One of the most revered Elves in Middle-earth, Galadriel plays a central role in several of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, from The Lord of the Rings trilogy to The Silmarillion, the author’s collection of myths and historical texts that form the foundation of his creation. In fact, Tolkien himself deemed The Lady of Light as one of the Third Age’s mightiest Elves remaining in Middle-earth.
While she plays a more minor role in The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) trilogy, Galadriel is one of the central characters in Prime Video’s The Rings of Power, and comes to bear one of the three Elven rings of power, Nenya. Tolkien’s opinion of Galadriel is clear, but that doesn’t mean every being in Middle-earth reveres (and loves and despairs) the Lady of Lórien. So, does the series’ main antagonist, Sauron, fear Galadriel? Here’s what to know.
Is Sauron A God?
The former lieutenant of Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, Sauron is the second Dark Lord in the history of Middle-earth who seeks to conquer the realm. Namely, this titular Lord of the Rings deals in trickery and deception, and garnered much of his dominion by forging the Rings of Power. To understand Sauron and Galadriel’s dynamic, it’s important to know something of the history of Middle-earth, and of Eä — the material universe.
Created by Eru Ilúvatar (the Creator), the Ainur, or Holy Ones, are the primordial beings responsible for shaping Eä, which is kind of like a Tolkien galaxy. Arda, the dwelling place of Elves and Men (the Children of Ilúvatar), is akin to Earth in this metaphor, and is home to the Blessed Realm of Valinor, the region of Beleriand, and the sunken island of Númenor. Middle-earth is more of a colloquial term, used to describe the habitable parts of Arda. After creating Eä, many of the Ainur settled in Arda to guide the whims of Elves and Men.
So, how does Sauron figure into all of this? The Ainur are composed of two groups, the Valar and Maiar. In the beginning, there were 15 Ainur who were the most powerful of all, and while 14 of them became known as Valar, one of them, Melkor, became the first Dark Lord of Arda. Even the most well-versed fans might know Melkor better as Morgoth, the Dark Lord who Sauron served before creating the Rings of Power. The lesser Ainur who joined the Valar in settling in Arda were dubbed Maiar, and Sauron was one of the greatest Maia.
Is Sauron Afraid of Galadriel?
Tolkien has called Galadriel the “last remaining of the Great among the High Elves” in the Third Age. As fans know, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place during the Third Age of Middle-earth — the era that follows Sauron’s defeat in Mordor. As depicted in the opening scene of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the War of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men ends when Isildur severs the One Ring from Sauron. Isildur’s act drains Sauron of power, and puts an end to the Dark Lord’s corporeal form.
Before his legendary defeat, Sauron served Melkor, or Morgoth, the primordial source of evil in Eä. The First Age ended with Morgoth’s defeat, thanks to an alliance of Elves, Men, and Valar. Prime Video’s The Rings of Power begins in the wake of this so-called War of Wrath. While Morgoth’s reign has ended, much of Middle-earth is in upheaval; the clash between holy beings caused Beleriand, the northwestern region of Middle-earth, to sink.
So, with the time of peace comes rebuilding, too. It’s during this time that Men built their greatest civilization, Númenor. But Sauron, Morgoth’s former lieutenant, lies in wait, eager to deceive the nations of Men, Elves, Dwarves, and install himself as the second Dark Lord of Arda. Posing as Annatar (Lord of Gifts), Sauron convinces the Elven-smith Celebrimbor to forge the Rings of Power, which he later bestows upon Men, Elves, and Dwarves. However, Sauron secretly forges the One Ring, which gives him control over the other ring-bearers and, thus, Middle-earth.
Both Dark Lords, Morgoth and Sauron, hated and feared all who did not submit to them, though to what extent they feared and hated their opposition likely varied. It’s foretold in Tolkien lore that the end of an age always comes about when a dark power is at its height, and loses. Said darkness always meets its end in an unconventional, surprising way.
When it comes to Sauron being afraid of Galadriel, the probability is high. In his notes, Tolkien remarks that Sauron saw Galadriel as his equal. Add that to the fact that she’s untrusting of Sauron (yes, even when he’s in his Annatar guise) and an unwavering, single-minded force, and it’s more likely than not that Sauron feared Galadriel — or the potential she held to upend his plans.
Could Galadriel Have Defeated Sauron?
After watching Morgoth — a much stronger Dark Lord — fall, Sauron feels the need to be deceitful in order to gain power. Instead of fighting his opposition openly on the battlefield, Sauron orchestrates the Rings of Power ploy. Clearly, Sauron fears something, though perhaps that something is more about the combined efforts of Elves and Men (and their other allies) than any individual threat.
In a one-on-one battle, Galadriel would likely lose to Sauron. Even though she’s an Elf, both powerful and intelligent, Sauron is Maiar. Odds are, Sauron didn’t fear a physical defeat — only a fellow Maia ring-bearer could physically oppose him and win, after all — but Galadriel is threatening in other ways.
In The Lord of the Rings books, Galadriel instills fear in many, even though she’s ostensibly a force of good. Clearly, Galadriel thinks herself Sauron’s equal. One of the Eldar who led the Elves from Valinor to Middle-earth, Galadriel wasn’t opposed to conquest or amassing power. “In place of a Dark Lord, you would have a queen! Not dark, but beautiful and terrible as the dawn! Treacherous as the sea! Stronger than the foundations of the earth!” Galadriel opines, thinking that she could take Sauron’s place if she became the bearer of the One Ring. “All shall love me, and despair!”
But that’s the One Ring’s whole game. As Tolkien puts it in one of his letters, the Ring’s main deceit is to “fill minds with imaginations of supreme power.” Galadriel may not exactly have delusions of grandeur, but she probably isn’t capable of defeating Sauron in combat, either. And, for Sauron’s part, his very idea of losing his power makes him more susceptible to fear.
The verdict? Once the second Dark Lord forges the One Ring and bears it, Galadriel probably could not have defeated Sauron in battle. Still, her enduring power, revered wisdom, and stalwart ambition make Galadriel someone to fear.