Sauron is the image in most peoples’ minds when picturing a fantasy villain. The spiked armor, imposing voice, supreme power, and straightforwardly evil goals mark him as the default antagonist for any mystical world. Several other examples took notes from his presentation but can’t beat the genuine article. Sauron was not the first monstrous adversary to trouble Middle-earth, but how does he stack up to Morgoth, who made him who he is?
Lord of the Rings prefers to avoid moral ambiguity. Its heroes are unmistakably noble, from the underestimated Hobbits to the legendary fated king. Its villains must subsequently be the worst beings in fictional history. Without the faintest hint of positivity in their spirit, these brutal conquerors will end or enslave all life if they win. Both Morgoth and Sauron are the worst of the worst.
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Morgoth’s strengths and weaknesses
Morgoth, known as Melkor in Quenya, was the source of all evil in Tolkien’s universe. He was the most powerful of the Ainur, the first beings created by the god Eru Ilúvatar. The mightiest 14 became known as the Valar, the governors of the world under their creator. Morgoth stood above them but rejected his responsibility and arrogantly turned against his brethren to fight for power. In Tolkien’s cosmology, Morgoth must have been the second most powerful being to have ever existed. He could alter the planet at a whim, destroying or consuming the structures built by his siblings. He couldn’t create things like the Valar could, but he could corrupt anything. In his prime, Morgoth could only be stopped by the combined efforts of the Valar. Tulkus the Strong tipped the scale in the Valar’s favor, forcing Morgoth to retreat and spend centuries attacking from safety.
Morgoth’s only significant weakness is his arrogance. He underestimates his foes, overestimates his victories, and gradually loses much of his power. Elven king Fingolfin dealt Morgoth wounds he’d suffer for the rest of his eternal life. The giant spider Ungoliant, Morgoth’s former ally, attacked him so savagely that the battle site was said to echo his screams eternally. Morgoth’s downfall came much later. His greatest weakness was his inability to understand compassion. He dealt the Elves a savage blow, assuming the Valar would never deign to step from their pedestals to do anything about it. The Valar arrived, enabling the Half-elf mariner Eärendil to slay Morgoth’s mightiest dragon and crush his castle. The Valar bound him in unbreakable chains and forever pushed him into the Timeless Void. For all his might, he suffered a fate worse than death.
Sauron’s strengths and weaknesses
Sauron’s origin came alongside Morgoth. He was first named Mairon and sent to Arda by Eru Ilúvatar as a Maiar. Each of the 14 Valar enjoyed a small army of Maiar, weaker spirits who helped their colleagues create the world. Mairon was the mightiest of the Maiar. He initially served Aulë the Smith, where he learned the virtues and skills of a master craftsman. He was once pure, but his perfectionism and ambition drove him to Morgoth. The Dark Lord wanted to destroy or consume Middle-earth and its creatures to spite his creator. Mairon wanted to dominate the minds of its creatures for their perceived benefit. He was a spy for a time but eventually took the name Sauron and declared war on the Valar. Sauron was Morgoth’s lieutenant, the creator of his orcs, and the guardian of their fortress. His greatest strength was his deception, eventually guiding the Elves to construct the Rings of Power. Thanks to his strategy, his greatest weakness was the Ring.
Who was stronger: Sauron or Morgoth?
In their prime, there can be no comparison. Morgoth is the more powerful of the two. Morgoth was the mightiest of the Valar, a group whose weakest member would outpace Sauron. However, there are some circumstances and eras in which Sauron would win the day.
- Morgoth was born far beyond Sauron but lost and surrendered much of his power.
- Sauron placed the greatest piece of his will into the Ring, focusing his efforts more specifically than his old employer.
- Morgoth spread his influence across Arda, infecting every living thing with a portion of his corruption.
- Sauron retained the power of a Maia as long as he held the Ring.
- Sauron never outpaced Morgoth in his prime, but if they came to blows during the Second Age, he would claim victory.
Power at the Valar’s level is difficult to gauge. They read like polytheistic gods, shaping the world while also throwing down on the battlefield. Ultimately, the only being more powerful than Morgoth in his prime was Eru Ilúvatar. Only the combined effort of the Valar could stop Morgoth, and only after countless battles. Sauron might have bested his mentor under certain circumstances, but Morgoth is the greater Dark Lord by every metric. Be glad Morgoth spent the War of the Ring in the Void because Frodo’s quest might not have gone as well against the source of all evil.
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