Sauron

**Sauron** was the great subversive Maia and an unparalleled sorcerer, as well as the renaissance of evil: the second **Dark Lord**, the oppressive overlord of most forces of Darkness in Middle-earth in the Second and Third Ages. In his inception, he had been the most gifted pupil of the Vala Aulë. But of old, during the First Age, Sauron became the seeming most devoted Lieutenant of Morgoth, the first Dark Lord and Orcs and other foul things multiplied ever more under his command. Much like his then-Master, he too coveted demiurgic strength like that of the One, but which he sought to attain in order to coordinate and shape the world according to his own whims; power, however, as in absolute temporal power over the world became the end in itself and he yearned to one day become a god-king.

Sauron escaped the downfall of Morgoth, lurking in Middle-earth in places such as his ruined stronghold in Forodwaith, inciting the seeds of the evil sown into the world and leaving marks for surviving fell things to follow back to him. Wishing still through install a new order under his government, he strove to become the Unseen World's master and fashion a means by which to subjugate the minds and souls of other beings. But Sauron's cruelty inflicted upon his Orcs resulted in his minion, Adar, turning on him. Seeking to establish his domain in the Southlands that included Hordern and Tirharad and punish his renegade servant, the Enemy wrought himself a new guise, that of a simple man.

As **Halbrand**, Sauron deceived Galadriel into aiding him confront Adar and reaching the famed Celebrimbor in Eregion. Under this fair-seeming wise shape of a giver of gifts, he taught the smith and his apprentices the arts of many crafts and forging together the Rings of Power, which would then be then bestowed upon the wisest, noblest and strongest of Men, Elves and Dwarves - but he had fooled them all, for in secret he would fashion for himself the One Ring to suborn all the others. When Galadriel learned his true nature, Sauron attempted to seduce her into becoming his queen and he her king and together rule all; after Galadriel refused his advances, Sauron flew from Eregion to Mordor, to reclaim his Orc armies from Adar. The Nine Kings of Men were the easiest to succumb to the corruptive nature of his boon, the Rings, and became his most terrible of servants: the Nazgûl. Denied the lordship he coveted, the Enemy contrived to rule the denizens of Middle-earth through fear if it could avail and marched forth his massive armies for conquest, wishing for his growing empire to engulf Númenor and perhaps even Valinor beyond the Great Sea. The Last Alliance's brave stand and the sacrifice of the High-Kings Gil-galad and Elendil, however, left the Dark Lord Sauron bereft of the One Ring he had poured so much of his innate might into, breaking his weakened corporeal visage and forcing his spirit to flee into the far East.

Though believed to have been defeated, the Enemy in time regained much of his strength of old, enough to cast again his Shadow over Middle-earth and to wake wicked things in every corner of the land. Moving to the ruined fortress of Dol Guldur in southern Mirkwood as the mysterious **Necromancer**, the Dark Lord used his harbingers, among them the Witch-king of Angmar, to sap or destroy his waning adversaries, such as Arnor, the Woodland Realm, the Dwarven mansions and Gondor. By the time Erebor had been taken, Sauron schemed to reclaim his former bases of power, lay waste to his main opposition and dominate all of the North by means of both the legions headed by his Orc champion, Azog, and the allied Dragon Smaug's destructive capabilities. The Wizard Gandalf's careful interventions prevented Sauron the Necromancer from successfully setting in motion this dreaded chain-of-events and so the Dark Lord escaped from the White Council back into the East, before returning to his former domain in Mordor.

His preparations for war already unfolding, it did not take long for him to declare himself openly once more. Through the Palantir in his possession, the Dark Lord Sauron was able to coerce the corrupted Wizard Saruman into a capable, yet faithless, puppet that would sap the kingdom of Rohan's strength until it would fall to its knees before him. Having reassembled the bulk of his legions, the ancient Enemy of the Free Peoples of Middle-earth directed these unfathomable forces through his chief agents against the lands of Rohan, Gondor, Erebor, Dale, Lothlórien and the Woodland Realm, while also searching for the One Ring. Though deprived of some of his primary servants and suffering a few defeats, the Dark Lord was still close to achieving decisive victory over the Free Peoples. However, in the hour of apparent despair when triumph for the Darkness seemed all but assured, the Ring was cast into the fires from whence it came. At last, Sauron was permanently maimed, unable to manifest physically in the world anymore, and so his spirit was banished to the timeless Void to gnaw on its own sleepless impotent malice; not unlike Morgoth before him.

## Background

### Origins

Sauron was originally a Maia (angelic spirit) called **Mairon** who fell under the influence of the first Dark Lord, the fallen Vala Melkor who was cruelly nicknamed Morgoth. Sauron was stronger than many of the other Maiar, including Olorin (Gandalf) and Curumo, or Saruman, who was akin to Sauron in that they were originally associated with the Vala Aulë.

It was only when Morgoth established his strongholds in Middle-earth that Mairon left Valinor and openly declared his allegiance, thence becoming a recognized foe of the Valar and the Free Peoples of Middle-earth.

### First Age

In the First Age, Sauron served as a lieutenant of Morgoth, conquering the fortress of Minas Tirith and turning it into a stronghold of Werewolves, Tol-in-Guarhoth. Sauron himself was known as a sorcerer, hunter and could shapeshift into a werewolf and vampire bat himself. He was banished by Lúthien to Taur-nu-Fuin, which became a dark forest land, and eventually escaped the cataclysm of Beleriand.

Sauron repented his evil deeds in fear of the wrath of the Valar. He was then ordered to return to Valinor and receive the judgement of the Valar. Sauron was not willing to suffer such humiliation and so he fled and hid himself in the far east of Middle-earth.

## Under the Alias of Annatar

### The Second Age

By the S.A. 500, Sauron decided that the Valar had forgotten about Middle-earth and he once again turned to evil continued his master's work; many Men in East and South, already corrupted by Morgoth, turned to evil following him.

In SA 882, Gil-galad sensed a shadow rising and warned the King of Numenor accordingly. In the year 1000 of the Second Age, Sauron settled in Mordor and began construction on his dark tower, Barad-dûr.

In SA 1075 he appeared in his fair, humanoid form as Annatar, Lord of Gifts, and came into contact of the High Elves. Galadriel, Cirdan, Elrond and Gil-galad didn't trust him, although they didn't know who he truly was.

Thirsty for knowledge, Celebrimbor put his faith in Annatar, admitting him into his craftsmen guild in his realm of Eregion.

### The Forging of the Great Rings

Annatar made the smiths of Eregion forge Rings of Power in SA 1500. He personally helped forge 15 or 16 of them, of which nine were given to kings of Men (Numenorean lords settled in Middle-earth, as well as lords of Harad, Forod and Rhun) and seven given to the Dwarf Lords.

Celebrimbor made three Rings for the Elves, and in SA 1600 Sauron anonymously made the One Ring, infused with his own blood, in the fires of Mount Doom.

Through it, he achieved control over the owners of the Nine, who became the Ringwraiths, and began driving the Elves back. He was unable to enter the nearby Dwarvish realm of Moria, but he did capture two of the Dwarven Rings, probably from the Dwarf Lords in the Mountains of the East. The Dark Days of Sauron's dominion began.

## The Dark Days

### War with the Elves

Sauron sacked Eregion and captured Celebrimbor, who would not surrender the location of the Elven Rings. Sauron put him to death and desecrated his body. Gil-galad declared war on the Dark Lord, and Elrond his warlord established a forward outpost in Rivendell, into which refugees of Eregion came. Help soon arrived from Numenor to drive Sauron back, and his army was defeated near the Sarn Ford and withdrew to Tharbad where he was reinforced. But the Númenórean admiral Ciryatur had sent a fleet up the river Gwathló and Sauron's army was attacked in the rear and utterly defeated. The Dark Lord fled back to Mordor, but maintained control over Anorien, Harad and much of Rhun.

### In Numenor

Eventually, Sauron's forces were routed by a huge assault of Numenorean ships under Ar-Pharazon, the greatest but most vain king. Sauron, still in his fair guise, surrendered and was taken prisoner to the island, where he began poisoning the mind of the king with promises of power and immortality.

Eventually, he became free and took the position of advisor, making the King hunt those faithful to the Elves, forsaking the rituals of Numenor and even initiate human sacrifice in honor of Morgoth. Finally, Ar-Pharazon was compelled to assault Valinor by force with his ships, being led by Sauron to believe such a deed would grant him immortality.

Instead, it resulted in the Valar calling upon Eru to bend the world into a sphere, which resulted in a cataclysm that drowned Ar Pharazon's forces and the island itself. Sauron's body was destroyed, but his spirit was not diminished, and he fled back to Mordor bearing the Ring, where he slowly rebuilt a new body and his strength during the time known as the Dark Years. From this point on, he lost the ability to assume a fair shape, and ruled now through terror and force. Sauron's spirit survived, but his fair physical form was ruined and he reappeared in Middle-earth as a misshapen, burnt figure, usually covered by his armor. He reclaimed his Ring and the Dark Days continued.

### The Last Alliance

Several of the Faithful, led by Elendil, evaded Sauron's grasp and managed to sail to Middle-earth ahead of the cataclysm, bearing with them the Palantiri. They established the realms of Arnor in the North, and Gondor in the South, right beside Sauron's realm of Mordor. They allied themselves with Gil-galad and Oropher and set out to war against the armies of Mordor. The Elven Kings Oropher and Amorth are slain in this war, succeeded by Thranduil and Galadriel.

In the Battle of Dagorlad, they faced Sauron himself. His touch torched Gil-galad and brought an end to the line of the High Kings of the Noldor, and he slew Elendil with his mace, and broke his sword Narsil. He would have killed Elendil's son Isildur with his hot touch, but Isildur used the shards of Narsil to cut the Ring off his hand, which caused Sauron's already ruined form to disintegrate. His campaign to defeat the Free Peoples had seemingly failed, with his greatest weapon having been taken from him. Sauron's Ring is claimed by Isildur, who refuses to destroy it at Mount Doom, and when he's killed by renegade Orcs, the Ring is lost to the depths of the Anduin.

In the Third Age that ensued, Sauron's spirit remained incorporeal, but his much of his forces (Orcs, Trolls and Wargs) remained at large, and his nine Ringwraiths soon reappeared. While Sauron continued to gather his strength, the Ringwraiths reappeared in the year TA 1300, and began steadily assaulting the Númenórean kingdoms in exile, ultimately destroying the North Kingdom of Arnor and gravely weakening the South Kingdom of Gondor. They set some of the people of Harad and Rhun against the Free Peoples of Middle-earth, conquered the Gondorian city of Minas Ithil near Mordor, and their leader the Witch King established the Kingdom of Angmar which harassed and ultimately destroyed the realm of Arnor. The defeat of Angmar ushered in the Watchful Peace, but Maiar in the form of old Wizards were sent to Middle-earth to guard against Sauron's possible return, and with them Galadriel established the White Council to guard against the possible return of Sauron.

The evil of Angmar causes the Ring to be found by Stoor Riverfolk, and Gollum takes it into the Misty Mountains, which later become infested with Orcs and Goblins from Angmar, who overrun Moria, as well. The Dwarves who fled Moria into the Grey Mountains and Erebor are later driven out by dragons, resulting in the loss of four more Rings, and the Sack of Erebor by the dragon Smaug.

### *The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power*

Sauron is the main antagonist of the series. He appears briefly in the series' prologue as a tall, armored figure, and is responsible for the death of Galadriel's elder brother Finrod, who had attempted to seek him out following the Dagor Bragollach. Galadriel refuses to believe Sauron is truly gone, and takes on her brother's mission, both to avenge him and to find the Dark Lord, her only lead a sigil Sauron cut into Finrod's body. Galadriel laters discovers the sigil to be in fact a stylized map of the Southlands, perceiving Sauron plans to make it his stronghold.

Sauron took on the identity of "**Halbrand**" sometime after being struck down by Adar, who had become disillusioned with Sauron's cruelty towards the race of Orcs. At some point afterwards, he took an insignia bearing the mark of the King of the Southlands from a dead man, perhaps the last such king.

Posing as a simple man fleeing from Orc attacks, he came to be on a raft in the Sundering Seas, with Abigail, Eamon, and others. It is here that he encounters the Elf Galadriel, who was swimming eastward to Middle-earth, shortly before the sea-serpent that had destroyed their ship returns and assails them. Sauron stays afloat by separating a section of raft from the others, who perish, and brings Galadriel on board, though he withholds his own story. In a storm that rolls in soon afterwards, Galadriel is dragged under by a weighted line, but Sauron dives in and rescues her. Exhausted by the strain, the two drift until found by a Númenórean ship commanded by Elendil.

Elendil brings them back to Númenor's capital of Armenelos and presents them to Queen-regent Míriel. Galadriel demands passage back to Middle-earth and nearly causes hostilities before Sauron intervenes and brokers an agreement for time to be taken before a decision. Sauron afterwards cautions Galadriel against causing any more disturbances. He soon causes his own disturbance, however, by provoking the guildsman Tamar and several of his friends by attempting to steal Tamar's guild badge, which Sauron desires to be able to gain working access to a blacksmith's shop. Tamar begins to physically attack Sauron, but is taken aback when Sauron retaliates, violently taking out Tamar and his fellows and leaving them seriously injured. Sauron allows himself to be arrested and thrown into prison for his actions.

Galadriel soon visits him in prison and chastises him for his deeds, though she also reveals a document recovered from Númenor's Hall of Lore, which identifies the insignia he wears as the symbol of the rightful ruler of the Southlands. Sauron states he found the insignia on a dead man, though Galadriel still believes him to be the rightful ruler. Eventually, after Galadriel succeeds in persuading Míriel to send an army to the Southlands to oppose Adar, Sauron is released from captivity and starts working as a blacksmith. Galadriel finally convinces Sauron to join the Númenórean expedition to Middle-earth after retelling her battles and losses.

Upon reaching Middle-earth and sailing up the Anduin to the margins of the Southlands, the Númenórean cavalry ride across the Ephel Dúath to Tirharad, where its inhabitants are heavily beleaguered by Adar's troops. Though the Númenóreans make quick work of the Orcs, Adar flees on horseback carrying what is believed to be a dark sword-hilt forged by Morgoth, that Adar had been seeking. Galadriel and Sauron pursue Adar through the nearby forest, until Sauron dismounts him and would have killed him, seeking revenge, before being stopped by Galadriel. After Galadriel questions Adar after putting him in shackles, "Halbrand" is introduced by Míriel to the villagers of Tirharad as the rightful king of the Southlands. The people gladly accept him, but shortly after are shocked when Orodruin suddenly erupts. In the ensuing chaos, Sauron receives a serious wound to his abdomen, and is brought to the Númenóreans' camp with the other Southlander refugees. Upon Galadriel's return, she determines his wound requires Elvish healing, and though he declares his intent to stay and fight for the Southlands, he accompanies Galadriel on horseback to Eregion.

In Ost-in-Edhil, he soon recovers from his injury and discovers Celebrimbor's forge, wherein he meets the Master-smith himself and learns of the mithril fragment. He suggests the idea of an alloy to amplify the effects of the precious metal, and soon gains Celebrimbor's trust. Galadriel, however, is suspicious, after hearing Celebrimbor repeat phrases associated with the Dark Lord. After uncovering a document showing the line of Southland kings had been broken a thousand years before, Galadriel confronted Sauron, who effortlessly blocked her dagger attacks then entered her mind and so attempted to sway her to his side through a vision by claiming he desired to heal Middle-earth. She rejected his offer, and Sauron fled Eregion before the other Elves learnt of his identity. Galadriel did not tell Celebrimbor so that he would continue in forging the Three Rings, though Elrond discovered the truth on his own, from the document she had discovered. Sauron, meanwhile, through unknown means, had returned to the newly-named land of Mordor.

## Reappearance as the Necromancer

In TA 2940, Sauron privately reappeared and joined forces with Smaug and with the chiefs of the Gundabad Orcs of the Misty Mountains, Azog and his son Bolg. Azog payed homage to Sauron and gave him Thror's Ring, the last of the Seven, which he captured from Thráin II at the Battle of Moria a hundred years prior. Sauron released the Ringwraiths from their entombment in the High Fells of Rhudaur.

With Azog as his champion, he wanted to re-establish the realm of Angmar, with which he could attack the Elven realms of Greenwood, Lorien, Rivendell and Lindon, and hold the Dwarves of the Iron Hills at bay. This, he reasoned, would leave the Mannish realms of Gondor and Rohan isolated when he himself returned to Mordor.

To do so, he settled in the ruined, abandoned fortress of Dol Guldur and summoned Moria Orcs and Wargs to its cesspits. He intended to begin his plan by taking Erebor, expanding Angmar's domain further east and cornering the people of Rhovanion. This would also give him access to the riches of Erebor and allow him to unleash Smaug on the nearby realms.

Azog, he reasoned, would be his champion, but the Orc for his part simply wanted vengeance upon Thorin Oakenshield who humiliated him in the Battle of Moria and had since gone to the Blue Mountains. The Necromancer promised him Thorin's head.

Sauron's presence cast a shadow over the world, particularly around Greenwood where Dol Guldur was positioned. The forest grew sick and dark, and the woodsmen who lived there began calling it Mirkwood, and identified Sauron as the Necromancer, a human sorcerer.

Sauron bred giant Spiders of the spawn of Ungoliant (through Shelob) in the ruins of Dol Guldur, and they were spotted in Rhosgobel in the South of Mirkwood, the home of Radagast the Brown, one of the Five Wizards.

Finding this act suspicious, the Brown wizard goes to investigate Dol Guldur before he is attacked by the resurrected Witch King. Radagast averted the attack and seized the specter's dagger, the Morgul Blade. Radagast later sees the Necromancer from the shadows, but immediately leaves, barely escaping with his life from the Bats which reside in the fort, and set out to find Gandalf.

Sauron's influence extended beyond the Misty Mountains, where Trolls came down from the Ettenmoors and raided a farm on the outskirts of Staddle. This, along with spies of Azog sent to locate Thorin, aroused the suspicion of Gandalf the Grey Wizard just as Radagast came to warn him and gave him the Morgul Blade as proof.

At this point, the Orc Yazneg began hunting Thorin and Company (with whom Gandalf was with) in the name of Azog, partially out of vengeance and partially because Sauron wanted to stop them from reclaiming Erebor or slaying the dragon.

When the company arrived in Rivendell, Gandalf took his case to the White Council. Saruman and Elrond were skeptical, saying that an isolated Orc attack and Troll infestation are "hardly a prelude to war", but Galadriel believed Gandalf - saying that "something moves in the shadows unseen" and that "every day it grows in strength" - and the reveal of the Morgul Blade started convincing Elrond as well.

Sauron's evil drew the Ring out of its hiding with Gollum under the Misty Mountains. It intentionally fell out of Gollum's pocket in order to be acquired by a Goblin imp who fell into his cavern, but Gollum killed the Goblin. Bilbo, a Hobbit and a member of Thorin's company, was captured by the Goblins and fell with the imp, ends up taking the Ring, which he manages to keep a secret of all but Gollum (whom he evades) and Gandalf.

Sauron tells Azog to stay in Dol Guldur and ready the army, and the Orc sends his son Bolg after the company in his own stead. Beorn helps keep them off of the company's back, telling Gandalf that Orcs infest the Anduin Vales and that Moria Orcs are gathering in Dol Guldur. As the company enters Mirkwood, Gandalf sees the sign of the Red Eye (being Sauron's banner) which compels him to go and investigate the High Fells which he finds open from the inside.

Gandalf sets for Dol Guldur, and asks Radagast to summon Galadriel. He discovered Thrain lost in Dol Guldur, as well as the hidden Orc armies in the cesspits, but is confronted by Azog and finally by Sauron himself. Gandalf is unable to save Thrain, but fends Sauron off before he is revealed in his true form and identity.

Sauron has informed Smaug of the company's approach, but when Bolg tracks the Dwarves to Laketown he sends messengers to inform Sauron that Thorin had already left for Erebor. In turn, Sauron unleashes his army which marches towards the mountain under Azog's leadership.

## The War of the Ring

Sauron keeps Gandalf imprisoned, hoping to draw the keepers of the other two Elven Rings to him. He retrieves the Morgul Blade from him, and his Orc Dungeon Keeper nearly harvests the Elven Ring of Fire from the wizard when Galadriel shows up. She is cornered by the Nazgul, but Elrond and Saruman show up to her aid, and Radagast retrieves Gandalf.

After the Nine are defeated, Sauron appears himself, but is banished by Galadriel who appears in wrath and uses her phial. Her power is spent (and the High Elves begin their retreat from Middle-earth) but Sauron is banished into the East. Elrond suggests that he will likely return to Mordor, and tells Saruman to warn Gondor to reset their watch on the Dark Land. The Wizard reassures him and tells him to take Galadriel back to her country and leave Sauron to him.

Meanwhile, Sauron's army (reinforced by Bolg's Gundabad army) arrives at the mountain but is held back by the armies of Dale and the Woodland Realm (which have gathered there to besiege Thorin in Erebor for the sake of earning remunerations from his hoard) and of the Iron Hills (sent to Thorin's aid). Azog risks the course of the battle to draw Thorin out, and is defeated by the dwarf (who is dealt a mortal wound) and Legolas slays Bolg, while the Gundabad Army is defeated by the Eagles and Beorn, summoned by Radagast.

In the ensuing years, Gandalf left to deal with Sauron (namely through joining in with the Dunedain led by Aragorn) and Saruman settled in Isengard, near Gondor, to keep an eye on Mordor. He retrieved a Palantir from Dol Guldur, but when he used it to track Sauron, he was ensnared by the Dark Lord who held the Palantir of Minas Ithil. Another user of the Palantiri to be driven mad by Sauron was Denethor, steward of Gondor. The reappearance of Sauron compelled the High Elves to begin leaving Middle-earth.

Sauron reclaimed Mordor and began reconstructing Barad-dur, and the Nazgul returned to Minas Morgul. He captured Gollum (who left his cave to search the Ring) and learned that the Ring was found and taken by "Baggins" to the "Shire". He sent the Nine to find it, while launching an attack on the ruined city of Osgiliath as a distraction, conquering the city before Boromir, son of Denethor, retrieved it. He tasked Saruman with building a second Orc army, which he would unleash against Rohan.

Umbar supported the Haradrim who claimed Harondor, although this had long "been a debatable land between the Corsairs and the Kings", and when Sauron declared himself openly, Umbar declared its allegiance to him, and the great monument commemorating Ar-Pharazon's triumph at Umbar was thrown down.

Meanwhile, the Ringwraiths menace the Ring-bearer, Frodo Baggins, but Aragorn heir of Elendil gets him to safety in Rivendell, where its decided he will take the Ring to Mount Doom and destroy it.

Sauron began calling upon the Haradrim and Easterlings who came to Mordor, and once such force was raided by the Rangers of Ithilien led by Faramir, Boromir's brother. A Corsair fleet was on route to Harlond, after taking Pelargir, with the intention of aiding the forces of Mordor in the battle, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and the Army of the Dead, drove the Corsairs off, capturing their ships and rowing them to Minas Tirith to relieve the siege of the city. Sauron, seeking the Ring, later launched another attack on Osgiliath while Saruman besieged Helm's Deep. When the Ring (carried by Frodo and Sam) was removed from the city, he withdrew his attack. He thinks the Ring is in Gondor.

In Rohan, Aragorn washes up on the riverbank and is nudged awake by the horse Brego, which formerly belonged to Théodred, and which Aragorn had set free before leaving Edoras. On the verge of collapse, he wills his horse to take him to Helm's Deep, passing Saruman's army of Uruk-hai on the way. The defeat at Helm's Deep informed Sauron of the resurgence of the heir of Elendil, and troubled him with the prospect of the Free People of Middle-earth uniting against him. He decided to accelerate his plan to raze the Gondorian capital of Minas Tirith. Meanwhile, he also launched assaults against Lorien, the Woodland Realm and Dale, which were repelled.

Sauron is revealed to Pippin through the Palantir captured from the defeated Saruman, thinking he is the Hobbit who has the Ring. Pippin, however, has a glimpse into Sauron's mind, alerting the others of the Dark Lord's plan to destroy Minas Tirith. The Dark Lord's forces besiege the city, but are held back by its defenders, temporarily routed by the arrival of the Rohirrim and finally defeated by Aragorn who summons the Dead Men of Dunharrow. He is then confronted by Aragorn through Denethor's Palantir, shown the reforged Narsil. His evil adversely affects Elrond's daughter Arwen, whom he shows to Aragorn, her lover, as if she were dead.

Meanwhile, Frodo the Ring-bearer is captured on the borders of his land in Cirith Ungol. While he is rescued by his friend Samwise, his Orc captor, Shagrat, escapes with Frodo's Mithril Vest which he brings to Barad Dur. Sauron has him killed, but assumes that Frodo is just a spy. He sends the Vest with his messenger, the Mouth of Sauron, to dismay Gandalf with the idea that Frodo had died. His Eye nearly spots Frodo as he and Sam pass near Barad-dur, but when Aragorn slays the Mouth, it draws Sauron's attention to him instead. He contacts Aragorn psychically, but is unable to sway his mind and a battle ensues at the Black Gate.

Only when Frodo claims the Ring in the Crack of Doom does Sauron sense the Ring's presence and perceives Gandalf's plan to destroy the Ring. He sends the Nazgul to it, but it is destroyed when it falls into the lava with Gollum, and Sauron is finally defeated.

## Appearance

### Physical form

At first Sauron appeared as a royal and commanding figure in a strong body. He was also able to veil his power and change his shape. Later however he could take only a terrible form, of a stature slightly greater than a Man's, "an image of malice and hatred made visible; and the Eye of Sauron the Terrible few could endure." Isildur recounted that at the Siege of Barad-dûr, Sauron's hand was black with a deadly burning touch. Gollum will also call him "Black Hand", noticing he only had four fingers after Isildur cut one off.

### Eye of Sauron

The **Eye of Sauron**, called by various names, was the symbol of **Sauron** the Dark Lord following the loss of the One Ring. This symbol was adopted to show his unceasing vigilance and piercing perception, and was displayed on the weaponry of his servants, or at least the orcs.

Sauron's Eye as Frodo sees it in the Mirror of Galadriel is the only feature of his later form described in detail. It is yellow and rimmed with fire, with a slit pupil, "a window into nothing." The color is compared to that of a cat's eye, but because of the references to Sauron's Lidless Eye, it may also resemble that of a snake, such as an adder. Readers differ as to whether Sauron's eyes were literally lidless and resembled what Frodo saw, or instead the Eye was only a symbol that Frodo saw in the Mirror in an elaborate form.

## Weapons

* **Mace** - A powerful Black Mace that Sauron uses in his physical form. It can blast back and kill several opponents at once.
* **Second Mace -** A weapon Sauron uses and has possibly conjured with black magic following his return.
* **One Ring** - the one ring enhances his great power over the earth. It also gives him control over the other rings, allowing him to possess anyone who wears the lesser rings, such as the Nazgul.

## Powers and abilities

Sauron is incredibly strong, once the most powerful being in all of Middle-earth. While much of his power was lost when the One Ring was taken from him, Sauron still remained a powerful and dangerous foe throughout the Third Age. Like Saruman he had a command over the substances of the earth, namely fire and rock. But he had darker powers that likely came from his master Morgoth, such as darkness and mind control. He was also skilled at forging, being the only one who knew how to create rings of power.

Among Sauron's chief powers were deception and disguise: In the First Age Sauron took on many forms. During his battle against Luthien and Huan*,* he took on no less than four separate shapes: his "normal" shape, (some kind of terrible dark sorcerer), a great wolf, a serpent, and finally a vampire "dripping blood from his throat upon the trees".

Centuries later, Sauron was able to deceive the Numenoreans and steer them directly to their own destruction under promises of eternal life. Such destruction is a testament to Sauron's manipulative nature and ability to twist the perceptions of his enemies.

* **Power over fire** - Sauron raises a wall of flames to craft the One Ring. Sauron also launches flames to destroy Gandalf's staff. The flames can physically break through solid stone.
* **Power over the earth** - Sauron has the power to cause earthquakes. Mount Doom also erupts at his will. Additionally Sauron uses the ash cloud from Mount Doom to blanket the land in darkness.
* **Darkness** - revealed as a black mist, it is strong enough to tear apart stone structures
* **Kinetic blast** - In his physical form, a strike from Sauron's mace sends out a discharge of energy, blasting away scores of Elves and Men.
* **Immense strength** - a single blow from Sauron is enough to kill Elendil. Sauron also stomps on his blade, which shatters into pieces.
* **Mind control** - Sauron excels in dominating other minds. Whether by force or possession, he can enslave someone to his will. A good example include the Ringwraiths. Sauron can also spiritually torment individuals, such as he did with Pippin through the Palantir. Aragorn briefly fell under a trance as the Eye glared at him, although he broke free of it. This power is more concentrated through the rings, which he created as a lens to focus his mind control over other individuals.
* **Smith craft** - Sauron is arguably the greatest craftsman in the land. He forged the One Ring, which was more powerful than all the other rings. Not only did it enhance his own might, but it bound all the other rings to it. Other great constructions include his armor and the mighty tower of Barad-dur, which could not be destroyed unless the One Ring itself was unmade. He also masterminded the construction of Grond, the mighty battering ram which broke the gates of Minas Tirith
* **Illusions** - Sauron was able to cast a powerful spell of concealment over Dol Guldur. The spell is so great that anyone affected by the spell is rendered invisible to all intruders.
* **Necromancy** - Sauron is able to summon the spirits of the dead. Even though the Nazgul's bodies were slain, Sauron was able to recall their spirits from beyond the grave.
* **Aura of Fear** - In his physical form, Elrond and Isildur were alarmed by his presence. When he spied Frodo from his tower, Frodo collapsed under the glare of the Eye. Whenever Frodo encounters the Eye he is terrified. Pippin was also afraid as he encountered Sauron through the Palantir.

## Character

Sauron represents as near an approach to the wholly evil will as is possible. He had gone the way of all tyrants: beginning well, at least on the level that while desiring to order all things according to his own wisdom he still at first considered the (economic) well-being of other inhabitants of the Earth. But he went further than human tyrants in pride and the lust for domination, being in origin an immortal (angelic) spirit. Sauron desired to be a God-King, and was held to be this by his servants, by a triple treachery. Because of his admiration of strength he had become a follower of Morgoth and fell with him down into the depths of evil, becoming his chief agent in Middle-earth. When Morgoth was defeated by the Valar finally he forsook his allegiance; but out of fear only; he did not present himself to the Valar or sue for pardon, and remained in Middle-earth. When he found how greatly his knowledge was admired by all other rational creatures and how easy it was to influence them, his pride became boundless.

## Other names

**Gorthaur** was a name used of Sauron by the Sindar during the First Age, meaning "Terrible Dread". The Quenya equivalent was **Ñorsus**.

It is said that Sauron's original name was **Mairon**, but this was altered after he was suborned by Melkor. He continued to call himself Mairon the Admirable, or **Tar-Mairon** ("King Excellent"), until after Númenor's downfall, although he could not use that name in Númenor, as it was a Quenya name with royal implications. There he was called **Zigûr**, meaning "Wizard" in Adûnaic.

**Annatar** is Quenya for "Lord of Gifts". It can be noticed that Morgoth used a similar name when he seduced the first Men: "Giver of Gifts". In an isolated note, Tolkien gives other names used by Sauron when he seduced the Elves in the Second Age: **Artano** and **Aulendil**

Among his many titles and epithets were:

* The **Base Master of Treachery**, used once by Gandalf to explain why the Mouth of Sauron should not be trusted.
* The **Black One**, used once by Gollum.
* The **Black Hand**, used twice by Gollum.
* The **Black Master**, used by Isildur when cursing Sauron's former servants, the Oathbreakers.
* The **Dark Lord**, given by the Free Peoples after he rose in the Second Age.
* The **Dark Power**
* The **Deceiver**, given by Amandil before departing to ask the Valar deliverance from Sauron's corruption.
* The **Enemy**, given by the Free Peoples after he rose in the Second Age.
* The **One Enemy**, used once by Frodo Baggins.
* The **Great**, following the name of *Sauron*, it is only used once by Gandalf, once by Glóin, and once by the Mouth of Sauron.
* **King of Kings**, given by himself when he rose in the Second Age, enraging Ar-Pharazôn.
* **Lord of the Earth**, given by himself when he rose in the Second Age.
* **King of Men**, given by himself when he rose in the Second Age, enraging Ar-Pharazôn.
* **Lord of the World**, given by himself when he rose in the Second Age, enraging Ar-Pharazôn.
* The **Necromancer**, used during his rule in Dol Guldur when his identity was unknown.
* The **Nameless**, probably given by the people of Gondor, as it is only used by Boromir as **Nameless Enemy**, by Faramir as **Nameless One**, and by the watchmen of Gondor.
* The **Lord of the Ring** or **Lord of the Rings**.
* The **Ring-maker**.
* The **Ruler**, used once by Saruman during his confrontation with Gandalf.
* The **Shadow**, not properly given to him, but to his power when he expanded it in the Third Age.
* The **Sorcerer**, used during his rule in Dol Guldur when his identity was unknown.

## Minions and allies

* Thuringwethil- Vampire Herald
* Draugluin- First of the Werewolves of Angband
* The Witch-king of Angmar - Lord of the Nazgûl, deadliest servant; vanquished by Éowyn and Merry
* Khamûl - Lieutenant of Dol Guldur, second only to the Witch-king among the Nazgûl
* Other 7 Nazgûl - Most terrible of his servants; perished with the One Ring
* Ar-Pharazôn - King of Numenor, rival-turned-puppet, coerced to the worship of the Darkness
* Herumor - Lord among the Haradrim
* Fuinur - Chief among the Haradrim
* The King of the Dead - King of the Oathbreakers, former servant bound to the Heir of Isildur
* Saruman - Lord of Isengard, fallen White Wizard and duplicitous servant
* Squint-eyed Southerner - Dunlending spy at the Prancing Pony Inn
* Bill Ferny - Outlaw of Bree-land
* Grishnákh - Orc captain of the Dark Tower, slain by the Riders of Rohan
* The Mouth of Sauron - Lieutenant of the Dark Tower and Messenger
* Gothmog - Lieutenant of Morgul
* Gorbag - Captain of the Orcs of Morgul that captured Frodo Baggins
* Shagrat - Captain of Cirith Ungol
* Muzgash - Orc guard at Cirith Ungol
* Lagduf - Orc soldier stationed at Cirith Ungol
* Radbug - Orc of Cirith Ungol
* Snaga - Torturer of Cirith Ungol
* Ufthak - Orc subordinate of Shagrat, caught by Shelob in her webs
* Shelob - Descendant of Ungoliant and guardian of the pass through Mordor
* The Two Watchers - Statues inhabited by evil spirits