Scary good guys and relaxing looking bad guys pt 2 (resolution)

This story is post Rings of Power season 1 finale so spoilers up ahead:

As predicted we got the bait and switch when it came to who was good and bad. The tactic of the evil looking good/neutral morality individual vs the one very little expect seemed to happen again. To explain:

"The Meteor Man" turned out not to be Sauron despite how the show was making him think he was to trip us up

The fire

The fits of rage/uncontrollable power

Scruffy looking

Where he turned out to be the same race as Gandalf. Personally I hope it is Gandalf himself as it would make the relationship Gandalf has with the Hobbits so much cuter since he has found kinship

On the other hand Halbrand turned about to be the Sauron in question. I personally missed some of the big signs as I am not too knowledgeable if Tolkein's lore other than what I know from the films and the hobbit book plus a quick google search.

I think I only saw the review happening as I have seen it done so many times in media. More spoilers ahead of time for harry potter and Legends of vox machina

Everyone thinking Snape was the bad guy in the first film/book (not yet) when it was the defense of the dark arts teacher with the lisp and Voldemort on the back of his head.

(Did not realize how fishy he looked in this poster)

Then in Legends of Vox Machina

Who do you think would be the bad guy? Especially when mr smiles can turn into

THIS

The trope certainly worked but in my opinion it felt a bit obvious after all of us had that first voldemort reveal when we were young.