One of the greatest villains of all time is Sauron from The Lord of the Rings. The fallen Maia who once served the wicked Morgoth and forged the One Ring, Sauron was so powerful that the destruction of his physical form could not quell his evil. Even the name of Sauron was synonymous with darkness and death, able to strike fear into the hearts of all the good peoples of Middle-earth.

Sauron was not always Sauron, however. Before he betrayed the Maiar, he had many other names, including Gorthaur, Mairon, and Annatar. Yet the name known best to fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings is The Necromancer. In The Hobbit, Gandalf left Thorin’s company to deal with the threat of The Necromancer, though at the time he had no idea whom he was actually dealing with. So why did Sauron call himself The Necromancer, and what was he doing in Middle-earth during that time? Let’s get ready to dive into the heavy lore behind one of Sauron’s most ominous aliases.

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Sauron Flees To Dol Guldur

After Isildur cut the One Ring from Sauron’s finger in the final battle at Barad-dûr, Sauron’s corporeal form was destroyed, but his spirit was kept alive thanks to the Ring. What was left of Sauron’s essence fled and went into hiding for 2000 years. To hide the fact that he was still alive, albeit greatly weakened, Sauron adopted the name The Necromancer. In its most basic definition, a necromancer is one who practices dark magic. However, the root word “necro” means a dead body; and in some realms of fantasy lore, a necromancer performs magic on the deceased, possibly bringing them back to life. A name like The Necromancer is not only super creepy, it’s a symbol of Sauron’s plot to come back from the dead.

Even though he was a shadow of his former self, Sauron never stopped plotting while he waited for his strength to return. In the year 1000 of the Third Age, Sauron and his remaining orc army attacked the Silvan capital of Amon Lanc, driving out the elves and building the stronghold of Dol Guldur. From there, Sauron’s hosts prepared for his true return, as the orcs attacked Gondor and Arnor, while the Nazgûl founded Angmar.

Of course, these dark shadows emanating from Dol Guldur didn’t go unnoticed. Seeking answers about The Necromancer, Gandalf traveled to the stronghold only to find that the mysterious enemy had fled. Fearful of the threat posed by The Necromancer, Saruman agreed to form the White Council, whose members included Gandalf, Elrond, and Galadriel.

Sauron Is Confronted By The White Council

Sauron did not spend his time in exile twiddling his thumbs. While hiding in Mordor, he formed an alliance with the Easterlings, thus increasing his forces. After 400 years, Sauron rebuilt much of his strength and returned to Dol Guldur. Upon Sauron’s return, his dark plans were set in motion to find the One Ring and destroy the heir of Isildur. The Orcs were sent to Moria and Gondor, while the Balchoth invaded the Mirkwood. At the same time, the dragon Smaug had made his move on Erebor and driven out the Dwarves. Later, Sauron’s servants captured King Thráin II and stole his ring of power.

Sneaking into Dol Guldur a second time, Gandalf discovered Thráin, who revealed The Necromancer as Sauron just before he died. Gandalf went to the White Council with the urgent news, insisting they immediately go after Sauron. Saruman refused the request, knowing that the One Ring had been found in Gladden Fields, and he secretly hoped that Sauron would lead him to it. However, with Smaug squatting in Erebor and Sauron’s minions moving against the West, Saruman eventually gave in to Gandalf’s plan. The White Council moved in on Dol Guldur, whose force was too strong for the still-too-weak Sauron, yet he escaped once more.

Sauron Gathers His Armies In Mordor

By the time Sauron returned to Mordor, he had amassed an impressive number of allies for his cause. The Nazgûl had finished rebuilding the tower of Barad-dûr in preparation for their lord’s return, and the Orcs, Ururks, and even werewolves were on hand as part of Sauron’s army. He had also allied with the races of Men, including the Haradrim, the Easterlings, the Black Númenóreans, and the Variags. This new army of the Third Age was known as the Morgul-host.

At this point, Sauron no longer felt the need to hide under the guise of The Necromancer. Even having his true identity uncovered by the White Council, enough of his strength had returned, and he had a powerful army to back him up. Sauron also knew that the One Ring had been found, and believed it would only be a matter of time before it was in his grasp. He proclaimed himself openly from his tower in Barad-dûr, and soon the War of the Ring was underway.

The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings is one of the most iconic names in entertainment. The franchise started with novels from J. R. R. Tolkien before being adapted onto the big screen by Peter Jackson in one of the most critically-acclaimed film trilogies of all time. There have also been numerous The Lord of the Rings video games of varying quality.

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