what was 👁️sauron?

[mrichy555]

was sauron a powerful istari? was he a maia? im a little confused on what exactly he was.

 

[Thorin]

Sauron was a Maia, a servant of the Vala Aule. When Melkor (one of the other Vala) rebelled, many Maia (including Sauron) went to his side. Sauron became Melkor's (renamed Morgoth) servant and chief lieutenant. When Morgoth was defeated by the Valar and cast into the void, Sauron took over the reigns of evil in Middle Earth.

 

[mrichy555]

o, i thought i read somewhere else on this site that sauron repented and tried to fix what melkor did and it wasnt until later that he took the reigns of evil.

 

[Goro Shimura]

Originally posted by mrichy555
o, i thought i read somewhere else on this site that sauron repented and tried to fix what melkor did and it wasnt until later that he took the reigns of evil.

"In the Silmarillion and Tales of the First Age Sauron was a being of Valinor perverted to the service of the Enemy and becoming his chief captain and servant. He repents in fear when the First Enemy is utterly defeated, but in the end does not do as was commanded, return to the judgement of the gods. He lingers in Middle-Earth. Very slowly, beginning with fair motives: the reorganizing and rehabilitation of the ruin of Middle-Earth, 'neglected by the gods', he becomes a reincarnation of Evil, and a thing lusting for Complete Power-- and so consumed ever more fiercely with hate (especially of the gods and Elves)."

-- Tolkien, Letter #131

 

[Nefarious]

Yes, Sauron only became all evil-looking after the fall of Numenor, if i recall correctly. He was swallowed into some sort of chasm and lost his fair form, no?

 

[Lantarion]

His bodily form was shattered, yes..
But I think the fact that he couldn't take proper physical form was linked to the fact that Ilúvatar himself sank Númenor.. Hmm hmm.