After centuries lying dormant, rebuilding strength and stirring awake evil things, Sauron returned to power late in the Third Age, but was permanently crippled in the War of the Ring after the destruction of his Ring in the fires of Mount Doom by Frodo Baggins and his spirit was claimed by the Void. In the final battle, Isildur managed to cut the One Ring from him, dismantling Sauron's corporeal form and ridding him of much of his power. After Morgoth's ousting by the Valar, Sauron became the second Dark Lord and sought to conquer Middle-earth and even Númenor through guileful trickery - the chief representation of which were the Rings of Power - or overwhelming legions.Īt the end of the Second Age, Sauron was defeated in the War of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men united under Gil-galad and Elendil. Sauron ( Quenya IPA or ), the eponymous Lord of the Rings, was the greatest subversive Maia, the maker of the One Ring, renowned student of the Vala Aulë, and the most trusted lieutenant of Morgoth.
But he ruled rather by force and fear, if they might avail and those who perceived his shadow spreading over the world called him the Dark Lord and named him the Enemy and he gathered under his government all the evil things of the days of Morgoth that remained on earth or beneath it, and the Orcs were at his command and multiplied like flies." - The Silmarillion, Akallabêth A mask he still could wear so that if he wished he might deceive the eyes of Men, seeming to them wise and fair. He brooked no freedom nor any rivalry, and he named himself Lord of the Earth. Alan Howard ( LOTR Trilogy) Steve Blum ( Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, Middle-earth: Shadow of War) " Now Sauron's lust and pride increased, until he knew no bounds, and he determined to make himself master of all things in Middle-earth, and to destroy the Elves, and to compass if he might, the downfall of Númenor.