Powerful Facts About Sauron

Sauron is one of the most famous villains of modern literature and pop culture. He’s been portrayed in books, movies, and in endless Deviantart illustrations. He’s been discussed, dissected, and parodied, but who is he, really? J.R.R.

Tolkien explained a lot more about Sauron than most people probably know, so here are 25 facts that you might not have known about Sauron.


Sauron Facts

25. Only a Humble Servant

Sauron is often called a Dark Lord by the characters of Lord of the Rings. But for those who read the books, they’ll know that at one point, the wizard Gandalf remarks that Sauron is “but a servant or emissary” of evil. In Tolkien’s The Silmarillion, this is taken literally, where Sauron is a servant of Morgoth, the real Dark Lord of Middle-Earth. Later, after Morgoth’s defeat, Sauron even set up a religion around Morgoth’s legacy.

Sauron facts

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), New Line Cinema

24. Awkward Relations

Tolkien put real thought into his world-building when he wrote The Silmarillion. Morgoth is one of the demi-gods of the world, which Tolkien called the Valar. Sauron is in the class of beings right below, called the Maiar. Who else counts as a Maia you might ask? The Balrogs and the monster Ungoliant (most likely) are also Maiar, along with the Five Wizards who were sent to Middle-Earth to help defeat Sauron. Those five wizards include Gandalf and Saruman, who both play significant roles in his story in Lord of the Rings.

Sauron facts

Flickr, Patricia Oliveira

23. Typical Perfectionist

Tolkien made it clear in his writing that Sauron was meant to be an example of total evil, but he didn’t start out that way. His desire for order and perfection led him to seeing that this could be accomplished while serving Morgoth.

Sadly, this led him down that path of corruption that brought him to embracing evil with open arms.

Sauron facts

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), New Line Cinema