Sauron
- For other uses of this name, see Sauron (disambiguation).
Sauron is a male literary character who features in Lord of the Rings.
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Biography
Sauron was a Maia spirit and perhaps the greatest of his kind, Sauron took part in the creation of the world and descended down to Valinor, where he was an apprentice to the Valar Aule and learned the ways of the forge. Eventually, he was corrupted and became the chief servant and lieutenant of the Dark Lord Morgoth, commanding the fortress Angband where he became a great sorcerer. His actions led the elves to give him the names Sauron (the Abhorred) and Gothnaur (the Cruel). Little is known of Sauron's actions in this age. What is known is that he overcame the elf Finrod, and in the form of a great werewolf battled Huan and was defeated, fleeing in the form of a vampire.
Suffice it to say that he survived the great defeat of Morgoth. Sauron submitted to Eonwe and repented, but refused to return to Aman to be judged by the Valar and hid himself in Middle-Earth. In the Second Age, Sauron revealed himself and had gathered enough power to became the new Dark Lord. Sauron established his domain in the land of Mordor and built his immense palace, Barad-dur, as his base of operations. Through these Dark Years, Sauron corrupted many races of Men. His goal was to conquer Middle-Earth and eventually the rest of the world.
In an effort to accomplish this goal, Sauron appeared in fair guise to the High Elves of Eregion. Under the name Annatar (the Lord of Gifts), he worked with them in the forging of the Rings of Power. Three Rings for the Elven Kings, Seven for the Dwarf Lords, and Nine for mortal men by which Sauron hoped to ensnare the Free Peoples. Sauron himself forged the One Ring to rule them all, deep in the fires of Mount Doom, and into this Ring he poured his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life. Using the One, he was able to complete the foundations of Barad-dur.
The elves learned of his scheme and removed their Rings before they were dominated by Sauron's will, but the nine human kings were corrupted and transformed into the Nazgul. With Sauron's treachery discovered, he resorted to force and began a war which destroyed Eregion. Sauron had gathered many creatures of Morgoth to his armies and converted many to the worship of Morgoth. In his pride, Sauron claimed the title King of Men, which drew the ire of the Kings of the great land of Numenor. The Numenoreans invaded Middle-Earth and marched on Mordor. Knowing he was facing superior forces, Sauron willfully surrendered himself and was taken back to Numenor as a prisoner.
Sauron soon managed to install himself as the direct advisor to the king of Numenor, Ar-Pharazon, and established many temples to Morgoth where those who did not convert were sacrificed. Playing on the Numenoreans' fear of death, Sauron convinced Ar-Pharazon to seize immortality by sending a great fleet to the lands of the Valinor itself. Upon the landing of the first troops in their land, the Valar called on Illuvatar to send great tidal waves which destroyed Numenor, sinking it to the bottom of the sea and killing all that lived there. Sauron's body was destroyed, but his spirit rose from the sea and travelled back to Middle-Earth, carrying the One Ring with him.
Sauron returned to Mordor and marshaled his forces, deciding to attack Gondor (which was ruled by Elendil, one of the leaders of the men of Numenor who refused to bow to Morgoth), taking Minas Ithil. Elendil united with Gil-galad and the two led a Last Alliance of Men and Elves on Mordor. On the slopes of Mount Doom, Sauron faced the Last Alliance and slew both Elendil and Gil-galad, but was struck down by Elendil's son, Isildur, who took the One Ring. Though advised by Elrond Halfelven to destroy the Ring, Isildur kept it. Thus, Sauron was not completely vanquished.
Sauron spent years without shape wandering Middle-Earth, until he at last took form in the Mirkwood Forest and established a base in the tower of Dol-Gulder, taking on the alias of the Necromancer. Sauron was cautious for many years, his plans being two-fold: to weaken the Dunedain kingdoms without provoking massive retaliation and to recover the Ring. He sent the Lord of the Nazgul to the North, where he founded Angmar, became known as the Witch-King of Angmar and attacked the Dunedain. In the South, Sauron stirred up the Haradrim and the Easterlings against Gondor. From Mirkwood he planned to attack Rivendell, but was driven away by forces led by Gandalf the Grey and Elrond.
Sauron soon returned to Mordor, gathering his forces of orcs, trolls, Haradrim, Easterlings, and other foul creatures, and rebuilding his great tower Barad-dur before declaring himself openly. Eventually, while searching Mordor for the Ring, Sauron captured the creature known as Gollum. After a long period of torture, Sauron learned that the Ring was in the Shire under the care of one named Baggins. He quickly dispatched the Nazgul to search for the Ring and bring it back to him. They failed to do so and returned to Barad-dur, where Sauron gave them new winged mounts and spent most of his time searching for the One Ring, his Eye of Sauron seeing all. He also prepared for war on the elves and Gondor, allying with the traitorous Saruman the White (and corrupting him through his Palantir) and driving Denethor, the Steward of Gondor, mad.
Upon the fall of Isengard, Sauron dispatched all his forces to destroy Gondor and then sweep through Middle-Earth, never realizing that the One Ring was being brought into Mordor itself and straight to Mount Doom. While suffering a defeat at Gondor thanks to the arrival of Aragorn and reinforcements from the south, Sauron was prepared to finally destroy his enemies as they marched to Mordor and certain death. It was at that moment that Frodo Baggins claimed (or rather was claimed by) the One Ring and put it on, rather than cast it into the Cracks of Doom. Sauron's Eye immediately turned towards Mount Doom. Now knowing where the Ring was, and that his fate was hanging by a thread, he quickly pulled back the Nazgul and dispatched them to Mount Doom to take the Ring. However, Gollum interfered and bit the Ring from Frodo's hand, claiming it as his own. While dancing in celebration, Gollum tripped and fell into the firey forge itself, destroying the One Ring. Sauron's forces immediately scattered, and Sauron himself was finally vanquished as Barad-dur fell. After so many millenia, the Dark Lord Sauron was no more.
Overview
Personality and attributes
As a shape changer, he had taken a variety of forms including that of a serpent, a vampire, and a great wolf. After intending to claim Middle-earth, he came to refer to himself as the Lord of the Earth. Settling in Mordor, he came to be referred to as the Lord of Mordor. His enemies came to refer to him as the Dark Lord and named him the Enemy.
He brooked no freedom nor any rivalry.
It was said that he ruled through force and fear.
This caused Sauron's lust and pride to increase until he knew no bounds whereupon he was determined to make himself master of all things in Middle-earth.
Powers and abilities
He was a great teacher in the ways of magic, able to offer training in necromancy and other arts of sorcery.
After becoming the Lord of Mordor, he came to gather all evil things of the days of Morgoth that remained on earth or beneath it. Among them included the Orcs that were at his command and multiplied like flies.
Notes
- Sauron was created by J. R. R. Tolkien where he featured in the setting of Tolkien's Middle-earth universe.
- In the The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien, it was noted about Sauron that, "In my story 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: 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. 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."
In other media
Films
- In The Lord of the Rings: The Fellow of the Ring, Sauron primarily appeared in flashbacks or in whispers during the live-action film where he was voiced by actor Alan Howard.
Video games
Appearances
- The Lord of the Rings:
External Links
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