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The black robe also features a feather-like asymmetric collar that covers his left shoulder, much like the pteruges (from the Ancient Greek ptéruges, 'feathers') worn by Romans beneath the armored cuirass. (This association becomes more apparent when he wears the cuirass in the final episode of Season 2.)

A fun parallel can be found in the great epic of Finnish mythology, the Kalevala (which Tolkien has explicitly claimed as a primary influence and source for The Silmarillion). In the Kalevala, Tuonela is the world of the dead and exists within the world of the living, separated by a great divide through which the dark river of Tuonela flows. The dead can only enter by crossing the river, which is guarded by Black Swan that sings death spells. It’s not much of a leap to construe Adar and his Uruk as ‘the dead’ who cannot cross into Eregion, thanks to the river separating them from the great city. Annatar’s black feathers echo the mythical element of the black swan, as he assumes ‘guardianship’ of the city and, as a caster of spells, of Celebrimbor’s inner world, keeping the storm at bay. Indeed Annatar first appears in the black pteruge when he steps in for Celebrimbor as leader of Eregion to “handle matters in his stead.”

Annatar announces he will handle matters for Eregion in Celebrimbor’s stead

A medium-shot side view of Annatar’s black feather-like pteruge

Interestingly Sauron’s pteruge visually reflects the ornamental spaulders worn by High King Gil-Galad, which he also wears asymmetrically on his left shoulder, and in the form of golden leaves and feathers. Sauron’s pteruge looks as much like leaves as feathers and visually calls attention to his role as contrasting counterpart—a dark leader of Elves opposing Gil-Galad’s light. The once-golden now blackened leaves of the Great Tree.

High King Gil-Galad wears a spaulder of golden feathers on his left shoulder

Gil-Galad wears a spaulder of golden leaves on his left shoulder