Mr. Underhill wrote:

We have a full-on villain this season, in a way that was quite different before,' says McKay’s fellow co-showrunner J.D. Payne. Sauron’s emergence 'changes the tone of the show,' McKay adds. 'This third season is darker, more dangerous. No-one is safe.'"

Really, no one is safe? The "no one is safe" phrasing, I feel like I’ve heard that before when the advertising for the Game of Thrones series was coming out. I’m pretty sure many of the characters are safe. Unless the show runners haven’t gotten that far in their own Tolkien readings.