There is no shortage of evil in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, a fact that makes his tales even more hopeful at the end of the day, as we read about or watch heroes rise to the occasion of saving the world and the people that they love. Full of an insane level of detail, as well as incredible characters and stories of heroes and monsters, Tolkien’s work, whether in his original novels or in the movies inspired by them, will always be at the top of the pile when it comes to high fantasy.
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And while there is a ton of evil to choose from, especially when it comes to power levels, some villains just stand above the rest—whether it’s because of their visual design, deeds, or the way they came to serve the Dark Lord. Read on for seven of the most powerful figures in Tolkien’s world who aren’t Sauron.
7) The Mouth of Sauron
While we don’t get a very in-depth look into the Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dûr’s evil deeds, we know enough to understand he possessed a dark enough soul, or power, to withstand speaking the Dark Lord’s words—the same words that were so evil they left his mouth cracked and bleeding. Once a living man, one of the Black Númenóreans, he became one of Sauron’s most loyal followers, forgetting his own name in the years that he served him, claiming only the title of The Mouth of Sauron as time went on. At some point, he became so trusted by Sauron that he was the only one able to speak his Elvish name (whether that was by Sauron’s grace, or some unknown power belonging to The Mouth, we don’t know).
6) Saruman
A name that we all know by now, Saruman was originally part of the council created with the sole purpose of bringing down Sauron. He was the first of the Istari (what we know as Wizards) to help the Free Peoples of the World to come together against the possible return of Sauron and the darkness that would follow in his wake. But after studying the lore of the Rings of Power, Saruman of Many Colors (or Saruman the White to movie-only fans) eventually fell to the sway of dark power, becoming one of Sauron’s most staunch and loyal followers. In his name, he brought together the Orcs of the Misty Mountains, united the Dunlendings, and created his Uruk-hai, forming a mighty and fearsome army to take over Middle-Earth. He also had the ability to “exert much control over men’s minds”—a skill that earned him the name Curunír.
5) Carcharoth
The last werewolf of Morgoth 100% deserves a spot on this list, even if it’s mostly by virtue of being the badass werewolf who ate the Silmaril (though there was a lot more going for The Red Maw). Responsible for guarding the gate of Angband, Carcharoth was created for the battle against Huan, the Hound of Valinor. Upon spying them attempting to leave Angband, Carcharoth bit off Beren’s hand that held the Silmaril. The Silmaril burned the werewolf’s insides, sending him into a pain-induced madness where he rampaged through Beleriand, being essentially liquified from the inside out, though the power of the Silmaril allowed him to pass through the protection of the Girdle of Melian. But that’s where it ended for Carcharoth, who was killed by Huan the Hound—though not without mortally wounding Huan first. But in our opinion, being able to swallow the Silmaril and still kick Huan’s ass makes you pretty powerful.
4) Ungoliant
Gloomweaver, the Great Spider Who Enmeshes, Del-du-thling, and Ungoliantë. The evil spirit who took the form of a giant spider and later became the mother of Shelob bore many names. She went on to join Melkor as his ally before ultimately disowning him as her master. But the great emptiness inside of Ungoliant led her to consume everything that she could, eventually turning her toward Aman, where she desired to eat the light. Her power grew until she was able to, after eating the gems of the Ñoldor, hide herself and Melkor in a cloak of Unlight to hide their approach as the two marched toward Valinor for Melkor’s revenge. She became so powerful that at one point she was nearly able to kill Melkor himself, though his cry of surprise and pain at her attack summoned the Balrogs, who eventually overpowered Ungoliant and chased her off. And while we don’t know exactly what happened to her, it’s largely assumed that the great spider eventually consumed herself in an attempt to end her unending hunger.
3) The Witch King of Angmar
Not only does the character have the coolest name in the entire series, but they have the power to back it up, especially considering that he was Sauron’s most deadly servant. After waging a 600-year war on Arnor, effectively toppling it in the process, he went on to found Angmar, where he ruled for centuries more as he and the other Ringwraiths prepared Mordor for Sauron’s eventual return. And while his identity is unknown, it’s most likely that he’s one of the three noble lords of Númenor, who were corrupted by the Nine Rings of Power and bound to Sauron’s will. Also attributed to the Witch King is the killing of the last King of Gondor before the start of The Lord of the Rings, when he renamed Minas Ithil to Minas Morgul and was chosen to lead Sauron’s armies against those who rose up to protect The Fellowship and Frodo.
2) Glaurung, Father of Dragons
Realizing that the Orcs were not powerful enough to stand on their own, Morgoth brought to life something much more terrifying: Glaurung. Being the first dragon that Morgoth created, and the one who helped turn the tide of power in the First Age to Morgoth’s favor in the Battle of Sudden Flame, it was Glaurun who was likely the progenitor of all the rest of the dragons. He possessed a power called dragon-spell, the ability to hypnotize other creatures and men with only his eyes. The great dragon also went on to sack Nargothrond, eventually turning his dark eye toward Turin Turimbar and his family, tormenting them for years until he was eventually slain by Turin—though not before using his dragon-spell to destroy Turin’s family, sending the great warrior into such a state of despondency that he threw himself on his sword.
1) Morgoth/Melkor
Obviously, the #1 pick had to be the first Dark Lord, who used his malice and spite to corrupt all his enemies held dear. Matching his power is nearly impossible, but it was the very darkness within him that made him so powerful that it also eventually spelled his downfall. But before that happened, he managed to rally not only Sauron, but Ungoliant, the Balrogs, and fire drakes to his side, razing his way through Tolkien’s world to spread darkness far and wide as he stole the Silmarils and destroyed the two lamps and trees of the Valar. Trying to list out every evil thing he did would basically be a word-for-word translation of The Silmarillion, so maybe, if you haven’t already, go read that!
What are your thoughts about the villains on this list? Is there someone you think is more powerful than Morgoth? Let us know in the comments. And don’t forget to join the conversation happening over at the ComicBook forum.
