Sauron

Sauron is the chief antagonist of J R R Tolkien’s legendarium, but his history begins long before The Lord of the Rings. Originally called Mairon, he was a Maia who served the Vala Aulë and valued order, craft, and efficiency. He joined Melkor, later Morgoth, during the First Age, becoming one of his most powerful servants. Sauron survived Morgoth’s defeat at the end of the First Age and returned in the Second Age under the name Annatar, “Lord of Gifts.” He deceived the Elven smiths of Eregion, led by Celebrimbor, and secretly taught them the lore used to make the Rings of Power.

Sauron forged the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor, putting much of his own power into it so that he could dominate the other Rings and their bearers. The Three Rings escaped his direct control, but the Nine rings corrupted Men into the Nazgûl, while the Seven brought ruin or greed to their Dwarven owners. His rising power provoked the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. Gil-galad and Elendil defeated him at the end of the Second Age, though both died in the struggle. Isildur cut the Ring from Sauron’s hand with the broken sword Narsil, but refused to destroy it. This decision allowed Sauron’s spirit to endure, and the Ring was eventually lost in the Anduin when Isildur was ambushed by Orcs near the Gladden Fields.

In the Third Age, Sauron reemerged as a shadow in Dol Guldur, initially identified by Gandalf as the Necromancer. He withdrew to Mordor after the White Council attacked Dol Guldur, but this retreat was strategic. He rebuilt Barad-dûr, gathered Orcs, and allied with Easterlings and Southrons. His armies attacked Gondor and Rohan while he sought the Ring, which Frodo Baggins carried toward Mordor. Sauron never personally appeared in the final confrontation; instead, his will operated through the Eye imagery associated with Barad-dûr and through servants such as the Witch-king of Angmar. His central mistake was assuming that any enemy who possessed the Ring would attempt to use it against him. He therefore overlooked the possibility that Frodo and Samwise Gamgee would destroy it in Mount Doom.

When Gollum bit off Frodo’s finger and fell into the fire, the Ring perished and Sauron’s power collapsed. Tolkien’s letters describe his fall as the corruption of a desire for order: power intended to improve Middle-earth becomes domination, and that domination finally destroys itself.