Sandbox / Tolkiens Legendarim Sauron

Sauron

The Dark Lord, as illustrated by J. R. R. Tolkien.

The eponymous Lord of the Rings. The lieutenant of Morgoth, the original Dark Lord, Sauron was responsible for much suffering of Elves and Men in the Elder Days. When Morgoth was banished, Sauron ultimately took his place as the second dark Lord. His first plan to rule the world was to teach the Elves to craft magic rings (ultimately the three for the Elves, seven for the Dwarves, and nine for Men). These rings would give each of their bearers great power, but they were also secretly a trap. By creating his own One Ring as an extension of his being he would be able to control each of the other ring bearers, and through them dominate each race. However, the elves were on guard against this evil and the dwarves were too focused on material wealth to be dominated. Sauron made his first bid through force but was routed and his body destroyed (twice). However, his ring anchored him to the physical realm and would allow him to return.

In the narrative, he is simply the Big Bad, an ominous evil presence that grows stronger as the heroes near his realm. If he reclaimed the One Ring, the doom of Middle-Earth would be swift and final. Even without it, he seems poised to win, leaving the destruction of his Ring as the only means of defeating him.

This page covers Sauron's entire history and actions he partook in regarding Middle-earth, hence events in The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings will be mentioned here.

---

#-F

• 0% Approval Rating: It is shown many times that most of his servants despise and hate him, serving him out of a combination of fear, convenience (considering the fact that everyone hates orcs and with good reason and they return the favor, Sauron is their best option), and his sheer will. The Nazgûl are ensnared by his will. Only some men serve Sauron out of genuine loyalty, like the easterlings or Black Numenoreans.
• Abusive Precursors: As much as this can qualify, Morgoth and him are this for the orcs. They "created" them (Morgoth did the main job, Sauron continued the development and growth while Morgoth was imprisoned). And to many of his "creations" too.
• Accidental Truth: He told Ar-Pharazon he would find the secret of eternal life in Valinor. While he was lying, it ended up being true in a way, as Ar-Pharazon got trapped in the caves with his army, and will remain there until the end of the world.
• Achilles' Heel: The One Ring.
• Ambition Is Evil: Sauron started off as a noble Maia who wanted to bring order to what he believed to be a disorderly world, and decided that serving Morgoth was the best opportunity for that. However, his desire to achieve world order began to corrupt him to the point where he only care about dominating all life on Middle-Earth.
• And I Must Scream: His ultimate fate. The destruction of the ring crippled him completely, leaving him nothing but a 'spirit of malice', unable to ever assume physical form or influence anyone or anything ever again. At least until the end of the world, which will be many millennia in the future.
• Antagonist Title: The titular Lord of the Rings.
• Arch-Enemy: Or his main enemies: Beren, Celebrimbor, Gil-Galad, Amandil, Elendil, Isildur, Elrond, Galadriel, Gandalf, Aragorn, Cirdan...
• Arm Chair Military: Most of the times, he is a schemer and a strategist.
• Asshole Victim: Sauron's final defeat is welcomed with joy and glory, relief and happiness from all the free peoples of Middle-earth, having been a constant evil against them since their beginning. And his fate is absolutely deserved.
• Authority Equals Asskicking: A downplayed example since Sauron's greatest strengths were his strategic mind and his magical abilities. Physical prowess was not his specialty; he could hold his own against Elendil and Gil-Galad at the Siege of Barad-dûr, and managed to kill them, but was also defeated. It's a common theme throughout all his appearances in Tolkien's works: Sauron will only engage in physical combat when all other options have been exhausted... and he will almost always lose.
  • Actually this is not entirely accurate. His fight with Huan was lost because of the prophecy (Witch-King, everyone?). His defeat in the war with the Elves is not detailed. And while he did "die" when he wrestled with Elendil and Gil-Galad, he still managed to kill them both (and they both were two of the greatest of their kind, and wielded some of the deadliest weapons ever forged, Narsil and Aeglos). Also, he was still recovering from his last defeat.
  • Even then, he is still the most powerful evil being on the story.
• Ax-Crazy: Downplayed. Sauron has more self-control than Morgoth did and is capable of very long-term planning and scheming, as well of keeping his evil intentions hidden until the last moment. But as said in Morgoth's Ring, Sauron was contaminated by Morgoth's nihilistic desire for destruction and hatred. And by the point of the novel he has become an almost living incarnation of absolute evil (which has eroded a big part of his sanity and blinded him to anything other than an evil and cynical understanding of the world), and many of his actions are pointlessly cruel and sadistic. Adding his paranoia and fear, plus his life-consuming obsession with recovering the Ring, it is not wrong to say that Sauron is quite insane and damaged. Also, he "died" twice, which did not help at all.
• Bad Boss: Downplayed. While he is brutal and unforgiving, Mordor is still efficiently run, and he is pragmatic enough not to kill his servants indiscriminately nor to alienate them too much. Then again, everyone is miserable in Mordor. Not that there are any good people there, other than the slaves brought there against their will.
  • It's also mentioned that he has a tendency to have his orcs fed to Shelob as a form of entertainment.
• Bat Out of Hell: The form he takes to flee Huan and Lúthien is a giant bat-thing.
• Battle in the Center of the Mind: He holds battle of wills with many characters (using the Palantir). Galadriel manages to keep him at bay. Aragorn manages to break the Orthanc's Palantir out of his will. Denethor (using the stone of Minas Tirith) does not bend to the Dark Lord, so Sauron decides to drive him slowly to despair. And he corrupted Saruman and bent the wizard somewhat to his will.
• Beauty Equals Goodness: Enjoys screwing with people's expectations by taking on the form of a raging pretty-boy. Also counts as Beauty Is Bad.
• Big Bad: The moving force behind nearly all evil in The Lord of the Rings.
• Black Speech: Sauron at one time made an artificial language as a way to communicate across his empire and his allies earlier in the backstory. Thousands of years after being killed in the final battle of the Last Alliance and getting a new form, the Nazgûl, Olog-hai, and many Orcs still use it.
• Break the Haughty: When he discovers the ring is in Sammath Nair, and discovers the magnitude of his folly and how he has been deceived, he feels consumed by fury and overwhelmed by absolute terror for the first time in millenniums, knowing his doom hangs by a thread. He completely forgets about anything else and focuses all his will on Mount Doom.
• Breakout Villain: For a guy who originally started as a giant cat, he ended up being the second most important dark power in the whole Legendarium, and effectively the most well known Tolkien villain (with a decades large cultural influence). While Morgoth overshadows Sauron in-universe, Sauron overshadows Morgoth out of universe.
• Broken Pedestal: To Celebrimbor (who, as the last descendant of Feanor bar possibly his uncle Maglor, was really trying to redeem his family's reputation). Appeared to him and his people as Annatar, the Lord of Gifts, taught him much (and received the knowledge of the Noldor in return) — then used that combined lore to create the One Ring, torture Celembrimbor into coughing up the locations of the Nine Rings of Men, and the Seven of the Dwarves, and thhen plunge Middle-Earth into four millennia of darkness and war.
• Came Back Wrong: He succeeded in destroying the Numenoreans by turning them against the god-like Valar and reject the Gift of Men. To say the least, Eru was thoroughly pissed off with Sauron for doing so. Sauron's physical form was destroyed as his creator remade the cosmos. The fallen angel was so shaken by the traumatic experience that when he eventually crawled his way back to Arda, he was unable to assume a fair or manipulative form ever again.
• Canis Major: During his battle with Huan, he tried to become The Greatest Werewolf That Ever Lived and fulfill the prophecy to defeat Huan. It didn't work, but he was a huge werewolf.
• The Chessmaster: One of his greatest strengths. He used disguises and clever tactical planning to make the Elves create the Rings, and to later undermine Númenor to its downfall. And that is not counting the wars he directed or all the plans he enacted.
• Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: He betrayed the Valar to Melkor. He betrayed Gorlim after their deal. Then he escaped from his master's service when he lost Tol-in-Gaurhoth (Morgoth would have forgiven him). Then he betrayed Celebrimbor and all the Elves who trusted in him. Then he betrayed the Men and Dwarves whom he gifted with the rings. Then he betrayed the Numenoreans and the king, causing the destruction of their civilization. One of his names is Sauron "the Deceiver", and Base Master of Treachery.
• Classic Villain: Sauron represents Pride, Ambition, Wrath and Greed.
• Co-Dragons: One of Melkor's chief lieutenants along with Gothmog the Balrog and, ultimately, Glaurung the actual Dragon.
• Cold-Blooded Torture: Inflicted on several unfortunates who have information he wants (Thrain for one of the seven rings, and Gollum, from whom he discovered the One Ring still existed). Unlike Morgoth, it isn't made clear whether he also tortures people for fun in his spare time, but don't put it past him.
• Complexity Addiction: This actually screws him in more than one occasion. The plan to make the elves forge the ring of power is a good plan. But a more simple military approach would have made him victorious. Corrupting the Numenoreans was a good plan too, and a necessary one. And it had paid off. But he had to send the king against the Valar. Any other approach to get rid of the king would have been more reasonable, less risky, and he would have been left with all the power of Nûmenor at his disposal (and in any case, regardless of the Valar reaction at Sauron ruling the earth, he would have been better prepared with all Numenor's power in his hand). But he sends the king against the Valar, and he pays dearly for it.
• Consummate Liar: Sauron talks very fast, and very well, and can fool people who quite frankly, should know better. Such as Gorlim, Celebrimbor and Ar-Pharazôn. Hence him eventually being referred to as "Sauron the Deceiver."
• Control Freak: Of the worst type. Disobedience in Mordor is paid with torture and death. He has spies everywhere. His eye is constantly watching, out and in. His main servants are practical extensions of his will. He is a paranoid nutcase to boot.
• Cornered Rattlesnake: It's cornered and exhausted of options when Sauron is at his most dangerous. The Numenoreans paid dearly for it, and in the siege of Barad-Dûr, Gil-Galad and Elendil both died facing the Dark Lord.
• The Corrupter: Directly and indirectly. Aside from the fact that his Ring corrupts everyone it touches, he corrupted Saruman and drove Denethor to such despair that he might as well have been turned evil. And that's not counting everyone he corrupted in the backstory.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: He gets his angelic body handed to him by Eru for meddling with the lives of mortal men. He does not look divine when he eventually recovers and reforms.
• Cyclops: The Orcs portray him as one, though they're probably just guessing (or might be another of his forms).
• Consummate Liar: An extremely dangerous one.
• Dark Is Evil: Darkness and shadows are his big visual motif (along with the Eye, of course), as with Morgoth before him. Black are his flags, darkness is what he spreads from Mordor to shield his heliophobic armies, and of course he's the Dark Lord.
• Dark Lord on Life Support: Downplayed. He has spent so much of his power on evil pursuits and attempts to subjugate Middle-earth that by the time he infuses his essence into the One Ring, he becomes incapable of sustaining himself without it. As long as the Ring survives, so does he - but as soon as it's destroyed, he is instantly and irrecoverably undone. What differs in his case is that he is still functional, he has a humanoid mobile form, and he is still powerful.
• The Dark Times: He ruled over most of Middle-earth after he created the Ring, called the Dark Years. And during the novel he tries to conquer the Earth once more.
• Deal with the Devil: Gorlim sold him his companions in exchange for his wife and his life. Ended up dead. The Nazgûl took his rings, and ended up becoming undead spectres ensnared to his will, the Númenoreans took his advice and ended up destroyed, the elves (unknowingly) also took their advice, and ended up losing their chance of making a life in middle earth. Everyone who makes a deal or any form of alliance with Sauron ends up betrayed, ruined, dead or worse than dead.
• Despotism Justifies the Means: He started rebelling against Eru out of a desire for putting the world in perfect order, and even at the end "he still had the relics of positive purposes". His initial attraction to Melkor was due to the latter's power and ability to get his will done. He's even cited as being wiser than his master in his goals.
• Determinator: By the time of the War of the Ring, he had died twice, lost three wars, and most of his plans had failed, he had lost the Ring to top it all off, and he'd had to retreat to the east to recover himself. But during the course of the Third Age, he managed to slowly climb back to power, while weakening all his enemies, until by the end of that Age he was again the most powerful being in Middle-earth, and his victory was all but guaranteed. Every time he was defeated or failed, he regrouped himself and started again, or improvised. It isn't wrong to say that his will is practically unbeatable.
• Devil Complex: While he wanted to be a God-King for men, he was fine with not being the real god. In the second age he became high priest of Morgoth. And then, at the end of the third age, he claimed to be Morgoth returned.
• Dirty Coward: Downplayed. He hates fighting unless he either really has to or he thinks he can beat his foe. Although it is justified given that he is much more of a magician and a schemer than a fighter. Also, he has a really bad track of losing, and badly, when things get physical: In his backstory, he lost a battle to Huan (the greatest hound to ever walk on Earth) and Luthien, losing his tower and position as lieutenant of Morgoth. Later, in the Second Age, he lost his army against the Elves and Numenoreans, and barely survived, having to retreat to Mordor and rebuild his forces. Then, in Numenor's downfall, he lost his ability to adopt a fair physical form, being locked in his evil Dark Lord form, and also his dominion over the Numenorean empire. And then, at the end of Barad-Dûr, he fell in battle against Elendin and Gil Galad (although killing them), and lost his Ring to Isildur, was forced to retreat and was unable to adopt a physical form until a millennium later.
• Divinely Appearing Demons: His "angelic" guise as Annatar belied his demonic nature and enabled him to manipulate the Elves and Númenoreans. However, he ends up with Shapeshifter Mode Lock due to being caught in the destruction of Númenor, meaning he is unable to return to his fair form after that.
• Dragon Ascendant: Sauron was originally a servant of Morgoth, but after his master’s defeat, he ascended to take Morgoth’s place as the Dark Lord.
• Dragon with an Agenda: Where Morgoth was an Omnicidal Maniac, Sauron just wanted to create order.
• Dragon Their Feet: He was hiding during the War Of Wrath after having lost Tol In Gaurhoth to Luthien.
• The Dreaded: It's quite literally his name... well, one of his names (Gorthaur, in Sindarin, which means "Dreadful Abomination"), anyway. Fear is one of his greatest weapons, and his most powerful servants and creations have the power to inflict fear upon those around them. The Elves and Men hate and fear him, and most of them do not dare speak his name.
• Eldritch Abomination/Humanoid Abomination: As a Maia, his physical form isn't really what he is. He is an extradimensional being, like all Valar and Maiar. He generally takes humanoid forms, though.
• Emperor Scientist: As Morgoth's servant he was engaged in many "scientific experiments", most notably, he had a heavy hand in the creation of the Orcs. And of course after Morgoth's downfall he created the Rings with the help of the Elves.
• The Empire: He rules his empire from Mordor, which extends to Rhûn, Harad (near and far), Khand, Umbar, Dol Guldur, parts of the misty mountains, Gundabad, and probably other places at the south and east. He also ruled Numenor behind the scenes for some decades.
• Evil Cannot Comprehend Good:
  • One of the reasons the whole plan to destroy the Ring works. Sauron believes that anyone who possesses the Ring would use it for themselves, leaving them susceptible to its corruption. Only when it's too late does he realize that his enemies wish to destroy it. But... he turns out to be correct in the end, as nobody actually has the resolve to destroy it willingly. Instead, it gets undone as an unforeseen consequence of Bilbo's and Frodo's acts of pity, something else his evil could not comprehend.
  • More generally, Sauron in his fall utterly lost the ability to comprehend or empathise with anyone who wasn't as evil and selfish as him, and couldn't imagine any non-selfish motivation. He convinced Denethor that Gandalf wanted to take over Middle-earth for himself because that's what Sauron genuinely believed.
  • Gandalf explains it to the fellowship members. The fact they want to topple Sauron and not replace him is a thought that has not entered Sauron's mind. That they want to destroy the ring is something it has not appeared in Sauron's darkest dreams. Also, Sauron measures the hearts of all in a scale of power, desire for power. While it's true the ring would overwhelm at last even the strongest will, all of Sauron's conjectures were proven wrong, considering everyone powerful who was at hand rejected the ring (Gandalf, Aragorn, Galadriel, Elrond), and that they managed to get the ring to the literal edge of the fires of Sammath Naur until the corruption overtook the bearer. And then, the pity of those who spared Gollum when they had him as his mercy, and by contrast, his own arrogance at releasing him, and a tiny push from Eru, ensured the ring fell into the fire, and the defeat of the Dark lord.
• Evil Counterpart: Just as Morgoth, he serves as this for many characters:
  • To Melian. She was originally a maiar of Yavanna, as he was one of Aulë. Their domains and powers are in opposite during the War of the Jewels. They are both noted for having extrenely powerful eyes and look.
  • To Eowne. Eowne is Manwë's herald, while Sauron is Morgoth's lieutenant. Eowne is a warrior and the best swordsman on arda, while Sauron is a mastermind and the deadliest sorcerer on the earth. Eowne is good, compassive honest and courageous. Sauron is evil and cruel, a deceiver and will not fight unless necessary. As a fact Sauron surrendered to Eowne after Morgoth fell.
  • To Manwë himself. Their relationship with their superiors (Eru and Morgoth) as the administrators of their Kingdoms, their less creative nature, the way they deal with conflicts through secondary parties from afar, their sight (Manwë is said to be able to see everywhere, the same Saurone), even their homes (Manwë from the taniquetil, tallest mountain on Arda, Sauron from Barad-dur, tallest tower on Arda).
  • As a fact, he is an opposite to himself before his fall into evil. Mairon (which means The Admirable) was a good and noble maiar who wished to bring order and coordination to the universe, while Sauron (means The Ahborred) is a purely evil being bent on dominating all, who brought chaos and destruction over all the places he could.
  • To Galadriel (Lady Of light), and Gandalf (The grey, later the white). He was also this to Saruman before he got corrupted. He has many counterparts in his backstory.
• Evil Genius: He's one of the smartest beings in Middle-earth (if not the smartest) from the very beginning.
  Gandalf: Let folly be our cloak, a veil before the eyes of the Enemy! For he is very wise, and weighs all things to a nicety in the scales of his malice.
• Evil Is Burning Hot: Literally, as his physical form emanates enough heat to kill anyone just by touching (like Ereinion). He's also generally associated with fire.
• Evil Is Petty: He burned the place where the Numenoreans raised a monument to his defeat on the second place, and that's just one example. Also the torture of Thrain in Dol Guldur, and pointlessly tormenting Pippin thought the Palantir.
• Evil Mentor: To Celebrimbor in Eregion, tricking him into forging the Rings of Power.
• Evil Sorcerer: As the Necromancer, people mistakenly thought he was one of these.
• The Evils of Free Will: He used the rings to try to take total control over all the beings in Middle-earth. The original reason for his fall was his desire for order in the world, and after his corruption, his unrelenting desire for power and control drive him. He is called afterward "the enemy of the Free Peoples".
• Evil Overlord: The Trope Namer and Trope Codifier for modern fantasy.
• Evil Tower of Ominousness: Barad-dûr, the Dark Tower. He built it, fusing part of his power with the base. The biggest and highest fortress in Middle-Earth since Angband, and only possible to destroy forever with the destruction of the ring.
• Face–Heel Turn: Originally, Sauron was an angelic being and servant of Aulë, the godlike patron of craftsmen and maker of the physical aspects of the Earth; this is how he became such a master at creating items of power. However, he was corrupted by the first Dark Lord, Morgoth, with promises of power to bring order to the world.
• Fallen Angel: He once was a good Maia, though that was long ago. He became an Umaiar (Quenya for "demon").
• Faceless Eye: He appears as a great eye of fire in the minds of those who perceive him. Unlike in the Jackson movies, in the books this is not his actual physical form — which is hideous but humanoid, complete with a missing ring finger. His Eye just represents his will (thanks to the Palantir he can see literally anywhere).
  • Although in the extended edition of The Return Of The King, he appears inside the eye with his humanoid form.
• Fantastic Racism: Sauron has made destroying the Númenóreans one of his major goals. He also hates the Elves with passion.
• Fatal Flaw: His failure to comprehend good. This aspect of him kept him from even considering that anyone would want to destroy his pet Artifact of Doom.
• Fate Worse than Death: He ends up as a bodiless spirit too weak to influence anyone ever again (at least until the Dagor Dagorath).
• Faux Affably Evil: He was that, before, when he could conceal his evil. Now he is stuck in a monstrous form (but can still be fakely polite, like when talking to Pippin).
• Final Boss: He is this for the entire Arda and Eä until the end of the world. If Sauron wins, then it's all over for everyone in the Earth, and he will rule the world and more until it's end. If he loses, then the last great evil of the world (and the only one capable of inflicting such damage aside Morgoth, who created evil) will be gone, and the last demonic threat to the world will be gone, and the world will be inherited by men.
• Fisher King: Take a look at the state of Gorgoroth. Sauron's will is present in his whole kingdom and beyond. Barad-Dûr, the Morannon and Mount Doom are particularly linked with Sauron (when he falls, the three of them collapse or explode). Curiously, the south of Mordor is a fertile land thanks to the volcanic ash and the sea of Nûrn, to ensure the sustenance of his armies.
• Foil: To Gandalf, who was sent to Middle-earth specifically to be his adversary. Also to Galadriel.
• Gadgeteer Genius: The creator of the Rings of Power. Not much more need be said. And in some versions of the Legendarium, he developed missiles and powered warships for the Numenoreans. Being a Maia of Aule and Morgoth had many advantages.

G-L

• Gone Horribly Right: His plan to create the Ring went so well that he became practically unbeatable as long as he had it, and ensured his continuing survival after several of his bodies were destroyed. It also tied the destiny of all the ring-wielders to his. Unfortunately it also created a fatal weakness for him, guaranteeing his final defeat if the Ring were ever destroyed.
  • Also the destruction of Nûmenor. He'd expected to be rid of the king and his armies, and rule over the madhouse that he'd made of the island. Instead, it fell into a giant chasm and took him with it.
• The Ghost: Tolkien never gives a clear description of what Sauron looks like in the books. Gollum and possibly Gandalf (when Sauron was masquerading as the Necromancer) are the only characters to have actually been in Sauron's physical presence. The only certain things about him are that he is bigger than any human, he looks evil and monstrous, and possibly charred, his eyes are terrible to behold, and he is missing a finger of his hand.
  • Gandalf has a lot to say about Sauron's motives and goals, but doesn't say anything about his appearance, and it's unclear if Gandalf actually ever met Sauron face-to-face.
  • Gollum's only comment is "Yes, He has only four [fingers] on the Black Hand, but they are enough."
  • Pippin and Aragorn both see him through the Palantir, but their encounters happen "offstage", and when they speak of them to others they don't describe him in any way.
  • Frodo sees the image of a flaming eye in Galadriel's mirror, and the Orcs refer to him as "the Eye," but that seems to be more of a metaphor for his power and watchfulness than a description of his actual physical form.
• Glowing Eyes of Doom: Or glowing eye of doom.
• God-Emperor: He sets himself as a god-king in Mordor and the lands under his dominion (Harad, Rhûn, Khand,Umbar, etc.).
• Greater-Scope Villain: He was this during the Third Age until he returned to power. All the evils in the story are related to him in one way or the other (even indirectly, like the Balrog, who woke up by actions instigated by Sauron, or Shelob, who lives in Mordor under Sauron's "permission" (she came there before him. Sauron likes her as a security in the pass of cirith ungol, given no one before Gollum and Sam managed to survive her).
• Hazy-Feel Turn: His repentance to Eonwë was apparently more for fear than anything else, after witnessing the devastating force of the Valar and Morgoth's defeat (although Sauron was not currently at Morgoth's service, having deserted after his defeat by Huan, and hidden through the War of Wrath). The fact that he doesn't follow through with it shows he wasn't really willing to redeem himself.
• The Heavy: Though not present for much of the story, his actions drive the plot.
• Heel–Face Turn: He did this at the end of the First Age, when he mostly reformed and wanted to help rebuild Middle-earth...
• Heel–Face Revolving Door: ... but the threat and fear of punishment was too great (although the real main reason was not being afraid of punishment, but his pride at having to bend himself to the Valar's will, having served as Morgoth's second-in-command) and he didn't resist the temptation to use "reconstruction" as an excuse to conquer the world (although at the beginning there were still some genuine good intention, or at least remnants of it. By the time of the novel, they are all gone).
• He Who Must Not Be Named: He does not allow his servants to use his name. Also the elves fear using his name or speaking the Black Speech.
• Hoist Byhis Own Petard: It happened with Numenor, when he brought the wrath of God upon him, and with the ring, which dooms him.
• How the Mighty Have Fallen: From the greatest of the Maiar and the second most dangerous enemy of the forces of good in Arda and Eä, to a mere impotent spirit of Malice, Sauron fell deep into the void (also literally. When Numenor drowned, he fell into the abyss with the entire island).
• Humiliation Conga: He suffers one in the backstory. He drowns with Numenor and loses the entire empire (which was all but ensnared to his will), comes back as a monster and incapable of taking a fair form again, his armies are defeated during the last alliance, his kingdom is invaded, he is besieged in Barad-Dûr for 7 years (all while still recovering from his last defeat), and when he comes to fight he is defeated and the ring taken from him, leaving him formless for an entire millennium. The end of the second age was not good for Sauron (although all this happens in a span of decades, for Sauron, being an inmortal Maiar, it is almost like a continuous stroke of bad events one after other).
• I Have Many Names: Sauron isn't his original name - it was given to him by the elves in the First Age and means "the Abhorred" or "the Abomination". Some of Tolkien's notes say that his original name was Mairon "the Admirable" (and that one is the Quenya Version. The Valarin one, which would be his True name, is never stated). Sauron's other names include: Annatar (Lord of Gifts), Gorthaur the Cruel ^note "Gorthaur" being the Sindarin version of "Sauron", Thû, The Nameless Enemy, Dark Lord of Mordor, Lord of the Rings, Base Master of Treachery, the Dark Power, Lord of Barad-dûr, The Eye, Ring-maker, Zigurum ^note "the wizard" in the Numenorean language, Artano and Necromancer. Also the Lord of Werewolves back in his shapeshifting days and Tevildo, Lord of Cats (!) in another version.
• Hero Killer: Celebrimbor, Gil-Galad and Elendil all died at his hand. And this are only the direct ones.
• His Own Worst Enemy: In a way, Sauron's actions ensure his own defeat as much as the actions of all his enemies. His pride, paranoia, cynicism and plain insanity, all put a part in his defeat. Had he not been so convinced his enemies were planning to use the ring, he would not have lost his mind in an imaginary conflict. Had he focused in finding the ring instead of waging war against an imaginary rival, he would have eventually found the ring. Had he not fell for Aragorn's challenges, he would have won the war (he stroke too fast to Gondor, without being completely prepared), and kept Mordor completely blocked for Frodo and Sam to pass (had he not fell for the final deception). Had he just built a door or put guards in Sammath Naur, the quest would have been doomed, or deeply complicated. Or just paid attention to the fact there were two "spies" lost in his kingdom, and that an entire regiment of his orcs ended up dead (which would be suspicious to anyone, also considering the time coordination with the battle afar, and the army of men marching to the black gate. Had he been paying a little bit of genuine attention, he would have noticed something was off about all that situation. Or just plainly not being arrogant and actually sending the Nazgûl or someone to patrol Mordor and find the "spies"). But all of this would not have mattered had he not committed the lethal mistake of freeing Gollum. Had he killed, or even kept him locked in Barad-Dûr, he would have won.
• Improperly Paranoid: For all the above. While he had reasons to believe he was right, he ignored too many important things.
• Insane Troll Logic: One seriously has to wonder what the hell was Sauron thinking when he joined Morgoth, the most chaotic and destructive of all the Ainur (even when he still had not fallen into the levels of evil he would), to bring order to Arda. Even more surprising considering he had not joined Melkor's discord during the Music of the Ainur, and actually remained on Eru's side until after some time in Eä.
• Invincible Villain: At that point, he is practically this, despite being at his weakest. The war is a foregone conclusion, and if he recovers the ring, he would become unbeatable.
• I Control My Minions Through...: Fear and Will. When he is gone, most of them lose the impulse for battle and disband almost immediately.
• I Surrender, Suckers: How he caused Númenor to fall. See the The Silmarillion characters page for more.
• Irony: As chancellor to Ar-Pharazôn, he was known as Tar-Mairon. In other words, the entity that was responsible for taking the corruption of Númenor to its logical conclusion rendered his name in Quenya, the language of the Faithful.
  • Sauron "The Great" was undone not by men, elves or dwarf, but by the little and diminute Hobbits.
  • Sauron "the deceiver" was deceived, right until the very end.
  • The Great Eye missed the two little hobbits passing right below his doorstep.
• It's All About Me: One of his core features, Sauron does not care about anyone or anything other than himself and his goals. He has an ego of the size of Barad-Dûr.
• It's Personal: With Aragorn, and Gondor. Aragorn is the last member of the line of Kings of Elendil, which goes up there to Elros, up until Beren, Luthien, and Melian. A line that has been a constant thorn in Sauron's feet for thousand and thousand of years. And Gondor is the last kingdom of men descendant from Numenor. Sauron wants to send unto oblivion both the line and the remnants of Numenor. And when Aragorn challenges him, Sauron feels fear for first time in long, believing he has the ring and is challenging him for power.
• Joker Immunity: He does not really suffer from this, given how Tolkien's creative process was, but it is funny to see how much he survived and how long he lasted. He "outlived" his master for 2 ages (approximately 6460 years), he survived "two" deaths, the collapse of a continent he was in (first "death"), three military defeats, extreme physical and spiritual damage, and thousands of years of recovery. That is not counting the fact he escaped twice from the Valar, nor his defeat in the hands of Huan. Also he is the only one of the great Umaiar from the first age (Him, Gothmog, Ungoliant, Glaurung and Ancalagon. Morgoth being a Valar does not count) to "survive" and prosper past their master's fall. If the stories had come in order, one would wonder how the hell is Sauron still alive after all he went through.
• Karma Houdini: Downplayed. While he always managed to escape punishment and final destruction, he did suffer quite a lot of heavy defeats (both general and personal), and he had to retreat many times. But he always found a way to come back and rebuild himself...
• Karma Houdini Warranty: ..Until Gollum comes into play.
• Karmic Death: His final defeat came from the hands of the creature that most suffered his worst creation, and completely unintentionally from the creature's part. This doomed him to exist as a powerless spirit until the end of the world.
  • His previous death were pretty karmic too. Killed by the god he had dismissed as nonexistent and burned (like all the people he ordered sacrificed). And then killed by the king of the survivors of Numenor and the king of the elves on middle Earth be deceived and tormented. And then his ring taken by the son of said men's king.
• Keystone Army: Raised — and lost — several. Practically, all his servants are guided by his will (at least all evil creatures). When he goes, they lose purpose, focus and coordination.
• Kick the Dog: Too many to count, and too many uncounted for.
• Knight Templar: He had some shades of this attitude during the second Age, and even before when he joined Melkor.
• Lack of Empathy: While originally good, Sauron's love for living creatures, while genuine, was not as strong as the love (for example) Gandalf and some alike him would have for them. But his lack of empathy became worse and worse while his evil grew, to the point he stopped having any empathy for anyone other than himself.
• Light Is Not Good: In his guise as Annatar, Lord of Gifts, he appeared as an angelic being of incredible beauty. This was how he deceived the Elves and corrupted the Númenóreans.
• Living Lie Detector: Lying to Sauron is practically impossible. The only way Gandalf's deception works is by planting seed and doubts in Sauron's head from afar (which mainly amounts to exploit Sauron's weakness). Same when Aragorn faced him on the stone (although the Palantir answered to him, being a Gondor one), he showed him Narsil and wrestled the Palantir off Sauron's power, but never effectively claimed that he was using the ring.
• Load-Bearing Boss: His malign will was functioning as his Evil Tower of Ominousness' foundation, not to mention the primary motivating and dominating force of his slave armies.

M-R

• The Magnificent: Referred to as Sauron the Great by his followers. Also, before he turned evil, he was called Mairon ("Admirable").
• The Man Behind the Man: To Celebrimbor, Ar-Pharazôn, The Witch-King, and Saruman.
• Manipulative Bastard: A master of manipulating people. Him ironically, being "manipulated" by Gandalf and Aragorn.
• Metaphorically True: In the backstory. He told Gorlim he would send him with Eilinel. He never clarified she was dead to begin with.
  • He also used this to seduce the elves. He told them he wanted to make middle-earth beautiful. He never specified that it would involve mind control. His name also was this: Annatar, lord of the gifts (which sounds really close to Lord of The rings). He had gifts for all the elves...he just forgot to leave the detail of what those gifts were really for.
  • When he cannot get away with plainly lying, he uses this, half-truths, misguidance or omissions.
• Mind Control: He has the Nazgûl ensnared thanks to the nine Rings.
• Mind Rape: His specialty. "Thy flesh shall be devoured and thy shriveled mind left naked to the Lidless Eye." Brrrrr.
• Monstrous Humanoid: After he lost his beautiful Annatar form in the fall of Númenor, he was stuck in a humanoid but horrendously monstrous form for the rest of his existence.
• Motive Decay: Justified in-universe: his original motivation was to give order and peace to the world. As his evil grew, he lost sight of this goal — a desire for order became a desire to dominate everything, and a desire for peace became a lust for control and revenge against those who resisted him — the Eldar, the Númenóreans, and lastly the men of Gondor. By the end of his "life", he is only interested in controlling the entire world and practically cares nothing about the state of it as long as it is his.
• Names to Run Away from Really Fast: "Sauron" is Quenya for "abomination." His less-often-seen Sindarin name, Gorthaur, means "terrible dread."
• Necromancer: It's one of his titles and the alias he used while recuperating at Dol Guldur, and one of his specialties as a Maia was in manipulating the connection between minds and physical bodies/objects. However, he does not seem to have the 'stereotypical' Necromancer's entourage of rotting animated corpses, but the older version of necromancer, as a soul controller and manipulator.
  • This is the power that allowed him to pour himself unto the ring.
• Not Quite Dead: Gandalf notes that, even with the destruction of the Ring, Sauron isn't actually dead as he is a Maia whose essence cannot truly perish. Instead, he's just reduced to an impotent "spirit of malice" that can never again grow or take form.
• Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist: While he started off as a genuine well-intentioned extremist, by the beginning of the Second Age he had devolved more into this. While still somewhat sincerely convinced that his objectives were for the best of everyone in Arda, deep down he came to care only about gaining absolute power, even at the expense of literally everyone else's well-being.
• Number Two: First he was this to Aulë. Then to Morgoth. Then to Celebrimbor. And finally to Ar-Pharazon (in the first two cases, he was a real number 2. In the third he was manipulating and using Celebrimbor, and in the forth, he became the power behind the throne.). His numbers two are the Witch King and The Mouth Of Sauron.
• Obviously Evil: After the Downfall of Númenor, he can only take shape as something hideous that wears all his hate and corruption on the outside, where everybody can see it plainly.
• Obliviously Evil: For a time, Sauron was genuinely convinced his actions were for the best of Middle-Earth. By the end of the 2nd age, all this is all practically gone. It is pretty telling that until the fall.of Numenor he called himself Mairon the Admirable (which was indeed his original name).
• Oh, Crap!: Understandably, he freaks the hell out when he realizes that his ring is in the very place it can be destroyed. He absolutely forgets about all his plans and focus all his power and will on Mount Doom.
• Omniglot: He speaks most if not all the languages of Middle Earth. He even invented one.
• Orcus on His Throne: He never engages anyone in physical battle after his previous defeat by the Last Alliance. Though this isn't to say that he's inactive. His Eye is always on the move, as are his servants, propelled by his malevolent will. Justified in that, while he is immensely powerful, physical strength is not his forte. If Sauron is personally coming out to fight, like he did at the end of the Second Age, it generally means he's on the brink of defeat and getting rather desperate.
• Order Versus Chaos: When Sauron was originally created as a good being, the greatest virtue that was instilled in him was a love of order and perfection, leading him to dislike anything he considered wasteful. Over time though, this virtue became twisted and corrupted as Sauron began to seek to impose order upon everyone and everything and came to view unrelenting tyranny as the easiest way to do so, leading him to fall from the side of good and join Morgoth as his lieutenant. Which is specially contradictory, considering how chaotic Morgoth was.
• Our Angels Are Different: Sauron, like the Wizards, is an angel (or a demon/umaiar by that point) in humanoid form. Unlike them, however, he possesses his full power and knowledge (and was already far more powerful than all of them before they took their forms as wizards).
• Our Demons Are Different: He is an Umaiar, like The Balrogs and all those who followed Morgoth. He is the most powerful Umaiar of all.
• Out-Gambitted: He Out Gambits everyone, and then is in turn Out Gambitted by Gandalf. See Unwitting Pawn below.
• Paranoia Gambit: Aragorn plays one with him. It almost works too well.
• The Paranoiac: Both he and his master Morgoth fit this disorder, particularly as they got progressively weaker over the Ages and increasingly spiteful, envious, controlling, petty and grandiose as a direct result of that. Sauron especially, as by the end he simply wants to control absolutely everything and is completely enraged by any challenge to this. It also causes Sauron to have a cautious streak, both personally and as a strategist. Like his master, he generally does not attack unless assured of success, and heavily hedges his bets; his assault on Minas Tirith, for instance, only involves a fraction of his forces, with the bulk remaining in Mordor. His defeat there causes Sauron to fall back and regroup, when a second assault would likely have conquered the city easily. His paranoid about other using the ring ends up making him fall in Gandalf and Aragorn's trap, emptying Mordor of all his forces and leaving Frodo and Sam empty route.
  • That was already in play during the War. Gandalf himself states that he was more focused in waging war against his enemies for fear some of them might use the ring that actually focusing all his power in finding the ring and guarding Mordor, which would have doomed the quest. Ironically, for all his paranoia and fear, he left Mount Doom unguarded (even a door could have solved the issue). But his convincement that everyone would use the ring against him (which suits with a real Paranoid, who is convinced everyone is scheming and conspiring against him) blinded his sight until the last moment.
• Pet the Dog: Sparing Gollum might seem like this, but Gandalf and Aragorn believe that he was only set free because Sauron knew that he would seek out the Ring, and might lead Sauron's servants to it. Gollum maintains that he escaped on his own (which is "true" to some extent, at least is what Gollum believes, but Sauron orchestrated his escape and let him run free and escape untouched) and would never have turned over the Ring to Sauron or his servants (which is also true, Gollum wants the ring for himself).
• Playing with Fire: His Dark Lord form is described as looking very dark, like it is blackened from the immense heat of his body, and anybody who gets too close is burned by him.
• Present Absence: Sauron is never present in a scene, and very few of the characters have actually been in his presence. His only lines are spoken to Pippin when he looks into the palantír, and we only know them because the incident actually happens off-page, with Pippin telling the rest of the characters about it after the fact. This actually helps to give him a might and a presence he would not have if he had a personal appearance. He is everywhere all the time, without ever making a single direct appearance. Hell, the title of the novel is his title.
• Pride Before a Fall: Metaphorically and Literally.
• Properly Paranoid: Played straight but then subverted. He was right on not trusting Gollum, and he was right in the fact that Gollum's will was indomitable. But he still set him free. He mistook how dangerous Gollum could effectively be, and sealed his own fate.
• Reality Warper: He can manipulate the very fabric of reality.
• Red Eyes, Take Warning: Does appear yellow at one point, however.
• Red Right Hand: He cannot grow back the ring finger he lost at the end of the Second Age.
  "There are only four fingers on the Black Hand, but they are enough."

S-Y

• Sadist: Enjoys torture and inflicting pain. His conversation with Pippin is enough proof of this.
  • His torment of Gorlim in The Silmarillion is an excellent example.
• Satanic Archetype: Sauron is a Fallen Angel who grows to become the setting's Big Bad, he rules over the hellish realm of Mordor, and his evil embodies the power of temptation. While the real "Satan" is too weak, he is the one running the show.
• Shadow Archetype: Sauron is a Shadow to both Gandalf and Galadriel. He is what anyone with enough power to wield his ring would end up becoming if they managed to overthrow him. As a matter of fact, according to Tolkien, Gandalf would be even worse than Sauron, given that, while Sauron was clearly evil, Gandald would corrupt and make good seem detestable.
• Shapeshifter Mode Lock: After the destruction of Númenor, he can never again assume a form that isn't hideous, hateful, and Obviously Evil.
• Sinister Surveillance: Of Mordor and the surrounding lands, with his thought ("Eye") alone and with the Palantír from Minas Ithil. Also Mordor is full of his "spies".
• The Sociopath: He degenerated into something akin this. No empathy, completely unable of understanding good, grandiose (claiming to be Morgoth returned), petty, absolute lust of winning more and more power, and pretty sadistic to boot. Also, deeply paranoid, and only concerned about himself. But still capable of long term planning and organization, and nor limited by whims or mood swings, not at least like his previous master.
  • He is also incapable of deeply learning about his mistakes, usually getting himself screwed by the same reason (his overconfidence).
• Story-Breaker Power: Sauron's power is beyond all in Middle Earth by that point, even with him being at his weakest (Gandalf at his most powerful does not feel prepared to even face Sauron throught the Palantir, and Aragorn only manages to do it thanks to the fact the Palantir is his by right). The only way anyone could beat him by force is using the ring (and that isn't even a sure outcome. Of all the possible bearers, Gandald would have the better shot, and it would still be an extremely close fight in which any of them could come on top), and that would still live the world with another Dark Lord. The only reason they had a chance of beating him is because of their plan to destroy the ring, and the fact Sauron would not risk himself to come out to fight unless it's absolutely necessary.
• Stupid Evil: His inability of understanding any good has made him this at his core, which ends up being his undoing.
  • Christopher Tolkien wrote in Morgoth's ring, that, for all of Sauron's power and knowledge, he was at the end as smart as Radagast, and was too blind to see the truth until the last hour. He really thought Gandalf and the istari were in middle-Earth to reconquer it for Manwë, and never ever dreamed anyone would try to destroy the ring (or that they might have just wanted to dethrone him and not replace him).
• Take Over the World: His goal, literally. And if he gets his Ring back, he can, thanks to his enemies being far weaker than they were in the Second Age, and him still being the most powerful being on Middle-earth.
  • Ironically, the rediscover of the ring worked more against his interest than in favour. He could have easily won the war without the ring.
• Taking You with Me: He tries to destroy the west's army on the Morannon after the ring is destroyed, but he is powerless and he is blown away by a wind of the west. He also takes down the Nâzgul, Mount Doom, Barad-Dûr, the teeth towers, and who knows what else.
  • A more subtler example. With the destruction of the one ring, everything tied to it would go down, including the three elvish rings and all their creations. Even in defeat, Sauron manages to fuck with the elves one last time, forcing them either to fade away or leave their beloved middle earth forever.
• Telepathy: He is a Maia. During his conversation with Pippin, he never speaks, just looks at Pippin, and he understands.
• Treacherous Advisor: Sauron was this to Ar-Pharazôn and Celebrimbor, as well as an Evil Chancellor.
• Time Abyss: He is one of the Ainur, so he is older than the universe. He is also one of the first spirits who entered Arda, and possibly it's oldest inhabitant (or one of the oldest), given Valinor and most of the Ainur left the world.
• Ultimate Blacksmith: Sauron is one of the most skilled craftsmen in all of existence (saving Aule and possibly Feanor), which is one reason the Ring is so incredibly hard to destroy, aside the fact that it is infused with his power and essence. While there are smiths of similar or greater skill, most of them live in Valinor, outside the reach of Middle-Earth. Only a Valar (and not just any Valar) could have the power to destroy the ring, and among the elves, only Feanor would hypothetically have the skills to actually unmake it. And he is in Mandos.
• Undying Loyalty: The Nazgûl have this for him (not that they have any choice on the matter), so do some of the men under his command, and even some of his evil creatures. The Mouth of Sauron is a genuine example.
• The Unfettered: In his quest for Order and power, he had no limits. He did not want to destroy the world, but he was willing to burn and main a large part of it if it meant he could rule it after (also he was interested in dominating people, not the matter itself).
• The Unfought: Due to Present Absence. Sauron always sends his minions to do the fighting for him. This may be justified for the next reasons: First, he would never go to a fight unless absolutely necessary. Second, he would annihilate all the characters in the story. Third, he usually gets the worst of any fight he actually takes part in, and forth, he is busy directing his forces throught his will.
• Unwitting Pawn: Marching most of his army up to the Black Gate was a distraction and he fell right into it (he pulls out to it at the last minute, but it is too late).
• Villain Decay: A well done example, tied with the themes of the book and of Tolkien mythology, which does not diminish the threat or the danger he still poses. Like master, a classic example. He started as a good Maia with good intentions, and joined Melkor out of a desire to help the world. But time and evil took hold and consumed him, until by the end of the third age he has become as near as absolute evil as he can, concerned only with recovering the ring and acquiring complete power over everything and everyone. He also lost a great part of his power, like his ability to shape-shift and conceal his own evil, and mainly, his ability to understand the good in people and the world. Which is contrasting is that, despite being at his weakest both in personal and military power, he is closer to win than ever before, his enemies being also weaker than ever (not least thanks to his actions).
• Villain Has a Point: In his backstory, while still having selfish motives, he was right on the fact the Valar had abandoned Middle-Earth to it's luck, and that the world was disordered and in decay, while it could still be made beautiful. His methods to "save" it were anything but good.
• Villains Never Lie: While normally a huge liar, this is how he corrupts both Saruman and Denethor. Sauron uses his own palantir seeing-stone against his enemies by controlling what they see through their own; while the palantir cannot show false images, Sauron can subtly guide the other side into seeing what he wants them to see. Sauron used this to show off his immense armies and power, to both drive his foes to despair and tempt them to join his side (Saruman).
• Villain Protagonist: From A certain point of view, he is this. The novel is the last crusade of Sauron to take Middle-Earth, and his final downfall.
• Villainous Valour: Downplayed, but oddly enough, he does show moments of bravery. When he is cornered by Ar-Pharazon, he agrees to be taken as a prisoner to Numenor, despite the risk (although persuasion was one of his greatest strengths). And in the Siege of Barad-Dûr, when the chips are down, he comes to face his enemies in armed combat.
• Voluntary Shapeshifting: Before his physical body was destroyed in the fall of Númenor. Even afterwards he's implied to still possess the ability, though he never really gets a chance to use it — he just can't conceal his evil nature any more, meaning it's no longer useful as a disguise.
• We Have Reserves: His rationale for letting Shelob pick off the occasional Orc. Also, his armies are massive and the biggest on Middle Earth. He has enough to spare and still win.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: Mostly in his backstory. His goal at the beginning was to establish a lasting order in Middle-Earth. By the time of the novel, he's long since lost any good intentions and now just wants absolute power for the sake of it.
• Why Don't You Just Shoot Him??: This actually happened to him in the Second Age. He focused centuries in getting to seduce the elves and make the rings of power, for his plan to end up failing at the last moment. Had he used all that time to amass armies and solidify his power, he would have annihilated the elves in middle earth, and probably beat the Numenoreans as well. But his intent to control them and use them made him go the other path.
• Wound That Will Not Heal: According to Gollum, even after regaining his physical form he's still missing the finger that Isildur lopped off. And he is black (whatever Gollum meant it metaphorically or literally is not specified).
• You Could Have Used Your Powers for Good!: With all the knowledge he had given to the eldar, he had literally ensured the survival of the old world and the creation of a beautiful middle Earth, achieving a peaceful reconstruction and reformation, and more importantly, a lasting, peaceful and positive order, his original objective. Too bad he had to ruin everything creating the one ring to rule everyone, and then plunging middle Earth into conflict, ruining the last chance of peaceful lives the elves had in there (for not mentioning ruining the lives of millions and millions of beings for almost the next 5 millenniums.).
• You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: To Saruman, indirectly. He leaves him to rot in Orthanc.

---