumental one.

It's exhilarating, especially now that we have a bigger picture of the actual choice he's making. It's so hopeful. So audacious. So human. So NOT Sauron. And in letting himself fully embody and inhabit the life of a low man, he's never been more connected to Middle Earth, never been more real in this world. The stakes mean something different. He's tactile, emotional, reactive. His actions and relationships have more gravity. His footsteps and words have weight. He's not a puppetmaster. He's alive in the world, an ocean of color.

Contrast that with his Annatar phase. As Charlie portrays him, he is completely detached. Floundering. There's a vacancy to his presence.

As I said before, I think Sauron left apart of himself in Halbrand. It's almost as if the piece of him that was human, that grounded him, was severed. And in doing so, Annatar glides through the world as if in a dream and he were made of ice and shadow. Look at his manner and how he moves. He's imposing but almost inert. His expression is dazed and distracted. His heart is somewhere else. With someone else. Or maybe it's because he actually isn't there. It gives an added layer of meaning to Adar's supposed "message" to Annatar -- "Where is he?" Because why is he so clearly disengaged? Where is his mind is wandering off to constantly?

Again, I'm left pondering how do you get to that, from this?

Which to me, just drives home the OP's original point all the more.

"no"

Everyone writes about characters "not meeting Character's gaze." Let’s retire it for a minute.

• A smile that doesn’t reach the eyes • Holding eye contact a beat too long • Laughing half a second too late • Over-correcting posture when addressed • Clearing their throat before answering • Adjusting sleeves, cuffs, jewelry repeatedly • A visible swallow before speaking • Exhaling through the nose instead of responding • Looking at the exit mid-conversation • Nodding too quickly

Personal Motivations:

✦ Seeking revenge for past wrong

✦ Searching for belonging, acceptance

✦ Proving themselves to someone

✦ Protecting loved ones

✦ Seeking redemption for past mistakes

✦ Pursuing freedom or independence

✦ Finding purpose or meaning in life

✦ Overcoming trauma or fear

✦ Discovering their identity or heritage

✦ Achieving recognition or fame

✦ Gaining power or control

✦ Finding love or companionship

✦ Escaping their past

✦ Understanding a mystery

✦ Fulfilling a promise or oath

Ambitions:

✦ Become the best in their field

✦ Change the world or society

✦ Discover something groundbreaking

✦ Build a legacy

✦ Accumulate wealth

✦ Gain political influence

✦ Master a particular skill

✦ Travel the world

✦ Start a family

✦ Own a business

✦ Write a book or create art

✦ Solve an unsolved mystery

✦ Expose corruption or injustice

✦ Break a family curse

❥ Restaurant: picking them up so they can have wine, bringing a bouquet of flowers, googling under the table what the fancy dishes are,   taking their hand from across the table, tasting the other's dish, bickering over who pays,   holding the door open, fighting over who gets to pay

❥ Park: picnic,   going for a walk,   watching the ducks in the pond,   sitting in the sun,   taking a boat ride on the lake,   rollerskating / skateboarding, putting their jacket down to let the other sit on the damp grass,   running for cover when it rains, sharing ice cream,   talking until the sun goes down and the street lamps come on

❥ Arcade: discovering a competetive streak,   letting the other win,   losing track of time,   sharing shitty, cheap food and loving it,   taking candids of the other having fun, showing off a hidden talent, trying to trick the games

❥ Night In: board games,   building a blanket fort,   cooking together,   movie night,   going through old photo albums,   binging a tv show,   sharing a blanket,   reading together, private dances in the kitchen, discovering little quirks about the other's home, falling asleep on the couch

❥ Museum: interactive exhibits,   trying to find interpretations for abstract art,   shushing each other when they laugh too loudly,   claiming which painting they easily could have done themselves,   describing the higher up artwork to the one who forgot their glasses,   buying postcards of their favorite art at the giftshop after

❥ Clubbing: dressing up fancy and matching,   karaoke,   bar food beforehand,   discovering the other's (in)ability to dance,   guiding the other through the crowd, hand in hand,   kisses interrupted by drunken stumbling,   drunken walks home,   passing out in clubbing outfits

Sometimes you don’t need a plot twist, you just need a little discomfort.